2025
Immersion Excursion
Immersion Excursion 2025
Journey to the West-South...
June 19 - July 1
$6,000 per person
Open to all High Schoolers
Highlights
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25 hours of Chinese class time
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Pandas!
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Soak in the astounding surroundings of oblong mountains jutting out amidst terraced rice fields and picturesque villages on a cruise along the Li River
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Discovering the flavors and techniques of Sichuanese cuisine with a masterclass at the Sichuan Cuisine Museum
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Hike through the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces, which display a different concoction of vibrant colors with every passing season
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Experience the real, hidden China by interacting with various ethnic minority communities
Yes, Manhattan Mandarin Trips Are The Most Fun
"So so so great ! Covered so much ground, so many experiences and fun moments!! Amazing and hopefully you will do it again next year! I will be joining!! Thank you thank you!"
There's a good reason our trips are so loved by students and parents - we do what we loved to do when traveling through China as students ourselves.
Since 2015 we've genuinely enjoyed rediscovering China each year, reconnecting with old friends while giving our students the trip of a lifetime.
We travel as only Manhattan Mandarin can; keeping up a great pace while also making the most of our local relationships to provide the most unique and authentic tour experience possible.
We'll check out as many amazing spots as we can (at NYC speed) while slowing down to converse with new friends and deep dive into the culture. We've added cooking classes, calligraphy classes, epic hikes, feasts upon feasts, a company visit and much more.
Please join us for another amazing trip this summer.
Our 2025 Immersion Excursion
After hitting the old classics in Beijing and Xi'an, we're sweeping West-South! Sichuan and Guilin await.
Travel into the heart of the southwestern province of Sichuan, home of the panda and the pepper. Despite being the fourth largest city in China, Chengdu remains a calm metropolis with a relaxing teahouse culture. The slower pace of life in Sichuan makes it the perfect place for the laidback giant panda to prosper. On this trip, you’ll not only get the chance to view China’s cuddly icon at a panda base, you’ll also get the chance to sample Sichuan’s famous numbing peppercorns, experience Taoist spirituality, witness the Sichuanese operatic art of face-changing, and stand in the presence of the world’s largest stone Buddha.
With fairytale images of rustic lakeside farms, terraced rice fields, jagged karst peaks and colorful ethnic minorities, the southwest provinces of Guizhou and Guangxi have been a favorite refuge for travelers for decades. Selected as one of National Geographic Traveler‘s “Tours of a Lifetime,” this journey takes you on an exploration of the breathtaking backcountry and vibrant ethnic minority culture of these historically secluded areas. Starting in Guizhou, hike through remote pastures and rice paddies as you trace local footpaths from village to village, stopping to share meals and spend nights with local ethnic minority families, each with their own customs and traditions.
Itinerary
Beijing 北京
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Ping Pong and a refreshing stroll around Beihai • Kungfu lessons between the Bell Tower and Drum Tower in the ancient hutongs • Feast and karaoke with our old friends, a martial arts family who are 4th generation hutong legends
Hike along the Great Wall at Mutianyu, two hours outside of Beijing, after a revivifying lunch with local farmers • Stroll through the Panjiayuan ‘Antiques’ Flea Market, and navigate through thousands of stalls and shops selling souvenirs and antique replicas • Drive back into town and spend the evening at your leisure
Calligraphy Class in the hutongs • Explore the 798 art district • Tour the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square • Feast on Peiking Duck
Xi'an 西安
Day 4
Day 5
Spend the morning face-to-face with the 8,000 solders of the Terracotta Warriors Army, less than an hour outside the city • Head back into town to savor a mouthwatering lunch at one of the food stalls at Xi’an Muslim Quarter • Learn about Xi’an’s 1,300-year-old Muslim community by visiting the Great Mosque • Enjoy a commanding view of the ancient city center as you walk along the 12 meters (39 feet) high Ancient City Wall enclosing the historical heart of the city • Experience Xi’an with more than just your eyes by sampling some of Xi’an’s famous dumplings and getting a chance to learn how to make your own
Get an exclusive tour from a natural science and panda expert around the Louguantai Giant Panda Breeding Center, normally closed to the public • Get up close with giant pandas • Visit the Big and Small Wild Goose Pagodas, oldest structures in Xi’an located beyond the city walls, built in the 8th century to house Buddhist sutras
Chengdu 成都
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Learn the flavors and techniques of Sichuan cooking with a masterclass at the Sichuan Cuisine Museum • Explore Qingyang Taoist Temple, the birthplace of Lao Zi, the founding father of Taoism • Dance with Ayis in People's Park • Sip tea like the locals at Chengdu’s central teahouse, a traditional afternoon pasttime • Hot Pot Dinner!
Dujiangyan
Pass by waterfalls and bamboo forests as you hike up UNESCO World Heritage Site Qingcheng Mountain • Admire China’s cuddly black and white pandas at Dujiangyan Panda Base • Energy levels permitting, enjoy a face-changing Sichuan Opera show in the evening
Leshan
Arrive in Sujiao to try the famous qiaojiao beef at a beloved local joint • Admire the mesmerizing colossal Buddha, a 1,300-year-old sculpture that stands at 73 meters high • Prepare your belly with a visit to Leshan’s foodie draw: Zhanggongqiao Food Street where sizzling aromas and local favorites will stir up an appetite •
Guizhou 贵州
Day 9
Day 10
Xiaba - Kaili
Visit Xiaba village, a modern Han community • Hike through the quaint villages, dense bamboo groves and clear streams of Damochong Valley • Try your hand at traditional papermaking, and learn to make lanterns, notebooks and more in an array of colors, patterns and textures • Travel through mountain villages, stopping at Yangming Temple, which adheres to the rules of feng shui
Langde - Zhaoxing
Rise early for a golden sunrise over Mt. Kawegebo (if weather permits) • Spend time at Nixi Village on your drive to Shangri-La, once a key stop on the Tea Horse Road • Watch local craftsmen knead, fashion, and fire their famous black clay products • Stroll through the Dukezong Old Town, once an old trading post • Wander through the largest Tibetan lamasery in Yunnan, Songzanlin Monastery • Exchange stories over butter tea with the temple’s lamas • Enjoy a picnic lunch at Napa Wetland Park and explore its ephemeral lake on horseback • Spend an afternoon at the Shangri-La Craft Brewery.
桂林 Guilin & 阳朔 Yangshuo
Day 11
Day 12
Longsheng
Explore Sanjiang village, home to the Southern Dong ethnic minority and Chengyang village, bordering on the Linxi River • Spend the day hiking through minority villages along the verdant Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces
Guilin - Yangshuo
Cruise along the Li River, which many call the most beautiful river in all of China, to Yangshuo • Walk past stone houses down the cobbled streets of Fuli Old Town • Explore the village of Xingping, famous for its harmonious setting in the midst of the placid waters of the Li River and surrounding sharp karst peaks • Hike or bike near the calm Yulong River • Enjoy the spectacle of Impression Liusanjie, choreographed by the mastermind behind the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, in a natural amphitheater.
Where We Stay
Luxury Boutique
BANYAN TREE YANGSHUO
Nestled against the meandering Li River, Banyan Tree Yangshuo effortlessly intertwines traditional Chinese design with luxuriously appointed contemporary comforts.
5 Star
Canopy by Hilton Xi'an
Nestled amidst historic Tang Dynasty sites, Canopy by Hilton provides an exquisite retreat within a two-kilometer radius of museums, parks, and cultural attractions.
5 Star
Shangri-La GUILIN
Located on the famously picturesque Li River, the Shangri-La Guilin offers weary travelers comfortable, elegant rooms as well as indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
Luxury Boutique
The Orchid Beijing
House in a well-reserved old dwelling, The Orchid Hotel, Beijing is located in the historic Hutong area in the heart of Beijing, a 12-minute walk from Houhai Lake and the bars.
Details
*Stay tuned for an exact itinerary of flights, hotels, trains, and dates
What's Included
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All overland transfers with private chauffeur and in-transport refreshments
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All admission fees and activity expenses, as noted in the itinerary
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All meals as noted in the itinerary with complimentary drinking water
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All activities booked with our partners
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All accommodations, based on double-occupancy and including breakfast, service charge, and government tax
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Private chauffeur service