The Most Epic Itinerary For Traveling China

I feel like I’ve been around the world and back in the last few months, which totally isn’t true (yet!) but I did spend a whole lot of time exploring Thailand, China, and Colombia. China was unlike any place that I’ve ever been to, and my experience was incredibly unique because I got to tour the country with a Kung Fu group that took us to remote, rural, and well-known tourist areas.

The Best Guided Tour Around China

For those of you who know me and are familiar with my blog, it may come as a surprise that I did a guided group tour in China. Usually, I’m making it up as I go, unguided, and often solo. Not this time baby. I have to admit, the trip wasn’t as “polished” as I imagined it would be. Our group travel packed an exciting punch and was loaded with serious adventure.

This post won’t be a step-by-step guide to China, but rather a highlight of my adventures and why I encourage you to visit these same places. Read 6 things to consider before traveling to China.

Top Things To Do In China

So here it goes, a list of my most favorite moments of China, pulled from my memories and dripping into your screen. I felt inspired to share about each one because of how I felt while I was seeing the sight, interacting with the locals or climbing the mountain, starting with the Great Wall and ending with the most magical one of all: the love of the Eagle Claw Master. 

1. Visit The Great Wall of China (Classic)

Visiting the Great Wall of China was interesting for a couple of reasons. Starting with, quite plainly – WOW – that’s a massive structure! It can be intimidating to know where to start on your own, so consider a guided trip to the Great Wall.

The History of The Great Wall Of China

The Great Wall is located in northern China and totals to over 13,000 miles in length. The wall was built over numerous dynasties to keep nomads and Mongolians out of China. History.com says, “When Emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered construction of the Great Wall around 221 B.C., the labor force that built the wall was made up largely of soldiers and convicts. It is said that as many as 400,000 people died during the wall’s construction; many of these workers were buried within the wall itself.”

A Place Of History, Awe, And Mourning

I have so much more to learn about the wall, but one thing that really stuck with me was when our tour guide shared that although she considers the wall a great thing for her country, many people died building the wall, so it is also a place & symbol of mourning. This wall has layers and layers of deep history, back-breaking work, and personal stories built into it. It’s something that you could get strike up a fascination for and get sucked into a black hole learning about. Have anything interesting to add about the Great Wall? Let us know here!

Toboggan Down The Great Wall Of China

Fun fact: I found it very strange that you can toboggan down the Great Wall of China. That’s right: you can use the sled-like thing that works with no ice or snow required to descend down the wall. That’s something that I had never expected to be at a place with such serious history packed into it. I must admit, though, that it’s a pretty convenient option when the sun is beating down on you and you’ve hustled up more steps than you care to count!

2. Visit And Hike Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Do you remember the movie with the magical mother tree, floating forest, and brave blue people? Avatar, that’s the one. The imaginary universe that I want to live in. Although that may never happen, I had the chance to roam the exact forest where it was filmed. There wasn’t a full-on magic and tragic war raging between humans and avatars like in the movie, but the park itself was fully animated.

At times, when I am in a space that is beautiful in the rawest way, I think “Wow, it feels like I am in a movie!”. That’s not the most conventional way to describe the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park,  but I trust that you may have experienced this sensation before too.

There are different paths to take while hiking through the park and options for people with different abilities. There is also a gondola that can be used to get to the top, free of climbing up a fair amount of stairs. Consider visiting the park with a local guide and making the most of your time:

The most memorable part of this park, besides the views, were the monkeys.

Beware Of The Zhangjiajie The Monkeys

It was clear early on that they are used to people coming around at this point, so multiple times on our hike were surrounded and bombarded by intelligent monkeys who wanted nothing more than our sugar-loaded snacks. Remember: Always be respectful and conscious in your interaction with wild animals, and remember that you have in fact entered into their home.

3. Climb Up Mount Hua & Experience One Of The Most Dangerous Hikes In The World

The hike to the top of Hua Mountain is one for the books. No, seriously. Ok, well maybe more for the internet, as people online label this hike as one of the “most dangerous hikes in the world.” This beast of a natural structure offers different ways to reach the top, including a pathway with over 20,000 stairs to take on.

Don’t Be Under-Prepared For This Epic Hike (Like I Was)

I’ll admit – I was totally unprepared for this hike to the top of Mount Hua, and as usual, I got a little lost for part of it when I decided to hike off on my own. (Yikes!) Good thing there was almost nowhere to go but up. Our tour guides told us in the beginning that it was just a couple of hours to the top… ha.

After around 7 hours after trudging up the mountain, we finally reached the top, only to find that there are then multiple hikes leading across the peaks to different overnight accommodations. And, you guessed it, we were nowhere close to where we needed to be. The top of the mountain was actually packed with bodies, despite the challenging hike, with most of them being locals and few being tourists. That was one thing that made the experience so special. Consider hiking Mount Hua with a local:

4. See China From A Bird’s Eye View

Plane ride, exclusive trek, or motorbike loop, anyone? If you were drawn to the idea of doing the plank walk at Mount Hua, it might be safe to say that you’re an adrenaline junkie or outdoor enthusiast. If so, here are some top recommended activities from other like-minded travelers in China:

5. Visit With The The Eagle Claw Master

As the dairy-free cheesy saying goes, I’ve saved the best for last. Despite all of the incredible views and vivid memories that I cherish from the rest of the china trip, seeing the energetic Eagle Claw Master in action really added magic to this China trip.

The Warmest Greeting In The World

Upon arriving to the Shaoyang Langshan Mountain area, we were greeted and swarmed before exiting the bus by locals who literally threw us a colorful party and ecstatic parade. Instruments were sounding, confetti was flying, people were cheering, and you would have had to glue your lips together if attempting to not smile. It was epic, to say the least. Our first introduction to the city didn’t feel uncomfortable and stale like meeting your strange uncle Bill for the first time – there were no forced smiles or awkward hugs. It was all genuine, real, and warm. That arrival was the most special welcome that I’ve ever received in my 28 years on Earth. (Besides being born, of course!)

Watch A Shao-Lin Kung Fu Demonstration

While in the Shaoyang Langshan Mountain area, the students under Liu Lie Hong performed for us. There was so much talent, dedication, and effort that was enthusiastically shown. The welcome to the city, performance, and Kung Fu exchanges ended with a slightly intoxicated man taking the stage and pouring out how happy he was to have us, all while stumbling over his words and feet – literally. I couldn’t have planned out a more perfect day!

6. Learn More About China’s History & Culture

All of these places and events can be found while visiting China and will make your trip an epic one. Additionally, below are some other activities for history lovers to add to your list.

The cultural exchanges that happened between the Shao-Lin group and all of the Kung Fu practitioners in China is a once in a lifetime experience that many of you may never experience, but this guide will make your time in China special regardless. If you would like to experience what I did in this welcoming country, you better start befriending a student or teacher from the Shao-Lin school, quick! (They make excellent travel partners. They also double as unexpected bodyguards!)

*Please note that this was NOT a budget trip because of the nature of the group tour and the amount of distance covered in such a compact time.