13 Days Impressive China Tour

Welcome to Beijing! 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: 54m

Traffic: Car

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 the Chairman 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 the Forbidden city. The square contains the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, the National 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

In the morning, we will start our tour today from the Temple of Heaven. It is the most perfect example of Ming architecture with original function of praying for good harvests and as a vast stage for solemn rites performed by the son of heaven. Inside the Temple of Heaven, except the main buildings, there is an interesting Echo Wall. If a person whispers close to the wall at any point, his voice can be heard distinctly at any other point along the wall. Try that by yourself, but be careful, don’t whisper any secret there~

Then spend your afternoon exploring the Hutongs which are remnants of Beijing. Hutongs are small and narrow alleys formed by neighboring quadrangle dwellings that once radiated outwards from the Forbidden City. During the Qing dynasty, the proximity to the Forbidden City of the Hutongs indicates the social status of the residents. Although today Hutongs have no such function anymore, we still can get a feel of the old Beijing life style there and also see the historical changes of Beijing city. To have in-depth experience, we will also visit a local family’s home in the Hutongs.

Late in the day, end up your Beijing tour and say goodbye to the Hutongs. We will head to the Beijing West Railway Station and board on the high speed train to Xi’an. After 5 hours, you will arrive in the Xi’an North Railway Station, and the local guide and drivers will escort you to the hotel.

Meal: B

Altitude: 466m

Traffic: High Speed Train, Car

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

Today is another day for wonderful cultural tour. We will head to the Da Cien Temple after breakfast. This is a very famous Buddhist sutra translation site in the Tang Dynasty. If you are very interested in Chinese culture, you must have heard story about the Journey to the West. The hero — famed Buddhist master Xuanzang (Tripitaka) — brought back many precious Buddhist materials from his epic journey to India during the early Tang Dynasty. All the Buddhist scriptures he brought back were stored in the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which is in the center of the Da Cien Temple. Here you will have time to try on the traditional costume of Han Chinese — Hanfu. Typically the gorgeous Hanfu only worn by the emperors families and nobles in the solemn occasions.

Then head to the Shaanxi History Museum, we will continue to know Chinese culture in one of the biggest and most amazing museums in China. Here you can ramble in the modern exhibition halls to admire the historic relics dating from the Zhou dynasty (1046 BC).

The rest of today is free for you until get escorted to catch flight to Zhangjiajie (about 1.5hrs). You will be welcomed by local tour guide at airport, then be escorted to your hotel in Zhangjiajie City. Have a good rest!

Meal: B

Altitude: 183m

Traffic: Plane

Hotel: In Zhangjiajie

After having breakfast, we’ll head to visit the famous Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Here, you can take the cable car up to the Huangshi Village to admire the wide forest park on its peaks. With an altitude of 1080 meters, the village site is praised for its similar charm of pillar forest of Colorado in the USA. After enjoying the incredible scenery, you can take a cable car to get down. 

Next, explore the famous Golden Whip Stream deep in the valley, which is a totally 7.5 kilometers long brook and regarded as one of the most beautiful places in the whole forest park area. The most excitingly, you’ll have a chance to encounter with some wild monkeys on your way. From here they appear to shoot up into the sky like giant natural skyscrapers. The water in the stream is clear, the air pure and the site very well maintained. We will have a relaxing hiking along the stream.

Then, take a sightseeing bus to exit the park and be driven to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon for about 40 minutes. And the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge stretches between two cliffs – it’s about 430 meters long and 300 meters above the Grand Canyon. You can see the bottom of the canyon through the bridge when you are walking on it. After the Glass Bridge we either take zipline & slide OR elevator & slide (weight limit for zipline: 40kg to 80kg) down to the bottom of the canyon. Then hike along the trails in Grand Canyon, which is indeed another kind of enjoyment, you can just enjoy the quietness, beautiful waterfalls, pristine water and be very close to the nature. All you need to do is just relax yourself and be involved in the nature.

After the visiting, be driven for another 40 minutes back to your hotel in Wulingyuan. Have a good sleep!

Meal: B

Altitude: 498m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Wulingyuan

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel, today you will head for one of the most famous attractions in the park and the one that attracts the most tourists – Tianzi Mountain. You will ascend the mountain by cable-car and at the top you will be able to enjoy views of Warrior Taming Horse Rock and the Western Sea which are two of the most stunning mountain formations in the whole park and are really a pleasure to see. 

Then take shuttle bus to Kongzhongtianyuan, from where you can see some rice field on the top of pillar, which is very spectacular, hike down to a platform, you can get very close to the pillar mountains, which is one of the best view in the park! Then take shuttle bus to the top of Yuanjiajie area, which is now famous because of the movie Avatar. From here, you’ll stand at the same level with the mid-age pillars, which is bigger than those on Tianzi mountain. Take Bailong elevator down. After the exciting tour, you’ll be transferred back to your hotel.

Meal: B

Altitude: 498m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Wulingyuan

On this day, you’ll get up early to take a high speed bullet train from Zhangjiajie to Guilin (about 7.5 hours). Be picked up by your local tour guide, then drive to check in at your downtown hotel. The rest of today is free for you to explore this beautiful city on your own.

Meal: B

Altitude: 150m

Traffic: Bullet Train, Car

Hotel: In Guilin

Chinese people always say that Guilin landscape tops elsewhere, Yangshuo landscape tops at Guilin. It is no exaggeration to say that the sceneries in Guilin is the best under heaven. If you have a 20 yuan note on your hand, look at the backside, what printed in the center is just the most unique landscape in Guilin. Today you will have a chance to see it by yourself.

We will start our tour today with taking a cozy sightseeing cruise along the Li River from Mopanshan Pier to the Yangshuo Town. Alongside the river, what overwhelms your eyes is the dazzling scenery like a vivid picture scroll of Chinese painting. You will be stunned by the sparkling river, unique limestone karst mountains, peaceful countryside views and bridges looked like something out of a fairy-tale.

The 84 kilometers’ cruise takes about 4 hours. After the relaxing time, we will reach the Yangshuo Town. Either biking along the Yulong River or rowing a bamboo rafting is highly recommended for exploring the beauty of countryside.

Afterwards, wander to the ancient West Street to experience how the Chinese and Western culture communicating in the small village. Sit in a special bar, have a cup of drink with delicious Chinese cuisine and then enjoy the picturesque scenes outside the window. That’s how to taste the eastern flavour by western style.

Recommended optional activity: Watch the incredible light show of Impression Liu Sanjie which takes the Li River as the stage, directed by Zhang Yimou. (between 19:45 to 22:20)

Meal: B

Altitude: 314m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: Yangshuo

Today we will transfer back to Guilin in the morning to visit the landmark of Guilin — Elephant Trunk Hill. You may be unfamiliar with this name, but its image must have been showed to you hundred times once you open a book or searching the keywords on the internet about the landscape of China. The giant rock hill standing in the river, just like an elephant drinking water.

Our next destination is just next to the Elephant Trunk Hill. Reed Flute Cave, karst cave, another masterpiece of nature. It is a marvelous underground palace with millions of stalagmite, stalactite, stone waterfall stone and shield that form by million years’ natural efforts. The most wonderful parts of the cave are highlighted by neon lights, which makes the whole cave more colorful and fantastic. The cave is year-round in a pleasant temperature so that you will have a cool afternoon.

Then it’s time to say goodbye to the unforgettable Guilin tour. Let’s leave for Shanghai! You will be transferred to the airport for your flight. After 2 hours’ flight, you will be escorted to the hotel in Shanghai.

Meal: B

Altitude: 5m

Traffic: Plane, 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: 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. Hope to see you again soon in China!

Meal: B

Altitude: 5m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: No