Best of China

Your 8-day China small group tour starts the moment you land at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK). You will meet your professional guide outside the Customs area and then enjoy a comfortable car ride heading to the hotel. Take the rest of the day to relax and recover from the jet lag.
 
Accommodation: The Great Wall Hotel Beijing - the former Sheraton

Today your Beijing Xi'an Shanghai tour begins! You will meet the other group members in the hotel lobby at 08:30am and have a 30-minute pre-trip meeting hosted by your guide. Some travel guidelines and tips will be shared so that everyone in the group can prepare for the trip. Afterwards, your guide and driver will take you to Tiananmen Square, the world's largest urban square. It lies in the heart of Beijing and has witnessed many important ceremonies and assemblies. Then walk through the Tiananmen Tower accompanied by your guide to visit the Forbidden City, which was the royal palace for 24 emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368 - 1911). It is the largest and most complete existing ancient architectural complex in China. In 1988, it was listed as a "World Cultural Heritage" site by UNESCO.

At noon, an a la carte welcome lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) will be arranged at an elegant restaurant, where you will have an opportunity to taste authentic Peking Roast Duck.

After a short break, you will be escorted to the Temple of Heaven, where emperors held national sacrificial rituals and prayed for a good harvest in the old times. If you are a big fan of Chinese Kung Fu, a lively Kung Fu Show at the Red Theater will offer you a chance to appreciate this martial art up close.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte welcome lunch

This morning, we will arrange a visit to the Mutianyu Great Wall. A round-trip cable car is included. Connecting Juyongguan Pass in the west and Gubeikou Great Wall in the east, Mutianyu has been regarded as an important military area in Beijing since ancient times. Afterwards, to celebrate the conquest of the Great Wall, we will specially provide red wine for a group toast. It will be a memorable hour with the beauty of the Wall in view, wine in hand.

Today’s lunch is excluded, as restaurants near the Great Wall are not up to our service standard. You should have a big breakfast before setting off and have some fast food around the scenic area. Your guide will offer you more advice.

Later, we will return to the downtown area. Take your time to explore a featured local market and relax.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

After a challenging trip yesterday, this morning we will arrange a leisurely visit to the Summer Palace, which was the royal resort during the Qing Dynasty. Here you can admire richly ornamented halls and temples, tranquil Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. After exploring the Summer Palace, we will pass by and leave you some time to take photos of the Olympic National Stadium, also nicknamed the Bird's Nest because of its unique appearance.

At noon, we will provide you with an a la carte lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) at a fancy restaurant.

After lunch, a Hutong exploration by rickshaw will round off your Beijing tour. You can get a glimpse of authentic traditional Beijingers' life while shuttling among the Hutong alleys and grey brick courtyards. Furthermore, a special Chinese Paper Cutting experience is also scheduled. Later, you will be escorted to the airport for your onward flight to Xi'an. Upon your arrival, the local guide in Xi’an will pick you up at the airport and accompany you to the hotel for check-in.

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

Your memorable Xi'an tour starts today. After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel and transfer you to visit the Terracotta Army. As one of the eight wonders of the ancient world, the Terracotta Army, symbolically guards the entrance to the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259 - 210 BC) with over 8,000 pottery soldiers and chariots in battle array to protect this great ruler in his afterlife.

At noon, you will enjoy an a la carte lunch at a local family (valued at CNY120.00 per person and included in our price). You can even assist the hospitable host and cook home-made food if interested.

After lunch, your guide will take you to the Jianfu Temple to visit the Small Wild Goose Pagoda and the Xi'an Museum. The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show will highlight this evening and you will be served a traditional Dumpling Dinner at the same time.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Home-cooked a la carte lunch, Dumpling Dinner

In the morning, you will take a short ride to the City Wall Park. While strolling in the park, you will see local people doing their morning exercises. It is the best place for you to get to know more about the local life and feel the cultural differences between East and West. You will also join in a Tai Chi class to practice with a professional Tai Chi master. Then accompanied by the guide, you will ascend the City Wall, which has guarded the old city of Xi'an for over 600 years. If you are interested, you can go cycling on the wall. The bike rental fare is at your own cost. Electric cart is also available.

After an a la carte lunch (valued at CNY120.00 per person and included in our price) at a well-known restaurant, your guide will transfer you to the airport for your flight to Shanghai and help you with the boarding procedure.

Upon your landing in Shanghai, the local guide will meet you at the airport exit and escort you to the hotel in comfort.

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

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up at the hotel and take you to your first destination, the Shanghai Museum. This museum houses over 120,000 precious items from different dynasties. Bronze wares of the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046 - 771 BC) as well as paintings and calligraphy works of the Tang Dynasty are the most noteworthy.

You will then be taken to Yu Garden. Although not very large in scale, it resembles an elaborate bonsai with pavilions, bridges, pools, and rockeries set off by verdant plants. Your guide will leave you some time to explore the traditional bazaar nearby.

At noon, an a la carte farewell lunch (valued at CNY120.00 per person and included in our price) will be arranged at a popular local restaurant. After lunch, we will drive to the Former French Concession to appreciate the exquisite western-style garden houses and learn about the history and stories there. Our next destination is the Bund area, where you will take a one-hour cruise tour along the Huangpu River. Enjoy leisurely time on the Bund to get a glimpse of Shanghai as it was back in the 19th century.

Your guide will accompany you back to the hotel at the end of the day and say bon voyage.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte farewell lunch

This one-week China small group tour will come to an end today. Be sure to take all your belongings when you check out of the hotel. You will get to the airport for your homeward flight on your own. In order to save time, we kindly suggest you take a taxi to the airport. It is around CNY200 per cab to Shanghai Pudong Airport (PVG) and CNY100 to Shanghai Hongqiao Airport (SHA). Please make sure you go to the right airport. If your departure flight leaves from Pudong airport, you could also choose to take the maglev train from the Longyang Road station. We wish you a nice journey home!

If you wish to extend your tour from Shanghai to other neighboring cities such as Suzhou, Hangzhou, Huangshan and others, please feel free to contact our travel consultant. We will be happy to arrange it for you!

Meals: Western buffet breakfast