Inspire a passion for Chinese culture and the Mandarin language in China's ancient capital!
School trips to China offer students the opportunity to explore one of the world’s oldest civilisations.
There is an unparalleled wealth of culture and history to delight and intrigue students as they discover China’s ancient past in Beijing and its modern, pioneering side in Shanghai.
Our range of educational trips to China offers diverse learning opportunities. They're an excellent choice for many school subjects, including students studying Mandarin, geography, art and business studies.
Browse our trips
Activities in China that your school group will love
The Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China stretches 5,500 miles across northern China, from Shanhaiguan in the eastern province of Hebei.
Summer Palace
Beijing’s Summer Palace is one of the loveliest royal parks you are ever likely to set your eyes on.
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square is instantly recognisable to all as a symbol of the People’s Republic of China.
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City stands in the centre of Beijing as a monument to the city’s imperial history and rich cultural legacy.
Chao Yang Acrobatic Show
A Chinese acrobatic show is something that must not be missed by any visitor to Beijing.
Jade Buddha Temple
The architecture of the Jade Buddha Temple is very classical and stands out in Shanghai, which is generally a very modern city.
Shanghai Museum
The Shanghai Museum is China’s first world-class museum and houses a permanent collection of over 100,000 artefacts.
Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven is a stunning complex of religious buildings located to the south of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.
The Bund
The Shanghai Bund has dozens of historical buildings lining the Huangpu River, that once housed numerous banks and trading houses from all over the world.
Why visit China?
Explore the ancient culture
Whatever your reason for visiting, one of the best things about a school trip to China is the fact that it offers your students the opportunity to explore one of the world’s oldest and most influential cultures.
At the Forbidden City, you’ll explore Chinese hierarchy during Imperial times and the importance of symbolism in Chinese culture.
And you can even learn more about China’s recent history and political culture with a visit to Tiananmen Square.
Bring geography to life
In China, geographers can see how humans have adapted the landscape to meet their needs and how that, in turn, has affected civilisation.
Throughout history, the Chinese have exploited their natural landscape for human use. The fertile North China Plain offered the best opportunities for agriculture and the wealth that was generated here also meant that the political power centred around this region.
When exports became more important to the Chinese economy, ports like Shanghai began to experience rapid urbanisation as people rushed to the new centres of power and wealth.
Get your students talking
If your students are studying Mandarin, a school trip to China is unmissable. They’ll love the opportunity to interact with native speakers and practice their Mandarin skills.
We can also arrange for your group to visit a local school so that your students can practise speaking Mandarin with people of their own age. And while you’re there, you can all enjoy a calligraphy lesson too!
Where to visit in China
Beijing
Beijing will be an unforgettable experience for your students as they explore an ancient, vastly different culture.
Trips to Beijing are very popular with school groups learning Mandarin, giving students the chance to practice their language skills in real-life settings.
Shanghai
In Shanghai, your students can experience Chinese culture first-hand.
Shanghai is a great choice for a geography-focused trip, as you can learn about urban growth in a megacity. Shanghai also works well as a destination for cross-curricular or cultural trips.
Learn more
28 Feb 2023
Thinking about a secondary school trip but need some inspiration and support? Don't worry, our school travel experts are here to help with a collection of the best ideas for your group.
Why choose Halsbury?
We build your trip around you
Tell us your learning objectives, curriculum and budget and we’ll do the rest.
Contact usWe’re trusted for a reason
We’re members of ABTA, ABTOT and the School Travel Forum. We also hold an ATOL and the LOtC Quality Badge.
Read moreOur Education specialists
Laura Lucas
Tour Consultant
Paul Hudson
Tour Consultant
Laura Martin
Language Sales & Product Manager
Emma Gray da Silva
Tour Consultant
Meet our education specialists and get to know more about the people committed to making your school trip the best it can be.
FAQs
I can’t see the destination I’m looking to travel to, can you still help me with my trip?
Of course.
We've got great relationships with suppliers all over the world, so we should be able to arrange something for you to suit your budget and trip objectives in your preferred destination.
Just get in touch with us and we'll let you know what we can do.
Do you offer travel insurance?
We do. Travel insurance is an optional extra and you can find out more about it in our travel insurance resource (which includes the policy documents and FAQs).
If you decide against arranging this insurance through us (which is absolutely fine, by the way), please just remember you must have suitable travel and medical insurance to cover your group.
How far ahead should I start planning my trip?
As a general rule, we recommend that you start planning your trip 12-18 months before you want to travel. This gives you plenty of time to get it approved and launched to students and parents.
Planning early will mean you have a greater choice of accommodation and travel options - and it will make paying for the trip easier for families, as they'll be able to break it down into smaller, more manageable payments.
You can check out our trip-planning timeline for a better idea of the process and when you should expect to be doing things.
If you are looking to travel sooner than this, it is possible. It will depend on availability and you may find prices are a bit higher, but get in touch and we can see what's possible.
Can the trip itinerary be adapted to my curriculum and requirements?
Every single trip we arrange is tailor-made, so yes, the itinerary can be adapted.
Our Tour Advisers and Itinerary Coordinators are all experienced school travel specialists. They'll work closely with you to make sure your itinerary supports your learning objectives. They'll be able to offer suggestions and advice to make sure you make the most of your time.
So, when you're browsing through our school trips, just remember that the itineraries and activities you see are there for inspiration only - your own itinerary can look as similar or as different as you want.
Equally, we've suggested trip durations based on what groups usually request - if you want to go for a shorter or longer duration, just let us know.
What accommodation options are available?
The accommodation options that are available vary depending on the destination but we're usually able to arrange everything from hostel-style accommodation to more luxurious hotels.
On each of the trip pages, you'll see some accommodation options - these are usually the most popular for those destinations, but we often have plenty of other options available. You'll discuss accommodation options (and budget) with your Tour Adviser when they're putting your quote together, so don't be afraid to let them know if you want something different.
We only work with accommodation options that are suitable for schools. As a member of the School Travel Forum (STF), you can be certain that all accommodation contracted by us complies with local legislation with respect to fire and general safety, is contracted by trained Halsbury Travel staff or reputable agents, receives a standard audit and risk assessment prior to use by Halsbury Travel and receives a supplementary audit if it is used on five or more occasions in a year.
Let's chat!