China & Vietnam: The Great Wall to Ho Chi Minh

Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

Set out on an orientation walk near the hotel with your CEO to get your bearings. They will show you restaurants, points of interest, supermarkets, ATMs, etc.

Get around underground via public transit.

Explore one of the world's largest public squares and the symbolic centre of Chinese power. Framed by the Gate of Heavenly Peace with its Mao portrait, Mao's Mausoleum, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum, and with elaborate flag raising and lowering ceremonies at dawn and dusk, it's a place of pilgrimage for the Chinese tourists who consider it the heart of their nation.

Spend a free afternoon in Beijing. Opt to visit Hutong Area, the Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace. Opt to have a Peking Duck meal in the evening.

Check out the iconic Forbidden City in the heart of Beijing. For 500 years the palace was only accessible to the emperors’ attendants and officials by invitation only. Visit sights and wander through the Three Great Halls or stand in the shade of the cypress trees in the Imperial Garden.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the comfort of your shared bus transportation from Beijing to Mutianyu.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the comfort of your shared bus transportation from Mutianyu to Beijing.

Climb the rolling hills of Huairou County at Mutianyu, one of the best-preserved sections of the Great Wall. Enjoy scenic views as the wall winds along mountain ridges, and take brag-worthy photos of the wall from any of the 22 towers. The Great wall is an incredible piece of engineering stretching 6000 km west from the mountain ridges north of Beijing. It was originally constructed to protect Chinese empires from nomadic northern tribes, and even though it failed in this purpose, it's still one of the country's most remarkable achievements and an iconic destination. The Mutianyu section of the Great Wall is located about 80km away from the Beijing City Center. The walk is approximately 5 kilometres and will take 2 to 3 hours depending on your level of fitness.

Enjoy a CEO-led orientation walk close to the Xi'an hotel to help you get the lay of the land. Learn where you can find local services (like ATMs and laundromats) and, perhaps, see some city highlights. Every CEO does something slightly different for their orientation walk to show visitors what they like best about the city.

Get to your next destination faster than the speed of light (ok maybe not that fast) aboard a high-speed train.

Explore the lively Muslim Quarter and its serene Great Mosque, making time to indulge in the offerings of exotic local street food stalls. At night, head out for some of the best street food in China – the spicy beef and lamb kebabs are always a favorite.

Take a guided tour of the Terracotta Warriors where more than 8,000 clay soldiers and hundreds of replica horses and chariots stand in three pits. Learn why the Emperor Qin Shihuang commissioned the statues to serve as his army in the afterlife and how they were discovered. Spend a half-day exploring this archaeological wonder.

Sit down for an included lunch at a restaurant run by a local family at their own home near the Terra-Cotta Museum. Dishes will include foods like home-cooked noodles, stir fried dishes, and seasonal fruits from the garden.

Explore all the city has to offer.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Catch a high speed train to our next stop.

Built in 1911, the People's Park was the first public park in Chengdu. It's the largest green area in downtown. The park features an artificial lake, gardens, teahouses, and is a popular place for locals to enjoy the outdoors. Walk to Tianfu Square in the centre of the city, surrounded by museums.

Visit the popular pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, created to provide an ideal breeding environment for these endangered creatures. Learn about their life cycle and habitat and take memorable photographs of these iconic national treasures. See a number of other rare species, including the little-known red panda. Arrive in the fall for a chance to see tiny newborn pandas.

Enjoy a free morning in Chengdu.

Enjoy a free morning in Chengdu.

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.

Walk through the charming old town of Lijiang, a World Heritage Site and home to the Naxi minority. Observe scenes from another era, with old men smoking pipes and women in their traditional costumes. Get lost in the small pedestrian lanes that meander throughout the town -- every twist and turn reveals picturesque old buildings, local arts and crafts, fast flowing canals, and beautiful arched bridges. You can also spend an afternoon resting in a pavilion in the Black Dragon Pool Park, gazing at the reflection of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and listening to the local Naxi music.

Explore the gorgeous Black Dragon Pool, a pond in Jade Spring Park, which is a short walk from the Old Town of Lijiang. Take in a spectacular view of the region’s tallest mountain, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Visit the many temples and pavilions in the park, including the Deyue Lou (Moon Embracing Pavillion), the Longshen Temple, and the Wufeng Tower. Tour the Dongba Culture Research Institute and the Dongba Culture Museum, which help to preserve local culture.

Enjoy a free evening in Lijiang.

Take a walking tour of the city, hitting the main highlights. Each route will be different, but you can expect to see the best this city has to offer.

Enjoy a free evening in Shaxi Old Town.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Visit the Old town of Dali and enjoy its traditional architecture. It's a great opportunity to learn more about the minority cultures (mostly Bai but also with many Yi and Hui) and relax in this unique place.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Join your CEO on a walking tour of charming Xizhou Old Town. Visit famous spots like Sifang Street and Yan Family Compound, a Traditional Folk Residences.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Spend today in Dali however you'd like!

Get to your next destination faster than the speed of light (ok maybe not that fast) aboard a high-speed train.

Visit the Kunming Flower Market. Enjoy the exotic scents and vibrant colours of this lively flower market.

Check out the brightly coloured pavillions, tree-lined walkways, and locals doing tai chi in centuries-old Green Lake Park (Cui Hu Park). Traverse the bridges that connect the park’s four small lakes, or relax with a visit to the many restaurants, shops, and tea houses lining the park's edge.

Head out on a tour of the city of Jianshui. Visit the Qing Dynasty Xianghui Bridge and the historic Xianghui Old Train Station. Then drive to the Double Dragon Bridge, an ancient bridge was built in the years of the Emperor Qianlong with incredible views. At the confluence of the Lushui River and Tacun River, it looks like double winding dragons crossing the land. Explore the Zhu's Family Garden, called the Grand View Garden, a representative of Chinese residential houses of the Qing Dynasty. After the garden, walk through the Old Town.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Visit the vast UNESCO World Heritage Site, Yuanyang Rice Terraces. Explore different parts and scenic points, like the famed Tiger Mouth area. Admire the rugged, exaggerated terraces that seem like they could have been painted by an artist. Hike through local villages and experience local life.

Join a workshop and learn by watching the process of making this extremely popular Chinese dish.

Visit the vast UNESCO World Heritage Site, Yuanyang Rice Terraces. Explore different parts and scenic points, like the famed Tiger Mouth area. Admire the rugged, exaggerated terraces that seem like they could have been painted by an artist. Hike through local villages and experience local life.

Walk through Quan Fuzhuang to Bada platform. Arguably the most important part of the Yuanyang Rice Terraces. You'll have the opportunity to hike through the levels of the terraces and speak to locals working in the field. This is also the best place to watch the sunset over the terraces.

Join the Hmong People, the local indigenous group for a hands on painting activity.

Cross the land border from China into Vietnam.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Spend half of today trekking the most famous hiking area in Vietnam. Pass through local villages, beautiful rice terraces and plantations. We'll stop for lunch in Su Pan Village before continuing on to our final spot, Muong Hoa.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Savour a meal of Western and Vietnamese cuisine at this restaurant while supporting a training program that prepares local disadvantaged youth for careers in the culinary arts.

Take a seat on a cyclo for a tour of Hanoi’s lively Old Quarter. Let the driver navigate through the bustling streets and start taking some photos or just use the tour to help get familiar with the area.

Climb aboard and make friends with your seatmate en route to the next stop.

Skim across the water aboard this iconic traditional Asian sailboat.

Board a traditional junk boat at Ha Long Bay harbour and cruise out onto serene waters. Marvel at massive limestone karst mountains jutting out of the water, creating unforgettable spectacular scenery. Swim, kayak or go cave exploring on one of the islands, if conditions are right. Indulge in fresh seafood meals with a variety of dishes to sample. Drift to sleep in a cozy cabin on board. On rare occasion Halong Bay is closed to tourist vessels by the government authorities due to extreme weather conditions. Should this occur, an alternate activity will be provided.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Spend a few hours exploring this beautiful capital city. Visit some shops, have a bia hoi on a street corner or grab a coffee in a lakeside café.

Drive about 15 mins to the station and then board the southbound train for the overnight journey.

Visit Tien Mu, one of the tallest and, perhaps, most elegant pagodas in Vietnam, at seven storeys high. Take a step back in time touring this historic temple - built more than 400 years ago along the north shore of the Perfume River, it has been the site of many political protests.

Tour this one-time capital city and UNESCO World Heritage site. See the walled fortress and former palace, which has many palaces, gateways, courtyards, and gardens to explore. The Forbidden Purple City (modelled on China's Forbidden City) inside the citadel was once home to the imperial family and was significantly damaged during the Vietnam War.

Visit the Royal Tombs along the Perfume River in Hue. Embracing the concept of Feng Shui, these tombs are extremely ornate and provide fantastic insight into the lives of the former rulers.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Use free time in this quaint town to explore any way you like.

Try some of the oodles of noodles (more than 26 types!) available in the city in this tasty cooking class. Run by our G for Good partners, STREETS International, this class was developed exclusively for G Adventures. Former street youth that are part of this hospitality training program, will help you prepare and cook a number of different types of noodles. This program helps these youth practice their English, increasing their skill-set and opportunities available to them in the tourism industry. Enjoy your yummy creations while learning more about the local cuisine and this initiative which empowers street youth through skills and employment training.

Explore this charming city.

Enjoy free time in this charming town.

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.

Take a guided tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels, a complex network of tunnels that the Viet Cong lived in to protect themselves from opposing forces during the Vietnam War. Try crawling through some of the tunnels (if you’re not claustrophobic). These tunnels stored ammunition, had underground hospitals, and served as a hidden base for attacking allied forces.

Get out and explore this frenetic city.