12 days
Beijing and WE Charity Community – Estimated 20 Service Hours
Meaningful. Sustainable. Unforgettable.
Travel over 6,000 miles to a country where ancient history, tradition and culture influence daily life. Your journey through China begins in Beijing, a city rooted in tradition while simultaneously paving a new path into the future. Climb the Great Wall and marvel at the Forbidden City—home of the imperial palace of the Ming Dynasty. Investigate the challenges of the rural countryside in contrast to nearby modern cities. Together with WE Charity, an award-winning charity, you’ll work side by side with locals building and restoring projects in school communities, exploring new ways to fund rural education efforts, teaching English to students and even learning Mandarin. As you implement these sustainable solutions, you’ll be immersed in the culture and forging lasting connections to the communities you serve.
Your service project themes
We work with the award-winning charity WE Charity to better understand the needs of each community and then focus projects on those issues. Themes include:
- Education
- Health
- Clean Water and Sanitation
- Alternative Income and Livelihood
- Agriculture and Food Security
Day 1: Fly overnight to China
Day 2: Arrive in Beijing
Meet your Tour Director at the airport. After you arrive at your accommodations, settle in and meet your group for the country orientation and safety overview.
Day 3: Beijing
Explore the city on foot with your expert local guide.
- Visit the Summer Palace, over 700 acres of lakes, palaces and gardens, and participate in a tai chi lesson.
- Enjoy a dragon boat ride in the city.
- Explore the Forbidden City, the imperial palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty.
- Walk through Tiananmen Square, an historic square in Beijing and site of noted political events.
- Enjoy a traditional dinner of Peking duck with your group.
Day 4: Badaling
Travel to Badaling, the most visited section of the Great Wall of China.
- Take a tour the Great Wall of China.
- Experience a Huton Rickshaw ride.
- Enjoy an authentic Chinese dinner at a local family’s home.
Days 5-10: Service Project— WE Charity Community
As communities evolve so do their needs. That’s why we work closely with WE Charity to better understand local challenges. Since projects are determined closer to your actual tour date, here’s a glimpse at what a typical day might look like.
- Each morning, you’ll begin your service projects in a nearby village.
- Spend the afternoon immersed in cultural activities.
- In the evening, reflect, discuss events as a group, and draw connections between the day’s work and relevant global issues.