Vast, ancient and overflowing with wonder, China offers travellers a spellbinding holiday experience. We feature a fabulous range of touring, rail and cruise holidays across China, taking in its most famous sights, from Beijing's Great Wall to Xian's Terracotta Warriors and the mighty Yangtze River.

If you're a first time visitor, it's easy to assume you can imagine what China would be like, but China covers such a vast area that its climate, culture, peoples and geography can vary enormously simply from region to region. There is a boundless amount of culturally rich and deeply diverse wonders to uncover that will simply amaze you. Even for returning visitors, the variety of landscapes, architecture, culture and customs never ceases to impress.

On our holidays, we use only modern, air-conditioned coaches and comfortable cruise ships and trains. We also include the services of experienced and knowledgeable Tour Guides who have an intimate knowledge of the local history, culture and geography, and will do their utmost to ensure you have a relaxed and enjoyable trip.

Beijing Olympic Games

Bursting brightly onto the world stage in 2008, Beijing hosted a fantastically orchestrated Olympic Games, incorporating many impressive elements that are fast becoming synonymous with China as a whole.

Changing the face of Beijing, the lavish construction of the Olympic facilities included the instantly recognisable Bird's Nest Stadium and the impressive Water Cube, both sure to become yet more impressive architectural highlights on the must-see list of China's already sizable collection of ancient and cultural treasures. The city itself was also elaborated with new parks, over 80 new subway stations, an additional airport runway, and vast expansions to the road and rail networks.

Presenting the Olympic Games on a magnitude previously unseen in Olympic host countries has brought China very much into the public interest and the culture no longer seems alien but friendly and hospitable. And as a visitor to China, you're sure to be greeted by the same warm welcome, spectacular scenery and generous culture received by the recent Olympians.

History

The greater portion of China's recorded history recounts the splendour and achievements of the grand imperial dynasties. A brief timeline of the dynasties and some of their most remarkable attributes can be found below. Throughout much of this imperial rule, China's borders were closed to outsiders and with very little foreign influence on its developing civilisation, the evolution of China's culture and customs stayed relatively insular, secluded, and above all, unique.

The first of China's great emperors came to the throne in the 2nd century BC, an event that prompted the start of over two thousand years of imperial rule. Throughout this time, only two dynasties headed by foreigners ever came to the throne, the Yuan dynasty of Kublai Khan and the Qing dynasty of the Manchus, both of which were assimilated by, rather than influential on, the already powerful Chinese culture.

The long succession of the ruling dynasties came to an end in 1911 when the cultural hero Dr Sun Yat-Sen led the democratic revolution to overthrow the last of the Qing dynasty. Soon after, a war with Japan and a protracted civil war led to the collapse of the new Nationalist government and a victory for the Communist's under the inspired leadership of Mao Tse Tung. The People's Republic of China was founded on 1st October 1949.

On any tour of China the country's remarkably rich and diverse history and culture is apparent. As you tour this vast country, you'll find a wealth of archaeological wonders, impressive engineering feats, and beautifully crafted natural and man-made masterpieces spanning thousands of years of history, and as you travel from one province or region to another, you'll see the gradual evolutionary progress emerge through the styles of architecture, pottery, calligraphy and art.

Over centuries, the elements have crafted natural wonders such as the karsts of Guilin, the mighty Three Gorges, the Singing Sand Dunes of Dunhuang, and the Stone Forests of Kunming.

The domination of successive wealthy dynasties produced architectural marvels such as the Forbidden City, the Summer Palaces of Beijing and Tibet's Potala Palace. Man's quest for perfection in art created Xian's wonderful Terracotta Warriors, the Giant Buddha of Leshan, and the incredible Longmen Caves of Luoyang, while incredible progressions in engineering and ingenuity produced the Great Wall, Suzhou's Grand Canal, and the Three Gorges Dam.

Superstitions and symbols

The Chinese harbour a wealth of elaborate and unusual superstitions that vary greatly from region to region. Similarly, there is a lot of faith placed in symbols and their significance. In particular, animals and colours tend to have a lot of symbolic connotations that can be seen on a daily basis in the architecture, art and environment of the entire country.

Animals, in the form of carvings, artwork, sculpture and astrological signs, are said to signify all manner of subjects such as: Dragons for male power, Phoenixes for female power, Lions for prestige, Tigers for dignity and courage, Cranes for longevity, and Goldfish for prosperity and harmony.

Colours are also heavily symbolic and can be seen in everything from fabrics and textiles to the colour of the materials used to construct temples and palaces. Red signifies good fortune; white is for death or mourning; gold means heaven and nourishing while yellow represents mischievousness; blue can mean purity or cruelty while black can mean negativity, solitude or evil.

Numbers also hold importance in Chinese culture. The number eight is considered to be the luckiest, as the Chinese word for eight sounds very much like the Chinese word for 'lucky'. Similarly, the number four is considered extremely unlucky, as it sounds like the Chinese word for 'death'.

Religion

Religion in China broadly comprises the three teachings of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, which often overlap and complement each other.

Confucianism began in the 6th century BC and is not so much a religion as a guide on how to live life with harmonious balance and peaceful societal structure. There is no deity in Confucianism but rather a superior ruler who would be a wise human with impeccable moral judgment and social values. The focus of Confucian society is based on obedience to hierarchy and on social cohesion between families, friends and society generally.

Taoism developed from the writings of a Confucian contemporary named Lao Zi. Meaning 'the way of nature', Taoism is a more individualistic approach to Confucianism relying on self-introspection, contemplation and meditation to attain personal peace, and balance and harmony with the natural environment. The general idea is that if every person develops and hones their own inner balance, society will be naturally balanced rather than rigorously structured, as in Confucianism.

Buddhism was brought to China from India but was quickly incorporated and adapted by Chinese culture. Chinese Buddhism follows the Mahayana Buddhist teachings in which those who have achieved nirvana stay amongst the living as Bodhisattvas to guide and teach others. These Bodhisattvas are worshipped as a way of attaining nirvana rather than living through innumerable learning life cycles. As the first organized religion in China, the heavily iconic Buddhist religion profoundly influenced Chinese art, as is seen in the carvings of Leshan's Giant Buddha, the Longmen caves of Luoyang and the countless statues and sculptures adorning the many Buddhist temples in China.

Martial Arts

Dating back over 3000 years, Chinese martial arts have evolved over the centuries into thousands of varying forms. There are two main types of martial arts: external and internal. External forms use physical strength and actions such as punching and kicking, while internal forms use 'chi' to attain fluid movements with minimal tension, for deflection and attack. To harness Chi, a pupil must master breathing and balance through a course of exercise and meditative discipline that increases sensitivity and awareness.

Traditional Medicine

Balance and harmony have been vital elements in the development of Chinese culture over millennia. According to Tao disciplines, nature is naturally balanced and this can be seen in every day life amongst complimentary opposites such as left and right, life and death, man and woman etc. These opposites are represented by the black and white yin-yang symbol famed in Chinese culture. Yin represents the female and the passive while yang represents the male and the active. Using this system, Chinese traditional medicine developed as a system for maintaining balance in the body as a whole rather than dealing with the specifics of one ailment.

Acupuncture: Acupuncture involves placing needles and pins in particular meridian points around the body to either redirect or release the flow of chi.

Herbal medicine: As a predominantly agricultural society, the Chinese developed the use of medicinal herbs. Once again, rather than treat a specific ailment, when a person is sick, the body's natural harmonious balance has to be restored. Using a combination of herbs, leaves, roots and fruit, many causes and symptoms can be treated.

Astrology

Following a twelve-year cycle, Chinese astronomy is represented by the Chinese Zodiac, through which each lunar year is characterised by one of twelve animal signs. First recorded in the 6th century BC, each zodiac animal has certain characteristics and symbolism, yet the historical significance as to why these particular animals were chosen is unclear. The zodiac animals include the Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse and Goat. It is believed that the year in which you are born, and therefore the animal sign to which you belong, will determine particular traits in your character, well-being and social relationships.

Holidays

The following is a list of traditional holidays for 2009-10, many of which are native to China and Chinese culture:

Cuisine

It is worth noting that Chinese style food in the UK is very different from the day-to-day foods consumed in China.

In southern China, rice from the paddies of the Central Plains is a regular feature while noodles are available but less common. In the northern provinces, wheat buns and bread-based items are the staple while the fertile eastern provinces include plenty of mouth-watering braised meats, fish, and seafood in their main dishes.

Specialities vary widely between regions. In Beijing, the famous Peking Duck is a tantalising favourite featuring succulent cooked duck dipped in plum sauce and wrapped with a pancake. Further north, Mongolian Hotpots include mutton strips to dip in a flavoursome soup stock or spicy sauce, and garnishes of cabbage, mushrooms, tofu and noodles. Other cities with distinctive food styles include the exotic seafood of Shanghai, Suzhou's freshwater fish and sweet pancakes, delicious salted duck in Nanjing, the Yunnan area's flour patties, ricepots, dried meats, dairy products and stews, and Tibet's yak meat, yak cheese and butter, and a tasty pastry made from butter tea and barley flour.

Sichuan Cuisine, known more commonly in the West as Szechuan Cuisine, is probably the most famous Chinese cuisine in the world. Featuring peppery and aromatic flavours, Sichuan style prides itself on the fiery, spicy and pungent taste of its cuisine. Sichuan soups are generally either hot and spicy or sweet and sour and usually feature onions, vinegar and plenty of Sichuan pepper.

Many areas feature a Muslim Quarter and to the north, the predominantly Muslim Uyghur population ensure a rich diversity in the country's cuisine. Traditional Uyghur cuisine consists mainly of 'pulled noodles' served with a stew of vegetables, chilli and meat. Grilled mutton kebabs, mutton or beef soups and a tasty selection of bread products are also common.

Most cities and towns throughout China feature inviting markets or street stalls selling 'street food'. These tempting snacks can include anything from buckwheat pancakes or flat noodle dishes to pickled vegetables, rice balls and stuffed tiger skin peppers. Street stalls almost always include fruit sellers offering juicy oranges, apples, dates and a selection of nuts. By far, the most famous street food is the dumpling. Packed with fresh ingredients such as vegetables, rice, noodles, or meat, dumplings are a fun and filling snack, and a 'must-try' for any visitor to China.