ITINERARIES

BEIJING & COMMUNITY SERVICE

After traveling halfway around the world, we land in one of the most unique and dynamic cities on earth. Beijing is home to 15 million people and provides one of the starkest examples available of the political communism and economic capitalism that drive China forward. We will spend our time visiting some of the best-known sites in the country: the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven and will do a Hutong scavenger hunt. Beijing is a great introduction to the country and offers the ideal setting to recover from jet lag, initiate group interactions, and to discuss and prepare for the amazing program ahead. Here our discovery group will partner with a migrant school to teach English and physical education to the students, in addition to other school projects.

Yangshuo

Nestled between limestone hills and underground caves and surrounded by pristine countryside, Yangshuo is the ideal setting for outdoor adventure. Our group will venture off on bicycle tours through neighboring villages greeting resting water buffalo and friendly farmers along the way. We will journey to the depths of Yangshuo’s water caves, marveling at the glittering stalagmites and stalactites and float down the Yulong River on bamboo rafts.

Guilin

With rolling green hills, tranquil lakes and flowing rivers, the beauty of Guilin is like a scene from a landscape painting. This quiet city will be our sanctuary as we relax after a long travel day. Here the group will enjoy rice noodles, sweet pomelo, lotus wrapped duck, horse hoof cake (a tasty dessert!) and other culinary delights before sailing up the Li River to Yangshuo.

SHANGRI-LA & COMMUNITY SERVICE

Shangri-La, known locally as Zhongdian, is a remote town at the foothills of the Himalayas, which is ethnically Tibetan and has a wonderfully distinctive feel. We will spend our first day getting used to the altitude and touring the city and a beautiful Tibetan temple. The highlight of our stay will be spending 12 nights in a local school studying Mandarin, Tibetan, art and working with local students on a service project. We will also take time to explore the gorgeous alpine setting, hiking in the Himalayas and visiting local Tibetan homes to sample yak butter tea.

LIJIANG

Celebrated for its dazzling hanging red lamps and meandering waterways, Lijiang is a beautiful town full of vendors and food stalls and is ripe for exploration. Our group will practice haggling in Mandarin, have an epic scavenger hunt, and enjoy the plethora of dining options for a few days in this idyllic setting.

TIGER LEAPING GORGE

One of the deepest canyons in the world, the gorge has been formed by the mighty Yangtze River and provides a unique landscape with spectacular views. Our group will depart early for two days of world-class trekking. We will spend the first day hiking into the gorge, where we will relax and spend the night at a guesthouse. On our second day of trekking, the group will hike out of the gorge, stop for lunch, and stay the night in Shuhe, a traditional village.