From its lofty source on the Tibetan plateau, the famed Yellow River (黄河, huánghé) runs for almost 5500km before emptying into the Yellow Sea, making it China’s second-longest waterway after the Yangzi, and the sixth longest in the world. The river’s name stems from the vast quantities of loess it carries, a fertile yellow silt which has done much to benefit the region’s agricultural potential over the millennia. However, the river’s popular nickname, “China’s Sorrow”, hints at the regular floods and changes of course that have repeatedly caused devastation – the waterway is often likened to a dragon, a reference not just to its sinuous course, but also to its uncontrollable nature, by turns benign and malevolent. On the flipside, it provides much-needed irrigation to areas otherwise arid and inhospitable, and has created some of China’s most distinctive landscapes, barrelling past colossal sand dunes before sliding along pancake-flat loess plains scarred with deep, winding crevasses.
Between the first and last major cities the Yellow River hits – Lanzhou and Ji’nan; such is the river's length that they are covered here in different sections – it flows through Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan, and has played a vital role in the history, geography and fortunes of each province – though sadly its capricious nature makes river travel impossible in the region.
The most famous sight in the Yellow River’s catchment area is actually some distance from the river itself: the city of Xi’an is one of China’s biggest tourist destinations, with as many temples, museums and tombs as the rest of the region put together, and with the Terracotta Army deservedly ranking as one of China’s premier sights. Xi’an is also home to a substantial Muslim minority, whose cuisine is well worth sampling. East of the city, and also within Shaanxi province, is the spectacular Hua Shan range, whose temple-studded slopes offer superb – if occasionally terrifying – hiking opportunities.
Heading northwest into Ningxia, a tiny province with a substantial Hui minority, you can witness the river’s mighty waters running between desert sand dunes at the resort of Shapotou. Still a relatively exotic, tourist-free zone, Ningxia also offers quiet, attractive cities, while the provincial capital of Yinchuan is a base for fascinating sights such as the mausoleums of the Western Xia, ancient reminders of a long-extinct culture. The river then slides into Inner Mongolia, passing through the super-industrial city of Baotou, jump-off point for the supposed tomb of Genghis Khan. The grasslands surrounding the provincial capital of Hohhot make it possible to catch a glimpse of the Mongols’ ancient and unique way of life – you can sleep in a nomad’s yurt, sample Mongol food and ride a horse across the grasslands, all within half a day’s train journey from Beijing.
Further downstream, Shanxi province boasts some great attractions, most notably the Yungang cave temples and Hanging Temple near Datong (itself turning into an ever more fascinating place to stay), and the beautiful holy mountain of Wutai Shan.
Heading downstream again is the province of Henan, whose capital Luoyang is a great jumping-off point for the legendary Shaolin temple, and the superb Longmen cave temples. Henan’s capital, Zhengzhou, is of most importance as a transport nexus, though just east is the appealing lakeside town of Kaifeng, a small place with little grandeur but a strong local character.
Tailor-made travel itineraries for China, created by local experts

8 days / from2208 USD
Sichuan Specialities: Chengdu, Temples and Pandas
Discover the Buddhist history and the natural wonders of Sichuan. From bustling Chengdu and its giant pandas, to the national parks and lake districts of Sichuan Province, to the giant Buddha statue at Leshan, this trip is perfect for those who want to discover this culturally rich part of China.
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5 days / from838 USD
Family Time in Guilin and Yangshuo
This 5-day family trip is a magnificent opportunity to experience the beautiful outdoor settings of Guilin and Yangshuo. Walk, cycle and raft through awe-inspiring scenery, including dramatic limestone karst mountains, and learn about the everyday lives of the Zhuang and Yao ethnic groups.
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8 days / from1962 USD
Sichuan Family Adventure
Sichuan is home to a rich and vibrant culture, stunning scenery and wildlife, and delicious cuisine. Spend time with Chengdu's giant pandas, trek around Mount Qingcheng, stand in awe of the world’s largest Buddha at Leshan, and much more, all with this exciting trip, which is perfect for families!
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8 days / from2479 USD
Tantalising Tibet
Tibet, known as the Rooftop of the World, is one of the most spiritual and atmospheric places on earth: ancient monasteries are carved into the mountain and festooned with colourful prayer flags. Discover the secrets of this uniquely spiritual land with this once-in-a-lifetime trip.
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5 days / from1992 USD
Hong Kong Deluxe
Hong Kong makes a memorable introduction to the Chinese world. Glamorous, hectic, exciting and spectacular, with fabulous food, nightlife and shopping, this is a place like no other. Explore the city at your own pace, enjoying life’s little luxuries at every turn.
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4 days / from535 USD
Hong Kong in a Nutshell
A teeming, exotic and alluring metropolis, Hong Kong is uniquely rich in both cultural diversity and contrasts. In fact, there is so much packed into Hong Kong, it can be hard to know where to start, which is where this unique trip comes in.
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9 days / from2137 USD
The People and Cultures of Guizhou
Discover the fascinating people and cultures of Guizhou, one of China's most diverse regions. Learn about the everyday lives of the Zhuang and Yao ethnic groups, whilst you enjoy their colourful customs and traditions, and pass through awe-inspiring scenery such as otherworldly rice terraces.
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14 days / from3346 USD
The Mystical Worlds of Shangri-La & Tibet
A perfect introduction to the mystical worlds of Shangri-La and Tibet. From the breathtaking plateaus and valleys, to the historical Buddhist monasteries and villages, this trip provides a unique insight into the culture and traditions of the Tibetan people.
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16 days / from5521 USD
Along the Silk Road
Travel along the Silk Road, and discover the best of China with this fascinating in-depth trip. Starting in Beijing, experience the Forbidden City, the Yellow River, the Great Wall of China, Heavenly Lake, the Terracotta Army of Warriors and much more, all with this unique, detailed trip.
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11 days / from3462 USD
The Best of China
From well-preserved tombs to The Great Wall, this tour of China packs in all the essentials. From the bright city lights of Beijing and Shanghai to breathtaking rolling landscapes, meandering rivers and ancient treasures, there’s much to delight all visitors to China.
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7 days / from1465 USD
China's Old Water Towns
The area around Shanghai is home to some of China's best-kept travel secrets. Ancient water towns – picturesque towns constructed on a network of canals, featuring classical weeping gardens and romantic arched bridges – grace the area. Explore China's old water towns on this unique trip.
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12 days / from2436 USD
Cultural China and Majestic Yangtze River Cruise
China is a vast and varied land, seemingly full to the brim of mega cities, dramatic limestone mountains and endless countryside. This trip takes in the best the country has to offer, visiting the historic cities of Beijing, Xian and Shanghai, before cruising down the Yangtze River.
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11 days / from2841 USD
Incredible Yunnan
Culturally rich and ethnically diverse, Yunnan is one of China’s most fascinating regions. Explore this scenic southwestern province, great to travel to year round, from the capital Kunming to the well-preserved ancient city of Jianshui, famous for its old walls.
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5 days / from1355 USD
Hong Kong Highlights
Hong Kong is a vibrant and appealing city, with its waterside location and towering skyscrapers, it offers the visitor modernity and tradition, the exotic and efficient. Perfect for a family break, there’s plenty to keep everyone entertained from Central to the New Territories and beyond.
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9 days / from2560 USD
Beijing and The Great Wall of China
Following a short stay in Beijing, with its awe-inspiring Forbidden City, you will venture through the majestic Great Wall lands of Changping and Simatai, and marvel in the vibrancy of the water town of Gubei, a magnificent collage of Great Wall, mountains, lakes and ancient villages.
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13 days / from4686 USD
Complete China: Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai
Following a stay in resplendent Beijing, visit the awe-inspiring Forbidden City, Great Wall, and the Terracotta Army of Xi’an. Travel into the Himalayas, before hiking to the Tiger Leaping Gorge. Continue to Chengdu, home of the giant panda, before entering the mythical valley of Shangri-La.
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5 days / from1830 USD
Hong Kong Island Insights
The bustling and dynamic city of Hong Kong is brimming with opportunities to explore its colonial past and rich Chinese heritage and culture. The perfect destination for the intrepid explorer, this unique trip won’t leave you disappointed.
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11 days / from3360 USD
China and Tibet – An Unforgettable Adventure
From tombs and monasteries to world-famous squares and walls, this trip takes in both China and Tibet for an unforgettable journey. Explore Beijing and all its spectacular attractions and take in the stunning natural surroundings around Chengdu and on into Tibet.
customize ⤍Brief history
Sites of Neolithic habitation along the Yellow River are common, but the first major conurbation appeared around three thousand years ago, heralding the establishment of the Shang dynasty. For the next few millennia, every Chinese dynasty had its capital somewhere in the Yellow River area, and most of the major cities, from Datong in the north, capital of the Northern Wei, to Kaifeng in the east, capital of the Song, have spent some time as the centre of the Chinese universe. With the collapse of imperial China, the area sank into provincialism, and it was not until late in the twentieth century that it again came to prominence. The old capitals have today found new leases of life as industrial and commercial centres, and thus present two sides to the visitor: a rapidly changing, and sometimes harsh, modernity; and a static history, preserved in the interests of tourism. This latter feature contrasts strongly with, for instance, southwestern China, where temples might double as tourist attractions but are also clearly functional places of worship; here, most feel much more like museums – even if they seldom lack grandeur.
The Yellow River
The Yellow River flows for 5500km through nine provinces, making it one of the world’s mightiest waterways. However, the vast quantity of silt the river carries along its twisted length – 1.6 billion tonnes a year – has confused its course throughout history, and its unpredictable swings have always brought chaos. From 1194 to 1887, there were fifty major Yellow River floods, with three hundred thousand people killed in 1642 alone. Another disastrous event in 1933 was followed in 1937 by further tragedy – this time man-made – when Chiang Kai-shek used the river as a weapon against the advancing Japanese, breaching its dykes to cut the rail line. A delay of a few weeks was gained at the cost of hundreds of thousands of Chinese lives.
Attempts to enhance the river’s potential for creation rather than destruction began very early, at least by the eighth century BC, when the first irrigation canals were cut. In the fifth century BC, the Zheng Guo Canal irrigation system stretched an impressive 150km; it’s still in use today. But the largest scheme was the building of the 1800km Grand Canal in the sixth century, which connected the Yellow and the Yangzi rivers and was used to carry grain to the north. It was built using locks to control water level, an innovation that did not appear in the West for another four hundred years.
Dykes, too, have been built since ancient times, and in some eastern sections the river bottom is higher than the surrounding fields, often by as much as 10m. Dyke builders are heroes around the Yellow River, and every Chinese knows the story of Da Yu, the legendary figure responsible for battling the capricious waters. It is said that he mobilized thousands of people to dredge the riverbed and dig diversionary canals after a terrible flood in 297 BC. The work took thirteen years, and during that period Yu never went home. At work’s end, he sank a bronze ox in the waters, a talisman to tame the flow (a replica of the ox guards the shore of Kunming Lake in Beijing’s Summer Palace). Today, river control continues on a massive scale. To stop flooding, the riverbed is dredged, diversion channels are cut and reservoirs constructed on the river’s tributaries. Land around the river has been forested to help prevent erosion and so keep the river’s silt level down.
Surrounded by colossal sand dunes, the Ningxia resort of Shapotou is probably the most spectacular place from which to view the Yellow River, but for most of its course it meanders across a flat flood plain with a horizon sharp as a knife blade. Two good places to witness this are at the Yellow River Viewing Point in Kaifeng and from the Yellow River Park outside Zhengzhou. To see the river in a more tempestuous mood, take a diversion to Hukou Falls, farther north on the Shaanxi–Shanxi border.
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Dr. Meiborg Christa Maria & Kiessling Andreas
We are very satisfied with the tour - Tour gudie, driver and the agency (Wendy). Always felt safe and well protected! Thank you!
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