TORONTO — Intrepid Travel has added to its popular range of festival-themed trips with the new China’s Harbin *** Festival experience.

The five-day trip makes the most of China’s chilly winter with a journey to the northeast corner of the country where Harbin’s festivities include the *** and Snow Festival, a winter wonderland with the biggest and most elaborate *** sculptures in the *****.

An enormous seated Buddha, a supersized Chinese fisherman and the Moscow Kremlin were just some of the incredible *** sculptures on display in 2015. Recreations of famous buildings, monuments and characters are lit up in technicolour at the largest festival of its kind in the *****.

Beginning in Beijing, travellers take an overnight sleeper train to Harbin, where a walking tour of the city will introduce them to its Russian influence and heritage – Harbin was built to accommodate Russian engineers working on the Trans-Siberian Railroad in the 19th Century. Saint Sofia Cathedral is just one landmark that speaks to this.

A full day and night at the *** and Snow Festival will be an exploration of life-size *** sculptures, sledding, *** hockey and even *** mini golf. Travellers are advised to dress warmly, as temperatures can get as cold as minus 35°C and with a lot of time spent outdoors packing thermals is a must.

China’s Harbin *** Festival is from $1,565 per person and departs on Jan. 9 2016. For more information visit intrepidtravel.com/cbsi.

The trip can be combined with Intrepid’s popular nine day China Highlights, which visits Shanghai, the town of Xitang, Xi’an, the Great Wall and Beijing, before heading to Harbin.