China motorhome tours launched

Worldwide Motorhoming Holidays, part of the Camping and Caravanning Club, has introduced two new fly-drive motorhome tours to its collection, to China.

Beyond the Great Wall is a 23-day tour and starts in Beijing with a September 2020 departure and a cost of £4,995 per person. The tour takes in the sites of China's capital and then heads into central China, visiting a total of 10 World Heritage Sites including Yungang Grottoes and the Shuanglin Temple.

The second tour, the Essence of China, is also 23 days with an April 2021 departure and a price or £4,600 per person. This 2,100-mile journey covers southwestern China, including UNESCO Lijiang and a trip through the Yuanyang rice terraces.

The rental motorhomes are Chinese-made but with European design and fittings, giving them a familiar feel. It's worth noting that the tours are designated as 'challenging', sometimes with large amounts of walking and the issues surrounding travelling on rural roads.

A support vehicle will travel alongside the group at all times, able to organise assistance if necessary. Drivers must be under 70 years of age and getting a Chinese driving permit involves a simple eye test at a local hospital.

There are no campsites on the Essence of China tour and only one on the Beyond the Great Wall tour - overnight stops are selected car parks that provide a functional base and easy access to places of interest. Campers will rarely access the car park until later afternoon and motorhome facilities will need to be used at all times. Emptying and filling up of water supplies needs to be done daily. Electric hook-ups are only available occasionally so motorhome equipment runs off the leisure battery.