Our clients at the Great Wall, Beijing Photo by our client Mr. David W. Francis

Day 01Entry Beijing

Upon arrival, your guide will greet you at Beijing Capital Airport. After claiming your luggage, you will easily find him/her holding a welcome sign with your name on it. A private driver will take you to the 4-star Holiday Inn Central Plaza for a 3-night stay. This hotel is the best  Holiday Inn hotel in Beijing (Address: No. 1 Caiyuanjie, Xuanwu District, Beijing, 100053).
 
Meals: We do not provide any meals today because of the different arrival flights.

Day 02Beijing

Stroll across the famous Tiananmen Square - the largest central city square in the world, then reach the Forbidden City. This afternoon, drive to visit the Temple of Heaven.

Specials: Peking Roast Duck Banquet & Peking Traditional Opera at Liyuan Theatre
Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Descriptions:
Forbidden City - According to Chinese history, except for the officials and royal family relatives, the ordinary people are not allowed to enter this imperial palace. This is why it is called Forbidden City. It is also a palace museum fully demonstrating the imperial life in Ming and Qing dynasties.
 
Temple of Heaven - The most magnificent building in the Temple of Heaven should be the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest. Inside the hall, a round marble with crude figures of dragon and phoenix is laid, appearing in good harmony with the surrounding painted drawings.

Day 03Beijing

A morning excursion takes you for a climb of China Great Wall at Badaling section. A spicy Sichuan cuisine lunch is well prepared at a notable restaurant to revitalize you. 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 its appearance at a distance.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Descriptions:
Great Wall - Great Wall is said to be the only man-made project that can be seen from the moon. Badaling section is the most touristy and popular part. It was initially set up as a fortification to keep away from being intruded by the invaders. Inside the wall, the width enables 5 horses to gallop abreast. The small holes on the wall were used to shoot arrows. It is a landmark witnessing the great intelligence and hardship of ancient Chinese people. 
 
Ming Tomb - The layout of the Ming Tombs is unique and different from those during the Tang and Song dynasties. The plan of each tomb looks rectangular in the front and round at the rear. Each tomb starts from a stone bridge and has its own main gate, stone tablet pavilion, Ling En Gate, Ling En Palace, Ming Pavilion and Precious City. Sharing the Stone Archway, Stone Animals and Human Figures, all tombs are connected by the Sacred Way and form an architectonic whole.

Terracotta warriors, Xian

Day 04Beijing - Xian

Bid farewell to the city after looking around the Summer Palace. Fly to Xian to appreciate China's long history. Your guide in Xian will greet you at the airport exit and drive you to the 4-star Grand New World Hotel (Address: No. 172 Lianhu Road, Xi'an, 710002) for a 2-night stay. 
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Descriptions:
Summer Palace -  Also called YiHeYuan in Chinese, meaning "the Garden for Maintaining Health and Harmony", Summer Palace is used as a summer resort for the imperial royalty in Qing dynasty. The delicate scenery and ingenious layout inside the garden earn it great fame and attract thousands of visitors all over the world.

Day 05Xian

The highlight is the morning excursion that takes you to visit the amazing Terracotta Soldiers Museum. This afternoon, visit the landmark of this city - Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which was built in Tang Dynasty and used to collect the Buddhist materials taken from India by the well-known hierarch Xuanzang. The newly constructed North Square here is another attraction while visiting the pogada. Conclude the day by visiting the City Wall and having a bird's view of the city.
 
Specials: A la carte lunch, Dumpling Banquet and Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Performance (Address: No. 165, Wenyi Road, Xian, 710054)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Descriptions:
Terracotta Warriors Museum - The significant underground terracotta army in battle formation was actually the burial besides Emperor Qin Shihuang's mausoleum for guarding his after-life. The life-figured terracotta warriors and horses phalanx as well as the chariots and weapons excavated exhibit the sovereign power and incomparable wealth of Qin Shihuang Emperor. It's called the largest underground martial museum in the world. 

Big Wild Goose Pagoda - The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is located in the Da Ci'en Temple with a history of centuries of years. The temple was originally built in the Sui Dynasty. It was not until 648AD, it was rebuilt into a grand imperial temple that is very busy and crowded place of worship for Buddhism. The great Master Xuan Zang was the first abbot of the temple. However, halls and rooms went into gradual decay after the Tang Dynasty. The temple now greets us is the construction rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty.
 
City Wall - Xian has the largest and most integrated ancient city wall all over the country. The City Wall of Xian was formed in early Ming Dynasty, based on the imperial city of Sui and Tang dynasties around the 6th century. It once acted as a huge and precisely designed system for military defense, now circles the prosperous inner city of Xian.

Day 06Xian - Guilin

A further Xian visit will take you to the Shaanxi History Museum and the Great Mosque. After lunch, proceed to the scenic Guilin to enjoy the most popular landscape of China. Your guide will greet you at the airport exit and drive you to the 4-star Guilin Bravo Hotel (Address: No. 14 Ronghu Nan Road, Guilin, 541002) for a 2-night stay. This hotel is the former Holiday Inn Hotel.

Specials: A la carte lunch
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Descriptions:
Shaanxi History Museum  - Shaanxi History Museum has collected 1,000-square-meters tomb mural paintings from nearly twenty burial sites of the Tang Dynasty, ranking the first in China's museums in terms of storage. This is one of the most attractive parts of the museum. At present, there are only a few part of them displayed in a room and can be only admired in certain times. To better show the social life and historical picture of that time, a new special exhibition hall is being built to combine the protection, display and research on Tang tomb paintings.
 
Great Mosque - This famous and age-old mosque possesses full-bodied Chinese touch, both in its design and outlook. In the four courtyards, there are towers and pavilions with painted beams and engraved ridgepoles all around, except some small decorations revealing Islamic flavor. 

Li River cruise tour, Guilin

Day 07Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin

The highlight today is a cruise excursion along the Li River which will take you to Yangshuo. Upon arrival, stroll along the west street, have a short cycling trip around the village (electric car is an alternative) and pay a visit to a villager's home en route. This short bicycle tour will be a most memorable part of your China trip. Cycling along the lane through the village, savor the breathtaking countryside scenery and get a sense of the local residence's simple life along the way. After that, return to Guilin for an overnight stay.
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 
Tips: Lunch will be provided on the cruise today and since it may not meet your expectations, TCG suggests that you have a larger breakfast at the hotel.

Descriptions:
Yangshuo - There is no lack of astonishing scenic wonders unfolding on both banks of the downstream section of the Li River in Yangshuo. A boat excursion would be a superior choice there. Elegant hills and waters around Yangshuo once inspired great admiration to the town which boasts the most beautiful scenery in Guilin. Situated in the heart of Yangshuo, the West Street is a vibrant place alive with cafes, pubs, restaurants and many westerners flocking together.

Day 08Guilin - Shanghai

A further Guilin highlight excursion leads you to Reed Flute Cave, Seven Star Park and Elephant Trunk Hill. Take off from Guilin to prosperous Shanghai to experience the fashionable atmosphere there. Your guide will greet you at the airport exit and take you to the 4-star Ya Fan Long Men Hotel (Address: Hengfeng Road No. 777, Shanghai, China) for a 2-night stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Descriptions:
Seven Star Park - The park is renowned for splendid natural landscape and valuable cultural relics. The Seven-Star Mountains are the essences of the park with beautiful mountain scenery and emerald waters. The Guihai Stone Steles Forest in the park shows the ancient calligraphy arts. They are great treasures in China.

Elephant Trunk Hill - The Hill is considered to be the land symbol of Guilin city. It looks like a huge elephant drinking water from the river with its long trunk, so people called it Elephant Trunk Hill (Xiangbi Hill).

Shanghai Bund

Day 09Shanghai

A whole day excursion covers Shanghai Museum, Yuyuan Garden, the famous Bund area along the Huangpu River and a local family visit for your whole Shanghai trip. 
 
Specials: Portman Acrobatic Show and a la carte farewell dinner at Wangbaohe restaurant
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Descriptions:
Shanghai Museum - In ancient Chinese culture, jade symbolizes wealth and power. It is also used as personal ornaments because people believe that wearing jade ornaments can exorcise evil spirits. The visitors who have interest in Chinese ancient jade can go to the fourth floor of the museum.

Yuyuan Garden - Yuyuan Garden was originally built by a Ming Dynasty official Pan for his parents to live a pleasing, tranquil and happy life in their old age. The name "Yu" in Chinese means pleasing and satisfying and the garden structures reflect this meaning throughout. 

Day 10Shanghai Exit

We will arrange the comfortable private transfer to see you off and your pleasant China tour ends here.

Meals: Breakfast