DAYS 1-3 Experience traditional life in rural villages and modern life in new cities By river and bicycle, travel past remote hamlets and expansive fields of rice and sugarcane to the bustling cities of ancient Zhaoqing and Wuzhou For a taste of the everyday, visit with locals in roadside cafés Enthusiastic youngsters rush out to greet you; they don’t often see Westerners, especially on bikes!

DAYS 4-5 Marvelous biking by winding rivers, lush paddies and the dramatic karst pinnacles of Yangshuo Immerse yourself in stunning scenery on a private Li River boat cruise You’ll find embroidered silk, stone carvings, hilltribe crafts and more – plus terrific people-watching – at the night markets Opportunities to enrich your journey and connect with the locals abound, even though you may not share a single common word.

DAYS 6-7 The Terracotta Warriors: more than 6,000 life-sized funerary statues stand at attention at the awe-inspiring tribute to Emperor Qin Shi Huang, a World Heritage site Pedal the 500-year-old city walls of Xian, China’s imperial capital for 12 dynasties.

DAYS 8-9 The Great Wall is even more incredible with breathing room We have a remote section virtually to ourselves, so we can actually walk on the wall – the world’s most scenic StairMaster – rather than simply dodging throngs of tourists, which makes for quite a workout! Ride through Beijing on Chinese-style bikes, exploring Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City Indulge in delectable Peking duck and other Chinese specialties.

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