CHINA& FAREASTCHINA 220 " My favourite parts were the village stay and the rice terraces. That to me is what China is really about. The tour allowed you to open your eyes and see what China is about." Tamara Whittaker china & far east Yunnan Revealed Imaginative Facts Tour code: AAYR • Activities: Extensive hiking through Tiger Leaping Gorge, optional hiking in Xishuangbanna, optional horse trek near Haba Mountain. Trek grade - Moderate • Accommodation: 8 nights simple hotels, 4 nights local guesthouses, 1 night sleeper train, 1 night sleeper bus • Transport: Private and public bus, taxi, train, plane • Flight: Jinghong to Kunming • Fully Escorted: By Imaginative Traveller tour leader DAY 1: KUNMING- Arrival day. DAY 2: KUNMING- A free day in this lakeside city surrounded by limestone hill landscapes. Perhaps take a trip up into the hills to see the Bamboo Temple. Later we board the overnight bus for Jinghong at the centre of the Xishuangbanna region. DAYS 3 & 4: XISHUANGBANNA- Today we take an excursion to Menghai, centre of the tea growing area of the famous Pu'er tea, and starting point of the original Tea Horse Trail. We also visit the lush Elephant Valley, a nature reserve offering the chance of seeing wild elephants as well as a 2km cableway to view the rainforest from the air. DAY 5: XISHUANGBANNA - KUNMING-Free time in Jinghong until we fly back to Kunming. There we catch the overnight train to Dali. DAYS 6 & 7: DALI - Morning arrival and transfer to the old town, home of the Bai people. The rest of the time is free. It is an ideal place to explore by bike. Or perhaps take a cable car up Mt Cong and walk along a section of the new ' Cloud Way' for magnificent views back down over Dali and Erhai Lake. Option to visit the colourful Shaping markets. DAY 8: DALI - TIGER LEAPING GORGE TREK- A bus journey takes us to Qiaotou, the start of our trek through Tiger Leaping Gorge. We spend the first night at a minority guesthouse inside the gorge. DAY 9: TIGER LEAPING GORGE TREK-Trek through this impressive gorge with superb views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and the Yangtse River. DAY 10: HABA VILLAGE- We follow the modern road around Haba Mountain to the pretty village of Haba. There is an opportunity for a short horse trek along the way for those who want to experience some of the original route in traditional style. Ride or walk, as you please. Haba village is actually three villages in a row, each with its own ethnic group and well worth a wander to compare and contrast the different lifestyles. DAY 11: HOT SPRINGS- We continue north through stunning mountain scenery to the outskirts of Zhongdian where we stop at some hot springs for the night. These feed two large pools so you can swim in bath-warm water and relax. With no worries about the heating costs the water is on all night - so stay up late and soak beneath the heavens! DAY 12: ZHONGDIAN - It's only a short drive to Zhongdian, one of the claimants to the title ' Shangri- La'. In the afternoon there is the chance to visit the atmospheric Tibetan Buddhist monastery. DAY 13: ZHONGDIAN - LIJIANG- We take a bus down to Lijiang, home of the Naxi minority with its UNESCO registered Naxi Old City. The rest of the day is at leisure. DAY 14: LIJIANG- A full free day to explore the old town with its beautiful buildings, canals and parks. Time to browse the many galleries or to sit in the local square and enjoy the Naxi people singing and dancing. DAY 15: LIJIANG- Tour ends. Note: This tour starts in Kunming and ends in Lijiang for maximum flexibility. We can offer connecting flights with other cities in China including Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Please contact us for details. Journey through Yunnan - where China, Tibet and SE Asia meet • Experience Yunnan's ethnic diversity, remote geography and rich culture • Explore Xishuangbanna's tea plantations and the UNESCO site of Lijiang • Spot wild elephantsand take an aerial cableway over the rainforest • Visit the incredible Tibetan monastery in Zhongdian or ' Shangri- La' • Trek through Tiger Leaping Gorgewith views over the Yangtse River China Yunnan Revealed Haba Village Zhongdian Kunming Dali Tiger Leaping Gorge Lijiang Xishuangbanna China Sichuan Explorer Beijing Hong Kong Xi'an Mt QingchengChengdu TagongKangding Danba Langmusi Grasslands Xiahe Lanzhou Guilin Yangshuo Great Wall Barkam Single Supplement £ 155 ( optional) Voluntary Carbon Offset £ 20.15 * Price includes tour price of £ 635and local payment of US$ 200All prices are subject to currency fluctuations £ 740pp Land Only * adventurer Tour duration 15 days © Imaginative Traveller © Imaginative TravellerStarts SunEnds Sun KunmingLijiang 2009 01- Feb- 0915- Feb- 09 01- Mar- 0915- Mar- 09 29- Mar- 0912- Apr- 09 11- Oct- 0925- Oct- 09 08- Nov- 0922- Nov- 09 06- Dec- 0920- Dec- 09 Starts SunEnds Sun KunmingLijiang 2010 07- Feb- 1021- Feb- 10 07- Mar- 1021- Mar- 10 04- Apr- 1018- Apr- 10 10- Oct- 1024- Oct- 10 07- Nov- 1021- Nov- 10 05- Dec- 1019- Dec- 10 We can also offer Extra Accommodation, Adventure Travel Insurance& Flights Trek grade - Moderate Save up to 15% on your tour - see page 243

CHINA  TIBET 221 CHINA& FAREAST Sichuan Explorer Imaginative Facts Tour code: AASX • Activities: Optional cycling in Yangshuo, extensive walking at sites • Accommodation: 9 nights simple hotels, 5 nights basic guesthouses, 2 nights homestay, 1 night camping, 4 nights sleeper train • Transport: 4WD jeep, public bus, private bus, sleeper train, taxi • Fully Escorted: By Imaginative Traveller tour leader, services of a local guide in Xi'an DAY 1: HONG KONG- Arrive Hong Kong. DAY 2: HONG KONG - GUILIN- Take the afternoon train to Shenzhen. Overnight train to Guilin. DAYS 3- 5: YANGSHUO- An afternoon class in the Chinese language will prepare you for the rest of the trip. Perhaps also take a lesson in Tai Chi, calligraphy or Chinese cooking or hire a bike and explore the rice terraces and amazing karst scenery. On Day 5 we return to Guilin for the overnight train to Chengdu. DAYS 6- 8: CHENGDU- Arrive in Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan. In the evening there is the option to attend a traditional Sichuan cultural show. Take a day excursion to Mt Qingcheng to hike on this picturesque holy Taoist mountain, thought to hold the secret to long life. DAY 9: CHENGDU - KANGDING ( JEEP SAFARI)- A morning visit to the Giant Panda research base, before we begin our jeep safari into the dramatic snowy mountains on the edge of Tibet. We spend the night in Kangding, where the Han Chinese way of life meets the Tibetan. DAY10: KANGDING - TAGONG ( JEEP SAFARI)- A morning excursion to explore the incredible scenery around Kangding. Continue our drive through the grasslands and snow- capped mountains to Tagong. DAY 11: TAGONG - DANBA ( TIBETAN HOMESTAY)- Continue on our jeep safari through this remote region of nomadic herdsman to the lush river valleys of Danba. Here we stay as guests in a Tibetan home. ( D) DAY 12: DANBA ( TIBETAN HOMESTAY)- A full day for leisurely exploration. Discover beautiful stone buildings, imposing watchtowers and distinctive customs. ( BD) DAY 13: DANBA - BARKAM ( JEEP SAFARI)- Complete our jeep safari through China's ' Wild West' in the town of Barkam. DAY 14: BARKAM - LANGMUSI- Travel through northern Sichuan to Langmusi, a beautiful town with a colourful Tibetan population and ancient monasteries. DAY 15: LANGMUSI - GRASSLANDS-Continue to the remote Ganjia grasslands, where we camp in beautiful scenery with yaks and sheep to keep us company. ( D) DAY 16: XIAHE- Travel to Xiahe. In the afternoon we visit Labrang Monastery, one of the most important for Gelukpa ( Yellow Hat) Tibetan Buddhists. ( B) DAY 17: XIAHE - LANZHOU - XI'AN-Follow the Pilgrim's Route around the monastery, through wafts of aromatic juniper smoke. Later we travel by bus to Lanzhou and board the overnight train to Xi'an. DAY 18: XI'AN- Morning arrival in Xi'an and guided tour of the Terracotta Warriors. DAY 19: XI'AN - BEIJING- A free day. Overnight train to Beijing. DAY 20: BEIJING- Visit atmospheric Tiananmen Square and the magnificent Forbidden City. A free afternoon. DAY 21: BEIJING - GREAT WALL- Visit a lesser visited section of the Great Wall with an option to hike for 3- 5 hours along the crest of the wall. DAY 22: BEIJING- Tour ends. Note: This exciting trip goes miles off the beaten track and passes through some remote areas which have little in the way of tourist infrastructure. Conditions may be fairly basic, but for those who are prepared to forego a few creature comforts, it offers the chance to see some of China's best scenery. An adventure through China's mountainous heartland and Tibetan culture • Get off the beaten trackon a jeep safari on the spectacular Tibetan plateau • Camp in remote grasslands amongst nomadic herdsmen and rural villages • Experience colourful Tibetan Buddhist culture in northern Sichuan • Explore Yangshuo's karst needles and Beijing and Xi'an's city sights • Hike on Mt Qingcheng and along the Great Wall Voluntary Carbon Offset £ 21.14 * Price includes tour price of £ 860and local payment of US$ 300All prices are subject to currency fluctuations £ 1015pp Land Only * adventurer Tour duration 22 days Starts SunEnds Sun Hong KongBeijing 2009 19- Apr- 0910- May- 09 10- May- 0931- May- 09 21- Jun- 0912- Jul- 09 12- Jul- 0902- Aug- 09 02- Aug- 0923- Aug- 09 13- Sep- 0904- Oct- 09 Starts SunEnds Sun Hong KongBeijing 2010 18- Apr- 1009- May- 10 09- May- 1030- May- 10 20- Jun- 1011- Jul- 10 11- Jul- 1001- Aug- 10 01- Aug- 1022- Aug- 10 12- Sep- 1003- Oct- 10 Save up to 15% on your tour - see page 243