Day 1 Beijing
Arrive Beijing by air today. You are met and transferred to your hotel
in downtown. Meet fellow travelers at the Evening Reception.
Grand Hotel Beijing
Day 2 Beijing
Start your day with a tour of the Tiananmen Square, the
world's largest. Then move on to visit the adjacent Forbidden City (WHS),
seat of China's imperial rule in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
After lunch, visit the enchanting Summer Palace (WHS), a
beautiful resort park for the royal family during the late Qing era.
Enjoy a traditional Peking Duck Dinner tonight.
Grand Hotel Beijing <B-L-D>
Day 3 Beijing
Today's highlight is an excursion to the Great Wall (WHS) of
China. You will explore the Mutianyu section, where the Wall runs up and down on ridges of
green mountains.
Visit the Temple of Heaven (WHS) later on for a view of
the beautiful Hall of Prayer and see Chinese seniors at leisure in the park.
This evening, enjoy an Imperial Cuisine Dinner in a famous
local restaurant.
Grand Hotel Beijing <B-L-D> |
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Day 4 Beijing g Dunhuang
Take a morning flight to Dunhuang, an ancient city in the Gobi Desert.
This vast and desolate landscape bears the resemblance of the wild west.
Visit the small but surprising Crescent Spring Lake and
the exotic Singing Sand Dunes outside the town. Take a stroll in a local
market.
Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel <B-L-D>
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Day 5 Dunhuang
Spend most of the day to explore the fascinating Buddhist art at the Mogao
Caves (WHS), carved on a cliff facing the desert. The creation of these colorful
murals, sculptures and reliefs started over 1,500 years ago and the process lasted for
almost a thousand years.
Scholars and tourists alike come to Dunhuang from around the world to
see and study what remains of this treasure house of Buddhist art.
Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel <B-L-D> |
Day 6 Dunhuang g Xi'an
Fly to Xi'an this morning, the most well-known ancient capital of China.
Climb up the old City Wall that still surrounds Xi'an
since Ming Dynasty. Behold the marvelous artifacts of historic importance in Shaanxi
History Museum, one of the best in China.
Enjoy a characteristic Dumpling Dinner in a local
Restaurant.
Hyatt Regency Xi'an <B-D>
Day 7 Xi'an
Visit the Terracotta Warriors of Qinshihuang (WHS) that
had been buried underground for 2,200 years before local farmers discovered them in 1974.
Spend half day viewing this wonderful exhibition.
Later in the day, tour the Great Mosque and the market
in the Muslim quarters.
Tonight, enjoy a splendid Tang Style Dinner Show.
Hyatt Regency Xi'an <B-L-D>
Day 8 Xi'an g Songpan
Wing on to Songpan and travel to Huanglong by vehicle.
Huanglong National Scenic Area (WHS) features a unique
high plateau travertine scenery. With a background of snow-capped peaks, the main scenic
areas are within a U shaped Huanglong Valley, which is 3.5 kilometers long
and contains more than 3,000 travertines in eight groups of colorful ponds.
Depending on the weather, visit to Huanglong may be substituted by a
tour of Munigou, another scenic wonder in the area.
Minjiangyuan Hotel <B-L-D> |
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Day 9 Songpan g Jiuzhaigou
Travel to Jiuzhaigou by vehicle in the morning.
Jiuzhaigou National Park (WHS) - the hidden jewel in the
Minshan Mountain, a range marking the eastern edge of the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau. Inhabited
by ethnic Tibetans and Qiang tribes, Jiuzhaigou is believed to be one of the most
beautiful scenic areas in China.
Start the exploration from the entrance of the park and you will first
arrive at Zharu Temple, a wooden structure with cliffs rising behind.
Farther along is Heye Village, where the stream drains out of a marshy tract
known as Reed Lake. This in turn is fed by the more substantial Shuzheng
Lakes, one of the largest, and with Dege Mountain rising behind.
Sheraton Jiuzhaigou Resort <B-L-D>
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Day 10 Jiuzhaigou
Continue your exploration today in Jiuzhaigou. Head for the Nuorilang
Falls. Follow the trail into the Primeval Forest, a dense and very
atmospheric belt of conifers. Other scenic spots include the Changhai Lake
and Swan Lake. Then by bus to the stunning Five-colored Lake
which, for sheer intensity, if not for scale, is the unequalled in the whole park.
Sheraton Jiuzhaigou Resort
<B-L>
Day 11 Jiuzhaigou g Chengdu
Take a late morning flight to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province. |
Upon arrival, immediate transfer to Guanghan to
see the extraordinary Sanxingdui Archaeological Museum, featuring recent
discoveries of the ancient Shu Culture.
Return to Chengdu and visit a local teahouse before
enjoying a genuine Sichuan Cuisine Dinner.
Sofitel Wanda Chengdu <B-L-D>
Day 12 Chengdu
Visit Giant Panda Breeding Center for a closer look at
this lovely bear and then take an excursion to the charming Qingchengshan Daoist
Shrine, where trails in lush forests lead to atmospheric and beautiful temples and
vistas.
Return to the city in late afternoon.
Sofitel Wanda Chengdu <B-L>
Day 13 Chengdu g Lhasa
Take a morning flight to Lhasa, capital of Tibet, on an altitude of
3,800 meters (about 11,600 feet).
Upon arrival, you are transferred to your hotel. Be sure to get a good
and long rest. It takes some time for most people to adjust to the thin air on the high
plateau.
Brahmaputra Grand Hotel <B-L-D>
Day 14 Lhasa
Begin your sightseeing with a visit to the magnificent Jokhang
Monastery, a 1,300-year-old golden-roofed shrine whose labyrinth of rooms contains
a beautiful gold statue of the Buddha Sakyamuni plus some of the finest and oldest
treasures of Tibetan art.
Coming out of the Jokhang, you are right in the center of the
fascinating Barkhor area, lined with the stalls of an outdoor market selling
all kinds of goods and souvenirs.
Visit Sera Monastery, founded in 1419 by Sakya Yeshe, one
of the main disciples of Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelupa order. You may also see young
monks practicing |
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debating skills in small, animated
groups in the walled and shady 'debating courtyard'.
Enjoy a Tibetan Song & Dance Performance after dinner
this evening.
Brahmaputra Grand Hotel <B-L-D>
Day 15 Lhasa
The visit to the monumental Potala Palace (WHS)
is the highlight of your tour in Tibet. Once the seat of Tibetan government and winter
residence of the Dalai Lama, the great 13-story palace encloses private quarters as well
as countless prayer halls, chapels and shrines where monks chant and the devotees offer
ceremonial scarves or yak butter lamps.
Take an afternoon excursion to visit the magnificent Drepung
Monastery, which was founded in 1416 by Jamyang Choje, a leading disciple of
Tsongkhapa. Later, visit a couple of Tibetan families.
Rest of the day is free for your own exploration.
Brahmaputra Grand Hotel <B-L>
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Day 16 Lhasa g Zhongdian
Transfer to the airport and fly to Zhongdian, where the
legend of Shangri-la was believed to be originated and the land of Tibetans and other
ethnic people.
Upon arrival, check in at hotel.
Visit the Songzanlin Monastery, a charming Tibetan
temple located in a village outside Zhongdian. Wander around and have a Tibetan
Dinner in the old town area called Dukezong.
Later, you are treated with an exciting Tibetan Sing and Dance Stage Show
tonight.
Banyan Tree Ringha
<B-L-D>
Day 17 Zhongdian
Take an excursion by vehicle to the idyllic
Bita Lake for a pleasant hike
and visit a Tibetan farming village in the valley.
Enjoy the village atmosphere and wonderful spa
facility and service at your luxury resort in the afternoon.
Banyan Tree Ringha
<B-L-D>
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Day 18 Zhongdian g Lijiang
Travel by vehicle to the Tiger Leap Gorge. Here the Jinsha
River (upper section of the Yangzi) cuts deep through the Hengduan Mountains and creates
one of the most spectacular natural wonders on earth. Hike along the trail for some
breathtaking views.
Also stop by Lashi Naxi Village next to a charming lake.
Continue the drive to Lijiang and arrive in the town in late afternoon.
Attend a Naxi Music demonstration after dinner.
Banyan Tree Lijiang <B-L-D>
Day 19 Lijiang
Lijiang has been the center of Naxi people's homeland. The Lijiang
Old Town (WHS) still maintains a traditional atmosphere even today with hundreds
of old houses and bridges.
First take an excursion to Yulong Snow Mountain with
alpine forests and modern glacier.
Return to town to explore the Black Dragon Pool Park and
wander in the old town maze.
The rest of the day is free for your own exploration.
Banyan Tree Lijiang <B-L> |
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Day 20
Lijiang g Shanghai
Fly to Shanghai via Kunming.
After checking in at hotel, enjoy a stroll on the Bund,
the splendid row of early 20th century European buildings. Also tour the Yuyuan
Garden, which is a well-restored Suzhou-style garden created in 1559.
After dinner this evening, a fabulous Acrobatic Show
concludes your first day in Shanghai.
Portman Ritz-Carlton
Shanghai <B-L-D>
Day 21 Shanghai
Visit the marvelous Shanghai Museum. Its galleries contain
world-class items of arts and artifacts. The bronze gallery is a must-see section.
Wander around the former French Concession, represented by
the leafy Fuxing Park and European style architecture.
Conduct your own exploration in the afternoon. Tonight, enjoy a farewell
dinner featuring Shanghai Cuisine.
Portman
Ritz-Carlton Shanghai <B-L-D>
Day 22 Return Home
Transfer to the airport and board your homebound flight.
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