China is firmly back on the travel agenda, and World Expeditions is encouraging Australians to look beyond the familiar as domestic tourism increases pressure on the iconic cities and attractions. Drawing on decades of experience operating active journeys in the country, the adventure travel specialist has launched five new itineraries spanning the ancient Silk Road, regional food traditions, premium active touring and the winter landscapes and heritage of Shanxi, giving both first time and repeat travellers new ways to experience one of the world’s most diverse destinations.
The expanded program comes as CEO Sue Badyari returns from travelling through China with her son Isaak on the company’s China Bike & Hike itinerary, an experience she says challenged outdated perceptions and reinforced the possibilities for active, experience led travel.
“China today is an incredibly dynamic destination,” Badyari said. “You move between ancient trade routes, remote communities and landscapes few Western travellers have heard of, then arrive in cities connected by extraordinary modern infrastructure. Experiencing those contrasts first-hand, with ancient history alongside renewable energy projects and rapid technological development, is fascinating.”
“What struck me most was what happens when you get beyond the headline sights. Travelling on foot or by bike slows everything down. You meet the people, eat in small local restaurants and experience landscapes and traditions you’d simply pass by on a conventional itinerary. That deeper connection is what travellers are looking for.”
World Expeditions pioneered commercial cycling in China in 1980 and has operated remote Great Wall treks and Yunnan Meili Mountain journeys since. The same principles of thoughtful route design, experienced local guides and strong logistical support have always applied across its cycling and trekking programs.
“China is made for this style of exploration because the scale and diversity are extraordinary,” Badyari said. “It’s now time to marry our active style of travel with some very interesting soft adventure and showcase a side of China few get to experience.”
So, among the new additions is Western Silk Road: Chengdu to Jiayuguan, a seven-day journey into a lesser-visited side of China. Beginning with giant pandas and the vibrant street life of Chengdu, the trip travels west through Gansu to the spectacular Rainbow Danxia, ancient Buddhist grottoes and Qilian Mountains, before finishing at Jiayuguan Fort on the Great Wall’s historic western frontier. Departures commence in October 2026, priced from A$3,390 per person.
Premium China: Natural Wonders & Cultural Highlights pairs the icons (Beijing, Terracotta Warriors, Great Wall, Chengdu pandas) with lesser-known Furong Ancient Town and the sandstone formations of Zhangjiajie. The 12-day journey includes boutique accommodation, first-class rail and active day walks, with highlights including a dumpling class, tai chi and a behind-the-scenes panda visit. Two departures in April and October 2027, from A$6,990 per person.
Shanxi: Ancient China in Winter travels from Beijing into Shanxi Province across eight days, taking in Yungang’s UNESCO grottoes, the Hanging Temple, Yingxian Wooden Pagoda and walled Pingyao. A seasonal centrepiece is Hukou Waterfall, where winter ice transforms the Yellow River landscape. December to February departures from A$3,490 per person.
The China Silk Road Cultural Journey is an epic 17-day traverse of the ancient trading route, from Beijing and Xi’an’s Terracotta Warriors through the Buddhist monastery at Xiahe and the grottoes of Dunhuang, skirting the Gobi Desert to Turpan and finishing at Kashgar’s storied markets. September and October 2026 and April and May 2027 departures, from A$6,490 per person.
Badyari says food is another compelling reason to experience China more slowly.
“Food was one of the defining parts of my recent trip. After a day of walking or cycling, we might find ourselves having lunch in a small family-run restaurant and later experiencing completely different regional specialities in a larger town or city. The variety is extraordinary, and food becomes another way of understanding the people and places you are travelling through.”
Food is the route map on the 15-day Flavours of China, which traces seven regional cuisines, from Sichuan to Beijing, by high-speed rail with no internal flights. Markets, tea houses and hands-on cooking sit alongside pandas, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. Two departures in April and October 2027, from A$6,790 per person.
For Badyari, the breadth of the new program reflects a country that rewards curiosity.
“China is enormous, complex and constantly changing. There is so much more to it than the places most visitors already know. Whether you are walking beneath the sandstone pillars of Zhangjiajie, cycling through rural landscapes, eating your way through seven regional cuisines, exploring the Silk Road or seeing ancient Shanxi in winter, the opportunity is to go beyond the iconics and discover a China that can genuinely surprise you.”
