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History Trips to China

China is the oldest continuous major world civilization, with records dating back approximately 3,500 years. It is a destination which allows your students to explore a society and culture radically different from our own and enjoy some genuine hospitality. Choose from a range of itineraries, all of which include your own local experienced guide throughout your stay. 

For students studying Mao and the formation of the People's Republic, a trip to China will give them an insight into the culture and traditions which led to Communist success.  Students will be able to visit great historical landmarks like the Great WallTiananmen Square, the Forbidden City or mix with their Chinese peers in a visit to a high school.  You will be spoilt for choice when deciding on your itinerary but your visit is guaranteed to bring understanding and change perceptions of this populous and fascinating country. 

Prices start from£1449pp

Popular itinerary

Our sample itinerary provides you with an idea of the visits you can cover during your trip. We can tailor-make an itinerary to support your specific learning outcomes.

Morning Afternoon Evening
1 Depart UK airport for overnight flight to Beijing
2 Arrive Beijing airport and meet your guide Visit to Temple of Heaven on route to your hotel Chinese evening meal
3 Visit to Great Wall of China Visit to Summer Palace followed by Tea ceremony Peking Duck Banquet
4 Visit to Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City Rickshaw ride in the Hutongs Chinese Evening Meal followed by Chinese Acrobatic Show
5 Visit to a Beijing Family Kung Fu Show Chinese Evening Meal
6 Transfer to the Airport for return flight Arrive UK and return to school
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Morning
Afternoon Depart UK airport for overnight flight to Beijing
Evening
Morning Arrive Beijing airport and meet your guide
Afternoon Visit to Temple of Heaven on route to your hotel
Evening Chinese evening meal
Morning Visit to Great Wall of China
Afternoon Visit to Summer Palace followed by Tea ceremony
Evening Peking Duck Banquet
Morning Visit to Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City
Afternoon Rickshaw ride in the Hutongs
Evening Chinese Evening Meal followed by Chinese Acrobatic Show
Morning Visit to a Beijing Family
Afternoon Kung Fu Show
Evening Chinese Evening Meal
Morning Transfer to the Airport for return flight
Afternoon
Evening Arrive UK and return to school

Price Shown includes

  • Return Air Travel
  • 4 nights Full Board Accommodation in either Beijing or Shanghai
  • Specialist Group Travel Insurance
  • Bespoke itinerary planning service
  • Free Place Ratios
  • Live Trip Tracking
  • Online trip organiser & Travel App
  • 24/7 support whilst you are away

Places to Stay


Reasons to Visit

Forbidden City (Beijing)

The Forbidden City was the former imperial palace, which was the home to twenty four Chinese emperors over 491 years between 1420 and 1911. The Forbidden City is now known as the Palace Museum and is open to Beijing’s visitors. Wear comfortable walking shoes as the palace is 960 meters long and 750 meters wide.

Tiananmen Square (Beijing)

Tiananmen Square was the original gate to the Imperial Palace, and has been burnt down and rebuilt many times between 1417 and 1651. Today, it is remembered as the place where Mao Tse-Tung declared the foundation of the Peoples Republic of China (1949) and more recently was the scene of the 1989 Massacre.

Temple of Heaven (Beijing)

The Temple of Heaven was completed in 1420, but has been expanded over the years by two Qing Dynasty Emperors. Quinian Hall, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, with the three blue tiled cone shaped roofs, has become a worldwide symbol of Beijing.

Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China was built over more than two thousand years. Construction on the first section began between the 7th and 6th century BC, and the last work on the wall was done between the 14th and 17th centuries. It is one of the Great Wonders from the world and is said to be the only man made object visible from space.

Ming tombs (Beijing)

The Ming Tombs are the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). They have been perfectly preserved, as has the necropolis of each of the emperors. Because of its long history, palatial and integrated architecture, the site has a high cultural and historic value. The layout and arrangement of all 13 mausoleums are very similar but vary in size and complexity of their structures.

Museums of Chinese Revolution & History (Beijing)

The Museum of Chinese History and the Museum of Chinese Revolution share a single building complex, which runs more than 300 meters north and south along the eastern side of Tiananmen Square. The four-story main building with its two symmetrical wings was built in 1959 as part of the project to build 10 monumental buildings in Beijing.

Chairman Mao's Mausoleum (Beijing)

The Mausoleum memorialises the founder and first Chairman of the People's Republic of China, who passed away at the age of 82 in 1976. It provides people with a place to show their respects to Chairman Mao. His body lies in state on a bed covered in a crystalline sarcophagus and surrounded by flowers. During the day his coffin is raised by an elevator and is on display for all to see, and at night he is lowered back into his earthquake proof chamber beneath Tiananmen Square.

Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum (Xi'an)

This is the most significant archeological excavation in the 20th century, and work is still ongoing. It was first discovered when a group of peasants uncovered some pottery while digging for a well in 1974. Archeologists were alerted and soon established they were from the Qin dynasty (211-206 BC). Altogether approx 8,000 pottery soldiers, horses, chariots and weapons have been unearthed to their former grandeur, it was listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1987.

Wild Goose Pagoda (Xi'an)

The 7-storey high Great Wild Goose Pagoda was built in 652AD. It is a striking elegant building and is the symbol of Xian. The famous Buddhist monk Xuan Zang returned from a 17 year pilgrimage and the square pagoda was built to house the 600 or so Buddhist texts that he had collected in India.

Bell Tower (Xi'an)

The Bell Tower is a stately traditional building, which marks the geographical center of the ancient capital. The wooden tower, which is the largest and best preserved of its kind in China, is 36 metres high. It stands on brick base 35.5 metres long and 8.6 metres high on each side. During the Ming Dynasty, Xian was an important military town in Northwest China, a fact that is reflected in the size and historic significance of its tower

Silk Alley (Beijing)

The new Xiushui Market is a modern five-story building that stands just next to the former grounds of the Silk Street clothes market. The imposing structure has a strong traditional Chinese flavour. With about 1,500 stalls, the market is much bigger than the former street, selling bags, cases, shoes, silk goods and Chinese paintings traditional crafts.

Shanghai Harbour Cruise

Huangpu River, a symbol of Shanghai, originates in Dianshan Lake and empties into the Yangtze River at Wusongkou. It is 114 kilometers long and 400 meters wide. The river divides Shanghai into east and west. Ships depart from the Bund sail to Huangpu Bridge in the south, turn and head north towards Wusongkou, and return to the Bund.

Friendship Store (Beijing)

In the 1980s, every major town had a Friendship Store. The chain was started in the late 50s as a sign of friendship between the Chinese and foreigners when China first opened to the outside world. The Friendship stores have now evolved into a six-story department store selling foreign and domestic goods that welcomes everyone.

Oriental Pearl Tower (Shanghai)

The Oriental Pearl Tower stands by the bank of Huangpu River. The tower is 468 metres high and is the highest TV Tower in Asia and the third highest one in the world. The sight-seeing floor in the brilliant upper sphere is 263 metres high and 45 metres in diameter and is the best place to get a bird's-eye view of Shanghai.


We Make Trip Planning Easy

  • Day to day support and advice from our team of travel experts
  • Easy-to-view online tour quotation
  • Market-leading trip organiser portal, My Tour Manager
  • Free Resources and templates to help launch your trip
  • Email reminders to keep you on track
  • Free and completely personalised Travel App to access your information on the go
  • Locate My Trip designed to provide reassurance to parents and teachers
  • Risk Assessment advice so you can make an informed decision on every tour component
  • Teacher Inspection Visits

What You Say

I have already discussed plans for next year! I have been really happy with the level of service and would like to use you again. 

Solihull Music Centre