Historical and Cultural China Exploration

Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrive in Shanghai

  Welcome to Shanghai, the most cosmopolitan city in China! Once landing at the airport, meet your local guide and head to your downtown hotel by private vehicle. Check-in and have the rest of the day free to recover from the lag jet.

  • Shanghai

• Day 2: Colonial Bund, Chinese Garden, Ancient Water Town

  Take a morning walk along the famous Bund promenade, marveling at the 19^th-century colonial buildings in contrast to the futuristic skyscrapers across the river. Have a break at the 400-year-old Yu Garden, surrounded by the busy bazaar lined with various shops from clothes to street food.

  Spend the afternoon in Zhujiajiao Water Town, leaving the bustle and hustle of the modern city behind. Navigate through the narrow alleys and historical stone bridges to see architecture in Ming and Qing styles and experience their laid-back lifestyle.

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  • Shanghai

• Day 3: Journey to Luoyang by Air

  After seeing the modern side of China, fly to Luoyang. Another tour guide waiting at the airport will take you to your hotel for check-in.

  Based in Luoyang, the hometown of Kung Fu, you will get a deep insight into Shaolin Kong Fu as well as Chinese ancient culture in the following two days.

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  • Luoyang

• Day 4: Shaolin Temple & Chinese Kung Fu

  Today, you will visit the ancient Shaolin Temple and watch a Kung Fu performance up close, uncovering the mysterious world of Chinese Kung Fu. In ancient times, warrior monks used their skills to protect their monasteries and villages, nowadays it is, more importantly, a way to exercise their spirituality.

  After seeing the layout of the ancient Chinese academy at the Songyang Academy, get a first-hand Kuang Fu experience through a 2-hour class.

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  • Luoyang

• Day 5: Longmen Grottos & Bullet-train to Xi'an

  Take a morning visit to Longmen Grottos, another gem in Luoyang's must-see list. As one of the three treasures of stone carving art in China along with Mogao Caves and Yungang Caves, it depicts Buddhist culture in detail through its more than 100,000 statues. Inside it, you will also learn about ancient Chinese carving art.

  Later, proceed to the railway station and open your first bullet train experience in China. Just a 1.5-hour journey will take you to Xi'an (about 400 km away from Luoyang) cozily and safely.

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  • Xi'an

• Day 6: Terracotta Warriors & Muslim Quarter

  Dedicated today to the world-famous Terracotta Warriors, the Terracotta army guarded Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor, for more than 2,000 years. Through the introduction of the guide, you will learn about the diverse burial culture of the Qin Dynasty and try to find generals from over 8,000 life-size soldier statues.

  Before the tour ends, take some time to taste the local life around the Muslim Quarter.

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  • Xi'an

• Day 7: Tai Chi Learning & History Museum

  Wake up by Tai Chi learning on the ancient City Wall. Unlike the powerful Shaolin Kung Fu, it focuses on soft movements and is very suitable for ordinary people to exercise for health. Afterward, at Shaanxi History Museum, numerous treasures in gold, silver, jade, and so on will bring you back in time, glimpsing the splendid ancient Chinese era.

  As the night falls, hang out around the Great Tang All Day Mall. Within the 2,100-meter-long street, Chinese historical stories will unfold in front of your eyes through modern dance, real interpretation, and other forms.

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  • Xi'an

• Day 8: High-speed train to Beijing

  Depart for Beijing by high-speed train. The nearly 5.5-hour journey will give you a chance to learn more about the structure and amenities inside the train carriage.

  Upon arrival, be picked up and transferred to your hotel for check-in.

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  • Beijing

• Day 9: Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City

  Kick off your Beijing tour from Tiananmen Square, where Chairman Mao announced the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Next to it is the home of the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties – the Forbidden City. Entering through the Meridian Gate, you will appreciate the masterpiece of wooden architecture with trad while exploring the fascinating stories of royal families. End the day with a panoramic view of the Forbidden City from the highest peak of Jingshan Park.

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  • Beijing

• Day 10: Great Wall & Imperial Tomb

  Explore the magical Great Wall, the most iconic landmark of China, in the morning. Among the thousands of kilometers of the wall, the section of Mutianyu is nice for you to climb. With gentle slopes and dense towers, it winds through the green jungle like a giant dragon. After descending it, visit Changling Tomb to compare the changes in burial culture between the Qin Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty.

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  • Beijing

• Day 11: Temple of Heaven & Chinese Calligraphy Experiences

  For the last day of sightseeing in Beijing, tour the Temple of Heaven to see the large-scale royal worship complex and learn about the sacrificial culture in ancient China. Continue with an interesting Chinese Calligraphy Class, where you will try your hand at writing Chinese by brush. As a cultural art of ancient Chinese, calligraphy is not just by writing with a brush, but to improve your psychological quality by constantly practicing writing.

  For the rest of the day, enjoy leisure time inside the Summer Palace with a short boat cruise over Kunming Lake.

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  • Beijing

• Day 12: Beijing, Departure

  Your Holiday to China comes to an end today. It's recommended to leave for Beijing Daxing International Airport early so that you can spend some time exploring this highly innovative architecture. From traditional Chinese courtyard lounges with various amenities to numerous shops and restaurants, they will make you pleasant for the last minute in China.

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