China - Mountains, Monkeys & Terracotta Warriors

China may be the most populous country on Earth, but there are still corners of this vast and beautiful land where the wildlife reigns supreme. Spectacular national parks and reserves, such as Tangjiahe, Foping and Jiuzhaigou, protect some the country's most exciting mammals and birds, as well as some truly awe-inspiring landscapes. The provinces of Shaanxi and Sichuan lie in the mountainous heart of China, at the foot of the great Tibetan Plateau. Here, forested hills and high alpine meadows are home to some of Asia’s most soughtafter mammals including the rare Golden Snub-nosed Monkey and Golden Takin, plus many colourful birds such as White-throated Redstart and Blue Eared-pheasant. Indeed, in a few select corners of the most remote and inaccessible reserves, China’s star inhabitant, the Giant Panda, still roams free! These two provinces are also rich in cultural, as well as natural, history and no visit to the region would be complete without time in the company of Xi'an’s Terracotta Warriors, one of the world’s great archaeological treasures!

This new tour commences with a flight to the city of Xi’an and a visit to the Terracotta Warriors which date back 2,000 years to the reign of China’s first emperor. Moving on, we will visit Foping Nature Reserve to view its Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys, one of the most bizarre – but at the same time beautiful – species of primate. Then we will cross into Sichuan, stopping to view the endangered Crested Ibis en route, for three nights at Tangjiahe Nature Reserve. Here, on a series of day walks and night drives, we will look for Tufted Deer, Hog-nosed Badger and perhaps even Chinese Leopard Cat, plus Tawny Fish Owl and Little Forktail. After two nights in Wanlang Nature Reserve, on Sichuan’s northern border, and a further two nights in the spectacular Jiuzhaigou National Park, we will move on to Wolong Nature Reserve for a 3-night stay. Here we will ascend Balang Mountain to 4,500 metres, where we will be rewarded with the most dramatic of views and, hopefully, find both Tibetan Snowcock and the stunning Grandala. Although visitor access to the habitats of wild Giant Pandas is no longer permitted, we will end our tour with a visit to the Dujiangyan Giant Panda Centre, near Chengdu, a facility that specialises in the rehabilitation of captive-born pandas with the goal of reintroducing them into the wild.