2025
Easter Break Excursion
Easter Excursion 2025
Family Fun
April 7 - 19
Open to Year 5 - Year 11 Students and Families
Highlights
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Kong Fu classes with our family friends - masters in the hutongs
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Pandas!
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Soak in the astounding surroundings of oblong mountains jutting out amidst terraced rice fields and picturesque villages on a cruise along the Li River
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Biang Biang Noodles cooking class and feasting in Xi'an
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Hike through the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces, which display a different concoction of vibrant colors with every passing season
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Food tour in the French Concession of Shanghai
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Bamboo rafting up the Yulong River
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Tea leaf picking in the beautiful tea fields of Hangzhou
Yes, Manhattan Mandarin Trips Are The Most Fun
"So so so great ! Covered so much ground, so many experiences and fun moments!! Amazing and hopefully you will do it again next year! I will be joining!! Thank you thank you!"
There's a good reason our trips are so loved by students and parents - we do what we loved to do when traveling through China as students ourselves.
Since 2015 we've genuinely enjoyed rediscovering China each year, reconnecting with old friends while giving our students the trip of a lifetime.
We travel as only Manhattan Mandarin can; keeping up a great pace while also making the most of our local relationships to provide the most unique and authentic tour experience possible.
We'll check out as many amazing spots as we can (at NYC speed) while slowing down to converse with new friends and deep dive into the culture. We've added cooking classes, calligraphy classes, epic hikes, feasts upon feasts, numerous private events, dedicated Chinese classes, and so much more.
Please join us for another amazing trip this summer.
Our 2025 Easter Excursion
Family travel in China has never been so fun! From treasure hunts in the Forbidden City to volunteering with giant pandas in the Sichuan basin, this classic family tour takes in Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, and Guilin, before finishing in timeless Shanghai.
Enjoy some cherished family time as you embark on a classic journey through the elegant pagodas and undulating rice terraces of the Middle Kingdom. This fun 15-day trip will see you travel from Beijing to Shanghai, with imperial capital Xi’an, spicy Chengdu, and spectacular Guangxi in between. Learn to play a traditional Chinese instrument, stand atop a sacred Buddhist mountain, float down the remarkably picturesque Li River, and sample Shaanxi pork “hamburgers.”
*Extra GCSE Chinese prep time can be provided for older students
Beijing 北京
Day 1
Ping Pong and a refreshing stroll around Beihai • Kungfu lessons between the Bell Tower and Drum Tower in the ancient hutongs • Feast and karaoke with our old friends, a martial arts family who are 4th generation hutong legends
Day 2
Hike along the Great Wall at Mutianyu, two hours outside of Beijing, after a revivifying lunch with local farmers • Stroll through the Panjiayuan ‘Antiques’ Flea Market, and navigate through thousands of stalls and shops selling souvenirs and antique replicas • Drive back into town and spend the evening at your leisure
Day 3
Calligraphy Class in the hutongs • Explore the 798 art district • Tour the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square • Feast on Peiking Duck
Xi'an 西安
Day 4
Spend the morning face-to-face with the 8,000 solders of the Terracotta Warriors Army, less than an hour outside the city • Head back into town to savor a mouthwatering lunch at one of the food stalls at Xi’an Muslim Quarter • Learn about Xi’an’s 1,300-year-old Muslim community by visiting the Great Mosque • Enjoy a commanding view of the ancient city center as you walk along the 12 meters (39 feet) high Ancient City Wall enclosing the historical heart of the city • Experience Xi’an with more than just your eyes by sampling some of Xi’an’s famous dumplings and getting a chance to learn how to make your own
Day 5
Get an exclusive tour from a natural science and panda expert around the Louguantai Giant Panda Breeding Center, normally closed to the public • Get up close with giant pandas • Visit the Big and Small Wild Goose Pagodas, oldest structures in Xi’an located beyond the city walls, built in the 8th century to house Buddhist sutras
Chengdu 成都
Day 6
Learn the flavors and techniques of Sichuan cooking with a masterclass at the Sichuan Cuisine Museum • Explore Qingyang Taoist Temple, the birthplace of Lao Zi, the founding father of Taoism • Dance with Ayis in People's Park • Sip tea like the locals at Chengdu’s central teahouse, a traditional afternoon pasttime • Hot Pot Dinner!
Day 7
Dujiangyan
Pass by waterfalls and bamboo forests as you hike up UNESCO World Heritage Site Qingcheng Mountain • Admire China’s cuddly black and white pandas at Dujiangyan Panda Base • Energy levels permitting, enjoy a face-changing Sichuan Opera show in the evening
Leshan
Arrive in Sujiao to try the famous qiaojiao beef at a beloved local joint • Admire the mesmerizing colossal Buddha, a 1,300-year-old sculpture that stands at 73 meters high • Prepare your belly with a visit to Leshan’s foodie draw: Zhanggongqiao Food Street where sizzling aromas and local favorites will stir up an appetite •
桂林 Guilin & 龙胜 Long sheng
Day 8
Arrive in Guilin and meet your private WildChina Guilin guide • Drive about 2 hours to the Longji Rice Terraces • Hike along the verdant, softly undulating Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terrace • Arrive at Li’an Lodge and watch the sunset over the terraces as you tuck in for the night.
阳朔 Yangshuo
Day 9
Spend the morning hiking at your own pace through minority villages near the Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces • Stop by Daxu Old Town, one of the four most important trade towns in ancient times • Meet with a local family • Spend the evening relaxing and soaking in your first glimpse of Yangshuo’s stunning scenery.
Day 10
Embark on a bamboo raft ride down the Yulong River among Yangshuo’s stunning karst mountains • Cycle through Yangshuo’s countryside farming villages • Enjoy the spectacle of Impression Liusanjie, choreographed by the mastermind behind the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, in a natural amphitheater.
Meet up with your rock climbing instructor and head out for a day of rock climbing in one of the most famous climbing destinations in the world • Head to a local wet market to buy ingredients for dinner • Private cooking lesson where you’ll learn to make Guilin cuisine with a local chef • Watch the locals fishing using cormorant birds.
上海 Shanghai - 杭州 Hangzhou
Day 11
Visit Fuli Old Town, famed for its Chinese fans • Learn the art of fan making • Upon arriving in Shanghai, meet your guide • Take a stroll around the Bund area, admiring Shanghai’s signature contrast between old and new.
Day 12
Enjoy the amazing spectacle of an ERA Acrobatics Performance, which fuses Chinese acrobatics with modern technology • Experience a snapshot of local life by walking around Fuxing Park, a meeting spot for fitness dancers and taichi enthusiasts • Wander down the tree-lined streets of the French Concession • Explore modern art studios in the trendy, bohemian area of Tianzifang • Visit the Shanghai Museum, a veritable treasure trove of Chinese artifacts.
Day 13
Option 1: Explore the old watertown of Tongli, known as the ‘Venice of the East’ for the canals that wind their way between the town’s Ming and Qing era buildings • Option 2: visit the tea plantations, gardens, and temples of elegant Hangzhou • Option 3: spend the day in the verdant and calming classical gardens of Suzhou.
Where We Stay
Luxury Boutique
BANYAN TREE YANGSHUO
Nestled against the meandering Li River, Banyan Tree Yangshuo effortlessly intertwines traditional Chinese design with luxuriously appointed contemporary comforts.
5 Star
Canopy by Hilton Xi'an
Nestled amidst historic Tang Dynasty sites, Canopy by Hilton provides an exquisite retreat within a two-kilometer radius of museums, parks, and cultural attractions.
5 Star
Shangri-La GUILIN
Located on the famously picturesque Li River, the Shangri-La Guilin offers weary travelers comfortable, elegant rooms as well as indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
Luxury Boutique
The Orchid Beijing
House in a well-reserved old dwelling, The Orchid Hotel, Beijing is located in the historic Hutong area in the heart of Beijing, a 12-minute walk from Houhai Lake and the bars.
Details
*Contact us for an exact itinerary of flights, hotels, trains, and dates
What's Included
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All overland transfers with private chauffeur and in-transport refreshments
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All admission fees and activity expenses, as noted in the itinerary
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All meals as noted in the itinerary with complimentary drinking water
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All activities booked with our partners
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All accommodations, based on double-occupancy and including breakfast, service charge, and government tax