12-Day China Educational Trip: Nature and Culture

Immerse Yourself in Nature and Embrace Culture

This 12-day tour is designed to enable adventurous teens to explore the diverse beauty of China. From the iconic Great Wall to the stunning mountains of Guilin and Huangshan (the Yellow Mountains), this trip offers a perfect blend of history, nature, and fun. It would inspire children's curiosity and thirst for adventure through hands-on nature exploration and cultural immersion experiences, helping them grow as individuals.

Suggested 12-Day China Educational Tour

Day Highlights
1-3
Beijing
Great Wall camping and imperial architectures
4-7
Guilin/Yangshuo
Terraced fields, Li River hiking, raft making, and rock climbing
8-9
Huangshan
Yellow Mountain exploration and tea plantation experience
10-11
Shanghai
City skyline and amazing museum
12 Shanghai departure

Tour Map

Beijing Guilin Huangshan Shanghai tour map

Tour Highlights

Sleep Under the Stars by the Great Wall

When night falls, camp at a secluded section of the wall surrounded by majestic mountains, feel the awesome atmosphere with a historical perspective, and enjoy this special night.

Jinshanling Great Wall

starry night on the Great Wall

Be a Mountain Minority Person for a Day

Explore the Longji Rice Terraces, visit a local family, make bamboo-tube rice and cook it the local way. Catch fish from the rice fields with local people, or participate in the rice harvest if your visit time coincides with the once-in-a year harvest time.

do farming in Longji
have a walking in longji rice terraces

Discover the Ultimate Beauty of the Li River in an Offbeat Way

Take a hike along the most beautiful section of the Li River. Climb to the top of a karst hill by the Li River for a bird's-eye view of the surrounding landscape.

have a bird's-eye view from Xianggong Hill
admire the li river sunset and watch cormorant fishing

Participate in Colorful Hands-On Cultural Activities

Paint your own Guilin landscape on a paper fan and make a brush pen engraved with your name. Pick tea leaves in a tea plantation and learn how to make local tea.

pick tea leaves in a tea garden
paint a paper fan in Yangshuo

Play and Develop Teamwork with Fun Tasks

Learn how to make a raft with pipes and tires near the river, go rock climbing, hunt for local snacks, and find local attractions. The professional coach from our associated outdoor education center would set goals for students and the learning activities would be integrated into fun games.

make a raft near the river
rock climbing

Appreciate "God's Bonsai"

Walk into the fairytale world of the Yellow Mountains with fantastic rocks and beautiful trees

the Yellow Mountain in autumn
family in Huangshan

Suggested Itinerary

Here is a suggested itinerary. We are happy to customize a educational tour according to your interests and preference.

Day 1: Beijing Arrival

Welcome to China! Your guide, who is experienced in leading student groups, will meet you in the arrivals hall at the airport. Your group will be transferred to your hotel on our comfortable bus.

Day 2: Beijing | Great Traditional Chinese Architecture
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Morning:
Start your adventure in Beijing's heart, Tian'anmen Square — a massive space so big it's a favorite for many school trips at once! It's like stepping into a giant postcard.

Next, walk through the grand entrance to the Forbidden City, a place where emperors once ruled. You would see famous palaces, but also sneak a peek at secret spots! Imagine exploring the princes' personal library, checking out cool army tools at the Archery Pavilion, and even seeing a collection of amazing clocks and watches!

Afternoon:
Visit the Temple of Heaven, where medieval emperors connected with heaven through prayer and ritual.

End the first day of your China adventure with a tasty Peking roast duck dinner.

Day 3:  Beijing | Great Wall Hiking and Camping
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Head to the most picturesque section of the Great WallJinshanling. Hike on both the wild and restored parts of the wall. Set up your camp right by the Great Wall. Have a BBQ dinner. Appreciating the enchanting views, including a sunset over the Great Wall (if the weather is good), would give you unforgettable experiences.

Day 4: Beijing to Guilin | The Summer Palace
Breakfast

Morning:
Wake up to a beautiful sunrise when you open your tent. Have a simple breakfast while appreciating the stunning views.

Travel back to Beijing city to explore the Summer Palace, a royal masterpiece of Chinese landscaped gardens.

Afternoon:
Fly to Guilin, which has a unique landscape in the south of China.

Day 5: Guilin | The Terraced Fields
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Morning:
Go to Longji Rice Terraces Scenic Area with about 2 hours' driving.
Walk through the rice terraces and appreciate the fantastic golden views of fall. Visit a local family, learn how to make bamboo-tube rice in their traditional wooden house. Cook and eat with the family.

Afternoon:
Catch fish with local people in their rice paddies, or help the local farmers harvesting rice if your visit coincides with the once-a-year harvest time.

Return to Guilin in the late afternoon and stay overnight there again. Your dinner will be served in Guilin.

Day 6: Guilin to Yangshuo | Hike in the Landscape and Paint It on Your Fan
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Morning:
Drive for about 1 hour to the famous Xianggong Hill, and climb to the top for a fairy-tale view of the surrounding karst landscape.

Take a hike along the most beautiful section of the Li River from Nine-Horse Fresco Hill to Xingping Ancient Town. Have lunch at a local restaurant in Xingping Ancient Town.

Afternoon:
Visit a workshop in Fuli Town and study the creative process of painted fans. Learn from a local artist how to paint a traditional landscape on a paper fan. You would have your own handmade fan to keep as a souvenir.

Day 7: Yangshuo | Develop Teamwork with Fun Tasks
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Morning:
Team-building tasks are a good choice for students to learn how to work as a group and achieve things together. We would specially arrange a day for teamwork challenges by the beautiful Yulong Valley.

Guided by our professional coaching team, the students would participate in well-designed activities and accomplish fun goals. The activities include learning how to make a bamboo raft that could be used on the river, rock climbing, hunting for local snacks, and looking for local attractions.

Afternoon:
When the activities end at about 3pm, there would be a summary and award ceremony.

Day 8: Yangshuo to Huangshan | Make a Brush Pen
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Morning:
Transfer to Guilin's airport and fly to Huangshan. Anhui province has long been a significant contributor to the advancement of culture and education in China.

Afternoon:
Visit a workshop on an old street in Huangshan. You would have the chance to create your own personalized brush pen! Your guide would be a proponent of intangible national cultural heritage, who would expertly introduce the brush-making process. Experience the craftsmanship of traditional Chinese artisans firsthand.

Enjoy a relaxing walk in Liyang Old Street. Characterized by the contrasting architectural language of the old and the new, Liyang Old Street includes the presence of small bridges, flowing water, and stone paths. Walking along the bluestone-paved lanes, you could observe gray bricks, black tiles, horse-head walls, and medieval pavilions.

Day 9: Huangshan | Appreciate "God's Bonsai"
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Enjoy a day tour of the Yellow Mountains. The best way to appreciate the magnificent Yellow Mountains from a bird's-eye view is to take a cable car ride (a round-trip cable car ride is included).

Go all the way up and gaze at the horizon over the sea of clouds. Enjoy the great views of the peaks and pine trees, which create scenes from a typical traditional Chinese painting. Take some great photos and take a cable car ride back down.

Day 10: Huangshan to Shanghai | Tea Plantation Experience
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Morning:
Visit a tea plantation producing one of the most famous Chinese green teas. You would first learn to choose appropriate tea leaves and pick them in the right way. After the tea-picking experience, the tea farmer would show you the process of drying tea. Then, learn the proper way to make a cup of tea as you try different kinds of local tea.

Afternoon:
Take a bullet train back to Shanghai.

Day 11: Shanghai | The Past, Present, and Future
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Morning:
Do more than just take one or two selfies on the Bund. Travel back in time to the 1920s era of the Bund during a walking tour.

Take the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel to the other side of the river, enjoying the colorful light displays, music, and visual effects during the journey.

Ascend the tallest building in China, Shanghai Tower, where you would not only enjoy a panoramic view of Shanghai, but also see the future of China.

Afternoon:
Visit Aurora Museum, a hidden gem amid Shanghai's bustling cityscape. Keep discovering under your guide's inspirational commentary. Enjoy the beauty of the pottery, jade artifacts, porcelain, and Buddhist statues. Appreciate the Chinese craftsmanship and artistic expression.

Day 12: Shanghai Departure
Breakfast

Transfer to the airport for your flight back home.

Hotel Selection

Selected hotels with good locations.

Hotel in Beijing
Hotel in Yangshuo
Kingtown Riverside Hotel Plaza Shanghai

Tour Price

fromUS$2,379 per person Based on a school trip for a group of 20 people. Price varies depending on the program, travel date, number of people, and chosen hotel

Price includes:

  • Private air-conditioned bus with big windows and ample space
  • English speaking local guide
  • Activities, hotels, and meals listed in the itinerary
  • 24/7 helpline for while you are traveling

Tour code: cht-et-2

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