This six-part series from the makers of 'Planet Earth' documents China and Tibet's wealth of natural scenery and wildlife on BBC 2.
Enjoying the river, Yangshuo.
The series was shown on Sunday 11th May on BBC 2 from 8.05-9.05pm.
From the makers of 'Planet Earth' comes this six-part series documenting China's incredible wealth of natural scenery and wildlife. Each program covers different sections of the country, creating an astonishing snapshot of China's natural habitat, much of it unknown in the UK.
Anyone with an interest in landscape, wildlife and culture will be spoilt for choice, with everything from the world's highest mountain to its deepest gorge, from the Taklamakan Desert to the South China Sea covered in epic detail.
Audley covers most of China and Tibet, including all areas covered in this program. Depending on where catches your eye, Audley regularly offers trips to the following locations:
Program 1: Heart of the Dragon
Guangxi: This province in China's subtropical south is covered in the first episode 'Heart of the Dragon', taking in the vertiginous limestone karst peaks of Guilin and Yangshuo, and the creatures — domestic and wild — of the Li River. Further afield in this part of China are the Dong and Miao villages of Guizhou, home to the Wind and Rain Bridges and some beautiful rice terrace scenery.
Northern Yunnan: China's southwestern province Yunnan, or 'Shangri-La' — detailed in episode two, is one of the earth's most diverse regions, with traditional farming communities persevering in varying terrain — from jungle to alpine desert. Audley organizes trips to Dali, Lijiang and Zhongdian, as well as lesser known areas such as Yuanyang, Luoping and Deqen.
Tibet's forbidding scenery, a mixture of alpine desert, the world's highest mountains and the sources of the Yangtze, Salween and Mekong rivers; is the subject of episode three. Audley designs trips to many areas in Tibet, including the world-famous cities of Lhasa, Gyantse and Shigatse, as well as the monasteries at Ganden, Rongbuk and Sakya. Travelers continuing on to Kathmandu can stay at Everest Base Camp and, for the adventurous, Lakes Manasarovar and Nam-tso, and holy Mt Kailash can also be visited.
Gansu and Xinjiang: These provinces, in China's 'wild west' are covered in episode four. Two of the world's great sandy deserts — the Taklamakan and the Gobi, meet here, providing a habitat to the Bactrian camel — of which tame specimens can be seen in and around Dunhuang and Turpan. Audley sends clients right across the region, to the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas in Dunhuang, through to distant Kashgar, a city of Central Asia in all but name.
Chengdu: The panda is the star of episode five. These strange, beautiful creatures occupy a vast swathe of central China, some of it barely touched by human development. Audley organizes visits to the Panda Research Base in Chengdu, perhaps the easiest way to see these animals first-hand, as well as to Wolong, one of the most pristine natural environments for pandas in China.
Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing: China's coast and its immediate hinterland, subject of episode six, contain the vast majority of its people. This enormous mass of humanity has bequeathed extraordinary cultural relics to the world. Audley organizes tours of all kinds to this region, taking in the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Shanghai's colonial Bund district, the mountains and villages of Anhui and the extraordinary, futuristic cityscapes of Shanghai's Pudong district and Hong Kong.
