Backpacking China: Express Adventure

Visit Chengdu's panda base at the time of day the pandas are at their most active. It is not a zoo but a research and conservation base working to protect the species, with more than 200 giant pandas and over 100 red pandas living there. Spend the rest of the day in Chengdu, a city so fond of its pandas that you will spot them on buildings and even on ice cream.

Take the high-speed train to Xi'an, an ancient capital still ringed by the best-preserved city walls in China. Jump on bikes and ride the full 14-kilometre loop along the top, with the old city spread out below you. In the evening, head into the Muslim Quarter's night market, where the air is full of grill smoke and the stalls sell some of the best street food in the country.

This morning, stand in front of the Terracotta Army, the clay soldiers buried to protect the tomb of China's first emperor more than 2,000 years ago. Each figure has its own face, and nobody knew they were there until farmers digging a well found them in 1974. A local guide explains how the site was found and what it took to build. In the afternoon, take the high-speed train to Luoyang, your base for two of China's great Buddhist and martial arts sites.

Start at the Shaolin Temple, the Buddhist monastery where Shaolin kung fu began. Watch the resident monks train, then join a kung fu session yourself and learn a few moves from a tradition that goes back centuries. Later, visit the Longmen Grottoes, where the limestone cliffs above the Yi River are carved with thousands of Buddhist statues, one of the most remarkable ancient sites in China.

Take the high-speed train to Beijing, the final stop of the trip. Come hungry tonight: first you learn to fold dumplings in a hands-on class, then you sit down to Peking duck, its crackling skin rolled up in thin pancakes with all the trimmings. Beijing is the city to eat it in.

A local guide leads you through the Forbidden City, the palace China's emperors ruled from for almost 500 years. Its courtyards and nearly 1,000 buildings were off limits to everyone except the emperor, his family and the most trusted members of the court. The afternoon is free to see more of Beijing or take some time to rest.

The day you have been waiting for: the Great Wall of China. Head to Mutianyu, one of the best-preserved stretches, where the wall runs along the mountain ridges as far as you can see. A cable car lifts you up through the forest, and then you are on foot, walking between the watchtowers on stones that have been there for centuries.

Your 12-day trip through China ends after breakfast today. Head to the airport for your flight home, or stay on in China and keep travelling: your group leader can help you plan and book whatever comes next, from extra nights in Beijing to your onward journey.