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 day is on your own to explore the city.

Local people and life, Xinjiang

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)

Tips: After a whole day tour, if you want to go somewhere to have a drink and relax, you are suggested to walk around Houhai area by yourself. Houhai actually is the name of a man-made lake. It is a new home of Beijing's nightlife. Many trendy bars, luxurious nightclubs, western-style restaurants and market with native specialities are set around the lake. Starbucks, Lotus Blue and Sexy City, decorated in classical Chinese architecture style are easy to find. You can even rent a boat to peddle in the lake. Now the Houhai area is as famous as Sanlitun street in Beijing, even among the foreigners. If you go there by cab, it will take you about 15 minutes and costs no more than 20 RMB.
 
Descriptions: 
Great Wall - As one of the most magnificent structure built in ancient times, the Great Wall of China, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987. Due to various factors, this time-worn structure has been seriously damaged. Today, most parts of the Great Wall that can be seen were built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644); while few parts built in the previous dynasties are still recognizable as a cultural relic site. According to a survey, less than 2,500 km (1553 miles), which is only half of its original length, still remains.
 
Ming Tomb - In the Ming Dynasty, there are sixteen emperors in all. However, only thirteen of them were entombed in the Ming Tombs. Where were the rest of emperors buried? Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, was buried in Mingxiaoling Mausoleum on the Zhongshan Mountain in Nanjing. The second emperor Zhu Yunwen was missing in the coup plotted by his uncle Zhu Di. So there was no tomb for him. The seventh emperor Zhu Qiyu was murdered by his brother. After his brother became the emperor, Zhu Qiyu was buried as a prince on the Yuquan Mountain in Beijing.

Day 03Beijing

Visit the Great Wall of Badaling section. 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: An a la carte dinner of Cantonese cuisine will be served for you at a nice restaurant at Wangfujing Street. Afterwards, some free time will be left for you to explore the prosperous Wangfujing pedestrian.
Standard series: We intend to leave the dinner today on your own. You can explore the city to find the food you like or ask your guide for some advice.

Monument of Western Jin Dynasty Brick Tomb, Jiayuguan

Day 04Beijing - Xining

Visit the Summer Palace and the Lama Temple. Take a flight to Xining and transfer to hotel.(B+L)

Tips: The cities along the Silk Road are not as developed as the large cities like Beijing, Xian and Shanghai. The local condition is not as good as you expected, especially the hygiene of the washing room at local restaurant. We suggest you take the toilet paper with you along your Silk Road journey. If you travel in summer, you'd better prepare a pair of sunglass, sun-block cream and a hat or scarf, in case of the sandstorm and burning sunshine. You also have to make up the water supply continuously along the way.
 
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'.

Day 05Xining - Lanzhou

Visit the Ta'er Monastery. Take a soft seat train to Lanzhou and transfer to the hotel. Visit the Gansu Provincial Museum.(B+L)

Tips: It takes you about 3 or 4 hours from Xining to Lanzhou by train. In China, sometimes trains have temporary stops for a while because of busy transportation and this may cause your train arrive behind the schedule. When you find that your train is late, please do not worry. Even if your train is late for hours, the guide will be informed in advance and wait for you at the railway station. Another thing that you must know is that during festivals guides are not allowed to enter the station to pick you up at the platform according to the government's regulation. After get off the train, you just need to go along with the stream to walk out of the station. The guide will wait for you at the exit.
 
Descriptions: 
Ta'er Monastery - Ta'er Monastery a holy place rich in superb arts; and the Dongguan Mosque with the history of more than 600 years. Ta'er Monastery was built in 1577 in order to commemorate Tsong Khapa (1357-1419), founder of the Geluk tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The lifelike butter sculptures, colorful wall paintings and gorgeous barbolas are known as the three incomparable artworks in Ta'er Monastery.

A Chinese free market

Day 06Lanzhou

Visit the Binglingsi Grottoes.(B+L)

Tips: Lanzhou is the only provincial capital city through which the Yellow River runs. After the scheduled visit, if you are still energetic, we suggest you to walk around the park along the Yellow River bank by yourself. The local residents, especially the retired people, tend to gather here finding amusement in the morning or after dinner. Several people assemble as a group, with some of them playing the traditional musical instrument as accompaniment, one or two singing ditties with simple performance. If fortunate, you may come across some people making rafts with pig skins, which is local speciality. You can ask your guide for some advice about how to get there.

Day 07Lanzhou - Xiahe

Drive to Xiahe and transfer to the hotel. Visit the Sangke Grassland and have a visit to a Tibetan Family.(B+L)

Day 08Xiahe - Lanzhou

Visit the Labrang Monastery and have a watch of the morning devotion there. Drive back to Lanzhou.(B+L)

Tips: The prayer wheel in Labrang Monastery is the longest in the world. When you visit a hall, please note that you have to walk in clockwise direction.   

Jiaohe Ruins, Turpan

Day 09Lanzhou - Wuwei

Drive to Wuwei and transfer to the hotel. Visit the Han Tombs, the excavation site of the Logo of National Tourism of China - the Bronze Gallopping Horse and the Confucius Temple.(B+L)

Descriptions: 
Bronze Gallopping Horse - The bronze horse is 34.5 centimeters (13.6 inches) high, 45 centimeters (17.7 inches) long and weighing 7.15 kilograms (15.8 pounds). Raising its head, neighing, it has three legs in the air and right hind hoof on a flying bird. The design expresses that the galloping horse is even faster than the flying bird and skillfully makes use of the expansion area of the bird to ensure the stability of the whole statue. The anonymous craftman of Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD) had successfully created such a romantic masterpiece.

Day 10Wuwei - Zhangye

Drive to Zhangye and transfer to the local best hotel. Visit the Giant Buddha Temple, the Wooden Tower of Sui Dynasty, the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower.(B+L)

Descriptions:
Giant Buddha Temple - Built in 1098, the Giant Buddha Temple was said to be where Kublai Khan was born. This is the only religious palace hall of Western Xia in the country. It collects the largest indoor clay reclined Buddha in Asia, the rare hand-written classics of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and thousands of cultural relics. In history, the Giant Buddha Temple was one of the ancient temples which were closely related to the Western Xia and Yuan's royal family.

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B-- Breakfast     L-- Lunch     D-- Dinner