Kung fu and pandas in China

Following the success of Kung Fu Panda, the DreamWorks film where an overstuffed and congenitally clumsy panda saves the day through his superlative martial arts prowess, Peregrine Adventure’s new all-action 10-day Kung Fu & Pandas Chinese family holiday has mastered all the necessary moves for a memorable oriental adventure.

The Great Wall is the first stop on this new Peregrine adventure and an excursion from Beijing chooses a quieter section of this mighty fortification for a guided stroll. Back in the capital, explore the courtyards, temples and residences of the Forbidden City, built more than 500 years ago and off-limits to commoners for most of this time. Then do what the local kids do… fly a kite in Tiananmen Square. Next, visit the historic Summer Palace before taking to the water and crossing Kunming Lake in a Dragon Boat.

Leaving Beijing, board an overnight sleeper train to the beautiful city of Luoyang and the remarkable UNESCO-listed Longman Grottoes - housing 100,000 statues, including an impressive 17.2m Buddha. Travelling on to Shaolin, visits include the famous Shaolin Temple whose monks famously seek inner peace whilst simultaneously beating the bejesus out of each other en route to mastery of Kung Fu. The monks train novices of all ages there’s an opportunity to watch a Kung Fu demonstration by the students. Kids will undoubtedly be thinking Kung Fu Panda whilst, if they’re honest, parents may own up to memories of Kwai Chang Cain walking on rice paper. A domestic flight precedes the next tour highlight - the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base at Chengdu.

Pandas have recently been returned to the facility after their precautionary removal to Beijing following this year’s major earthquake. The research base continues to dedicate its work to panda conservation through captive breeding, and is currently home to over 60 Giant Pandas. Close observation of these iconic endangered creatures will undoubtedly provide an enduring memory of the whole holiday. The tour’s final two days are spent in Shanghai, staying in a hotel close to the famous Bund waterfront area, the best place to see the remnants of the city’s colonial past whilst also to embracing its startling modern development. There’s plenty of time for shopping, sightseeing and to catch a performance during a special visit to the Children’s Palace of Shanghai, an arts school for gifted children.

The holiday costs £873 per adult and £764 per child (6 to 11 years) including airport transfers, domestic land and air transport, accommodation, some meals, sightseeing as per itinerary and the services of a local English-speaking Peregrine tour leader. International flights are not included.

For more information, log on to Peregrineadventures.co.uk.