8 Days Essence of China Tour

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.

Day 2

Beijing (B, L)

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. In the park nearby you will see people practicing Tai Chi or singing relaxingly.

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.

Day 3

Beijing (B, L)

Sightseeing: Mutianyu Great Wall, Panjiayuan Market

After experiencing the royal lifestyle, today we will be transferred to the surrounding countryside of Beijing and visit the Mutianyu 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, you will visit Panjiayuan Market, At the mention of Panjiayuan market, people will take great delight talking about it as it is a famous city card as well as a distinguished spot in the capital city of Beijing. Along with climbing the Great Wall and eating Peking roast duck, going to the Panjiayuan Market is the Top Three Musts in Beijing for all visitors home and abroad. Also, take an exterior visit of both Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest/Olympic Stadium), National Swimming Centre('The Water Cube'), feel free to take some photos of the stadiums.

Day 4

Beijing / Xi'an (B, L)

Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Hutongs, Summer Palace

We will experience a unique Hutong tour by taking a rickshaw this morning. Hutongs are a kind of ancient city alley or lane and are very typical for Beijing. Most of them can be found close to the Forbidden City, and many were built during the three dynasties of Yuan, Ming and Qing. Today, the Hutong is a living museum of Beijing history showing the traditional lifestyle of Beijing people.

After having lunch at a local restaurant, you can spend the whole afternoon to visit the famous royal garden-Summer Palace. In 1888, the notorious Empress Cixi used the money intended for the Chinese Navy to build this opulent summer retreat for herself. We will have a lakeside cruise on the lovely Kunming Lake and enjoy the magical views of the temples, pavilions and covered corridors around. Later, you will take your flight to Xi’an. Arriving in Xian, you will be met and transferred to hotel by our local guide.

Day 5

Xi'an (B, L)

Sightseeing: Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Muslim Street

Today you will experience the highlights of Xi’an. After breakfast, you will depart you’re your hotel. You will visit the amazing 2000-year-old Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses. Regarded as the 8th Wonder of the World, the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Over 2,200 years ago, the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, ordered the construction of a vast army of Terra-cotta warriors in search of immortality. After his early death they were buried with him to protect his empire. More than 7000 vivid figures in full battle array are formed for battle in several large pits.

Another highlight today is the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Situated in the south of Xian city, it is one of the main constructions in the famous Buddhist temple-Da-Ci-En Temple. There, the well-known Buddhist Master Xuanzang (Monk Tripitaka) stored his collection of classic Buddhist artifacts brought from India in Tang Dynasty. Now it is the Landmark of Xian.

Then we will go on to visit the Muslim Street, known as Huimin Jie as well by Chinese, is a Muslim community in the city. The district houses the architectures in the style of Ming and Qing dynasties, with the Drum Tower in the south and memorial archway in the north, and embracing many ancient courtyards as well as some 10 mosques in diverse sizes that built in different time, around where inhabited bout 20 000 Muslims retaining their pristine religious tradition and life style.

Day 6

Xi'an / Shanghai (B, L)

Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement     
Sightseeing: Ancient City Wall, Shaanxi History Museum

In the morning we will visit Ancient City Wall. You will experience a half-hour's hike along the Ancient City Wall. It is the largest and best preserved present city wall in ancient China and is probably the best military battlement in the world. If you want to, you can rent a bicycle for a ride on top of the spectacular city wall. The wall was built in the Tang dynasty (618 -907) and enlarged in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).

Then we will move on to visit the Shaanxi History Museum. It is a magnificent architectural complex in the Tang Dynasty style. The Museum possesses a treasure of 113,000 historic and cultural artifacts unearthed in Shaanxi, and it covers an area of 1,100 square meters for exhibition.

Later you will be transferred to the airport to take the flight to Shanghai. There, you will be met by our local guide and transferred to your Hotel. 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.

Day 7

Shanghai (B, L)

Sightseeing: Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai French Concession, Shanghai World Financial Center

Today we will start the day with a visit of 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.

Then we head to Shanghai French Concession. Among the four French Concessions of Modern China (separately in Shanghai, Tianjin, Hankou and Guangzhou), Shanghai French Concession is the earliest, largest as well as the most prosperous one. The area has been a leased territory for nearly a century, and after its return, about 240 roads in the former concession was renamed in Chinese.

Another highlight today is Shanghai World Financial Center, which is a superhigh skyscraper in the city as well as the highest in the mainland China with a height of 492 meters. It is a multifunctional office-based building combining offices, commerce, business, conferences, hotels, exhibitions and sightseeing. Embodies the concept of Vertical Garden City and incorporates the building company's vast know-how and experience, the project offers office space with cutting-edge specifications and all the expected functions of a world-class international financial center. The center is also a hub of culture and information, boasting sophisticated retail space, elegant conference facilities, most advanced security, and superior urban facilities within world's highest observatories, and a five-star luxury hotel- Park Hyatt Shanghai.

Day 8

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.