Beijing, Xi’an & Shanghai

Walk through China’s vast Tiananmen Square, view the Forbidden Palace, home to Chinese emperors since 1421, travel to the Great Wall of China, see the life-size Terra Cotta Soldiers in Xi’an, and wander through the 16th century Yu Yuan Garden in Shanghai.

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Beijing, Xi’an & Shanghai

Walk through China’s vast Tiananmen Square, view the Forbidden Palace, home to Chinese emperors since 1421, travel to the Great Wall of China, see the life-size Terra Cotta Soldiers in Xi’an, and wander through the 16th century Yu Yuan Garden in Shanghai.

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9 Days

Destinations

BeijingXianShanghai

Your Adventure

1 Ni hao Beijing
  • Meet your Tour Director Arrive in Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China and one of the most populated cities on Earth! Meet your Tour Director and check into your hotel.
2 Beijing
  • Beijing guided sightseeing tour Begin the day with a Tiananmen Square visit, Forbidden City visit, Jingshan Mountain, Summer Palace visit, National Stadium (Bird's Nest), National Aquatic Center (Water Cube), jade and pearl factory visit, local tea house visit.
  • Temple of Heaven visit Visit the Temple of Heaven, an enormous park and altar directly to the south of the Forbidden City. Each winter solstice, the Ming and Qing emperors would lead a procession here to perform rites and make sacrifices designed to promote the next year’s crops and curry favor with Heaven for the general health of the empire.
  • Peking duck dinner A favourite dish of the emperors during the Ming Dynasty, Peking duck became available to the masses when a later dynasty collapsed and court chefs took their recipes to the streets. Indulge in spiced, crispy duck carved into strips and eaten on thin pancakes with cucumber, shallot, and plum sauce.
  • Beijing Zoo pandas visit
  • Optional: Kung Fu Show The Legend of Kung Fu Show is a mix of traditional martial arts and modern theatre. Presenting stunning Kung Fu skills, exquisite ballet and music, this fusion of modern dance with Chinese traditional martial arts makes this performance one of the most loved Kung Fu shows in China.
3 Beijing
  • Tai Chi lesson Discover the history of the Chinese martial art, Tai Chi. Learn the moves from an experienced instructor, then practice what you've been taught.
  • Great Wall of China visit Stretching from Korea to the Gobi Desert, the Great Wall of China reaches 1,500 miles along old imperial borders. The wall was built mainly by millions of slaves, repairing and lengthening existing defensive walls throughout the centuries (the oldest dating back to the 5th century BC), until the massive structure was complete. Sentries posted at the stone watchtowers along its length could use smoke to signal an imminent attack.
  • Sacred Road
  • Ming Tombs visit An emperor with a home as elaborate as the Imperial Palace needs an equally elaborate final resting place, and the Ming Tombs fit the bill quite nicely. Overseen by the same emperor, Yongle, who constructed the Forbidden City, the Ming Tombs are an enormous complex of pavilions, gardens, hallways, and tombs designed to provide everything an emperor, empress, or favored concubine would need in the afterlife. Check out the Avenue of Stone Animals, where a dozen pairs of carved animals, some dating back to the 1400s, and half a dozen pairs of carved officials and soldiers wait to escort their leaders to heaven.
  • Acrobatic show Attend an acrobatic performance by Beijing's Acrobatic Troupe who have been performing for more than 50 years.
4 Beijing
  • Visit a local school
  • Hutong tour Explore the back alleyways of Beijing on a guided tour. Known as ‘Hutongs’ these alleyways are where Chinese life can be seen at its most typical and traditional.
  • Dinner with a local Chinese family Enjoy dinner with a local Chinese family in the Hutong area.
5 Beijing - Xi'an
  • Visit a local food market Interact with the locals at a traditional food market. Use this opportunity to purchase some items for your lunchtime cooking class.
  • Chinese cooking class Continue your Mandarin lessons while learning to cook the local cuisine.
  • Bullet train to Xi'an
6 Xi'an
  • Xi'an guided sightseeing tour Terracotta Warriors Museum visit, Huaqing Palace visit, hot springs visit, Banpo Village Ruins and Museum visit.
  • Optional: Tang Dynasty singing and dancing show Elaborate costumes, haunting rhythms, spectacular dexterity. The Tang Dynasty had a wide reputation for its dance performances, used by the Emperor Taizong not only for entertainment but also to educate citizens about civic duty and military readiness. At the art form's peak popularity, there were thousands of trained dancers kept in the emperor's court.
7 Xi'an - Shanghai
  • Xi'an city walk Explore the Ancient City Wall and visit the Wild Goose Pagoda. Rising about 200 feet from the centre of a temple, the pagoda has seven stories and elaborate carvings over each doorway. No one's sure why the pagoda is named after a goose, but take a gander at the outstanding views available at each of the windows. Residents often toss a coin or two out of these windows for good luck.
  • Muslim Quarter The Muslim Quarter of Xi'an is located in the city center and covers several blocks of scenic streets. More than 20,000 Muslims inhabit the area which is dotted with ten mosques, including the Great Mosque.
  • Fly to Shanghai
8 Shanghai
  • Shanghai guided sightseeing tour Shanghai combines European elegance with Asian flair, transforming its colonial history with a unique modern outlook. Embark on a guided tour with visits to:
    – Yu Yuang Garden
    – Chenghuagmiao Bazaar
    – Jade Buddha Temple
    – Oriental Pearl Tower
    – Shanghai Museum
  • Shanghai City walk Visit Nanjing Road, China's premier shopping street as well as the famous Bund, a 1.5 km long boulevard on the western bank of the Huangpu River and the Children's Palace.
  • Huangpu River cruise
9 Depart China (or extend your tour)
  • Depart China If ending your tour today, begin your journey home.
  • Tour extension: travel to Hong Kong
10 Tour extension: Hong Kong
  • Hong Kong guided sightseeing tour Shopping, shopping, shopping. Hong Kong's history as Britain's Asian economic centre means that the city has always buzzed with sellers and buyers. Get a taste of the action at Stanley Market, where clothing and souvenirs are offered, and Kowloon, a district jam-packed with shops and restaurants. Take a spiritual break at the Tai Po Man Mo Temple. Find even more sanctuary, and a better view, on Victoria Peak, once the enclave of wealthy Westerners and now a refreshing break from the energetic pace of the city below.
11 Tour extension: Depart Hong Kong
  • Begin your journey home

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