China Classic: Beijing, Xi'an & Chengdu

Private transfer from Beijing Capital or Daxing Airport to the Rosewood Beijing. Welcome dinner with Wei at a Peking Duck restaurant in the Dongcheng district — a dish Wei regards as the single most important introduction to Beijing culture.

The Forbidden City — 980 buildings, 8,728 rooms, home to 24 emperors for 491 years — requires a half day to begin to understand. Wei's commentary covers the political geography (the south gate facing heaven, the north gate facing earth), the symbolic colours (yellow for the emperor, green for the crown prince), and the stories of the concubines and eunuchs whose lives were entirely contained within these vermillion walls. Tiananmen Square before or after. Afternoon free.

Morning at the Temple of Heaven — the most perfectly proportioned building in China, where the Ming and Qing emperors came to pray to heaven for good harvests. The surrounding park is alive with Beijingers doing tai chi, practising calligraphy with water on the stone paths, and playing erhu (two-string fiddle). Private calligraphy lesson with a master in an adjacent studio. Afternoon: Wei leads a walk through the Shichahai hutong neighbourhood — the most intact remaining section of old Beijing.

An early departure to reach the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall by 08:00 — before the coach tours arrive. The most scenic and best-restored section accessible from Beijing, with 22 watchtowers in 2.25km of wall. Wei walks the central section with guests, explains the construction (built by conscripted soldiers who worked until they died, and were buried within the wall), and identifies the mountain ranges of Hebei Province to the north. Return to Beijing for lunch.

High-speed train Beijing–Xi'an (approximately 5 hours, included). The G train is a remarkable piece of infrastructure; Wei uses the journey to brief guests on Xi'an and the Qin dynasty. Transfer to the Sofitel Legend People's Grand. This evening, a walk along the top of Xi'an's ancient city walls (completely intact, 13.7km of Ming-dynasty fortification).

The Terracotta Army — 8,000 life-size soldiers, horses and chariots, buried with the first emperor Qin Shi Huang in 210 BC, discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974, now one of the world's most significant archaeological sites. Wei's explanation of the political context — the emperor who built the Great Wall, standardised Chinese characters, unified the country and sought immortality — transforms the experience from spectacle to story. Pit 1 (the infantry), Pit 2 (the cavalry and archers) and Pit 3 (the command structure) each reveal something different.

Morning in the Muslim Quarter — the most important reminder that China's history includes a substantial Islamic tradition, brought by Silk Road merchants from Central Asia over 1,000 years ago. The Great Mosque of Xi'an (built in 742 AD) is the largest ancient mosque in China, and combines Chinese architectural forms with Islamic geometric decoration in a way that is entirely unique. Afternoon: bicycle ride along the top of the city walls (14km circuit, optional). Afternoon tea and free evening.

Morning at the Shaanxi History Museum — one of China's finest, housing Tang dynasty gold and silver, Han dynasty jade burial suits, and the most comprehensive collection of Silk Road artefacts in China. Flight Xi'an–Chengdu (included). Check in to the Temple House. This evening, a performance of Sichuan opera including the famous "face-changing" (bianlian) act.

An early morning visit to the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base — home to over 50 giant pandas and 70 red pandas, funded entirely from conservation income. Arrive at 08:00 when the pandas are active and feeding, well before the afternoon when they sleep. Wei explains the extraordinary conservation programme that has taken the species from approximately 1,000 individuals in 1985 to over 1,800 today. Return to Chengdu for a lazy afternoon.

Drive to Leshan (1.5 hours) to see the Giant Buddha — the largest stone Buddha in the world, carved from a cliff face between 713 and 803 AD. The 71-metre seated figure overlooks the confluence of three rivers; his shoulders alone are broad enough to park 100 cars. Wei explains the engineering (drainage channels built into the Buddha's body to protect the rock from water erosion — still functioning 1,200 years later) and the religious significance. Return to Chengdu.

Morning at Wenshu Monastery — the finest Chan Buddhist temple in Chengdu, with a remarkable vegetarian restaurant in the temple grounds that has been serving monks and visitors since the Tang dynasty. Mapo tofu lunch at a local restaurant — the iconic Sichuan dish, named after its inventor, an elderly pockmarked woman who served labourers near this monastery in the Qing dynasty. Afternoon free. This evening, a final dinner at a rooftop Sichuan restaurant that Wei has reserved for the occasion.

Final morning at leisure at the Temple House. Private transfer to Chengdu Tianfu International Airport for onward flights.