China

China family holidays

The ancient and the modern collide head-on in China. This is a land of skyscrapers, gleaming shopping centres and state-of-the-art technology. But it is also a place where old and young meet in parks to practice tai chi, where narrow alleyways are crammed with steaming pots of fresh dumplings, and where buffalo plod through muddy paddy fields, tilling the land as they have done for millennia. There is always something to marvel at on our China family holidays and plenty to challenge and delight both the novice and experienced traveller.

Have tea in Chengdu

The great sights need little introduction – who would not want to walk along the Great Wall, first constructed more than 2,000 years ago, or gaze at the tomb of Qin Shi Huang with his army of terracotta warriors, built to protect him in the afterlife?

But with a history as rich as that of China, and a land mass as huge, there is an extraordinary wealth of other destinations which you may never have heard of but which are perhaps even more rewarding to include in a family holiday to China.

For example the terraced hillsides of the Dragons Backbone, the deserted sand cities lost in the Taklamakan Desert, the giant Buddhas of Leshan and Luoyang or Tiger Leaping Gorge, a deep chasm carved through the mountains by the Yangtse. It’s impossible to cram everything into one trip as there is so much to see, and many travellers are bewitched and come back year after year.

Great Wall of China - child on family holiday

Walk along a section of the Great Wall of China

Why take the kids?

China is a living history book where families can walk in the footsteps of long-dead emperors, visit the starting point of the fabled Silk Road that brought Buddhism to Eastern Asia (and noodles back to Europe in the form of spaghetti!) and learn about the rise of communism and the devastating impact that this had in the mid 20th century.

But there is far more to China than just history. There are kung–fu shows, acrobatic performances, pandas and cooking classes as well as the opportunity to explore by bike, tram, ferry, cycle rickshaw, bamboo raft, overnight train and many more.

Some of our favourite activities on China family holidays include:

Walking a spectacular (and lesser-visited) section of the Great Wall
Gazing at the vast army of terracotta warriors at Xian
Hiking small mountain trails through impressively steep rice terraces
Taking a kung-fu class at the Shaolin Temple
Cycling amongst the paddy fields in Yangshuo
Visiting the Panda Research Centre in Chengdu
Sampling Sichuan treats in tiny lantern-strung alleyways on a food tour

In addition, there is plenty of shopping (though you need to bargain hard), the food in China is delicious and hugely varied, and the people are delighted and fascinated by foreigners, particularly children. There is something for everyone. The only challenge is selecting which of the hundreds of places you want to visit can be incorporated into your China family holiday itinerary.

Xi’an Bell Tower and the entrance to the Forbidden City

See the Xian Bell Tower and the Forbidden City

Example China family itineraries

All of our China itineraries are bespoke and are tailor-made for your family, taking into account the ages of your children, your interests, your budget and so on.

However, to give you an idea of what you could do on a family holiday in China, have a look at our sample itineraries, China in 11 Days and 2-week China Highlights.

See our Places to Visit in China section if you need further inspiration. And lastly, check what the weather will be like at the time that you want to travel.

Or simply give us a ring and we’ll be delighted to advise you on the best China family holidays for you.