Location: Guilin Province, China

Duration: 1 week

Cost: 320 Euros per week - Includes all food, accommodation, 24/7 support, airport pickup and programme activities

Travel: You will be met at Guilin airport by a project representative, from where you will begin your adventure!

Introduction

In this week Culture-filled week, you will have the opportunity to get to know the simple and elegant town of Yangshuo, explore the beautiful natural surroundings and discover the excellent combination of the Orient and the West culture, not to mention the hospitality of the warm local people and minority tribes.

We will cycle around the exhilerating Big Banyan, Moon Hill, Yulong River, Li River, the Peach Blossom Paradise. We will have the chance to explore to Fuli street culture and the well preserved ancient city of Huangyao with more than 2000 years of history.

We also offer variety of lessons such as Paper crafting, Calligraphy, Tai Chi etc. for those looking to further explore the depth of Chinese culture. There will be no shortage of activities for you to get involved with.


Itinerary

Sunday
* First thing in the morning, we will transfer to Yangshuo by bus from the pickup point.

Monday
* Today, we will have a bried meeting to introduce everyone, and go through the itinerary.
* Then we will start the trip by cycling to Big Banyan, an area of outstanding natural beauty.
* Lunch will be served at the foot of Moon Mountain
* After lunch, we climb Moon Mountain!
* In the evening, you are free to enjoy yourself in the very lively West street, back in Yangshuo. You can choose from Karaoke or drinking at the many local pubs.

Tuesday
* In the morning we will cycle to Yulong river
* We will then cycle to a Yulong scenery spot to experience the quietness of the rural scenery and to witness the beauty of a 600 year old Bridge
* We will then visit the Ten Li painting gallery upon our return to Yangshuo.
* In the evening, for those interested, we will have a Paper Crafting lesson

Wednesday
* In the morning, we will visit a street full of culture called Fuli, which is where Chinese painting is claimed to have begun. It is an amazing place to explore unique traditional Chinese culture.
* Visit to the local fair
* In the afternoon, we will visit the Peach Blossom Paradise
* In the evening, you can enjoy yourself with your fellow travellers in West street.

Thursday
* In the morning you will receive a Tai Chi Lesson
* Afterwards you will be treated to a Calligraphy lesson
* After lunch, you will transfer to the Li river by Bus.
* You will spend the afternoon boating on the Li River

Friday
* Transfer in the morning to the ancient city of Haunagyou
* We will have lunch in the ancient town of Huangyao
* After lunch you will be given a guided tour of this extraordinary place
* In the evening we will get back on the bus towards Yangshuo

Weekend
* In the morning, free time in the charming ancient city of Daxu
* Then you will be taken back to Yangshuo to finish the week


Additional information about the locations:

Yangshuo Town

65 kilometers (40 miles) away from Guilin in the northeastern part of Guangxi Province, the county of Yangshuo, with an area of about 1,400 square kilometers (540 square miles) is featured with the typical karst terrain. The 60-kilometer (37-mile) long river section in the Yangshuo area is the essence of the famous Li River cruise. The Yingping Landscape, Yangdi Landscape and Yulonghe Scenic Area are known as the best of the Li River attractions. The rural charms of peasant villages, fields and rivers aside the Guilin-Yangshuo Speedway have attracted many off-the-beaten-track travelers and cycling adventurers.

In town, West Street (also called Foreigners' Street), is flanked with elegant south-China residential houses built over crisscrossed water channels. This is an excellent example of the combination of the Orient and the West featured in this city. Numerous exotic bars, restaurants and cafes are housed in the delicate ranch houses on each side of the street and offer all kinds of western food.

What make this place especially lovely are the people. Yangshuo is home to Zhuang, Yao, Miao and eight other minority groups. Each minority group bears their own customs and traditions. The common favorite amongst all of the groups is the Song Competition. Each year, the song competition activities are held at the foot of Moon Hill on a mid-autumn day (which falls on the August 15th depending on the Chinese lunar calendar). For the competition, young people from the minority groups climb up to the hill top and sing a love song for their lovers.

Huangyao Ancient City

Huangyao ia an ancient place with a history of over a thousand years,. It is situated in the northest of zhaoping, Guangxi,China, by the lower reaches of Li River and 200km from Guilin.

The town is most famous for its mountains, dotted with caves, pavilions, temples, ancestor hills, old trees and tablets. Every corner of the town is  typically Chinesewith many photo opportunities. Huangyao was built in 927 B.C. and was a flourishing and wealthy town then. If you are looking for a taste of ancient China, then this is where you will find it.

Ancient City of Daxu

Located to the southwest of Guilin, on shore of the tourists beaten Li River. Daxu is an time-honored town with well preserved traditional Chinese architectures and the time-worn shiny stone-paved streets. The place is the commercial premier in the area. First built in the Qin Dynasty, over 2,000 years ago, Dxu Town began to flourish during the Ming Dynasty when it became the commercial premier in the area.

Main sights here includes stone-paved streets, Wanshou Bridge (Longevity Bridge), ancient buildings and the century-old dock. The street measuring 2.5 kilometers in length and 2 meters in width stretches through the town. This narrow street with its stone bases worn shiny by time and the many visitors are full of character. Wanshou Bridge is a single-arched bridge built in the Ming Dynasty. Along the river stands many traditional buildings well preserved from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. These wooden architectures with colorfully decorated eaves, elegantly carved doors and windows are still homes of the many locals. A stroll along will afford a leisurely glimpse into the traditional courtyard where granny are sometimes seen telling story to a huddle of small kids. 13 docks have been built from the Ming Dynasty, among which five well preserved ones still work well.

Accommodation

Accommodation will be in shared bedrooms with 2-4 beds in a room, hot water, electricity and laundry will be available.
Meals will vary according to the schedule, but we will make sure that you try most of the typical dishes of the region, western food is also available in Yangshuo town. Vegetarian options are available.
Our Program Coordinators will take care of all activities and sessions for the entire week.


Requirements

* Min age 18
* Minimum 1 week commitment
* Enthusiasm and interest about Chinese culture
* Basic English
* Full travel & medical insurance
* Necessary vaccinations
* Necessary flights & visas 

In order to guarantee your place on this project, you will need to pay a 20% non-refundable deposit (paid securely via Paypal). The remaining balance must be paid upon your arrival to the project.

Send us an email enquiry to find out more, or click the 'Join this Project' button below if you are ready to get involved.