Accommodation
Hotels (6 nights), guesthouses (6 nights), overnight train (1 night).
Transport
Plane, overnight train, boat, local bus, bicycle, walking.
Meals
4 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners.
Staff
All operator group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. operator endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders.
Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. At operator we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit - and who better to hear it from than the locals themselves? If you were interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.
Optional Activities
We list the following optional activities for your information. This is not an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only.
They are not necessarily endorsed or recommended by operator nor included in price of this trip. If you do any of them, you do so at your own risk and it must be clearly understood that your participation is your own decision and does not form part of your contract with operator.
Light show, Hong Kong - free
History museum, Hong Kong - HKD10
Culture museum, Hong Kong - HKD10
Space museum, Hong Kong - HKD10
Science museum, Hong Kong - HKD25
Star Ferry, Hong Kong - HKD3
Disneyland, Hong Kong - HKD 210-350
Peak tram, Hong Kong - HKD20-30/one way or return
Ocean Park, Hong Kong - HKD93-185
Ngong Ping 360 cable car, Hong Kong - HKD58-88/one way or return
Li River cruise, Yangshuo - CNY80
Tai chi or kung fu lesson, Yangshuo - CNY50
Light show, Yangshuo - CNY188
Cooking school and market tour, Yangshuo - CNY100
Bicycle hire, Yangshuo - CNY10-20/day
Kayaking, Yangshuo - CNY130
Caving, Yangshuo - CNY100
Calligraphy, Yangshuo - CNY30
Watercolour painting, Yangshuo - CNY40-50/hour
Dragon cave, Yangshuo - CNY35
Bamboo rafting, Yangshuo - CNY80
Silver water cave, Yangshuo - CNY40
Buddha cave, Yangshuo - CNY80
Water cave, Yangshuo - CNY120
Rock climbing, Yangshuo - CNY100-250
Museums, Xi'an - CNY10-50
Walking the city wall, Xi'an - CNY40
Bicycle rental on city wall, Xi'an - CNY15/90 mins
Bell and Drum Towers, Xi'an - CNY25 each or 40 for both
Great Mosque, Xi'an - CNY20
Big or Small wild goose pagoda, Xi'an - CNY25 each
Acrobats performance, Beijing - CNY100
Kungfu Show, Beijing - CNY100
Summer Palace, Beijing - CNY50
Beijing Opera, Beijing - CNY150
Bicycle Hutong Tour, Beijing - CNY100
Temple of Heaven, Beijing - CNY35
Peking Duck Dinner, Beijing - CNY80
Lama Temple, Beijing - CNY30
Underground City, Beijing - CNY25
What To Bring
What you need to bring will vary according to the trip style you have chosen, the countries you are visiting and when you are travelling. Generally speaking though, you should pack as lightly as possible. On the vast majority of our trips you are expected to carry your own luggage (please see below for exceptions), and though you will not be required to walk long distances with your luggage (max 30 minutes) we recommend keeping the weight under 10kg/22lb.
Suitcases are not recommended for operatorlers! Most travellers carry their luggage in a backpack, although an overnight bag with a shoulder strap would suffice if you travel lightly. Smaller bags with wheels are acceptable, although we recommend your bag has carry straps as well, as you may be required to negotiate bus and railway station steps. You will also need a day pack/bag to carry water and a camera etc for day walks and day trips.The sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in bottles, the production of a 1 litre plastic bottle takes 2 litres of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion end up in limited landfill or discarded in waterways and natural environments. Please avoid the purchase of bottled water by bringing a water purification method. Some of the options are:
- Refill from water dispensers when available at some of our accommodation.
- Water purification tablets available from camping stores or pharmacies.
- 2% tincture of iodine available from pharmacies - used at 4 drops per litre of water and left for at least 20 minutes. Longer in very cold weather.
- Personal water filters available from camping stores. (Bottles with filters built into the cap are lightweight and easy to use. Water is forced through the filter by squeezing the bottle as you drink.)
Your luggage will be carried in our support vehicle so panniers are not essential, though you may wish to store daily requirements (camera, money, pullover) in them. Alternatives for carrying daily requirements while cycling are a day pack or waist-belt.
As special requirements for this trip, you should bring the following bike accessories:
Bike helmet - a helmet is compulsory for this trip.
Pedals and a bicycle seat - these are not essential but if you are used to riding with a particular seat, you'd probably be more comfortable with that. It will be much appreciated after some long days in the saddle. The same goes for pedals.
Two water bottles that can be attached to your bike. Staying hydrated is a priority on this trip. You may wish to bring rehydration salts.
A waterproof jacket suitable for cycling.
In China it is important that your bag can be locked as on transport luggage is often stored separately from the group. The smaller your bag in China the better, because on trains or buses only smaller bags will fit into the storage areas. If your bag does not fit in these areas then often the only place to put it is on your bed or seat. So to get maximum comfort, pack small and light!
Checklist
The following checklist is to be used as a guide only and is not intended to be a complete packing list. Any other items that you wish to pack are at your own discretion however you should attempt to comply with the suggested luggage weight limit.
Travel documents: passport, visas, travel insurance certificate, air tickets, operator voucher
Health requirements arranged
Money: traveller's cheques/cash/credit card and money pouch
Day pack to carry your personal needs during the day
First aid kit
Medication/prescriptions (it is a good idea to have a doctors letter if you are carrying a large amount of medication), travel sickness tablets if required
Prescription glasses and contact lens solution if required
Alarm clock
Torch/flashlight
Travel plug/international adapter
Insect repellent
Refillable water bottle and water purification method
Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses
Swimming costume
Lightweight travel towel
Ear plugs/eye mask
Comfortable walking shoes
Local language phrase book
Camera, film and/or memory cards with spare batteries
Personal audio player with spare batteries
Raincoat/umbrella
Waterproof jacket
Tampons can be difficult to buy in China
Warm clothes for the winter months (Nov to Feb). The mean temperature in Guangxi Province is around 5 degrees celsius
Bike helmet
Cycling shorts or padded bicycle seat
Bike peddal (optional)
Bike gloves and shoes
Day pack, panniers or waist-belt
Group Size
Maximum of 12 travellers per group
Other Information
Please note that during Chinas national holidays (please refer to the Country Information on China for dates) it is peak travel season for Chinese Nationals. Although these are fascinating and exciting times to travel in China, please be aware your group could experience transport delays, larger crowds at tourist attractions and our normal itineraries may change slightly. If clockwork organisation is important to you we advise to book outside of these weeks.
Bikes are provided on this trip. It is recommended that you bring your own cycling helmet for this trip. While helmets are available, the size may not be suitable.
Please note that our longest cycling day will be approximately 85 km, with the option of taking a ride in the support vehicle if this is too strenuous.
Operator Remarks
Allow USD $200 for meals not included.