China Tour from Melbourne

SG02-AU: 12 Days Small Group Tour of Melbourne - Beijing - Xi'an - Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin - Shanghai - Melbourne
Tour Type: Small Group of maximum 18 travelers, guaranteed departures, all-inclusive
Guide & Driver: English-speaking guide, experienced driver with an air-conditioned coach
Accommodation: 10 nights, nice 5-star hotels
Meals: 10 western buffet breakfasts, 5 lunches with some in a la carte style, 1 dumpling dinner

Highlights:
  • Discover a grand China trapped in time at the Great Wall and Forbidden City.
  • Visit China’s First Emperor‘s mausoleum and marvel at his Terracotta Army.
  • Li River cruise down to Yangshuo to admire Guilin’s iconic karst beauty.
  • Stroll and cruise below Shanghai’s soaring city skylines for its modern pulse.
  • Immerse in culture: enjoy a la carte meals, Peking Opera, & Tang-era art.
From USD2079USD1871Free Inquiry
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Day 1 Melbourne - Beijing
Please take your flight to Beijing on your own. Welcome to China!
Please catch your flight from Melbourne to Beijing by yourself today. You will arrive in Beijing in about 12 hours.

Tip:
Melbourne and Beijing is directly connected with flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. (You can book a connecting flight to depart on Tuesday or Thursday.) Please double check your flight arrival date and confirm with your travel consultant beforehand. We are glad to offer support if you get any questions.
Day 2 Beijing
Welcome your arrival anytime at the airport and transfer to hotel.
Upon arrival at the airport, meet your guide after reclaiming luggage and clearing customs. Drive to your hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong
Day 3 Beijing
Visit Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City including Treasure Gallery; enjoy an a la carte welcome lunch with authentic Peking Duck; continue to visit Yonghe Temple and Temple of Heaven; and watch the classic Peking Opera in the evening. (B+L)
Forbidden City
Your China tours from Melbourne Australia starts today. Visit Tiananmen Square first, on which you will wander towards the Forbidden City, the next place on our itinerary. You are going to set foot on a land home to 24 Chinese emperors of the Ming (1368 - 1644 AD) and Qing (1644 - 1911 AD) dynasties, including the great Emperor Qianlong (reigned 1736 - 1796), known for kicking off an era of economic and cultural boom. A genius in both military and art, Qianlong was also the longest-living emperor in the Qing Dyansty. He died at 89, according to whom, one should do lots of deep breaths and exercises and keep a healthy diet in one life to achieve longevity. To discover the City’s most precious secrets, we will drop by the Treasure Gallery, which is included in our price.

Around noontime, we will serve you an a la carte welcome lunch with authentic Chinese food and Peking Roast Duck at a highly-rated restaurant.

Continue our journey to Yonghe Temple, a state-run lamasery since the Qing era, and Temple of Heaven, where Ming and Qing emperors prayed to Heaven for a good harvest. This evening, look forward to a Peking Opera Show at the time-honored Liyuan Theatre. We will set off earlier to wonder at the artists dressing themselves with lavish costumes and putting on stage make-up.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte welcome lunch
Day 4 Beijing
Visit Mutianyu Great Wall by round-trip cable car and toast for Great Wall challenge with red wine; drive by Olympic Bird's Nest; then take a rickshaw ride through Hutong alleys and visit a local family in a traditional courtyard house. (B)
Great Wall of China
Mutianyu Great Wall
This morning, head to a suburb to see Mutianyu Great Wall, one of the most essential sections of the Great Wall. As the restaurants near the spot do not meet our service standard, we will not arrange lunch today, and it’s suggested you bring some fast food or snacks to deal with noontime hunger (if you like to travel light, your guide is also glad to recommend some nearby restaurants for you to dine on site). We will arrange a round-trip ride on cable car up and down the wall, as well as a red wine toast to celebrate the unforgettable moment of your witnessing this Wonder of the World.

In the afternoon, go back downtown. We will have a brief stop at the Olympic National Stadium to photograph the fascinating bird's nest-like structure. The rest of the afternoon will see you touring hutong alleys via rickshaw and then mingling with locals at a courtyard house to experience local life.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Day 5 Beijing - Xi'an
Visit Panda Hall and Summer Palace; taste local flavors for lunch; fly to Xi'an and transfer to hotel. (B+L)
Today's tour begins with a visit to the Panda House in Beijing Zoo. Then, visit Summer Palace, a UNESCO-preserved royal palace garden, where you will be fascinated by an ensemble of a vast lake, mountain views and classical Chinese buildings.

At noon, we will serve you a local-flavor lunch. Later, drive to the airport for a flight to Xi'an. Upon landing at the airport, meet your Xi'an local guide and head to the hotel for check-in.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Local lunch
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Xi'an
Day 6 Xi'an
Visit Terracotta Army and the discoverer’s home of the first terracotta warrior; have a unique experience to make your own mini clay warrior; continue to visit Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, and then enjoy dumpling dinner and Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show in the evening. (B+D)
Terracotta Army, Xian
Terracotta Army, Xian
After breakfast, your guide will accompany you to visit the Terracotta Army, made up of life-size terracotta warriors and bronze chariots and weapons, all funeral objects unearthed from the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259 – 210 BC), founder of the imperial China. Go on to tap into the memory of the first discoverer of the Army at his house to learn about its discovery. Later, craft a mini clay solider with professional help and take it home, before we continue our itinerary to our next place, the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.

A cultural extravaganza is in store for your dinner time: you will enjoy a splendid show of Tang Dynasty Music and Dance, which was listed as a National Intangible cultural heritage in 2011, over a feast of Dumpling Dinner, a Shaanxi specialty. You can pay special attention to the most famous program of Tage, or “Stomping to the Song”, in which lasses dressed in ancient costumes would appear to dance with lithe, cheerful steps, implying they are ushering in spring in the hope of a happy life.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Dumpling dinner

Tip:
Guests visiting in January, February, March, and December need to arrange the dinner and evening activity on their own for this day, since the theater is usually not open at those times.
Day 7 Xi'an
Connect with local people at City Wall Park and learn to practice Tai Chi from a master, then visit City Wall; taste local flavors for lunch at Muslim Quarter; in the afternoon visit Great Mosque and Shaanxi History Museum. (B+L)
Today your trip starts from the City Wall Park, a popular place for locals to relax and do morning exercises. Here, we will invite a master to teach you Tai Chi, a meditative Chinese martial art practiced for health benefits (also for defense at ancient times). After that, let’s climb the City Wall to savor a bird’s-eye view of Xi’an’s cityscape. The bricks you can touch with your own hands were actually added centuries later after the wall was first built 600 years ago, when it was all of earth. The secret why it’s so tough as to survive to this day lies in the recipe of the earth fortifying the base and the upper part: it’s mixed with lime and sticky rice, a magical invention perhaps only less firm than ferroconcrete!

At lunch time, walk the busy snack streets at Muslim Quarter to sample local food, and continue with a tranquil stroll at the Great Mosque. Extend the tour to Shaanxi History Museum, a treasure trove storing hundreds of thousands of items, including murals, paintings, potteries, ancient coins, etc., which chronicle the histories of this land.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Local lunch
Day 8 Xi'an - Guilin
Fly to Guilin & transfer to hotel; visit Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill. (B)
Elephant Trunk Hill, Guilin
After breakfast, your guide will transfer you to the airport for a flight to Guilin. Upon arrival at the airport, meet your Guilin guide and head to the hotel for check-in.

After a short break, enjoy a half-day trip to Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill, karst marvels that contribute to Guilin’s fame.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Sheraton Guilin Hotel
Day 9 Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin
Take a Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo; have a countryside tour and visit a villager's home; drive back to Guilin. (B+L)
Li River cruise
Today, your guide will accompany you to cruise down the Li River to Yangshuo. Be ready to revel in the essence of Guilin’s landscape: you will find yourself sailing along a jade belt wrapped around grotesque green hills.

You will arrive in Yangshuo in around 4.5 hours. Disembark and go on a tour around Yangshuo’s countryside via rental bike or scooter to appreciate its rural charm. Along the way, pay a family visit to learn about local customs and culture. Drive back to Guilin.

Tip:
You might want to prepare some snacks to enrich your lunch, as the cruise company only serve a simple Chinese lunch box this noon.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Day 10 Guilin - Shanghai
Fly to Shanghai & transfer to hotel; relax during the rest of the day. (B)
This morning, your guide will transfer you to the airport for a flight to Shanghai, the last stop of your China tour. Upon landing at Shanghai’s airport, join your local guide and transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is left free for you. Enjoy a rest at the hotel or get familiar with Shanghai by walking around nearby.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Hotel Shanghai New World
Day 11 Shanghai
Visit Shanghai Museum and Yu Garden; enjoy an a la carte farewell lunch; have a panoramic view of the city skyline, and then explore the Bund with a Huangpu River cruise tour. (B+L)
Shanghai Pudong Area
Your guide will take you to Shanghai Museum, known for displaying art works of ancient China, especially for bronzeware, chinaware, calligraphies and paintings. Later, visit Yu Garden and let its famous granite Nine Zigzag Bridge leads you to a quaint pavilion stilted over a pond. Out from the garden, hang around its nearby traditional bazaar.

Around noon, an a la carte farewell lunch will be served to you at a reputable restaurant.

In the afternoon, experience the world’s fastest elevator which will lift you to Duo Yun Bookstore on the 52nd floor of Shanghai Tower, a vantage point to have a command of Shanghai’s cityscape. Then, go down to the Bund, a waterfront area to see colonial-era architecture and bustling commercial life in central Shanghai. Enjoy a one-hour cruise along the Huangpu River. At the end of the day, drive back to the hotel. Your guide and driver will say bon voyage in the lobby.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte farewell lunch
Day 12 Shanghai - Melbourne
Please check out before 12:00, and head for the airport in our recommended ways; a pleasant journey home! (B)
Please head to the airport on your own. You might want to reserve a taxi at the hotel reception beforehand to save time. If you need an airport transfer, we are also very glad to assist. We wish you all the best!

Tip:
Shanghai and Melbourne is linked with daily direct flight, which will land at your hometown in about 11 hours.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
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Prices are per person on twin sharing basis; departures are guaranteed even with two persons!
2024 & 2025 Special: 10% off - Book before Apr 30, 2024
Arrival DateDeparture DateDouble OccupancySingle Room Supplement 
Mar 10(Sun)Mar 21(Thu)USD2629USD659
Mar 24(Sun)Apr 04(Thu)USD2629 USD2366USD659
Apr 07(Sun)Apr 18(Thu)USD2359 USD2123USD709
Apr 18(Thu)Apr 29(Mon)USD2359 USD2123USD709
May 09(Thu)May 20(Mon)USD2359 USD2123USD709
May 23(Thu)Jun 03(Mon)USD2359 USD2123USD709
Jun 09(Sun)Jun 20(Thu)USD2329 USD2096USD689
Jun 20(Thu)Jul 01(Mon)USD2329 USD2096USD689
Jul 04(Thu)Jul 15(Mon)USD2469 USD2222USD769
Jul 18(Thu)Jul 29(Mon)USD2469 USD2222USD769
Aug 01(Thu)Aug 12(Mon)USD2469 USD2222USD769
Aug 15(Thu)Aug 26(Mon)USD2469 USD2222USD769
Sep 05(Thu)Sep 16(Mon)USD2429 USD2186USD739
Sep 15(Sun)Sep 26(Thu)USD2429 USD2186USD739
Oct 06(Sun)Oct 17(Thu)USD2429 USD2186USD739
Oct 17(Thu)Oct 28(Mon)USD2429 USD2186USD739
Oct 31(Thu)Nov 11(Mon)USD2119 USD1907USD669
Nov 14(Thu)Nov 25(Mon)USD2119 USD1907USD669
Dec 07(Sat)Dec 18(Wed)USD2079 USD1871USD659
Dec 21(Sat)Jan 01(Wed)USD2079 USD1871USD659
Prices are per person on twin sharing basis; departures are guaranteed even with two persons!
2024 & 2025 Special: 10% off - Book before Apr 30, 2024
Arrival DateDeparture DateDouble OccupancySingle Room Supplement 
Jan 04(Sat)Jan 15(Wed)USD2529 USD2276USD609
Feb 13(Thu)Feb 24(Mon)USD2529 USD2276USD609
Mar 11(Tue)Mar 22(Sat)USD2529 USD2276USD609
Mar 25(Tue)Apr 05(Sat)USD2529 USD2276USD609
Apr 03(Thu)Apr 14(Mon)USD2259 USD2033USD669
Apr 10(Thu)Apr 21(Mon)USD2259 USD2033USD669
Apr 17(Thu)Apr 28(Mon)USD2259 USD2033USD669
May 01(Thu)May 12(Mon)USD2259 USD2033USD669
May 15(Thu)May 26(Mon)USD2259 USD2033USD669
May 29(Thu)Jun 09(Mon)USD2259 USD2033USD669
Jun 05(Thu)Jun 16(Mon)USD2229 USD2006USD639
Jun 12(Thu)Jun 23(Mon)USD2229 USD2006USD639
Jun 19(Thu)Jun 30(Mon)USD2229 USD2006USD639
Jun 26(Thu)Jul 07(Mon)USD2229 USD2006USD639
Jul 03(Thu)Jul 14(Mon)USD2369 USD2132USD719
Jul 10(Thu)Jul 21(Mon)USD2369 USD2132USD719
Jul 17(Thu)Jul 28(Mon)USD2369 USD2132USD719
Jul 31(Thu)Aug 11(Mon)USD2369 USD2132USD719
Aug 07(Thu)Aug 18(Mon)USD2369 USD2132USD719
Aug 14(Thu)Aug 25(Mon)USD2369 USD2132USD719
Aug 21(Thu)Sep 01(Mon)USD2369 USD2132USD719
Sep 04(Thu)Sep 15(Mon)USD2329 USD2096USD689
Sep 11(Thu)Sep 22(Mon)USD2329 USD2096USD689
Sep 18(Thu)Sep 29(Mon)USD2329 USD2096USD689
Oct 09(Thu)Oct 20(Mon)USD2329 USD2096USD689
Oct 16(Thu)Oct 27(Mon)USD2329 USD2096USD689
Oct 23(Thu)Nov 03(Mon)USD2329 USD2096USD689
Nov 06(Thu)Nov 17(Mon)USD2019 USD1817USD619
Nov 13(Thu)Nov 24(Mon)USD2019 USD1817USD619
Nov 20(Thu)Dec 01(Mon)USD2019 USD1817USD619
Dec 07(Sun)Dec 18(Thu)USD1979 USD1781USD609
Dec 21(Sun)Jan 01(Thu)USD1979 USD1781USD609
Price Includes
  • China domestic airfares
  • Hotel accommodation with breakfasts
  • A la carte lunches as itinerary specifies
  • Professional English-speaking guides
  • Drivers & air-conditioned vehicles
  • Entrance fees to tourist sites
Price Excludes
  • International airfare
  • China visa fee
  • Personal expenses
  • Tips or gratuities for guides and drivers
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