Days 1-2 : UK - Shanghai
Fly overnight to the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai, also known as the ‘Paris of the East’.
Day 3 : Wuzhen
day tour
Travel to the ancient canal town of Wuzhen and enjoy a leisurely stroll to absorb the atmosphere of this centuries-old Chinese town. Home to an intricate system of canals,old wooden waterside houses, arch stone bridges, narrow cobblestone streets and an abundance of local handicrafts, Wuzhen is renowned for its old-world charm and picturesque setting. We visit the Taoist Temple, which was the former residence of Mao Dun, a master of contemporary Chinese literature and browse through little stores. Later, return to Shanghai and enjoy a dinner of traditional Shanghai cuisine.
Day 4 : Shanghai
Sightseeing today includes a stroll through the beautiful Yu Gardens and the Old Town as well as a visit to see the superb antiquities and fine arts of the Shanghai Museum which houses over 120,000 pieces of bronze, ceramics, paintings and calligraphy. We also walk along the famous Bund with its colonial architecture and explore the restored Xintiandi area with its unique 1920’s style shikumen buildings. Later we indulge in some shopping along Nanjing Road. In the evening, enjoy a cruise on the panoramic Huangpu River, where the historic Bund and the futuristic Pudong come face-to-face.
Day 5 : Shanghai - Xian
Enjoy the morning at leisure before flying to the former ancient capital of Xian. In the evening, enjoy a traditional Shui Jiao dumpling meal followed by a performance of Tang Dynasty dancing.
Day 6 : Xian
Visit one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century – the Terracotta Warriors, created over 2,000 years ago to accompany Emperor Qin Shihuang into the afterlife. We also walk along the Ancient City Wall.
Day 7 : Xian - Beijing
Visit the Little Wild Goose Pagoda and the renowned Shaanxi Museum which is home to thousands of priceless relics. We also walk through the lively Muslim Quarter, past the Great Mosque to explore the Islamic food markets. Later, fly to Beijing, China's capital city and visit the unique Temple of Heaven.
Day 8 : Beijing
Sightseeing today includes a stroll through Tiananmen Square, past Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum to the treasure-filled Forbidden City, which is the largest and best preserved collection of ancient buildings in China from the Ming and Qing Dynasties and houses over 8,000 rooms. Enjoy a fascinating Chinese Acrobatic show in the evening.
Day 9 : Beijing
Walk on the Great Wall to appreciate 2,000 years of historical significance and admire the panoramic views. The Great Wall is China’s most iconic attraction, which stretches over 3,000 miles from the Shanhaiguan Pass on the east coast to the Gobi Desert in the west. Also tour the exquisite Summer Palace. Our evening meal includes the local delicacy, Peking Duck.
Day 10 : Beijing - UK
Fly to the UK, arriving home later the same day or the following morning depending on airline chosen. |
|
Days 1-2 : UK – Shanghai
Fly overnight to the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai, also known as the ‘Paris of the East’.
Day 3 : Shanghai
Sightseeing today includes a visit to the Shanghai Museum and a walk along the famous Bund with its colonial architecture. Our dinner this evening will be of traditional Shanghai cuisine.
Day 4 : Shanghai
Visit the beautiful Yu Gardens, the Old Town and then cross the great Nanpu Bridge to explore the modern Pudong area. We also explore the restored Xintiandi area with its unique 1920’s style shikumen buildings. In the evening, enjoy a cruise on the panoramic Huangpu River.
Day 5 : Shanghai – Guilin
Enjoy the morning at leisure before flying to the beautiful city of Guilin.
Days 6-7 : Li River Cruise – Guilin
Cruise the stunning Li River and enjoy the breathtaking landscape of beautiful limestone hills, tranquil fishing scenes and picturesque villages. We continue downstream to the town of Yangshuo set in the lush green rice paddies of Southern China. The next day, explore the colourful local markets, walk along the cobblestone streets and soak in the atmosphere of this charming town before returning to Guilin. Here we stroll through the picturesque Seven Star Park to see the colourful stalagmites and stalactites of Seven Star Cave, which is the largest in the area. We also visit the ‘Giant Panda Hotel’, which is home to one of these adorable animals. We also see the cormorant fishermen.
Day 8 : Guilin – Xian
Visit Mt Diecai for views of the surrounding karst landscape before flying to the former ancient capital of Xian. In the evening we will enjoy a traditional Shui Jiao dumpling meal followed by a performance of Tang Dynasty dancing.
Day 9 : Xian
Visit one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century – the Terracotta Warriors. The figures were created 2,000 years ago to accompany Qin Shihuang into the afterlife. We also walk along the Ancient City Wall.
Day 10 : Xian – Beijing
Visit the Little Wild Goose Pagoda and the renowned Shaanxi Museum which is home to thousands of priceless relics. We also stroll through the lively Muslim Quarter, past the Great Mosque to explore the Islamic food markets before flying to Beijing. Enjoy a fascinating Chinese Acrobatic show in the evening.
Day 11 : Beijing
Sightseeing today includes a stroll through Tiananmen Square, past Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum to the treasure-filled Forbidden City, which is the largest and best preserved collection of ancient buildings in China from the Ming and Qing Dynasties and houses over 8,000 rooms.
Day 12 : Beijing
Walk on the Great Wall, China's most iconic attraction, which stretches over 3,000 miles to the Gobi Desert. Also visit the unique Temple of Heaven.
Day 13 : Beijing
Experience a rickshaw ride through the Traditional Hutong areas and tour the exquisite Summer Palace. Our evening meal includes the local delicacy, Peking Duck.
Day 14 : Beijing – UK
Fly to the UK, arriving home later the same day or the following morning depending on airline chosen. |
|
Days 1-2 : UK – Shanghai
Fly overnight to the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai, also known as the ‘Paris of the East’ and transfer to the hotel before our welcome dinner of traditional Shanghai cuisine.
Day 3 : Shanghai
Sightseeing today includes a stroll through the beautiful Yu Gardens and the Old Town as well as a visit to the Shanghai Museum. We also explore the restored Xintiandi area with its unique 1920’s style shikumen buildings.
Day 4 : Shanghai – Suzhou
Travel by coach to the charming city of Suzhou, also known as the ‘Venice of the East’. Visit two of the finest oriental gardens: the Humble Administrator’s Garden and the Garden of the Master of the Nets, a local silk mill still in operation today and enjoy a cruise on the ancient Grand Canal.
Days 5-6 : Suzhou – Hangzhou
Continue by coach to beautiful Hangzhou, one of China’s former imperial capitals. Explore the local markets and experience an oriental tea-tasting. The next day, visit the Temple of Inspired Seclusion and the Six Harmonies Pagoda before a relaxing cruise on the tranquil West Lake.
Day 7 : Hangzhou – Wuzhen – Shanghai
Travel by coach to the ancient canal town of Wuzhen. We enjoy a leisurely stroll to absorb the atmosphere of this centuries old Chinese town, renowned for its old-world charm and picturesque setting. Return to Shanghai.
Days 8-9 : Shanghai – Guilin
Walk along the famous Bund with its colonial architecture and indulge in some shopping opportunities along Nanjing Road. In the evening, enjoy a cruise on the panoramic Huangpu River. The next day, visit the modern Pudong area before flying to the beautiful city of Guilin.
Days 10-11 : Li River Cruise – Yangshuo – Guilin
Cruise the stunning Li River and enjoy the breathtaking landscape of beautiful limestone hills, tranquil fishing scenes and picturesque villages. We continue downstream to the town of Yangshuo set in the lush green rice paddies of Southern China. The next day, explore the colourful local markets, walk along the cobblestone streets and soak in the atmosphere of this charming town before returning to Guilin where we visit Mt Diecai for views of the surrounding karst landscape. We also see the cormorant fishermen.
Days 12-13 : Guilin – Kunming
Visit the colourful Reed Flute Caves before flying to Kunming, also known as the ‘City of Eternal Spring’. In the evening we sample the famous Across the Bridge Noodles. The next day, explore the picturesque Stone Forest where the huge limestone columns form surreal shapes and images.
Day 14 : Kunming – Chongqing
Visit the Western Hills which wrap around Dianchi Lake before flying to Chongqing.
Days 15-16 : Chongqing – Dazu – Chengdu
Enjoy a city tour visiting Erlin Park, the People’s Hall and the General Stilwell Museum. Drive to Dazu, home to some of the most fascinating rock carvings in the world – the UNESCO Beishan Frescoes. The next day we visit the Baodin Stone Carvings, before transferring by coach to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. Enjoy a delicious Sichuan meal in the evening.
Day 17 : Leshan day tour
Travel to Leshan to visit the remarkable Grand Buddha, the world’s largest stone-carved Buddhist statue. We take a short boat trip to view the statue from the river. Return to Chengdu, visiting the old town of Huanglongxie en-route.
Days 18-19 : Chengdu – Xian
Visit the famous Panda Reserve to see these adorable animals being reared in wooded surroundings reminiscent of their natural habitat. The next day, take a city tour of Chengdu before boarding the overnight train to the former ancient capital, Xian.
Days 20-21 : Xian
Arrive in Xian and visit the Little Wild Goose Pagoda. In the evening we will enjoy a traditional Shui Jiao dumpling meal followed by a performance of Tang Dynasty dancing. The next day, visit one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century – the Terracotta Warriors, followed by a walk along the Ancient City Wall.
Day 22 : Xian – Beijing
Visit the renowned Shaanxi Museum which is home to thousands of priceless relics. We also stroll through the lively Muslim Quarter to visit the Great Mosque and explore the Islamic food markets before boarding the overnight train to Beijing, China's capital city.
Days 23-24 : Beijing
Arrive in Beijing in the morning. Sightseeing today includes a stroll through Tiananmen Square, past Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum to the treasure-filled Forbidden City, which has the largest and best preserved collection of ancient buildings in China. Our evening meal includes the local delicacy, Peking Duck. The next day, walk on the Great Wall to appreciate the history of China’s most iconic attraction and visit the unique Temple of Heaven.
Days 25-26 : Beijing
Tour the exquisite Summer Palace and enjoy a fascinating Chinese Acrobatic show in the evening. The next day, visit Lama Temple and indulge in some last minute shopping at the bustling markets.
Day 27 : Beijing – UK
Fly to the UK, arriving home later the same day or the following morning depending on airline chosen. |
