Beijing - Guilin - Yangshuo - Chengdu - Lijiang - Dali - Kunming - Shanghai

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Day 1/Mon: Departing Home City
The journey begins with our transpacific flight departing the west coast in early afternoon. Cross the International Date Line.

Day 2/Tue: Arrival in Beijing
Meet our guide upon arrival in late afternoon and transfer to the hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure.

Day 3/Wed: Beijing
Beijing, capital of China, is the country's second largest city in terms of population. Following a brief orientation we visit Tian'anmen Square, the Forbidden City and an old hutong - alleyway flanked with traditional residential courtyards. Welcome dinner features delicious Beijing roast duck, a local delicacy. (B/L/D)

Day 4/Thu: Beijing
Enjoy a full-day excursion to the legendary Great Wall, 90km northwest 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. On the way back to the city in the afternoon we stop by at the Spirit Way at Ming Tombs. The Spirit Way, serving as the entrance to the Ming Tombs, is lined with statues of guardian animals and officials. (B/L)

Day 5/Fri: Beijing - Guilin
Morning sightseeing at the Temple of Heaven. Built for emperors to worship Heaven, the Temple of Heaven is China's largest existing complex of ancient sacrificial buildings occupying an area of 273 hectares and three times the area of the Forbidden City. Late afternoon flight to Guilin after a tour of the Summer Palace. A medium-sized city by Chinese standard, the city 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.  (B/L)

Day 6/Sat: Guilin - Yangshuo
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 transfer to a local 4-star hotel for the night. For evening entertainment we recommend the nightly show Impression Liu Sanjie - a light and sound spectacle directed by China's most renowned film director Zhang Yimou. (B/L)

Day 7/Sun: Yangshuo - Guilin - Chengdu
Free morning to explore on your own. You may spend the morning browsing the numerous shops fronting popular West Street or pedaling into the countryside on rented bicycle to take in the mesmerizing scenery. An optional excursion to Moon Hill and surrounding villages can be arranged on request.  We drive back to Guilin later in the day and tour the scenic Fubo Hill before flying to Chengdu. (B/D)

Day 8/Mon: Chengdu
Tour of the Giant Panda Breeding Centre is followed by a visit to the museum built on the archaeological site of Sanxingdui Culture (Bronze Age). First chanced upon by a farmer in 1929, Sanxingdui, 40km west of Chengdu, continued to surprise the archaeological community in the decades to come. In 1986, two major sacrificial pits were discovered and the breakthrough aroused widespread academic attention from around the world. The Sanxingdui finds are exciting, but they remain enigmatic. So far no written records of this 5,000-year-old civilization have been found. (B/L)

Day 9/Tue: Chengdu - Lijiang
Morning schedule includes Wangjianglou (river view) Park and a traditional tea house. Fly to Lijiang in late afternoon. Lijiang is home to the ethnic Naxi people whose intriguing Dongba religion and unique customs coupled with the region's enchanting scenery combine to make Lijiang and its vicinity a fascinating place to explore. The old town known as Dayan is protected as a UNESCO-designated World Cultural Heritage Site. (B/L)

Day 10/Wed: Lijiang
A walking tour of the old town is followed by an excursion to Yunshanping or Spruce Meadow, an alpine pasture surrounded by virgin forests at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. En route we stop by an ancient village. The evening concert of classical Naxi music is optional if available. (B/L)

Day 11/Thu: Lijiang - Dali
Free morning to explore the old town on your own. Following lunch on our own, we travel to Dali (190km) by first-class motor coach through mesmerizing high mountains. Once the capital of Nanzhao Kingdom, Dali is a charming town built on the shores of Erhai Lake, with a large population of the ethnic Bai nationality. Dali is also famous for the many types of marble it produces, which are used primarily in construction and for decorative objects. In fact, Dali is so famous for the stone that the name of marble in Chinese is literally "Dali Stone". (B/D)

Day 12/Fri: Dali
Today's schedule features the Old Town of Dali, the Three Pagodas and a short cruise on Erhai. The Three Pagodas are made of brick and covered with white mud. As its name implies, the Three Pagodas comprise three independent pagodas forming a symmetric triangle. The elegant, balanced and stately style is unique in China’s ancient Buddhist architectures, which makes it a must-see for any visitor to Dali. The Three Pagodas, visible from miles away, has been a landmark of Dali City and selected as a national treasure meriting special protection by the Central Government. (B/L)

Day 13/Sat: Dali - Kunming
The morning flight to Kunming takes less than 40 minutes. Capital of Yunnan Province, Kunming is widely known as the "city of eternal spring" due to its temperate climate year-round. Our sightseeing in Kunming includes the historic Western Hill Scenic Area, Bamboo Temple, and a flower market. (B/L)

Day 14/Sun: Kunming - Shanghai
Enjoy an excursion to Stone Forest. Located 126km southeast of Kunming, the Stone Forest is a massive collection of gray limestone pillars created by water erosion. The tall rocks seem to emanate from the ground in the manner of stalagmites, with many looking like trees made of stone. Evening flight to Shanghai. (B/L)

Day 15/Mon: Shanghai
Drive to Shanghai (85km) after breakfast. Paris of China, Pearl of the Orient, city of quick riches, paradise of the adventurers - those were some of the names by which Shanghai was known before the Communists took it over from the Nationalist Government in 1949. Like the rest of the country Shanghai is currently undergoing one of the fastest economic expansions the world has ever seen, having experienced 19% GDP growth per year for the past 20 years. Our sightseeing in Shanghai begins with a stroll on the Bund - a waterfront promenade famous for its landmark neoclassical buildings of European style, followed by Shanghai Museum and Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center. Evening entertainment is a dazzling acrobatic show. (B/L/D)

Day 16/Tue: Shanghai - Home City
Free morning to pack and relax. Transfer to the airport by taxi to board return flight and arrive home the same day after crossing the International Date Line. The taxi fare from our hotel to Shanghai Pudong Internatioanl Airport costs about 150 yuan or $23. (B)

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Hotels
City	No. of Nights	Hotel	Star Rating
Beijing	3	Sunworld Dynasty Hotel
Guilin	1	Sheraton Guilin
Yangshuo	1	Green Lotus Hotel
Chengdu	2	Jinjiang Hotel
Lijiang	2	Guanfang Hotel
Dali	2	Dali Regent Hotel
Kunming	1	Bank Hotel
Shanghai	2	Sheraton Shanghai Pudong

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