Asia + The Middle East

China

Simultaneously the world's most modern and ancient civilisation

A trip to China is simply transformative. Offering a culture, history, and way of life so different to ours and very much its own - the experience for the visitor can be overwhelming. Despite its dominance in today’s world, China has historically remained underdeveloped as a luxury travel destination. This is now changing and we have developed new ways of experiencing the country that are off-the-beaten-track and authentic, yet retain total comfort.

Your tailor-made-holiday will likely start in one of the metropolises of Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong. In each of these characterful cities, we can take you beneath the tourist veneer through our expert guides and friends on the ground. In Beijing, experience the Forbidden City with an architecture specialist, who can take you to hidden spots, untroubled by other visitors. We can also make a visit to Great Wall of China even more extraordinary, by taking you a little further to a quiet section of the wall where a stunning picnic will be waiting for you.

Only a two-hour drive from the fashion-forward Shanghai lies dreamy Hangzhou, with its mystical West Lake which has been enchanting poets and artists since the 9th Century.

In Chengdu in the exciting Sichuan province, we can arrange special experiences with pandas and also cooking classes where you can understand the fantastic fiery cuisine of the south. The city is also the gateway to Jiuzhaigou, a national park with breathtaking scenery.

With our Destination Experts’ depth of knowledge, the possibilities in China really are endless. From exploring the wild Yunnan province, to even experiencing the mythical Lhasa in Tibet, we can offer clients something truly extraordinary.

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An online magazine by the experts at cazenove+loyd

Read our curated collection of travel notes and stories from our experts, clients and friends on the ground who will give you the inside track on our thrilling destinations.

In conversation with Huang Huaihai, our expert guide in Yunnan, China

China is an utterly captivating destination. We have many friends on the ground, allowing us to create extra-special private experiences in some of the country’s remotest regions with the best expert guides.

Exploring Shanghai and Beijing

Today, you can connect these two futuristic, metropolitan cities with a staggering combined population of over 47 million people, by high speed rail, which takes little over four hours on one of the fastest trains in the world, or by a 2-hour flight, as I did.

Discovering Rural China

China shouldn’t just be known for its raging economic development, ancient civilisation dating back thousands of years and it’s fiery and flavourful foods. For those clients looking for a little more, away from the capital, southern rural China offers an enchanting cultural adventure, where local life remains unchanged over the centuries.

Journey to mystical Tibet

A sprawling collection of colourful buildings appears suddenly as I crest the final hill. Ganden is one of Tibet’s ‘great three’ monasteries and is set into the mountain in such a way that it has been invisible until this moment. It’s a sight to take one’s breath away and a testament to the deep and persistent faith of the Tibetan people that despite all the odds, it remains there to this day.

A champagne lunch on the Great Wall of China

The Chinese believe that you can be no hero until you have climbed the Great Wall of China, so off we set in search of one of the ‘New’ Seven Wonders of the World, and for what became one of the most remarkable and memorable days of my recent trip.

How to experience Xi’an and the Terracotta Warriors

The city of Xi’an is at the heart of China’s culture and history. It served as the capital seat of twelve dynasties totalling more than a thousand years, and its Wei River Valley, associated with the rise of the Zhou dynasty (c.1100 – 256 BCE) is one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization.

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Initial Conversation

Your Destination Expert will build a relationship with you and a nuanced understanding of what you want from your holiday.

Creating an Itinerary

Once we know you, we can match our years of specialist knowledge to you and begin designing your extraordinary trip.

Continuously Tailoring

We will continue refining your itinerary, adding in those special touches and leaving no stone unturned to make sure that every day is spectacular.

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From the moment you leave home, we will be on hand to ensure a totally seamless experience.

Map

Area in Focus

Hong Kong is without question one of the world’s most vibrant cities and it is well worth spending at least two or three nights soaking up all that this enigmatic destination has to offer. If you have the time, a fascinating day can be spent hiking and visiting remote villages in the Northern New Territories outside of the city, where rural life continues relatively unchanged.

Testimonials

Stories from China

We had an AMAZING time in China thank you. What a wonderful country, we were constantly surprised – the cleanliness, innovation, creativity, efficiency, food – very impressive bunch of people.

Emma + Peter

The highlight of our trip was really the hiking - we are pretty addicted to the outdoors. It was amazing, there was no one else hiking at all! Our guide in Yunnan was just sensational, he suited us perfectly in style, and varied the itinerary so we did things like hike up to the shamen – which took us very much into the back country and even into snow. Old town Lijing was also a highlight, we loved wandering the streets.

Emma + Peter

PHOTO GALLERY

Our snapshots of China

Our Destination Experts

We would love to hear from you

Each of our dedicated experts has extensive knowledge of the destinations they specialise in. They are continuously re-visiting, trying and testing so that they can offer you up to date and little-known insights into the regions they are so passionate about.