ChinaSignature: Southwest China from Shangri-La to Shanghai
Welcome to China. Your expedition begins as you touch down in Chengdu where you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Take a moment to absorb the relaxed rhythm of this city, where tea houses spill onto the sidewalks and the air carries the faint scent of chili oil. Join your National Geographic Expedition Leader for an orientation walk through the neighborhood, navigating the neon-lit streets. In the evening, gather with your fellow travellers and National Geographic Expeditions Expert for a presentation on the expedition ahead followed by a welcome dinner sampling your first taste of the region's famous ma la (numbing and spicy) flavors.
Arrival Transfer
You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your Expedition Leader and Group
Your opportunity to meet your Expedition Leader and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. 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. Enjoy a reception with wine, beer, and soft drinks, followed by an expert-led “Introduction to China” presentation and a welcome dinner.
Travel into the mist-shrouded Qingcheng Mountains to the Dujiangyan Panda Base for an exclusive meeting with Mr. Zhang, the “Father of Pandas", and gain exclusive access to behind-the-scenes areas for a deep dive into conservation. Return to the city to experience local life at a traditional tea house, sipping jasmine tea while watching the dramatic face-changing masks of a Sichuan opera performance. The day concludes with a quintessential hot pot dinner, gathering around a bubbling pot of rich, red broth to cook fresh meats and vegetables in the communal style of the region.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Signature Moment: Dujiangyan Panda Base Visit
Enjoy an exclusive, behind-the-scenes experience at the renowned Dujiangyan Panda Base. Meet the “Father of Pandas”, who offers rare insight into giant panda conservation.
Tea House Visit
Visit a popular traditional teahouse where you’ll savor locally brewed tea while enjoying an opera performance alongside locals.
Your Foodie Moment: Chengdu Hot Pot Dinner
Enjoy a delicious and spicy bowl of Sichuan hot pot in one of China's foodie capitals.
Accommodation
Niccolo Chengdu
Dive into a fragrant Chengdu spice market. Walk past sacks overflowing with bright red chilies and numbing Sichuan peppercorns, learning to identify the ingredients that define this UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Take your finds to a traditional courtyard kitchen for a hands-on cooking class. Under the guidance of a local chef, learn to balance heat and flavor before savoring your creations for lunch. In the afternoon, fly west to Lijiang, watching the landscape shift from the fertile basin to the rugged foothills of the Himalayas. Touch down in this UNESCO World Heritage town and transfer to your resort, breathing in the crisp, thin air of the Yunnan highlands.
Your Foodie Moment: Sichuan Spice Market & Cooking Class
Wander through a bustling local market to uncover the signature spices and fresh ingredients that define cuisine from Sichuan Province. Continue to a traditional courtyard restaurant for a hands-on cooking class to learn how to craft authentic Sichuan dishes under the guidance of a local chef. For lunch, eat the dishes created during the class.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Accommodation
InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort
Ascend the slopes of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain by cable car, rising through the clouds to 3,600 meters (11,800 ft). Stand before the glacier-capped peak, watching the snow glint against the blue sky, and witness the Impression Lijiang show, a massive outdoor performance set against the mountain backdrop. After lunch, travel to the ancient villages of Baisha and Luna to meet community leaders. The day culminates with an exclusive long table dinner at Luna Village. Join Naxi locals for a communal banquet of seemingly endless dishes, accompanied by the rhythm of traditional drums, folk dances, and toasts of homemade barley wine — a true immersion into the hospitality of the highlands.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Yulong Snow Mountain and Impression Lijiang Show
Ascend by cable car to Yunshan Ping, where sweeping vistas of the snow-capped peak unfold in every direction. Complete the experience with a performance of Impression Lijian, an open-air production set against the mountain itself.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Baisha Village Visit
Explore Baisha ancient village on the edge of Yulong mountain.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Your Foodie Moment: Visit and Long Table Dinner at Luna Village
Explore Luna ancient village and immerse in Naxi culture with a communal banquet featuring traditional music, dances, local barley wine, and a hearty spread of Yunnan specialties.
Accommodation
InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort
Board a high-speed bullet train that climbs higher into the mountains, arriving in the mythical region of Shangri-La. Visit the magnificent Songzanlin Monastery, the "Little Potala Palace," where golden roofs shine against the stark landscape. You are welcomed by a resident monk for an exclusive tour. Walk the sacred kora circuit, smelling the juniper incense and hearing the low chant of prayers. Later, step into the warm, timber-framed home of a local Tibetan family. Sip rich, salty yak butter tea and taste traditional momos as they share stories of life on the plateau. Stroll the cobblestones of the Old Town before returning to Lijiang for dinner.
Bullet Train
Get to your next destination faster than the speed of light (ok maybe not that fast) aboard a high-speed train.
Old Town Shangri-La Visit
Stroll through the charming streets of the old town, soaking in local Tibetan architecture and culture before returning to Lijiang.
Songzanlin Monastery Visit
Explore the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan, taking a gentle walk along its sacred Kora and experiencing the spiritual atmosphere.
Your Local Living Moment: Tibetan Family Visit
Enjoy an authentic cultural encounter with a local Tibetan family, sampling yak butter tea, snacks, and Tibetan momos.
Bullet Train
Get to your next destination faster than the speed of light (ok maybe not that fast) aboard a high-speed train.
Accommodation
InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort
Fly south to Guilin and transfer to the subtropical paradise of Yangshuo, where limestone karsts rise like dragon's teeth from the rice paddies. In the late afternoon, board a private boat for a relaxing cruise along the Li River. Drift past water buffalo cooling in the shallows and fishermen on bamboo rafts. As the sun sets, sip a glass of wine and watch the dramatic peaks turn silhouette-black against a purple sky — a landscape immortalized in Chinese painting for centuries. Disembark to walk through the lively riverside energy near New West Street before settling in for a local dinner.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Sunset Li River Cruise
Enjoy a private late-afternoon boat ride along the Li River, enjoying wine, beer, snacks, and the iconic karst landscape bathed in sunset light. Disembark near New West Street and enjoy a short walk through the lively riverside area before dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation
Yangshuo Sugar House
Step back in time at Fuli Village, wandering ancient stone streets to see artisans hand-painting traditional fans and fermenting rice wine. Cross the river to the Jia Community Restaurant, a G Adventures-supported organization. Enjoy a farm-to-table lunch of Guilin noodles and hear the owner’s inspiring story of community support. In the afternoon, ascend to the Qixianfeng Tea Plantation, a sea of green terraces shrouded in mist. Learn the delicate art of picking tea leaves and processing them by hand. Conclude the day with dinner in a hilltop pavilion, looking out over the endless layers of limestone mountains fading into the distance.
Fuli Village Visit
Explore a 300-year-old village and watch locals craft traditional rice wine and tofu, gaining insight into local artisanal practices.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Ferry
Get to the next spot on your route aboard a convenient and efficient ferry boat.
Your G for Good Moment: Jia Community Restaurant
Enjoy a traditional Chinese meal served by rural women working to create new opportunities for their families. Since the migration of men to urban centres is common in rural regions, women and children now have a safe place to gather and learn together at Community Corners, created by the Rural Women's Development Foundation. In Liandaowan Village, you'll enjoy a meal and support women developing new work skills to become self-reliant. This initiative helps to create meaningful employment alternatives to agriculture as a source of income.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Qixianfeng Tea Plantation
Learn about ancient tea production while wandering the plantations and soaking in the beautiful views. Qixianfeng Tea Plantation was voted as the most beautiful highland tea field in China, nestled in Yangshuo's karst mountains. Taste some samples in a tea ceremony and learn about different types of tea from a local expert.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Accommodation
Yangshuo Sugar House
Fly to Shanghai, the futuristic pulse of modern China. Once you have freshened up, head out for a tasty dinner of typical Shanghai dishes before taking your VIP seat for the spectacular ERA 2 Acrobatics Show. Hold your breath as performers execute gravity-defying stunts and motorcycle feats, a dazzling display of precision and artistry that mirrors the energy of Shanghai itself.
Shanghai Circus World Acrobatics Show
Enjoy VIP seating at this award-winning performance, showcasing breathtaking acrobatics and jaw-dropping stunts.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Accommodation
The Peninsula Shanghai
Walk the plane-tree-lined avenues of the Former French Concession, admiring the Art Deco villas and hearing stories of the city’s colonial past. Wander the classical rockeries and koi ponds of Yuyuan Gardens then have a light lunch at the bazaar. Take some free time to refresh then conclude your expedition with a group dinner and discussion reflecting on the dynasties, landscapes, and cultures you have traversed.
French Concession
This French Concession was a ceded territory that belonged to France in China from 1849 until 1946. It's now an upscale neighbourhood with a decidedly French flavour and boasts impressive examples of French architecture. Stroll through serene, leafy boulevards, some with French names, such as Avenue Joffre, and admire the beautiful buildings.
Yuyuan Garden
Explore this tranquil, 400-year-old, five-acre garden. Climb to the top of the Rockery to see the greenery from above. Check out the Jade Rock and watch the swarms of fish swim around in the ponds. With multiple pavilions and halls there is plenty to see. Depending on when you visit there may be flower shows or tea ceremonies in the area. Opt to visit the bustling bazaar located outside the gardens and hone your bargaining skills.
Group Dinner in Shanghai
Conclude the journey with a local dining experience accompanied by a wrap-up presentation from a local expert.
Accommodation
The Peninsula Shanghai
Your expedition concludes today. Transfers are provided to the airport at any time during the day.
Departure Transfer
You will be met at your hotel and transferred to the airport at the end of your adventure.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your Expedition Leader can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.
