Tour Itinerary – subject to change

Day 1 Depart USA
Your exciting journey to China begins as you board China’s national airline, Air China non-stop flight bound for Beijing. En route, cross the International Dateline and lose a day. You’ll recover this day on your return trip.

Day 2 Beijing
Arrive in Beijing in the afternoon. Meet your local representative and transfer to your hotel in the heart of the city. Relax and enjoy the evening in China’s historic and vibrant capital city.     

Day 3 Beijing
We begin our day with a tour of Beijing’s imperial treasures. First, Tian'anmen Square, the largest public square in the world, capable of holding one million people. Walk through the Gate of Heavenly Peace, under the famed portrait of Chairman Mao, to enter the Forbidden City, a 9,999-room compound, where the 24 emperors of the Ming and the Qing Dynasties ruled the Middle Kingdom (1420-1911). Experience the architectural splendor of the palaces, ceremonial courtyards and private quarters.  Lunch at a local restaurant, followed by a visit to Panda at Beijing Zoo. Then off to the Summer Palace, and the Forbidden City. Later, we enjoy a boat ride on picturesque Kunming Lake.     

Day 4 Beijing
In the morning, we visit the Temple of Heaven; this remarkable building is considered the supreme achievement of traditional Chinese architecture.. Built without a single nail. Later, we take a photo stop at the “Bird Nest” and visit the exterior portion of this magnificent complex – the main stadium of 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Afterwards, we take a scenic drive through the countryside to reach China’s most renowned monument – the Great Wall. Today you will have ample time to climb and photograph a section of the Great Wall. In the evening, savor a specially prepared meal of Beijing Duck, cooked to crispy perfection.

Day 5 Xian
After breakfast, we experience Beijing’s Hutongs, via rickshaw. Tour the maze-like alleyways and neighborhood residences. In the afternoon, we are transferred to the airport for a short flight to Xian to witness the historical side of China. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel.  After dinner, we take a relaxing walk to the heart of the city to visit its fascinating night market at the Muslim quarter. Tour the lovely and unusual area with bustling stalls and enjoy some of the best street food in China!    

Day 6 Xian
Today’s excursion will take us to modern China’s greatest archaeological discovery – The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses. The extensive excavation, still in progress, has yielded over 6000 life-sized terra cotta warriors, each individually sculpted. Lunch at a local restaurant and see a noodle making demonstration.  For a small extra fee you will be able to get closer to the Warriors.  This evening, we attend a feast of culinary and cultural delights with a special Dumpling (dim sum) banquet followed by a fascinating Tang Dynasty stage show. Indulge yourself in this remarkable show and reinvent your China dream with a travel back in time to the world of China’s Golden Age, then come back to the present with a greater understanding of this amazing time.   

Day 7 Guilin
This morning, we tour the Wild Goose Pagoda, a Tang Dynasty landmark.
Today we have a rare opportunity to witness a real rural life at a typical village in central China. Later, you stop at a “Yao Dong” (Literally an arched tunnel) – a typical cave dwellings that stretches across six provinces in north central China.
In the late afternoon, we fly to Guilin and indulge ourself in China’s most amazing natural landscapes. Guilin is celebrated for its picturesque karst limestone pinnacles and meandering Li River. An old Chinese saying describes Guilin’s landscape as “the best scenery under heaven”. Its misty limestone peaks “rise as suddenly from the earth as trees in a forest, and surrounding the city like mountains floating in an imaginary sea”. Your hotel is located at the foot of Mount Laoren and surrounded by Osmanthus Lake. At night, the hotel is lit up and spectacular views are reflected on the Lake Osmanthus.

Day 8 Long Sheng
This part of the country encompasses China’s most famous scenic landscapes. We start an off-the-beaten-path hiking tour to Long Sheng’s spectacular Dragon Spine Rice Terraces.  2,000 feet peaks with remarkable step-like terraces for growing rice in the hilly areas of Southwest China. Visit the unique culture of local minorities and their villages where life has remained unchanged for thousands of years!  Return to Guilin in the afternoon and tour the Reed Flute Cave, Nature’s subterranean wonder filled with stalactites and stalagmites.

Day 9 Li River Cruise – Yangshuo
A beautiful day awaits! We take a scenic motor coach ride through the countryside, past lush green fields and rice paddies. Arrive at a local village and embark on a memorable Li River cruise. The 52-mile trip has countless twists and turns with classical Chinese landscapes – bamboo groves, sleepy villages, fishermen on bamboo rafts, cormorants, water buffalo, soaring karst pinnacles and mist shrouded peaks... our cruise concludes at the famed Yangshuo, a small town, amidst a haunting and surreal setting.  Upon arrival, we check into our hotel and enjoy a free afternoon to explore this fascinating town on your own.

Day 10 Guilin - Suzhou
Fly to Shanghai in the morning. Upon arrival, we travel by motor-coach to Suzhou. Where we find numerous elegant gardens.  In the afternoon, we visit the Garden of the Master of Fishing Nets, and experience all of the elements of a classical Chinese garden. Dating to 1140, it is considered by many, the finest of all Suzhou’s gardens. It includes a central lake, discreet connecting corridors, pavilions with miniature courtyards, screens, delicate latticework, and above all, points which “frame a view”, as if looking at a perfectly balanced photograph.

Day 11 Tongli - Shanghai
In the morning, we visit Tongli, a pretty little water town typical of the region. Later, we tour the Silk Spinning Mill, where we will learn how silk is created from the mulberry-munching silkworms.  Afterwards, we travel by motor coach to Shanghai, China’s vibrant financial and artistic center. After dinner, we take you for an evening walk along the waterfront promenade of the Bund. See the ships and barges on the Huangpu River, en route to the sea or going upstream to the interior of China. The modernistic Oriental Pearl TV tower looms in the background redefining the skyline.

Day 12 Shanghai
Today we go to futurist Pudong New Developing Area. Transformed from once fertile farmland, this new area is rapidly becoming the symbol of modern China with its clusters of shinning metal and glass skyscrapers of world class hotels, international financial institutions, and commercial centers towered above the Huangpu River. We visit to the 88th floor of the Jinmao Tower, the third tallest building in China. At 1,380 feet, it is the world’s fifth tallest building, from its lofty platform, you enjoy a stunning view of Shanghai. Later we have a traditional Mongolian BBQ Buffet lunch. In the afternoon, we visit People’s Square and tour the famed Shanghai Museum, an unique and inspiring piece of architecture. After dinner, we attend an unforgettable performance of the Shanghai Acrobats.  After the performance, we drop you at the Xin Tian Di for a leisure night.

Day 13 Shanghai
Today is particularly arranged as a free day for you to explore this magnificent city on your own.

Day 14 Journey home
After breakfast, board the Maglev, the world’s fastest magnetic levitation train, for your trip to the Pudong International Airport. The Maglev travels at a speed of 287mph and will cover the 20 mile distance in less than 8 minutes!