Woks and Chopsticks

The fantastic food is just on of the highlights of every trip to China. China is a vast area, and its diversity is fully reflected by its range of cultures and food.  Chinese cuisine varies greatly depending on the area where it originated.  The country can be divided into four different regions, and on this trip we visit them all, to savour the famous dishes and even learn to prepare some delicacies ourselves.

Itinerary (14 nights / 15 days)

Day 1, Beijing
Arrival day.

Day 2, Beijing – Great Wall
We take a day trip out to the Great Wall, and hike on one of the less visited sections. In the evening, there is the opportunity to enjoy a traditional Peking duck dinner, consisting of delicious slices of roast duck wrapped in thin pancakes with sliced cucumber, shallots and a sauce made of soy. (BD)

Day 3, Beijing – Shanghai
Morning excursion to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City . In the afternoon we have a demonstration of the various different ways of making Shanxi style noodles, before giving it a try ourselves. Later, we board our overnight train to Shanghai . (BL)

Day 4, Shanghai
Today is free to explore this dynamic city. This evening, after a typical Shanghai seafood dinner we watch a thrilling performance by the city's famous acrobats. (D)

Day 5, Shanghai – Xi'an
A day tour of the Bund, the Yuyuan gardens and some of the many other famous sites of Shanghai . Later, we take the overnight train to Xi'an . (BL)

Day 6, Xi'an
This morning, we have a guided tour of the Terracotta Warriors. In the afternoon we watch a demonstration of the art of making the dumplings (jiaozi), for which Xi'an is famous. There is a chance to join in, before enjoying a dumpling banquet for dinner. (BD)

Day 7, Xi'an
A full free day to explore Xi'an, visit the Great Mosque and markets in the Muslim quarter and sample some lamb kebabs or other local favourites. (B)

Day 8, Xi'an – Chengdu
We fly to Chengdu , the capital of Sichuan province. In the evening we enjoy a traditional hotpot dinner which is typical of this region, before watching a Sichuan variety performance. (BD)

Day 9, Chengdu
A visit to the Giant Panda Research Centre to see the beautiful but endangered Giant Pandas. After a vegetarian lunch at Wenshu Temple the afternoon is free to explore the city's many parks and teahouses. (BL)

Day 10, Chengdu – Longsheng
Fly to Guilin and drive into the mountains to see the spectacular scenery of the ‘Dragon's Backbone' rice terraces. In the evening we watch a Zhuang minority music performance and sample some of their potent home made rice wine. (B)

Day 11, Longsheng – Yangshuo
In the morning, there is time to wander amongst the rice terraces. Later we transfer to Yangshuo, located in the midst of some of China 's most spectacular scenery. Early in the evening there is the chance to take part in a short Chinese tea ceremony. (B)

Day 12, Yangshuo
We tour the local market before our cooking class, where we learn how to prepare some local specialities. In the afternoon there is the opportunity to take a bike ride (US$2 bicycle hire) and explore the beautiful surrounding countryside. Later there is a chance to see the Liu San Jie show (US$27). (BL)

Day 13, Yangshuo – Guangzhou
Today those who wish to further improve their culinary skills can take an optional second cooking class (US$14). Later we transfer to Guilin for the overnight train to Guangzhou . (B)

Day 14, Guangzhou
The chance to tour a fascinating local market before enjoying a dim sum banquet for lunch. The afternoon is free to relax or explore the city. (L)

Day 15, Guangzhou
Tour ends. (B)

General Tour Information

Style: Special Interest
Maximum group size: 12
Staffing: Escorted by professional Tour Leader, services of local guides in Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an & Chengdu, services of local chefs for cooking demonstrations & lessons
Transport: Plane, public and private bus, train & taxi
Flights: Xi'an to Chengdu, Chengdu to Guilin
Accommodation: 10 tourist class hotels, 1 night family guesthouse, 3 nights sleeper train
The single supplement does not apply to the night in the family guesthouse and the 3 nights on the sleeper trains.
Activities: Cooking demonstrations and lessons, optional cycling in Yangshuo, optional hike along the Great Wall, extensive walking at sites
Meals: As per itinerary. B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner
Entrance fees: Included for all sites listed as part of the itinerary. This does not include entrance fees on optional excursions.
Tipping: To avoid embarrassment and save you money, all tours operate a tipping kitty. Please allow US$15-20 per week for this tour. This does not include a tip for the tour leader which is entirely at your own discretion.
Additional sightseeing and Optional activities: If you wish to visit a wide range of sites and take part in a variety of optional activities please allow approx US$150.

For comparability, all prices in this dossier are quoted in one currency. We use the US Dollar since that is familiar to most. However, once on tour you will need to pay for all goods and services in the local currency. See your Country Dossier for details of exchange rates.

Local Payment

There is a local payment of US$200 on this tour. This must be paid to the Tour Leader in US Dollars cash on Day 1 of the tour.

Free Arrival Transfer

Arrival transfers are included for all clients arriving in Beijing on day 1 or before day 1 if extra accommodation is booked with us. If you have booked your flights separately from your tour please ensure that you inform your tour booking agent of your flight details at least one month before departure to avoid payment of an administration fee.

Tour Briefing

Once all the members of your group have arrived your tour leader will organize an introductory briefing (usually after 6pm on day 1). This meeting will give you an overview of all the exciting things you will be seeing during your tour and include lots of practical information on how to get the most of your time in China . You will need to bring with you your passport, all tour vouchers and a copy of your insurance policy to this briefing so that your tour leader can obtain important details that are essential to the running of the tour.

Important Note: it is a condition of joining our tours that you are in possession of a comprehensive travel insurance policy. If you do not have a policy you will be required to purchase one from your tour leader in order to join the tour.

Cuisine Tour
Our Woks and Chopsticks tour has been designed around exploring China 's four main regional cuisines: Peking - northern cuisine, Szechuan - western cuisine, Shanghai - eastern cuisine and Cantonese - Southern cuisine. On our journey through China we will get to sample and cook dishes traditional to the region and see some fantastic sights along the way.

Price includes:

• Staffing as shown in the 'Factfinder'
• Accommodation, meals, transportation, and sightseeing excursions as per itinerary.
• Transfer to hotel on arrival

Price does not include:

• Visa costs
• Border Taxes
• Entrance fees
• Drinks, tips, laundry and other items of a personal nature.
• International flights
• Departure transfers
• Meals other than those listed
• Single supplement does not include the night in a family guesthouse nor the 3 nights sleeper train.

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