CLASSIC ROUTES

SOUTHWEST TOUR

Two weeks to 18 days / Hong Kong to Yunnan

Start by spending four days sightseeing in Hong Kong and Macau, before venturing north into China proper for one or two nights in Guangzhou . Take the sleeper (train or bus) to Guilin for a day of sightseeing before visiting nearby Yangshuo . Many travellers are seduced into spending much longer than they planned in Yangshuo, so be prepared for a lengthy sojourn. Return to Guilin and hop on a bus to Longsheng  and Sanjiang , not far from the Guangxi-Guizhou border, for the spectacular scenery and minority villages. Exploration over the border into minority-rich Guizhou   is also a popular op- tion if you have an extra few days. Onward travel from Guilin to Kunming can be undertaken by train or plane. Spend a few days in Kunming before flying or taking the bus northwest to Dali and from there onto Lijiang. Another attractive possibility is to fly or take the bus to the Xishuangbanna region south of Kunming, a part of China abundant in opportunities for hiking and exploring the southwest bor- ders. Other possibilities include flights from Kunming to Chiang Mai or Bangkok in Thailand, or taking a train to Hanoi in Vietnam.

You'll be journey- ing to some of China's most allur- ing destinations on this 2000km tour, taking in key landscape panoramas and ethnic minority areas. The journey can be done in a whistle-stop few weeks or less, but a month will give you time to savour the region.

ITINERARIES Classic Routes

THE HISTORY TOUR: BEIJING TO THE SILK ROAD

Three weeks / Beijing to Xi'an & Dunhuang

Four days in Beijing  should be enough time for visiting the sights, including the Great Wall  and the Forbidden City. Take the train to Datong in Shanxi province to peruse the city's temples and the fabulous Yungang Caves and Hanging Monastery  outside town. Hop on a bus from Datong to the Buddhist

mountain of Wutai Shan for a few days before taking a bus to Taiyuan  and then on for a day(or overnight) trip to the marvellous walled town of Pingyao . A detour east by train from Taiyuan to Shijiazhuang   and the charming temple town of Zhengding  north of the city is also possible. From Taiyuan take the train south to spend two days in the historic walled city of Kaifeng , traditional home of China's Jews, before heading west by train to the former dynastic capital of Luoyang  and the magnificent Buddhist spectacle of the Longmen Caves . Take the train west again from Luoyang to Xi'an  to spend four days seeing the sights of the former capital of the Tang dynasty, visiting the Army of Terracotta Warriors and clambering up the Buddhist mountain of Hua'Shan . Xi'an traditionally marked the start of the Silk Road and the Mogao Caves  outside Dunhuang - reachable by plane from Xi'an - is one of the trade route's most spectacular marvels. Return to Beijing by plane from either Xi'an or Dunhuang.

For many travel-lers, this tour is what coming to China is all about. Spanning around 2500km from Beijing to Dunhuang, you will be visiting the major imperial monuments - including the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army - and religious sites of North China. Manageable in three weeks, a month-long tour would allow for a more relaxed expedition.

COASTAL HIGHLIGHTS & TREATY PORTS TOUR

Three to four weeks / Beijing to Hong Kong & Macau

Having toured Beijing , take the train to Tianjin and spend two days wandering around its historic collection of European-style buildings. From Tianjin jump on the train to spend two days in breezy Qingdao , the port city in Shandong graced with impressive early- Tjth-century German architecture. Yantai  and its notable Yantai Hill Park is a possible day trip from Qingdao. From Qingdao take the overnight train through Ji'nan  to booming Shanghai and its intoxicating mix of old European-style buildings and dashing modern architecture. Spend three days touring Shanghai's sights before using two days to visit the gardens and temples of the canal town of Suzhou . Board a bus from Suzhou to famed Hangzhou  for a few days in the historic capital of Zhejiang province. Then board the overnight sleeper to Xiamen , and spend two days in the pleasant port city to admire the gorgeous, historic European architecture and charm of Gulang Yu . What better way to conclude this loop along the coast than with three days in Hong Kong, perched on the south of Guangdong province, with Macau  a short boat trip away.

Voyaging down the eastern flank of China from Beijing to Hong Kong, this tour covers over 3000km, taking in the major high- lights and historic maritime towns along the coast. One of China's most fascinating journeys, this three-week jour- ney passes through some of the must-see sights of Qingdao, Suzhou, Shanghai and Hangzhou.

ITINERARIES Roads Less Travelled

ROADS LESS TRAVELLED

QINGHAI TO SICHUAN    

One week / Xining to Chengdu

Skirt the flanks of Tibet on your way from Xining   to Chengdu  in Sichuan. The scenery en route is magnificent and perfect tor a more offbeat China experience - but do this trip only in summer (it can be dangerously cold even in spring) and take lots of food with you (you won't be able to change money or cash traveller's cheques). Wild dogs, treacherous mountain roads and bus breakdowns, and waiting a day or so for bus connections or having to hitch are all part of the adventure. Accommodation along the way will be simple but cheap, and the bus company can recommend either its own hostels or direct you to another hotel. You can jump on a sleeper bus from Xining to the newly opened trading town of Yushu (Jyekundo) in the south of Qinghai, which stages a marvellous annual horse festival on 25 July. The town is soon to have its own airport. Alternatively - although the landscape en route to Maduo is monotonous - from Maduo to Xiewii (Zhiwu) and Yushii through the Bayan Har Mountains, it becomes increasingly Tibetan, with picturesque mountain villages, alpine lakes and monasteries. Con- tinue east from Xiewii to Serxu (Shiqu) in north Sichuan, where there are bus connections through some stunning scenery all the way to Kangding(Dardo), via Manigango (Yulong) and Ganzi (Ganze). Continue along the Sichuan-Tibet Hwy by bus to Kangding and then on to Chengdu. Another option is to take a bus from Xining  to Banma, where you could then get a bus to Zoige , then to Songpan and on to Chengdu.

Traversing the wilds of western China, this spec- tacular overland 1000km+ tour takes you into Sichuan through the mountainous back door from Qinghai. Manage- able in one week, allow more time for unforeseen complications and prepare for rough, no-frills travel.

YUNNAN INTO TIBET

Eight days / Lijiang to Lhasa

Kick off this trip walking Tiger Leaping Gorge , north of gorgeous Lijiang , before taking the bus to Zhongdian , where your ad- venture proper begins. This epic, once-in-a-lifetime journey takes you from Zhongdian (Tibetan name: Gyalthang) through a breathtaking landscape of valleys, mountains and Tibetan villages to Lhasa  in Tibet. You will need a minimum of eight days for the trip and the optimum months for travel are late spring (April and May) and autumn (September and October); winter is definitely out as the route crosses half a dozen passes over 4500m. Embark on this journey only if you are in good health (medical facilities en route are basic) and ensure you read the Health chapter for information on acute mountain sickness. Join- ing a tour (which can arrange all the necessary permits, vehicle, driver and guide for you) is probably the best and safest way as individual travel through Tibet is not permitted, but increasing numbers of travellers are hitching through with little hassle. Outfits such as China Minority Travel(www.china-travel.nl) or Khampa Caravan (www.khampacaravan.com) can arrange the entire tour for you. Your first stop after Zhongdian is Deqin (Dechen) before reaching the town of Yanjing (Yandin) in southeastern Tibet's Chamdo Prefecture. Continue your journey by road to Markam (Mangkang), then west to Dzogang (Zuogong) and on to Pasho(Basil) via Pomda (Bangda; Bainda). The journey then continues to Rawok(Ranwu) and the gorgeous alpine lake of Rawok-tso and on to Lhasa viaPomi and Bayi.

This enticing 1000km+ overland adventure takes you from south- west China into Tibet through some of China's most visually spectacular scenery. Conclud- ing in Lhasa, the tour will involve considerable preparatory work (and flexibility time-wise), but it's second to none for those seeking a more exploratory taste of China.

ITINERARIES Tailored Trips

TAILORED TRIPS

CHINA'S SACRED SITES

After exploring temples in Beijing , head to Chengde to wit- ness the marvellous statue of Guanyin in Puning Temple , before travelling southwest to the Buddhist mountain of Wutai Shan. Then voyage south to Zhengding for its charming legacy of pagodas and temples. East in Shandong province rises mighty Tai Shan , China's most sacred Taoist peak, overlooking the magnificent Dai Temple . The Buddhist Goddess of Compassion resides on Putuoshan , off the Zhejiang coast. Rising up from Henan province is Song Shan, home to the renowned Shaolin Temple and its band of supernaturally gifted monks. Outside Luoyang are the Longmen Caves while west again in Shaanxi prov- ince, Xi'an is famed for its Tang dynasty pagodas and is the gateway to Taoist Hua Shan. Martial arts students will appreciate the Taoist mysteries of Wudang Shan to the southeast, while Emei Shan, in Sichuan province to the southwest, is one of China's most celebrated Buddhist peaks. The world's largest Buddha sits at nearby Leshan . Rising up to the west is Tibet, with its unique and idiosyncratic Buddhist traditions, exemplified by Jokhang Temple , Barkhor, Potala Palace, Samye Monastery and Tashil- hunpo Monastery in Shigatse.

GASTRONOMIC TOUR

What better place to start than in Beijing. Beyond the institutional delicacy of Peking duck, food from all over China is in town. For sea- food and Shandong cuisine, follow your nostrils to Qingdao on the Shandong peninsula. Shanghai offers an eclectic range of fine dining options, while Hong Kong will tempt with its exhaustive in- ternational and Chinese dining options. Relaxed Macau is steeped in the flavours of Cantonese and Portuguese cuisine. Further Cantonese delicacies are cooked up in Guangzhou ,while clement Yunnan  to the west has a diverse menu. Sichuan cuisine can be sampled in both Chengdu  and Chongqing . Chefs from Hunan have a wild affection for chilli and searing flavours; other hotspots include Hubei , parts of Guizhou and Guangxi . Lhasa  tempts with the flavours of Tibet, Nepal and India. Pursue the aromas of Muslim food from Xi'an, through Gansu and Ningxia  to Xinjiang. Liaoning , Jilin   and Heilongjiang  form the Manchurian back bone of dongbeicai (northeast food) comple- mented by Russian and Korean dishes.

CHINA'S ETHNIC MINORITIES

From Kunming , either fly or take the bus to legendary Lijiang, the charming town overseen by the archetypal peak of Yulong Xueshan . Spend two days here among the famed Naxi people in the old town, enjoying the local food. Yunnan takes on an increas- ingly Tibetan countenance north of Lijiang in Zhongdian  and Deqin County . Catch an express bus south to Dali  and visit the small town of Xizhou , north of town, with its fine collection of Bai architecture. Make your way to Jinghong , capital of the Xishuangbanna region in the south of Yunnan for treks through villages of tribespeople around Damenglong, Menghai  and other Dai, Bu- lang, Lahu, Jinuo and Hani settlements. From Kunming, fly or take the train to Guiyang in Guizhou and then travel by train or bus to Kaili  and the surrounding Miao and Dong villages of Xijiang, Chong'an and Zhaoxing. Over the border in Guangxi you'll find Yao and Zhuang minor- ity villages in Longsheng  and the Dong villages aroun d Sanjiang. Other parts of China worth visiting for their ethnic mix are Xinjiang , Inner Mongolia  and Heilongjiang .

WORLD HERITAGE SITES

China has 30 Unesco World Heritage Sites; Beijing  alone has the Forbidden City  at the heart of the capital, the Summer Palace  and the Temple of Heaven , and outside town, the Great Wall , the Ming Tombs  and Eastern Qing Tombs . En route to the Manchu Imperial Palace   in Shenyang , stop off in Chengde to admire the Imperial Summer Villa and the Eight Outer Temples . The quaint walled town of Pingyao in Shanxi is a charming snapshot of old China. Also in Shanxi, the Yungang Caves have - like the Mogao Caves , Longmen Caves and the Dazu County grotto art - the most important array of Buddhist carvings in China. In Shandong, the Taoist mountain of Tai Shan and the hometown of Confucius, Qufu , are places of national veneration. China's most picturesque peak is surely Huang Shan , but there are other mountains, including sacred Emei Shan and Qingchen Shan , and the European moods and charms of Lushan. The clas- sic gardens of Suzhou are a picturesque tableau but if you want raw, rugged and scenic getaways, explore Jiuzhaigou , Wulingyuan, Huanglong or Wuyi Shan, although expect tourist hordes to accompany you. While Lijiang  in Yunnan is gor- geous, the whole of Tibet to the northwest deserves to be a World Heritage Site; for now only the Potala Palace in Lhasa gets on the list.