The best cities of China

Day 1 ARRIVE IN BEIJING

Upon arrival in Beijing; our tour guide will meet you at the customs exit of Beijing airport holding a welcome sign board with your name on it. The guide will assist your transfer to the hotel and help you check in. The rest of the day is on your own and can be used for relaxing or exploring the city.

Day 2 BEIJING (AB, L, SD)

After breakfast at the hotel, your adventure begins with a visit to Tiananmen Square, the heart of Beijing and the largest public space in the world. Step back in time as you pass through the Gate of Heavenly Peace and enter the Forbidden City, home to the Imperial Courts of the Ming and Qing Dynasty for more than 500 years. The Forbidden City is an enormous complex of perfectly preserved palaces, temples, magnificent squares and formal gardens. You’ll stroll along cobblestone paths once known only to the Emperor’s most intimate advisors, visit the private apartments of Imperial concubines and see stunning collections of priceless art, furnishings, and jewelry. You will then go to the Temple of Heaven, the place where the Emperors worshipped the Heaven for good harvests. Tonight's special dinner will be Beijing Duck, served at an original century-old restaurant.
Optional program: A lively Peking Opera performance at the Liyuan Theatre.

	Boating in the Summer Palace

Day 3 BEIJING (AB, L, SD)

This morning you will leave the bustle and traffic of Beijing behind and journey through the countryside to see the Great Wall in Badaling where you will experience at first hand one of the Wonders of the World. There will be plenty of time to walk along a portion of this 3700-mile long marvel or to simply sit and contemplate the wonders of China’s past. Compared with the other normal tours having lunch at the shopping site restaurant, we specially arrange your lunch to be served at a local popular Sichuan food restaurant. Later the journey will take you to the Ming Tomb in the peaceful shadow of Longevity Mountain,where you'll walk along the “Sacred Way” passing between pairs of huge stone sculptures. We arrange a special a la carte dinner at a famous restaurant in the Wangfujing area, so bring you a good appetite.

Day 4 BEIJING (AB, L, -)

Today you’ll visit the Summer Palace, a fairyland of pagodas, pavilions and stone bridges on the outskirts of the city. After lunch you’ll forget about the skyscrapers and construction cranes of modern Beijing as you venture into Hutong, where the atmosphere of Old Peking lives on. You’ll bicycle or ride rickshaws down narrow lanes and alleyways, past vegetable markets, traditional medicine shops and wooden teahouses.

Day 5 BEIJING / XI’AN (AB, L,SD)

This morning includes a flight to Xi'an, the ancient capital city for 11 dynasties in Chinese history. Upon arrival in Xi'an, you will visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Tonight you will be served a delicious dumpling dinner banquet.
Optional program: Enjoy the on-stage performance of Tang Dynasty dance and music in the evening.

Day 6 XI’AN (AB, L, -)

Today you’ll visit the excavation site of the Terra-Cotta Warriors, which many people consider the high point of their trip to China. More than 6000 soldiers, ministers and horses, each individually sculpted from a real life model, stand guarding Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s still unopened tomb. You’ll have plenty of time to explore the sites, get a good look at the warriors from various vantage points and visit the excellent museum. You will then take a tour of the well-preserved ancient City Wall and the Bell Tower, the emblem of Xi'an City. The rest of the day is yours to relax, or step out into the city for a little adventure on your own.

Day 7  XI’AN / CHONGQING (AB, L, SD)

This morning you visit the Shanxi Provincial Museum of History. After lunch, you will be transported to the airport for a flight to Chongqing. Upon arrival in Chongqing, your tour guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. Enjoy the special hot pot food for dinner before a night tour of the city of Chongqing.

Day 8 CHONGQING / DAZU / CHONGQING (AB, L, -)

After breakfast, take a 1.5-hour bus ride to Dazu Grottoes, where more than 100 cliff carvings containing 60,000 sculptures have been found. Dazu Grottoes has been designated by the United Nations as the World Natural & Cultural Heritage. Take a car ride back to Chongqing in the afternoon and visit the Stilwell Museum before being transported to the pier to embark on a Cruise ship. Spend the night on the cruise ship.

	Yangtze River Cruise

Day 9 YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE (AB, L, D)

Experience a shore excursion to Fengdu Snow Jade Cave, and then continue sailing in the evening for Badong with a Captain Welcome Party and Crew Show.  

Day 10 YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE (AB, L, D)

Up on deck early in the morning for the thrilling experience of sailing through the magnificent Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge before arriving in Badong at noontime. Transfer to a small pea-boat for Shennong Stream Drifting to experience the breathtaking scenery. Resume your sail on the Yangtze River for San Dou Ping. Pass through the last gorge Xiling Gorge. Captain Farewell Party.

Day 11 YICHANG / SHANGHAI / SUZHOU (AB, L, -)

Visit the Three Gorges Dam Project Site. After lunch, fly to Shanghai. At the airport in Shanghai, you will be met and transported to Suzhou, noted for its landscaped gardens.

Day 12  SUZHOU  (AB, L, -)

Today visit the Lingering Garden and Humble Administrator's Garden. Tonight after dinner, you will tour the Master of Fishing Nets Garden, the most elegantly designed garden while enjoying the singing and dancing performances in the garden.

Day 13 SUZHOU / SHANGHAI (AB, L, -)

Today you cruise on the world famous ancient Grand Canal, with more than 1400 years history, to experience the unique cultures and glimpse at the daily life of the local residents. You will also visit the silk spinning factory, where you will watch a fashion show and shop for silk products. You will visit the ancient Panmen Gate, the only existing water and land gate. In the afternoon, you will head for Shanghai. On your way to Shanghai, you will spend a couple of hours in Zhouzhuang, a town near Suzhou, where you will experience the serene country lifestyle of the local residents and see the well preserved Old World architecture.

Day 14  SHANGHAI (AB, L, -)

Shanghai is the largest city and a principal port on a deep estuary of the Yangtze River, often regarded as the "Paris of the East." On today's excursion you will visit the Oriental Pear TV Tower, the highest TV Tower in Asia, to enjoy a bird's eye view of the exciting city of Shanghai. Then we will visit Old Street to feel the atmosphere of old Shanghai. After that you will visit Shanghai Museum, known as the Museum of Ancient Chinese Art, where you will find more than 120,000 precious and rare works of art. Proceed to visit Nanjing Road and the Bund, famous waterfront with art-like buildings in China, the symbol of Shanghai for hundreds of years. Enjoy Acrobatic Show in the evening.

Day 15 SHANGHAI  / GUILIN (AB, L, -)

Today you will take a flight to Guilin, famous for its picturesque limestone peaks and rivers. Upon your arrival, take a tour of Elephant Trunk Hill and the Reed Flute Cave, a fairyland of limestone and known as the "Art Gallery of Nature."
Optional program: Enjoy a Night folk dance and music performance with a backdrop of limestone peaks and rivers accompanied by light and sound in the evening.  

Day 16 GUILIN  (AB, L, SD)

Today you will take a relaxing cruise on the Li River to Yangshuo. Depart from your hotel in the morning. Be transferred to the Zhujiang Pier for a 4 hours wonderful cruise. Enjoy the picturesque mountains, peaceful green fields ,farms and villages with water buffalos, cows wondering around on both sides of the river bank. Disembark at the one-thousand-year-old town Yangshuo in the afternoon and explore the local market lined with stalls and souvenir shops selling traditional ornaments and paintings of landscapes. The street is also featured with various bars and cafes which attract tourists from every corner of the world.Transfer back to Guilin City.
Optional program: countryside tour by Sightseeing Electric Car. You will visit plantings fileds, market and the beautiful villages and a local villager's home to experience the farmer's lifestyle.

	Hongkong

Day 17 Guilin / Guangzhou / Hongkong (AB, L)

Today, in the early morning, you will take a flight to Guangzhou, our guide will hold a welcome sign to meet you in the airport. Your tour in Guangzhou begin with a visit to the Chen Clan Temple which is the ancestral temple of the Chen family. Finished at the end of the 19th century, this compound was featured a broad and open classic southern Chinese style. Today it exhibits local crafts such as potteries and carvings. Continue to the Temple of Six Banyan Trees (Liu Rong Temple). With thousands of Buddha statues being housed inside, the temple is also known as Thousand Buddha Pagoda，then you will visit Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, a Chinese style building which was sponsored by Chinese to commemorate Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the great forerunner of Chinese revolution.  After that you will take a train to Hongkong, the "Pearl of the Orient". You will be met and transferred to your hotel upon arrival in Hong Kong. The remainder of the day will be free for you to explore the exciting city on your own.

Day 18 HONGKONG (AB)

Today's half-day seat-in-coach tour takes you to the Stanley Market, the Aberdeen Fishing Village, and Victoria Peak for a breathtaking view of the city and its harbor. There is nothing scheduled for the rest of the day, have fun!

Day 19 DEPART FROM HONGKONG (AB)

You will be free on this day until the time for your tour guide to escort you to the airport for your flight home.

Itinerary: AB: American Breakfast   L: Lunch   D: Dinner   SD: Special Dinner