Shanghai to the Great Wall - 12 Days

On arrival in Shanghai, one of the most futuristic cities on earth, you check into your accommodation and meet the rest of the group. The city's colonial-era architecture faces off against a skyline of neon towers across the water, a contrast best seen after dark.That evening, you head out for a cruise along the Bund, watching the city's past and present light up on the water.

This morning we take the high-speed train from Shanghai to Zhangjiajie, continuing on by private vehicle to Wulingyuan.Come afternoon, we tackle all 999 steps of Tianmen Mountain's Stairway to Heaven. It's a proper leg-burner, but the summit view over the valley makes every step worth it.

It's an easy walk from our accommodation to the Southeast Gate, where we spend the day surrounded by soaring sandstone pillars, the same peaks that inspired the floating mountains in Avatar. Zhangjiajie really is one of a kind.

We catch the high-speed train through to Chengdu.This evening, we settle in for a Sichuan Opera face-changing show, a centuries-old art form where the performers' masks appear to switch in the blink of an eye. After the show, we dive into a bubbling hotpot dinner, with the option to brave the numbing kick of Sichuan peppercorns.

This morning we visit the pandas when they're at their most active, at a genuine research and conservation base rather than a zoo, home to more than 200 giant pandas and over 100 red pandas.The rest of the day is yours to spend in Chengdu, where panda motifs turn up everywhere, from building facades to ice cream cones.

The high-speed train brings us to Xi'an next, one of China's oldest cities and home to its best-preserved ancient city walls.We grab bikes and complete the full 14km ride along the top of the wall, the city sprawling out below with every turn of the pedals.Later, you can get lost in the Muslim Quarter's night market, dense with smoke, spice and some of the best street food around.

This morning we stand before thousands of life-sized clay soldiers that have guarded an emperor's tomb for over two millennia, each one uniquely carved and only discovered in 1974. Our guide brings the scale of the site to life.This afternoon, we board the high-speed train to Luoyang, our gateway to some of China's most important Buddhist and martial arts heritage sites.

First up today is the Shaolin Temple, birthplace of Shaolin kung fu and one of the world's most famous Buddhist monasteries. We watch the resident monks train, then get hands-on with our own kung fu session, picking up moves passed down through generations.Later we visit the Longmen Grottoes, thousands of Buddhist statues and carvings cut into limestone cliffs along the Yi River, one of China's most remarkable ancient sites.

This morning we take the high-speed train to Beijing, our final stop of the trip.Tonight, we get stuck into a dumpling-making session, followed by an authentic Peking duck dinner. Shatteringly crisp skin, thin pancakes and every classic trimming, one of China's most famous dishes, given the proper treatment.

We start the day with our guide at the gates of the Forbidden City, the imperial palace that ruled China from behind these walls for more than five centuries. We wander through nearly 1,000 buildings and countless courtyards once reserved only for the emperor, his family and those closest to the throne.Your afternoon is free. You could wander the nearby hutong lanes or browse a local market, or simply take the time to rest.

Today's the big one, the Great Wall of China. We head to Mutianyu, a beautifully preserved section where the wall traces the mountain ridgeline into the horizon. We take the cable car up through the trees, then walk the same stones travellers have walked for centuries, watchtowers rising on both sides.

Your whirlwind 12 day trip through China wraps up today. Head to the airport if you're flying home, or extend your stay in China and keep the adventure going. Adventure Traveller Tours can help with anything you need for onward travel.