Day 1 ( ) Arrival / Beijing Transfer via: Flight on your own arrangement You¡¯ll be met on arrival in Beijing. On the way to the Hotel, your guide will explain tomorrow¡¯s arrangements. Spend the rest of the day exploring the nearby streets, or resting and catching up on your jetlag. Beijing is a city of amazing contrasts ¨C an ancient capital with some incredible historical sites, and a bustling modern metropolis getting ready to host the 2008 Olympics.
Day 2 (B,L) Beijing After breakfast our guide will brief the group before you head out for the Mutianyu Section of The Great Wall, which stretches for over 6000 km, and was originally built to protect China from the barbarians. You can walk and climb at your own pace, or enjoy spectacular views from the cable car. Before returning to the city you¡¯ll enjoy visiting the attractive tree-lined Sacred Road, bordered by stone statues, along which the Emperors once trod to conduct their sacred ceremonies.
The Great Wall of China is the longest structure ever built. It is about 4,000 miles long, and it was built entirely by hand. About 1, 200 - 1, 500 miles of the Great Wall were built during the reign of Emperor Shi Huangdi (Qin Dynasty). The Great Wall crosses northern China from the east coast to the central part of China.
Visit the fabled Ming Tombs, the resting places of thirteen emperors and their splendid treasures, passing down the Spirit Way, a road lined with statues of dignitaries, as well as huge elephants, lions, camels and horses, you will encounter the marble tombs of the Ming Dynasty emperors. Visit one of the spectacular tombs- Dingling featuring an underground palace.
Day 3 (B,L) Beijing Today is devoted to sightseeings around the city. After breakfast, our guide will meet you at the lobby and head out for the world¡¯s largest public square, which is closely linked to Mao Zedong, and the Forbidden City, from which the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties governed for over 500 years.
TianAnMen Square, the symbolical heart of China and gathering place for the masses. It is the biggest public square in the world, which can hold one million people. Having a free walk there, imagining the great historic events of the 20th century took place there. You will also see legendary landmarks including the Great Hall of the People and the towering 125 foot granite obelisk, Monument to the Peoples Heroes, honoring those who died in revolution.
Walking across the Golden River Bridge, enter the Forbidden City, the inner sanctum and palace where for centuries Chinese emperors ruled their world. It has 9000-room maze of courtyards, places, and ceremonial halls, where 24 emperors used to live. Forbidden City was indeed a forbidden place, where commoners were kept out for nearly 500 years in the past. Tour the palace and imagine the mystery, intrigue and incredible power that reigned here.
Later you¡¯ll visit the Summer Palace , the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China with a history of over 800 years. A lake cruise is also included. Dinner is on your own, but our guide will direct you to some of our favourite restaurants. Enjoy a spectacular Chinese kung fu performance this evening.
The Summer Palace is the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China with a history of over 800 years. With its cool features - water, gardens and hills, it was the palace of choice for vacationing emperors and Dowager Empresses. It was badly damaged by Anglo-French troops during the Second Opium War (1860) and its restoration became a pet project of Empress Dowager Cixi, the last of the Qing dynasty rulers.
Day 4 (B,L)
Today, early risers can join the locals at Taiji practice at the Temple of Heaven and enjoy watching as they sing to each other. After breakfast, you will continue the trip to this place, where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties worshipped heaven and prayed for good harvests.
Temple of Heaven was built in the 15th century, a sacred site for ancient Beijing, where the emperor and his 1000 member entourage would retreat twice a year for religious ritual. Surrounded by enormous grounds designed in accordance with fengshshui, the Temple complex consists of the Celebrated Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a unique wooden and blue-tiled structure built without a nail. It is considered the supreme achievement of traditional Chinese architecture.
Later you will have a trip through the Hutongs by rickshaw. This maze of narrow alleyways winding around the Forbidden City is fast disappearing, and you¡¯ll get a precious glimpse into their distinctive culture as you zigzag through them, drop into a primary school and a flea market, and have lunch with a local family featuring delicious Chinese dumplings. Those who are interested can learn how to make this traditional Chinese food.
Hutongs: The old narrow paths where common people lived. All the Hutongs crisscross with each other, dotted with the Kindergarten, the Bell Tower, the Drum Tower, the Tea House, and the lake, House of Gong Infant and local people's houses among them.Hutong is a kind of alleyway peculiar to Beijing. Surrounding the Forbidden City, many of these small windy alleyways were built during the Yuan (1206-1341), Ming(1368-1628) and Qing(1644-1908) dynasties. In the prime of these dynasties the emperors, in order to establish supreme power for themselves, planned the city and arranged the residential areas according to the etiquette systems of the Zhou Dynasty. The typical buildings in Hutong are quadrangles-a compound with houses around a square courtyard.
A tour to the Hutong will be escorted a visit to a local family, having a cheerful talk with the family member to see how life goes on within these traditional architectures. And also we will visit one primary school in the Hutong, knowing more of Beijing and its people. And also we will visit one primary school and a flee market in the Hutong, knowing more of Beijing, its people and distinctive culture.
Day 5 (B,L) Beijing To Xian Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement After an early breakfast in the hotel, drive to the airport for your flight to Xian. Arriving in Xi'an, be met & transferred to your hotel. Visit History Musuem, Ancient City Wall, Bell Tower.
Shaanxi historical museum: The Shaanxi Historical Museum, a large-scale modern State-class museum, is situated at the western side of the "Wild Goose Pagoda" in Xian City. It covers an area of about 70,000 square meters, the architectural area of which is 55,000 odd square meters. It was completed on June 20, 1991 and open to the public.
Xian City Wall: Xian City Wall is a major landmark, and iis the best preserved, as well as the oldest and largest of the city defence systems in China. Bikes can be rented to ride along the top of the wall for about RMB20/hour.
The Bell Tower: The emblem of Xian city.
Day 6 (B,L) Xian Terra Cotta Warriors, Huaqing hot Spring, Banpo Neolithic Village, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Lunch and Guide. Be transferred to the railway station for your train to Guilin.
The Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses: The greatest archaeological findings of the century: the army of terra-cotta warriors and the bronze chariots entombed in vast underground vaults at emperor Qin's tomb.
Huaqing hot Spring: Located in Lintong county of Xi'an city,the Huaqing Hot Spring once called Huaqing Palace in Tang dynasty.
The Wild Goose Pagoda: The pagoda where widely renowned Master Xuanzang (Monk Tripitaka) stored his classics brought from India.
Day 7 (B,L) Xian / Chengdu Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement Transfer to Chengdu by air. Visit Panda -Breeding Base, a close visit to lovely Panda in the morning. Then take a tour to Wenshu Buddism Temple. Enjoy local Sichuan Opera in a tea house at night.
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is situated on the Axe Hill 10 kilometers from the north suburb of Chengdu City. It covers an area of 600 acres. The environment here is exquisitely designed; the air is refreshing with the bamboo growing luxuriantly and flocks of wild birds flying around. There are 43 giant pandas and tens of specious animals such as red pandas and black-necked cranes. The Giant Panda Museum, Butterfly Exhibit Hall and Vertebrae Animal Exhibit are located in the Base.
Wenshu Monastery (wenshu yuan), this Buddhist monastery in central Chengdu is dedicated to the God of Wisdom - Wenshu and was founded during the Tang dynasty (618-907AD). Most of the buildings date back to the 17th century and today Wenshu Monastery is the largest temple in Chengdu.
Day 8 (B,L) Chengdu / Lhasa Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement You will be transferred to the airport for the flight to Lhasa. On arrival, our guide will meet you and take you to the Tibet Hotel. The rest of the day is at your leisure to relax, get use to the plateau climate and ready for next day trip.
Day 9 (B,L) Lhasa Full day trip to Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhore Street.
The Potala Palace is a landmark of Lhasa and Lama Buddism. It is a 13 storey and 1000 rooms' palace and once winter residence of the Dalai Lama. The construction of the present structure began during the reign of the fifth Dalai Lama in 1645 and took more than 50 years to complete.
The Jokhang Temple is the spiritual centre of Tibet - a destination for millions of Tibetan pilgrims. The oldest part of the temple dates back to the 7th century AD - being one of the two temples built by King Songsten Gampo to house the statues of the Buddha that his two foreign wives brought to Tibet from China and Nepal.
The Barkhor Street is Lhasa's inner pilgrim circuit shaped roughly like an octagon that runs around the Jokhang. The circuit is lined with markets, shops, stalls and street vendors providing every conceivable item a Tibetan could need. The best place to start the circuit is right outside the Jokhang in a clockwise direction.
Day 10 (B, L ) Lhasa Full day trip to Drepong Monastery, Sera Monastery, Norbulingka, and the Carpet Factory.
The Drepong Monastery: a cluster of white buildings resembling a riceheap, against the backdrop of Mount Gyenbuwndze. Founded in 1416, Drepong is the biggest and richest monastery in Tibet that was divided into four Tantric colleges - that specialised in different branches of knowledge.
The Sera Monastery lies on the northern edge of Lhasa at the base of Tatipu Hill. 'Sera' means 'merciful hail' denoting its rivalry with the 'Rice Heap' (Drepong) since hail destroys rice. Sera was smaller than Drepong with about 7,000 monks but was very rich and comparable in power.
The Norbulingka Park: Norbulingka means "Jeweled Garden". It was constructed as a summer palace for the Dalai Lama at the very beginning and later served as the whole governmental administration.
Day 11 (B,L) Lhasa / Gyantse(Jiangzi) Today, you will drive westwards to Gyantse, Visit The Palgor Chorten , Yomdrok Lake.
The Palgor Chorten : It is with 9 stories, 108 doors and 77 rooms. Each room contains a different statue of Buddha and the wall frescoes telling the story about it
Yomdrok Lake: Within Langkamu county, with an area of 638 square km and a coastal line of 250 km.
Day 12 (B,L) Jiangzi To Shigatse Visit The Tibetan Family, Tashilunpo Monastery.
The Tibetan Family: Common Tibetan people welcome you to their homes, greet you in their traditional way and entertain you with their typical food.
Tashilunpo Monastery: Painted in red and white, the buildings in the monastery stand closely together in terraced rows, offering a grand and majestic view.
Day 13 (B,L) Shigatse / Lhasa Drive back to Lhasa today and rest one more night there. You will have a leisure afternoon and explore the nearby streets on your own.
Day 14 (B) Lhasa / Chengdu Transfer via: Flight on our arrangment Chengdu To Beijing Transfer via: Flight on our arrangment After breakfast, you will be met and transferred to Gongga airport which is 96km away from Lhasa. Then, you will say farewell to this mysterious land and back to Beijing by taking connecting flight via Chengdu.
Day 15 (B) Beijing / Departure Transfer via: International flight on your own arrangement Our guide will meet you and see you off according to your departure time.
Hotel accommodation inclusive in the above package:
|
Optional add-on activities: Compare with airfares to get to China, the cost for the following local add-on programs is really worth to try. Highly recommend you to select one of the Optional Add-ons to supplement the itinerary.
|
Add-on activities include studying fees/entrance fees, personal tour guide & driver, round trip transfers by public bus, lunch if tour lasts one day.
Add-on activities are based on a traveling group of 2-5 persons. A group of more than 5 people will get a larger discount, Please ask our travel advisor about prices for larger group.
Add-on activities are valid only when used in conjunction with a tour package. Please ask our travel advisor for a price under other circumstances.
|