16 Days Classic China Tour with Tibet

Day 1  Saturday 16-October-10     Meal(s) ()   Shanghai  /  Beijing

Transfer via: by overnight train-soft sleeper(arranged by us)   D302     2135-0729  
Program: In Shanghai, you will go to railway station and catch the train to Beijing, stay overnight on the train.

Accommodations: On the train

Day 2  Sunday 17-October-10     Meal(s) (B,L,D)   Beijing

Program: Arrive in Beijing, be met and have breakfast, after it, be transferred to hotel, then visit the Tian'anmen Square, The Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven. You will enjoy Beijing Roast Duck dinner and Liyuan Beijing Opera in the evening.

-The Tian'anmen Square: The largest city square in the world
-The Forbidden City: The largest imperial palace in China during the Ming and Qing dynasties with a history of around 600 years
-The Temple of Heaven: The place where the ancient emperors used to pray for the God's bless of the whole nation

Accommodations: Sunworld Hotel Beijing****or similar
Tel:010-58168999, Fax:010-65139095

Day 3  Monday 18-October-10     Meal(s) (B,L)   Beijing

Program: Full day tour for Mutianyu Great Wall, The Sacred Road, Chang Ling, 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'), Beijing, feel free to take some photos of the stadiums.

-Mutianyu Great Wall: This less-crowded section of the Great Wall is a pleasant drive 90km NE of Beijing. A cable car takes you to a good section (avoiding a very steep climb), where you can walk along the wall, through the watch towers and enjoy superb views as it snakes across the hills and mountains.
-The Sacred Road: The way guarded on both sides with stone statues by which the ancient emperors went to hold a memorial ceremony for the ancestors
-Chang Ling: It's the biggest one, first one and best preserved one of the thirteen tombs of the emperors in the Ming Dynasty.
-Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest): The Beijing National Stadium, also known as the bird's nest was the main track and field stadium for the 2008 Summer Olympics and host to the Opening and Closing ceremonies.
-National Swimming Center (The Water Cube): The National Swimming Center, known as 'The Water Cube', was one of the most dramatic and exciting venues to feature sporting events for the Beijing Olympics in 2008

Accommodations: Sunworld Hotel Beijing****or similar

Day 4  Tuesday 19-October-10     Meal(s) (B,L)   Beijing  /  Xian

Transfer via: by overnight train-soft sleeper(arranged by us)    Z19   2118-0819
Program: Visit The Summer Palace, Hutongs by rickshaw, Xiushui Street, then be transferred to railway station and take the train to Xian, stay overnight on the train.

-The Summer Palace: The largest and best-preserved royal garden in China with a history of over 800 years
-Hutongs: The old narrow paths where common people lived. All the Hutongs crisscross with each other, dotted with the Kindergarten, the Bell Tower, the Drum Tower, the Tea House, and the lake, House of Gong Infante and local people's houses among them
-Xiushui Street: A market near the embassy area where you can find a number of duplicates of clothing in traditional Chinese style such as clothes, caps, gloves. Enjoy bargains with sellers and pleasant surprise of finding a real treasure if you are lucky enough

Accommodations: On the train

Day 5  Wednesday 20-October-10     Meal(s) (B,L,D)   Xian

Program: Arrive in Xian, be met and have breakfast, after it, be transferred to hotel, then visit The Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, The Great Mosque of Xian. In the evening, you will enjoy the delicious Dumplings Banquet and walk around Muslim Street.

-The Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses: The greatest archaeological findings of the century: the army of terra-cotta warriors and the bronze chariots entombed in vast underground vaults at emperor Qin's tomb.
-Big Wild Goose Pagoda: It is a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists.
-The Great Mosque of Xian: It is the largest and best preserved of the early mosques of China. Built primarily in the Ming Dynasty when Chinese architectural elements were synthesized into mosque architecture

Accommodations: Bell Tower Hotel****or similar
Tel:029-87600000, Fax:029-87271217

Day 6  Thursday 21-October-10     Meal(s) (B,L)   Xian  /  Chengdu

Transfer via: by air (arranged by us)     Afternoon flight  
Program: Visit The Bell Tower, The Ancient City Wall, History Museum in Xian, then be transferred to airport for Chengdu. Arrive in Chengdu, be met and transferred to hotel.

-The Bell Tower: The wooden tower, which is the largest and best-preserved of its kind in China, is 36 meters (118 feet) high.
-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.
-History Museum in Xian: 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.

Accommodations: Green Land Hotel****or similar
Tel:028-82938899, Fax:028-86748112

Day 7  Friday 22-October-10     Meal(s) (B,L)   Chengdu

Program: Full day tour for Panda Base, Marquis Wu, Jinli Street, Dufu Cottage, Qingyang Gong (Green Ram Monastery).

-Panda Base: people here can approach  the pandas and take closely look and even pet them if desired.
-Marquis Wu: It is a place to commemorate Zhuge Konming in Three Kindoms around 2 and 3 centuries.Zhuge Kongming is a avatar in China.
-Jinli Street: Chengdu is a city brimming with a strong leisurely ambience. Jinli Street, located to the east of the Wuhou Memorial Temple of Chengdu (the most famous Three Kingdoms period (220 - 280) relic museum in China) is particularly representative of this city.
-Dufu Cottage: It is the residence of Dufu, the greatest poets in China's history. He lived during the Tang Dynasty. The the Cottage now is a lovely park.
-Qingyang Gong (Green Ram Monastery): Directly west of the city center, this Daoist monastery is culturally and historically the most important sight in the city.

Accommodations: Green Land Hotel****or similar

Day 8  Saturday 23-October-10     Meal(s) (B)   Chengdu  /  Lhasa

Transfer via: by air(arranged by us)   Noon Flight
Program: Free at leisure, you will be transferred to airport for Lhasa. Arrive in Lahsa, be met and transferred to hotel, adaptting to the high altitude at the rest of the day.

Accommodations: Lhasa Hotel****or similar
Tel:0891-6832221, Fax:0891-6835796

Day 9  Sunday 24-October-10     Meal(s) (B,L)   Lhasa

Program: Full day tour for The Potala Palace, The Jokhang Temple, The Barkhor Street.

-The Potala Palace: Perched upon Marpo Ri Hill, 130 meters above the Lhasa Valley. It is the greatest monumental structure in Tibet.
-The Jokhang Temple: It is the spiritual center of Tibet.
-The Barkhor Street: The Barkhor is the oldest street in Lhasa as well as  the center of old Lhasa and remains very traditional. It is a place where Tibetan culture, economy, religion and arts are assembled."

Accommodations: Lhasa Hotel****or similar



Day 10  Monday 25-October-10     Meal(s) (B,L)   Lhasa

Program: Full day tour for the Norbulingka Park, The Sera Monastery, The Drepung Monastery, The Carpet Factory.

-The Norbulingka Park: Norbulingka means ""Jeweled Garden"". It was constructed as a summer palace for the Dalai Lama at very beginning, and later served as the whole governmental administration.
-The Sera Monastery: It is known as one of the three greatest monasteries of Tibet.
-The Drepung Monastery: It is one of the biggest monasteries in Tibet.
-The Carpet Factory: The highland of Tibet is the actual home of the oriental carpets. By visiting Carpet Factory you will have a general idea of how carpets are produced.

Accommodations: Lhasa Hotel****or similar

Day 11  Tuesday 26-October-10     Meal(s) (B)   Lhasa  /  Chengdu  /  Guilin

Transfer via: by air(arranged by us) & by air(arranged by us)   Morning flight & Afternoon flight
Program: Free at leisure, be transferred to airport for Chengdu first, then connect next flight to Guilin. Arrive in Guilin, be met and transferred to hotel.

Accommodations: Guilin Bravo Hotel****or similar
Tel:0773-2823950, Fax:0773-2851344

Day 12  Wednesday 27-October-10     Meal(s) (B,L)   Guilin / Longsheng / Guilin

Program: Full day tour for Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces, Zhuang Ethnic Tribes, Yao Ethnic Tribes.

-Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces: Longji, as known as the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces, is located in Longsheng County, the mountainous region on the northeastern part of Guilin. They were first built in the Yuan dynasty ( about 800 years ago)and completed in the Qin dynasty by Zhuang people.

Accommodations: Guilin Bravo Hotel****or similar



Day 13  Thursday 28-October-10     Meal(s) (B,L)   Guilin / Yangshuo

Program:  Full day tour for Li River Cruise, West Street, Big Banyan, The Moon Hill, stay overnight in Yangshuo.

-Li River Cruise: Depart from your hotel in the morning. Be transferred to the Zhujiang Pier(about 1 hour drive)for a 4.5 hours wonderful cruise.You will enjoy the picturesque mountains, peaceful green fields ,farms and villages with water buffalos, cows wondering around on both sides of the river bank. Disembark at the one-thousand-year-old town Yangshuo in the afternoon.
-West Street: West Street is the oldest street in Yangshuo with a history of more than 1,400 years. Situated at the center of Yangshuo County, West Street has become, since the 1980's, a window of eastern and western culture and the biggest 'foreign language center' in China.
-Big Banyan: 6 kilometers away from the County of Yangshuo, you will find a prominent and towering tree: the Big Banyan Tree. It has survived wind and rain over centuries since it was planted during the Sui Dynasty (581-618).
-The Moon Hill: about 50 minutes' bike riding from Yangshuo, there lies the Moon Hill. Named for the crescent shaped cave running through the moon, Moon Hill is one of the highlights in Yangshuo.

Accommodations: Aiyuan Hotel, Yangshuo***or similar
Tel:0773-8811966, Fax:0773-8811916

Day 14  Friday 29-October-10     Meal(s) (B)   Yangshuo

Program: You can enjoy full day leisure time, especially you can take the bike to explore countryside or take bamboo boat rafting.

Accommodations: Aiyuan Hotel, Yangshuo***or similar

Day 15  Saturday 30-October-10     Meal(s) (B,L,D)  Yangshuo /  Guilin  /  Guangzhou

Transfer via: by overnight train-soft sleeper(arranged by us)   K37  2123-0828
Program: Drive back to Guilin, visit Reed Flute Cave, Seven Star Park, Elephant Trunk Hill, then after dinner, be transferred to railway station and catch the train to Guangzhou, stay overnight on the train.

-Reed Flute Cave: Known as "the Palace of Natural Arts" where you can see beautiful stalactites & stalagmites,learn how they are formed.
-Seven Star Park: The biggest park in Guilin, where you can see the Camel Hill, Bonsai Garden, Qixia Buddhism Temple, Flower Bridge and more sites if you are energetic enough to climb some hills.
-Elephant Trunk Hill: Located at the conjunction of the Li River & the Peach  Blosom River, the whole hill looks very muh like a giant elephant with a long trunk, it is the symbol of Guilin city.

Accommodations: On the train

Day 16  Sunday 31-October-10     Meal(s) (B,L)   Guangzhou  /  Hong Kong

Transfer via: by Jet Boat (arranged by us)
Program:  Arrive in Guangzhou, be met and have breakfast, then visit The Chen Family Temple, Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Yuexiu Park, after the tour, be transferred to the dock and take jet boat to Hong Kong. Arrive in Hong Kong, you will arrange on your own.

-The Chen Family Temple: It is also known as Guangdong Folk Art Museum, was used to be the study house of Chen family in 1890s, also the best decorated ancient architecture in Guangdong province.
-Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall: A Chinese style building which was sponsored by Chinese to commemorate Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the great forerunner of Chinese revolution.
-Yuexiu Park: Yuexiu Park, named after Yuexiu Mountain, built in 1952, is the biggest comprehensive sight-seeing park.

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