Travelling as part of a small group of 20 or fewer Saga guests, board the Lhasa Express for a fascinating train journey. The railway line between Lhasa and Xining is one of this century’s greatest engineering achievements, and reaches an altitude of 5,072 metres at its highest point, Tangula Pass, higher than the summit of Mont Blanc.

Set on the slopes of Red Mountain, the monumental edifice of Potala Palace, former residence of the Dalia Lama, casts an ever-present shadow over Lhasa. It is one of the architectural wonders of the world, with 13 storeys containing thousands of rooms, shrines and statues, and the site has been occupied for at least 1,300 years.

The great port city of Shanghai has long evoked images of intrigue and mystery. The old town is a maze of cobbled streets, and in the parks you may well see locals performing t’ai chi movements. The city has a lively, bustling atmosphere with sidewalk vendors and an endless variety of shops.

The Forbidden City, or Imperial Palce, was the home of two dynasties of emperors, the Ming and the Qing, who ruled China from 1368 to 1911. Most of the buildings you see today are post-18th century, as the palace was often damaged by fire, sometimes by the flamboyant firework displays put on.

Visit the Great Wall on your tour. This wonder of the world was built to defend the country from aggressors. Construction started in 7BC, but most of the wall was constructed during the Qin Dynasty (221 - 207BC), when separate lengths of wall that had been built to keep out invaders from the north were linked.