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The Travel & Leisure Magazine Trekking in China Feature

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Trekking China China is vast, says Robert Seymour, and its vastnessmeans it’s an ideal spot for an adventure holiday,especially if you like being part of the landscape.The idea of travelling in China can be a bit daunting and an expert operator cancertainly make things a lot easier for you. On many camping/trekking trips, vehicleswill take the group to the start of the trek and carry all your luggage, food and waterbetween stops, while you keep a small backpack full of essentials with you during theday.But independent travel is certainly very possible indeed, although it’s a good idea totake a really decent guidebook such as Lonely Planet’s and to try and learn a fewwords of Mandarin which will go down very well.Although there are dozens of airports around the country, most visitors come viaHong Kong, Shanghai or Beijing. British Airways (www.britishairways.com) andVirgin Atlantic (www.virgin-atlantic.com) are among carriers to China.The nationalairline is Air China (www.airchina.co.uk).You could also consider the newButterfly Bus service (www.butterflybus.co.uk) which is a 16-day overland bustrip from London to Xinjiang province.Alternatively consider the Trans-Siberainrailway or even take a slow boat to China from Japan or Korea.Getting around China can be quite an experience in itself. Long distance buses areplentiful and good value, but the trains are an excellent alternative.One of the mostmemorable travel experiences of my life was a two day train trip from Beijing to HongKong on which I enjoyed watching the country drift past the window, actually used myphrase book to make a genuine conversation, and shared several meals with my fellowcompartment travellers. In the major cities, it’s easy to hail a cab but keep an eye onthe meter… The best way to get around is, of course, by bike.Because China is so huge, it’s very hard to generalise about the weather but as arough guideline, spring and autumn will offer more stunning views, winter is likely tobe snowier and so more dangerous (especially on the GreatWall), summer likely tobe hotter.This article appeared within The Travel & Leisure Magazine. For more details about the magazine visit http://www.tlmags.com
5
C hina is big news. The Olympics are just around the corner, the country’s economy is storming onwards and a series of exhibitions celebrating its creative energy has brought Chinese culture to the UK in a big way. But the attractions of China are wellknown to those who like to get off the main tourist trail and make a trail for themselves. I first visited China 20 years ago when there were very few independent travellers wandering around the country and the cur- rency system for foreigners was extremely strange. China was just starting to become used to visitors getting there, and getting around, under their own steam and to be honest it was a struggle to do anything (although the memory of the delicious Beijing Duck I had in the capital will stay with me forever). Well worth the effort, but still a struggle. Today, the tourist industry has come on leaps and bounds but, partly because the country is simply so enormous, there is still plenty to see off the beaten track. And one of the best ways of seeing it 45 The Travel & Leisure Magazine Off the Beaten Track Trekking in China China is vast, says Robert Seymour, and its vastness means it’s an ideal spot for an adventure holiday, especially if you like being part of the landscape.
Transcript
Page 1: The Travel & Leisure Magazine Trekking in China Feature

China is big news. TheOlympics are just aroundthe corner, the country’seconomy is stormingonwards and a series ofexhibitions celebrating its

creative energy has brought Chinese cultureto the UK in a big way. But the attractionsof China are wellknown to those who like

to get off the main tourist trail and make atrail for themselves.I first visited China 20 years ago when

there were very few independent travellerswandering around the country and the cur-rency system for foreigners was extremelystrange. China was just starting to becomeused to visitors getting there, and gettingaround, under their own steam and to be

honest it was a struggle to do anything(although the memory of the deliciousBeijing Duck I had in the capital will staywith me forever). Well worth the effort, butstill a struggle. Today, the tourist industryhas come on leaps and bounds but, partlybecause the country is simply so enormous,there is still plenty to see off the beatentrack. And one of the best ways of seeing it

45The Travel & Leisure Magazine

Off the Beaten Track

Trekking in

ChinaChina is vast, says Robert Seymour, and its vastness

means it’s an ideal spot for an adventure holiday, especiallyif you like being part of the landscape.

Page 2: The Travel & Leisure Magazine Trekking in China Feature

The46 Travel & Leisure Magazine

is by trekking through it.Of course to walk through it, you have to

get to it first and you might want to considertravelling along part of the magical – andoften spectacularly dusty - old Silk Road firstof all. Dragoman (www.dragoman.com)has a pretty adventurous 11-week trip fromSt Petersburg to Beijing (or the other wayround) which also takes in Russia,Kazakhstan, and Mongolia where you staywith Mongolian horsemen and sleep in ayurt.

In China itself, most hikers are understand-ably drawn to the snaking Great Wall (whichis also a particularly popular spot for theincreasing numbers of people who are hikingfor charity – Kuoni has considerable experi-ence with these types of trips to China overthe last five years and for more informationgo to www.challengeforcharity.co.uk).One of the finest stretches is actually not ahugely long one, the four hour route fromJinshanling to Simatai (Jinshanling is 87miles outside Beijing, Simatai is 75). BecauseJinshanling is just that bit further away fromBeijing than other more accessible sections ofthe wall it’s not so busy and well off the maintourist route, although it’s not entirely desert-ed. The beauty of this hike is that you get tosee the wall both in its repaired and its prettyoriginal state - conditions do start to deterio-rate pretty soon and the trail is often rocky,frequently steep, and features lots of loosebricks. But there are marvellous views andnumerous watchtowers along its many ridges.

The wall follows the mountainous con-tours up and down, sometimes on flagstones,often through forested areas. Along somestretches it’s semi-ruined and simplyunwalkable and you will need to walk along-side the wall instead on dirt paths. There arenumerous villages along the route where

operators often arrange accommodation.Staying in one of these outposts is a greatway to get a real feel for what life in China islike and as well as the wall you’ll also get thechance to hike through agricultural terraces,

walnut orchards and scrubland. Among themany operators including the Great Wall ontheir trips is World Expeditions(www.worldexpeditions.com). Their maintrip is a seven-day hike, including campingin two-person tents with toilet tents andequipment provided, but you need a goodsleeping bag and mat.

But there’s obviously more to China thanthe GreatWall. Exodus (www.exodus.co.uk)for example venture into theYunnan region inthe south west of the country, home to manyof the country’s ethnic groups including thecolourfully-dressed Naxi andYi peoples. Thisis also where you can enjoy the sight of themightyYangtze and the incredible Tiger-leap-ing Gorge as well as visit the relaxing town ofDali. TheirYunnan Explorer tour takes in theatmospherically titled Black Dragon Pool andJade Dragon Mountain. If you’re really keen,it’s possible to hike the whole length of the

While hiking is a great way to enjoy China,you’ll find plenty of opportunites toexchange your boots for bicycles which isthe speediest way of travelling in ruralareas but which also gives you the optionof stopping off wherever you fancy. Expectto share your road with animals as well asother cyclists. For more information trywww.bikechina.com and the Chinese-based www.odysseycycling.com

What else to seeThere’s so much to see in China that it’s best on a first visit to do the must-sees andthen come back for further visits.The GreatWall and the strange landscapes ofGuilin/Yanghsuo are mentioned above but you should certainly not miss:●The Forbidden City – vast, impressive but surprisingly easy to wander around.Andwhile you’re in the city, the Summer Palace too.

● Xi’an – the terracotta warriors are a must but also think about cycling around itswalls.

● Kunming – the stone forest is a remarkable geological sight, similar to thelandscape around Guilin/Yangshuo.

● Kashgar – once a key city on the old Silk Route, it still retains much of the ancientcolourful atmosphere

Teri’sTopTips

Page 3: The Travel & Leisure Magazine Trekking in China Feature

The Travel & Leisure Magazine 47

Page 4: The Travel & Leisure Magazine Trekking in China Feature

Gorge as there is a well-marked path which isused daily by locals. As you’d expect, theviews are amazing and you’ll find accommo-dation fairly easily along the route. It’s best tokeep to the lower route because of rockslidehazards on the upper road.

The locally-based Active China(www.activechina.com) in Kunming alsorun trips into north west Yunnan's Deqencounty including the mighty Mount KawaKarpo. They offer expedition hikes throughthe region’s semi-tropical landscape, high

alpine tundra, with stops to bathe in hotsprings and the chance to explore some of thelast remaining old growth forests in China.

Also popular with the backpackingcrowd for more than 20 years is the areaaround Guilin and Yangshuo which hassome astonishing tall karst mountain cenery.If you don’t fancy trekking every day, a rivercruise along the Li River is a popular wayof enjoying the mountains here. This is alsoa very popular spot for rock climbers asYangshuo is fast becoming the adventurecapital of China. It’s also the first place Itried eating snake (yep, tastes like chicken).

Not all the best hiking areas are lushlyforested. For those with a particularly deter-mined streak, there is always theTaklamakanDesert, rather alarmingly though not alto-gether wrongly known as the Desert ofDeath. Taklamakan is in the Zinjiang regionand at more than 270,000 km square is oneof the largest sand-only deserts in the world.It’s on the old silk routes mentioned aboveand has been inhabited for thousands ofyears, to which the well-preserved mummieswhich archaeologists continue to dig up tes-tify. Shangrila Adventure (www.shangrila-adventure.com) are among specialist oper-ators who provide treks to the area and offera week-long trip through 150km of thedesert, entering the desert from the oasis sta-tion of Hotan Prefecture.

Whichever area you pick, however stren-uous your trip, always bear in mind thewords of Confucious who said: “It does notmatter how slowly you go as long as you donot stop.”

The Travel & Leisure Magazine48

More infoThe idea of travelling in China can be a bit daunting and an expert operator cancertainly make things a lot easier for you. On many camping/trekking trips, vehicleswill take the group to the start of the trek and carry all your luggage, food and waterbetween stops, while you keep a small backpack full of essentials with you during theday.But independent travel is certainly very possible indeed, although it’s a good idea to

take a really decent guidebook such as Lonely Planet’s and to try and learn a fewwords of Mandarin which will go down very well.Although there are dozens of airports around the country, most visitors come via

Hong Kong, Shanghai or Beijing. British Airways (www.britishairways.com) andVirgin Atlantic (www.virgin-atlantic.com) are among carriers to China.The nationalairline is Air China (www.airchina.co.uk).You could also consider the newButterfly Bus service (www.butterflybus.co.uk) which is a 16-day overland bustrip from London to Xinjiang province.Alternatively consider the Trans-Siberainrailway or even take a slow boat to China from Japan or Korea.Getting around China can be quite an experience in itself. Long distance buses are

plentiful and good value, but the trains are an excellent alternative. One of the mostmemorable travel experiences of my life was a two day train trip from Beijing to HongKong on which I enjoyed watching the country drift past the window, actually used myphrase book to make a genuine conversation, and shared several meals with my fellowcompartment travellers. In the major cities, it’s easy to hail a cab but keep an eye onthe meter…The best way to get around is, of course, by bike.Because China is so huge, it’s very hard to generalise about the weather but as a

rough guideline, spring and autumn will offer more stunning views, winter is likely tobe snowier and so more dangerous (especially on the GreatWall), summer likely tobe hotter.

TL

Page 5: The Travel & Leisure Magazine Trekking in China Feature

The Travel & Leisure Magazine 49

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