Pandas & Golden Cities

You will be met at Beijing airport today and taken to check in at the hotel. Our guide will offer an orientation for the following day, dealing mainly with escorted tours and dining arrangements. To refresh from jet lag, you may have a good rest at the hotel, or make your own plans for the remainder of the day. 
 
Accommodation: The Great Wall Hotel Beijing - the former Sheraton

After breakfast at the hotel, all persons on the tour attend a short orientation session for mix and mingle. Our first stop will be Tiananmen Square and then the Forbidden City, an ancient and grand imperial palace. There is so much to see. Our guide will make it more exciting with first hand knowledge.

► How did an emperor select his wife in Qing Dynasty?
In the Forbidden City, Palace of Earthly Tranquility was the right place for wedding of the emperor and his empress in Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911 AD). If he ascended the throne before the marriageable age, he needed to choose a wife later. As the nobilities recommended girls for the imperial family, the empress dowager, mother of the emperor, would have a preliminary screen, to weed out those ugly, uneducated, having a terrible voice, with bad family background, and more. The emperor would then select a girl most desirable to him as his empress among the qualified ones. He would also leave a few girls as his concubines. The empress didn’t need any dowry from her family, however, this was indispensable for civilians. Parents would prepare abundant dowry for their daughter, to make her life worry-free in the husband's family. For rich families, the dowry lined for miles in the wedding procession.
 
At noon, you will dine on an a la carte welcome lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) at a very popular restaurant. There are great menu selections including Peking Roast Duck. 

After that you will approach the Temple of Heaven. It is a former place of worship surrounded by a park. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte welcome lunch

The buffet style breakfast with a variety of food is served at the hotel from 06:30. We suggest you have a hearty breakfast today as you are going to mount the great wall and the lunch is not included. After about two hours driving, you will reach the Mutianyu Great Wall, the most popular section. To keep your strength for a great hike on the wall, we arrange the round-trip cable car for you, and to add spice to the exciting occasion, we toast you with a bottle of red wine. Free climbing time will be provided for your group on the wall.

After the Great Wall sightseeing, we will drive back to downtown. Then a featured local market visit is scheduled. You will enjoy some free time there to relax.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

On the last day of your Beijing visit you get to see the Summer Palace, Olympic Bird's Nest and the traditional Hutongs. Summer Palace is one of the places where you find refuge from the bustling city center. Then drive through 2008 Olympic site dominated by the large Bird's Nest. You can get a photo opportunity with it as backdrop. Narrow alleys connect traditional courtyard residences called Hutongs. A rickshaw ride through those old hutongs is an eye-opening experience. Also a particular arrangement is that you will learn the local craft of paper cutting, one of China's most popular folk arts.

We will serve you an a la carte lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) at a quality local restaurant. Enough of Beijing, and you are off to the ancient imperial capital, Xi'an, where you will be warmly welcomed at the airport and escorted to the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch
Accommodation: Sheraton Hotel

The Terracotta Army is a must-see when visiting Xi'an. The museum consists of three main excavation pits and one exhibition hall. The figures in the museum include warriors, horses, chariots, weapons and so on. It is estimated that the first Emperor of Qin Dynasty (211-206 BC) constructed such a large army format aimed to protect his mausoleum. Till now, the excavation work is still ongoing. Lunch is on your own and our guide will gladly assist. 

★ Privilege of Our Guests:

► Home Visit of the First Man Who Discovered Terracotta Army
In addition to visiting the magnificent Terracotta Army, we especially arrange for you a unique visit to the home of the first discoverer of the Terracotta Army. Mr. Yang Zhifa is the first man who uncover the world wonder on March 9, 1974. On that day, Mr. Yang was digging a well and when he dug to a depth of about 1.5 meters 4.92 (ft.), some broken clay figurines had been dug up. That was the first clay soldier statue of the spectacular Terracotta Army reappearing in the world. On today’s visit, you can also see the replica of this first statue at Mr. Yang’s home. What’s more, you can also witness the hoe that was used to dig. Many stories about this legendary first discoverer are waiting for you and you can even have a simple conversation with his family to learn more details about discovering. It will be a very unique and interesting experience!

► A Fun DIY Mini Terracotta Warrior Experience
Are you curious about the making of the Terracotta Warriors? In fact, it took about one month to make a clay soldier in the Qin Dynasty. Today, we will have an opportunity to make a mini Terracotta Warrior and it doesn’t take too much time. Because it is a quite small clay statue made in a mold. Today’s fun making experience starts in Yaodong, a kind of traditional Chinese cave dwelling. With the artisan’s detailed explanation, you can learn to make a 10-cm (about 4-in.) mini terracotta warrior step by step. The whole process is quite easy and interesting, and even kids can learn to make one by themselves, a very family-friendly activity. Finish making, everyone can take their own work home and this will be undoubtedly one of the best souvenirs of your China tour.

Proceed to nearby Xi'an Museum and Small Wild Goose Pagoda after lunch. This evening, dine on a local special dumpling dinner, followed by a wonderful Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Dumpling dinner

The tour today begins from the City Wall Park, a popular venue for local people to relax and take part in various activities. A Tai Chi practice will be arranged for you here. Then go on a visit to the City Wall. Originally built as a military defense system, it consists of walls, gate towers, suspension bridges and city moats. Nowadays, it has become one of the landmarks of this ancient capital city.

After an a la carte lunch at a nice local restaurant, you will be driven to Shaanxi History Museum, an admirable place for visitors to appreciate the many cultural treasures. Later, continue to the Muslim Street. It has been a prosperous commercial street since ancient times, and now it becomes more and more popular among tourists because of its distinctive features. Going across the bustling street, you will reach the tranquil Great Mosque, which is one of the most famous mosques in China. It was first built during the mid-seventy century when Islam was introduced to Northwestern China by Arabic merchants and travelers.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

A morning high speed train will take you from Xi'an to Chengdu in about 4 hours. The high speed trains are the main form of transport between neighboring cities for local people. Our tour guide in Chengdu will pick you up at the railway station and help you check in at the hotel. Relax during the rest of the day.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Chengdu Oriental Plaza

The Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding cannot be bypassed when one visits Chengdu. We will show you the panda center in the morning when pandas are the most active. Seeing them eating, playing or climbing, you will be impressed by such cuddly creatures. After that, we will take you to explore the Broad and Narrow Alleys. You might have your own lunch there to taste some popular Sichuan food.

In the afternoon, pay a visit to the Jinsha Site Museum, which supports dating Chengdu city settlement back to 611 BC. Its heritage is reflected in everyday life. People in Chengdu have the reputation for their carefree lifestyle, so the last stop today is to have a tea break and take a glimpse on the locals' living style in Renmin Park. With a very casual vibe, the locals in Chengdu usually value pleasure more than work. To them, the most crucial parts of living are playing mahjong and drinking tea. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

Today you will be escorted to the airport for your last scheduled destination: Shanghai. Our Shanghai guide will wait for you at airport and accompany you to the hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free for you to do as you please.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Hotel Shanghai New World

If Chinese history, culture and art, are to your taste, then Shanghai Museum will prove exciting. Then proceed to the Yu Garden, which is a classical Chinese garden. It includes trees, flowers, ponds, bridges, rocks, pavilions, and halls. If you are hunting for small gifts or souvenirs for families or friends, the nearby lively Yu Bazaar is a good place. 

You will be at the a la carte farewell lunch (valued at CNY120.00 per person and included in our price) at a fancy restaurant. 

Another highlight of today’s itinerary is to visit the world’s highest book store, which is located on the 52nd floor of China’s tallest skyscraper, Shanghai Tower. The fancy book store is called “Duo Yun Book Store”, meaning the bookstore above the clouds. On the 239-meter-high book store, you can not only enjoy a cup of drink in a credibly beautiful environment but also enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of Shanghai City and the winding Huangpu River. Take in the Bund area and view the spectacular array of buildings on the other side of Huangpu River, which clearly display the prosperity of this city. You will also have a one-hour cruise tour on the Huangpu River. Bon voyage at the hotel lobby from Travel China Guide.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte farewell lunch

Today's transfer from hotel to airport is not included in the package as the departure times of group members are different. You need to find your own way to the airport for your homeward flight. The most convenient way is to take a taxi. It costs around CNY200 per cab to Pudong Airport and CNY100 to Hongqiao Airport. We hope you have a nice trip home.  

Meals: Western buffet breakfast