Regions of China:

Several yurts and small buildings in a grassy field at sunset with mountains and a cloudy sky in the background.

Mongol
Region

The Great Wall of China winding over mountains covered in autumn foliage.

Han Region

An ice castle with tall towers and archways, illuminated by sunset, with signs indicating exits and attractions.

Manchu Region

A vast landscape with golden fields in the foreground, a range of snow-capped mountains in the background, and a partly cloudy sky overhead.

Tibetan Region

Colorful layered hills in a desert landscape under a clear blue sky.

Silk Road Region

Han Region

Traditional Chinese-style building with multiple tiers and red lanterns, situated near a body of water, surrounded by trees, with a distant cityscape in the background, during dusk.

Culture: The most populous and culturally dominant region of China. Here originated Confucian and Taoist traditions, Chinese writing, Chinese cuisine, and the classical forms of art, poetry, and government.
Ideal for: Introduction to historical, modern, and urban China. Daily life, technology, commerce, cultural heritage.
Key destinations:
- Beijing: Great Wall, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven.
- Shanghai: Pudong, the Bund, Yu Garden, contemporary urban life.
- Hangzhou: West Lake, tea culture.
- Xi’an (though located near the edge of the Hui region): Terracotta Warriors, capital of ancient dynasties.

Tibetan Region

Colorful prayer flags hanging in the wind near a Buddhist stupa or shrine, with a clear blue sky in the background.

Provinces: Tibet (Xizang), western Sichuan (Kangding, Litang), northwestern Yunnan (Shangri-La), southern Qinghai (Yushu).

Culture: Tibetan Buddhism, monastic traditions, sacred mountains, deep spirituality, distinctive architecture and cuisine.
Ideal for: Epic landscapes, spirituality, Tibetan mysticism, pilgrimage.
Key destinations:
- Lhasa: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple.
- Shangri-La (Yunnan): Accessible Tibetan nature and culture.
- Litang and Sertar (Sichuan): Authentic monasteries.
- High-altitude lakes, mountain passes, and glaciers: Sacred places filled with monasteries.

Silk Road Region

A small traditional Asian-style temple complex with multiple pagoda-style roofs, surrounded by trees and a pathway, is situated on a lush green patch next to a body of water, with vast sand dunes in the background.

Provinces: Xinjiang, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, part of Shaanxi.

Culture: A crossroads of Uyghur, Hui, and Persian cultures. Mosques, bazaars, adobe architecture, deserts, historic caravans.
Ideal for: Frontier culture, deserts, Chinese Muslim heritage, Silk Road history.
Key destinations:
- Jiayuguan, Dunhuang (Gansu): Frontier of the empire, Mogao Buddhist Caves (history of Buddhism’s entry into China).
- Kashgar (Xinjiang): Old Uyghur city, Muslim bazaar, ancient Silk Road hub.
- Turpan: Ancient ruins, oasis culture.
- Xi’an, Lanzhou (transition zone): Starting points of the Silk Road, Muslim cities.

Manchu Region

A historic brick church with black domes decorated with golden accents, located in an urban area with modern high-rise buildings surrounding it.

Provinces: Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning (with influence in northern Hebei and Beijing).

Culture: Homeland of the Qing dynasty. Manchu and Russian influences, cold climate, industrial past, and boreal forest landscapes.
Ideal for: History of the late empires, Russian architecture, winter nature.
Key destinations (best in winter):
- Harbin: Russian architecture, Ice Festival, wild nature.
- Changchun: Japanese colonial history (Manchukuo), border with North Korea (Changbaishan Mountain), ski areas, hot springs in the snow.

Mongol Region

Grazing cows on a green hillside with mountains and overcast sky in the background.

Provinces: Inner Mongolia (Nei Mongol), northern Gansu, parts of Heilongjiang.
Culture: Heritage of the Mongol Empire, yurts, equestrian and rugged nomadic culture, shamanic spirituality.
Ideal for: Nomadic experiences, horseback riding, steppe landscapes, Mongol Empire history.
Typical destinations:
- Hulunbuir Grasslands: Living nomadic culture.
- Ideally combined with the Gobi Desert and Outer Mongolia (proper Mongolia).

From remote mountain trails to cultural hidden gems, we design seamless, small-group adventures that combine exploration, and authentic local experiences.

Explore 11 Expeditions in China with Shambhala

Ice castle structures with towers and arches at sunset or sunrise, with directional signs in multiple languages.

January

Northeast China

Lush green tea plantations covering rolling hills with a small pond in the middle, under a hazy sky.

Late March

The Tea Route

Hilly neighborhood with traditional Asian-style buildings, some with balconies and tiled roofs, surrounded by trees, with the setting sun casting warm light on the structures.

April

Ethnic China

Mountain landscape with tall peak, green forest, and calm lake reflecting the scenery under a partly cloudy blue sky.

May

Wild West I

Colorful layered mountains in shades of red, orange, pink, and white under a pale blue sky.

Late June

Duku Highway

Traditional yurts on a grassy plain with rolling hills and mountains in the background during sunset.

July

Mongol Crusades

Snow-capped mountain peaks against a blue sky with some clouds, with green forested slopes at the base.

August

Wild West II

Scenic valley with mountains in the background, a river flowing through the valley, and a traditional multi-tiered temple with ornate roofing in the foreground.

September

Western Tibet

A traditional Asian pagoda-style building with multiple tiered roofs, in a desert landscape with sand dunes in the background.

October

Trans- Taklamakan

A desert landscape with sand dunes in the background, a single green tree in the middle, and a body of water in the foreground under a partly cloudy sky.

November

Silk Road Frontier

Nighttime aerial view of Shanghai skyline with lit skyscrapers, the Oriental Pearl Tower, and the Huangpu River with boats, under a sky with pink and orange clouds.

All Year Long

China Digital Economy

A man in winter clothing, wearing sunglasses and a fur-lined hood, stands outdoors in snowy weather.

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