14-Day China Highlights Tour

Upon your arrival in Shanghai, China's most cosmopolitan city, your personal guide will meet and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax or step out to explore this amazing metropolis on your own.

After breakfast, you will visit the Shanghai Museum offering an art history tour of the Middle Kingdom dating from as far back as the 20th century B.C. Later, you will walk down the Bund which is lined with featured architectures. Continue to stroll in Nanjing Road along the Huangpu River and visit the Bourgogne Lane (Bugaoli) to see the well-preserved old Shanghai households. Move to the Jade Buddha Temple which is named after a buddha crafted from a pure jade.

Optional: Shanghai Acrobatics Show is famous in the world. If you're interested in, consider enjoying it as your optional night activity.

After breakfast, you will be met and transferred to the railway station for the high-speed train to Suzhou (about 0.5 h, no guide service on the train).

Here you will visit the Humble Administrator Garden, one of China's most beautiful gardens, set foot on the ancient Pan Gate, enjoy the gentle breeze, nice scenery and local life by taking a cruise along the 2,400-year-old Grand Canal. Lastly, drop by No.1 Silk Factory to discover the secret process of silk making.

In the morning, drive to water town of Tongli (about 20-minute drive from Suzhou), there you will pay a visit to the Tuisi Garden, Pearl Pagoda, Triple Bridge, Ming and Qing Dynasty Street.

Drive back to Suzhou railway station for the train to Hangzhou. Upon your arrival at Hangzhou railway station, your personal guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax, or step out into this beautiful city for an adventure on your own.

The city tour in this beautiful city will include: West Lake by boat, viewing fish at flower pond, Lingyin Temple and Feilai Peak, then Dragon Well Tea Plantation and the former residence of Hu Xueyan.

You will be free on this day until your personal guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to Guilin.

Upon your arrival in Guilin, the most scenic city in China, your personal guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. After a rest, you will tour Elephant Trunk Hill, a remarkable hill resembling a huge elephant, drop by a pearl museum and explore the fabulous Reed Flute Cave.

On this day, you will take an excursion to the scenic Longji Terraced Fields. You will trek along quiet field paths, see authentic country views, visit the minority village of Yao People, admire at their colorful clothes, wooden residences and taste some homemade delicacies. Be transferred back to Guilin after the excursion.

Today's highlight is the Li River cruise. Starting at Zhujiang Pier, you'll cruise down the picturesque Li River. En route, stunning limestone karst scenery, pastoral views of thriving groves, rice paddies, water buffaloes and working farmers will add pleasure to your journey.

After disembarkation in the early afternoon, you'll first transfer to your hotel in Yangshuo. After a short break, take a countryside tour (by bike or by car, 1-2 hours) and continue enjoying the laid-back ambiance.

Optional: If you'd like more activities, an optional night show of Impression Sanjie Liu is highly recommended.

You will be free to explore the beautiful town until your guide escorts you to the airport for your afternoon flight to Xi'an. Upon arriving in Xi'an, your local guide will meet you at the airport and take you to visit the centuries-old Big Wild Goose Pagoda before taking you to your hotel.

The incredible Terracotta Warriors is your first stop today. Discovered in 1974, the 8,000 life-size terra cotta soldiers 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. You will also visit a ceramic factory to witness how these statues can be made.

In the afternoon, you will appreciate Chinese calligraphy and stele culture at Forest of Stone Steles Museum.

Optional: Tonight, an option for you is the Tang Dynasty Show which will bring you a memorable night in Xi'an depending on your interest.

The morning sightseeing will take you to the Great Mosque, one of China's 4 grandest mosques, and Muslim Street to admire the exotic religious architectures and Muslim culture. After the tour, be escorted to the airport for the flight to Beijing, the capital of China.

On this day you will first visit Tiananmen Square. Passing through the iconic Tiananmen Gate, you will enter the splendid Forbidden City, famous for its grand royal buildings, exquisite ornaments and priceless treasures.

In the afternoon, you will take a pedicab to explore hutongs, the disappearing ancient alleys of Old Beijing, and then ramble about along the Houhai Bar Street.

Optional: A recommended night show for you is the thrilling Chinese Kung Fu Show which brings you the charm of Chinese martial art.

No Beijing tour is complete without a visit to the Great Wall. Today you will tour the magnificent Great Wall, the Eighth Wonder of the World. Walking on the venerable ramparts, you will be amazed at the unbelievable constructions and appalling landscape that surrounds the wall.

Descending the wall, you will stop by a jade gallery and then take a leisurely stroll along the Sacred Road, a royal path noted for vivid stone statues and afterlife stories.

This morning you will marvel the spectacular Temple of Heaven, a holy royal temple where you can enjoy watching the locals playing and doing their morning exercises, then visit 798 Dashanzi Art District to glimpse at Beijing's leading fashions of art.

After the tour, be escorted to the airport for your flight back home.