China: Off the Beaten Track (OBT)

Many travelers have visited China in recent years. The glories of the Middle Kingdom have become a regular stop on the tourist trail. But China is far richer and more diverse than the average tourist encounters. Her national parks and scenic jewels are amazing and obscure palaces, monasteries, and temples fire one’s cultural imagination. Of all our tours, our two China OBTs rival Egypt as the most “sight-rich” itineraries on offer. The fact that virtually every stop is unfamiliar to western travelers enhances the impact and increases the enjoyment. This is truly a journey of discovery – par excellence! Come join Imprint on a unique expedition that unveils the immense treasure trove of lesser known, but genuinely spectacular sights and experiences of China.

OBT-I

Day 1  Kunming, Yunnan Province
Meeting; Dinner
Welcome to Yunnan Province. The variety of its ethnic groups and landscapes makes Yunnan the perfect place to begin our OBT travels together. As always we will gather for our get-acquainted meeting and then enjoy a dinner of local specialties.
Kunming Long Teng Hotel (2 Nights) No hotel website. Please use your favorite hotel booking engine to review or book.

Day 2  Kunming
Jiuxiang Cave; Stone Forest
We begin our explorations with a visit to Jiuxiang Cave. Not just another cave, this natural wonder impresses with its scale, variety of formations, its dramatic setting, and an interior waterfall. Our afternoon destination is the Stone Forest. This amazing conglomeration of karst structures looks to be straight out of a sci-fi movie. We’ll take plenty of time to explore and wander among the shards, blocks, towers, and erratic formations.

Day 3  Lijiang
Old Town tour; Three Pagodas; Erhai Lake
Our morning begins with a two-hour train ride to alluring Dali, beautifully situated between a lake and mountains. We’ll enjoy a brief walking tour of the historic old town, then a coach excursion to the area’s highlights. We’ll include a photo stop at the Three Pagodas, the titular symbols of Dali. Then proceed to scenic Erhai Hu with its magical vistas of the Cang Shan mountains, which soar to 13,000 feet. Then its back on the train to continue our journey to charming World Heritage designated Lijiang. The town’s time-locked old town is most delightful at night, so we’ll conclude this busy day with a quick wander and dinner near the Old Market Square.
Lijiang House Boss Resort Hotel (3 Nights)

Day 4  Lijiang
Tiger Leaping Gorge
Today we enjoy an all-day excursion to Tiger Leaping Gorge. The gorge, famous for the boiling and roiling “angry Jinsha River”, is a sight not to be missed. Among many photo-worthy view stops we’ll descend to the “howling tiger” viewing platform for up-close views of this stunning natural spectacle.

Day 5  Lijiang
Blue Moon Valley; Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
This morning we venture to nearby Blue Moon Valley with its terraced pools, unique blue water lakes, and views of the area’s signature mountain - Jade Dragon. A cable car whisks us up to a viewing platform with unparalleled views. We’ll return to Lijiang for a free afternoon.

Day 6  Lanzhou, Ganshu Province
Travel Day
After breakfast we’ll be transferred to Lijiang’s airport for our flight north to Ganshu Province and our destination of Lanzhou. We’ll be most of the day underway to gain Ganshu Province. Our reward is arriving in an entirely new travel ecosystem.
Wyndham Hotel Lanzhou HaiYue (1 Night)

Day 7  Zhangye
Dafu Temple
After our long travel day we will take a leisurely morning today. We’ll visit Lanzhou’s premier sight, White Pagoda Hill, before taking a midday train to Zhangye. Upon arrival we will visit Dafu Temple with it’s 120 foot long reclining Buddha statue.
Zhangye Qianxi Silk Road International Hotel (2 Nights)

Day 8  Zhangye
Mati Si; Danxia
We have two amazing sights to enjoy on this day. We begin with the Mati Si cliff temples. Built into or clinging to rugged sandstone cliffs, these photogenic monastery structures are accessed by interior passages, winding staircases, and wooden bridges. In the afternoon we’ll foray to Danxia National Geological Park, otherwise known as the Rainbow Hills. The multi-chromatic striations of these remarkable hills have been called “an overturned palette from heaven”.

Day 9  Jiayuguan
First Beacon Platform
We begin the second week of our tour with another bullet train. We will sweep along the Hexi Corridor, the ancient Silk Road, flanked by the Qilian Shan mountains and the Hei Shan mountains. Our destination is Jiayuguan, the historical western gateway to Imperial China. After settling into our hotel, we will visit the First Beacon Platform and the western terminus of the Great Wall.
Jiayuguan Plaza Holiday Inn Hotel (1 Night)

Day 10  Dunhuang
Jiayuguan Fort; Hanging Great Wall
In the morning we will have a guided tour of mighty Jiayuguan Fort. More than 600 years old, this bastion was called the “Impregnable Defile Under Heaven”. It guarded the pass at “the end of the civilized world”. Next up, the Hanging Great Wall, a section of the wall that snakes up the encroaching mountains, seeming to defy gravity. In the afternoon we’ll continue on to Dunhuang, an oasis on the edge of the great Gobi Desert.
Dunhuang Tianrun Yibo Hotel (2 Nights)

Day 11  Dunhuang
Singing Sands
Our destination today is the iconic Crescent Moon Lake in the midst of the Singing Sand Dunes. Surrounded by towering dunes, the crescent-shaped lake is a tiny photogenic superstar in the midst of a vast desert environment. The vista of undulating dunes stretches to the horizon. Nearby is the remarkable Singing Sands Mountain, a huge sand dune that makes a humming sound when the wind blows.

Day 12  Xian, Shaanxi Province
Mogao Caves
Before embarking for our afternoon Xian flight, we have one last world class sight to explore. The evocative Mogao Caves are one of the greatest repositories of Buddhist art on the planet. Once hosting 18 monasteries and dating back to the fourth century, 492 caves were eventually carved into rock-hewn temples. We’ll spend the morning exploring this exquisite site. Upon arrival in Xian we’ll be transferred to our hotel. Tonight we gather for a last dinner together to celebrate our travel discoveries.
Xi’an Bell Tower Hotel (1 Night) http://www.belltowerhotels.com/

Day 13  Tour Over
OBT1 officially ends after breakfast today. Imprint will assist with airport transfer arrangements. For those continuing on with OBT2, we will organize an optional excursion to see the famous Terre Cotta Warriors or you have a day at leisure to enjoy Xian.

[Itinerary details & hotels subject to change]

What’s Included:
12 nights accommodation; All breakfasts, 6 dinners, 2 lunches; All transport (bus, train, flight); All tips (tour manager, escort, local guides, drivers, group meals, hotel staffs); Full-time services of Chinese tour manager & Imprint escort, local guides; All entrances: Jiuxiang Cave, Dafu Temple, Mati Si, Danxia, First Beacon, Jiayuguan Fort, Hanging Great Wall, Mogao Caves; All activities: Lijiang, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Blue Moon Valley, Jade Dragon Snow, & Singing Sands excursions; Dali walking tour, and more.

Important exceptions:
Tour participants are responsible for the cost of drinks, free-time sightseeing & meals, expenditures of a personal nature, camera fees, flight baggage overage fees, and train baggage handling fees.

OBT-II

Day 1  Xian, Shaanxi Province
Meeting; Dinner
We’ll gather in our Xian hotel for our get-acquainted meeting before enjoying dinner together. For those who wish, we have an optional excursion to see the Terre Cotta Warriors, departing at approximately 10:00AM this day.
Xi’an Bell Tower Hotel (2 Nights) http://www.belltowerhotels.com/

Day 2  Xian
Huashan
We initiate our sight-seeing agenda with a spectacular excursion to nearby Huashan. One of Taoism’s sacred mountains, Huashan never fails to elevate one’s spirit. A cable car will sweep us up to the first of five peaks, from which we can hike the circuit of the remaining four. The views are nothing less than spectacular.

Day 3  Datong, Shanxi Province
Walking Tour
This morning we’ll have our first experience of a famous Chinese bullet train as we speed north to Datong. Upon arrival we’ll have a walking tour of the Old Town. Highlights include the Nine Dragon Screen and city walls.
Datong Yungang Meigao Hotel (2 Nights)

Day 4  Datong
Hanging Monastery; Yangung Caves
Today is a blockbuster sight day. Our morning destination is the Hanging Monastery. Clinging precariously to a cliff wall and supported by hundreds of “stilts”, this religious architecture is a wonder to behold. For our afternoon activity we’ll visit Yangung Caves. These rock-carved cave temples constitute some of China’s most significant Buddhist heritage and ancient art. More than 1500 years old, the 45 caves boast frescoes, stone-carved pagodas, Buddha statues, and other carvings.

Day 5  Pingyao
Walking Tour
Your morning is free at leisure to relax or explore more of Datong. Then another bullet train journey takes us back south to Pingyao. After checking into our hotel we’ll have a walking tour of the Old Town. Purported to be China’s best preserved ancient walled town, Pingyao gives new meaning to the term charming. Like a living museum Pingyao will enchant with its narrow lanes begging to be explored, the impressive medieval walls and towered gates, photogenic temples, and stylish courtyards.
Pingyao Yiguan Folk Custom Inn (1 Night)

Day 6  Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province
Free morning; transportation day
Today commences with a free morning to continue your explorations of Pingyao. An afternoon train speeds us to Shijiazhuang.  Tonight’s dinner is classic Chinese duck.
Shijiazhuang International Hotel (2 Nights)

Day 7  Shijiazhuang
Cangyan Shan; Yujiacun
One of our favorite Chinese hidden gems highlights today’s sightseeing. Cangyan Shan, or the Hanging Palace, is a Sui dynasty structure that dramatically spans a narrow gorge. Afterward we’ll continue on to Yujiacun, or Stone Village. As the name suggests, this tiny village is constructed entirely of stone, right down to the furniture.

Day 8  Huangshan, Anhui Province
Huangshan
A morning bullet train speeds us south. Destination:  Huangshan (Yellow Mountain). The twisted peaks, serrated ridges, and granite towers give these mountains a distinctly otherworldly feel. Views are breathtaking and we’ll have the benefit of sunset and sunrise to revel in the natural beauty that surrounds. If we are lucky enough to be present when heavy fog rolls in below (a relatively common occurrence) we’ll be rewarded with an even more ethereal vista.
Shilin Hotel (1 Night)

Day 9  Tunxi
Huangshan
Today is entirely free for you to explore the many beautiful trails and stunning views of Huangshan. Needless to say, a memorable sunrise rewards early risers. At the end of the day we’ll take the cable car down and be transferred to our Tunxi hotel.
Huangshan Parkview Hotel (2 Nights)

Day 10  Tunxi
Xidi; Hongcun; Bamboo Forest
Today we visit two traditional Anhui villages: Xidi and Hongcun. Both are World Heritage Sights and display the traditional Huizhou architectural style. We will also squeeze in a photo stop at the Bamboo Forest, made famous in the movie Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Then it’s back to our home for the night, amiable Tunxi.

Day 11  Shanghai
Bund
A free morning is yours to relax or explore Tunxi. A midday train rockets us to Shanghai. After checking into the hotel we’ll enjoy an evening stroll along the Bund, Shanghai’s colonial waterfront, with illuminated views of the impressive Pudong skyline.
Shanghai Kingtown Plaza Hotel (2 Nights) http://www.kingtownplaza.com/

Day 12  Shanghai
Zhujiajiao; Tongli
Our last full day is water town day. A few miles west of Shanghai one finds a number of quaint, enchanting, time-warped villages laced with waterways. Photogenic bridges span the canals, adding to the enticing ambiance. We’ll visit two of the most alluring villages: Zhujiajiao and Tongli, returning to Shanghai for our last dinner together.

Day 13  Tour Over
The tour concludes with breakfast. Imprint will assist with airport transfers.

[Itinerary details & hotels subject to change]

What’s Included:
12 nights accommodation; All breakfasts, 7 dinners, 1 lunch; All transport (bus, train); All tips (tour manager, escort, local guides, drivers, group meals, hotel staffs); Full-time services of Chinese tour manager & Imprint escort, local guides; All entrances: Hanging Monastery, Yangung Caves, Cangyan Shan, Yujiacun; All activities: Huashan excursion; walking tours - Datong, Pingyao, Xidi, Zhujiajiao, Tongli, Honcun, Shanghai’s Bund; Bamboo Forest; and more.

Important exceptions:
Tour participants are responsible for the cost of drinks, free-time sightseeing & meals, expenditures of a personal nature, camera fees, and train baggage handling fees.