Destinations: Terracotta Army, Huashan Mountain, Living Culture
Xi'an was China's capital for over a thousand years - the eastern end of the Silk Road and the city of the Terracotta Warriors. This 6-day educational tour builds on that depth: the imperial tomb archaeology of the warriors, the dynastic collections of the Shaanxi History Museum, the ancient city wall, and hands-on sessions in calligraphy and hanfu dressing. With direct international flights, Xi'an works beautifully as a standalone gateway - or as the first stop of a longer history programme.
Optional Extensions
Day 1 - Arrival & the Wall at Sunset: Transfer from Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (direct flights from Europe, the Middle East and Asia). Settle in, then walk the ancient City Wall at sunset - 12 metres high, 14 kilometres around - and look down on the chessboard old town. Evening welcome dinner with hand-pulled noodles.
Day 2 - The Terracotta Army: A full guided morning at the Terracotta Army pits: the thousands of life-size clay soldiers, each with a unique face, standing where they have guarded the tomb of the First Emperor since 210 BCE. The museum explains the discovery, the Qin unification and the kilns that made the army. Afternoon: a hands-on archaeology workshop - a model excavation where students "unearth" and catalogue their own finds.
Day 3 - Dynastic Treasures: Morning at the Shaanxi History Museum, one of China's great collections: bronzes, Tang dynasty gold and silk-road relics that trace Xi'an's thousand-year imperial story. Afternoon at the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, built to house sutras brought from India, and the Tang Paradise district, a full-scale recreation of the Tang capital's pleasure quarter.
Day 4 - Living Culture: Morning calligraphy workshop with a master: brush grip, stroke order, and writing your own name in Chinese. Afternoon hanfu session - dress in the robes of a Tang scholar or Ming noble, with hair styled and a photoshoot in a period courtyard. Evening: the Muslim Quarter food streets - a walking dinner of lamb skewers, biangbiang noodles and pomegranate juice.
Day 5 - School Exchange & Free Afternoon: Morning inside a partner Xi'an school: shadow classes, joint sports or a Chinese-language exchange. Afternoon free: the Bell Tower area, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, or a rest before the farewell dinner.
Day 6 - Departure: Free morning for souvenir shopping (replica warriors, calligraphy scrolls), then transfer to the airport.
