Ancient Villages & Mountains of Anhui

The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the capital.

Start with Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, the traditional landmarks that form the cultural and geographic heart of Beijing. The Forbidden City is a vast complex, housing nearly 1,000 buildings. Allow 2-3 hours to explore the site.

Depart Beijing after lunch and drive to the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu. This is one of several sections of the wall that is open to visitors, and it is generally quieter than the more accessible Badaling section. Access is via a short cable car ride (or steep climb) to the top of the wall. Once on top, you’ll be presented with spectacular views of the wall as it coils around the mountains and into the distant horizon.

In the afternoon, return to Beijing in time to catch the late afternoon flight to Huangshan City, Anhui province. On arrival, you’ll be met by your guide and transferred to Hui Boutique Hotel, a charming guesthouse in Tunxi old town, the historic heart of Huangshan.

Old St, or “Lao Jie”, the main thoroughfare that cuts through the old quarter in parallel with the Xinan River, is flanked with shopfronts and workshops selling an assortment of teas, herbs and dubious antiques, while narrow alleyways hide small cafes and stylish bars.

After a leisurely morning in Tunxi, depart for nearby Shexian County, where your first stop is Tangyue Village.

Though today it appears a quiet, sleepy village, Tangyue was once one of the most important settlements in the region, as the ancestral home of the pre-eminent Bao clan, a leading merchant family. Like many of China’s family clans, the Bao family dominated their region, and left behind them a very visible legacy in the form of a beautiful family mansion complete with gardens and two ancestral temples. The most famous monuments to the Bao family, however, are the seven decorative stone archways that stand at the entrance to Tangyue. Arranged in neat line formation against a backdrop of green fields, the Tangyue archways present a stunning spectacle.

Take the time to explore Tangyue and the nearby Bao family gardens. Later this afternoon, you can pay a visit to Yuliang, a charming riverside settlement built around an ancient dam, and Tangmo, a Tang-era village famed for its exquisite architecture and intricate water features. End the day with a local cuisine dinner in Shexian before returning to Tunxi in the evening.

From Chengkan, it’s a short 40km drive to the Yellow Mountain. Expect to arrive at the base of Huangshan late this morning, with the rest of the day free to explore its myriad trails.

Eulogised for centuries by poets and artists, Huangshan is a classical Chinese painting brought to life, with all the characteristic features accounted for: winding pilgrimage trails, mysterious caves and misty mountain peaks topped with pine trees, bamboo and winter snow.

From the foot of the mountain, it’s a half hour journey by shuttle bus and cable car to the landing point, from where you can explore a network of trails that take in several of the mountain’s many peaks (with Lion Peak and Bright Peak among the most accessible). Take the time to explore at your own pace. The trails around the Yellow Mountain are many; your guide will be able to pick a route to suit your level of fitness. It’s not necessary to climb the high peaks if you are unable. There are gentle trails that take in much of the best scenery.

One route will take you into a huge canyon via a narrow cliff trail that cuts through small caves and around staggering rock towers. The scenery is spectacular, but do note that the trail into and out of the canyon is quite precarious, so only take this route if you are comfortable with heights!

Descend the mountain late afternoon and transfer to Xidi Village, where you check into the Pig’s Inn Xidi for two nights.

Xidi village is best explored in the early morning and late evening, when the tour groups have dissipated. There are very few hotels and guesthouses in the village (unlike nearby Hongcun), so it can be wonderfully peaceful outside of visiting hours (9am – 5pm). We recommend you wake early this morning to explore the village at the crack of dawn. There’s a little pavilion on a high hill just outside Xidi, where you can watch the sun rise over the farmer’s fields and the old ancestral homes. Afterwards, return to the inn for breakfast. The rest of the morning is free to explore the village and surrounding hills at your own pace. Take your time – there are no fixed sights to see or busy sightseeing schedules to follow.

In the afternoon, meet with your guide and drive to Hongcun, sister village to Xidi. Perhaps the most photographed village in all of Anhui province, Hongcun attracts a larger volume of tourists than Xidi. Whereas most of Xidi’s buildings are still residential homes, Hongcun is filled with trinket shops, restaurants and guesthouses, making it a better place to visit on a day trip than an overnight stay. But it is also, like Xidi, a beautifully-preserved village that retains many of its original features. It houses centuries-old Ming and Qing-era residences, alongside old family halls, temples and schools, all built in the regional style. Hongcun’s standout features, however, are its crystal clear moat and crescent-shaped pond, crossed by carved stone bridges on either side of the village.

Return to Xidi early this evening. You can dine at the inn or at one of a small number of local restaurants that stay open into the evening (most of the restaurants are near the archway at the entrance to town – don’t expect to find an English menu!) If you’d prefer to dine early in Hongcun, let your guide know and they’ll arrange for a meal at a local restaurant before you return to Xidi.

Bishan is a small, isolated village which, compared to the UNESCO heritage sites of Hongcun and Xidi, has remained firmly off the tourist map. While it doesn’t offer Hongcun’s exquisite prettiness, it has a quiet charm and authenticity that many will find appealing. There’s no entrance fees to pay, and no noisy tour groups during the day, meaning you can wander undisturbed. And you’ll want to. Exploring Bishan’s meandering back roads, on foot or by bicycle, is a joy. Follow them to the perimeter of the village and you’ll find yourself on quiet country lanes that carry you through flower fields and rows of mulberry trees to rural bliss.

On arrival in Bishan, check into the Pig’s Inn 3. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure. Revel in the peace and tranquillity of Bishan and the homely comforts of your guest house.

Consider visiting the recently unearthed “stone forest”, close to Xidi and Bishan, a curious site that hasn’t yet become a fixture on the popular tourist routes.

More popular is the Mukeng Bamboo Forest, a beautiful forest park within easy reach of Bishan. You can spend an afternoon exploring its trails, before stopping to rest at a cosy tea house on the shores of a lake.

Much of the morning will be spent driving, with plenty of opportunities to stop and enjoy the scenery along the way. You should reach the town of Jiangwan around noon, in time for an early lunch.

From Jiangwan, it’s a short drive to the villages of Xiaoqi, Wangkou and Likeng. These are small, secluded villages which receive fewer tourists than the UNESCO sites of Xidi and Hongcun. Like those UNESCO sites, Xiaoqi, Wangkou and Likeng are clan-based villages built around the family temples and manors of their founders.

Late afternoon, continue to Jingdezhen, a small city famous for its porcelain production (let your guide know if you want to do some last-minute souvenir shopping). Overnight in Zijing Hotel, a comfortable 4-star hotel in the centre of the city, or similar.

After lunch in Qinghua, drive to Mandarin Duck Lake, where you can spot a great variety of migratory birds and ducks. Following a walk around the lake, return to Jingdezhen, where you say goodbye to your guide and catch the evening flight to Shanghai.

On arrival in Shanghai, transfer to the Fairmont Peace Hotel, or similar, in the city centre. Evening at leisure in Shanghai.