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Recognized by National Geographic, Condé Nast Traveller and Travel + Leisure as the pioneering travel company in China, AsiaTravel has accomplished a lot of “firsts” in our time. From the kora of Meili Snow Mountain in 1999, to launching the Tea and Horse Caravan in 2004, to pioneering ascents in the Abujee region of Tibetan Yunnan, AsiaTravel has always embraced an untamed spirit for adventure and innovation.

Simply put, we believe in commitment to a curious life. With that in mind, this year AsiaTravel is launching a new endeavor right in our backyard. Where the Wild Things Are: A AsiaTravel Series will bring intimate bi-monthly dinners to the Beijing community to feature members of our esteemed expert network. We look forward to offering an unparallelled experience for Beijing residents and visitors alike — an intimate and informative evening spent with renowned entrepreneurs, journalists, photographers and environmentalists.

To kick off this series, Hollywood producer Janet Yang will be speaking on Thursday evening, March 15th at In & Out. Yang has distinguished herself by serving as a bridge between East and West, and the business and creative communities, for decades.

Initially representing Chinese films for North American distribution in the early 80’s, she was then hired by the major Hollywood studios to broker the first sale of American films back to China.  This was followed by her start in production working with Steven Spielberg on the historic production in Shanghai of EMPIRE OF THE SUN. After a stint as a production executive at Universal, Yang joined Oscar winner writer/director Oliver Stone, serving as President of their company, Ixtlan.  There she produced, among many others, THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT (Golden Globe Awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay and Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Actor), and the THE JOY LUCK CLUB, based on the best-selling novel by Amy Tan.  Most recently, Yang wrapped production in Shanghai on the film, SHANGHAI CALLING.  Her previous productions were a Chinese version of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL for Disney, and the film DARK MATTER with Meryl Streep.

Event Details:

• In & Out Yunnan Restaurant 云南一坐一忘餐厅
• Sanlitun North Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing No. 1 北京朝阳区三里屯北小街1号RMB 250 to be paid at the door
• Dinner is capped at 35 people. RMB 250 at the door

Event Rundown:

• 6:30 p.m. Registration 登记
• 7:00 p.m. Opening remarks & speaker introduction 开场白并向大家介绍我们的特邀嘉宾
• 7:30 p.m. Dinner served 晚餐开始

Time and again, employees of AsiaTravel are asked by clients, friends and family about their favorite places to travel in China.  This is a really hard question. And while many of us may hum and yaw for a few minutes, Tibet comes up as one of the most amazing places to travel in the world. There is something very special about visiting the birthplace of the Dalai Lama, witnessing monks in worship, soaking in the panoramic views of the Himalayas and having your first sip of yak butter tea…

This summer, AsiaTravel is offering three unique offerings for Tibet travel.

Family Adventures in Tibet: On the Roof of the World is a seven-day trip  geared towards family travel. Depending on the ages of your group, AsiaTravel will customized activities appropriate for the travelers. For  young families, participate in a prayer flag making class and moderate biking surrounding Lhasa, while families with older children can spend a morning volunteering at Jatson Chumig, an NGO geared towards educating Tibetan youth and camping outside on the Tibetan plateau. Smores included!

Potala Palace, Lhasa

Tibet’s Mt. Everest: Journey to Base Camp, a a 9 day trip in Tibet, visits Lhasa and Shigatse, the second largest town in Tibet and the seat of the Panchen Lama, but the real highlight of this journey is the visit to Mt. Everest base camp. Used by climbers of the northeast ridge of Mt. Everest, the North Base Camp is located in a sheltered spot directly below the massive north face of Mount Everest.  After visiting base camp, descend to the Nepalese border or, for a more rugged experience, traverse onward to Mt. Kailash for a challenging, 3-day pilgrimage trek.

Mt. Everest

Do you have a high school student passionate about China? If so, get in touch to learn more about AsiaTravel’s 2012 Summer Expedition. Departing from San Francisco (June 30-July 21, July 14th-August 4th), students will travel with experienced AsiaTravel tour leader Devin Corrigan to Beijing, Yunnan in Southwest China and have the opportunity to partake in +30 hours of community service.  In Tibet, the group will undertake a trek they may never top: three nights of hiking and camping through the Tibetan countryside to the pass of Jeshul La, stopping to explore villages and a monastery before reaching Yamdrok Lake, which, at 14,500 feet, kisses the sky above with equally blue water. For application information, please get in touch at education@wildchina.com.

Yumbulakhang in Tsedang

Don’t see a trip that perfectly fits your travel needs? Don’t worry– we have countless ideas to customize the perfect journey for you.

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Before international airfare spike, now is the perfect time to plan your Tibetan summer adventure.  Get in touch with AsiaTravel at info@wildchina.com.

Want to read more about Tibet? Check out AsiaTravel travelers Janet Heininger and Jamie Reuter’s blog on their experiences traveling in Lhasa.

Since 2001, AsiaTravel has been the leader in cultural immersion and adventure expeditions for student travel in China.  This year, AsiaTravel is thrilled to be leading a select group of 2012 AsiaTravel Student Expedition Explorers to Beijing, Yunnan and Tibet to experience elements of community service, physical challenge and cultural immersion. 

On the 26 day journey, students will climb the Great Wall at Jinshanling, an off-the-beaten path portion of the wall and then spend the night of a lifetime barbequing and camping out alongside one of the wonders of the world. Immerse yourself in the rhythm of life in a small mountain village as you work with local villagers in the rugged and gorgeous southwest province of Yunnan. Spend three days trekking in Tibet, in areas infrequently visited by international travelers.  Expect to complete 40 hours of community service.

Trip Highlights:

• Wander across the behemoth Tian’anmen Square, stroll through the sprawling Forbidden City, and marvel at China’s most stunning – and deservedly iconic – sites

• There’s more to China than the famous images we can all conjure. Spend an unforgettable morning at Beijing’s Huiling School for the intellectually disabled, exchanging games, activities, and crafts

• In Old Town Lijiang in Yunnan province, weave between atmospheric cobblestone streets, willow-lined waterways and decorative arched bridges as you explore one of China’s most beautiful cities

• Roll up your sleeves and get to work helping the proprietor of an eco-lodge in Shangri-la. There’s plenty of landscaping and painting to be done!

• Do as the Tibetans do: in the far north of Yunnan, we’ll sample the salty Tibetan tea and cheese, dance with a gleeful Tibetan family, master the basics of the Tibetan language, and receive an introduction to the ancient art of Thangka painting

• Bike a kora around Lhasa, stopping by Jatson Chumig School for a day of service and cultural exchange with the school’s orphans

• Undertake a trek you may never top: three nights of hiking and camping through the Tibetan countryside to the pass of Jeshul La, stopping to explore villages and a monastery before reaching Yamdrok Lake at 14,500 feet, which kisses the sky above with equally blue water

With the assistance of local Beijing, Yunnan and Tibet guides, the trip will be led by Devin Corrigan, a AsiaTravel Manager and experienced tour leader. Devin originally hails from the Boston area and has spent nearly three years living in China.  In addition to his projects in the office, he also leads many of our education trips – a continuation of an interest he developed in college while leading fellow students on hiking and camping excursions near Washington, D.C. In his free time, Devin conducts research work for The New Yorker magazine, devours travel writing, hunts for new sections of the Great Wall to hike, and squeezes in as many trips around Asia as he possibly can. Devin graduated with an honors degree in Chinese language and English literature from Georgetown University.

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For more questions about the 2012 AsiaTravel Student Expedition and to receive an application, please get in touch at info@wildchina.com. Apply now!

Last week, during a talk at the Capital M Literary Festival, Jeff Fuchs said something that got me thinking: “Tibetans own nothing but masses of land, huge herds and a fortune in rocks”. He was showing us some portrait photographs of the Tibetans he met on his journeys while researching and exploring the Tea and Horse Road that connected China with Tibet. Some of them were displaying beautiful collections of jewelry: necklaces, earrings, rings and trinkets made of turquoise, coral and pearls. These materials can’t possible be found naturally in Tibet. That idea resonated in my mind and I remembered reading something along those lines in Chris Buckley’s recently published book “Living Hands – Tibetan Arts and Artisans”.

Chris Buckley explains that Tibetan men and women often have large collections of  jewelry around their necks, treasured for fun, decoration, as a store of wealth or amulets for protection. They can be beads, zi stones, silver ornaments, amber, ivory, gawu (amulet cases) and thogcha (good luck charms). Some of these objects are made in Tibet or Nepal. Others travelled vast distances and are a testament to ancient trading links for which no written records exist. Pearls and coral were traded from the Mediterranean. Cloudy yellow amber came from the Baltic. Ivory arrived from India. Turqoise and agate were brought in from Afghanistan. Glass beads were traded from India, China and from eastern Europe.

The photograph above is courtesy of Chris Buckley. From the top: turquoise, agate, amber, zi beads, bone and a turquoise+silver hair ornament.

If you are interested in reading more about Jeff Fuchs’ Tea Horse Road Journey, and his love and passion for tea and mountains, visit his website. And for information about Jeff Fuchs’ expeditions with AsiaTravel visit here.

For more information about Chris Buckley’s book; or a previous review of the book on our blog.

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Pictures and text from Chelin Miller, AsiaTravel’s expert blogger on the finer things in China.

When she is not occupied with journeying around the world or updating her Weibo with the captivating sights she encounters on her travels, AsiaTravel’s founder, Mei, thoroughly enjoys exploring the outskirts of greater China, whether it means running a marathon in Inner Mongolia or trekking up the boding hillsides of Guizhou. Traveling luxuriously is one thing, but traveling luxuriously in style is another. For us at AsiaTravel, it is no surprise that Mei has effortlessly mastered both.

Whether she is racing along the Erhai Lake in Dali or simply on a treadmill at her local gym, Mei’s iPod nano is always by her side. Lightweight, durable, and reliable, this pink gadget has been her loyal companion on the most memorable runs through some of the most remarkable backdrops. So what are a few of the top hits on Mei’s track list? Not the predictable Mozart or Bach. As an avid fan of the latest chart-toppers, Mei’s eclectic taste in music ranges from Propellerhead’s jazzy beats to Adele’s crisp voice. Who says Lady Gaga is only for teenagers? Mei will be the first to admit that the country rock twist added to “Born This Way (Country Road Version),” along with the pop star’s strong vocals, are indispensable when running through nature’s most beguiling wonders. Besides, for those of you worried about getting lost amongst the monumental mountains of Abujee, the refrain will reassure you that you are in fact “on the right track.”

Not only does Mei have the perfect ‘pump-up’ track list for her run, she also looks très chic while doing so. From running shorts to racerback tanks and even socks, Mei is an avid fan of Lulu Lemon, an athletic apparel company whose lush lightweight fabrics ace the founder’s tests for functionality and durability. The racer back’s body-skimming fit is flattering and the top is so comfortable that you won’t ever want to take it off, even in exchange for your pajamas. With its loose fit, the featherweight “Light as Air” running shorts will help you “fly without taking off from the ground.” For the perfect amount of sun protection, Mei recommends the Adidas Adizero Sequence Hat, which, with its ClimaCool ventilation, will keep you cool, dry, and stylish all-in-one. For the winter months, check out a brightly-colored North Face Goretex Jacket to keep warm. Windproof and waterproof, nothing will ever get in your way from exploring Mother Nature ever again. Whoever said workout gear wasn’t fashionable?

An ardent runner, Mei knows from personal experience that the key to a great run is all in the sneakers. She loves the functionality of her Adidas Adistar Salvaation 3 , which helped her spring to the finish line in a recent marathon in Inner Mongolia. With its reliable support and cushioning, these sneakers are comfort and durability at their finest. With such a great pair of shoes, you are bound to get compliments while running in style. For hiking, Mei recommends Asolo’s indestructible hiking boots, which are perfect for trekking along the Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan in either rain or shine.

Want to give your lips a whole lot of love? Mei recommends Burt’s Bees Pomegranate Lip Balm, which will hydrate and revitalize your thirsty lips with antioxidant-rich pomegranate oil. Best of all, it smells absolutely delicious! L’Occitane’s best-selling crème is a classic, one of Mei’s go-to items. Even after an adventurous day exploring the high mountaintops of Gaoligong in Yunnan, this buttery cream makes her hands feel soft and luxurious.

What are some other necessities that Mei always keeps in her bright red, versatile REI Flash 18 Pack? Weighing in at almost nothing, this affordable and durable daypack is ideal for short hikes away from camp. It comfortably fits all of Mei’s essentials, from her impact resistant Camelbak water bottle to her handy dandy travel-size Purell Hand Sanitizer, which Mei admits, has collected as many mileage points as she has. Regardless of whether or not she is traveling by herself or with her kids, sunscreen is a must on Mei’s checklist. She loves the one from Shisedo, which not only boasts an SPF of 60+, but is also non-greasy and odor-free. To reenergize, Mei recently discovered the Dali Bar at Salvadore’s Cafe in Kunming, each and every one hand-made by locals. Consisting of a mixture of sunflower seeds, honey dates, oats, and walnuts, this bar is not only delectable, but also, full of nutrients. Who ever said healthy couldn’t taste good?

Whether it be luxury travel in China, chart-topping music, or the latest fashions, AsiaTravel’s founder Mei is on top of it all. How does she pamper herself post-travel? Mei loves to relax while taking a bath using some aromatic Hongjintian Bath Salt with a cup of her favorite Longjing Green Tea by her side. With a fashionista as its founder, AsiaTravel is not only a front-runner in simply luxury travel, but rather, luxury travel in style. Even Harper’s Bazaar is impressed!

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Check out Mei’s Weibo (@yunnanzhangmei) and Twitter for some more travel trips from the best of the best and like us on Facebook for constant updates on the latest travels news in China.

Have you ever woken up on a plane to discover that your flight has been rerouted mid-air? Or arrived at your destination only to discover every single bag is missing? Everyone has at least one story, that nightmare travel experience where a series of disasters have conspired to wreck a vacation. Sometimes it is a storm, sometimes it is a mechanical problem, sometimes its another thing entirely. Whatever the problem, you know you are going to spend a long time standing in line, or on the phone, while your wait for “the next available customer service representative.” Cue annoying music.

This past weekend, China was hit with a particularly aggressive weather system. A record rain storm in Beijing and a typhoon that passed over Hong Kong wreaked havoc on flight plans all over the country. While AsiaTravel could not keep the storm from coming, we were able to act as advocates for those who had booked travel with us. For those who wanted to let their families know they were alright, even in remote regions, we used their emergency numbers and called home on their behalf. For those who had children scared of the storm, our guides provided laughs. And for those whose flight plans were headed for a snarl, we provided a way out. This past weekend we had a group flying from Guilin to Lijiang via Kunming that had missed their connection as a result of delays. While these travelers were in the air, AsiaTravel arranged for a guide to meet them at their connecting airport free of charge. Our booking department then reached out to the airlines to get our guests on the next available flight, and when that did not work, we turned to our network of contacts to find seats. In the end, the group was able to make it to Lijiang only a few hours later then originally planned.

Our goal when we plan a trip for you is for it to be as smooth as possible, from start to finish. Whether you are exploring the Huanghuacheng section of the Great Wall, watching the sun rise on Mount Meili, or going on a trip to Pabongka Monastery in Tibet, we always prepare for the unexpected.

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Interested in joining us for a journey through China? Email us at info@wildchina.com and we will start working with you to create your perfect itinerary.

Photo of flight screen by Eye on Spain. Photo of fisherman by Michael Deng.

AsiaTravel’s latest installment of Where the Wild Things Are: A AsiaTravel Series is going to feature Asian renaissance man Laurence Brahm. Laurence has made a career out of activism and engagement in Asia for over twenty years. In addition to serving as an economic advisor for Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mongolia, and China over the last two decades, Laurence is also the author of over thirty books on Asian topics ranging from Art, to intellectual property, to business. Laurence is the founder and CEO of Shambhala Serai, a sustainable cultural and eco-tourism boutique hotel group based in Tibet and Beijing. Join us for a drink when Laurence discusses the implications and future of two of his favorite topics: Global Activism and Sustainable Tourism.

DETAILS:

When -Wednesday, September 5th at 6:30pm

Where– Face Bar  at No. 26 Dong Cao Yuan, Gong Ti Nan Street, Chao Yang District, Beijing, China.

How-The cost for the talk is RMB 80 and includes one drink and light appetizers. Reservations are required. To reserve tickets, please call 6465-6602 ext. 341

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To learn more about our Where the Wild Things are Series please see our past events here.

Photo by China Whisper

For the past four years, Tibet experiences a hiatus in tourism during the spring.  As we are moving to the end of May, Tibet is slowly opening up again to travelers.  Currently, permits to the autonomous region out west can be granted to groups of 5 or more people of the same nationality.  Thus, it is the perfect time to gather friends and family for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to this spiritual land…

Our journeys are briefly outlined here in Action Asia magazine, but no matter if it is a trip for your entire family or a group of friends camping out in the Tibetan countryside against the world’s most magnificent mountains, there is certainly something for everyone.

For travelers looking to travel in the Tibetan regions of Sichuan province, Ganze and Dege districts seem to be closed still while Litang and Yading reserves are open to foreigners.  Overland journeys from northwest Yunnan to  southeastern Sichuan are also fine.  For a peek into the lives of monks in these remote monasteries, check out AsiaTravel tour Sacred Buddhist Land.

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For more information, contact us at info@wildchina.com

Earlier today, AsiaTravel received more finalized news that Tibet is temporary closed off to foreign travelers during the month of June.  At present, local authorities are not issuing permits for foreign travelers to visit, although this could change at any moment.

Blossoming flowers outside of Lhasa, Tibet

Paint pots for Thangka painting

AsiaTravel wanted to share that earlier today we received word that local authorities have begun issuing permits for foreign travelers again. Foreign travelers are now able to secure the necessary visa that will enable them to enter Tibet, and we in fact have clients in Lhasa at the moment. AsiaTravel is very pleased with this news as Tibet in the summer is absolutely stunning. We have many clients who have bespoke tours planned through us this summer and look forward to welcoming them to this diverse and culturally rich region.  AsiaTravel will continue to track the situation on the AsiaTravel blog.

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Interested in traveling to Tibet? Take a look at Don’t miss Tibet traveling to Tibet this summer for travel tips and ideas. To learn more, please get in touch at info@wildchina.com.