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Join us for a once in a life time experience. Come with us to China and drive your own 4x4 from Hong Kong to Beijing. Experience the highest mountain, the longest wall and highest roads in the world plus lots more breathtaking views. This is an adventure that you will never forget. We will handle all shipping and paperwork you just fly in and follow us as we guide you in your own vehicle through this vast and fascinating country! Required Info to obtain the necessary permits The tour is will take place from 26 August 2007 to 27 September 2007. Last date for registration for the tour will be 15 May 2007.
Details, Hong Kong to beijing [BACK] Day 1:
Beijing Arrive to Beijing and transfer to the Hotel, dinner together and info meeting. Badaling, Great Wall
The Temple of Heaven
Tian'anmen Square
Forbidden City
Hutong
Collecting the cars from the port.
Drive from Taiyuan to Xian
Driving from Xi'an to Lanzhou Driving from Lanzhou to Xining This morning the tour takes us to the Kumbum Monastery (Ta'er si). Kumbum Monastery is located 26km south of the city Proper, this sacred Kumbum Monastery (Ta'er si), this is one of the best sights in the Xining area. This attraction is generally acknowledged to be one of the six most important monasteries along with the Ganden, Sera and Drepung monasteries in the Lhasa area, the Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse and the Labrang Monastery in Xiahe. The ancient monastery, built during the 39th year (1560 AD) under the reign of emperor Jiajing (Ming Dynasty 1368-1644 AD), boasts a Tibetan name, Kumbum, which means a grand place housing 100,000 Buddha's. Here we will also see lake Qinghai, which means Green Lake. Lake Qinghai is the largest in land salt water lake. Driving from Xining to Daheba Driving from Daheba to Yushu Drive from Yushu to Boqen. Driving from Boqen to Lhasa A day out of the driving seat as we visit the wonder of the Potala Palace during the morning followed by lunch back at the hotel, after lunch you are free to wonder around spending some time on your own before we leave to visit the Jokhang Temple, the most famous and oldest building in Lhasa. On the way back to the hotel we will also pay a visit to Barkhor Street, the business centre of Lhasa. Of course you can take the day off and visit all of these and many more places by yourself or let us guide you around this fascinating city. After breakfast, we drive to Trupeng Hill to visit Trupeng Monastery which is one of four great Gelugpa monasteries in Tibet. After sightseeing about 12:30, drive back to Lhasa and take rest from the effects of altitude. In the afternoon we drive to visit Norbu Lingka - the Summer Palace for Dalai Lama. The farewell to Lhasa dinner will be arranged at the typical Tibetan restaurant to enjoy the local food with Tibetan dance and song. Day 17: Lhasa-Tingri (Xêgar) [BACK] Drive from Lhasa to Tinrgi Day 18: Tingri-Rongbusi (Mt. Everest base camp)-Tingri [BACK] Driving from Tingri to the base camp of Mountain Everest. With a little luck we hope to be able to see the summit of the largest mountain in the world! This day going to be a very interesting off-road day and a lot of challenges Drive from Gala-Gyaca Drive from Gyaca-Bomi Drive from Bomi-Zogang Day 23: Zogang-Zhongdian [BACK] Drive from Zogang-khongdian Driving from Xianggilila on the way we visit Lijiang, Black Dragon Pool. As the story goes, there is a dark dragon inhabiting the pool, so people name it after the dark dragon .The water is clear, and many of the local people drink and swim here. In Tibetan, Shangri- La means a place of good fortune and luck. Located in the midst of three rivers; the torrential Jinsha, Langcang and Nujiang, Shangri-La is a sacred scenic region with distinguishing features. Scores of years have witnessed the failure of numerous efforts to seek out and pinpoint the exact location of this dreamland. A few years ago, after years of persistent searching and researching, the government of Yunnan Province finally declared the discovery of Shangri-La and the long lost horizon was recovered in Diqing, this stunning prefecture in Yunnan Province..Dali is a small old town. It's the home of the Bai minority. Transfer to hotel which is located in the old part of the city Dali. Then enjoy a cruise on Erhai Lake with a stop on the little island in lake. After that, you will visit the Three Pagodas, symbols of Dali. With an early morning start we drive from Dali to Kumning. Arriving in Kunming. Here we will spend all day visiting the Western Hills Daguan tower and Golden Hall. The Western Hills, about 15 km from Kunming city, lie along the western shore of Dianchi Lake. Stretching from north to south for about 40 km. The Hills resemble a reclining maiden lying on the banks of Dianchi Lake with her long hair flowing down into the lake. As a result, the Western Hills have the nickname of the "A Sleeping Beauty Hills". In actuality, the Western Hills is a forested and lovely park which is perfect for hiking. Daguan Tower, also known as Grand was built in 1690 on the site of a temple dedicated to Guanyin, Goddess of Mercy. The present pavilion was renovated in 1866 and is a pretty pagoda structure. View Tower, is located at the southern side of the Daguan Park. The pavilion Golden Hall. Also called Supreme Harmony Palace or Parrot Temple, Golden Hall was built on Singing Phoenix Hill (Mingfengshan) in 1671 during the Qing Dynasty. The name Golden Hall actually refers to the temple's North Pole Hall (Beijidian), which was constructed entirely of cast bronze, including its pillars, beams, roof tiles, arched doors and windows, statues, and incense burners. Weighing a hundred tons altogether, the hall is one of the largest bronze objects existing in China today. Drive from Kunming to Anlong Drive from Anlong to Nanning Day 29: Nanning-Zhaoqing [BACK] Drive from Nanning to Zhanqing Day 30: Zhanqing-Guangzhou [BACK] In guangzhou we will drive to the port for making the cars ready for loading in the containers. Day 31: Guangzhou-Hong Kong [BACK]
In 1997, China resumed its sovereignty over Hong a fascinating place for everybody in this world would dream of visiting. Hong Kong is our past century’s mirror historically, ethnically, architecturally, socially, economically, aesthetically and, above all, sensually. It is a place you feel. Founded by Europeans, developed by Asians, governed by Chinese, designed and run by entrepreneurs, architects, economists, and adventurers from the four corners of the world, in its streets and waterways you may sense the turning of the Earth itself. It's a brilliant pearl in the East Asiaandonce the leading financial center in the region. Today we visit Victoria Kowloon. Victoria 552m (1810ft) above sea level. The views are extraordinarily beautiful in every direction, with the vista of the business district, Victoria Harbor and Kowloon especially grand. In true Kong style the main viewing deck is on the roof of a large shopping mall (no bargains here). Join the throng of snap-happy tourists -- you won't be disappointed. If you have time, it's worth making the trip to the top both in daylight and at night, when the mass of lights around the harbor will take your breath away and make you wish you had a better camera. The most well known place in Hong Kong Is Kowloon The bustle of people living and working there everyday is the biggest attraction on the island, although many visitors head around to Aberdeenwhich is on the s of the island. Sampan tours of the Aberdeen Harbor are definitely worth the expense. The other major draw is the floating restaurants, which of course is of oriental characteristic. Day 33: Hong Kong go Home [BACK] The end of the Great Tour of China! Depending upon your flight times you may be able to spend a few more hours sightseeing before you transfer to the airport
Required Info to obtain the necessary permits [BACK] Driver information:
Vehicle information:
Compile all the informations and mail them to info@letsgoexplore.com
What is the Great Tour of China? What is the Great Tour of China? [BACK] This is a 4x4 adventure, a long distance journey that will take you thought some of the most remote areas of China, through some of the highest roads and tracks in the world. First off the route that we take is proven by us, ensuring that you can follow in safety and have the security that an organisation is with you to take care of any hassle you could experience doing this type of trip on your own. How do I know I can trust Let's Go Explore? [BACK] All members of the LetsGoExplore team are experienced travellers to remote and exotic places, any route that we offer has been well documented and actually driven by us prior to your arrival. We use only experienced local guides and translators. Our shipping agent is also a well travelled person who himself has toured through China as well as other places around the world. Is my vehicle suitable for this tour? [BACK] Any modern 4x4 with good ground clearance should cope well, it is vital that your vehicle is reliable and fully serviced prior to this event. Suspension will need to be in good condition and ability to carry enough fuel to cover over 500km plus an extra spare wheel. We will also issue you with a full list of recommended spares. Our agent in China will make all the arrangements for your Chinese licence plats and drivers licence. What are the road conditions like and how experienced do I need to be? [BACK] We will be travelling on highways when we want to eat up the kilometres and get quickly from one exciting place to another, but also we will travel on small roads and tracks, especially in places like Tibet where we can come across roads that are washed out by heavy rains. Don¹t worry we WILL get you safely though! How do I get to Hong Kong and back home from Beijing? [BACK] Our flight agent can supply you with probably the best offer on direct flights into Hong Kong and out of Beijing. The entry fee includes shipment of your vehicle to and from China, our shipping agent take care of everything so you don’t need to worry or go through the hassle of sorting this out. All you have to do is arrive in Hong Kong! The entry fee includes third party insurance cover in China, you are responsible for arranging your own comprehensive vehicle and travel insurance. How will Let's Go Explore support/look after me? [BACK] While you are in China you will be looked after by our team comprising of two tour leaders, Chinese tour manager plus medic. We also carry satellite phones for communication to your family back home and for use in any emergency. We will travel in a “loose” convoy of vehicles with one of our 4x4 at the rear making sure that no one gets left behind. We have a medic that will take care of any medical issues and should we have a mechanical problem with any vehicles we will do our best to fix anything at the road side, bigger problems we will arrange a local garage to fix the problem for you. Will altitude be a problem? [BACK] Let's Go Explore have a lot of experance in high altitude from Mountains tour in Nepal and China. We have planned each day with care so we will not be ascending too fast. For approximately two weeks we will be at over 3000m and will climb to just over 5000m at times. How much does this tour cost? [BACK] The fee is £9550.00 this includes the tour itself along with all the support services, all hotel accommodation, welcome and farewell dinners, mini bus transfer to various restaurants and functions, shipping of your vehicle, Chinese license plates and driver’s license. What clothes should I bring for this adventure? [BACK] Our advice is to be economical don’t bring a months supply of clothes. Laundry will be available in most of the hotels we use. The list of hotels that can launder your clothes will be in the information pack we will send to you.
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Let's Go Explore
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The Great Wall (Changcheng), totaling more than 12,000 kilometers, is arguably
the most famous image of China throughout the world. It is the only man made
object visible from the moon, and as one of the Eight Wonders of the world, the
Great Wall of China lives up to its reputation.
On leaving the Forbidden City, follow in the footsteps of emperors, court
ministers and eunuchs and head south to the magnificent and colorful Temple of
Heaven (Tiantan). Although the bi-annual procession consisting of thousands of
eunuchs and ministers no longer takes place, The Temple of Heaven and Tiantan
Park are still a delightful place to visit.
At the very heart of Beijing, sits Tian'anmen Square, the largest urban square
in the world. This vast space, measuring 40 hectares, has a historical
significance to rival its size. Enlarged in the 1960s, Tian'anmen Square now
measures 880 meters from north to south, 500 meters from east to west and can
accommodate up to one million people. Classical Beijing planning however did not
permit public squares. They were seen largely as dangerous places where crowds
could gather and diverted attention and focus away from the Emperor. Tian'anmen
Square is therefore, one of Beijing's most modern sites and largely Mao's
concoction. The May 4th demonstrations in 1919 against the Treaty of Versailles
took place here. So too did anti Japanese protests in 1935. Mao inspected his
troops here during the Cultural Revolution and in 1976, one million people
gathered in the square to pay tribute to the Chairman. Today, visitors remember
the square mostly for the images of the 1989 student demonstrations in this
concrete mass which were relayed throughout the world.
The Forbidden City (Zijincheng)(also known as the Imperial Palace (Gugong) and
the Palace Museum) is the largest and best preserved collection of ancient
buildings in China. This site is an image of China relayed throughout the world
on national days and at public events. Today, the Palace is filled with tourists
but under the emperors day, these "commoners" would have been executed had they
dared to enter the complex! Given the popularity of the site, the Chinese
governments have invested a lot of time and money in the Palace and it is now a
fantastic place to wander and dream of times gone by. Wangfujing Street
Wangfujing Street is the shopping capitol of Beijing. In the last ten years the
buildings have been changed and the street has become a pedestrian arcade. As
the most famous shopping centre in Beijing, it boasts many reputed shops such as
New Dong'an Bazaar, Department Store, Arts and Crafts Mansion, Foreign Language
Bookstore, Shengxifu Hat Store, Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant and Vegetarian
Restaurant. Wangfujing is a fairly long street. A walk from end to end would
take you about 30 minutes, and that's without looking at any shops.
The Hutong formed by four houses around a quadrangular courtyard. The
quadrangles varied in size according to the social status of the residents. The
big quadrangles of high- ranking officials and wealthy merchants were specially
built with roof beams and pillars all beautifully carved and painted, each with
a front yard and back yard. However, the ordinary people's quadrangles were
simply built with small gates and lower house.
Drive
from Beijing to Taiyuan
Xi'an is a city with incredible history, as well as a prosperous modern city. As
the capital city of Shannxi province, it holds a key position in the fertile
plain between the high loess plateau of the north and the Qinling Mountains to
the south. Xi'an has been the capital of eleven dynasties for more than 2000
years. Along with Rome and Constantinople, this city played a vital role in
bridging the gap between east and west. There are important sites and relics in
this city. The Terracotta Army of Qin Emperor is regarded as the eighth wonder
of the world. The Tomb of Yang Yuhuan and Huaqing Pool all date back to Tang
Dynasty, the peak of China's federal period. Famen Temple in Xi'an is the only
temple in mainland China storing true relics of Buddha Sykyamuni Today we visit
The Terracotta Warriors and Emperor Qin Shihuang's Tomb The Terracotta Warriors
Arguably one of China's most famous and popular tourist sites, the Terracotta
Warriors (bingmayong) are among the top archaeological excavations of the 20th
Century. The warriors have made Xian the biggest tourist destination today and
the wealth in this city owes much to their discovery. This incredible collection
of 6,000 men and their horses was actually discovered completely by accident by
a group of peasants in 1974 who were digging a well! In a bizarre twist, the man
who supposedly discovered them now sits in a hall at the site selling postcards
of the stone army. Emperor Qin Shihuang's Tomb Located at the foot of the
Mountain Li and 2 km west of the Terracotta Army, is the tomb of the Qin Emperor
that the warriors were built to protect. This is a very tourist oriented site
and it leaves many people feeling cold. Today, it is hard to imagine the
incredible glamour and grandeur that must have surrounded this tomb in 221 BC.
From
Guangzhou we will take our mini bus and drive to Hong Kong.
Arrive to Hong Kong and
transfer to the Hotel.