Touch the Precious History of Ancient 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)　

The excursion today includes a visit to Tiananmen Square, the heart of Beijing and the largest public space in the world and the Forbidden City. 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. After lunch there will be a tour of the Summer Palace, a fairyland of pagodas, pavilions and stone bridges on the outskirts of the city. There you can visit Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake and take a leisurely walk down the Long Corridor. 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.

	The Silk Road Sand Dunes

Day 03 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 04 BEIJING / XI’AN (AB, L, D)

This morning you’ll visit the Lama Monastery, the largest 260-year-old, most important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the world. Then 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 tiny, wooden teahouses. Transfer to airport for your flight for Xi’an, the ancient capital city for 11 dynasties in Chinese history. Upon arrival in Xi'an airport, you will be met and transported to hotel.

Day 05 XI’AN (AB, L, D)
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 site, get a good look at the warriors from various vantage points and visit the excellent museum. You will then take a tour of the City Wall, the most complete city wall that has survived in China, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. After that you will visit the Bell Tower, the emblem of Xi'an City. 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 06 XI’AN (AB, L)

Morning tour to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 652 AD to house Buddhist scriptures from India. You’ll stroll through Xi'an’s bustling markets and visit the Provincial Museum of History where you’ll see artifacts from the Paleolithic period, priceless Tang Dynasty bronzes and treasures from the Silk Road caravans. Afternoon tour to Forest of Stone Steles Museum which holds 3,000 stone steles of different periods from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. The remainder of the day will be left free for your leisure.

	Mogao Grottoes

Day 07 XI’AN / JIAYUGUAN (AB, L)

This morning you will visit the Hanyang Tomb, this Jing Emperor's tomb in Han Dynasty is famous for its rich collections of different kinds of tombs. Then Transfer to airport, for your flight for Jiayuguan. Arrive in Jiayuguan, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Day 08 JIAYUGUAN (AB, L, D)

This Morning you will tour to Jiayuguan Pass, the first pass at the west end of the Great Wall of China and was built during the Ming Dynasty, then you will visit the Great Wall on the Cliff, the north expansion of Jiangyuguan Pass and one important part of Military Defense System of Jiayuguan Pass. At afternoon you will visit the Ancient Tombs of Wei & Jin Dynasty, 15 km northeast of Jiayuguan Pass, renowned as the largest subterranean art gallery in the world and the First Fire Tower of the Great wall, which marks the western beginning of the Ming Great Wall.

Day 09 JIAYUGUAN / DUNHUANG (AB, L, D)

In the morning you will be transferred to Dunhuang, about 385 km away from Jiayuguan. Dunhuang is the terminal of the ancient Silk Road, you will travel to Minsha Mountains or Silk Road Sand Dunes, journey (a short Camel-riding) to the Crescent Moon Lake at Minsha Mountains where the oasis meets with desert. 

Day 10 DUNHUANG / TURPAN (AB, L, D)  

Today you will visit the Mogao Grottoes, the most impressive and best-preserved examples of Buddhist cave art consisting of over 2000 statues and over 45,000 separate murals. Afternoon tour to Dunhuang Museum, which reflects the flourishing social development and cultural exchange between China and the West during the time when Dunhuang was a major centre along the silk road. Then you will be transferred to Railway station for your overnight soft sleeper train for Turpan. Overnight on train.

Day 11 TURPAN (AB, L, D)

In the early morning arrive in Turpan, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for breakfast. (Turpan railway station – Turpan city: 60km/1hour). Then you will tour to Jiaohe (Yarkhoto) Ruins, the largest, oldest and best-preserved earthen city in the world. In the afternoon you will visit the Karez system of irrigation, the life source of Turpan, it is the underground irrigation wells connected by underground channels, which have been sunk at various points to collect ground water. And then tour to Sugong Pagoda, the largest extant old tower in Xinjiang and the only Islamic tower among the hundred famous towers in China.

Day 12 TURPAN / URUMQI / KASHGAR (AB, L, D)

This morning you will tour to Beziklik Thousand Buddha Caves, the most valuable Buddhist caves found in Turpan, then you will visit the Gaochang Ruins (60km/1hour from Turpan), which used to be a garrison town and later became a major staging post along the ancient Silk Road. After that you will visit Flaming Mountains which look like they are on fire in the midday sun. Then you will be transferred to Urumqi, around 200 km away from Turpan. Take the flight for Kashgar after dinner. Arrive in Kashgar, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

	Id Kah Mosque

Day 13 KASHGAR / URUMQI (AB, L, D)

This Morning you will tour to the famous Sunday bazaar, open everyday, but the best on Sunday, it is a massive gathering of farmers and merchants from across the area. This colorful and lively market provides a great opportunity to pick up some of the Silk Road's most interesting souvenirs, from hand made leather boots to traditional musical instruments and bags of fresh spices. Then you will visit Id Kah Mosque, the largest mosque in Xinjiang with a group of old Islamic constructions with strong ethnic style and religious features. After that you will tour to Abakh Khoja Tomb, a masterpiece of Uigur architecture, it is the burial place of a Muslim missionary and saint, and his 72 descendants. You will also stroll along craft Street in old Town, here you can experience a traditional Uighur living place and custom. At the end of the day you will be transferred to airport for your flight for Urumqi. Arrive in Urumqi, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Day 14 URUMQI (AB, L, D)

Today’s excursion you will visit Heavenly Lake, around 110 km east of Urumqi, cruising down the deep-blue lake surrounded by hills covered with fir trees and grazed by horses. Afternoon transfer back to Urumqi, feel free to visit the city by yourself.

Day 15 URUMQI / SHANGHAI (AB, L, D)

This morning you will be transferred to airport for your flight for Shanghai, China's most cosmopolitan city, often regarded as the "Paris of the East." Upon your arrival at Shanghai, you will be met and transferred to hotel. After a short rest in hotel, 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. Then you will stroll along Nanjing Road and visit the Bund, famous waterfront with art-like buildings in China, the symbol of Shanghai for hundreds of years.

Day 16 SHANGHAI (AB, L, D)

On this day you will visit the Oriental Pear TV Tower, the highest TV Tower in Asia, enjoy a bird's eye view of the exciting city of Shanghai. Then we will take a stroll through Yuyuan Garden, one of the best Suzhou-style gardens in southern China, and after get a taste of Shanghai's local life in the Yuyuan Market, then immerse yourself in the peaceful atmosphere of the Jade Buddha Temple. In the evening you enjoy a wonderful Acrobatic Show.

Day 17 DEPART FROM SHANGHAI (AB)

You will be free on this day until be transported to the airport for your flight home.

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