Located in the heart of China and including most of the middle reaches of the Yellow River, Shaanxi Province is one of the birthplaces of both neolithic culture and Chinese civilization. The capital of Xi’An was a nerve center for at least four dynasties and the eastern border of the Silk Road. Over the last century, there have been dozens of major – and hundreds of minor – archeological discoveries in the area around Xi’an, including the Terracotta Soldiers and the Tomb of Jingdi. The city of Xi’an itself boasts a well-preserved ancient city wall and some of the finest museums in China. It is also one of the main population centers for Hui Muslims, with a thriving Muslim Quarter and delicious Muslim cuisine.

Our Shaanxi programs involve a variety of cultural and outdoor activities in and around the city of Xi’an. Students typically spend the first day getting acquainted with the city, through an “Amazing Race” scavenger hunt activity and a bike ride atop the ancient city wall. During the middle three days of the program, students will have a chance to see the terracotta warriors up-close, as well as to make their own terracotta warriors at a nearby replica factory. We will visit the Hanyangling Mausoleum and complete a simulated archaeological dig. Students will get to see the “Yaodong” cave dwellings, in the form of dozens of sunken courtyards in the village of Baishe. Our Shaanxi trips usually conclude with a hike in the Qinling Mountains, whose granite peaks dominate eastern Shaanxi. And of course, the obligatory soak in a nearby hot springs.