China is an increasingly popular destination for Western travellers, and it’s easy to see why: this huge country has a unique and fascinating history, a distinctive culture, and some sites of breathtaking natural beauty. Our escorted tour takes you to some of the best locations to experience everything the country has to offer – read on for a taste of the tour’s highlights for nature-lovers …
The Great Wall
While the oft-repeated claim that the Great Wall is the only manmade landmark visible from the moon is a debunked myth, it remains an astonishing feat of old-world construction. The imposing structure dominates the landscape for over 13,000 miles, standing as a potent reminder of the power wielded by Chinese emperors of centuries past. Our escorted tour takes us to the Mu Tian Yu region, where the wall passes through lush, thick plant life. The view is especially striking as summer slides into autumn, when the area around the wall begins to blush red and tan brown.
Taiping National Park
Home to over 30 different species of animal, Taiping National Park is an exceptionally well-preserved site, showcasing the country’s striking biodiversity. China is, of course, a large country, with a wide range of distinct climates and terrains, from mountains and foothills to rivers and wetlands. Because of this, no one location can be treated as representative, and Taiping is no different: this is not a microcosm for China as a whole. Rather, it is a shining example of natural beauty and thriving multitudes of wildlife, all contained within one relatively small space. It’s an absolute must-see for anyone keen to be wowed by nature.
Yangtze River
Last on this list of our escorted tour’s natural highlights, but most certainly not least, is a three-day trip down the Yangtze River. At nearly 4,000 miles long, the Yangtze is the longest river in Asia and the third-longest in the entire world. Flowing entirely within China, it drains one-fifth of the country’s land, and its basin is home to nearly one-third of the country’s 1.3 billion people. The Yangtze has, unsurprisingly, been at the centre of many major developments in Chinese history. There is even evidence of human settlement in the area going back a staggering 27,000 years – by comparison, recorded history only begins around 6,000-7,000 years ago. Later, it served as the main means of transport, linking the country’s diverse regions together and providing the veins through which the economic lifeblood of trade could flow.
In addition to the might of the river itself, our escorted tour also takes us to the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydroelectric power-station – a project of such large scale that it stands alongside the other natural beauties on this list as an example of awe-inspiring sublimity.
China is a treasure trove of nature, history and culture. There is no better way to experience the this wide spectrum than by joining an escorted tour.
John Dixon is an experienced world traveller and the Managing Director of Prestige Holidays. For over 30 years, he has been providing luxury escorted tours, to many destinations around the globe. John tries to visit each of the destinations regularly in order to ensure the quality of his properties, and stay up-to-date about the latest local news and events. He has a taste for the finer things in life and has an interest in arts, history and culture.
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