China

China family holidays

China is immense, a country where ancient and modern collide head-on. On any family holiday here, you will see futuristic skyscrapers, gleaming shopping centres and state-of-the-art technology. But you will also find bucolic scenes where buffalo slowly plod through the paddy fields against a picturesque backdrop of spiny mountains. There is always something to marvel at and plenty to challenge and delight the children.

The kids will love the sheer range of activities, with kung–fu shows, acrobatic performances, pandas and cooking classes. You can explore by bike, tram, ferry, cycle rickshaw, bamboo raft, bullet train and many more. The food is probably the best in the world (yes really), the culture is richly diverse and the landscapes are as varied as they are spectacular.

China family holidays - two young tourists laugh with their guide

Have tea in Chengdu

Nothing prepares you for the majesty of the Great Wall and the quiet gaze of the 2000-year old Terracotta Warriors. But we often find that the places that families enjoy most are those which they had never heard of. Places like the terraced hillsides of the Dragons Backbone, the deserted sand cities lost in the Taklamakan Desert and Tiger Leaping Gorge, a deep chasm carved through the mountains by the Yangtse.

Great Wall of China - child on family holiday

Walk along a section of the Great Wall of China

Why take the kids to China?

As one of the largest countries in the world, it perhaps goes without saying that there are a lot of activities that you can include on your China family holiday. Some of our favourites 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
Painting a traditional fan in a tiny village on the banks of the Li River

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 and learn about the rise of communism in the 20th century. The only challenge is selecting which, of the hundreds of places you want to visit, you are able to incorporate 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

How do I choose where to go?

It may initially appear bewildering to know where to start when planning your family holiday in China. But we have travelled from north to south and east to west and know which of main highlights are really worth seeing, and which are the hidden gems that you can’t miss. The recipe to a successful trip is to tick off some of the ‘must-see’ sights but to make sure that you allow time to visit the rural areas. China is changing and it’s changing fast, but there are still glimpses to be had of a way of life that has been lived for millenia.

We’ll give you the low down on where to visit and the best international flight routes. And when you arrive, you’ll be looked after by our fantastic family-friendly guides so that you can concentrate on perfecting your chopstick technique and leave the arrangements to us.

Give us a call and we can help you start planning.

Family holiday itineraries to China

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.