Venture Magazine Issue 5

10
ASIA: CHINA AND TIBET
BEIJING OPERA
LIJIANG,
YUNNAN
GAME FOR BEIJING 2008?
The excitement of the Olympics arrives in Beijing from August 8 to 24. Why
not travel in style to the games by train from Moscow to Beijing? Kumuka
run four different train trips into Beijing – The Trans Manchurian Classic, Big
Trans-Siberian, Super Trans-Siberian and The Three Capitals Tour. If you don’t
intend to visit the games it may be advisable to avoid travelling to China in
LUOYANG,
ALONG
August and September 2008 as airline and hotel prices are higher and some
THE YELLO
W RIVER DUMPLI
NGS supplements apply on Kumuka trips (except train journeys) as a result.
Olympics, and outlandish showcase restaurants, specialising in cuisine from
modern architecture such as the new all over China – though make sure you

BOO
K IT
!
CHINA AND TIBET
National Opera House. try local specialities such as ‘xiaolong bao’
China has to be one of the most exciting up-and-
Beijing Duck is a culinary must and dumplings too. Make sure you arrive
coming tourist destinations. We offer 11
for a night out you can’t beat the spectacle with some space in your suitcase, as the
different tours in the country ranging
of the opera and the acrobatics. And, shopping in Shanghai is magniﬁ cent
from an 8-day highlights tour to a 27-day
as if all that wasn’t enough, you’ll ﬁ nd – start at Taikang Lu Art Street then
China Experience itinerary.
Beijing has dynamic arts and nightlife head for the boutiques of the old French
scenes – the 798 arts district, housed in Concession. Before you leave, take in the YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE
an old electronics factory, may well be the view of the city the top of Pudong’s Jin 15 DAYS
densest concentration of art galleries in Mao Tower, and get your breath taken £1,275, €1,915, AU$3,255, NZ$3,765,
the world. For something unusual, head away by the sheer scale of it all. US$2,680, CA$2,935, ZAR21,675
to a smoky bar such as D22 to check out Sail through historic China with a
the explosive new Chinese rock music. SOUTH OF THE CLOUDS cruise down Yangtze River, then travel
If you only visit one Chinese province, overland to see some of the country’s
SHANGHAI SURPRISES make it mellow Yunnan, the land ‘south archaeological wonders. Your trip
If Beijing is substance, Shanghai, the of the clouds’, tucked down in the includes Hong Kong, a panda breeding
old ‘Paris of the east’ is pure style; it’s country’s far southwest corner. Here centre, Xi’an, the 2000-year-old Army of
the modish centre for fashion and its you’ll ﬁ nd incredible diversity, both in Terracotta Warriors, Beijing and
chic and cosmopolitan denizens are landscapes – as well as muggy forests and The Great Wall of China.
impeccably well dressed – as well as Asia’s lushest rice terraces there are harsh
being some of the country’s wealthiest. mountains, even glaciers – and in peoples
It’s here that you can truly get a sense of – the province is home to 26 minorities, CHINESE KITES, WARRIORS & PANDAS 9 DAYS
the awesome rise of a new superpower; ranging from jungle-dwelling Akhe ADULT: £690, €1035, AU$1760, NZ$2040, US$1450, CA$1590,
the city boasts more skyscrapers than tribes to hearty, yak-herding Tibetans. In ZAR 11,730. CHILD: £640, €960, AU$1635, NZ$1890, EX
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New York, with another 3000 on the the mountainous north, make sure you US$1345, CA$1475, ZAR 10,880 K
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way. In between the monoliths, elegant visit Lijiang, clan home of the matriarchal Take the whole family along on this action-packed tour F
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art deco buildings attest to Shanghai’s Naxi tribe, and the prettiest town in that includes noodle-making, kite-fl ying with local
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original heyday in the 19th century. China, with its canals and winding, children and a Kung Fu Show. The trip includes visits
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Back then, the city was famous for its cobbled alleys. Don’t miss Dali either, a to The Great Wall of China, the Terracotta Warriors at
elan, fantastic opportunities lovely traditional town nestled at the side Xi’an and the Children’s Palace in Shanghai.
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and decadent pleasures – and of Ear Lake. Shangri-La is the last town
you know what? It’s not too before Tibet, and hosts the magniﬁ cent,
different today. fortress-like Songzhanlin Monastery. SOUTH CHINA EXPLORER 14 DAYS
Shanghai has the best There is some great hiking in this area, £1025, €1540, AU$2615, NZ$3025, US$2155, CA$2360, ZAR 17,425
eating in China; and the energetic will be well rewarded KUNMING, DALI, TIGER LEAPING GORGE, LIJIANG, GUILIN, LI RIVER
so put on your on the famous ‘Tiger Leaping Gorge’ walk CRUISE, HONG KONG
glad rags and with sublime views of one of the world’s
head down to sheerest ravines. In complete contrast,
the Xintiandi the sleepy south, Xishuangbanna, is SUPER TRANS-SIBERIA TRAIN 19 DAYS
complex China’s Thailand, the place to do such £1,650, €2475, AU$4705, NZ$4950, US$3465,
– a beautifully apparently unChinese things such as ride CA$3795, ZAR 28,050
reconstructed elephants, eat pineapple-steamed rice MOSCOW, URALS, MONGOLIA, SIBERIA, GOBI DESERT, BEIJING
neighbourhood and shlup around in a sarong. If you can,
of brick houses get here for the joyous water splashing
CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE BROCHURES AT WWW.KUMUKA.COM
turned into upmarket festival – but pack a big towel. ■
CALL US TODAY! ■ UK 0800 092 9595 ■ IRE 1800 946 843 ■ USA/CAN 1800 517 0867
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