Ancient China: Mountains, Monkeys, Hutongs, and Pandas Too

The Trip

In recent years China has undergone rapid changes. Traditional cities have been rebuilt with skyscrapers, high-rise apartments, and freeways; the flow of nature has been reshaped with dams, canals, and waterways. Yet, the past is never far from memory or sight. Long- standing structures are still being used or serve as reminders of bygone days and are tourist attractions.

On this trip we will visit both ancient and natural sights as we travel to three distinct areas of the country. The trip will begin and end in the northern capital city of Beijing, where we visit several sights that have played significant roles in China’s history: The Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, and The Forbidden City.

We will visit the Great Wall, built in 221-210 B.C., by day and have the extraordinary opportunity to ascend to the lighted section of the Wall by cable car to see stunning night views.

A flight will take us to the spice- and tea-loving province of Sichuan in middle China, where we will climb ancient steps of two sacred mountains, enjoy the cavorting of wild monkeys at an eco-reserve, and spend a day caring for pandas at a world-class panda reserve. A visit to a modern museum will reveal recently discovered cultural relics dating from the 11th century B.C. -- one of the greatest discoveries of the century.

We’ll enjoy tea in an authentic tea house, watch local people practicing Tai Chi, sleep in a traditional hutong accommodation, visit a marriage market (a long-standing Chinese practice), learn about Taoism, and much more.

A second flight will take us to the southeastern city of Guilin, which is noted for its hills of rock (karst) formations, which also line the countryside along the Li River. We will float on the river in sturdy rafts and hike through small villages on the way to the town of Yangshuo.

Every day will be filled with a variety of new experiences and sights as well as the unique cuisine of each area.

Day 1: Meet at the designated hotel in Beijing at 1:00 p.m. for introductions and trip orientation. Plan your travels so that you are settled at the hotel prior to the orientation meeting. Afterward, we will visit a hutong neighborhood by rickshaw to see traditional hutong homes of Old Beijing. Hutongs are lanes or alleys laid out hundreds of years ago with courtyard compounds lining both sides of the street. It is estimated that from a high of 6,000 or so hutongs existing in the 1950s, today only several hundred remain. Preservation measures are apparently underway. A welcome dinner in the evening will conclude our first day. Overnight in Beijing.

Day 2: A whirlwind tour of Beijing will begin with a morning visit to the Temple of Heaven, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the charming park where residents practice Tai Chi and other exercise activities throughout the day. After lunch we will visit Tiananmen Square, located in the center of Beijing, and considered to be one of the largest public squares in the world. We will also visit The Forbidden City whose construction began in 1406 as the palace of the Ming emperors of China. It remained the imperial palace from 1420 to the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1912. The modern history of the Forbidden City was beautifully depicted in "The Last Emperor," a movie directed by Bernardo Bertolucci that won 9 Academy Awards in 1987, including Best Picture. This is a must-see prior to this visit. We will end the day with a visit to Wanchun Pavilion, which is at the peak of a small mountain situated in the center of Old Beijing. From there we will have a view of the Forbidden City, in its entirety, from above. Overnight in Beijing.

Day 3: After breakfast we will drive 2.5 hours to the Great Wall at Jinshanling, a less crowded section constructed from 1358-1389, with parts of it rebuilt in the 1500s. It is, therefore, considered to be half restored and half wild. It is relatively isolated and features stupendous views. Then we will drive to nearby Gubei Water Town, located at the foot of the Simatai section of the Great Wall. After checking into our hotel, we can explore the town on our own and enjoy the setting sun over Gubei's rooftops and the Wall. Gubei Water Town was recently constructed and is a re-creation of an ancient town. It is built in traditional courtyard style and the homes are hutongs. At approximately 8 p.m. we will board a cable car to the top of the Simatai section of the wall to see the stunning night views. This is the only section that is lighted and open to tourists at night. We will walk on the Wall before returning by cable car to Gubei Water Town. Overnight in Gubei Water Town.

Day 4: After further exploring Gubei in the morning, we will have an early lunch and drive to Beijing International Airport. From there, we will take a 3-hour afternoon flight to the city of Chengdu in Sichuan Province. Overnight in Chengdu.

Day 5: Today begins with a visit to the spectacular Giant Buddha at Leshan, located at the confluence of three rivers whose turbulence caused many shipwrecks until a Buddhist monk envisioned a way to alert ships to the danger. Begun in 713, the Maitreya Buddha is a massive stone statue that stands 71 meters (100 feet) tall and took 91 years to carve. It is the largest sculpture of Buddha in the world and in 1992 was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. We will take a 20-minute boat ride for the ideal view of the Buddha. After visiting Leshan, we will drive to Emeishan (Mount Emei) and our hotel. Overnight in Emeishan.

Day 6: We visit Emeishan today, one of Chinese Buddhism's four sacred mountains, which, according to UNESCO, has been considered "a special protected place for almost 3,000 years." At 10,000 feet high, the biodiversity on Mt. Emei is astonishing. There are thousands of plant and animal species, and mixed evergreen forests with trees estimated to be over a thousand years old. Protection of this sacred place is under the care of the government, but as with so many popular destinations in China, the main threat is tourism. We will observe, firsthand, the degree to which the government has been successful in its conservation and restoration efforts on Mt. Emei.

An eco-bus will take us to the area where we can board a cable car to the Monastery of Ten Thousand Years (also called Wannian Temple). We will explore this beautiful area, then hike (mainly down steps) for about 1.5 hours to the Qingyin Pavilion for lunch. Afterward, we will hike to the Mount Emei Natural Ecology Monkey Reserve, which is home to about 1,000 Tibetan macaques (a type of monkey) and is the largest wild monkey reserve in China. The round trip to this area will take about 2.5 hours. Trip members who do not wish to take this hike may stay at the Qingyin Pavilion and enjoy the gardens, have tea, and relax. Overnight in Chengdu.

Day 7: We will explore Chengdu whose history dates back to the 4th Century B.C. when it was the capital of the Shu Kingdom. Chengdu is best known for its spicy cuisine and for being the birthplace of China's centuries-old tea culture. It is also regarded as China’s Mediterranian area, where residents have a relaxed and laid-back lifestyle.

This morning we visit the Jinsha Site Museum, which is both an archaeological site and exhibition hall, and displays an astonishing array of ivory, jade, bronze, and gold artifacts dating back to the Shu Kingdom 3,000 years ago. This is considered to be one of the world’s most important archaeological discoveries of the 21st century.

In the afternoon we will visit the Wuhou Temple and learn about "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms," enjoy a leisurely stroll through Renmin Park, and visit a Marriage Market, where parents advertise for mates for their grown children. We will also experience one of the authentic tea houses in the park, which is a favorite of local people. Chengdu is one of the few places in China where authentic tea houses can still be found. We will also walk through an old residential neighborhood, and in the evening, visit Jinli Ancient Street, which was Chengdu's busiest commercial area during the Qin Dynasty in 221 B.C. Today, after an ambitious restoration project, the architecture and ancient charm of Jinli Street has been recreated and is especially beautiful at night when the evening lights and lanterns are lit. We will have free time to explore, do some shopping, and sample the famous Sichuan cuisine for dinner. Overnight in Chengdu.

Day 8: This morning there will be free time in Chengdu before driving approximately two hours to Dujiangyan. This area is famous for three important sites: the Dujiangyan irrigation system, the Dujiangyan Panda Base, and Mt. Qingcheng, considered to be the birthplace of Taoism. 

After arriving in Dujiangyan, and having lunch, we will visit the irrigation system in the afternoon, a marvel of engineering and a major landmark in the development of water management and technology that today, 2,000 years after it was built, continues to function perfectly as it irrigates the Chengdu plains. Overnight in Dujiangyan.

Day 9: Today is all about the giant pandas! The Dujiangyan Panda Base is one of China’s top panda reserves, with a focus on research, disease control, rescue and quarantine, and rehabilitation. The efforts at Dujiangyan and the other panda reserves in China, as well as the many panda research centers around the world, are responsible for the species being upgraded from "endangered” to "vulnerable." We will be part of the "Panda Keeper Volunteer Program" (limited to 30 visitors a day). Accompanied by an English-speaking guide, our time will be spent preparing panda food, cleaning their enclosures, feeding them snacks, and learning about their biology and social habits. A Sichuan buffet lunch will be served in the staff cafeteria. Please note that holding or touching the pandas is strictly prohibited. Overnight in Dujiangyan.

Day 10: Be prepared for an early departure today in order to beat the crowds. We will journey by foot, trolley, boat (short sail), and cable car to the mid-point of Mt. Qingcheng Qingcheng is one of China's four sacred Taoist mountains and a Unesco World Heritage site. Taoism flourished on Mt. Qjingcheng through the Jin and Tang dynasties (A.D. 900 - A.D. 937), when many of the temples were built, and continued to be an important spiritual and philosophical center until the 17th century. Forms of Taoism commonly practiced in the West include Tai Chi, Kung Fu, and Feng Shui. Today it is estimated that 950 million Chinese practice some form of this ancient religion.

Mt. Qingcheng includes an extensive complex of temples, pavilions, and gardens, with many of the temples considered architectural masterpieces containing artifacts of great antiquity. It is also a popular hiking destination because of its dense forests, many waterfalls, and breathtaking views. A cable car will take us to the 4,000-foot level of the mountain (called middle mountain), which is known for its many outstanding scenic sights.

We descend from the mountain by walking down stone steps. We will descend the mountain gradually, visiting temples along the way, and stopping for lunch. The leisurely descent will take about 3.5 hours. Total time on the mountain will be approximately 4.5 hours. Then we will drive to the Chengdu International Airport for a 90-minute evening flight to Guilin. Overnight in Guilin.

Day 11: We begin the morning in Guilin with a visit to Elephant Trunk Hill, the symbol of Guilin city, and a masterpiece of karst landscape. Then we will visit Reed Flute Cave, dubbed "The Palace of Natural Arts," because of its extraordinarily colorful stalagmite and stalactite formations formed over a period of 180 million years.

After lunch, we drive from Guilin to Yangdi Village and sail down the Li River on sturdy local bamboo rafts. The area is considered to be one of the most beautiful natural wonders in China. (National Geographic describes it as one of the "top 10 watery wonders in the world.") We will float from Yangdi Village to Nine Horse Fresco for 90 minutes, then hike approximately 2 hours from Nine Horse Fresco to Xingping Ancient Town, stopping along the way to visit some villages. In the evening we will watch fisherman with their cormorants fishing along the Li River.  Overnight in Yangshuo.

Day 12: Today we will spend time exploring Yangshuo and the surrounding villages, home to a variety of unique ethnic minorities, including the Zhuang, Yao, and Miao people. Overnight in Yangshuo.

Day 13: After free time in the morning, we will drive from Yangshuo to the airport for an afternoon flight to Beijing. Our adventures in China conclude with a Peking Duck dinner where we say our farewells. Overnight in Beijing.

Day 14: Our trip officially ends after breakfast.

Getting There

Since international travel is not included in the trip cost, you may make any arrangements that you wish to travel to and from China. Transportation to and from the Beijing International Airport is also not included in the trip price. The trip leader can arrange to have you met at the airport by a driver & guide upon your arrival; and also upon your departure. There are also taxis at the airport. The trip leader will send you the name of your hotel in Beijing (or other destination), written in both Chinese and English. Most taxi drivers in China do not speak English so just show them the card with your hotel name in Chinese. You will need to pay for cab fare with Chinese money so have some available. It is advisable to change some American currency into Chinese money prior to leaving for the trip. You may do this through many banks or currency exchanges. You may also change some money at the Beijing Airport.

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

The trip price is based on two people sharing a room with two comfortable beds. Our rooms will be in the 3 to 4 star range. All hotel rooms will have regular Western toilets. Meals will be Chinese and usually served family style. Please do not expect to order American food at our group meals or at most places on our itinerary. Chopsticks are the utensils that are commonly used. Breakfasts in larger cities at some hotels may include a choice of American or Chinese food. Chinese breakfasts are most often the order of the day. They may consist of rice gruel (very good when peanuts are added), noodles, various vegetables, steamed buns, dumplings, tea or coffee. Vegetarians can be accommodated, but are encouraged to bring some favorite snacks from home. Consult with the trip leader regarding other necessary dietary requirements and authentic food-related health issues.

LOCAL WATER FROM FAUCETS MAY NOT BE USED FOR DRINKING WATER AT ANY TIME. To save on the use of plastic water bottles, it is strongly recommended that you boil water in your hotel room and fill your own water bottles. Bottled water may be purchased at most stores.

Trip Difficulty

Overall, this trip is moderate in terms of exertion and the itinerary offers much to see in fascinating areas of the country, as well as three commercial flights. It is important for each person to be able to keep pace comfortably and be able to walk without much difficulty on uneven terrain, unpaved paths, cobblestones, uneven stone stairs, steep steps and many steps without railings, and also walk for 5-6 miles a day. Walking sticks can be helpful. 

The most challenging parts of the trip will be Mount Emei and Mount Qingcheng where there are many stone steps to climb up or down, often without railings. The highest elevation we reach will be approximately 4,000 feet on Mount Qingcheng and 5,000 feet on Mount Emei. 

Equipment and Clothing

The leader will provide trip members with a list of suggested clothing and equipment. Bring lightweight clothing to wear in layers so that you can be comfortably dressed in warm to chilly weather. Sturdy, closed-toe walking shoes or lightweight hiking boots are a necessity. Our trip dates are in early to mid-October so weather may be getting cooler, especially in the mountainous areas and in the evening and early morning. Weather in the mountain areas can be wet with rain or heavy mist so a lightweight rain jacket (and pants) or a long rain poncho are recommended.

References

After signing up for this trip the leader will supply an extensive reading list. In addition, our Chinese guide highly recommends the following great classical novels of Chinese literature. Dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties, all are well-known to most Chinese, either directly or through their many adaptations to opera or other media. They are among the world’s longest and oldest novels and are considered to be the pinnacle of China’s achievement in classical fiction. They are:

• Water Margin (Outlaws of the Marsh or All Men Are Brothers)
• Romance of the Three Kingdoms
• Journey to the West
• Dream of the Red Chamber

The following are a few very good novels about China that are enjoyable to read, as well as informative:

• Rutherfurd, Edward, CHINA. Doubleday, 2021.
• Chang Jung, Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China. Simon & Schuster, 1991.
• Tan, Amy, The Kitchen God’s Wife. G.P. Putnam Sons, 1999.
• Tan, Amy, The Joy Luck Club. G.P. Putnam Sons., 2001.
• See, Lisa, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Random House, 2005.

Conservation

Since its founding in 1892, The Sierra Club has worked to preserve and restore the natural environment we all share on this planet. Thousands of grassroots-level volunteers spearhead our efforts to conserve and sustain resources, both in our own backyards and on a global scale. Through direct experience in the outdoors, Sierra Club outings enable participants to better understand, advocate, and participate in the environmental conservation goals of the Club.

China is a country that has many severe environmental challenges, exacerbated by climate change and a huge population of 1.4 billion people. Their issues include air, water and soil pollution, water scarcity, desertification, loss of forests, disappearing watersheds, decreasing biodiversity and much more. All are intertwined with the choices and activities of humans.

The consequences of these actions can be severe if they are not corrected properly and with urgency. A scarcity of water reserves is one serious consequence that China is currently facing and the evidence of this is frightening. The country obtains its water for the population to use from its rivers and lakes. Yet a study found that 55 percent of the 50,000 rivers and streams that existed in the 1990s have disappeared from climate change, overuse, misuse, and severe pollution. China has more than 400 cities that are short of water and 30 percent of these are facing severe scarcity to the point where China needs to drill aquifers deep in the earth in order to get to water. Beijing is one of these cities that obtains most of its water from underground aquifers.

Another reason why China’s water supply is dwindling is because of its economic boom and the rapid growth of industry and factories. One consequence of this growth is a water shortage since industries need a large percentage of the available water to process their materials. There is a choice that is made between environmental protection and economic growth -- or, ideally, a reasonable balance between the two. Economic progress is very enticing and often wins out over the environment. On this trip we can observe what choices are being made in each of the three areas that we visit.

Pollution of water sources is another huge reason why there is a water shortage in China and elsewhere, and water is rendered unsafe and unusable. Pollution has caused great harm to people, animals, and the environment overthe years. Organizations like the Sierra Club work to curb the harm and teach people to explore, enjoy, and protect the earth.

Evacuation and Travel Insurance

The Sierra Club provides evacuation insurance to all participants on international trips. Since this coverage does not include any trip cancellation or interruption insurance, we suggest you purchase another policy separately to provide coverage for your trip and other travel costs. This policy also does not cover pre-trip and post-trip travel. Please note the evacuation insurance provided does not cover claims resulting from any pre-existing condition that occurs within 60 days of the trip departure. If you have specific questions about this exclusion, please review the insurance brochure. For information on purchasing a separate policy, please see our travel insurance page.