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China/Tibet

The Best of China: Imperial Capitals, Tibet and the Yangtze River

Program No. 19406RJ
Discover Tibet’s nomadic grasslands and explore firsthand China’s cultures and countryside. Walk the Great Wall of imperial Beijing and sail the Yangtze to contemporary Shanghai.

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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Apr 8 - Apr 28, 2024
Starting at
5,399
Filling Fast!
Apr 19 - May 9, 2024
Starting at
5,399
Filling Fast!
May 3 - May 23, 2024
Starting at
5,399
Filling Fast!
May 8 - May 28, 2024
Starting at
5,399
Aug 21 - Sep 10, 2024
Starting at
5,399
Sep 2 - Sep 22, 2024
Starting at
5,399
Oct 9 - Oct 29, 2024
Starting at
5,399
Oct 16 - Nov 5, 2024
Starting at
5,399
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Apr 8 - Apr 28, 2024
Starting at
6,449
Apr 19 - May 9, 2024
Starting at
6,449
May 3 - May 23, 2024
Starting at
6,449
May 8 - May 28, 2024
Starting at
6,449
Aug 21 - Sep 10, 2024
Starting at
6,449
Sep 2 - Sep 22, 2024
Starting at
6,449
Oct 9 - Oct 29, 2024
Starting at
6,449
Oct 16 - Nov 5, 2024
Starting at
6,449

At a Glance

Absorb the complex identity of China on a grand journey that brings you face-to-face with the country’s glorious treasures and modern identity. Feel the energy of Beijing and Shanghai, experience life along the Yangtze River and discover the fascinating land of Tibet on the “Roof of the World.”
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to three hours daily over varied terrain. Some stairs without railings. Elevations up to 12,000 feet.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Travel to Tibetan grasslands where nomadic families raise yak, sheep and goats.
  • Marvel at the massive Buddhist cliff carvings of the Longmen Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Voyage down the Yangtze River, sailing through its legendary gorges, to the Three Gorges Dam to examine firsthand this extraordinary feat of engineering.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Yang Hongying
Professor Yang Hongying is an expert in the study of foreign language and linguistics at Xi'an International Studies University, where she leads courses in Chinese culture and international studies. She has received numerous teaching awards, and also has received advanced degrees in cultural heritage studies from the Institute of European Studies in Macau, and in education from the University of New South Wales in Australia. Yang has published numerous papers on museum text translations and international culture studies, and has given lectures on Chinese culture and heritage in China, Macau, and Singapore. She has worked with and taught Road Scholar groups for more than 10 years.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Yang Hongying
Yang Hongying View biography
Professor Yang Hongying is an expert in the study of foreign language and linguistics at Xi'an International Studies University, where she leads courses in Chinese culture and international studies. She has received numerous teaching awards, and also has received advanced degrees in cultural heritage studies from the Institute of European Studies in Macau, and in education from the University of New South Wales in Australia. Yang has published numerous papers on museum text translations and international culture studies, and has given lectures on Chinese culture and heritage in China, Macau, and Singapore. She has worked with and taught Road Scholar groups for more than 10 years.
Profile Image of Baima Wangdui
Baima Wangdui View biography
Professor Baima Wangdui is a senior professor in the Art Department of Tibet University. He is an expert on Thangka painting and gives numerous student lectures on the subject. In addition, he has extensive knowledge in Tibetan Buddhism, to which Thangka art is very closely linked.
Profile Image of Suolang Wangmu
Suolang Wangmu View biography
Professor Suolang Wangmu, a senior professor at Tibet University, received her doctorate in linguistics from the University of Bergen in Norway. She has been a visiting scholar at Sichuan University Department of Foreign Studies, and the University of York in Britain. Professor Suoloang Wangmu has often traveled abroad as an invited lecturer on the subject of Tibetan religion.
Profile Image of Hao Liu
Liu grew up in a northern Chinese city near Beijing and studied American literature and English at Hebei University. He has been leading Road Scholar programs for more than 10 years and has traveled extensively in China, Tibet, Mongolia and Vietnam. Liu enjoys reading Chinese history and listening to traditional Chinese music. He adds, “I love my job with all my heart. I sincerely want to show my beautiful country to our Road Scholar learners. I look forward to every program I lead.”
Profile Image of Li Jiang
Li Jiang is an instructor of traditional Chinese musical instruments. He started learning the violin at the age of 6 and has remained devoted to this instrument ever since. He extended his study to other musical instruments including the erhu, bawu, guitar and piano. He is a self-taught fluent speaker of English, having studied the language for over thirty years. He has traveled to Japan and Europe for art exchanges, making him a valued contributor to China's national culture and arts development.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
China Reading and Film List
by Availability
An annotated reading and film list is an attachment near the end of the First Information Packet sent to participants three months before departure. To receive it earlier in a separate email, send your email request to Chinese American Educational Exchange: toc@ix.netcom.com. Be sure to include the program number in which you are enrolled and the departure date.





Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.