A Mandarin school trip to Beijing will not only provide invaluable exposure to the language and culture, it also offers your students unforgettable experiences!
Our school trip to Beijing is a great opportunity for your students to immerse themselves in everyday life. The inclusion of two afternoon sessions with a local school and its students will allow your group to practise their language skills in order to converse with their Chinese peers.
Choosing Beijing as a destination will allow your students to jump into the rich history of Chinawith visits to the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and, of course, the Great Wall of China. You’ll also have time for some bartering at the Silk Alley – another chance for your students to practise their Mandarin!
Suggested Itinerary (6 days, 4 nights)
| Day | Morning Summary | Afternoon Summary | Evening Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Overnight flight to Beijing |
||
| 2 |
Arrive in Beijing and transfer to hotel |
Visit the Summer Palace |
Evening meal |
| 3 |
Visit to the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs |
Evening meal |
|
| 4 |
Visit to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City |
Afternoon in local school to practise language with students plus a calligraphy lesson |
Evening meal |
| 5 |
Shopping at Silk Alley and the Friendship Store |
Afternoon in local school to practise language with students |
Evening meal and acrobatic show |
| 6 |
Breakfast and check-out |
Flight back to the UK |
|
- 2 afternoon sessions in a local school to practise language
- 4 nights' full-board accommodation
- Airport transfers in resort
- Calligraphy lesson
- Comprehensive travel and medical insurance
- Detailed information pack
- Evening acrobatic show
- Excursion to the Great Wall
- Free staff place ratio 1:10
- Itinerary planning service
- Return flights inclusive of tax
- Summer Palace
- Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City
Curriculum Links
A-Level
- Changes in contemporary Chinese society
- Education and the world of work
- Traditional Chinese culture and festivals
- Movies, TV, music and literature
- Internet and social media
- Environmental issues
- 1978 opening up of China
- Megacities
GCSE
- Food, drink and eating out
- Daily life and free time activities
- Customs, celebrations and festivals
- Home, town and neighbourhood
- Travel and tourism
- Sport and music events
- Understanding Chinese culture and identity
Accommodation
Tour Highlights
Visit the Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is somewhat of a misnomer, as it would more accurately be described as a collection of fortification systems.
The beginnings of the Wall lie in the fortifications built by the Han, Qi, Qin, Wei, Yan, Zhao and Zhongshan states during the Warring States Period and developed over the centuries to protect China from invaders and to protect the Silk Road trade route.
It’s believed that the length of the entire Wall measures over 21,000km and it is considered one of the greatest architectural feats in human history.
Did you know?
While the Wall is believed to be well over 2,000 years old, the bit we all think of as the Great Wall of China – the stone fortifications around Beijing – are only around 500 years old, having been built during the Ming dynasty.
Visit the Forbidden City
This spectacular palace complex lies at the heart of Beijing and consists of 980 surviving buildings.
The largest building in the complex is the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Once the tallest building in the city, it was used for state occasions, such as the emperor’s birthday. The focal point of the building is the impressive Dragon Throne, which sits on a 2m high white jade dais and is backed by carved gilt screens.
The world’s largest collection of well-preserved medieval wooden structures, the Forbidden City is a magnificent example of traditional Chinese architecture and is rich in symbolism, with plenty of dragons, phoenixes and lions on roofs of the most important buildings for prosperity and good fortune.
Did you know?
The Forbidden City is the largest palace complex in the world and is three times the size of the Louvre!
Visit the Summer Palace
One of the most beautiful royal parks in the world, Beijing’s Summer Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to 3,000 man-made structures.
The tallest building in the complex, the Tower of Buddhist Incense stands atop Longevity Hill, looking out over Kunming Lake.
Other well-known attractions include the impressive Marble Boat, a lakeside pavilion in the shape of a European-style paddle steamer, and the colourful Long Corridor, constructed to provide the Emperor’s mother with a covered walkway to ensure she could enjoy a walk in the gardens while protected by the elements.
Did you know?
The Four Great Regions, a series of temples that are architecturally quite different to the rest of the park, were modelled on the Samye Monastery in Tibet, the first gompa (Buddhist monastery) built in the country.
