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NZCFS Center China Tour 2018

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Another year has passed with another successful NZCFS tour. Our 2018 tour took its participants to explore the center of China. As with all of the NZCFS tours, the trip provided its participates with a unique glimpses into China – the likes of which they could not experience from other commercial tour companies.

This tour didn’t fail to deliver a unique experience – for one our lead tour guide experienced a minor slip up and slipped up causing him to be hospitalised for a few days. Fortunately this didn’t put a dampener on the trip and the 18 participants carried on to have a fantastic time.

The highlights of the trip were various, with the participants coming back positively buzzing about their experience.

The travelers visited a number of sites of cultural and historical significance – learning about China’s vibrant and sometimes bloody history.

For many of the travelers Nanjing was an eye opening experience – While Nanjing today is the Capital of Jiangsu Province it used to be the Capital of the whole of China. The city boasts many important heritage sites as well as breathtaking natural scenery. During the visit the group also learn about the Nanjing Incident and how the citizes coped during its aftermath.

Keeping with the theme of historical capitals, the group traveled to Kaifeng in Henan province. Kaifeng is one of the Eight Ancient Capitals of China. The group got to learn about Kaifeng’s vibrant history – including the seven dynasties which had established their capitals there. The group also got to visit a range of important landmarks including the Iron Pagoda and Dragon Pavilion.

Many of the participants in the tour had requested that the tour focus on the history of Modern China and they were not disappointed – the Center Tour also explored the early lives of Mao Zedong and Liu Shaoqi – and their roots in Hunan. While visiting sites of historical significance the tour members were able to get a understanding of what China was like in the early to mid 20th Century. One of the stops along the way was Fenghuang County, an Ancient town, perched beside a river and between mountains was a favorite place for Rewi Alley who would regularly retreat there to write.

The group also toured the UNESCO scenic reserves of Zhangjiajie (Hunan province) and  Wulong (Chongqing )  where they experienced the natural side of China. By going from the massive urban center of Nanjing to the remote and peaceful forests of  Zhangjiajie reminded our tour members how diverse China really is.

A highlight for all of the group was the visit to the Yangtze River. The Yangtze is the third longest river in the world connecting Shanghai, Nanjing with inland cities such as Chongqing – the group took a cruise on the river (now more a reservoir), getting to see the stunning natural and man-made scenery along the way.

While in Chongqing the group managed to sample a range of spectacular regional dishes including the world famous Chongqing Hot Pot – enjoyed by all, albeit in retrospect by some!

If you have read this and are interested to participate in future NZCFS tours please get in touch with us.