Great Wall, Beijing

Day 01Arrival in Beijing

Our guide will meet you outside the baggage claim area at Beijing Airport and transfer you to the 5-star Crowne Plaza Hotel (Address: No. 48 Wangfujing Avenue, Beijing, 100006). The rest of the day is free.

Accommodation: Crowne Plaza

Beijing is a historic city full of cultural sites and refined scenery. Four days is definitely not enough time for you to explore it all. If you arrive in Beijing early in the day, you might take a taxi to the newly renovated Qianmen Street to explore on your own. It will take about 10 minutes to get there. Along the street you will see Qing Dynasty-style buildings, sample traditional Beijing snacks, explore antique stores and maybe even see an old Beijing cultural performance. Many old Beijing brands like Quanjude roast duck, Guanghe theatre, and tea inns can be found here. It is a good place for you to enjoy the culture of old Beijing.

Day 02Beijing

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

Accommodation: Crowne Plaza

Tips: Currency exchange is very convenient in China nowadays. You can change money at the Bank of China and the exchange rate is based on the published rates on their website. You can also change money at the reception counter of your hotel   certain rates prescribed by the hotel, or the intra-day released rates. No handling charge is applied at either the banks or the hotels.

Descriptions:
Forbidden City - In the center of the Forbidden City lies the Hall of Supreme Harmony in height of 35.5 meters, which is the tallest building in Beijing in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. It's the symbol of supreme imperial power. The great ceremonies, such as the emperor's wedding, the appointment of the empress and the palace examinations, were held in this hall. Banquets were also catered in it on the New Year's Day, the Winter Solstice and emperor's birthday.
 
Temple of Heaven - The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest is located at the northern part of the Temple of Heaven. This altar was originally built in the early Ming Dynasty and is the firstly constructed main building in this huge imperial temple.

Temple of Heaven, Beijing

Day 03Beijing

Visit the Great Wall at Badaling. You will be driven to a popular local restaurant to have Sichuan cuisine for lunch. Visit the Sacred Way and the Ming Tombs in the afternoon. On the way back to downtown Beijing, drive by the Bird's Nest (Olympic National Stadium). You will notice its namesake appearance from a distance. An a la carte dinner will be served at a famous Cantonese cuisine restaurant in the Wangfujing area. (B+L+D)

Accommodation: Crowne Plaza

Tips: We will arrange your dinner in the Wangfujing area this day. After dinner, when you leave the restaurant you will find a very prosperous food street. Every food stall is packed with local people and visitors waiting to taste the delicious snacks. Westerners may not be used to these kinds of food, but indeed have an interest in what locals do and what is sold here. Do not miss the chance to take photos. Besides, the well-known Wangfujing pedestrian street is just nearby. During the evenings this street is always vibrant with local people as well as travelers from all over the world. Along the street, there are lines of various shops where you can find small items or bric-a-brac as keepsakes or for collecting. If you are tired, you can walk about five minutes back to your hotel on your own.
 
Descriptions:
Great Wall - Badaling is the most well-preserved section of the Great Wall, built during the Ming Dynasty and was also the earliest part of the Great Wall opened to tourists. The steep mountain slope and the tortuous roads made it once a military stronghold. Nowadays, it has already become one of the most famous tourist sites of all over the world. Standing on the Great Wall, you will see the long wall under your feet go along with the mountain ranges, just like a huge dragon creeping on the ondulations of the mountains, what a spectacular view!

Local residents dancing near the City Wall, Xian

Day 04Beijing - Xian

Visit the Summer Palace and the Lama Temple. Then board your flight to Xian and transfer to the 5-star Hyatt Regency Hotel (Address: No.158 Dongdajie Street, Xian, 710001). A sumptuous buffet dinner will be served to you at the hotel this evening.(B+L+D)

Accommodation: Hyatt Regency Hotel - downtown

Tips: We would like to remind you to be careful of your belongings during the tour, especially in crowded areas. Pick-pockets are unavoidable anywhere. Keep important documents such as your passport and visa in the safe at the hotel. But please remember to take them with you when you check out.

Descriptions:
Summer Palace - One of the major attractions in the Summer Palace is the Kunming Lake, which covers three quarters area of the royal park. It is considered as a mirror of the Summer Palace. Originally, the lake was a natural lake formed by a number of springs in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), under Emperor Qianlong's reign, it was expanded as a part of the imperial garden. Now it has become a charming attraction for people to relax and have fun.
 
Lama Temple - The 23-meter high Pavilion of Infinite Happiness is the largest hall in the Lama Temple. There is a 26-meter high statue of Maitreya, which is carved from the rare sandalwood. It is prized to be one of the three woodcarving masterpieces of the temple.

Day 05Xian

Visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum. Afterwards, 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 by the marvelous Tang Dynasty Dinner Show at the Tang Dynasty Palace. (Addr: No.75, Chang'an Road, Xian)(B+L+D)

Accommodation: Hyatt Regency Hotel - downtown

Tips: After having dinner on your own, you might like to spend some time outdoors in the evening. Visiting the North Square near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a good option. It is less than twenty minutes from the hotel to the square by taxi. The taxi fee is no more than twenty Yuan. It is the largest fountain and waterscape square in Asia. The sculptures are also of the largest scale in Asia. Every night there is a grand fountain show. The water jets up in different shapes and styles following the rhythm and texture of the music. If you feel tired, you can rest on the surrounding benches.
 
Descriptions:
Terracotta Warriors Museum - In the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses, visitors will not only appreciate the amazing warrior figures, but also will enjoy the display of Chinese ancient weapons, which exemplify the wisdom of the laboring people living in Qin Dynasty. Spear is one of the weapons that unearthed in the pits. It is called Mao in Chinese. The Qin spear valued the function of actual combat performance, reflecting in their fluent lines, strong body, simple appearance, flat and wide shape and keen edge.
 
City Wall - Ming City Wall in Xian is a vibrant symbol of the time-honored city. Visitors can run through the circle wherever they start among the nineteen spots for climbing. It encircles the most prosperous business center, and also it is the outstanding representative of scenes and features of the ancient Xian City.

Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, Xian

Day 06Xian

Visit the Provincial History Museum. After enjoying an a la carte lunch at a famous local restaurant, visit the Great Mosque and a local family.(B+L)

Accommodation: Hyatt Regency Hotel - downtown

Tips: Near the Great Mosque, there is a Muslim food street which is the local people's favorite place for different kinds of snacks. This street connects with Guangji Street, which is also a Muslim food street. Along both streets you can not only find delicious Muslim food, but also row upon row of stalls and stores full of beautiful things like various souvenirs, silk clothes of different styles, and fancy antiques. For your caution, make sure the hygiene of the food there before you eat for your health.

Descriptions:
Shaanxi History Museum (Provincial History Museum) - The gallery of Shaanxi History Museum wins high reputation for its superior advantages in quantity, species of relic and quality. Bronze wares, potter a figurine, gold and silver objects as well as Tang tomb painting are all wonderful rarities. There are a lot of treasures really worth of admiring. The Ox Head Agate Cup is one of them. With the ox muzzles mounted in gold, it was the most remarkable jade wares of the Tang Dynasty, made of a whole onyx stone and created in accordance with the texture and color of its own.

Day 07Xian - Shanghai

On the way to the airport visit the Hanyangling Museum, which features the Mausoleum of Western Han Emperor Liu Qi. After lunch, take a flight to Shanghai and transfer to the 5-star Majesty Plaza Shanghai (Address: 700 Jiujiang Road Shanghai, 200001 China).(B+L)

Accommodation: Majesty Plaza Shanghai

You may have heard of a famous shopping, entertainment, dining and culture area in Shanghai which is called Xintindi. It is a place where the new meets the old and East meets West. The buildings there combine the style of the traditional Shikumen lane with the newest modern architecture. When evening comes, the Xintindi area becomes a shining star in the city center. You can wander in the Shikumen lane to enjoy its unique construction, have dinner at the outdoor tables, or do some shopping in the fashion shops. The various styles of night bars can absolutely satisfy and enrich your night life. If you are interested, we suggest you go there by taxi by yourselves after you have a rest. It is not far from your hotel.

Our clients in Shanghai Bund area Photo by our clients Frank and Hilde van Diest

Day 08Shanghai

Visit the Shanghai Museum and the Yuyuan Garden. After lunch, transfer to the Bund area for a cruise on the Huangpu River. The cruise ship will depart at 14:00, travel to the Wusongkou pier and then return to the Bund at 17:00, leaving you some free time to explore the Bund area on your own. Tonight, an a la carte farewell dinner is served at the Central Hotel, whose restaurant Wang Bao He has a history of about 260 years and is the best place to enjoy Shanghai cuisine. The memorable dinner will be followed by the Portman Acrobatic Show at the Shanghai Centre Theatre.(B+L+D)

Accommodation: Majesty Plaza Shanghai

Descriptions:
Yuyuan Garden -  is also known as Yu Garden. It is one of the best preserved Chinese gardens in Shanghai. Its pavilions, rockeries, pools, and flowers make it a place of peace and leisure in bustling Shanghai. The official called Pan Yunduan in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) was said to have had it built in 1577 for the purpose of pleasing his father in his old age.

Huangpu River - As a symbol of Shanghai, it is situated in the middle of the city. Originated in Dianshan Lake, the river traverses the whole city and flows into the Yangtze River at Wusongkou (Estuary of Wusong River). The river is also famed as the 'mother river' of Shanghai, which stands there witnessing the vicissitude of the city.

Day 09Departure 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)