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Print tour information 13 Day Tour Itinerary
Tour Code: Essential Tour-Spectacular-01
- Day 1-3 in Shanghai
- Day 1
On your arrival at Shanghai Pudong airport, your local guide will greet you and take you to experience the Maglev Train, the world's fastest train running at a speed of 430 km per hour. Only 8 minutes later, you will get to Longyang Road Station in the downtown where your driver will pick you up and take you to your hotel.
Day 2Today you will first visit the Shanghai Urban Exhibition Hall to witness how Shanghai become a cosmopolitan city from a shabby fishing village. Then proceed to the French Concession to find out what Shanghai was like in 1930s.
Later, drop by a Silk Workshop to discover the mystery of silk making. In the afternoon, take a leisurely stroll in the beautiful Yu Garden and try some local snacks at the hustle Yuyuan Market. Evening is free, optional to enjoy the fabulous Acrobatic Show.
Day 3In the morning, you will stroll along the famous Bund, an iconic waterfront along the Huangpu River, to see historic architecture built by foreign colonial powers in the 1900s.
Then be immersed in the city’s modernity on Nanjing Road and ascend China’s second highest building Jinmao Tower. After the tour, you will be escorted to the airport for the flight to Chengdu, home to the giant pandas.
- Day 4-5 in Chengdu
- Day 4
On this day you will visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Pandas Breeding to enjoy close-up visits with pandas. Here you will see pandas’ easy life, walking leisurely on meadows, eating bamboo, playing with their mates, or sleeping soundly in a tree. A panda-hug is available but requires an extra cost.
Then sip fragrant Chinese tea at a teahouse and explore Jinli Old Street to absorb the city’s special leisure atmosphere. The exotic Sichuan Opera is a nice option for you in the evening.
Day 5You will be free to pursue your personal activities until being escorted to the airport for your flight to Lhasa, capital of the mysterious Tibet.
Upon your arrival at Gonggar Airport, you will be welcomed and accompanied to your hotel by your local guide. For the remainder day, you’re advised to relax at your hotel to adapt to the high altitude.
- Day 6-7 in Lhasa
- Day 6
The overwhelming Potala Palace is your first stop. As the symbol of Tibet, the Palace was built in 641 AD and was a winter palace of Dalai Lama who is Tibet’s pope. Impressive Tibetan architecture, huge golden Buddha statues, red-robed lamas and devoted pilgrims all make it a must-visit.
Later, you will visit the age-old Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Tibet, and walk the special circular pilgrimage route as local followers always do at Barkhor Street.
Day 7After breakfast, you will tour the charming Norbulingka Park, which is known as "the Summer Palace of Tibet", and then come to Drepung Monastery, an ancient temple that once housed 10,000 monks in its heyday.
You tour ends at Sera Monastery. Built in 1419, the monastery is one of the three largest monasteries in Tibet and is famous for its Buddhism Scriptures Debates.
- Day 8-9 in Xian
- Day 8
Free in the day until your local guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to Xian, the historical capital of 12 dynasties. Upon your arrival, your local guide will meet you and guide you to your hotel.
After a rest, you will head to Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Regarded as the symbol of Xian, the Pagoda houses columns of sutras brought back from India by the eminent monk Xuan Zang in Tang Dynasty.
Day 9Today you will inspect the incredible Terracotta Warriors. As one of the most significant archeological finds of 20th Century, the terra legions amaze every visitor with its 6,000 life-size terra soldiers and horses and the exquisiteness of each statue.
In the afternoon, you will take a walk along the Ancient City Walls, the largest city walls in the world, drop by a Jade Gallery and appreciate Chinese calligraphy at the Forest of Stone Steles Museum.
- Day 10-13 in Beijing
- Day 10
On this day you will be free until being escorted to the airport for your flight to Beijing, the capital of China. Upon your arrival in Beijing airport, your local guide will greet you and take you to your hotel.
Then, you will visit stunning Olympic venues including the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube and see the Olympic Village where were the athletes accommodated during 2008 Olympic Games.
Day 11In the morning, you will visit the vast Tiananmen Square where you can see the China National Museum, Grand Hall of the People and other landmarks. Walking through Tiananmen Gate, you will enter Forbidden City, the most grand and best-kept palace complex in China.
In the afternoon, you will marvel at the spectacular Temple of Heaven, a holy temple in which emperors worshiped Heaven for good harvest, and then stop by a Pearl Store.
Day 12Today’s sightseeing begins with the world-famous Great Wall (Mutianyu Section). Reputed as the 8th Wonder of the World, the Wall was first built over 2,000 years ago as a complicated defensive structure for ancient China.
In the afternoon, you will walk along the Sacred Road, a tranquil royal path lined with vivid stone statues of divine beasts and officers.
Day 13How times flies. It’s time to bid farewell to China.
You will be free to continue your self-guided exploration or relax in hotel to pack your luggage & sweet memories until being escorted to the airport for a flight to your next destination.
Trip Overview
Discover a spectacular China on this 13-23 days journey from mysterious plateau to imperial capitals. Delve into Lhasa, Gyantse and Shigatse, which offers you a complete taste of Tibet's religion, cultural treasures, and dreamlike landscape. Grab a moment of srenity aside the emeral Yamdrok Lake. Enjoy a relaxed cruise on mighty Yangtze River and picturesque Guilin Li River. Up close visit adorable pandas in Chengdu. Experience the fastest maglev train in Shanghai. Marvel at Xian's Terracotta army and Beijing's Great Wall. -- You will never be disappointed.
Tailor-made Tour Items
You have maximized flexibility to choose accommodations, meals, departure time and group size. The tour will best match your requirements and preferences.
Price
The price we offer is a package price excluding international airfares.
It can be optional if you'd like us to book for you.
Build in 1559, Yu Garden is a masterpiece of
traditional Chinese gardens.
Like a huge virtual maze of rockeries, paths, bridges, corridors and buildings, every corner you turn has a new surprise, and a totally different view.
You may often come across a single area from three different approaches, but don't realize you are coming to the same place.
Shanghai French Section, also known as the
French Town, was a former foreign concession in Shanghai during the period from
1849 to 1946, which has always been Shanghai's most charming district.
With its peaceful, picturesque, tree-lined streets, this area retains an air of the "Paris of the East". At the same time, many of the small backstreets still have a very local feeling.
Just 18km from the city center, housing 12 pandas, it is the best place to see Chengdu's most famous residents and you can get to know more about this precious species in its museum.
As the symbol of Lhasa, it is the greatest monumental structure in Tibet. As the religious and political center of old Tibet and the winter residence of Dalai Lamas, the palace witnessed the life of the Dalai Lamas and the important political and religious activities in the past centuries.
Potala Palace also houses great amounts of rare cultural relics including gold hand-written Buddhist scriptures, valuable gifts from the Chinese emperors and many priceless antiques.
Terracotta Warriors and Horses: discovered in 1974 by local farmers digging a well, it is considered as one of the most significant archeological finds of the 20th Century.
Over 8,000 life-size painted terra soldiers and horses, individually sculpted from real-life models and arranged in battle formation, have been protecting the mausoleum of China’s foremost Emperor Qin Shihuang for over 2,200 years.
Mutianyu Great Wall is located 43 miles from
the center of Beijing. It is much steeper and wilder than the Badaling section,
and a more challenging climb.
This section is considered by many as the best part of the Great Wall for intact ramparts and few visitors.
Surrounded by woodland and streams, this section takes on a different look in each season. Blossoming flowers in spring, flowing streams in summer, red leaves in autumn & white snow in winter make Mutianyu a most photographic spot.
China Odyssey Recommends
Extend your experience with these add-on itineraries.
 + 3 Days From Lhasa, this extension takes you to two more cities in search for a spectacular Tibet. The first delight on the way is Yamdrok Lake, a dreamlike lake set off by snowcapped moumtains. Gyantse comes second, noted for Palcho Monastery where you will see the magnificent tiered stupas and the delicate murals and statues. The next stop, Shigatse, the second-largest city in Tibet, means "beautiful and fertile land" in Tibetan. Here, Tashilumpo monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lamas, is a must visit. |
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 + 4 Days Different from attractions on the land, the Yangtze River provides you memorable experieces with water fun. Cruising the Yangtze on a luxury ship where parties and feasts are the normal atmophere, enjoying the beautiful landscape and rural life of the Yangtze Valley with sunshine and bevarages on deck, paddling through deep gorges of Lesser Three Gorges for a escape back into the nature, witnessing the greatness of famous Three Gorges Dam, you'll have more.. |
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 + 3 Days Guilin is a small city in south China, but never small are the city's fantastic karst landscape and the chance to enjoy outdoor activities. Talking about natural beauty, the pictureque Li River, Longji Rice Terraced Field and the fabulous Reed Flute Cave could satisfy any captious tourists. Outdoor programs like cycling, bamboo rafting, climbing the Elephant Trunk Hill, hiking along country paths of the rice terraces, exploring fancy caves, strolling along ancient streets at a easy pace could be found nowhere but here. |
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Tailor-made Tour Items
AccommodationOur travel experts will provide you suggestions based on convenience of sightseeing, and the level of luxury you desire.Read on to find out what is best for you.
Breakfast & Meal
You do not have to eat the same food every time in tourist restaurants.We like you to taste a variety of Chinese food, which could be your best experience in China.
How many people
All of our tour groups are private groups.Either you are traveling alone or with your family and friends, departure is guaranteed regardless of group size.
Departure
The departure time of your tour is totally flexible. Booking your own flights is not a problem.It's always a good idea to check with us first for the options available.
To help you better plan your tour, we offers a Budget Guide for reference.
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