Classic China Discovery

Itinerary

• Day 1: Shanghai, Arrival

  Welcome to Shanghai, China! When you arrive at the airport, your private tour guide will be waiting for you outside the arrival hall with a warm smile and the Odynovo logo. Then, you will be transferred to your hotel near the city downtown for check-in. On the way to the hotel, the guide will briefly introduce this metropolis and confirm the next morning's departure time with you.

  • Shanghai

• Day 2: Shanghai City Tour

  Today's journey begins at Shanghai's most iconic landmark - the Bund, where historic European facades meet futuristic skyscrapers. Continue to the former French Concession, strolling along leafy streets lined with elegant colonial villas - echoes of 19th-century Shanghai all around.

  Then, step into the classical beauty of Yu Garden, a serene retreat filled with pavilions, ponds, and arched bridges. Right next door is Yuyuan Bazaar, perfect for tasting local snacks and picking up traditional souvenirs. You'll also visit a silk workshop to see how delicate cocoons become fine silk. A visit to the Shanghai Tower with an excellent bird's eye view of the city's skyline will bring your day excursion to a close.

  This evening is yours to explore at leisure. Follow your nose to a hidden eatery for authentic Shanghainese cuisine, or opt for a mesmerizing night out with ERA: Intersection of Time, a world-class Chinese acrobatics performance.

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  • Shanghai

• Day 3: Shanghai - Guilin

  Enjoy your free time in the morning. If you are interested in old houses and stone bridges, Zhujiajiao Water Town in the suburbs is a good place just about 1-hour drive from central Shanghai. In the afternoon, take a flight to Guilin (about 2.5 hours). Upon arrival, your guide will pick you up and take you to your hotel.

  This evening is free for you to relax. You may take a leisurely walk to enjoy the city's night view or try some local snacks as you like.

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  • Guilin

• Day 4: Guilin - Yangshuo, Li River Cruise

  Drive 50 minutes to Zhujiang Pier to get on board for your Li River cruise down to Yangshuo. The cruise usually lasts about 4 hours, depending on the water level. During the cruise, you will be amazed by the picturesque pastoral views along the river consisting of karst hills, cliffs, fascinating caverns, luscious bamboo, and rural villages. Lunch will be served on board.

  Arrive in Yangshuo at about 1:30 p.m., walk through bustling West Street, and then be transferred to your hotel in Yangshuo. The rest of the day is yours to rest at the hotel or walk around.

  Optional: Cycle or drive around to see the idyllic scenery of the Yangshuo countryside, dotted with tranquil rice paddies, verdant hills, flowing waters, and small mottled villages.

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  • Yangshuo

• Day 5: Yangshuo - Guilin - Xi'an

  After breakfast, drive back to Guilin and visit the karst Reed Flute Cave, where you will see an "underground city" formed by a variety of stalactites and stalagmites decorated with colorful lights. Later, make a stop at a pearl store en route before flying to Xi'an. Upon arrival, be transferred to your hotel for check-in.

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  • Xi'an

• Day 6: Xi'an, Terracotta Warriors

  The highlight of today's journey is the awe-inspiring Terracotta Warriors. Spend 2 to 2.5 hours there to marvel at the grand array of thousands of life-size clay soldiers, horses, and chariots, and see how powerful the first emperor of China - Qin Shi Huang was. Driving back to the city area, you will have a chance to ramble through the Muslim Quarter, a lively maze of food stalls and shops where the aroma of grilled lamb skewers and the sizzle of hand-pulled noodles fill the air.

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  • Xi'an

• Day 7: Xi'an - Beijing

  Another landmark in Xi'an is the Ancient City Wall, which dates back more than 600 years. This morning, you will take a leisure walk along the city wall, and you will get to see a local morning market, the locals doing morning exercise in the park, and more.

  Afterward, take a high-speed train to Beijing. On arrival, be met by your guide and escorted to your hotel.

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  • Beijing

• Day 8: Beijing, Forbidden City

  Kick off your exploration of Beijing with a visit to Tiananmen Square, and then you'll step into the Forbidden City to feel its splendor. With its extensive past, you'll see many priceless structures and artifacts. Your guide will take you to explore the three main halls and palaces and introduce you to their used purposes and the stories behind them. Later, climb up to the top of Jingshan Park, where you will see a magnificent panorama of the Forbidden City.

  After lunch, you'll visit the Temple of Heaven, where ancient emperors used to worship the heavens, and now it is a leisure center for the nearby residents.

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  • Beijing

• Day 9: Beijing, Great Wall

  The Great Wall, which stands for 2300 years and winds over twenty thousand kilometers, is absolutely a must-see site in Beijing. Today, you will have a close encounter with it. After breakfast, drive about 1.5 hours to visit the magnificent Mutianyu Great Wall, with a cable car up and down. Here you can do light hiking on the Great Wall to enjoy the majestic scenery.

  After returning to the city, enjoy an exterior visit to the Bird's Nest and Water Cube, two striking landmarks from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

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  • Beijing

• Day 10: Beijing, Departure

  Today, farewell to your China discovery. Your private tour guide and driver will transfer you to Beijing Capital International Airport, help you check in, and see you off at the security gate.

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