Gourmet China
Cuisine, countryside and iconic culture, from cosmopolitan Hong Kong to the ancient Great Wall
Beijing is known for Peking Duck, Xian is known for its dumpling feast of all shapes and sizes, Shanghai is where east meets west, Chengdu is home to the famous Sichuan style of cooking and Yangshuo is strong with Chinese minority cooking, Hong Kong is home to yum cha. This trip is the perfect mix as we intersperse the cooking and eating extravaganza with everything iconic about China. The Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Terracotta Warriors, playful pandas and the limestone karsts of Yangshuo. It is truly a gastronomic and visual experience that gives us more than just a taste of China.
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Tour Highlights
- Yangshuo's limestone karsts
- The Forbidden City
- Terracotta Warriors of Xian
- Cooking school in Chengdu
- Chengdu's Giant Pandas and Sichuan cuisine
- Cooking school and market tour in Yangshuo
- Shanghai
Inclusions
• The services of Peregrine’s expert English-speaking local tour leader throughout the tour and local guides at some sites.
• Three night Yangtze River cruise sailing through the Three Gorges. Accommodation in a twin-share cabin with private facilities on a tourist-class riverboat, with all meals provided.
• Visit to Chengdu’s Giant Panda Breeding Research Base.
• Walk on a remote section of the Great Wall at Simatai.
• Bike ride with a local to Moon Hill and a home cooked lunch in his/her family home.
• Sightseeing (including entrance fees where applicable): Giant Buddha at Leshan; stone carvings at Dazu; Xian including the Terracotta Warriors; and Beijing.
• Overnight trains from Guangzhou to Guilin, Yichang to Xian and Xian to Beijing, in a ‘soft-class’, four-berth compartment.
• Local flight from Guilin to Chengdu.
• Arrival transfer.
- Ferry
- Minibus
- Plane
- Riverboat
- Shuttle bus
- Sleeper train
- Train
- 10 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 5 dinners
Gourmet China
Day 1
Beijing
Meals Privided:
, Dinner
On arrival in Beijing you are transferred to your hotel. In the early evening you meet your tour leader and other group members at a pre-tour briefing. After the briefing we are welcomed to the Gourmet China tour with a dinner of the Shanxi Noodle Speciality.
Day 2-4
Beijing
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Dinner
Beijing offers endless opportunities for exploration. The morning of Day 2 we travel to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. Being perched on this incredible engineering feat and surveying the spectacular surrounding countryside is an unforgettable experience. We return to Beijing and have a free afternoon to explore this amazing capital. In the evening we enjoy the dish named after this city, Peking Duck.
The following day we stroll through Tiananmen Square to the enormous Forbidden City, built more than 500 years ago and off limits to commoners for almost all that time, is a truly amazing place. Its size might surprise you (it is huge!), but what makes it fascinating is that every square metre is interesting, ranging from intricately carved walkways to colourful, painted ceilings. After a morning spent here we venture to a Hutong where we will have an afternoon cooking class in traditional Chinese cuisine followed by a market tour with a local guide.
The following morning we visit the Temple of Heaven which is a fine example of extraordinary workmanship and intricate Chinese architecture from the 1400s.
There is also a small amount of free time in the itinerary, allowing you to make your own discoveries. Our hotel is located in the south of the city and a walk in any direction will unveil all sorts of wonderful surprises. There are good shopping opportunities at the various markets around the city, such as the centrally located Dashilan Market. In the evening, you have the chance to enjoy a performance of the unique Beijing Opera (optional). We leave Beijing on the overnight train, travelling in ‘soft-class’, four-berth compartments. The 12-hour trip is a great opportunity for our group to get to know each other.
Day 5-6
Xian
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Dinner
XX
Day 7-8
Shanghai
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Dinner
XX
Day 9-11
Chengdu
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Dinner
We catch a flight to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province. Sichuan is known for its hot, spicy dishes, considered by the Chinese as the best cuisine within China. In such a food-loving country, that is no mean achievement. A history of trade built on ‘cottage industry’ handicrafts has had a major influence on the development of Chengdu. Recent changes in the regulations in China have seen a revival of this tradition of private industry, and, at almost every turn, you see signs of a thriving market. There is free time to explore the city. There is a large statue of Chairman Mao in the middle of the city and the tranquil Renmin Park is well worth a visit, with its beautiful gardens and interesting teahouses. On a day trip, we travel to Leshan, where we see the world’s largest Buddha, carved into the hillside near the confluence of the Dadu and Min Rivers. A seated figure (as opposed to the ‘standing’ or ‘reclining’ Buddha images found elsewhere), it is a staggering 71 metres high. It is over 1000 years old and took almost 100 years to build. It is not only impressive at close quarters, but can be viewed on a boat from a distance in order to gain a different perspective. One morning we also visit the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base situated near the city. The giant panda is one of the world’s most endangered species and has become an icon for conservation movements everywhere. It is still found in parts of the Sichuan province, but is very difficult to spot in the wild. In the afternoon we board a flight to Guilin and are transferred to Yangshuo.
Day 12-13
Yangshou
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
After arriving at Guilin Railway Station we transfer to a bus and travel on to Yangshuo, a village a few hours’ drive away. Nestled amongst imposing limestone karst formations, this is a place that has inspired poets and painters for centuries. This small town is a haven for backpackers and here, we stay in a pleasant local hotel. Yangshuo offers a relaxed and intimate atmosphere and is an excellent place to explore by bicycle. We join one of our local friends and spend a few hours riding amongst the wonderful scenery in the surrounding countryside, including Moon Hill, and meeting some of the inhabitants of the nearby villages. After finishing our bike ride we enjoy a home cooked lunch in our friend’s family home. A boat trip on the Li River to the surrounding market town of Fuli is another option to consider in your free time. This is also one of the better places for souvenir shopping, so make the most of it!
Day 14-15
Hong Kong
Meals Privided:
, Lunch
If you are a first-time visitor to Hong Kong, it is recommended that you book a few days at the end of the tour in order to allow yourself enough time to explore this exciting city. It is only a short walk from our hotel, situated on the Kowloon side near Nathan Road, to the waterfront, where you can enjoy the spectacular Sound and Light Show displayed on the skyscrapers of Hong Kong Island, 8:00 to 8:20pm every night.
