11-day China Getaway (2010)

Hong Kong - Guilin - Xi'an - Beijing

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Day 1/Fri: Departing from North America
Depart home city and cross the International Date Line.

Day 2/Sat: Arrival in Hong Kong
Arrive in late afternoon and transfer to the hotel on your own. The Airport Hotelink Limousine and the free Airport Express Shuttle Bus Service both have a stop at our hotel. The former costs $130 Hong Kong dollars (16 CAD or USD) per passenger. (B)

Day 3/Sun: Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, along with Macau. Comprising more than 260 islands, the territory is located on the eastern side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong Province in the north and facing the South China Sea in the east, west and south. Hong Kong was a dependent territory of the United Kingdom from 1842 until the transfer of sovereignty to the People's Republic of China in 1997. The Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Hong Kong stipulate that Hong Kong operate with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2047, fifty years after the transfer. Under the policy of "one country, two systems", the Central People's Government is responsible for the territory's defense and foreign affairs while Hong Kong maintains its own legal system based on English common law, police force, monetary system, customs policy, immigration policy, and delegates to international organizations and events. 

Our half-day Hong Kong Island tour includes Aberdeen Village, Repulse Bay and Victoria Peak. Free afternoon to explore the former British colony on your own. Hong Kong is an extremely tourist-friendly city where English is widely spoken and the public transit convenient. (B)

Day 4/Mon: Hong Kong - Guilin
You may spend the morning relaxing or continuing your self-guided exploration of the dynamic city. Transfer to the airport on your own to board the one-hour evening flight to Guilin. Meet your guide on arrival and transfer to the hotel. (B)

Day 5/Tue: Guilin
A medium-sized city by Chinese standard, Guilin has long been renowned for its unique scenery. The name Guilin literally means "forest of sweet osmanthus", owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees in the city.

Day cruise on Li River. The 83km stretch of the river between Guilin and Yangshuo affords breathtaking scenery as the river snakes through tall karst mountains, gigantic bamboo sprays, and picturesque villages -- sights that have inspired countless poets and painters for generations. Disembark in Yangshuo and drive back to Guilin. (B/L)

Day 6/Wed: Guilin - Xi'an
Enjoy some free time before visiting Reed Flute Cave and historic Fubo Hill. We fly to Xi'an in late afternoon or early evening depending on flight availability. (B/L/D)

Day 7/Thu: 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 city 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 8/Fri: Xi'an - Beijing
Morning flight to Beijing. Visit Tian'anmen Square and adjacent Forbidden City following lunch. Also known as Palace Museum or Gu Gong in Chinese, the Forbidden City was the place where the emperors of Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties lived and carried out their administration. (B/L)

Day 9/Sat: Beijing
Enjoy a full-day excursion to the legendary Great Wall, 70km 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. (B/L)

Day 10/Sun: 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 11/Mon: Beijing - North America
Spend the morning packing and relaxing. Transfer to the airport to board return flight in the afternoon and arrive home the same day after crossing the International Date Line. (B)

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Hotel list
City	Nights	Hotel	Star Rating
Hong Kong	2	Harbour Grand Kowloon
Guilin	2	Sheraton Guilin
Xi'an	2	Sheraton Xi'an
Beijing	3	The Great Wall Sheraton Beijing

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