Our clients at the Badaling Great Wall, Beijing Photo by our client Mr. John Hollar

Day 01Arrival in Beijing

Our guide will be expecting you outside the customs at Beijing Airport, holding a welcome sign on which your name is written, and then transfer you to register in the hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the city. For dinner on your own arrangement, we have some suggestions around our luxury series hotel and standard series hotel.

Meals: No meals

Day 02Beijing

Your Beijing tour starts from the world's largest city square, the centuries-old Tiananmen Square. The square is an important venue for holding the nation's ceremonies. Strolling across the square to the north end, you will come to the Forbidden City which is the royal palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties (from 14th to early 20th century). The splendid imperial architecture and vast storage of cultural relics will show you the luxurious life of the emperors hundreds of years ago. To ensure that you taste the authentic Chinese food, we will serve you an a la carte lunch at a famous local restaurant. That is quite a different experience than having lunch at the cheap tourist eateries as the most are doing now. In the afternoon, you will tour the Temple of Heaven, the royal altar for the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to worship for the god of heaven. After finishing the whole day tour, a lively Chinese Kung Fu Show at the Red Theatre will present a feast for your eyes.

Meals: Breakfast, A la carte lunch

Our clients in front of Potala Palace, Lhasa Photo by our clients Pedro and Hana with their feedback

Day 03Beijing

In the morning, there is an excursion to the famous Badaling Great Wall in suburban Beijing. As one of the important symbols of the country, the Great Wall assembles the intelligence and diligence of the ancient Chinese. To avoid having lunch at shopping site restaurants, you will be driven to a popular local restaurant which serves famous Sichuan food. Your afternoon tour destination is the Summer Palace, which is the largest royal garden all over the country. Served as the royal summer resort for the last feudal dynasty in China, the Summer Palace perfectly merges buildings of imperial garden into the natural landscape. On the way back to downtown, the car will pass by the Bird's Nest which is the major venue for 2008 Olympic Games. You will have some time to take photos with the famous stadium.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 04Beijing - Lhasa

You will take a morning flight to Lhasa. Our local guide in Lhasa will greet you outside the Arrival Hall of the airport and transfer you to the hotel. You may feel tired and uncomfortable when you arrive in Lhasa due to the early flight and high altitude of 3,650 meters (11,975 feet) above sea level. So for the rest of the day, it is suggested that you have a good rest at the hotel. Taking a bath and smoking are not advised on the first day in Lhasa.

Meals: Breakfast

Tibetans singing and dancing

Day 05Lhasa

Today's first stop is Tibet Museum, where a large number of cultural relics show the glorious history and unique culture of Tibet. After that, you will pay a visit to the Carpet Factory to learn about the world-famous Tibetan carpet. You can see the experienced weavers using the old-style vertical looms weaving carpets. All these elegant and colorful carpets are hand-made, different in size, style and pattern. After having lunch, continue to the Sera Monastery. As one of the three largest monasteries of Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism in China, the Sera Monastery houses many precious Buddhist statues, sutras, murals as well as gold and silver wares. Today's last stop is the Norbulingka Park which was the summer resort for the Dalai Lamas. Now it has become a complex park with ancient buildings, gardens and natural landscapes.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Kneeling archer of terracotta soldier, Xian

Day 06Lhasa

It will be a memorable tour to the magnificent Potala Palace in the morning. Initially built in the 7th century during the Tang Dynasty, it is a cluster of palaces built in castle style. After the reconstruction in the 17th century, the Potala Palace has become the residence of Dalai Lamas and the political and religious center of Tibet. After enjoy a delicious lunch, proceed to the Jokhang Temple. With a history of over 1,350 years, the temple houses many valuable historical items, reflecting the history and culture of Tibetan Buddhism as well as the good relationship between Han and Tibetan people since the Tang Dynasty. From the temple, you could walk to the bustling Barkhor Street which is congested with unique stores selling local featured handicrafts. The tour will end after visiting the Tibetan Traditional Medicine Hospital. As the biggest Tibetan traditional hospital, it is the center for treatment, training, research and production of Tibetan medicines. You can also learn the development of Tibetan Medicine here.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Our clients are attracted by the terracotta warriors and horses, Xian

Day 07Lhasa - Xian

In the morning, you will visit a Tibetan family. With the help of your guide, you can talk with the host and learn of the local's life and unique customs. Later, you are going to take a flight to Xian. Your local tour guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 08Xian

Your Xian tour starts from the well-known Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, which is regarded as the world's eighth wonder. The lifelike warriors and horses are orderly arranged in battle formations, revealing the mighty forces of the Qin Dynasty about 2,200 years ago. Around noon, you will enjoy an a la carte lunch at the best local restaurant rather than having the mass-produced food at the tourist eateries near the site. In the afternoon, the trip will be extended to the Buddhist Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the well-preserved ancient City Wall of Xian. For dinner tonight, our luxury series clients will have the Tang Dynasty Dinner Show at the Tang Dynasty Palace (Add: No.75, Chang'an Road, Xian), while our standard series clients will enjoy the local specialty Dumpling Dinner and the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show at Shaanxi Opera Theatre (Add: No. 165, Wenyi Road, Xian). (Tips: Dumping is a traditional food indigenous to northern China, and basically consists of flour wrapping for various stuffing. People of the north love it and invite you to share their experience today. You may welcome this chance to experiment in the good and the bad of Chinese food culture according to your own palates. Why not withhold your judgement until mealtime? The proof of the pudding is in the eating.)

Meals for Luxury series: Breakfast, A la carte lunch, Tang Dynasty dinner show
              Standard series: Breakfast, A la carte lunch, Dumpling dinner

Amazing Li River cruise, Guilin

Day 09Xian - Guilin

After breakfast, you could tour the elegant Great Mosque leisurely and then visit a local family this morning. As one of the most famous mosques in China, the Great Mosque is well-known for the unique combination of traditional Chinese architecture and Islamic culture. After enjoying an a la carte lunch at a famous local restaurant with delicate cuisine, you will take a flight to Guilin. Our Guilin local guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, A la carte lunch

Yangshuo bike tour (electric car instead) Photo by our clients Ms. Susan Elizabeth Messer & Mr. Herbert Messer with their feedback

Day 10Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin

Enduring memories are created today as you cruise down the Li River to Yangshuo. Picturesque scenery of hills and river will come into view all the way. After disembarking in Yangshuo, you will ride a bike to the pastoral countryside escorted by our guide (alternatively, you can take the electric car). On the way, you could visit a local family to experience the farmer's lifestyle there. Finally, you are going back to the hotel in Guilin.(Tips: Lunch will be provided on the cruise today. We suggest you have a larger breakfast at the hotel since the lunch on the cruise can not meet the serving standard of TravelChinaGuide.)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11Guilin - Shanghai

You will take a city tour to the three most famous attractions in Guilin -- the Reed Flute Cave, the Seven Star Park and the Elephant Trunk Hill. Located 5 kilometers (about 3 miles) from the city center, the Reed Flute Cave is a famous karst cave full of various shapes of stalactites and stalagmites. The Seven Star Park is the largest complex park in Guilin City, which comprises a karst cave, natural landscape of hills and rivers, as well as the historical sites of ancient temples. You may have had a look at the Elephant Trunk Hill on the Li River Cruise. As the name indicates, the hill looks like a giant elephant drinking water from the river with its long trunk. While the tour ends, you will take a flight to Shanghai today. Our Shanghai local guide will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Shanghai Bund area

Day 12Shanghai

In the morning, you will first visit Shanghai Museum, which is one of the best museums in China. The next stop is the famous Yuyuan Garden, located in the center of Shanghai old city. During this trip, we believe that you may have quite enjoyed Chinese cuisines and begin to miss your western food, so we specially serve you a sumptuous western buffet lunch today. In the afternoon, you are going to board on a Huangpu River Cruise and disembark at the Bund area one hour later. The cruise tour will show you the city's best scenery on both sides of the river. Free time will be left for you to walk around the Bund. Tonight, for luxury series clients, we will invite you to a farewell a la carte dinner at a fancy and famous local restaurant, which offers authentic Shanghai and Cantonese cuisine. The memorable dinner will be followed by the fantastic Portman Acrobatic Show at Shanghai Centre Theatre. For standard series clients, we intend to leave the dinner and evening's activities on your own. You can continue strolling around the Bund area and have dinner there, or go back and dine around the hotel by yourself. We have some dinner suggestions around our hotel. 

Meals for Luxury series: Breakfast, Western buffet lunch, A la carte dinner
              Standard series: Breakfast, Western buffet lunch

Day 13Departure from Shanghai

Our guide will transfer you to Shanghai Airport today and help you handle the boarding card. Wish you a pleasant trip back home!

Meals: Breakfast