You want to plan a school trip to China, but China is a huge country and whilst a school trip there can be extremely rewarding it could also seem like an impossible task if you don’t know where to start! Here are a few key questions you should ask yourself to get started on how to plan a school trip to China.
1. What do you want students to learn from the trip?
Deciding the reason you wish to plan a school trip to China will quickly help to plan an itinerary. Are you interested in the history of China or the more modern aspects such as business? Are there are activities that are a must, such as Great wall camping or the Terracotta Warriors? Is there a particular subject you wish to focus on, such as wanting students to practice or learn some Mandarin? Some schools visit China simply to learn about the culture by visiting the key historical sites and local people, whilst others prefer to learn about contemporary China with business visits. Whatever you choose it’s sure to offer their students a unique and exciting experience.
2. What is your budget?
Deciding a budget that is realistic for your students can help to decide how to plan a school trip. With a lower budget 1-2 places might be a better option, whilst a higher budget could cover more. China can be a relatively cheap country and there are ways to cut costs such as hostels or overnight trains. Alternatively a higher budget might allow for high speed trains or internal flights along with higher quality accommodation.
3. How long do you have?
It’s important to have enough time in each place you choose to visit, whilst seeing as much as you can. When you plan a trip a school trip to China it is advisable to be able to spend 3-4 days in the bigger cities (Beijing and Shanghai) and at least a couple of days for the smaller cities/ countryside areas such as Xi’an or Chengdu. Overnight trains are a great way of saving time and allowing you to see more of the country.
4. Do you want to focus on big cities, countryside, or both?
There are a lot of interesting aspects to both city and countryside life in China and a combination of both could also be a great way to see a little bit of everything. Mega cities such as Beijing and Shanghai offer the famous attractions such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City, The Bund and Nanjing Road. Smaller cities such as Chengdu offer opportunities to get up close to the Giant Pandas and hiking. It’s a great experience for students to see a mix of different kind of places, China is diverse and varied and every area has a different feel!
Answering these questions will help to clarify what kind of trip you should plan a school trip that will help your students get the most out of the experience. If you need any inspiration for which places to visit check out our China Bucket list!
