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. The Beijing Duck Dinner is served at a famous restaurant followed by a lively Peking Opera performance at the Liyuan Theatre.(B+L+D)

Descriptions: 
Tiananmen Square - the largest central city square in the world with an area of 440,000 square meters (108 acres), which can hold one million people for meeting at one time. The solemn flag ceremony is performed everyday at sunrise and sunset on the square drawing the attention of people who are passing there. Besides, Tiananmen Gate on the north of Chang'an Street across the square is the entrance to the imperial Forbidden City.
 
Temple of Heaven - In the center of the south-north axis of the Temple of Heaven, there are the Imperial Vault of Heaven and its bounding wall - the Echo Wall. If you whisper a word at the wall's one root, another people will hear your voice clearly at the other root.

Our client at the Sacred Way, Beijing Photo by our clients Mr. David Cluster

Day 03Beijing

Visit the Badaling Great Wall. To avoid having lunch at shopping site restaurants, you will be driven to have Sichuan food at a local popular restaurant. 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. (B+L, 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 intend to leave the dinner on your own. You may ask for some suggestions from your local guide.
 
Descriptions:
Ming Tomb - During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the emperor's funeral is arranged by following steps: First, the Board of Rites together with the cabinet or Hanlin Academy hold a discussion and draw a draft for the funeral arrangements according to the passed-away emperor's edict. Then, the draft is submitted to the new emperor for approval. Approved by the emperor, the funeral is conducted according to the rites. As for the empress' funeral, the Board of Rites makes a draft for the funeral arrangements first and then submits it directly to the emperor. After being approved, the funeral is held.

Day 04Beijing - Xian

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

Differences
Luxury Series: we have arranged a buffet dinner for you at your hotel this evening.
Standard Series: we would like to leave this dinner on your own. You may have dinner at your hotel by yourself or ask for your guide's suggestion.
 
Descriptions:
Summer Palace - You may choose to enter the Summer Palace from the East Palace Gate. After entering the gate, you will walk into the administrative area of the emperors. The first architectural complex that visitors will see is the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (Renshoudian). Originally constructed in 1750, the hall was firstly called 'Qinzheng Hall' to inspire rulers to manage state affairs diligently. Since the reign of Emperor Guangxu, its name was changed to Renshoudian, which is based on the famous Confucian saying 'The ruler who reigns benevolently will have a long life'.

Morning exercises at the City Wall Park, Xian

Day 05Xian

Visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum. To avoid having the poor food at the site, you will take highway back to downtown to have lunch at a well known Cantonese cuisine restaurant. In the afternoon, visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the City Wall. This evening you will be entertained with the marvelous Tang Dynasty Show.
(B+L+D)

Differences
Luxury Series: you will have Tang Dynasty Dinner and Show at Tang Dynasty Palace (Address: No.75, Chang'an Road, Xian).
Standard Series: you will enjoy Dumpling Banquet and Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show at Shaanxi Opera Theatre (Address: No. 165, Wenyi Road, Xian). 
 
Descriptions: 
Terracotta Warriors - When going around the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses visitors will see a hill not far from it. What's it? It is the Mausoleum of the Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor in Chinese history. This great imperial tomb really leaves today's people many doubt and thinking. Also, there are many documents and materials written about the mystery of this tomb. The Historical Records, whose author is Sima Qian, a famous historian in early Han Dynasty, kept that the underground palace was totally a replica of the imperial palace above ground.
 
Big Wild Goose Pagoda - situated in the Da Ci'en Temple, it is one of the notable Buddhist pagodas in China. The pagoda was built with bricks. No cement was used between each layer. There houses a bell on the east side and a drum on the west side inside the temple. The bell along with the drum was the tool to strike time for the monks.

Zhangjiajie scenic area, Hunan

Day 06Xian - Zhangjiajie

Visit the Great Mosque and a local family. After enjoying the a la carte lunch at a famous local restaurant, take a flight to Zhangjiajie and transfer to the hotel.(B+L)

Tips: For your convenience of sightseeing in Zhangjiajie, we arrange the Baizhangxia hotel which is quite near to the scenic area for you. Due to the local conditions, the hotel services, meals and facilities can not be compared with the ones in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, but it is indeed the one that most clients recommended.

Day 07Zhangjiajie - Fenghuang

Drive to Fenghuang and check in at a local hotel. Visit the Fenghuang Ancient Town(in Chinese called phoenix) , you can wander along dozens of alleys paved with flagstones between the houses and pay a visit to the former Residence of a versatile writer, Shen Congwen.(B+L)

Tips: Driving from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang will take about 5 hours but this is the only way to Fenghuang. Nothing can be substituted. So please get ready for the long drive and please understand that Fengtian Hotel is just a local 2-star hotel, the breakfast is very simple, however, it is the best local one in this small town.

Our clients at Fenghuang water town

Day 08Fenghuang - Zhangjiajie

Drive back to Zhangjiajie. Visit the Huangshi Stockade Village and Jinbian Stream in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.(B+L)

Tips: One day is not enough to cover all sites of Zhangjiajie scenic area. Please do not worry, you need not pay the second time admission fee if you continue the visit on the second day since your tickets are valid for two days. We suggest you take some chocolates and cookies while touring. It is a very energy-consuming journey. 

Descriptions: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park - 97 percent of the park is covered by plants and trees. The green plants, strange peaks and tranquil creeks form a picturesque landscape. Another distinctive feature is the pillarlike formations eroded by nature found through the park. Each stone has been postured vividly and uniquely by nature. You will find yourself in a fairy tale as you visit the Huangshi Stockade Village and Jinbian Stream (Golden Whip Stream).

Day 09Zhangjiajie - Shanghai

Visit the Mt. Tianzi Scenic Spot and the Ten-mile gallery in Suoxiyu Nature Reserve. Take a flight to Shanghai and transfer to the hotel.(B+L)

Descriptions:
Shanghai - Situated west to the Pacific Ocean, east of the Asia continent, Shanghai is an important coastal city. It is the busiest cargo port in China and Asia. Located at the mouth of Yangtze River, it is significant in terms of transport. The Huangpu River is the shipping artery of the city.

Famous Fenghuang ancient town, Hunan

Day 10Shanghai

Visit the Shanghai Museum and the Yuyuan Garden. Then for the afternoon activities, please see the following different arrangements for the luxury and standard series. Tonight a memorable a la carte dinner is served at Central Hotel, whose restaurant Wang Bao He has a history of around 260 years and is the best place to serve Shanghai Cuisine. The dinner will be followed by the Portman Acrobatic Show at the Shanghai Centre Theatre.

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. 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:
Shanghai Museum - Founded and first open to the public in 1952, Shanghai Museum has become a national key museum, boasting permanent galleries of ancient bronze, sculpture, ceramics, jades, paintings, calligraphy, seals, Numismatics, furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasty as well as arts and crafts of Chinese minorities.

Day 11Departure from Shanghai

We will see you off at the airport today. We wish you have a pleasant journey home and thank you for choosing TravelChinaGuide.(B)

Tips: In general, the check-out time for the hotel room is 12: 00 at noon. If your international flight departs late in the afternoon or evening, you are advised to have your luggage checked at the concierge of the hotel. It is usually free of charge. Please do remember to fix a meeting time with your guide beforehand. Our guide and driver will see you off at the airport.