EXPERIENCE THE REAL CHINA
Dragon Experience (previously known as Dragon Bus) is the only independent travel network in China. We take all the hassle out of your transport and accommodation arrangements, so you can focus on seeing all the major sites and have plenty of time to see and experience lots of great places that the other tours miss. There are 4 separate passes to choose from – Beijing to Xian, Xian to Shanghai, Shanghai to Beijing & Shanghai to Hong Kong. Each pass takes a minimum of 8 nights /9 days to complete. Book a single pass, or simply add them together to make up a continuous trip for up to 30 days. If you have less time, we have 4 day Express passes for Beijing, Shanghai & Xian and a 5 day pass around Guilin/Yangshuo. ACCOMMODATION
MEALS
We use the best hostels in every city that we stay in. Choose to stay in a standard dorm room, or upgrade to a private room with an ensuite.
Meals are not included, but we recommend a range of the best quality local restaurants and markets so you can experience real authentic cuisine
TRANSPORT
TRIP LEADERS
We use a combination of our own vehicles, the fantastic China rail system, plus overnight sleeper trains and/or buses to get you around in speed and comfort.
All of our Trip Leaders are westerners, who are fluent in Mandarin & English with extensive travel experience throughout China to look after you every day
UNIQUE ITINERARIES
DAILY ACTIVITIES
While we include all the major cities, by using buses and trains we get to stop in some unique places and small villages to allow you to experience real China
Each day, you have the choice as to what to see and do. Stay with the group or head off on your own for complete flexibility to see the sights that interest you.
‘Mongolia’ Experience
‘Language’ Experience ‘Teaching’ Experience ‘Volunteer’ Experience ‘Work’ Experience
DRAGON EXPERIENCE
BEIJING
Beijing To Xian Xian To Shanghai Shanghai To Beijing Shanghai To Hong Kong Experiences
PINGYAO
SHAOLIN
XIAN
LUOYANG ‘Kungfu’ Experience
LHASA ‘Tibet’ Experience
GREAT WALL ‘GREAT WALL’ Experience
QUFU
‘Beach & Beer’ Experience
QINGDAO
NANJING WATER TOWN
CHENGDU
‘Yangtze River’ Experience
SUZHOU
TONGLI
SHANGHAI
‘Panda’ Experience LONGSHEN
GUILIN
YANGSHUO
‘Adventure’ Experience HONG KONG
INCLUSIONS
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All transport between cities All accommodation in quality hostels Western bi-lingual trip leader throughout Walking tours of cities Heaps of flexibility and choices each day Guaranteed departures – we never cancel !! Great sights & cities that the other tours miss Souvenir t-shirt
ADDITIONAL OPTIONS 12 unique “EXPERIENCES” Pre & Post trip accommodation Train trips to other destinations Private Room Upgrades Kungfu, Tai Chi & cooking courses Boat trips on canals, lakes & rivers Sacred mountain hikes Volunteer opportunities
BEIJING TO XIAN
XIAN TO SHANGHAI
DAY 1-2: BEIJING Explore the capital and its many sites including Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven and more.
DAY 1-3: XIAN The famous Terracotta Warriors, City Walls, Old Quarter, Drum and Bell Towers start our journey
DAY 3-4: GREAT WALL. Head out to explore the incredible Great Wall, spend the night nearby and see the sunrise in the morning
DAY 4: LUOYANG Spend the day at the incredible Grottoes.
DAY 5-6: PINGYAO. Take a step back in time in this historic city.
DAY 5: SHAOLIN Visit the famous Temple and surrounds. Option to take a Kungfu course with a Shaolin monk DAY 6: SUZHOU Visit the famous UNESCO gardens and canals.
DAY 7-9: XIAN. Cycle on the city walls, visit the Old Quarter, Drum and Bell Towers and visit the awe-inspiring Terracotta Warriors
DAY 7: TONGLI Spend the day in this picturesque water town DAY 8-9: SHANGHAI Take in the amazing neon-lit city of Shanghai with its cosmopolitan atmpsphere
EXPRESS PASS: 4 Day Beijing Express also available
EXPRESS PASS: 4 Day Xian Express also available
OPTIONS: Take a Language, Work, Volunteer or Teaching Experience prior to travel, see the Tang Dynasty show in Xian, catch train down to Chengdu for the Panda Experience after completing your trip
OPTIONS: Cycle the city walls in Xian, learn kungfu in Shaolin, take a canal ride in Suzhou, see the acrobats in Shanghai
SHANGHAI TO BEIJING
SHANGHAI TO HONG KONG
DAY 1-2: SHANGHAI See all the key sights in this fantastic vibrant city, including the Bund, French Concession, Xintiandi, Pudong & lots more
DAY 1-2: SHANGHAI Soak up the lifestyle of Shanghai and see the key sights such as Pudong, the Bund, French Concession & Xintiandi. Take in a show or go shopping for a bargain
DAY 3: LOCAL WATERTOWN We stop over to see the canals and sights in this peaceful and unique area
DAY 3-4: GUILIN / LONGSHEN After your o/n train, head out to the Dragons Backbone rice terraces and the other incredible sights
DAY 4-5 NANJING The former capital, with lots of time to take in Chinese history
DAY 5-7 YANGSHUO Take in the amazing picturesque scenery of this region, with lots of options to enjoy hiking, rafting and biking
DAY 6-7 QUFU See local village life at the birthplace of Confucius DAY 8-9 BEIJING The final stop with Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven and many more options to choose from
DAY 8-9 HONG KONG We travel o/n to Shenzen on the border, heading to the incredibly vibrant Hong Kong for the final stop.
EXPRESS PASS: 4 Day Shanghai Express also available
EXPRESS PASS: 5 Day Guilin & Yangshuo Express also available
OPTIONS: See Shanghai from the tallest observation deck in Pudong, head out to “1912” bar area in Nanjing, see the Opera in Beijing
OPTIONS: Walk along the pedestrian mall - Nanjing Lu, then the Bund at night in Shanghai, drift down the Li River in Yangshuo, go up The Peak, see Victoria Harbour and visit Stanley Markets in Hong Kong
EXPERIENCES
Take some time to enjoy an extended activity with any of our 12 incredible options
PANDA – Spend 5 days in a Panda Sanctuary near Chengdu GREAT WALL – 4 days trekking sections of the Great Wall WORK – Do an internship at a top international company TEACHING – Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) LANGUAGE – Spend 2 weeks to a year learning Mandarin in Beijing MONGOLIA – Take a 6 day trip to see all that Mongolia has to offer
KUNGFU – Spend 5 days at a KungFu academy in Shaolin TIBET – Take a 6 day trip to see the wonders of the “Rooftop of the World” ADVENTURE – 5 days hiking, biking, climbing & kayaking around Yangshuo YANGTZE RIVER – Spend 4 days on the Yangtze including the Three Gorges BEACH & BEER – 5 days in Qingdao with its beaches & Chinas’ largest brewery VOLUNTEER – Spend 1-6 months working with those less fortunate
BOOK A PASS, ADD EXTRA NIGHTS, BOOK A TRAIN TRIP, ENJOY AN EXPERIENCE Complete flexibility, total control, build your own itinerary for the ultimate trip to experience real China
www.dragonexperience.com
WHY YOU SHOULD TRAVEL CHINA WITH US...... • • • • • • • • • • •
Only independent travel network in China 17 different trips and durations to choose from 12 unique “EXPERIENCES” to add to your trip You can book passes, accommodation, train tickets and experiences to build your own itinerary Dragon Experience is for people of all ages Bi lingual Western Trip Leaders Passes run from February to November Guaranteed departures – we never cancel!! Discounts for youth / student card holders Great deals on Pre & Post accommodation Full terms and conditions available on our website
CONTACT US PHONE: +61. 2 82088859 FAX: +61. 2 93883337 WEB: www.dragonexperience.com EMAIL: info@dragonexperience.com
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