Essential Grand China with Exotic Minorities

Itinerary

• Day 1: Shanghai, Arrival

  Start your journey in Shanghai, China's most cosmopolitan city. Upon landing, meet your private guide in the airport's arrivals hall for a private transfer to your hotel. Spend the rest of today getting acclimatized to this city, wandering around shiny skyscrapers, and trying out the Chinese cuisine.

  • Shanghai

• Day 2: Shanghai, the Bund and Yu Garden

  Kick off the day with an informative visit to the Shanghai Museum, which displays various types of 140,000 pieces of precious cultural relics. You will then explore the elegantly Chinese-style Yu Garden highlighted by its exquisite layout, classical Chinese architecture, sculptures, and carvings. As you wander around the neighboring Yuyuan Bazaar, get involved in the vibrant shopping and dining atmosphere.

  Followed by the former French Concession to feel the charm of old Shanghai. At the privately-owned Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Center, learn about the changes in modern China through thousands of striking posters from 1910 to 1990. End the day at the famous Bund to witness the striking contrast between colonial architecture and modern skyscrapers.

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  • Shanghai

• Day 3: Shanghai - Guilin - Longsheng

  Depart from Shanghai in the morning and take a flight to scenic Guilin. You will be collected from the airport on arrival by your local guide and transferred for about 2 hours to the Longsheng Rice Terraces area. From the parking lot, hike around 40 minutes to the hillside Ping'an Village of the Zhuang minority and settle into a featured lodge. After refreshment, try to make the specialty oil tea under the guidance of a Zhuang villager. In the late afternoon, follow your guide to discover the most scenic terrace field under the setting sun.

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  • Longsheng

• Day 4: Longsheng - Guilin, Reed Flute Cave

  Get up early to enjoy the sunrise if you like. After breakfast at the lodge, hike around 40 minutes to the more authentic and less commercial Ancient Zhuang Village. Here you will get to see more old Diaojiaolou wooden houses in the original Zhuang style. After that, meet your driver for a 2-hour transfer to the city center of Guilin.

  Before being transported to the hotel, make a final stop at the Reed Flute Cave, a natural karst cave filled with grotesque stalactites, stalagmites, and other limestone formations.

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  • Longsheng

• Day 5: Guilin - Yangshuo, Li River Cruise

  Guilin boasts the country's most attractive karst landscape, fully presented in the picturesque Li River. After breakfast, check out of your hotel, drive about 40 minutes to Zhujiang Pier, and board your cruise boat sailing down to Yangshuo. Along the 86-kilometer waterway, relish in the natural beauty of towering karst hills, clear water, and rustic villages. The cruise usually takes around 3.5 to 4 hours, depending on the water condition.

  After you disembark at Yangshuo, enjoy some time strolling through the bustling West Street crammed with all kinds of shops, stalls, and restaurants. The remainder of today is free to settle into the hotel and relax in your surroundings.

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  • Yangshuo

• Day 6: Yangshuo - Guilin - Kunming

  Follow your guide to enjoy the scenic Yulong River and a nearby village this morning. For outdoor lovers, light hiking or biking through the countryside will be a great bonus. After the tour, have lunch and drive back to the airport for your flight to Kunming, the capital and largest city of Yunnan province.

  After you touch down and meet your local guide, transfer to the hotel for the night.

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  • Kunming

• Day 7: Kunming - Dali, Stone Forest

  After breakfast, drive out of the city and into the UNESCO-recognized Stone Forest, the only karst landform scenic spot in a subtropical plateau area. While enjoying bizarre stone formations in various shapes, you also have the chance to watch the delightful performance by the native Yi people dressed in their unique costumes. Afterward, return to the downtown area and roam the Jingxing Flowers and Birds Market for a fascinating glimpse into the locals' daily life.

  In the late afternoon, travel onward by bullet train (about 2-2.5 hours) to Dali, mainly inhabited by Bai minority people. Once arriving there, meet your local guide and driver for a private transfer to your hotel.

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  • Dali

• Day 8: Dali, Erhai Lake Cycling Tour and the Three Pagodas

  Starting from Dali Old Town, your guide will lead you on a cycling tour (about 5-6 hours) along the west shore of Erhai Lake. The whole journey consists of 2 hours of bike riding, visits to the Three Pagodas, Xizhou Town, and Sha Village as well as photography breaks. Besides, reward yourself with a leisurely boat cruise on the scenic Erhai Lake. Finally, return to your Dali hotel for a well-earned rest.

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  • Dali

• Day 9: Dali - Lijiang, Lijiang Old Town

  Enjoy some leisure time this morning before taking a bullet train to Lijiang, home to the Naxi minority people.

  Arriving in 1.5-2 hours, you will be greeted and taken to your hotel. Check in and freshen up before sightseeing around the UNESCO-protected Old Town of Lijiang. As you walk along the winding cobbled paths, admire its distinctive wooden architecture, browse the stalls of merchant's wares, and relax in the laid-back atmosphere. To close the day, climb up to Lion Hill for a panoramic view overlooking the town.

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  • Lijiang

• Day 10: Lijiang, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Baisha Village

  After breakfast, set off on a 40-minute drive to the fog-shrouded Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, regarded by the local Naxi people as a holy mountain. A cable car afterward will take you to the Spruce Meadow at over 3,500 meters altitude. You will have ample opportunities to enjoy the spectacular scenery of the snowcapped mountain and hopefully see yaks grazing on the highland grassland.

  Continue onto the earliest settlement of the Naxi people - Baisha Village, well-known for its ancient mural paintings. You will then visit the Black Dragon Pool Park and Museum of Naxi Dongba Culture before heading back to the hotel.

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  • Lijiang

• Day 11: Lijaing, Tiger Leaping Gorge

  Venture out on an excursion to the Tiger Leaping Gorge, about a 2-hour drive away from Lijiang City. From the parking lot, walk down the steps to the viewing platform, feast your eyes on sheer natural beauty and listen to the roar of the Jinsha River (the upper reach of the Yangtze River). On the way back to Lijiang, get amazed at the magnificent landscape formed by the nearly 180-degree First Bend of the Yangtze River.

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  • Lijiang

• Day 12: Lijiang - Lhasa

  Leave Lijiang behind as you take a morning flight to the holy capital of Tibet, Lhasa.

  Upon arriving at Gonggar Airport, you will be met by your local guide and transferred for about 1.5 hours to your hotel in Lhasa city. The rest of today is free to relax and get adapted to the high altitude.

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  • Lhasa

• Day 13: Lhasa, Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple

  Today, start by exploring the Potala Palace, the symbol of Tibet. Built along the hill and winding up to the top, this magnificent building group in white, red, yellow, and black fully embodies the characteristics of Tibetan architecture. The colorful murals on the palace's walls will show you the scenes of plateau scenery, Tibetan history, and Buddhist stories. Next, step into the nearby Jokhang Temple, the holiest temple in Tibet, for a true insight into the religious faith of Tibetan people. Wrap up the day with a relaxing stroll around the adjoining Barkhor Street, the most famous pilgrimage circuit and public square in Tibet.

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  • Lhasa

• Day 14: Lhasa, Norbulingka Park and Sera Monastery

  Continue your exploration today with a morning visit to Norbulingka, a typical Tibetan-style garden called the "Summer Palace in Lhasa". Proceed with a short drive to Drepung Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery. Here, slow down your pace to soak in the peaceful atmosphere, listen to the monks chanting, turn the prayer wheels and appreciate colorful Thankas painted on the walls. Closing out the day, you will have the chance to witness the "Buddhism Scriptures Debating" session in the Sera Monastery.

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  • Lhasa

• Day 15: Lhasa - Xi'an

  Spend the morning relaxing until your local guide escorts you to the airport for your onward flight to the historical city of Xi'an.

  On your arrival, a private transfer will whisk you to your hotel. Check in and relax for the rest of the afternoon.

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  • Xi'an

• Day 16: Xi'an, Terracotta Army and Muslim Quarter

  The highlight of today's journey is the awe-inspiring Terracotta Army, about one hour's drive from the city center of Xi'an. Here, marvel at the grand array of thousands of life-size clay soldiers, horses, and chariots and learn about the life stories of their master - Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor.

  After your visit, return to the downtown and ramble through the Muslim Quarter, a vibrant Muslim community for nearly a thousand years. There are plenty of ethnically Muslim dishes and local Xi'an specialties to try along the way. End your trip at the centuries-old Great Mosque, the largest one of its kind in China. You will get to see what daily life is like for the Hui people (Chinese Muslims).

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  • Xi'an

• Day 17: Xi'an - Beijing

  This morning, stroll along the Ancient City Wall, which grants great views of old Xi'an on one side and modern Xi'an on the other side. Then, depart Xi'an for Beijing on a high-speed train (about 4.5-6 hours).

  Upon arriving, you will be met and taken to your hotel, with the rest of the day at leisure.

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  • Beijing

• Day 18: Beijing, Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven

  Today is a big day of exploring historical landmarks in Beijing, starting at the solemn Tiananmen Square. Then, step into the grand Forbidden City - also known as the Imperial Palace Museum - to delve into China's royal Past. While exploring the three main halls and palaces, your guide will introduce you to their layouts, functions, and the stories behind them.

  After lunch, continue onto the highly-revered Temple of Heaven where Chinese emperors used to worship heaven. A relaxing stroll around the temple ground will allow you to admire its structural beauty, absorb the sacred ambiance and see the locals practicing daily exercises amidst the green space.

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  • Beijing

• Day 19: Beijing, the Great Wall and Changling Tomb

  The Great Wall is another must-see site in Beijing. After breakfast, drive about two hours to explore the magnificent Mutianyu section of the Great Wall (with cable cars up and down). Here you can do some light hiking on the wall to enjoy the majestic scenery.

  You will then walk along the Sacred Road - lined with giant stone sculptures - leading to the Changling Tomb, the largest one among the 13 imperial mausoleums of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).

  Finally, transfer back to your Beijing hotel.

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  • Beijing

• Day 20: Beijing, Departure

  Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning. At the appointed time, you will be collected from your hotel and taken to the airport in time for your onward flight.

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