China The South and West: Mountains, Minority Cultures, and Modern China

Orientation in Two Ancient Capitals

Begin your Experiment in Beijing and Xi’an, two of the world’s most historically important cities. Become immersed in Chinese culture as you learn survival Mandarin, haggle at street markets, and order jiao zi from local restaurants.Explore Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, hike along the Great Wall of China, admire the 6,000 individually carved terra cotta warriors, and take in the sights and smells of Xi’an’s Muslim quarter and Great Mosque.

Urban Homestay

Spend a week living with your host family in a bustling provincial capital city. Work on your conversational Mandarin as you practice tai chi with Chinese elders or shop in local markets with your host family. Following your urban homestay, a group of Chinese host brothers and sisters will join your group as you continue the journey through China. Sample host communities:
Xi’an, Guilin, Guiyang

Rural Homestay and Journey into the Interior

Travel into the remote mountains of Guangxi or Guizhou to experience breathtaking landscapes and learn more about the ethnic minorities of central and western China. Experience an entirely different way of life as you spend a few days living as part of a rural family and participating in the daily activities of a colorful village. Prepare meals with your host family, learn basket fishing, help plow the fields, and buy moon cakes from local vendors.

Sample activities:
Hike the famous Longsheng rice terraces; visit the Huangguoshu waterfall—the largest in China; take in a local opera performance, learn to make tofu, or jump on a horse-drawn taxi to explore surrounding villages.

Travel and Discovery

After your village homestay, travel to Guilin and Yangshuo to explore the tropical landscape of southern China before heading to modern Shanghai.

Sample activities:
Climb Moon Hill, a limestone karst peak overlooking the lush Yangshuo region; cycle through remote villages; boat up the scenic Li River, an inspiration to poets and artists for thousands of years; relax in Shanghai’s ancient Yuyuan Gardens.