China Culture Explorer

Itinerary

• Day 1: Beijing, Arrival

  Say hello to China! When your flight lands in Beijing, your local guide is ready to welcome you at the airport and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax or to explore this dynamic capital city on your own.

  • Beijing

• Day 2: Beijing, City Highlights Tour

  This morning, you will visit Tiananmen Square, the historic center of Beijing, and the splendid Forbidden City. It is really pleasurable to admire this grand royal architecture and listen to their wonderful background stories.

  In the afternoon, marvel at the spectacular Temple of Heaven where emperors in ancient times offered sacrifices yearly to Heaven for a good harvest and fortune.

  Optional: If you're interested in, the recommended night activity is the Chinese Kung Fu Show that shows the charm of this martial art.

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  • Beijing

• Day 3: Beijing, Great Wall Tour

  No Beijing tour is complete without a visit to the Great Wall. Today you will visit the magnificent Mutianyu Great Wall, an intact section of the Wall. Hiking atop the venerable ramparts, you will amaze at this manmade wonder, enjoy its breathtaking landscape and trace back the country's long history.

  Descending the Great Wall, you will drop by a jade gallery and take a leisurely stroll along the Sacred Road, a tranquil path charmed with vivid stone statues of divine beasts and officials.

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  • Beijing

• Day 4: Old Beijing in Hutongs & Train to Xi'an

  After breakfast, you will have a leisure walking tour at the hutongs where you can get much closer to the locals daily life. Enjoy painting Peking Opera Facial Makeup at hutongs (about 30 minutes).

  In the afternoon, you will be escorted to the railway station for the high-speed train to Xi'an. Upon arriving in Xi'an, your local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax or step out to discover what this amazing city has offered.

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  • Xi'an

• Day 5: Xi'an, Terracotta Warriors & Big Wild Goose Pagoda

  The incredible Terracotta Warriors is your first stop today. Discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974, the 8,000 life-size Terracotta Warriors and Horses are an amazing form of funerary art, buried with China's foremost Emperor Qin Shi Huang to help rule another empire in the afterlife. Visit a ceramic factory to witness how these statues can be made.

  Later in the day, visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. In the evening, have a leisure walk at the Great Tang All Day Mall and enjoy the night.

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  • Xi'an

• Day 6: Xi'an - Guilin, City Wall & Drum Tower

  After breakfast, you will tour the Ancient City Wall, the largest and best-preserved city walls on earth. It is recommended to enjoy a cycling tour on the wall. Continue to visit the Drum Tower - a symbol of the city.

  Later, be escorted to the airport for a flight to Guilin. Upon arriving in Guilin, be picked up and transferred to your hotel. After that, you can enjoy a leisure stroll in this gardening city to feel the slow pace of the lifestyle here.

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  • Xi'an

• Day 7: Guilin - Longsheng - Guilin, Rice Terraces

  It is a day to see the beautiful rice terraces. With a 2-hour driving from Guilin to Longji Rice Terraces. The terraced rice fields make Longji a paradise for photographers and people interested in China's minority cultures. After the tour, drive you back to the hotel in Guilin.

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  • Guilin

• Day 8: Guilin - Yangshuo, Li River Cruise

  This morning, drive to Zhujiang wharf and embark on a leisurely Li River cruise, which is the highlight of your Guilin tour. As the boat sails downstream the crystal-clear Li River, you'll take in the unlimited fresh air, enjoy the amazing karst hills with dense vegetation along the banks, spot water buffaloes with local villagers.

  After disembarkation in the early afternoon, transfer to your hotel in Yangshuo. Take a break and set off for a countryside tour (by bike or by car, 1-2 hours) and enjoy the laid-back ambiance. Roam through the well-known West Street.

  Optional: If you'd like more recreation for tonight, an optional open-air show of Impression Sanjie Liu is highly recommended.

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  • Yangshuo

• Day 9: Guilin - Hangzhou, Elephant Trunk Hill & Reed Flute Cave

  After a memorable stay in Yangshuo, you will be driven back to Guilin to have an essential city tour. First, visit the impressive Elephant Trunk Hill, drop by a pearl store, and then see the colorfully-illuminated stalactites, stalagmites, stone pillars and rock formations of Reed Flute Cave.

  Take a flight to Hangzhou afterward. Upon arriving in Hangzhou, you will be picked up and escorted to your hotel.

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  • Guilin

• Day 10: Heritages of the Past Hangzhou

  Today, a private day tour will bring you to the cultural heritage museums of Knives, Scissors and Swords; Fan and Umbrella. Try your hands on painting the paper umbrella at the Workmanship Demonstrations Pavilion.

  Continue on to take a boat ride along the canal and stroll around the Dadoulu historic district. Tour ends at a visit to the Xiangji Temple, an ancient temple built in Northern Song Dynasty.

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  • Hangzhou

• Day 11: Architectural Xidi Village

  After breakfast, you will be escorted to the railway station for the fast train to Huangshan. Upon you arrive in Huangshan (Tunxi), your local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel.

  After lunch, you will be driven to Yixian County, 54 km away from the city of Huangshan (about 1 hour), where you will visit the ancient villages - Xidi, and then you will have some leisure time at Tunxi Ancient Street.

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  • Huangshan

• Day 12: Huangshan, West Sea Scenic Area

  After breakfast, you will be transferred to Huangshan Scenic Area and take a cable car to the mountain top at Yungu Station. After check-in and lunch, you will trek to Brush Pen Peak and Lion Peak to appreciate the wonders of Huangshan such as grotesque pine trees, odd rocks and the sea of clouds. Passing the beautiful West Sea Grand Canyon, you will see the fascinating sunset at Cloud-dispelling Pavilion. Stay overnight at the summit.

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  • Mt. Huangshan

• Day 13: Artistic Mt. Huangshan & Train to Shanghai

  Try to get up early in the morning to catch the magical sunrise. After breakfast, tour the Begin-to-Believe Peak to see the grotesque pine trees, after all the exercise.

  Take the cable car down to the foot of the Mt. Huangshan. Meet your driver and you will be escorted to the train station for your high-speed train to Shanghai. Upon you arrive in Shanghai, you will be escorted to your hotel.

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  • Shanghai

• Day 14: Diversity of Shanghai

  Today your private guided tour begins with marveling at exhibitions at the Shanghai Museum. You will then wander through a beautiful Chinese garden - Yu Garden and bustling Yuyuan Market with impressive local street food and trinkets.

  Continue to walk down the Bund along the Huangpu River and a brief stop at the Jiangnan Silk Workshop to learn how silk is made and buy some quality silk souvenirs.

  Optional: The optional activity for tonight is a stunning acrobatic show which can bring you an unforgettable night in Shanghai.

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  • Shanghai

• Day 15: Ancient Zhujiajiao Water Town

  After breakfast, you will drive to Zhujiajiao Water Town from downtown Shanghai (about 50 minutes). There you will encounter the charm water town as walking through Fangsheng Bridge, Beida Street and the Kezhi Garden. You will feel you have stepped back in time. After your trip to this beautiful village, you will be driven back to Shanghai and enjoy a free afternoon.

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  • Shanghai

• Day 16: Shanghai, Departure

  Today, say goodbye to Shanghai as your private guide and driver escort you to the airport for your onward flight home.

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