China Tour from Toronto

SG04-CA: 16 Days Small Group Tour of Toronto - Beijing - Xi'an - Guilin - Chengdu - Chongqing - Yangtze River Cruise - Yichang - Shanghai - Toronto
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: 14 nights at 5-star & 4-star hotels, 3 nights on Yangtze River cruise
Meals: 14 western buffet breakfasts, 6 lunches with some in a la carte style, 3 dinners

Highlights:
  • Catch a glimpse of the magnificence of the Great Wall at its Mutianyu section.
  • Look into China’s imperial life and rituals at Terracotta Army and Forbidden City.
  • Watch giant pandas goofing around at the research center in their hometown.
  • Find yourself in Chinese scroll paintings while cruising on Li and Yangtze rivers.
  • Experience culture: enjoy art shows, taste local-flavor tea, and visit local families.
From USD3289USD2960Free Inquiry
Expand All
Collapse All
Day 1 Flying from Toronto
Take your flight to Beijing. Welcome to China!
Today, please find your own way to the airport for your flight to Beijing. As there is no direct flight from Toronto to Beijing, you will need to make a connecting flight based on the latest flight schedule. Please confirm your flight time with your private travel consultant in advance.
Day 2 Arrival in Beijing
Welcome your arrival anytime at the airport and transfer to hotel.
After a 14-hour flight, you will land at Beijing’s airport, where your expert local guide and driver will pick you up outside the customs and transfer you to the hotel. During the rest of the day, have a good rest to restore energy for the upcoming tour in Beijing.

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)
After breakfast, let’s officially start your China tours from Toronto with a visit to the majestic Tiananmen Square and then the Forbidden City - the imperial palace complex of the Ming and Qing periods (1368 – 1911) - at its north end. While at the Forbidden City, apart from marveling at its grand architecture, you will also listen to astounding and meaningful historical facts from your guide. Take the aesthetic criterion of the eras for women, for example. Unlike the society we live in today that emphasizes good look and slender figure, a woman was prized as beauty only if she got “three-inch lotus” feet no more than 13.3 – 16.6 cm (0.44 – 0.53 feet) in length – that’s not much wider than an iPhone! This was a result of “foot-binding”, a custom practiced from the late Song Dynasty (960 - 1127) until 1912, that girls between 5 and 8 were expected have their feet contorted by breaking bones and binding with cloth; they would remain at three-inch long at the time they stopped to grow and then were treasured, hence the name. Imagine the grounds you are walking used to be trod by this size of feet! Our ticket to the Forbidden City also contains the permit to visit its Treasure Gallery.

Thereafter, you will enjoy an a la carte welcome lunch at a well-known restaurant, where you can taste authentic Peking Roast Duck. After lunch, continue to visit Yonghe Temple, a lamasery and monastery for Tibetan Buddhists, and Temple of Heaven, the altar complex for Ming and Qing emperors to worship Heaven. Enjoy a culture-enriched evening: you will not only experience a live show of Peking Opera, but also come earlier with us to watch the artists painting lianpu, character-telling facial designs.

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)
Mutianyu Great Wall
You can’t really say you’ve been to China without seeing the Great Wall yourself. This morning, we will ascend the Mutianyu Great Wall, the most beautiful segment. A round-trip cable car up and down is arranged to save your energy. Moreover, we will serve a bottle of red wine to toast this unique moment. Lunch is not arranged today, because the restaurants nearby do not reach our standard. We suggest that you have a big breakfast and pack some snacks for lunch. If you really want to eat at nearby restaurants, your guide is also glad to assist.

On our way downtown, stop shortly at the Bird's Nest, the National Stadium, and take some photos. A ride via rickshaw to tour Hutongs, Beijing’s historical residential alleys, awaits, which is followed by a family visit in one of the courtyard houses in a Hutong.

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)
Summer Palace, Beijing
Today's itinerary starts with Panda House in Beijing Zoo. Then visit Summer Palace, originally a lakeside resort for emperors to escape from summer heat and now the best preserved imperial garden in the world.

After lunch, you will be transferred to the airport to fly to Xi'an. Upon arrival, your local guide will greet you at the arrival hall and escort you to the hotel for check-in. During the rest of the day, you can either have a good rest or warm yourself up by exploring around.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, 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
In the morning, we will explore the mysterious Terracotta Army of thousands of lifelike terracotta warriors, funeral objects of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259 – 210 BC). The emperor has shocked the world with many “firsts”: he’s not only the first emperor of imperial China, the first to build a mausoleum in a scale unimaginable with terracotta soldiers protecting it, but he also started an era when soldiers could write letter home: the earliest letter home in China was unearthed from a tomb of 2,300 years old, revealing that they would be rewarded for a contribution made but daily expenses and clothing of Qin soldiers were afforded by their family. Now that you are before his underground bodyguards with a guide by your side, take the chance to learn more about this legendary figure.

To learn about the discovery of the Army, we will then pay a visit to the family of Mr. Yang, a farmer known for unearthing the first terracotta warrior. A special gift is also prepared for you: you will have fun crafting a mini clay solider in a workshop and take it home. Drive back downtown.

In the afternoon, proceed to visit Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, a landmark in Xi'an. This evening, enjoy a fascinating Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show and Dumpling Dinner.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Dumpling dinner

Tip:
Guests coming 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)
This morning, we will first have a leisurely walk around City Wall Park, where locals do morning exercises, making it a great place to experience local life. Then, we will arrange for you to do Tai Chi with a master. Next, ascend Xi'an City Wall, a moated fortification used to defend what was the ancient capital of China. You can either wander or ride a rental bike (at your own expense) on the wall.

Around noon, explore Muslim Quarter, where you can not only experience local Muslim lifestyle, but also taste authentic local snacks. Continue to visit Great Mosque and round off today’s trip with a visit to Shaanxi History Museum.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Local lunch
Day 8 Xi'an - Guilin
Fly to Guilin and transfer to hotel; visit Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill. (B)
This morning, fly to Guilin and head to your local hotel for check-in on arrival. This afternoon, appreciate Guilin’s iconic karst wonders of Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Sheraton Guilin Hotel
Day 9 Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin
Take a Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo; explore West Street and have a countryside tour; drive back to Guilin. (B+L)
Li River, Guilin
Li River, Guilin
After breakfast, your spectacular 4.5-hour cruise on Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo begins.

Off the ship in Yangshuo, we will head to its pastoral countryside. Whether to take a stroll or ride a bike through the spellbinding landscape, it’s your choice. Your rural tour will culminate in a family visit at a villager’s house.

Tip:
It’s likely you might find today’s box lunch too simple, in which case you might wish to have a hearty breakfast and prepare some snacks in advance.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, lunch on board
Day 10 Guilin - Chengdu
Fly to Chengdu and transfer to hotel; visit Jinsha Site Museum, and taste local Gai Wan tea and see the Chinese matchmaking corner at Renmin Park. (B)
Take a morning flight to Chengdu. Meet up with your local guide, who will take you to the hotel for check-in.

The first stop of your tour in Chengdu is Jinsha Site Museum, a window to learn about the lost Shu civilization that flourished on this land thousands of years ago. The next is People’s Park, the perfect place to experience the famous slow-paced lifestyle of Chengdu people. You will join them by having some tea. What sets People’s Park apart is that it’s the first park ever built in this city. The teahouse in it was born along with it, in 1911. It’s also popular for a “Matchmaking Corner”, where parents are searching for suitable life partners for their children; they do this by posting valid personal profiles, blue-colored for sons and pink-colored for daughters – an interesting home-made culture to learn about!

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Day 11 Chengdu - Chongqing
Visit Giant Panda Base and Wide and Narrow Alleys; take a high speed train to Chongqing and board the Yangtze River cruise ship for a 3-night stay. (B+D)
Enjoy an adorable morning today, as you will watch giant pandas chewing bamboo and rolling around at Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

Around noontime, let’s hang around Wide and Narrow Alley, Chengdu’s historical area to appreciate traditional buildings and widely-loved Sichuan cuisine. This afternoon, you will be driven to catch a bullet train to Chongqing. Meet up your local guide at Chongqing’s railway station to embark on a five-star Yangtze cruise ship. A buffet dinner and a warm reception from your capital are in store.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Dinner
Cruises: Century Glory
Day 12 Yangtze River Cruise Tour
Take an onshore excursion to Ghost City, then enjoy your leisure time on board or participate in some cultural activities; three buffet meals a day plus midnight snacks are served. (B+L+D)
Do some Tai Chi before breakfast, and prepare to take an onshore trip through the infernal region of Chinese folklore, Fengdu Ghost City. Spend the afternoon onboard as you like. There are appealing vistas from deck and cultural activities to engage yourself in.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13 Yangtze River Cruise Tour
Admire Yangtze Three Gorges and take an onshore excursion to Shennv Stream. (B+L+D)
The cruise through the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River, whose landscape was often sung by Chinese poetry, officially kicks off this morning. You will pass Qutang and Wu gorges around noontime. While at Wu Gorge, go for a side onshore trip to witness the beauty of Shennv Stream.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 14 Yichang - Shanghai
Disembark from cruise ship and visit Three Gorges Dam; take a high-speed train to Shanghai and transfer to hotel. (B)
After breakfast, check out of the ship and go on to explore the Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydro-electric project in the world. Then, you will be transferred to the Three Gorges Tourist Center in Yichang. Your local guide will take you from there to the railway station for a 7.5-hour bullet train ride to Shanghai. Meet your local guide at Shanghai’s train station and then transfer to the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Hotel Shanghai New World
Day 15 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)
The first stop of your tour in Shanghai is Shanghai Museum, followed by the famous Yu Garden and its nearby Yuyuan Bazaar. Yu Garden, an old landmark of Shanghai, offers insight of what is a typical southern Chinese classical garden, while its bazaar, home to many time-honored shops as well as boutiques, is a lively must-visit to experience local culture. Unlike others of its kind, Yuyuan Bazaar, a gem situated in a metropolis, is dominated by tourists from other cities or countries, and also loved by locals.

At noon, we will arrange an a la carte farewell lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, enjoy a panorama of the city at Duo Yun Bookstore on the 52nd floor of Shanghai Tower. Then, take a leisurely walk along the Bund, where you can see over fifty western-style buildings from the colonial period of Shanghai. Moreover, we will arrange a cruise on the Huangpu River for you.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte farewell lunch
  Day 16 Shanghai - Toronto
Please check out before 12:00, and head for the airport in our recommended ways; a pleasant journey home! (B)
After breakfast at the hotel, please find your own way to Pudong International Airport (PVG), where international flights usually take off, for your flight back home. We recommend you take a taxi to PVG, which costs about CNY 200. You can make a connection in Vancouver, as there is no direct flight from Shanghai to Toronto. You will return home in about 14 hours. Wish you have had a pleasant tour with us in China!

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Expand All
Collapse All
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 
Apr 07(Sun)Apr 22(Mon)USD3539 USD3185USD1139
Apr 18(Thu)May 03(Fri)USD3539 USD3185USD1139
May 09(Thu)May 24(Fri)USD3539 USD3185USD1139
May 23(Thu)Jun 07(Fri)USD3499 USD3149USD1139
Jun 09(Sun)Jun 24(Mon)USD3449 USD3104USD1069
Jun 20(Thu)Jul 05(Fri)USD3449 USD3104USD1069
Jul 04(Thu)Jul 19(Fri)USD3569 USD3212USD1179
Jul 18(Thu)Aug 02(Fri)USD3569 USD3212USD1179
Aug 01(Thu)Aug 16(Fri)USD3569 USD3212USD1179
Aug 15(Thu)Aug 30(Fri)USD3569 USD3212USD1179
Sep 05(Thu)Sep 20(Fri)USD3569 USD3212USD1179
Sep 15(Sun)Sep 30(Mon)USD3569 USD3212USD1179
Oct 06(Sun)Oct 21(Mon)USD3569 USD3212USD1179
Oct 17(Thu)Nov 01(Fri)USD3569 USD3212USD1179
Oct 31(Thu)Nov 15(Fri)USD3289 USD2960USD1049
Nov 14(Thu)Nov 29(Fri)USD3289 USD2960USD1049
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 
Apr 03(Thu)Apr 18(Fri)USD3439 USD3095USD1089
Apr 10(Thu)Apr 25(Fri)USD3439 USD3095USD1089
Apr 17(Thu)May 02(Fri)USD3439 USD3095USD1089
May 01(Thu)May 16(Fri)USD3439 USD3095USD1089
May 15(Thu)May 30(Fri)USD3439 USD3095USD1089
May 29(Thu)Jun 13(Fri)USD3349 USD3014USD1019
Jun 05(Thu)Jun 20(Fri)USD3349 USD3014USD1019
Jun 12(Thu)Jun 27(Fri)USD3349 USD3014USD1019
Jun 19(Thu)Jul 04(Fri)USD3349 USD3014USD1019
Jun 26(Thu)Jul 11(Fri)USD3469 USD3122USD1129
Jul 03(Thu)Jul 18(Fri)USD3469 USD3122USD1129
Jul 10(Thu)Jul 25(Fri)USD3469 USD3122USD1129
Jul 17(Thu)Aug 01(Fri)USD3469 USD3122USD1129
Jul 31(Thu)Aug 15(Fri)USD3469 USD3122USD1129
Aug 07(Thu)Aug 22(Fri)USD3469 USD3122USD1129
Aug 14(Thu)Aug 29(Fri)USD3469 USD3122USD1129
Aug 21(Thu)Sep 05(Fri)USD3469 USD3122USD1129
Sep 04(Thu)Sep 19(Fri)USD3469 USD3122USD1129
Sep 11(Thu)Sep 26(Fri)USD3469 USD3122USD1129
Sep 18(Thu)Oct 03(Fri)USD3469 USD3122USD1129
Oct 09(Thu)Oct 24(Fri)USD3469 USD3122USD1129
Oct 16(Thu)Oct 31(Fri)USD3469 USD3122USD1129
Oct 23(Thu)Nov 07(Fri)USD3469 USD3122USD1129
Nov 06(Thu)Nov 21(Fri)USD3179 USD2861USD999
Nov 13(Thu)Nov 28(Fri)USD3179 USD2861USD999
Nov 20(Thu)Dec 05(Fri)USD3179 USD2861USD999
Price Includes
  • China domestic airfare & train fares
  • 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
Itineraries you may also like: