14 Days Classic Chinese RMB Note Scenery Tour to Guilin, Chongqing, Lhasa and Beijing

Day 1

Shanghai Arrival

Transfer via: International 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

Shanghai (B, L)

Sightseeing: Yuyuan Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, the Bund, Nanjing Road

After breakfast, you will be transferred to railway station to take express train to Shanghai. Upon arrival, your local guide will greet you and then start your Shanghai city tour.

First, 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.

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.

Finally, we will take a walk along the Bund, experience the smells, sights and sounds of the old "Wall Street" in Shanghai. Actually, some people say that the Bund is like "an exhibition of buildings". Finally we will walk along the famous pedestrian street-Nanjing Road, known as "China's No.1 Shopping Street".

Day 3

Shanghai (B, L)

Sightseeing: Shanghai Museum, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai French Concession

Today we will start 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.

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 move on to Shanghai French Concession. The Shanghai French Concession is a district in the city and was the foreign concession of France in Shanghai. Covering what are today Xuhui District and Luwan District and occupying the centre, south, and west of urban Shanghai, Shanghai French Concession is the earliest, largest and most prosperous French Concession among the four French Concessions of Modern China.

Day 4

Shanghai to Guilin (B, L)

Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill, Seven Star Park

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up from hotel lobby and then transfer you to airport for the flight to Guilin. Upon arriving, you will be met by your local guide and then be transferred to your hotel.

We will then with visiting Reed Flute Cave, which is a vast and very impressive cave system, and one of the most important sights of Guilin. Known as "the Palace of Natural Arts", you can see beautiful stalactites & stalagmites and learn how they are formed.

We’ll continue to visit the Elephant Trunk Hill. Located at the conjunction of the Li River & the Peach Blossom River, the whole hill looks very much like a giant elephant with a long trunk drinking out of the river; it is the symbol of Guilin city.

Afterwards we will make a walk through Seven Star Park. It is one of the best urban parks in China. The park is in the east bank of Lijiang, the largest park in Guilin with the theme of rock caves.

Day 5

Guilin to Yangshuo (B, L)

Sightseeing: Li River Cruise, West Street

Guilin is famous for its picturesque scenery, and the best way to see it is from the deck of Li River Cruise ships. In the morning you will depart from your hotel and be transferred to the Zhujiang Pier (about 1 hour drive) for a 4.5 hours wonderful cruise. You will enjoy the unique mountains, peaceful green fields, farms and villages with water buffalos, cows wondering around on both sides of the river bank.

In the afternoon you will disembark at the old town Yangshuo. Having a history of more than 1,400 years, West Street is the oldest street in Yangshuo. You will have some time to explore the old town's lovely attractions.

Stay tonight in this lovely small town.

Day 6

Yangshuo (B, L)

Sightseeing: Moon Hill, Big Banyan tree, Xingping

Experience the hustle & bustle of the Yangshuo traffic for 10 minutes before you escape onto the country roads, lanes and tracks of the distinctive and beautiful Yangshuo countryside. Biking alongside the paddy field and orchards that surround the famous mountains will give a fascinating insight into life in rural China. You will have a visit to the Moon Hill and Big Banyan tree on the way. It is an opportunity to see a real country life and talk to the local farmers.

After lunch in Yangshuo, we will drive to Xingping. Xingping is the oldest town in Yangshuo, a lovely village which has the potential to be the next backpacker haven as Yangshuo keeps growing. It was set up in 265, Three Kingdoms (220-280 A.D.), and used to be Xingping County. It was the center of Yangshuo County until Yangshuo Town was setup in 590.There are many stunning views: Nine-horse Mural Cliff, Yellow-cloth Reflection, Monk and Nun's Tryst, Ancient Stockaded Village's New Looks, Secluded Qianyuan, Ancient Wusheng Site, Fishing Village, Lotus-flower Cave, Flying-dragon Nunnery and others.

Day 7

Yangshuo to Guilin to Chongqing (B, L, D)

Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Chongqing Zoo, Goose Neck Park, Ciqikou Old Town,

This morning, you will be transferred to Guilin airport to take flight to Chongqing. Upon arrival, you will be met by local guide and start the Chongqing city tour with the visit to Panda Room in Chongqing Zoo to meet the lovely pandas.

Then you will Goose Neck Park. This park has a good view of the city and the roiling Yangtze River. A great mural of the Yangtze River shows the pre-dam water levels and elevation marks signifying the displacement of the local population, as well as the land area that has been and will be covered when the dam is completed.

Later you will have a walk around the Ciqikou Ancient Town. Dated back to the late Ming Dynasty, The buildings have been restored and well preserved. Along the streets, restaurants, souvenirs shops and local snacks are located. There are several tea houses that feature daily performances of traditional Chinese music. 

Day 8

Chongqing to Lhasa (B, L)

Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement            

In the morning, be transferred to airport for flight to Lhasa. Arrive in Lhasa, be met and transferred to hotel, adapting to the high altitude at the rest of the day.

Day 9

Lhasa (B, L)

Sightseeing: The Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street 

We will go on a full day visit of Potala Palace. It is the greatest monumental structure all over Tibet. This ancient architectural complex is considered as a model of Tibetan architecture. Located on the Red Hill in Lhasa, it is 3,700 meters above sea level and covers an area of over 360,000 square meters. The palace has 13 stories, and is 117 meters high. In 641, Songtsan Gambo, ruler of the Tubo Kingdom, built the Potala Palace for Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty, whom he was soon to marry.

Then we'll visit the Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Tibet. Every day, pilgrims from every corner of Tibet trek a long distance to the temple. The sacred image of Jowo Sakyamuni is the most venerated and beautiful image all over Tibet

After lunch in a local restaurant, we will visit Barkhor Street, which is the oldest street in Lhasa as well as the center of old Lhasa which remains very traditional. Located in the old area of Lhasa City, Tibet, Barkhor Street is a very ancient round street surrounding the Jokhang Temple. Tibetan people are very proud of it. As a symbol of Lhasa, this street is also a must-see place.

Day 10

Lhasa (B, L)

Sightseeing: Sera Monastery. Norbulingka (the Summer Palace), Drepung Monastery

In the morning we will visit the Sera Monastery, around 5 km north of central Lhasa, which was, along with Drepung, one of Lhasa's two great Gelugpa monasteries. Its once huge monastic population of about 5000 monks has now been reduced to several hundred.

Then we will visit Norbulingka Park; Norbulingka meaning "Jeweled Garden", the Summer Palace of the Dalai Lamas. The gardens are poorly tended and the palaces themselves are something of an anticlimax, especially as most rooms are currently closed to the public.

Our next stop will be Drepung Monastery. It is known as the most important monastery of Gelugpa in Tibetan Buddhism. It is considered as one of the 'Three Great Monasteries' (the other two are the Ganden Monastery and the Sera Monastery

Day 11

Lhasa to Beijing (B, L)

Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Summer Palace

This morning, you will be transferred to airport to take flight and fly to Beijing. When you arrive in Beijing, you will be met by your local guide and then be transferred to your hotel for check in.

This afternoon, your Beijing guide will accompany you 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.

Day 12

Beijing (B, L)

Sightseeing: the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the People's Congress Hall, the Temple of Heaven

Today we will start our city tour with the visit to 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. In there, you will have a visit to the People's Congress Hall, which is located at the western edge of Tiananmen Square, and is used for legislative and ceremonial activities by the People's Republic of China and the Communist Party of China. It functions as the People's Republic of China's parliament building.

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.

Finally, we will 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.

Day 13

Beijing (B, L)

Sightseeing: Great Wall at Mutianyu, Sacred Way, Hutong Tour in Richshaw

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, Bill Clinton described it as an unbelievable achievement of the humankind. The hike takes about 2-3 hours. After lunch, continue to visit Changling, one of the 13 Ming Tombs the 13 emperors of the Ming.

In the afternoon we will visit 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.

Drive back to the downtown and you 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.

Day 14

Beijing Departure (B)

Transfer via: International Flight on your own arrangement

Today will be free for your own purposes, until our guide will escort you to the airport for your flight home.