17-day Treasures of China (2012)

Shanghai - Zhengzhou - Shaolin Temple - Luoyang - Xi'an - Taiyuan - Pingyao - Beijing

Scroll down to bottom for departure dates, prices and hotel list.

Day 1/Mon: Departing for Shanghai
Depart home city and cross the International Date Line.

Day 2/Tue: Arrival in Shanghai
Arrive in late afternoon and transfer to hotel upon meeting your guide.  

Day 3/Wed: Shanghai
Our sightseeing today begins with a walk on the Bund, a waterfront promenade famous for its landmark neoclassical buildings of European style. We then visit Shanghai Museum, and Yu Garden in the centre of the old town. Evening entertainment is a dazzling acrobatic show. (B/L/D)

Day 4/Thu: Shanghai - Zhengzhou
Free morning to explore on your own. Afternoon flight to Zhengzhou. With a history dating back to Shang Dynasty (1600 BC - 1100 BC), Zhengzhou is the capital of Henan Province and boasts a population of close to 4.5 million. (B/L/D)

Day 5/Fri: Zhengzhou
Our schedule today includes Henan Museum, Yellow River Scenic Area and the Shang Dynasty Ruins. Zhengzhou's most notable cultural institution is the Henan Museum, one of China's most important museums. The huge quantity of impressive exhibits ranges from prehistoric times, including dinosaur bones, up through the Qing Dynasty. (B/L)

Day 6/Sat: Zhengzhou - Shaolin Temple - Luoyang
After breakfast we drive 80km to legendary Shaolin Temple. Shaolin is a Chan (Zen in Japanese) Buddhist monastery at Song Hill (Song Shan). It was built by Emperor Xiao Wen in 477 AD and the first abbot was an Indian dhyana master who came to China in 464 AD to spread Buddhist teachings. Long famous for its association with Chinese martial arts and particularly with Shaolin Kung Fu, it is perhaps China's best known Mahayana Buddhist monastery to the Western world. Later this afternoon we continue on to Luoyang (60km). (B/L/D)

Day 7/Sun: Luoyang
Morning visit to the magnificent Longmen Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dating as far back as 493 A.D., the grottoes house a huge collection of ancient Buddhist sculptures carved out of cliffs on both sides of the Yi River. Afternoon sightseeing takes in Luoyang Folklore Museum and 20-century-old White Horse Monastery. (B/L)

Day 8/Mon: Luoyang - Xi’an
Travel to Xi'an by air-conditioned express train departing at 10:06 AM, arriving in Xi'an in less than 2 hours. The 387-km daytime train journey, which cuts through highly cultivated farmland on the Loess Plateau, serves as a good introduction to crops grown in Northern China. Afternoon sightseeing at the Grand Mosque and Shaanxi Provincial Museum of History. The modern, well-organized museum was completed in 1992 and traces the history of Xi'an from prehistory to the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). The extensive galleries and exhibitions offer the visitor an excellent introduction to the area that greatly improves understanding of the numerous historical sites in and around the city. (B/L/D)

Day 9/Tue: Xi'an
Eastern terminus of the fabled Silk Road and one of the ancient capitals of China, Xi'an is home to the Terracotta Army designed to follow the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) into eternity. Visit the excavation site of the Terracotta Army located 30km east of the city. A stroll on the ancient wall before dinner is also on our schedule. Tonight we enjoy a spectacular music and dance show reminiscent of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), a period generally considered a golden era of the Chinese civilization. (B/L/D)

Day 10/Wed: Xi'an - Taiyuan - Pingyao
We travel to Taiyuan by morning or mid-day flight and transfer to Pingyao (90km) immediately on arrival. Stop by a village en route if time allows. (B/L/D)

Day 11/Thu: Pingyao
The history of Pingyao dates back 2000 years. The town, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, is "an outstanding example of a Han Chinese city of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (14th-20th centuries) that has retained all its features to an exceptional degree and in doing so provides a remarkably complete picture of cultural, social, economic, and religious development during one of the most seminal periods of Chinese history". Spend the afternoon exploring the small town on your own after a guided tour of the major sites in the morning. (B/L)

Day 12/Fri: Pingyao - Taiyuan
Return to Taiyuan and en route visit the imposing Residence of the Qiao Family. The family's fortune reached its peak in late Qing Dynasty under the guidance of its patriarch Qiao Zhiyong whose business acumen and generosity won wide admiration. (B/L/D)

Day 13/Sat: Taiyuan
Capital of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan is surrounded by mountains on three sides and boasts a history of 24 centuries with a significant number of historic monuments to show for its past glory. Our sightseeing today features 50-metre-high Twin Pagodas, long considered symbol of Taiyuan, Jin Temple and Buddhist rock carvings at Tianlong Mountain. (B/L)

Day 14/Sun: Taiyuan - Beijing
Travel to Beijing by high-speed train (D2004, 08:42/12:21). Capital of China, Beijing is a world-class cultural and educational centre with a population of 22 million (2011), ranking it China's second largest city behind Shanghai. Beijing is renowned for its opulent palaces, temples, and huge stone walls and gates, treasures that make Beijing the most popular destination city in China among both domestic and international visitors.

Our sightseeing after lunch takes in Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City nearby. (B/L/D)

Day 15/Mon: Beijing
Enjoy a full-day excursion to the legendary Great Wall at Mutianyu, 75km northeast of the city. Zigzagging over 6,000 kilometres from east to west along the undulating mountains, the Great Wall, said to be visible from the moon, was built to hold off tribal invaders from the north. Construction of the earliest sections of the Wall started in the 7th century B.C. A major renovation started with the founding of the Ming Dynasty in 1368 and took 200 years to complete. The wall we see today in Beijing is almost exactly the result of this effort. (B/L)

Day 16/Tue: Beijing
Today we visit the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, and a hutong - traditional alleyway flanked with courtyard residences. We then wrap up the day with a sumptuous Peking Roast Duck dinner. (B/L/D)

Day 17/Wed: Beijing - Returning Home
Spend the morning packing and relaxing. Transfer to the airport to board return flight departing in the afternoon. Cross the International Date Line and arrive home the same day. (B)

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Hotel list
City	Nights	Hotel	Star Rating
Shanghai	2	Sheraton Shanghai Hongkou
Zhengzhou	2	Crowne Plaza Zhengzhou
Luoyang	2	Lee Royal Hotel Mudu
Xi'an	2	Sheraton Xi'an
Taiyuan	2	World Trade Hotel
Pingyao	2	traditional courtyard guesthouse	, best available
Beijing	3	Crowne Plaza U-Town or Sheraton Dongcheng

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