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

Day 01Entry Beijing

Your international flight arrives in Beijing today. Our guide will pick you up outside the Arrival Hall of the airport, holding a welcome sign with your name on it. A private transfer will take you to the 4-star Holiday Inn Central Plaza Hotel, the best Holiday Inn hotel in Beijing. The rest of the day remains free for you. For dinner on your own arrangement, we have some suggestions around our hotel.

Meals: No meals
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Central Plaza

Day 02Beijing

Your family tours starts in the morning. You will first stroll across the world's largest city central square, Tiananmen Square. With a history of more than 500 years, the square has witnessed many historical and celebratory events, such as the founding of the People's Republic of China and dignified military parade on National Day. Then, enter the world's largest palace complex, Forbidden City from Meridian Gate. It is said that the palace has 9,999.5 rooms where the emperors and his family have once worked and lived. To ensure that you can taste the authentic Chinese food instead of the mass-produced food at the tourist eateries arranged by most agencies, we will offer you an a la carte lunch at a famous local Cantonese cuisine restaurant and our meal price is at least 3 to 4 times higher than that of the tourist food. In the afternoon you will explore the Temple of Heaven. Once a site where the emperors offered sacrifices to the heaven, it is even larger than the Forbidden City. Its main buildings are Circular Mound Altar, Imperial Vault of Heaven and Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest from south to north. After today's sightseeing tour, you will enjoy an amazing Kung Fu Show at Red Theatre, which presents mysterious Chinese Kung Fu in a special way.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Central Plaza

Forbidden City, Beijing Photo by our client Ms. Kveta Jelinek

Day 03Beijing

A morning excursion will take you to one of the world's greatest manmade projects, Great Wall of China at Badaling section. Initially set up as a fortification more than 2,000 years ago, the Great Wall is the product of diligence and intelligence of ancient Chinese people. Usually most agencies cooperate with the tourist eateries near the Great Wall. After you have lunch there, you still need to stay for another 40 minutes in the shopping area of the restaurant so that the agencies could get some commissions. Instead, we will drive you to a county and offer you a Sichuan cuisine lunch at the best local restaurant to replenish your physical energy. In the afternoon, visit the Sacred Way and the Ming Tomb. The Sacred Way means the road leading to heaven, from which the son of heaven (the emperor) returns to heaven after his death. Passing through the Sacred Way, you will enter the Ming Tombs, a group of mausoleums of thirteen emperors. On the way back to downtown Beijing, we will drive by the Bird's Nest (Olympic National Stadium), where the 29th Beijing Olympic Games were held. You can take some photos.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Central Plaza

Terracotta warriors, Xian

Day 04Beijing - Xian

This morning, you will visit the Summer Palace, once used as a summer resort by the imperial royalty. As a luxurious royal garden, the delicate scenery and ingenious layout inside earn it great fame. Then, you will have a chance to visit the famous Hutong Area - Shi Cha Hai, called water town in northern China and composed of three large lakes: Xihai, Houhai and Qianhai. Around this area, you will meet intertwining large and small Hutongs, Skewed Tobacco Pouch Street, Silver Ingot Bridge and truly understand the culture of original Beijing. Around noon, you will enjoy an a la carte lunch at a decent local restaurant with great atmosphere. Then, bid farewell to Beijing and fly to Xian. Our guide will pick you up at Xian airport and transfer you to the 4-star Grand New World Hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch
Accommodation: Grand New World Hotel

Day 05Xian

Today's highlight is the morning excursion to the world's largest underground martial museum, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum. The significant underground terracotta army in battle formation is actually the accessory pit beside the first emperor's mausoleum to guard his afterlife. The unearthed life-figured terracotta warriors and horses as well as the chariots and weapons exhibit the sovereign power and incomparable wealth of Emperor Qinshihuang 2,200 years ago. To avoid the cheap low-quality food at the tourist eateries near the site, we will offer you a delicious a la carte lunch at the best local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Shaanxi History Museum, which exhibits numerous cultural relics from one million years ago till the present. Then tour the landmark of Xian, Big Wild Goose Pagoda. This is a seven-story brick pagoda in a shape of square pyramid, built in Tang Dynasty 1,300 years ago and used to collect the Buddhist materials taken from India. Tonight, you will enjoy the Dumpling Dinner while appreciating Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Performance at Shaanxi Opera Theatre. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch, Dumpling dinner
Accommodation: Grand New World Hotel

Villagers in Chinese Countryside

Day 06Xian - Guilin

A further Xian tour takes you to the City Wall and the Great Mosque this morning. The City Wall of Xian is the largest and most integrated existing ancient city wall all over the country. Once acted as a huge and precisely designed military defense system, it is now a famous tourist attraction. The famous and age-old Great Mosque is the combination architecture of both Chinese and Islamic style, where many Muslims still attend prayer service. Following the sightseeing, you will pay a visit to a local family. The host will prepare home cooked a la carte lunch for you. If interested, you can join our Chinese food cooking class to choose your favorite Chinese dishes and cook with the host together step by step. It is free of charge. In the afternoon, you will proceed to scenic Guilin by air. Our local guide will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to the 4-star Guilin Bravo Hotel, the former Holiday Inn Hotel in Guilin.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Home-cooked a la carte lunch
Accommodation: Guilin Bravo Hotel

 

Li River cruise tour, Guilin

Day 07Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin

The highlight today is a cruise excursion along the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo. There is no lack of astonishing scenic wonders along both banks of this downstream section of Li River. A boat excursion would be a great way to admire the picturesque scenery here. Upon arrival at Yangshuo, you will have a stroll along the famous West Street. This is a vibrant place alive with cafes, pubs, restaurants and where many westerners gather. Then, have a short cycling trip around the villages of Yangshuo to enjoy the breathtaking countryside scenery (car transfer as an alternative). En route, you will visit a farmer's home to get a sense of the local people's life there. Today's cruise tour along with the bicycle trip will be one of the most memorable parts of your China tour. Late in the afternoon, our private transfer will take you back to Guilin. 

Tips: Today we have to provide you a set lunch on the cruise which can not meet the serving standards of TravelChinaGuide. We kindly suggest you have a larger breakfast at the hotel this morning  to see you through the less than adequate cruise lunch. The cruise arrives at terminal Yangshuo around 13:30 to 14:30 according to the different water flows, where there are many cafes available for you.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Guilin Bravo Hotel

Elephant Trunk Hill, Guilin Photo by our client Mr. Charles Duranceau

Day 08Guilin - Shanghai

You will explore the major attractions in Guilin city today. The first one is the Reed Flute Cave. Illuminated by colored lighting, the various rock formations like Crystal Palace, Dragon Pagoda, Virgin Forest, Flower and Fruit Mountain make the cave a fairyland. Besides the amazing rock formations inside, the idyllic scene outside is also attractive. Then, travel to the Seven Star Park, which 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. Afterwards, pay a visit to the land symbol of Guilin City, Elephant Trunk Hill. The hill is called so because it looks like a huge elephant drinking water from the river with its long trunk. Then, bid farewell to Guilin and fly to Shanghai. Our guide will pick you up at Shanghai airport and transfer you to the 4-star Ya Fan Long Men Hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Ya Fan Long Men Hotel

Our clients holding our logo TravelChinaGuide at Shanghai Bund

Day 09Shanghai

The morning tour will first lead you to Shanghai Museum. The museum, exhibiting both ancient historical relics and modern artworks of China, is definitely worthy of your visit. Then proceed to the Yuyuan Garden, one of the representatives of south China classic gardens. The pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters in the garden all have unique Chinese gardening characteristics. For lunch today we will specially serve you an a la carte meal at a famous local restaurant. In the afternoon you will have a stroll on the famous Nanjing Road, Bund area and an old street in Shanghai. Built in the colonial period of Shanghai in the 19th century, Nanjing Road has nowadays become one of the most famous shopping centers in Shanghai as well as a popular travel destination. The well-known stores both from home and abroad make it no less prosperous than any other famous business streets in the world. Walking along the West Nanjing Road to its starting point, you will arrive at the Bund area, which has been a symbol of Shanghai. For dinner on your own arrangement, we have some suggestions around our hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch
Accommodation: Ya Fan Long Men Hotel

Day 10Shanghai Exit

A comfortable private drive will take you to Shanghai Airport today. Our guide will help you handle the boarding card and say farewell to you after you pass the Airport Security Check. Hope next time we can still serve you with our dedicated 24/7 service. As also, you are welcome to look over our City Package to plan a subsequent China visit.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

• ◆2012 Price

Based on per person and in U.S. dollars, valid from Jan. 1st, 2012 to Feb. 28th, 2013

Season Group Size		2-5 travelers	6-9 travelers	10 travelers & above
High season (Mar 1st-Nov 30th)	Double Occupancy	$2089	$1729	$1499
	Single Occupancy	$2499	$2129	$1829
Shoulder season (Dec 1st, 2012-Feb 28th, 2013)	Double Occupancy	$1909	$1549	$1359
	Single Occupancy	$2189	$1829	$1549
Shoulder season (Jan 1st-Feb 29th)	Double Occupancy	$1919	$1549	$1359
	Single Occupancy	$2199	$1829	$1559

Currency Converter

For our quotation inclusions & exclusions, booking and cancellation terms, please read Terms and Conditions.