Day 1 Beijing
Arrive in Beijing today. You are met and transferred to your luxury
hotel in downtown. Learn more about the upcoming activities at the Evening
Reception.
Grand Hotel Beijing
Day 2 Beijing g Shenyang
Morning at leisure in Beijing. Fly to Shenyang early afternoon.
Shenyang is the capital of Liaoning Province, and a major industrial
city. In 1625, Nurhaci, founder of the Later Jin (former name of Qing),
moved his capital to Shenyang, which later became the capital of the Manchus before they
took control of central China.
Begin your exploration by visiting Liaoning Provincial Museum,
which displays precious fragments of polished bone inscribed with characters and used for
divination.
Take a walk in the downtown area to get a pulse of the
city.
Kempinski Hotel Shenyang <B-D>
Day 3 Shenyang
Start your day with a visit to the Former Imperial Palace
of the early Qing era. Built in 1625 for Nurhachi, and inherited by his son Abahai (Huang
Taiji), the palace in Shenyang is one of two royal complexes extant in China today. Though
much smaller than the Forbidden City, the distinct architectural style of the palace is
very charming and most halls are still in perfect shape.
The East Tomb is the resting place for Nurhachi, but his
son got a better grave at the North Tomb. The well-preserved complex is
decorated with pavilions, statues of camels, elephants, horses, and lions. If time
permits, you will stop by the Pagoda of Buddhist Ashes, a thirteen-storey,
fifty-meter-high hollow brick structure constructed in 1044 AD during the Liao Dynasty.
Kempinski Hotel Shenyang <B-L-D> |
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Day 4 Shenyang g Yanji
Take an excursion to Benxi, south east of Shenyang, to
tour a Water Cave and visit a Manchu Village.
After lunch, transfer to Shenyang Airport and fly to Yanji,
capital of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture. The city is a great place to experience
Korean ethnic culture and it provides vital access to the Changbai Mountain Nature
Preserve.
Take a City Tour upon arrival.
Daewoo Hotel <B-L-D>
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Day 5 Yanji g Changbaishan
Have an early start today and travel by vehicle towards the Changbai
Mountains. The drive passes small hidden villages and dense forests. You arrive at the
preserve around noon.
Within the preserve, the volcanic crater Heavenly Lake, 10
square kilome-ters in area and 204 metres in average depth, marks the boundary of China
and North Korea on the top of Baitou Mountain, the main peak of Changbai
Mountains. Surrounded by dropping cliffs on all sides, the lake is known for its sublime
natural beauty.
International Hotel <B-L-D> |
Day 6 Changbaishan g Yanji
Covering a total area of 2,000 square kilometers, Changbai
Mountain Nature Reserve is, as a mammoth natural zoo and a botanical garden, part
of the UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Program.
The Heavenly Lake, vertical scenery, aerial park, hot springs, and
waterfalls are among the six local natural wonders. Jagged peaks emerge from swathes of
lush pine forest.
You will explore a couple of vista spots along the trails during the
first half of the day. Travel back to Yanji by road in the afternoon.
Daewoo Hotel <B-L-D>
Day 7 Yanji g Changchun
You spend the whole day exploring this fascinating region with rich
Korean culture and traditions.
Visit a Korean village to learn about their folklore and
customs. Stop by a Kindergarten for some fun time with the local kids. Tour
a Food Street to sample a few delicious Korean snacks.
In the afternoon, you go to visit the Ancient Tombs at Longtou
Mountain, a collection of 12 burials for royalty of the Bohai Kingdom. The most
famous of the burials is the Mausoleum of Princess Zhenxiao. It contains,
among other things, the first complete and detailed murals done by Bohai artists.
Transfer to Yanji Airport and fly to Changchun in the evening. Check
into the hotel upon arrival.
Shangri-la Hotel Changchun <B-L-D>
Day 8 Changchun g Harbin
Located in the very center of the Manchuria Plain, Changchun served as
the capital of Japan's puppet state during WWII.
Today you take a tour of the Manchu-kuo Imperial Palace, where
the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty Puyi was installed as the puppet ruler.
The palace comprises of imperial style buildings, courtyards, and gardens. Parts of it
have been restored and are used as a permanent exhibition with displays relating to the
Japanese occupation.
In the afternoon, take a train ride to the city of Harbin, capital of
Heilongjiang Province.
Shangri-la Hotel Harbin <B-L-D>
Day 9 Harbin
Situated on the Songhua River, Harbin has some unique examples of
buildings influenced by the architectural styles of Tzarist Russia, featuring domes and
spires and there are also a few Russian orthodox churches in the city.
Take a walking tour in Daoli District that has the best
examples of European style architecture. The St. Sophia Church is the most
impressive and imposing structure among them.
You also explore some of Harbin's fascinating Bomb-Shelter-Turned-Markets.
These bomb shelters were built during the cold war era when China's relation with Soviet
Union was tense and frosty.
Visit a local family for a glimpse of the daily life of
Harbin residents.
Shangri-la Hotel Harbin <B-L>
Day 10 Harbin g Heihe
Enjoy a leisure morning today.
Fly at noon to Heihe, the most
northern Chinese border city with Russia. It |
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sits on the west bank of the Armur
River, which separates Heihe from the Russian city of Blagvescensk. Here you will find the
unique northern landscape and rich local culture. After checking in at your hotel, get on
a cruise boat and sail along the Amur River. The scenery on both sides of
the border are very beautiful and peaceful.
Heihe International Hotel <B-L-D>
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Day 11 Heihe
This morning you travel west into the Xing'an Mountains to
visit an ethnic Oroqen Village. The Oroqen People have lived
on this land for many generations and the men are great hunters. They also make wonderful
handicrafts.
In the afternoon, visit the historic town of Aigun, where
China and Russia signed a historic border treaty in 1858. You can see some precious old
pictures and artifacts that related to Sino-Russian relations at the time.
Then, visit a local market where Chinese and Russian
merchants buy and sell all kinds of goods each day.
Heihe International Hotel <B-L-D> |
Day 12 Heihe g Harbin
Take a daytime train back to Harbin. Along the journey you see
magnificent scenery of fields, forests, small villages, rivers, mountains, and towns.
Arrive in Harbin in the evening and transfer to hotel.
Shangri-la Hotel Harbin <B>
Day 13 Harbin g Dalian
Take a morning flight to the beautiful seaside city of Dalian on
the southern tip of Liaodong Peninsula. It is one of the country's best sightseeing,
relaxing, and holiday making destinations.
Dalian as a city has a short but violent history. It was occupied by the
Tsar Russians early last century, and then by the Japanese military for 40 years.
In the afternoon, travel to Lushun, a suburban port town that maintains
the traces of the past.
Visit Baiyunshan Fortress with cannons left by the
Japanese, Japanese Russian Old Place Exhibition, commemorating those who
were interned here under different rulers, and the Tomb for Russian Soldiers, in
memory of the Soviet troops who helped liberate this city at the end of World War II.
Shangri-la Hotel Dalian <B-L-D>
Day 14 Dalian
Of course, Dalian is for beaches, city squares, and fashion. Today you
take a scenic drive along the coastal road. In the summer months, most
visitors to Dalian are drawn by the city's beautiful beaches and the activities associated
with them. Bangchui Island Scenic Area is one of the most attractive beaches
in Dalian and there are plenty of other places to go such as Tiger Beach, Fujiazhuang
Beach, and Xinghai Beach.
There are some charming buildings to discover in Dalian and over
31 squares. Zhongshan Square makes a good start for any walk to explore the
city as it is the hub of central Dalian and ten roads radiate from this attractive square.
You spend some time exploring the city's commercial area and have a |
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few hours for your own exploration
in this attractive metropolis.
Tonight, enjoy a delicious Seafood Dinner at the farewell
banquet in a local restaurant.
Shangri-la Hotel Dalian <B-L-D>
Day 15 Dalian g Beijing
Travel to Beijing by air this morning.
Upon arrival, transfer to hotel and the rest of the day is free for your
own exploration.
Grand Hotel Beijing <B>
Day 16 Return Home
Transfer to the airport and board your homebound flight.
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