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China Summer Programme: From Steppe to Silk Road
A 14-day journey through Beijing, Inner Mongolia and Xi’an, led by British teachers in an all-English environment. Students learn alongside international and Chinese peers while discovering imperial palaces, the grasslands and the ancient Silk Road.
Book a place
1 · Dates and fees
Summer 2027 dates and fees
From Steppe to Silk Road
Beijing, Ordos (Inner Mongolia) and Xi’an, with cultural classes in English, workshops and guided visits. Accommodation, meals, transport within China and all tickets included.
Programme dates
Not included
Fees are per student. Parents arrange international flights and travel insurance. A visa invitation letter is provided within 7 working days of booking where needed.
2 · The programme
British teaching, Chinese culture
From Steppe to Silk Road combines British teachers and courses with the history and living culture of China. Students travel from the imperial capital of Beijing to the grasslands of Inner Mongolia and on to Xi’an, the ancient starting point of the Silk Road.
The whole programme runs in English. International students and Chinese students learn, travel and take part in activities together, so everyone practises their English and makes friends from around the world.
Groups are deliberately small. There are only 40 places, a staff-to-student ratio of 1:5, and one lead teacher for each group who stays with the students throughout the trip.
3 · The summer programme
Three cities in fourteen days
The journey starts in Beijing with the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the hutongs and the Great Wall. Students then take the high-speed train to Ordos in Inner Mongolia for six days of cultural classes, sport, workshops and a full day on the grasslands.
The final stage is Xi’an, home of the Terracotta Warriors and the Ming City Wall, before the bullet train returns the group to Beijing for departure.
Itinerary: day by day
The order of visits within each city may change.
| Day | City | Theme | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Beijing | Arrival and welcome | Airport pick-up, check-in and a camp icebreaker to meet the group and teachers |
| Day 2 | Imperial Beijing | The Forbidden City and the Summer Palace, and a walk through Beijing’s historic hutongs | |
| Day 3 | The Great Wall | A visit to the Great Wall of China. High-speed train to Ordos. | |
| Days 4–8 | Ordos, Inner Mongolia | Culture and classes | Five cultural classes in English and sports. Kangbashi musical fountain show and the Ordos Museum. Mongolian intangible heritage and music workshops, and dumpling making. A performance at the Genghis Khan Mausoleum with horse riding. |
| Day 9 | Grassland day | A full-day grassland excursion with a Mongolian horse performance | |
| Day 10 | Xi’an | Into the Silk Road | Train to Xi’an and an evening stroll along the Muslim Quarter food street |
| Day 11 | Terracotta Warriors | The Terracotta Warriors Museum, including making your own warrior, and the Romance of the Ages show | |
| Day 12 | Ancient Xi’an | The Small Wild Goose Pagoda, the Ming City Wall, Hanfu dress-up and a Tang Dynasty city walk | |
| Day 13 | Return to Beijing | Final day with the group. Bullet train back to Beijing. | |
| Day 14 | Beijing | Departure | Free transfer to Beijing Capital Airport |
Classes and activities
In Ordos, five cultural classes taught in English link language learning with Mongolian and Chinese culture. Hands-on workshops, sport and performances fill the rest of the programme.
Places you’ll visit
All entrance tickets are included.
Care and practical information
Included in the fee
Book your place for summer 2027
Only 40 places are available. A £1,000 deposit secures a place. Complete the booking form, or send us an enquiry and we’ll answer any questions. You can also email info@summerschool-uk.com, call UK +44 7536 280032 or China +86 151 4957 4825, or add us on WeChat: LiveOurDreamsUK.
New to booking? Read the course booking procedure.