Day 1 – Arrival Shanghai

Our guide will meet you outside the baggage claim area at Shanghai Airport and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

Day 2 – Shanghai

Attractions: Yuyuan Gardens, City God Temple, Xiantiandi, Evening Cruise on the Huangpu River

Today’s tour will begin at the classical Yuyuan Gardens located in the center of old Shanghai. It was built in 1559 and features rockeries, pavilions, ponds and corridors. Just outside the gardens is the City God Temple and its surrounding markets. Originally there was just a temple but as the number of pilgrims rose so did the number of merchants who opened shops in the area to sell to them. Now it is a thriving market where you can find excellent souvenirs and sample some of the local snack foods.

Afterwards you will visit Xintiandi, a trendy area of bars, restaurants and boutique shops. Here old Shanghai style lane houses or shikumen have been renovated in a mixture of Chinese and Western designs.

You will finish the day in a spectacular fashion as you take in the lights of the city during a cruise on the Huangpu River.

Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

Day 3 – Shanghai

Attractions: The Bund, Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai Municipal History Museum, Tianzifang

Today’s tour starts with a stroll along the Bund, the most famous part of Shanghai. It is like a summary of Shanghai’s history with colonial buildings mixed in with other architectural styles. From there you can gaze across at the tall, modern buildings which represent Shanghai’s prosperity. Next you will cross the river to Lijiazui to see these buildings from a different perspective.

Here you will find the Shanghai Stock Exchange as well as the city’s three most famous structures – the Pearl Tower, the Jin Mao Tower and the newest and highest Shanghai World Financial Center. When it was completed in 2007 the Shanghai World Financial Center was the second tallest building in the world. The observation deck is at 474 metres offering amazing views of Shanghai.

Nearby in the basement of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower is the Shanghai Municipal History Museum. With lots of models and dioramas it is much more interesting than it sounds!

Tianzifang is an arts and crafts enclave in the French Concession which has also been developed in the shikumen style buildings. It is well known for its small craft stores, art studios, coffee shops and restaurants located in the narrow alleyways off Taikang Road.

Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

Day 4 – Shanghai to Beijing

Attractions: Maglev Train

Today you will transfer to the Shanghai Pudong Airport for your flight to your next destination. Yon the way you can catch the Maglev, the world’s only commercial magnetically levitated train. At 430kph it is also the fastest train in the world in commercial operation.

Our guide will meet you outside the baggage claim area at Beijing Airport and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

Day 5 – Beijing

Attractions: Mutianyu Great Wall, Sacred Way, Bird’s Nest, Water Cube, Peking Roast Duck

Today you will have the opportunity to climb the ancient steps at Mutianyu Great Wall which is one of the best preserved sections of the wall. If you wish you can avoid the steep climb by riding a cable car up. On the way back to Beijing you will visit the Sacred Way with its amazing stone statues. You will also stop by the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube for an outside view of the unique constructions built for the 2008 Olympic Games.

For dinner, you will have a chance to taste the famous Peking Roast Duck.

Meals: Breakfast at your hotel, Dinner – Peking Roast Duck

Day 6 – Beijing

Attractions: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Hutongs, Temple of Heaven, Acrobatics Show

You will start today’s tour with a visit to Tiananmen Square, which is the largest city-central square in the world. To the north is the magnificent Tiananmen Gate with its five openings. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties the passage in the middle leading to the Forbidden City was reserved for the emperor himself.  Now you can walk through it to explore the largest and best preserved imperial palace in China.

Later you will explore the Beijing Hutongs by rickshaw. These are the narrow back alleyways where you can get a glimpse of how Beijing used to be and learn more about the life and culture of ordinary Beijing people. Then you will visit the Temple of Heaven where the Emperors once worshiped heaven and prayed for good harvests.

In the evening you will attend an Acrobatic Show. Be amazed at the breathtaking routines of flexibility and skill using chairs, bikes, spinning plates and human strength.

Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

Day 7 – Beijing to Xi’an

Attractions: Summer Palace

In the morning you will visit the Summer Palace to view the royal gardens and the famous Long Corridor. After lunch you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Xi’an.

Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

Day 8 – Xi’an

Attractions: City Wall, Terracotta Warriors, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Dumpling Banquet

Your Xi’an tour begins with a visit to the City Wall which was initially built as a military defense system over 600 years ago. From the wall you can appreciate magnificent ancient constructions and admire the surrounding urban landscape.
Next you will head for Xi’an’s most famous attraction, the Terracotta Warriors. Discovered accidentally in 1974, this incredible army of over 7000 soldiers, archers, horses and chariots in full battle array has guarded Emperor Qin’s tomb since 210BC. Prepare to be impressed.

Afterwards you will visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. It was built in the 7th century to house the Buddhist materials that Xuanzang brought back from his epic journey to India. The pagoda is one of the most distinctive and outstanding landmarks of Xi’an.

This evening you will feast on a traditional Dumpling Banquet, a specialty of the region, afterwards enjoying a performance of music and dance from the Tang Dynasty.

Meals: Breakfast at your hotel, Dinner – Dumpling Banquet

Day 9 – Xi’an

Attractions: Shaanxi History Museum, Great Mosque, Muslim Quarter

Start the morning at the Shaanxi History Museum. As part of the Silk Road route Xi’an has a well documented history and here you can admire the enormous collection of historic and cultural relics.

Then you will visit the Great Mosque and round off your time in Xi’an by exploring the adjacent Muslim Quarter with its myriad of interesting handicraft and snack shops. Be ready to bargain!

Meals: Breakfast in your hotel

Day 10 – Depart Xi’an

Today you will be transferred to Xi’an Airport for your flight to your next destination.

Meals: Breakfast at your hotel