Classic Sights of China

Day 1: Arrive in Beijing, China and you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel where the rest of the day is at leisure. In the evening enjoy a welcome dinner to meet your fellow tour members and tour escorts.

Day 2: In the morning we will visit the Temple of Heaven, where the emperors performed rituals to ensure good harvests. We will then make our way to visit the famous Tiananmen Square where lunch will be served in a nearby restaurant. After lunch we continue on to the Forbidden City - the complex that was the imperial palace of China’s emperors for 500 years. This evening enjoy Peking Duck Dinner at Huajiayiyuan courtyard restaurant.

Day 3: Today is one of the highlights of our China tour, a full day excursion to see the Great Wall at Mutianyu, a less crowded section, where the wall snakes down a mountainside (the visit includes the cable car going up with optional choices for coming down such as by slideway or cable car). Later we will drive past the Olympic Stadium on our return to the city. Tonight you have an evening at leisure to explore Beijing.

Day 4: This morning, we visit the gardens and pavilions of the Summer Palace on the outskirts of Beijing and after lunch we will transfer to airport for the afternoon flight to Xi’an. Upon arrival, we’ll transfer to our hotel, passing by the famous bell tower and drum tower.

Day 5: Enjoy an excursion to the famous Terracotta Army, created by China’s first emperor in the 3rd century BC to guard his tomb for eternity. Afterwards we will visit the old city wall of Xian. In the evening, the group will enjoy a “Tang Dynasty” song and dance show evoking the sights and sounds of the Tang Dynasty when Xi’an was capital of China.

Day 6: Enjoy the morning visit to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda before we transfer you to the airport for your flight to Guilin. We'll visit the Reed Flute Cave and the facinating gallery of natural limestone formations in the cave. Following this we'll visit Elephant Trunk Hill, which looks like a huge elephant stretching its trunk and drinking water. It is the symbol of GUilin and its karsk landscape. In the evening you can enjoy Cormorant Fishing.

Day 7: The beautiful landscape of Guilin awaits us as the towering karsk limestone spires emerge at random out of the perfectly flat plane. We'll take a relaxing cruise along the Li River to Yangshuo which is described as 'a lush ribbon gracefully winding through Guilin'. After our buffet lunch on board we'll take a village tour by motorcar (or bike if you'd like to) to experience the daily lives of the different groups of minority ethnicities living in this multi ethnic city. 

Day 8: Today we'll enjoy a cooking class in the morning with a chance to purchase cooking materials in the local market. We'll learn how to make some authentic Chinese dishes and also enjoy eating the food we've cooked. In the afternoon we'll have some free time to discover the delights of "West Street" which is the heard of this picturesque riverside town.

Day 9: After breakfast, we'll transfer to the airport for our flight to Shanghai. Then transfer to the hotel with some time at leisure.

Day 10: One day city tour to include the Yu Garden and Shanghai old bazaar- a classic Chinese house and garden in the old town district; Cruise on the Huangpu River that flows through Shanghai, giving you the best view of the city’s modern skyline; visit the Oriental TV tower (second ball) a famous symbol of Shanghai.

Day 11: We'll travel out to the small 'water town' of Zhujiajiao today, now on the outskirts of Shanghai, and witness the contrast with the big cities. Old buildings line alleys and there's a maze of canals, crisscrossed by elegant bridges. Then we'll return to Shanghai to explore Xintiandi, in the former French Concession, where old tenements have been transformed into a lively area of upmarket bars and boutiques. We'll enjoy our farewell dinner tonight.

Day 12: Free day to explore Shanghai on your own. Your tour escort will be on hand to help you. We'll meet up this evening for our farewell dinner.

Day 13: Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before check out and some time at leisure until our transfer to the airport for the flights home.