China. Journey to the
Celestial Empire.
15 DAYS
24 PEOPLE
3290 EURO
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15 days
1 group
4.09 – 18.09.2025
2 group
19.09 – 03.10.2025
You can write a lot about China - about its rich history and culture, achievements in economics, sports and other areas, about its amazing nature, about its way of life, about its people.
In any case, China is a country that any self-respecting traveler needs to visit, and to which they will want to return more than once or twice.
China is a huge and diverse country with different climate zones, different types of landscape and nature.
We have selected several of the most beautiful places in China, which, in our opinion, should be included in the Paganels’ travel program through this amazing country.
In 2014-2020, our expedition team walked this route many times with great pleasure, receiving a lot of positive emotions and impressions, and took many unique photographs.
Well, the main part of the program will be the Zhangjiajie National Park, which has already become a cult for lovers of natural beauty, known to the general public as the Avatar Mountains and, of course, the famous colored or “rainbow” mountains of China.
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ROUTE
• flight Beijing-Guilin;
• flight Zhangjiajie-Xi'an;
• flight Xian-Zhangye;
• flight Lanzhou-Beijing;
• travel by high-speed train Guilin-Zhangjiajie;
• transfer by high-speed train Zhangye-Lanzhou;
• accommodation in 4-star hotels along the entire route based on 2 adults in 1 room. All hotels provide breakfast;
• entrance fees to national parks and excursions indicated in the program;
• meals specified in the program;
• all transfers along the program route, including between airports, hotels during your stay in Guilin, Yangshuo, Zhangjiajie, Beijing, Xi'an, Lanzhou, Zhangye, in an air-conditioned bus or car;
• entrance tickets to the water show in Yangshuo Liusangjie;
• services of a Chinese-Russian speaking guide;
• Paganel Studio guide services.
• flight to Beijing and back;
• visa;
•insurance;
• supplement for single occupancy;
• food that is not listed in the program;
• tips for local guides and drivers (approximately $10 per person). We will have 5 different guides along the travel route, so budget about $50. for all guides for the entire trip as additional expenses.
Applying for a visa through a visa agent. The cost of services + consular fee is 190 euro
There are no recommendations for special clothing. The main thing is that you feel comfortable and comfortable. For small treks in the Parks, closed shoes with good, non-slip soles are recommended. To protect from possible rain, it is recommended to take a good raincoat. We recommend taking a personal first aid kit with you. You will receive detailed recommendations on the meeting in an infographic from the group coordinator.
In China, cash USD and EUR, travel checks and credit cards are accepted for payment. The local currency, the Chinese yuan, can be exchanged at the airport, at banks or any exchange office. Many stores accept credit cards.
IMPORTANT!
Due to the fact that our expeditions do not include international flights to the starting point of the program, we cannot be held responsible for changes in flight conditions by airlines or airport requirements. Since our travelers fly from many different countries and cities, we never participate in the purchase of air travel and limit ourselves exclusively to advisory services in the selection of flights. Air agents or airlines from which tickets were purchased are responsible for the purchase and technical support.
ITINERARY
Day 1
(September 4)(September 19)
Early arrival in the capital of China. Meeting with the Paganel expedition leaders and a Russian-speaking Chinese guide.
Day 2
(September 5)(September 20)
Beginning of the first excursion day.
The Temple of Heaven is located in the southern part of Beijing. It was built in 1420. In 1530 it was reconstructed. The length of the perimeter of the temple is 6369 m, and the height is 6 m. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, emperors worshiped the heavens in the Temple of Heaven and prayed to them for a rich harvest.
Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
Tiananmen is the largest square in the world. It occupies 440,000 sq. m., which is equal to the area of 60 football fields. It stretches 880 m from north to south, and 500 m from east to west. Half a million people can fit here.
The Forbidden City in Beijing (Gugong) is the largest and best preserved palace monument of feudal China. 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties lived and worked here for almost 500 years. The unique palace complex embodies the best achievements of Chinese architecture and is an excellent example of Chinese palace architecture.
After the excursion, a little tired, but happy, we will go to the restaurant for a gala dinner, during which we will try the famous Peking duck, and after dinner everyone will talk about himself or herself, and we will present personalized T-shirts and badges to the participants of the trip.
After that, free time, if you wish, you can go for a walk along one of the pedestrian streets of Beijing, try fried scorpions, larvae, snakes, caterpillars and other dishes of Asian-Chinese cuisine.
Your favorite selfi will turn out more beautiful and impressive than ever.
We return to the hotel for the night. Rest.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch)
Day 3
(September 6) (September 21)
After breakfast at the hotel, we go to look at one of the eight modern Wonders of the World: the Great Wall of China (Mutianyu site). The Great Wall is known all over the world and symbolizes Ancient Chinese civilization. The wall runs 100 km northeast of Beijing. The proverb says: “Whoever has never been to the Great Wall cannot be considered a real man,” so every self-respecting Chinese strives to visit it.
Construction of the first sections of the wall began in the 4th century BC. e. during the Warring States period (475-221 BC) to protect the state from the raids of the nomadic Xiongnu people (Mongolian Xiongnu).
A fifth of the then population of the country, that is, about a million people, took part in the construction. The wall was supposed to serve as the extreme northern line of the possible expansion of the Chinese themselves; it was supposed to protect the subjects of the “Middle Empire” from transitioning to a semi-nomadic way of life, from merging with the barbarians.
The wall was supposed to clearly fix the boundaries of Chinese civilization and contribute to the consolidation of a single empire, just made up of a number of conquered kingdoms. The length of the wall from edge to edge is 8,851 kilometers 800 meters
Having thoroughly explored the Wall, we return to Beijing and go for a walk through the amazing Shichahai district, so beloved by the Beijingers themselves: in the evening, numerous colored lanterns light up along the lake, numerous cafes are open, and local residents dance, communicate and fly kites. From there we move to dinner. Then we return to the hotel. Rest.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch)
Day 4
(September 7) (September 22)
We wake up calmly. After breakfast, we hand over our rooms and board the bus waiting for us. Transfer to the airport. Today we will fly to the city of Guilin in southern China. US President Nixon spoke of Guilin as the most beautiful place in China. There are many man-made and natural wonders here.
The age of the city is more than 2220 years. We arrive at the airport. Meeting with a new local guide who will accompany us around the city of Guilin. Let's get on the bus. Transfer and hotel accommodation and free time for walking around the city and getting to know the local culture and cuisine.
(Meals included: breakfast)
Day 5
(September 8) (September 23)
After breakfast we will go to the Reed Flute Cave. This is an amazing sculpture gallery formed by limestone rocks. It has been attracting tourists for 1200 years. Now multi-colored lighting has been added to its natural beauty.
Reed Flute Cave is located in the northwestern suburbs of Guilin (it's only 4 km from the center). The cave got its name because local peasants made flutes from the reeds growing outside. The cave is full of stalactites, stalagmites, various stone formations of the most bizarre shapes.
After lunch, transfer to the village of Yandi, cruise on the Li River on rafts. What he sees leaves no one indifferent: the river, like a silk belt, meanders among thousands of unique hills and mountains, which, like a mirage, suddenly emerge from the fog and disappear again, like in a fairy tale.
The mesmerizing beauty of these places at one time attracted the attention of not only travelers, but also Hollywood filmmakers, who shot here the film “The Painted Veil” based on Somerset Maugham’s novel “The Patterned Veil”.
We will take the rafts to the authentic village of Xingping, where we will stop for the night.
At sunset we will go to photograph cormorants and traditional Chinese fishermen who agreed to pose for us.
Fishing with the help of cormorants has long been widespread in these parts, when specially trained birds caught fish for their masters, in return receiving smaller fish as gratitude.
Well, then you can take a photo yourself with these very colorful and authentic local residents.
Transfer to the hotel. Dinner. Rest.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch)
Day 6
(September 9) (September 24)
Having slept well, after breakfast we will rent out our rooms and head to the city of Yangshuo. Free time.
Yangshuo is a very pleasant tourist town located among the mountains on the banks of the Li River.
There are many restaurants, shops with souvenirs and first-class Chinese tea. In the evening we will visit the water show known for its scale and grandeur - Liu San Jie, in which more than 600 actors are involved.
The director of this show is Zhang Mov, who was responsible for staging the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The scenery for the show is the huge mountains and the Li River.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch)
Day 7
(September 10) (September 25)
In the morning, after breakfast, having walked around the streets of Yangshuo and, if desired, seen all its sights, we rent out our rooms, say goodbye to the city and take a bus for about two hours to the Guilin train station.
Transfer by high-speed train to Changsha, where we are met by our new local guide to the province with the easy-to-remember name Zhangjiatjie, and then on a comfortable bus we arrive in Changde, where today we will spend the night in a cozy hotel. We check into a hotel for 3 nights.
(Meals included: breakfast)
Day 8
(September 11) (September 26)
Early rise, breakfast, and we hit the road. 2 hours along the highway, and we are at our destination - Zhangjiadze City. Today we have a day of unsurpassed landscapes that once inspired Cameron's film Avatar.
We will walk a lot this day (about 12-13 km in total). In the morning, wear comfortable sports shoes and don’t forget your cameras! First we will take the cable car up to the Huangshi Zhai Mountains.
We will walk there for 2-3 hours, and then after lunch we will go for a walk to the Golden Whip Canyon. The day will be eventful and incredibly beautiful.
Huangshizhai is one of the main tourist spots in Zhangjiajie National Park. Translated from Chinese, the name of the area means “yellow stone village” or “yellow fortress”.
The Huangshizhai Mountains cover an area of about 16.7 hectares, and the “stone village”, located on the top of the mountains, at an altitude of 800-1100 m above sea level, is a flat area of natural origin, offering breathtaking views of the peaks and relict forest.
After the end of the excursion we return to the hotel. Dinner. Rest and free time.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch)
Day 9
(September 12) (September 27)
After breakfast, we will head to the Grand Canyon of Zhangjiajie National Park, where we can see the world's longest glass bridge! Its length is as much as 430 meters! Width - 6 meters! The height above the ground is 300 meters! The bravest and bravest will be able to walk across this bridge and experience the amazing feeling of levitation, when under your feet there will be as many as three hundred meters of mountain air and nothing more!
After exploring and taking photographs, we return to the hotel on legs trembling with delight and prepare for the next day. Free time. Rest.
(Meals included: breakfast, dinner)
Day 10
(September 13) (September 28)
Breakfast at the hotel, check-in of rooms and an exciting event... We set off for the world's longest cable car, which will take us high into the Tianmen Mountains.
We will pass through the Gate of Heaven, one of the most sacred places in China. The Chinese believe that if you make a wish while passing through this Gate, it will definitely come true!
The very beautiful mountain road of 99 turns and the funicular, which, according to the Chinese, is the longest funicular road in the world, make an incredible impression.
We will also walk along another glass mountain path, listen to the wind in the mountain pines and take hundreds of more beautiful photographs.
It will be a very beautiful and eventful day that you will remember for the rest of your life!
After lunch, transfer to the airport. Flight to Xi'an.
Late arrival in the city. Meeting with a local guide. Transfer to the hotel. We check into a cozy hotel in Xi'an for 3 nights. Free time.
(Meals included: breakfast, dinner)
Day 11
(September 14) (September 29)
After breakfast, we will head to Mount Huashan, one of the Five Sacred Mountains of Taoism in China.
This is a famous shrine, where only monks retired 30 years ago. Today, pilgrims and tourists from all over the world flock here.
We will be able to enjoy the unique rocky landscapes, feel the unique spiritual atmosphere.
After a long and interesting day by bus, we return to our hotel and enjoy the evening and night Xi'an.
(Meals included: breakfast, dinner)
Day 12
(September 15) (September 30)
Breakfast at the hotel and city tour. The most important attraction will be the oldest Army in the world - the Terracotta Army.
The recently discovered Terracotta Warriors amazed the world with the skill of their execution and incredible quantity. The Terracotta Army was built to guard the tomb of Emperor Qing Shi Huang, who founded the Qing dynasty and unified China.
What is striking is not only the number of soldiers, but also the grace and care with which they are made: the faces, emotions, hairstyles and clothes of each soldier have their own individual characteristics.
Each soldier was armed with a real bronze weapon. Terracotta horses are harnessed to fully functioning wooden chariots. Archers, spearmen, infantry, charioteers and generals - once upon a time, every soldier was covered in paint and his appearance was completely consistent with the look of the soldiers of a real army.
After the Terracotta Army, we will visit the Great City Wall of Xi'an, built during the Ming Dynasty (1368−1644).
The wall we see today was improved in the later years of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). At that time, the emperor also built city walls. Everyone will be able to ride a bicycle along this wall and explore the central part of the city with a breeze.
After the excursions we return to our hotel. Dinner. Rest. Free time.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch)
Day 13
(September 16) (October 1)
Early rise. We are collecting things. Early breakfast. After breakfast, transfer to the airport. Departure to the town of Zhangye, located on the border of China and Mongolia. Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Today we will meet the sunset in a unique natural place - Zhangye Danxia.
Zhangye Danxia Geological Park is located at the foot of Qilianshan Mountain and is the only such complex among the Danxia landforms in China. In 2010 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The colorful hills formed from red sandstone resemble a perfect painting created by nature itself. The colors of the geological park, from scarlet to sky blue, look like a rainbow spread across the hills.
In 2009, the Chinese version of National Geographic magazine named Zhangye Danxia one of the "six most beautiful landscape formations" in China.
After sunset we go for dinner. Next to the hotel. Rest.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch)
Day 14
(September 17) (October 2)
After breakfast, we will explore the city of Zhangye, considered one of the most important historical and cultural sites along the ancient Silk Road. An important attraction of this day will be the Big Buddha Temple, located in the southwestern part of the city. The temple was built in 1908 AD. and is the largest heritage of the Xi Xia Dynasty in Gansu Province.
After the excursion, lunch and transfer to Xining by high-speed train. Transfer to the airport and flight to Beijing. Late arrival in the capital of China. Accommodation at a hotel near the airport. Farewell dinner. Rest.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch)
Day 15
(September 18) (October 3)
We wake up. We're having breakfast. We say goodbye to each other. We say goodbye to the team of guides and expedition leaders. Saying goodbye to beautiful China. The expedition across the Celestial Empire is over. Shuttle to the airport. Flight home.
(Meals included: breakfast)
WHY WITH PAGANEL?
We are unique
For many years, we have been traveling the world to our small planet's most remote and unusual places. We do not use the services of domestic travel agencies. The trips we invent and carry out are always unique and have their unique zest, charm, and adventurous spirit.
Creation
The first thing that interests us is creativity in everything. During the expeditions, we shoot a lot of videos, take pictures, write stories, draw pictures. If you are interested in a creative approach to life and travel, then WELCOME... we are very happy to meet you!
Interest
By joining our team, you join a kind of club family, which already consists of several hundred people who are interested in discovering the world with us.
Since most of the expenses for organizing a trip – air tickets and travel documents for other modes of transportation, accommodation, excursions, services of local companies and guides, etc. – are made by us in advance, long before the trip, the prepayment or payment for the trip is non-refundable in the event of cancellation.
Since most of the expenses for the organization of the trip are air tickets and travel documents for other types of transport, accommodation, excursions, services of local companies and guides, etc. are not refundable in case of your cancellation of the trip. We simply have no way to return it.
Please note that this itinerary is tentative. The weather always has the last word. The itinerary is designed to allow sufficient time at the end of the Expedition in case of any weather-related delays. If necessary, the captain can change the expedition route depending on external conditions!
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