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Our group at the Summer Palace, Beijing
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Day 01: Arrival in Beijing
After arrival in Beijing and going through the luggage claming area, you will find our guide waiting for you at the exit. Then you will be transferred to the luxury 4-star Holiday Inn Central Plaza Hotel and our guide will help you with the check in process. The rest of your day is free, and you may have a rest at the hotel or explore the neighborhood by yourselves.
Day 02: Beijing
After breakfast, meet the other members of your group during the pre-tour briefing in the hotel. Today’s city tour leads you through the Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven. An a la carte lunch will be served at a local popular restaurant. Tiananmen Square is located at the center of Beijing City and the biggest city square in the world. Surrounded by the Tiananmen Tower, Monument to the People's Heroes, Great Hall of the People, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, it is where the national flag raising ceremony is held very morning. Tonight you will enjoy the quintessence of Chinese culture, Kung Fu Show at the Red Theatre. (B+L)
Day 03: Beijing
Today you will visit the Great Wall, one of the eight wonders. We will take you to the Badaling section as it is the most well-preserved and equipped part. You will have 2 hours to hike on the Great Wall and the guide will wait for you at the foot of it. The lunch will be served at a well-chosen Sichuan restaurant. In the afternoon, we will take you to visit the Sacred Way and the Ming Tomb. Although there are 13 tombs, only Changling Tomb and Dingling Tomb are opened. We arrange the Dingling for you as it has an underground palace. Drive back to downtown area and you will have a chance to overview the outlook of the Bird's Nest. (B+L)
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Our group visiting the Terracotta army in Xian
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Day 04: Beijing - Xian
The day begins with the visit to the Summer Palace, a fantastic royal garden which was built based on the enchanting Kunming Lake and the grand Longevity Hill about 250 years ago. You will also enjoy the old Beijing culture and local customs by visiting narrow alleys, also called Hutongs. You may take a special rickshaw riding through various Hutongs and enjoy the prosperous street view with dazzling goods on sale. Through a visit to the local family, you will get a further understanding of the old Beijing characteristics. At noon, we will arrange a rich a la carte lunch at a popular local restaurant for you. In the afternoon, take a flight to your next travel destination, Xi’an. The local guide will pick you up and transfer you to check in at the 4-star Grand New World Hotel in downtown. (B+L)
Day 05: Xian
The morning excursion takes you to the Museum of Qin Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses where over 7,000 life-size warriors and horses have guarded the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang for the last 2,000 years. You will be shocked that how lifelike the figures are and each of them even has different hair styles, expression and postures. Then you will have a special homely cooked lunch at a local people’s home. In the afternoon, explore the City Wall and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda which has the biggest musical fountain square in Asia. Tonight, we will arrange the local specialty Dumpling Banquet, followed by an amusement of Tang Dynasty Dance and Music Show Performance. (B+L+D)
Day 06: Xian
Today you will visit the City Wall, a local family and the Great Mosque at a leisurely pace in the urban area. These three sites form a perfect combination for you to come into close contact with the local people and their daily life. You can also purchase some souvenirs and taste kinds of snacks at the bazaar nearby the Great Mosque. A la carte Lunch and Dinner each valued at CNY80.00 net per person will be served at handpicked restaurants that provide good service and delicate dishes. (B+L+D)
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Sutra-debating in the Sera Monastery, Lhasa
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Day 06: Xian - Lhasa
In the early morning, drive to the airport for the flight to Lhasa. The lunch today is not included in the itinerary due to the flight schedule, so you may have some simple snack on the flight or take some instant food with you. Upon arrival, you will be picked up by our local guide and directly transferred to the 4-star Gang-gyan Lhasa Hotel. No other activity is arranged so that you can have a good rest to acclimatize to the high altitude of 3,650 meters above sea level. (B)
Day 07: Lhasa
In the morning, visit the Norbulingka Park which is the Summer Place of the Dalai Lamas and have a meeting with a typical Tibetan family. Afterwards, visit the Sera Monastery. Every afternoon from Monday to Friday, visitors can see the brilliant Sutra-debating in the Sera Monastery. Although we can not understand them, the impassioned atmosphere of studying is quite infectious. Tonight, a special dinner with a Tibetan dance and fashion show performed by local Tibetan people will be presented for you. (B+L+D)
Day 08: Lhasa
The day starts with a visit to the Potala Palace, the symbol of Tibet. The palace was built on the Red Hill downtown area. To protect this treasure, the visiting time and the travelers’ number everyday are strictly limited. So the opportunity is very rare. Continuing your tour, you will visit the Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor Street. The temple is in the center of the Lhasa city and is a must-see because of its supreme position in Tibetan Buddhism. The Barkhor Street is around the Jokhang Temple and you can see the pilgrims prostrating themselves in devotion along the street. Then you will visit the Tibetan Traditional Medicine Hospital to get a general idea of its history and features. (B+L)
Day 09: Lhasa - Shanghai
This morning you will visit the last scenic spot of your Lhasa tour, Tibet Museum. The building itself is a piece of art work with full-bodied Tibetan flavor and the large amount of precious collection inside fulfills your understanding of this mysterious land. After lunch, take a flight to Shanghai. Our Shanghai guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to the 5-star Howard Johnson Business Club Hotel. No dinner is scheduled tonight. You may have it at the hotel and rest early or search for your favorite food outside. Your guide will be glad to give advice. (B+L)
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Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai
Provided by our client Ms. Colleen Gasiorowski
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Day 10: Shanghai
Your last day trip involves a visit to the Shanghai Museum, Yuyuan Garden, Nanjing Road, the Bund and an old street in Shanghai. The Museum contains the history of Shanghai; Yuyuan Garden is the best place to get to close with the local people. An a la carte lunch will be served at noon. After the tour, our guide and driver will transfer you to your hotel and say goodbye to you at the lobby. (B+L)
Day 11: Departure from Shanghai
It's time to get good preparation for returning home with days of enjoyable memory in China. Please check out of the hotel before 12:00 at noon and transfer to the Hongqiao or Pudong airport by yourself. If you have any questions about the departure, please feel free to ask your local guide or your travel counselors in advance. If you have more time, you may extend you stay by taking our pirate City Tour Packages! (B)
