Guangzhou Half-Day: the Nanyue King's Tomb and Yuexiu Park

In 1983 building work on a Guangzhou hillside opened a tomb that had lain undisturbed for two thousand years. It belonged to Zhao Mo, second king of Nanyue, and rather than move the contents the museum was built over the excavation, so a visit means walking through the burial chambers themselves.

The collection is worth more than the spectacle. Seals naming the occupant, bronze and jade, musical instruments and the earliest silk-threaded jade burial suit found in China sit alongside imported goods that show how far Nanyue traded by sea before the Han absorbed it. The morning finishes on Yuexiu Hill above the tomb: the Five Rams carved in 1959 and the surviving Ming city wall, two centuries of the same hill's history at either end.

Entrance tickets are payable locally rather than included, and are confirmed in your final quotation. The tomb chambers are cramped and reached by a short descent, which is worth knowing if anyone in the party has mobility restrictions.

• The tomb of Zhao Mo, second king of Nanyue, buried in the second century BC
• Excavated in 1983 and left in place - you walk through the burial chambers themselves
• The jade burial suit sewn with silk thread, the earliest of its kind found in China
• Grave goods that record a kingdom trading across the South China Sea
• Yuexiu Park and the Five Rams of 1959, eleven metres of granite
• A surviving stretch of the Ming city wall, fifteen hundred years after the burial

• Meals as listed in the daily itinerary (breakfasts and lunches as shown)
• Private air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver throughout
• English-speaking local guide (Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian or Japanese on request)
• All entrance fees for the sites listed, including shuttle buses, eco-buses and cable cars where the site requires them
• Local handling and coordination service throughout the programme
• Bottled water (2 bottles per person per day) and audio headsets where group size requires them
• Travel accident insurance for the duration of the tour

Entrance tickets for the sites visited on this day are not included in the price shown and are payable locally on the day. Guangzhou entrance charges are modest - most of the sites on this route charge under CNY 30 per person - and your guide handles purchase at each gate. The exact amount is confirmed in your final quotation and added to your invoice at cost.

What this half day is. A guided private visit to the Nanyue king's tomb and then a walk on Yuexiu Hill above it, with the commentary focused on what the tomb goods say about maritime trade in the second century BC.

Practical notes. The burial chambers are low and narrow and reached by steps; the museum's galleries are fully accessible, so if steps are a problem we will build the visit around the galleries instead. Yuexiu Park is a hill, and the walk up to the wall is on a slope. The half day runs about four hours door to door. Entrance tickets are payable locally.

Q: Is this tour private or shared?
A: It is a private tour. Only your own party travels with the guide and vehicle, so the pace and the order of stops can be adjusted on the day.

Q: What is the best season for this itinerary?
A: April to June and September to November bring the mildest weather and clearest light. The programme runs year round, and we adjust the daily timings in mid-summer and winter.

Q: Can you handle dietary requirements and accessibility needs?
A: Yes. Vegetarian, halal, gluten-free and allergy-aware menus are arranged when you tell us in advance. Step-free and low-mobility versions of the route can also be planned.

Q: How do we book and pay?
A: Send us your travel dates and group size for a same-day quotation. A deposit confirms the booking, the balance is due before arrival, and prices are guaranteed for 7 days.