CHINA
Yet again, China is having a moment. The country is too large to summarize and too varied for any one trip. The Great Wall, yes, but trek to a quiet section at sunrise, where the wall is half-collapsed and the silence is total. Lunch on hand-folded dumplings at a classic hole-in-the-wall, and dine at a hutong hotspot where a young chef is reinventing the classics. Walk a stretch of the Yunnan countryside where the stones are still rutted from centuries of hoof traffic. Sweat through hotpot in Chongqing, sip tea with strangers in a Chengdu teahouse, and watch a drone deliver dinner to a Shenzhen high-rise. But you'll have to return: China rewards thoughtful travelers who are willing to slow down and savor each unique region's dialects, culture, and cuisine.
A Taste of What's Possible
Sip tea and play mahjong in a famous Chengdu teahouse where locals gather for an afternoon chat (and perhaps an ear cleaning)
Encounter ethnic minority villages while hiking through the winding Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces
Eat your way through Shanghai street food after dark on a vintage bicycle
Where You'll Stay
We spend a lot of time obsessing over the perfect accommodations. Our favorites tend to be smaller, boutique properties with a unique sense of style and fantastic service.
Here are just a few of our favorites...
Three of Our Favorite Spots
GUIZHOU
01
One of China's least-touristed provinces, all karst peaks and minority villages. Roughly forty percent of Guizhou is ethnic minority: Miao silverwork, Dong drum towers and wind-rain bridges, polyphonic choral singing now on UNESCO's list. Eat sour fish soup and rice noodles unlike anything in eastern China; Maotai distills its famous baijiu in the hills nearby. Cross a wind-rain bridge into a Dong village at dusk, or watch Xijiang light up across the slope — a thousand wooden Miao houses glowing on a single hillside.
NINGXIA
02
China's wine country sits between the Helan Mountains and the Yellow River. The terroir here — high desert, long sun, mineral soil — has produced reds that have outscored Bordeaux in blind tastings, and the region now has over 200 wineries. The Hui Muslim cuisine in Yinchuan is reason enough to stay another day. Beyond the gastronomy, the Western Xia Tombs rise like eroded pyramids, earthen remnants of a kingdom Genghis Khan erased.
YUNNAN
03
Remote Yunnan province climbs from Dai jungle on the Lao border (think wild elephants and sticky-rice) to Tibetan altitudes near literal Shangri-La. In between: rice terraces lit at sunrise, the Naxi old town of Lijiang under Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Dali's Bai villages around Erhai Lake, and Tiger Leaping Gorge cut nearly two miles deep by a river. Twenty-five ethnic groups, three great rivers running parallel down its spine, and more edible wild mushrooms than anywhere on Earth. Yunnan warrants a trip of its own.
Sample Itinerary
Warriors, Walls & Wild Pandas: An Epic Journey Through China
Day 1: On arrival in Shanghai, you’ll be met by your driver and transferred to your luxurious accommodations in the city center.
Day 2: A full day exploring this buzzing cosmopolitan city’s contrasts: wander the serene Yuyuan Garden and its lively adjacent bazaar, where Ming Dynasty pavilions give way to alleyways packed with antiques, lanterns, and freshly made xiao long bao. Afterward, ride the world's fastest elevator to the top of the Shanghai Tower for sweeping city views, then stroll the Bund, where grand art deco facades face off against the glittering modern skyline across the river.
Day 3: Spend a final morning in Shanghai exploring the atmospheric Former French Concession before boarding a high-speed train to Beijing. Settle into your new luxurious hotel in the capital city.
Day 4: A full day to explore this fascinating city, beginning at the magnificent Forbidden City, then crossing to Jingshan Park for sweeping panoramic views over the imperial rooftops. Spend the afternoon weaving through Beijing's hutong alleyways, visiting traditional residents — including a man famous for his champion fighting crickets — before ending the evening on a private dinner tour sampling the city’s best local dishes.
Day 5: Today you will travel to the iconic Great Wall of China, visiting Jinshanling, which is one of the most picturesque and crowd-free stretches of the wall. Take a short gondola ride up before hiking past countless watchtowers stacked against endless mountain silhouettes. Mark this special experience with a private champagne picnic on the wall before returning to Beijing.
Day 6: Start the day with an expert-led tai chi lesson in the storied grounds of the Temple of Heaven, before exploring its architecture and hidden people-watching spots. Later depart Beijing via the high-speed train, this time bound for the ancient capital, Xi’an. Enjoy the evening settling into this storied city.
Day 7: Dive into the wonders of Xi’an today, coming face-to-face with the legendary Terracotta Warriors before exploring the Stele Forest, a serene museum of stone tablets tracing the evolution of Chinese writing. In the afternoon, cycle atop Xi'an's magnificent Ancient City Wall for sweeping views of old and new, then lose yourself in the historical Muslim Quarter, a sensory feast of neon signs, exotic spices, and mouthwatering barbecued fare.
Day 8: Visit the Hanyang Tombs, a peaceful contrast to the Terracotta Warriors, before boarding your high-speed train to Chengdu, the free-spirited Sichuan capital known for its vibrant culture, Giant Pandas, and exceptional cuisine. Spend the afternoon settling in.
Day 9: Embark on a delightful day trip from Chengdu to Wolong Nature Reserve to see Giant Panda conservation at work. Spend the day as a panda caretaker at Dujiangyan Panda Base — breaking bamboo, making panda cakes, and watching these beloved creatures play, lounge, and munch their way through the day.
Day 10: A full day exploring the intricacies of Chengdu. Begin at Qingyang Taoist Temple before heading to the spice market to gather ingredients for a Sichuan cooking class in a hidden courtyard restaurant. In the afternoon, witness the art of kung fu tea at Wangjianglou Park before wandering the lively Kuan Zhai Alleyways, where Qing Dynasty architecture meets Chengdu's best cafes, bars, and boutiques.
Day 11: Today you will fly from Chengdu to Hong Kong. This evening, board your private traditional wooden Chinese junk boat and set out on a cruise across the calm waters of Victoria Harbor to get a front row seat to the city’s dazzling Symphony of Lights.
Day 12: A day to explore Hong Kong’s highlights, including a ride on the tram up Victoria Peak for sweeping harbor panoramas, then descend via the world's longest outdoor escalator through the buzzing Mid-Levels. Explore Tai Kwun — a restored former police station turned cultural hub — before ending the day at sun-drenched Repulse Bay on Hong Kong's southern shore.
Day 13: Private transfer to the Hong Kong airport for departure.
