Our Team 
Our Tour Experts 
Heroes and Heroines Places to stay
Every captivating tailor-made itinerary needs a perfect base. Our team has handpicked this collection of properties to give you luxury options in styles to suit any adventure.
-
![Amy snow biking]()
Our Team Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
-
![William Dalrymple]()
Our Tour Experts We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
-
![Liz Bonnin]()
Heroes and Heroines The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.
Beijing
Beijing is China’s capital city, located in the North of the country it is a veritable metropolis of epic proportions and offers more than just the entrance to The Great Wall and the Forbidden City, although these are magnificent sights in themselves.
A little more about Beijing
Although Beijing has many sites to warrant a short visit in its own right, most people combine it with a longer tour of the country. An elaborate display of Chinese architecture at its best, and worth its title as one of the seven wonders of the medieval world, the city is a historian’s delight and a fascinating insight to the bygone era of China.
Tian'anmen Square
At the centre of Beijing is Tian’anmen Square, (one of the largest in the world) the scene of many political rallies, where Mao’s Mausoleum is located. Continue into the Forbidden City, the former residence of the 24 Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties who lived in this self-contained enclave. Additional sites are the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the Lama Temple, the Ancient Observatory, the Great Hall of the People as well as museums, markets and shops, all of which combine to make it a place that appeals to everyone. Travel by motorbike sidecar or rickshaw for a different experience of the Hutongs (the old residential district).
The Great Wall
Not be missed is the spectacular wonder of China’s Great Wall that starts east of the capital and then snakes its way west. The sections at Mutianyu and Badaling are most usually visited, although the section at Simatai and Jinshanling located 60 miles north of the city, are far less visited.
The wall itself is a truly remarkable feat of engineering. The views at Simatai and Jinshanling are stunning and it is well worth the time to get beyond the restored sections to see the ancient crumbling parts. This is also a chance to see some of rural China at close hand.
Experiences
Tell us what you love doing and we’ll curate a journey that’s perfect for you.
Meet our experts
A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.
Paul Craven
Paul is the Conde Nast Traveler chosen Specialist for Central Asia and the Silk Route. Being from a family with Army connections I can from an early age remember travelling. From camping in Europe and then later being sent to boarding school when we lived in Germany at the age of eight, complete with shorts, long socks, a cap and my suitcase. In appearance not too dissimilar to the children evacuated to the countryside during the blitz. Later, my father’s postings took us to Nepal where we had to transit Delhi and Kathmandu where we were sometimes stranded for days and Hong Kong from where I travelled in 1983 through China for two months. Talk with our experts
- 01285 601 784
Clare Higginson
It was my passion for languages that first encouraged me to leave the UK behind and grab my rucksack. Since then, it’s been a mixture of intriguing cultures, jaw-dropping landscapes and the wonder of seeing animals in their natural habitat that sees me continuously extending my travel wish list. I also seek adventure; exploring the deep blue or hiking a peak often winning favour. Although it’s my time horse herding in Mongolia that I regularly want to relive. Talk with our experts
- 01285 601 784
Chengdu and giant pandas
Home to many of China’s natural wonders, wildlife preserves, archaeological sites, and historical buildings.
Xian
Chang An, as Xian was once known, was the start of the Silk Road to Europe through Persia and the Subcontinent.
Guilin and The Li River
Guilin's charm lies in its magical scenery which has inspired poets and artists for thousands of years.
Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou
A city of contrasts, Shanghai has two distinctly different faces, one old and one new, and is evolving at a rapid pace.…
Yangtze Cruises
There's are few better way to experience China's stunning landscapes and ancient culture than on a Yangtze cruise.
Lijiang, Shangri La and Yunnan
Yunnan, meaning 'Beautiful clouds in the South' is one of China's most diverse and naturally beautiful provinces.
Tibet
Tibet still exudes a magic that is hard to emulate.
The Silk Road
The Silk Road was the most well known international trade route for the Chinese Empire
Pingyao and Datong
Easily reached by train from Beijing, Pingyao was China's most important trading city during the late Ming and Qing dynasties and is…
Hong Kong
Great shopping, accessible beaches, local history and culture, sky-scraping modern architecture and a wide choice of restaurants.
Why Choose Steppes?
Our knowledge and expertise sets us apart. So too our curiosity. A curiosity of the world and of you, and your passions. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.
Are you ready to discover extraordinary?
Featured in the press
