Experience the best of China. See the thriving cities of Shanghai and Beijing. Enjoy Chinese delicacies like Peking duck and Xian dumplings. Take a stroll along the Great Wall and ride a cruise boat through city canals. Your Chinese vacation will be an unforgettable adventure!
Air 1: Overnight Flight
Begin your China vacation with an overnight flight* to Beijing.
Day 2: Arrive Beijing, China - Tour Begins
Start your China adventure in the capital city of Beijing.
Day 3: Beijing
Today tour the culturally vibrant city of Beijing. See historic Tiananmen Square and visit the Forbidden City, home to seventeen palaces that once housed the rulers of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Conclude the day with a traditional Peking duck dinner.
Day 4: The Great Wall
Today you will visit the famous Great Wall of China which stretches 3700 miles in length. You will have a chance to walk a portion of the wall and view the beautiful countryside around it. Later you can enjoy participating in a popular Chinese activity by kite-flying. Conclude the day enjoying a Peking opera, which comes to life with brilliant colors and lively music.
Day 5: Beijing
In the morning take a trip to the gardens at Summer Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Following lunch, you can enjoy free time further exploring Beijing.
Day 6: Beijing - Xian
Today’s highlights include a visit to the Temple of Heaven, where Chinese Emperors retreated to worship their Gods. Take a rickshaw tour through the streets of ancient Beijing, and enjoy lunch at a local home where the hosts will teach you how to make dumplings. Following lunch you will catch a short flight* to Xian, China.
Day 7: Xian
In the morning you will visit the Wild Goose Pagoda, one of the best known Buddhist temples in the world. After a lunch of Xian dumplings, you will visit the excavation site of the Terra-Cotta Warriors. This massive army of men and horses was buried alongside Emperor Qin of the Tang Dynasty to defend him in his afterlife.
Day 8: Xian - Guilin
From Xian you will fly* to the city of Guilin, where plant covered pinnacles rise from the ground creating a mystical atmosphere. A trip to the Reed Flute Caves will allow you to take a scenic underground tour below karst formations. Later you will visit the uniquely shaped Elephant Trunk Hill, named because it looks like an elephant taking a drink.
Day 9: Guilin
Take a cruise along the Li River, a quintessential rural Chinese landscape where water buffalos emerge from the mist. A trip to the Guilin Tea Institute will allow you to learn tea leaf picking and to attend a traditional tea ceremony.
Day 10: Guilin - Shanghai
Enjoy a morning Tai Chi lesson before heading to one of the world’s largest cities, Shanghai. See Shanghai’s impressive skyline and after lunch take a guided tour of the city’s waterfront district, noted for its Renaissance style architecture.
Day 11: Shanghai
Start the day at the Children’s Palace, where children learn dance, calligraphy and music. Then visit the Old Town and the beautiful Yu Yuan Gardens, full of tranquil ponds and flowering trees. Take a sightseeing excursion to the Temple of the Jade Buddha and conclude the day with an entertaining Chinese acrobatic show.
Day 12: Shanghai - Suzhou - Shanghai
Take a canal cruise in Suzhou, the “Venice of the East”. Later, visit the Institute of Silk Embroidery to watch silk being spun. In the evening you can choose a cruise on the Huangpu River or relax and enjoy some leisure time in your room.
Day 13: Shanghai
Today’s highlight is a trip to the Shanghai National History Museum, full of history and culture. Enjoy the afternoon experiencing Shanghai at your leisure before settling down for a farewell feast with your traveling companions.
Day 14: Shanghai - Tour Ends
Your Chinese vacation ends, but you will have plenty of memories to share with your friends back home.
Spend two weeks in the Far East exploring the best of China. Experience the culture and learn the history of the world’s most populous country. Enjoy Chinese acrobats and a Peking opera. See the Shanghai National History Museum and visit the famed Tiananmen Square. Watch traditional silk spinning and relax in serene mystical gardens. Enjoy the vacation of a lifetime as you experience the beauty of China.
*Airfare not included in total price
