Code:	TQ 13
Routes:	Beijing - Xian - Shanghai - Guilin - Beijing
Duration:	10 Days

Itinerary in brief

Day 1   : Beijing
Day 2   : Beijing
Day 3   : Beijing
Day 4   : Beijing - Xian
Day 5   : Xian
Day 6   : Xian - Shanghai
Day 7   : Shanghai
Day 8   : Shanghai - Guilin
Day 9   : Guilin
Day 10 : Guilin

Detail Itinerary
 

Day 1: Beijing  

Transfer via: by air-own arrangement   

Upon arrival in the airport pickup by our English speaking tour guide and drive to hotel.

 

Day 2: Beijing (B,L)

Badaling Great Wall, Ming Tomb, Sacred Way.

 

Spending about 1.5 hours to be transferred outside city to the surrounding countryside to visit the Badaling Great Wall, one of the most remarkable feats of mankind, built over 2,000 years ago. You will be able to climb and walk one of the best preserved section of the ancient wall, admiring the splendid mountains scenery

 

The tombs are located about 50 kilometers to the north of Beijing. They are scattered over a basin approximately 40 square kilometers in area, screened by mountains on three sides and open to the Beijing Plain in the south. The road leading to the tombs is guarded by the Tiger Hill on the left and the Dragon Hill on the right. It was a forbidden ground except for those who were officially in charge of its upkeep. It was not allowed to cultivate land, cut wood or to take stones from here. No one could enter it on horseback, even the emperor himself had to dismount at the gate.

 

Sacred Way: This road was known as shendao, meaning "the way of the spirit". The body of the dead was carried over the route at funeral ceremony. It is 7 kilometers long, from the Memorial Arch to the gate of the main tomb

 

Day 3: Beijing (B,L,D)

Tian An Men Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Take the cruise in Summer Palace, Peking Roast Duck.

 

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. Having a free walk there, imagining the great historic events of the 20th century took place there. You will also see legendary landmarks including the Great Hall of the People and the towering 125 foot granite obelisk, Monument to the Peoples Heroes, honoring those who died in revolution.

 

Walking across the Golden River Bridge, enter the Forbidden City, the inner sanctum and palace where for centuries Chinese emperors ruled their world. It has 9000-room maze of courtyards, places, and ceremonial halls, where 24 emperors used to live. Forbidden City was indeed a forbidden place, where commoners were kept out for nearly 500 years in the past. Tour the palace and imagine the mystery, intrigue and incredible power that reigned here.

 

The Summer Palace is the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China with a history of over 800 years.  With its cool features - water, gardens and hills, it was the palace of choice for vacationing emperors and Dowager Empresses. It was badly damaged by Anglo-French troops during the Second Opium War (1860) and its restoration became a pet project of Empress Dowager Cixi, the last of the Qing dynasty rulers.

 

With its long history, Peking roast duck is well known among both domestic and overseas customers. The duck is hung in the oven and roasted by flame burning from fruit-wood. It takes about 45 minutes for the duck to be done. The finished duck is characteristic with crispy skin, tender meat and the fragrance from the fruit-wood. It looks wonderful and appealing with a full figure, even claret color and the brightness and shine on the duck skin. It tastes pure and mellow with lotus leaf-shaped cake, scallion slices and sweet sauce jam, leaving a lasting and pleasant aftertaste

 

Day 4: Beijing - Xian (B,L)

Transfer via: by air  

Temple of Heaven, Transfer to airport for your flight to next destination, Upon arrival in the airport pickup by our English speaking tour guide and drive to hotel, the Old City Wall.

 

Temple of Heaven was built in the 15th century, a sacred site for ancient Beijing, where the emperor and his 1000 member entourage would retreat twice a year for religious ritual. Surrounded by enormous grounds designed in accordance with fengshshui, the Temple complex consists of the Celebrated Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a unique wooden and blue-tiled structure built without a nail. It is considered the supreme achievement of traditional Chinese architecture.

 

the Old City Wall: It is the most complete city wall survived in China as well as one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. The wall was built in the Tang dynasty (618 -907) and enlarged in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).

 

Day 5: Xian (B,L)

Terra-Cotta Warriors, Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

 

The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the20th century. It has been regarded as THE 8TH WONDER OF THE WORLD! Over 2,200 years ago, the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang in search of immortality, ordered the construction of a vast army of 8,000 life-sized Terra Cotta warriors and buried with him to protect his empire after his early death. They were discovered accidentally in 1974 by farmers digging a well. For history lovers, the sight is truly breathtaking.

 

Big Wild Goose Pagoda: Situated at south of the Xian city,as one of the main constructions in the famous Buddhist temple-Da-Ci-En Temple, the pagoda is one of the most distinctive and outstanding landmarks for Xian City.

 

Day 6: Xian - Shanghai (B,L)

Transfer via: by air  

Shaanxi Provincial Museum, Transfer to airport for your flight to next destination, Upon arrival in the airport pickup by our English speaking tour guide and drive to hotel.

 

Shaanxi Provincial Museum: It is the largest comprehensive museum in the province. It is also the fist national level grand museum equipped with modern facilities. It exhibits primarily historical relics of past dynasties and displays precious art treasures and stone carvings of the Han and Tang dynasties. Walking through the exhibits in the museum is like walking through the 3000 years of China history.

 

Day 7: Shanghai (B,L)

Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, Shanghai Acrobats Show.

 

Yu Garden: This delightfully restored labyrinth of tiny specialty shops, tea and snack houses centered around a Ming - dynasty mandarin Suzhou-style garden is a fascinating spot to people-watch over a pot of tea, to shop for unique souvenirs and to get a feel for Old Shanghai. It is well worth a meander through the Yu Garden, which has many scenic courtyards decorated with baroque rockery, pools and flora, all connected by corridors and passageways.

 

Jade Buddha Temple was built in 1882 after Hui Gen, a monk from Putuo Mountain, brought back two jade Buddhist statues from Burma. In the temple, there are several grandiose halls housing one 1.9-meter-high jade sitting statue of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism.

 

The famous Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe has performed around the globe and is a wonderful night out for visitors to Shanghai. Their movement is art - tightly choreographed and rehearsed endlessly.

 

Day 8: Shanghai - Guilin (B,L)

Transfer via: by air

Shanghai Museum, Transfer to airport for your flight to next destination, Upon arrival in the airport pickup by our English speaking tour guide and drive to hotel.

 

Shanghai Museum: As a museum of ancient Chinese art, Shanghai Museum possesses a collection of 120,000 precious works of art. Its rich and high-quality collection of ancient Chinese bronze, ceramics, painting and calligraphy is specially celebrated in the world. The present Shanghai Museum has eleven galleries and three special temporary exhibition halls. 

 

Day 9: Guilin (B,L) 

Boat Trip on the Li River,

 

After the breakfast you take bus to Dock. You will start your Li River Cruise from here. The total Journey is around 60 Kilometers and takes 4 hours. On the way you will see the most beautiful landscapes and pass throw the local villages.  

 

Later this day you will arrive at Yangshuo. You can also choose to stay in the town, stroll around the local market, witness the daily activities of local society. Or you might enjoy a class for Chinese Tachi in Yangshuo at sunset ??optional).  Yangshuo, the natural scenery features unique karst hills, crystal water, exquisite stones and intricate caves as well as a cultural historic heritage and folks of diverse customs. 

 

Day 10: Guilin (B)

Transfer via: by air-own arrangement 

Reed Flute Cave, Wave Subduing Hill, Transfer to airport for your flight to next destination,

 

Reed Flute Cave: Aside ten minutes drive (half hour bike ride) from downtown, the cave is one of the largest known examples of what each tropical karst cone conceals within it. The script writers and set designers for Star Trek would have a field day in this cavernous underground stalactite/stalagmite maze-style theater. The dropping water is rich and the dripstones are not only in various types but also in big size, displaying a wonderful cave world. This cave was called "The Art Gallery of Mother Nature". Colored fluorescent lights which cast shadows and illuminate shapes of imaginary animals, fruits and vegetables complete the unworldly effect.

 

Wave Subduing Hill (fubo hill): has the Xinxi Marquis Temple built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The title of Xinxi Marquis was given to Fubo General Ma Yuan, so the name of the hill. Half of the graceful peak is in the river and the other half on land. During flood season turbulent currents lash the hill rocks. On top of the hill one will see an exquisite scenery like a traditional Chinese painting. 

 

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