East Asia Explorer – China & Japan

Travel from the UK on an overnight flight to China.

This afternoon, land in the colourful Chinese capital, where you’ll be welcomed by your local tour manager. From here, board a coach, travel to your hotel, based right by Beijing’s Olympic village, and reconvene later in the evening for a welcome Peking duck dinner at a local restaurant.

Join your tour manager for an introduction to China’s historic capital city and two of its UNESCO World Heritage Sites after breakfast. Begin with a visit to Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world, before taking in the vast Forbidden City, the seat of the Ming and Qing dynasties’ imperial power between 1420 and 1911 and the first UNESCO-listed landmark of the tour. This magnificent complex encompasses 980 buildings, and each one showcases centuries of history and culture.

At lunchtime, tuck into some more authentic Chinese cuisine at a local restaurant, before heading back out for another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Temple of Heaven. This remarkable complex was once where China’s emperors held ceremonies to pray for good harvests. It’s set amongst gardens and ancient pine woods, and its design symbolises the harmony between earth and heaven, a concept central to Chinese cosmology.

Following breakfast, you’ll see another two UNESCO-listed Chinese landmarks, starting with a visit to the Great Wall of China at Badaling. This remarkable fortification, stretching over 13,000 miles across northern China, was originally constructed more than 2,000 years ago. You will take a walk up a steady incline to the wall, where the views from the top are magnificent.

Return to Beijing after lunch at a local restaurant, and continue to the Summer Palace, the former summer retreat of China’s emperors and their families. This grand building, the fourth and final UNESCO-listed landmark on your time in Beijing, is positioned around the vast Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. The surrounding grounds are renowned for their landscaped gardens and pretty bridges, and it’s here that you can admire the peculiar Marble Boat, an ornate stone pavilion floating on the lake’s surface.

Next, visit a traditional Chinese tea centre for your chance to take part in a tea ceremony experience. A skilled tea master will prepare three classic varieties, such as green, black, and oolong, while explaining their origins, distinctive qualities, and traditional health benefits.

Get ready for the day with breakfast at your hotel and board your first high-speed train for the journey to Xi’an. On arrival, you’ll be met and transferred to your centrally located hotel. After checking in, head back out this afternoon to explore one of China’s most recognisable heritage sites, the ancient Terracotta Warriors, approximately an hour outside the city.

Buried over 2,000 years ago to guard the mausoleum of Qin Shihuang, China’s first emperor, this extraordinary collection of statues was unearthed in 1974 and revealed thousands of life-sized warriors, horses, and chariots, each uniquely detailed down to their armour and expressions. It remains one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.

This evening’s dinner features a speciality of Xi’an, a selection of delicious local dumplings, the region’s signature dish. After your meal, you’ll have the opportunity to see the story of China’s golden age brought to life with the Xi’an Tang Dynasty Show. This spectacular performance is a celebration of dance, classical costumes and music, and it offers a unique insight into the culture of the Tang Dynasty.

Have breakfast before travelling to Xi’an City Wall, one of the oldest and largest city walls in China, originally built in the 14th century during the Ming Dynasty.

You’ll then head to the Muslim Quarter, one of Xi’an’s most well-known cultural and culinary districts. Your tour manager will introduce the area’s history and food culture, including landmarks such as the Great Mosque. While here, take some time to view the Bell Tower from the outside and perhaps capture its grandeur with some photos. Lunch will be served today at a local restaurant, and after your meal, you’ll board your second high-speed rail service to Chengdu.

Upon arrival this afternoon, you’ll be transferred by coach to your hotel ahead of an evening to spend however you see fit.

Breakfast will be served at the hotel this morning, and afterwards, you’ll join your tour manager for a visit to the Chengdu Panda Research Base, one of China’s leading conservation facilities dedicated to the protection of the giant panda. Chengdu is known as the ‘home of the panda’, and this centre plays a vital role in breeding, research, and education. You can observe giant pandas in a carefully designed, natural environment and, depending on the season, may even see young cubs alongside the adults.

Return to the city to explore People’s Park, a green space popular with locals for morning exercise, games, and socialising. Here, you’ll join the tradition of drinking tea in a classic teahouse, and see the famous Marriage Corner, where parents gather to share details about their unmarried children in the hope of arranging a match.

Later, discover Kuanzhai Alley, a quarter dating back to the Qing dynasty. The district combines traditional courtyard architecture with teahouses, restaurants, and small shops. It’s an ideal place to sample local snacks, enjoy some free time to explore, and take photographs.

In the evening, experience a traditional Chinese hot pot dinner, a popular and social way of dining, where a simmering pot of broth is placed at the table, and a variety of meats, vegetables, and noodles are cooked together and shared.

Leave Chengdu this morning after breakfast at the hotel and head to the train station for your third high-speed train ride, this time to Guangxi province and the riverside city of Guilin.

Arriving later this afternoon, you’ll first visit Chuanshan Park. If you’d like, you can also find lunch or a coffee in one of the park’s nearby cave cafés, which have started to emerge out of the karst (weathered bedrock) over the last few years. Afterwards, discover one of the city’s most impressive landmarks, Elephant Trunk Hill, a rock formation named for its striking resemblance to an elephant drinking from the river.

Next, drive into Yangshuo county, where you’ll stay for the next two nights. This evening will be at leisure, and if you wish, you’ll have the chance to learn more about the region’s fishing culture and folklore at the optional Impression Sanjie Liu show. This striking 70-minute spectacle, enacted by more than 600 performers, illustrates the customs, legends and history of this marvellous part of China and is set against the limestone landscapes that line the River Li.

This morning, after breakfast, set out for a visit to a local village in the unspoilt Yangshuo countryside. Afterwards, soak up the region’s remarkable scenic beauty with a stroll along the Yulong River, past layered rice paddies, rugged karst formations, and ancient countryside villages. At the end of your walk, the group will stop for lunch at a local restaurant.

Afterwards, board a 90-minute cruise along the River Li for even more dramatic limestone landscapes. Of these vistas, those found around the village of Xingping are particularly impressive, and they’ve been immortalised on China’s 20-yuan banknote. Back ashore, head back to the hotel for an evening at leisure.

Check out early this morning with a packed breakfast and drive to Guilin airport for your onward flight to ultra-modern Shanghai. Upon arrival, travel to your hotel before heading back out for an afternoon orientation tour.

Your first stop will be the Oriental Pearl Tower, a symbol of Shanghai’s skyline, and you'll see the city from above with a trip up to its observation deck. Next will be the Shanghai Urban History Development Museum at the base, which tells the tale of the city’s evolution from a small fishing village into a buzzing metropolis.

This evening, dinner will be served at a local restaurant. You also have the option this evening to try a panoramic Huangpu River cruise, during which you’ll experience the magic of Shanghai after dark. Glide past the futuristic skyscrapers of Pudong, including the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower, while admiring the colonial-era architecture lining the Bund. This hour-long cruise offers incredible photo opportunities and a relaxing way to see the city at night with a knowledgeable guide.

Rise early this morning, check out of the hotel with a packed breakfast, and head to the airport for your flight to Japan. Land in Osaka, the country’s culinary capital, and travel to ancient Kyoto for an afternoon at leisure. After checking in, join the rest of the group for dinner at either the hotel or a local restaurant.

Get ready with breakfast ahead of a day's sightseeing in Japan’s former imperial capital. First, call at Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, one of Kyoto’s most recognisable landmarks and the first of three sites that make up Kyoto’s UNESCO listing. Reflecting in the Kyoko-chi (Mirror Pond), this 14th-century Buddhist temple covered in shimmering gold leaf is surrounded by meticulously landscaped grounds.

Ryoan-ji Temple, another UNESCO-listed site, is next and is known for its minimalistic rock garden. Centred around 15 carefully placed rocks and white gravel, the garden is considered a masterpiece of zen design and is arranged to evoke a sense of tranquillity and balance. There’s a nearby tea house, where you can sip on a matcha and admire the view from, too.

Complete this afternoon’s tour with a stop at your third and final Buddhist temple, UNESCO-listed Kiyomizu-dera, which has watched over the city for over 1,000 years. This hilltop shrine is a major point on the Saigoku Kannon pilgrimage route, and it boasts spectacular views from its gardens and terraces.

Your final stop will be the city’s entertainment and geisha district, Gion. Here, traditional wooden houses that once housed merchants and artisans line the lantern-lit streets. Also of interest here are the city’s geishas, and this is one of the few places where you can still encounter these skilled entertainers in their traditional attire.

A leisurely breakfast will be served at the hotel this morning and you’ll be free to spend the rest of the day as you see fit. If you’re keen to explore this former imperial capital under your own steam, why not visit Nijo Castle or perhaps wander around the famed Arashiyama Bamboo Grove?

Alternatively, you can join an optional tea ceremony, joined by a maiko (apprentice geisha). Here, you’ll be introduced to the cultural significance and ritualistic preparation of tea in Japan, and you’ll have the unique opportunity to speak to the maiko about her craft. After the ceremony, experience the elegance of an authentic geisha performance, courtesy of your maiko host, and then head back to the hotel.

There’ll be another opportunity to enhance your itinerary later this evening with an optional Kyoto by Night excursion followed by dinner in the city. At sundown, join a local guide for a stroll through the city streets and see Kyoto in a different light. Start on the Kamo Gawa riverfront and return to Gion to see its ornate Machiya buildings illuminated in the evening light. Continue to Yasaka Shrine, one of the city’s most significant Shinto buildings, before strolling down two of Kyoto’s oldest avenues, Hanamikoji and Yasaka Street.

Return to Kiyomizu-dera to see the city’s skyline in the darkness before heading back down to Gion for dinner at a local restaurant.

Following breakfast, check out and head to the station to board the high-speed Nozomi bullet train for Hiroshima.

Once you’ve arrived at Hiroshima station, you’ll board a ferry crossing to secluded Miyajima Island. Covered in forests and ancient temples, this island is home to Itsukushima Shrine, one of Japan’s most recognisable UNESCO World Heritage Sites. An orange ‘floating’ torii gate, which becomes partially submerged at high tide, serves as the entrance to this 12th-century shrine, and after your visit, there’ll then be time for lunch (on your own account).

The ferry will then return you to the mainland where you'll check into your next hotel ahead of an evening under your own steam.

After breakfast, you’ll check out and visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which exhibits artefacts, photographic displays, and personal accounts of the atomic bombing's impact on the city and its people. You’ll also see Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, with the UNESCO-listed Genbaku Dome structure that symbolises the city’s resilience, peace efforts and is a remembrance of the atomic bombing during WWII.

Following the morning’s tour, head to a local restaurant for lunch, and perhaps try Hiroshima’s signature dish, okonomiyaki, a savoury pancake dating back to the pre-war period. This afternoon will be at leisure, and you can venture further into Hiroshima if you’d like for some self-led exploration.

A particular highlight of the city is the imposing Hiroshima Castle, faithfully recreated after the original 16th-century building was destroyed by the atomic bomb. For a more relaxing afternoon’s activity, venture out to riverside Shukkei-en Gardens, where you’ll find a serene green oasis on the outskirts of the city. This evening, return to the hotel for another overnight stay.

Rise early this morning for breakfast and check out of your Hiroshima hotel. Pack an overnight bag and send your luggage ahead to Tokyo, before travelling through the Japanese countryside to Mishima, a city in the foothills of majestic Mt. Fuji, via Shin-Kobe, on two bullet train rides.

Upon arrival, soak up the region’s scenic beauty at the Mishima Skywalk, Japan’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge. This 400-metre walkway offers some of the region’s finest views across dramatic Mt. Fuji, the Izu Mountains and nearby Suruga Bay. Continue to Lake Ashi, one of Japan’s most dramatic crater lakes, where you can admire the views of Mt. Fuji and the striking ‘floating’ torii gate of Hakone Shrine on a cruise.

Back on land, venture to Hakone Ropeway to board a cable car. This panoramic seven-minute journey will carry you to Owakudani ‘Boiling Valley’, a volcanic crater dotted with sulphuric vents, hot springs, and bubbling pools. There’ll be some time to explore and sample the local speciality, kuro-tamago (black eggs), which are boiled in the sulphurous waters to give the eggshells a distinctive dark colour.

Later in the day, you’ll return to Mishima and check into the hotel.

Following breakfast this morning, board a coach for the drive northwest to Japan’s lively capital city, Tokyo. Today’s tour will start in the city’s bustling entertainment hub, Shibuya, home to one of the busiest train stations in the world. Here, you’ll find the famous ‘Shibuya Crossing’, one of the city’s most photographed spots, before heading downtown to Asakusa.

Call at Sensō-ji, the city’s oldest Buddhist temple, and Meiji Shrine, one of Japan’s most famous landmarks. Built in 1920 and dedicated to Japan's first modern emperor and empress, Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, this sprawling sanctuary is awash with traditional architecture and hosts many festivals throughout the year.

The tour will then take you to the gardens of Tokyo’s Imperial Palace, which are home to some of the most picturesque vistas in the city. This serene parkland is home to ornate bridges, still lakes, and imposing gatehouses, still guarding the palace’s inner courtyards, and offers the perfect contrast to the energy of the city. Next, head to Nakamise Arcade, one of Tokyo’s oldest shopping lanes, where you can browse artisan stalls and perhaps sample a few local delicacies.

Finish today’s excursion with a bird’s-eye view of the city below during a trip up to the Tokyo Skytree, the tallest structure in Japan. The Tembo Deck is a 360-degree viewpoint, allowing you to take in the sights, like Tokyo Bay and Mount Fuji.

Later in the evening, you’ll have the option to have dinner locally or embark on an optional Yakatabune river cruise. This unique dining experience will introduce you to a wide variety of local flavours and delicacies against the backdrop of Tokyo’s evening skyline, and you’ll see the city’s most iconic landmarks dressed in neon lights. From the illuminated Rainbow Bridge to the Tokyo Skytree, there’ll be no shortage of sights to see as night falls on Japan’s bustling capital.

Have breakfast ahead of a full day at leisure, perhaps heading out for some self-guided exploration or relaxing at the hotel. If you’d like, you can return to the downtown area, paying a visit to the historic neighbourhoods of Yanaka and Nezu. These quieter parts promise a warren of alleys, teahouses and authentic izakaya, Japanese-style bars that are similar to gastro-pubs.

Alternatively, embrace Tokyo's cultural treasures on an optional excursion, starting at teamLab Planets, a digital art installation which challenges perceptions with its reactive displays. A trip to the Edo-Tokyo Museum follows and you'll learn about Tokugawa Ieyasu, and his choice to relocate the Japanese capital from Kyoto to Edo (Tokyo). Discover the city’s literary heritage with its collection of legendary texts, including Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji, and learn about life in the city throughout the industrial era.

Later on, you’ll have the option to join an experienced English-speaking guide for an evening of live sumo wrestling, one of Japan’s oldest and most iconic martial arts. This traditional sport, dating back over 1,500 years, evolved from ancient Shinto rituals and was popularised in Japan’s imperial court throughout the 8th century. After watching the show, enjoy an authentic kaiseki dinner, a form of fine dining similar to Western haute cuisine, before heading back to the hotel.

Enjoy your final morning in Japan with breakfast at the hotel and a few hours at leisure to tick off any remaining wish-list experiences.

This afternoon, travel by coach to the airport for your overnight flight back to the UK.

Land early this morning.