13 Days Memorable China Tour with Tibet & Beijing 

Welcome to Shanghai! Upon arrival, you will be met by your local guide and driver, and then transferred to the hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you may explore the nearby areas if you want. Or just have a relaxing time after a long flight.

Meal: No

Altitude: 5m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Shanghai

Shanghai is considered as the most developed metropolis in China. Many people know China from this city as it represents for fashion and enthusiasm.

We will have a day tour start with exploring Shanghai Museum as museum usually is the best place to get to know the past and present of a city in a short time. It is one of the Best Four Museums, with thousands of world-standard precious historic relics in exhibition, dating from over 5,000 years ago to now.

The next stop is not far from the museum, which is a typical Chinese garden with Jiangnan style. It is hidden among high buildings, just like a oasis in the desert. This design highly meets the idea of Confucians, who believe that, the “lesser hermit” lives in seclusion in the country, while the “greater hermit” does so in the city. Beautiful designs are everywhere. Jagged pavilions with exquisite decorations, glittering pools with roving fishes… outside the garden is the Yuyuan Bazaar, where is full of wonderful food stalls and traditional Chinese handicrafts’ shops.

Let’s then go back from the man-made garden to the man-made building — Shanghai World Financial Center with a more interesting nick name — “the Eye of Shanghai”. Here you will easily get a super-excellent panoramic view of the whole face of Shanghai.

Then walk into the modern Shanghai, we will visit another very popular landmark of Shanghai — Nanjing Road. It is a shopping paradise where you can buy almost any latest product of any international brand.

Later in the day, end up your tour today with strolling along the Bund, which originally is a towpath for transporting goods. Nowadays, it has become a busy trading district and you will see and feel the unique scenery of fusion of Chinese and Western cultures in this place.

Recommended optional activities: 1. Acrobatic show performed between 19:30 to 21:00. 2. Enjoying the night scene of Huangpu River in a cozy cruise (about 50 minutes)

Meal: B

Altitude: 5m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Shanghai

Today is your last day for this trip! Let’s have some relaxing activities. After enjoying your breakfast at hotel, we will leave for the Jade Buddha Temple where houses the largest jade Buddha in the world. You will also see numerous ancient statues, Buddhist artifacts and scriptures. Just like Yuyuan, this is a place to provide you some spaces to relax and do some thinking in the busy city.

No far from the Jade Buddha Temple is our last stop — Tianzifang, where gathered plenty of “hidden” surprises. In the renovated traditional residential area, you will feel the dense SOHO style life flavor with ubiquitous cafe, salon, workshop and bar. Stroll along the old alleys, appreciate the Shikumen architecture, and enjoy your last relaxing hours in this tour in an open-air cafe like the local Shanghai people.

In the afternoon, our unforgettable tour comes to the end. You will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Chengdu.

Meal: B

Altitude: 502m

Traffic: Car, Plane

Hotel: In Chengdu

After breakfast, start your day with an exciting trip to the Giant Panda Base, which completely simulates the wild living environment of Giant Pandas, it looks so natural that also has lakes, streams, bamboo forests, lawns, etc. There are more than 100 giant pandas, you can observe the Giant Pandas in a close distance and learn about their living habits. In addition to Giant Pandas, you can also see small animals such as black-necked cranes, peacocks and ospreys. Besides, you can send postcards with panda postmark at the Panda Country Post Office near the gate of the museum or watch documentaries about pandas at the cinema in the museum.

Then, head to the majestic Wenshu Temple to have a spiritual trip. It was built in the Sui Dynasty, houses plenty precious cultural relics and thousands of Buddhist scriptures and documents. After appreciating art treasures, you can enjoy Sichuan’s unique bowl tea in the tea house of Wenshu Temple. After lunch, your tour guide will take you to the entertaining Renmin Park, which is considered as one of the best places to truly experience the life style of  “leisure Chengdu city”.

Next, head to the antique commercial street – Jinli, it is one of the most popular scenic spots in Chengdu, and also a part of WuHou Shrine Museum. Here, you can enjoy the craft of making clay figures and sugar painting, and also browse the shops with unique characteristics of The Three Kingdoms. There are various of characteristic snacks, tea houses, cafes, bars, inns, etc. You can take some terrific photos especially at dusk the whole street looks surprisingly beautiful. After visiting the Jinli Street, your driver will escort you back to the hotel.

Meal: B

Altitude: 502m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Chengdu

Start your last day’s Chengdu trip with an enjoyable visit to WuHou Shrine after having breakfast. It commemorates Zhuge Liang, the prime minister of the State of Shu, and was incorporated into the Han Zhaolie Temple in the early Ming Dynasty. It is also the most influential museum of relics of The Three Kingdoms in China. Hence, if you are interested in Chinese historical figures and Chinese culture, you can exchange ideas with your tour guide to learn more about the Chinese history. 

Next, head to Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage Museum, it is regarded as a “holy place” in the history of Chinese literature. Du Fu has lived here for nearly four years, and created hundreds of poems. If you have some certain knowledge about Chinese history and poetry, you must have read Du Fu’s well-known poems. In the afternoon, we’ll take a flight to our next destination – Lhasa.

Meal: B

Altitude: 3650m

Traffic: Car, Plane

Hotel: In Lhasa

After breakfast, in the early morning your local tour guide will take you to visit the most popular tourist attraction in Lhasa – Potala Palace. As an UNSEKO World Heritage site, Potala Palace is a palace-castle style building complex, and it was originally built by Zanpu Songzanganbu of Tubo Dynasty to marry Princess Wencheng. It’s a perfect attraction to explore about Chinese history and profound Chinese culture. Besides, Potala Palace is regarded as a remarkable representative of Tibet architecture as well as the essence of traditional Chinese architecture, and the most fabulous representative of Tibetan Buddhist temples and palaces. If you are interested, you can visit the Potala Palace treasure museum, and appreciate the amazing displays such as letters of patent, seals, gifts, documents and classics, palm leaf scriptures, statues of Buddha, Thangka, magic tools, etc.

Then ,head to the UNESKO World Heritage site – holy Jokhang Temple, where you can have a spiritual trip to find the inner strength of yourself, it is considered as one of the most famous spiritual centers for Buddhists in Tibet. With a history of more than 1300 years, Jokhang Temple was the most admirable architecture in Tibet during the Tubo Period. You can spend some peaceful hours to fully feel the spiritual charm of this majestic temple and take some nice photos as much as you want. If you climb up to the third-floor platform, you can enjoy the panoramic view of the gorgeous Potala Palace and spectacular Jokhang Temple Square.

Next to the temple, there is a must-visit street – Bakhor Street, which is a perfect place to feel the local style and national characteristics by wondering around the bustling alleys and buy some local souvenirs and taste the unique Tibetan cuisine and local snacks, etc. After visiting the relaxing Bakhor Street, your driver will escort you back to the hotel.

Meal: B

Altitude: 3650m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Lhasa

Start a brand-new day after having your breakfast by paying a visit to the sacred Drepung Monastery, which was built in 1416, and as one of the “three great” Gelug monasteries of Tibet. Drepung monastery has a tight architectural structure, connected temples and stacked buildings and large-scale, magnificent and solemn Cuoqin hall is the main building of Drepung monastery. 

After having a sipirutal trip in Drepung Monastery, your tour guide will take you to the another holy place – Sera Monastery. It was built in 1419, there are lots of well-preserved old murals in many halls of Sera Temple as well as plenty of Vajra statues are kept in the temple, which are undoubtedly worthy for your appreciation. There is the most famous sutra debate ceremony in the northernmost sutra debate field of the temple, if you are a Buddhist, you can have some wonderful religious experience as well as appreciate the monk debate here.

Meal: B

Altitude: 3650m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Lhasa

Enjoy some free time in the morning until you are escorted to the airport to catch your flight to Xi’an. Upon arrival, your guide will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel for check-in.

Meal: B

Altitude: 466m

Traffic: Car, Plane

Hotel: In Xi’an

Xi’an city, or call its older name Chang’an, marks the eastern end of the silk road. It almost can represent the ancient China for its abundant historical attractions and unearthed relics. The locals always say that there are two cities in Xi’an, one is overground, the other is underground. It is a endless treasure of culture and history, you will have a wonderful and unforgettable cultural tour here.

In the morning, We will directly drive to the outskirts of Xi’an city to visit its best known sight–Terracotta Warriors, one of the greatest human-made wonders in the world. It was built by Qin Shihuang, who is the first emperor of China, to guard him in his afterlife. Over 8,000 life-size soldiers were individually sculptured, and each of them have different height, body shape, hair style, costume and even facial expression! You will also see horses and chariots which are also life-size. Only 3 pits were discovered, and the majority are still buried. All the soldiers are facing east to protect the tomb of emperor Qin Shihuang. The mysterious Qin Shihuang Mausoleum, which has not been opened yet as the existed techniques cannot guarantee excavating without destroying the inner structure and treasures, is believed to be another striking wonder once been exposed to the world. The huge scale of terracotta warriors shows how ambitious the emperor Qin Shihuang was and how sophisticated and advance the ancient Chinese artistic skills were.

Afterwards, let’s return to Xi’an and enjoy the afternoon strolling on the Ancient City Wall. Just like the function of the Great Wall, many cities in China once had massive defensive walls which belonged to the ancient military defensive systems. However, only very few city walls remained after hundred years’ vicissitudes. Among them, the one in Xi’an is the most impressive one as it is well-preserved. You not only can enjoy the panoramic views of the whole Xi’an city and take photos, but also ride a bike on the ancient wall.

End up your day tour in the lively Muslim Quarter where to take a food adventure and explore the local Muslim culture.

Recommended optional activities: 1. Rent a bike and cycling on the ancient wall 2. Enjoy a fascinating Tang Palace Dance Show in the night between 20:00 to 21:00.

Meal: B

Altitude: 466m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Xi’an

Visit Tang Bo Art Museum this morning to enjoy Shaanxi folk arts and ancient Chinese paintings. You’ll learn about various Chinese art forms like farmers’ paintings, shadow puppets, and paper cuts. Additionally, you can pick up a brush and try to create your calligraphy masterpieces on rice paper. After the tour, head to the railway station to board your high-speed train to Beijing. On arrival, be picked up and transferred to your hotel for check-in.

Meal: B

Altitude: 54m

Traffic: Car, High Speed Train

Hotel: In Beijing

After breakfast in the hotel, you will head out on a city tour beginning with a visit to Tiananmen Square which is located in the city center of Beijing, and also the biggest city plaza in the world. It is the place where theChairman Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People’s republic of China. Tiananmen in Chinese means “Gate of Heavenly Peace”, and the gate separates the square from theForbidden City. The square contains the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, theNational Museum of China and the Chairman Mao Zedong Memorial Hall.

Passing through Tiananmen Gate, you will be in the enormous Forbidden City. This amazing complex was the former imperial palace of the emperors of China in Ming and Qing dynasties. You may be surprised by the immense size of the palace as it contains over 9000 rooms and covers about 1,000,000m2 (10,800,000 sq ft), the size of 140 football fields. While the most fascinating parts are the splendid colorfully painted ceilings, sophisticately carved walkways and exquisite collections.

Afterwards, visit the Jingshan Park where you will get the best panoramic view of the Forbidden City so that you can take your time to enjoy the aftertaste of your “city tour”.

Then In the afternoon, you will visit the Summer Palace which is one of the finest sights in Beijing as it’s the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China. After lunch, Stroll around the beautiful garden and meander through the airy pavilions just as the imperial families once did. What a pleasant day!

Recommended optional activities: 1. Kung Fu show between 19:15~20:15 2. A breathtaking acrobatic show between 19:15~20:15.

Meal: B

Altitude: 54m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Beijing

Today we will drive out of the city to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Wall. As the sections that closer to the city are more heavily visited and renovated, while the further sections are less crowded and more authentic. We will visit Mutianyu section, which is well-preserved and has many excellent watchtowers and view points. The Mutianyu section is also the most popular one among travelers from other countries. And because of its conventional and original appearance, this section is perhaps the most frequently used one on post cards and videos of the Great Wall.

We will take the cable car firstly, then climb up along the rising towers to enjoy the most beautiful and spectacular sceneries of the Great Wall. “He who does not reach the Great Wall is not a true man”, Chinese people were told so from a young age. Hiking in the Great Wall can rank among one of the greatest experiences on earth! Descend by cable car or hiking for another 40 minutes depends on your energy, and both are quite fun to experience.

On the way back of Beijing city, we will visit the Sacred Way which is a passage with 7 kilometers long leading to the Imperial Tombs of 13 emperors of Ming Dynasty. In China, for almost all the imperial tombs, the sacred way is an inseparable part. Because the emperors were viewed as the son of the heaven and came from heaven through the invisible sacred way, they would also return to heaven through this way. To make people know that, constructing a visible way in front of the tomb became a tradition, and it represents the absolute authority of emperors. We will walk through the Sacred Way and you will see the majestic stone guard of 12 sets of mythical animals and 12 officials standing alongside the way. They are expected to escort the imperial families to heaven and forever protect and serve them.

After the long journey, we will be back to the downtown and have a short stop at the Beijing Olympic Village to have a look of the famed Bird’s Nest and Water Cube from the outside.

Recommended optional activity: you can choose to taste the famous Peking Roasted Duck at Quanjude for your dinner after the whole day’s tour.

Meal: B

Altitude: 54m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Beijing

Enjoy your free time until being escorted to the airport for your departure flight. Hope to travel with you again.

Meal: B

Altitude: 54m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: No