Chinese retired people's life

Day 01Arrival in Beijing

Our guide will meet you outside the baggage claim area at Beijing Airport and transfer you to the hotel. The rest of the day is on your own to explore the city.

Day 02Beijing

Visit the Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven. A Beijing Duck Dinner will be served at a famous restaurant followed by a lively Peking Opera performance at the Liyuan Theatre.(B+L+D)

Descriptions: 
Forbidden City - the complex is divided into two parts, the Inner Court and the Outer Court. The Inner Court was the living space for royal family, and the Outer Court served as a workplace for emperor to cope with political affairs. The treasures kept there clearly reflect the productive and inventive power of the Chinese people. As the largest and best-preserved Imperial Palace complex, it is a must for visitors to Beijing.
 
Temple of Heaven - Located at the northern part of the Temple of Heaven, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest should be the most attractive building. It has three round roofs covered with blue colored glazed tiles and three layers of eaves. The emperor prayed for a good harvest here. There are 28 tall pillars inside the hall which correspond to the astronomical phenomena. The 4 posts of the inner circle are the four season, the 12 posts of the next circle are the twelve months and the outermost 12 posts represent the twelve Shichen (an ancient means of counting time).

Our clients at the Forbidden City, Beijing Photo by our clients Mr. Karl Dutton & Mr. Mark James De Garis

Day 03Beijing

Visit the Badaling Great Wall. A spicy Sichuan cuisine lunch is served at a notable restaurant to stoke your physical energy. Visit the Sacred Way and the Ming Tomb in the afternoon. On the way back to downtown, drive by the Bird's Nest (Olympic National Stadium). You will see it at a distance. (B+L included. D is included for luxury series)

Differences
Luxury Series: we arrange an a la carte dinner at a famous Cantonese cuisine restaurant in the Wangfujing area.
Standard Series: we leave you to get dinner on your own. You may ask for some suggestions from your local guide.
 
Descriptions:
Great Wall of China - Great Wall, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, was first built for military use. Winding throughout four provinces, two autonomous regions and the capital city of Beijing, the Great Wall has a complete defensive system consisting of passes, beacon towers and walls. It used to play a very important role in defeating the enemies from the north. The military glory of the Wall faded out as time passed by. Now it has become a tourist attraction with rising popularity, especially the Badaling section in Beijing.

Our clients at the Great Mosque, Xian

Day 04Beijing - Xian

Visit the Summer Palace and the Lama Temple. Take a flight to Xian and transfer to the hotel. (B+L included. D is included for luxury series)

Differences
Luxury Series: we will have arranged a buffet dinner for you at your hotel this evening.
Standard Series: we will leave this dinner on your own. You may have dinner at your hotel or ask for your guide's suggestion.
 
Descriptions:
Summer Palace - You may fall in love with the beautiful landscapes in the Summer Palace, you may be amazed at the human scenery left by the past dynasties, and you will also find that the Summer Palace is the very place for learning the entertainment life of the imperial family of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The Hall of Joyful Longevity (Leshoutang) is such a place. It was originally built by Emperor Qianlong for the residence of his mother. Since 1887, it became a place for Empress Dowager Cixi's pleasure.

Day 05Xian

Visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum. Afterwards, you will take the highway back downtown for a pleasant lunch at a Cantonese cuisine restaurant. In the afternoon, visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the City Wall. This evening you will be entertained by the marvelous Tang Dynasty Show.(B+L+D)

Differences
Luxury Series: you will have Tang Dynasty Dinner and Show at Tang Dynasty Palace (Addr: No.75, Chang'an Road, Xian).
Standard Series: you will enjoy a Dumpling Banquet and Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show at Shaanxi Opera Theatre (Addr: No. 165, Wenyi Road, Xian).
 
Descriptions:
Terracotta Warriors - The Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors not only displays the world-known delicate figures of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses, but also shows visitors an array of precious ancient weapons. Crossbow is one of the ancient weapons excavated in the pits. Named Nu in Chinese, Qin Crossbow was made according to unified standard. The upper and lower bow-limb, bow belly and bow back were made in the same structure and shape, and even the small parts were replaceable. It had long effective range and took more tension than bows.

Monks in the Shaolin Temple, Luoyang

Day 06Xian - Luoyang

Visit the Great Mosque and a local family. After enjoying an a la carte lunch at a famous local restaurant, take an afternoon soft sleeper train to Luoyang and transfer to the hotel.(B+L)

Tips: Apart from the marvelous Longmen Caves and well-known Shaolin Temple, Luoyang is also one of the cradles of peony flowers in China. It is without peer among cities with its profusion of flowers, flamboyant in colors, graceful in poise. The mild climate and fertile soil make Luoyang the ideal place to grow peonies. They are not only ornamental, beautifying the cityscape, but they are highly valued in remedies. A great number of new species have been cultivated under care of Chinese gardeners. It is best to see Luoyang from Apr to May when they are in full blossom.  Throngs of tourists rush here to see the fancy flowers during the exhibition, so hotel rooms are in high demand and rates are much higher at that time.

Day 07Luoyang

Visit the Chariot and Horse Pits, the White Horse Temple and the Visit the Longmen Caves.(B+L)

Descriptions: Longmen Caves - one of three major cave systems in China. These grandiose caves filled with immense Buddhas are wealth created by the ancient Chinese. The grottoes were densely carved on the cliff of two mountains: Xiangshan and Longmenshan. Valuable relics, like niches, inscriptions, stupas, and sculptures are richly housed here. Longmen Caves was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage in November 2000.

Old Shanghai

Day 08Luoyang - Shanghai

Visit the Shaolin Temple. Take a flight to Shanghai and transfer to the hotel.(B+L)

Tips: You will be instantly overwhelmed by the fashionable atmosphere and fast pace of life when you land in Shanghai. After having dinner on your own, you are advised to take a taxi to the People's Square which is not far from your hotel by yourself. As the hub of Shanghai, the locals like to gather there to play Taiji, dance with fans and do some physical exercises. Around the square, there stand lots of shops, restaurants and recreational centers. You could easily entertain yourself. 

Pudong New Area, Shanghai

Day 09Shanghai

Visit the Shanghai Museum and the Yuyuan Garden. For afternoon activities, please see the different arrangements for the luxury and standard series (below). Tonight a memorable a la carte dinner will be served at the Central Hotel, whose restaurant Wang Bao He has a 260-year history and is the best place to sample Shanghai Cuisine. This dinner will be followed by the Portman Acrobatic Show at the Shanghai Centre Theatre.(B+L+D)

Differences
Luxury Series: after lunch we will transfer you to the Bund area, where you will take a cruise tour on the Huangpu River. The cruise will start at 14:00, reach the Wusongkou pier and then get back to the Bund at 17:00. This will then leave you some free time to explore the Bund area on your own.
Standard Series: you will be taken to visit the Bund along the Huangpu River and the famous Nanjing Road, and then a local family visit is scheduled. 
  
Descriptions: 
Bund of Shanghai - the bund has been regarded as the symbol of Shanghai for hundreds of years. The Huangpu River, river bank, and greenbelt as well as the architectural clusters comprise the most distinctive features of Shanghai. Everyone will marvel at its brilliant and dazzling high-rise buildings when the colorful lights are on.
  
Yuyuan Garden - It is an ancient garden tracing back to 400 years ago. It was originally the personal garden of a Sichuan governor Pan Yunduan of the Ming Dynasty. It combines the architectural styles of classical Southern China gardens in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The pavilions, terraces, towers, ponds and rockeries are laid out finely, which shows originality in providing wide views in a small confined space.

Day 10Departure from Shanghai

From the hotel you will be taken to the airport so that you can board the flight back home loaded with pleasant memories.(B)