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Day
1
Arrival Beijing
Transfer via: Flight on your own arrangement
Upon your arrival you will be greeted by our local guide and then transferred to your hotel by a private air-conditioned car. For the rest of the day you will enjoy some leisure time.
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Day
2
Beijing ( B, L )
Sightseeing: Badaling Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Sacred Way, 2008 Beijing Olympic venues
After experiencing the royal lifestyle, today we will be transferred to the surrounding countryside of Beijing and visit the Badaling Great Wall, the pride of China and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Whereas Genghis Khan contemplated it as a military obstacle, Richard Nixon described it as one of humankind's greatest achievements. You will be able to climb and walk one of the best preserved sections of the 2,000 years old ancient wall, admiring the splendid mountain views. Bring a jacket and layer- although it is breezy, the climbing is tough. So be in a good shape!
In the afternoon we will visit the legendary Ming Tombs, which are situated at the foot of Heavenly Longevity Mountain, Changping, northwest of Beijing. Since there are 13 Ming emperors buried there, this place was called the 13 Ming Tombs. You will walk along the Sacred Way, a road guarded by stone statues on both sides, as the ancient emperors did to hold a memorial ceremony for their ancestors.
On the way back to hotel, you will be driven to visit the main 2008 Beijing Olympic venues, take an exterior visit of both the, Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest/Olympic Stadium), National Swimming Centre('The Water Cube'),feel free to take some photos of the stadiums.
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Day
3
Beijing / Zhangjiajie ( B, L )
Transfer via: Flight arranged by us
Sightseeing: Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City
This morning our tour will begin with a visit of the Temple of Heaven, which was completed in 1420, and expanded over the years by two Qing Dynasty Emperors. It was the place where the Emperor came every winter solstice to worship heaven and to solemnly pray for a good harvest. With the three blue-tiled cone-shaped roofs, a unique wooden and blue-tiled structure built without a nail, it has become a worldwide symbol of Beijing.
After lunch, we will go on our city tour to visit Tiananmen Square, the symbolical heart of China and gathering place for the masses. It is the biggest public square in the world, which can hold one million people.
From here we will walk across the Golden River Bridge to visit the Forbidden City and experience the ancient Emperor's daily life. For 5 centuries Chinese emperors carried out their administration here. With almost 10,000 rooms, it was the centre of the Ming and Qing dynasties, a massive complex of palaces, pavilions, courtyards and gardens where 24 emperors used to live. Forbidden City was the largest palace in the world, and in the past it was indeed a forbidden place for commoners. Your tour here will include private access to the Emperor's palace.
Later that day you will take the flight to Zhangjiajie. After your arrival there, you will be met and transferred to your hotel by our local guide.
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Day
4
Zhangjiajie ( B, L )
Sightseeing: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Huangshizhai Cable Car, Jinbian Brook, Huangshi Fort)
You will have a full day visit .including the following places: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Zhangjiajie's main tourist draw is the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list for its lush vegetation, unique sandstone pillars, pristine waters and a wide variety of species of flora and fauna.
You can take a cable car to Huangshizhai where you will appreciate the daunting rock columns. From the top, enjoy spectacular views of the forest with rough landscape.
Another scenic spot is the Jinbian Brook. It covers a distance of 7.5 km from north to south, winding across mountains and valleys. The brook is limpid through the year and is famous for Jinbian Cave-which has a height of 382km and looks like a huge flying eagle.
You will also have chance to explore the Huangshi Fort. It is a mesa higher on the north side elevated by stiff cliffs. Huangshi Fort has the most of marvelous view of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park including Treasure Box of Heavenly Books, Magic Sea-suppressing Needle, South Pillar of Heaven, Golden Tortoise Watching the Sea etc.
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Day
5
Zhangjiajie ( B, L )
Sightseeing: Tianzi Mountain
You will continue to visit the Tianzi Mountain today. Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve is a mesa in the northwest of Wulingyuan. Up on the mesa, the field of vision is widely opened up and it is a perfect location to have a panoramic view of the nature reserve. Tianzi Mountain has four scenic wonders, namely Cloud Billows, Moon Brightness, Sun Glow and Winter Snow. The cloud billows are ever changing, morning and evening sun glows vast sky, moon shines in the still night, winter snow falls enchanting the scenery, like a lyric, like a landscape painting.
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Day
6
Zhangjiajie/Chengdu ( B, L)
Transfer via: Flight arranged by us
Sightseeing: Wuhou Memorial Temple, Jinli Street
Today you will enjoy some free time and then be transferred to airport to take the flight to Chengdu. After your arrival there, you will be met by our local guide and visit Wuhou Memorial Temple. The Temple is dedicated to Zhuge Liang, the Martial Marquis of Shu in the Three Kingdoms. His outstanding intelligence place Zhuge Liang above all emperors, generals, and ministers in history.
Afterwards you will take a walk along Jinli Street which is particularly representative for this city. It is recorded that as already during Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC), Jinli Street was the most famous place for baldachin - a rich, ornate cloth. During Shu Kingdom (221-263) it was one of the busiest commercial streets. Hence, it is known as 'First Street of the Shu Kingdom'. In order to reclaim the street's prosperity of former days, it was restored with contributions from the Wuhou Memorial Temple and was opened to public in October of 2004.
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Day
7
Chengdu ( B, L)
Sightseeing: Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Dufu's Thatched Cottage
Today we will visit the Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Base, which was built to imitate the wild ecological environment of pandas. It covers a space of 92 acres, with a green coverage of 96 percent. The base created a perfect ecological environment for the living and breeding of pandas and other precious and rare wild animals. It breeds over 20 pandas and lesser pandas, black-necked cranes, white cranes and others.
And then we will continue to visit the Thatched Cottage of Dufu, located by the side of the Huanhua Stream in Chengdu's western suburb, will be our next stop. It was the residence of Dufu, the great poet of the Tang Dynasty when he took refuge in Chengdu. Du Fu (712-70 AD),one of China's most famous poets, left home at the tender age of 20, becoming a court official at the former capital in Chang'an (near Xi'an). Du Fu's civil service duties did not last long however, and he was captured by rebels and forced to flee the city for Chengdu after only a few years. It was in Chengdu, at this small and simple house, that Du Fu was inspired to write more than 200 poems which are regarded today as masterpieces of realist poetry.
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Day
8
Chengdu/ Jiuzhaigou ( B, L)
Transfer via: Flight arranged by us
Sightseeing: Huanglong Scenic Area
In the morning you will be transferred to airport to take the flight to Chengdu. After your arrival there, you will be met by our local guide and visit Huanglong (Yellow Dragon) Scenic Area. It was named after the ancient Huanglong Temple within the area. The most remarkable scene in the area is the Huanglong Valley noted for its unique open karst landscape. The main attraction of the valley is the 3.6-kilometer-long and 30 to 70-meter-wide pale yellow calcareous deposits.
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Day
9
Jiuzhaigou ( B, L)
Sightseeing: Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area
We have a full day visit in the Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area, which is the home of nine Tibetan villages. The place is dotted with more than 100 gorgeous lakes, and the lakebeds and embankments are all covered with crystals. The water is so clear that the bottom can be seen at depths of over several dozen meters. Waterfalls are the essence of the scenery in Jiuzhaigou. They are created between lakes on different levels with water flowing down from the tree covered cliffs. In 1992, UNESCO entered this scenic area onto the world natural heritage list.
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Day
10
Jiuzhaigou / Chengdu / Shanghai ( B, L)
Transfer via: Flight arranged by us
Sightseeing:Nanjing Road and the Bund
In the morning you will be transferred to airport to take flight to Chengdu. After your arrive there, you will take another flight to Shanghai. After your arrival in Shanghai, you will be met by our local guide and then take a walk to the famous Nanjing Road and the Bund. They are among the most recognizable architectural symbols of Shanghai and therefore a must-see when visiting Shanghai.
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Day
11
Shanghai ( B, L)
Sightseeing: Shanghai Museum, Jade Buddha Temple, Oriental Pearl Tower, Yuyuan Garden
Today we will start the day with a visit of Shanghai Museum which is the biggest museum of China. It incorporates a collection of over 120,000 pieces of Chinese art & cultural relics and is especially famous for its treasures of bronzes, ceramics, paintings and calligraphy.
Then we head to the Jade Buddha Temple. The old-time and classical architectural style makes the temple unique and inimitable in this modern city. Both, the Sitting Buddha and the Recumbent Buddha are carved with whole white jade. If you're lucky, you can watch the monks serving a ceremony in a side room.
After lunch, we will visit the Oriental Pearl Tower, the highest TV Tower in Asia, which creates a picture of 'twin dragons playing with pearls'. The entire scene is a photographic jewel that excites the imagination and attracts thousands of visitors all year-round.
Then we will take a relaxing walk to the lovely Yuyuan Garden, a beautiful garden in the south of the Yangtze River. Wandering through it, you will find pavilions, corridors, streams, courtyards as well as many other natural features.
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Day
12
Departure Shanghai (B)
Transfer via: Flight on your own arrangement
Today will be free for your own purposes, until our guide will escort you to the airport for your next destination.