China Tour Christmas Special (Dec 23/01-Jan 04/12)
Highlights include the
Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors and Li River Cruise. Important features:
- 5-star Sheraton hotels
- tasty meals at quality restaurants
- outstanding guides
- no annoying shopping stops to waste your time
Scroll down to bottom for price and hotel
list.
Day 1/Fri: Departing Home City
The journey begins with your transpacific flight departing from a city of
your choice. You'll lose a day upon crossing the
International Date
Line.
Day 2/Sat: Arrival in Beijing
Meet your guide on arrival in late afternoon and transfer to the hotel.
The balance of the day is at leisure.
Day 3/Sun: Beijing
Beijing is China's political and cultural centre, having served as the
country's capital for several dynasties over many centuries. Beijing is
renowned for its opulent palaces, temples, and huge stone walls and gates.
Its art treasures and universities have long made the city a centre of
culture and art in China. The city ranks second to Shanghai by population
(22 million).
Following a brief orientation we visit
Tian'anmen Square, the
Forbidden City and an old
hutong - alleyway flanked with
traditional residential courtyards. Welcome dinner is a delicious
Beijing roast duck
feast. (B/L/D)
 Day
4/Mon: Beijing
Morning visit to the
Temple of Heaven. Situated in southeastern Beijing the Temple of
Heaven is China's largest extant sacrificial temple where, during the Ming
and Qing dynasties, the emperors conducted the elaborate and most exalted
sacrifices addressed to "the Supreme Ruler of the Universe." Construction
of the temple started in 1406, during the reign of the Ming Emperor Yongle,
and took 14 years to complete. The temple was expanded under the Qing
emperors Qianlong (1736-1796) and Jiaqing (1796-1820). Occupying 2,668
hectares (6,670 acres), the area of the Temple of Heaven is more than
twice that of the Forbidden City.
Afternoon sightseeing at the majestic
Summer Palace, a royal resort during
the Qing Dynasty. We wrap up the day with a tour of Jingshan Park behind
the Forbidden City. The evening Peking Opera show is optional if
available. (B/L)
 Day
5/Tue: 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 6/Wed: Beijing - Xi'an
Enjoy some free time before flying to 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. (B/L)
 Day
7/Thu: Xi’an
Visit the excavation site of the Terracotta Army located 30km east of the
city. Afternoon sightseeing at Shaanxi
Provincial Museum. 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. 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 - Guilin
Today's schedule takes in the Grand
Mosque and the adjacent Muslim Quarter. Afternoon flight to Guilin. 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. We visit the scenic Folded Brocade Hill after hotel check-in.
(B/L)
 Day
9/Sat: Guilin (Li River cruise)
 
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 in mid-afternoon and drive back to Guilin. (B/L)
Day 10/Sun: Guilin - Shanghai
Free morning to relax or explore on your own. Afternoon flight to
Shanghai. Before 1949, Shanghai was widely known in the West as a city of
quick riches and paradise of the adventurers. After four decades of anemic
growth in a state planned economy, Shanghai is roaring back to recapture
its position on the world stage. With a population of 23 million and rapid
economic expansion in the last 20 years, Shanghai has again become a
leading global city with significant influence in commerce, culture,
finance, media, fashion, technology and transport. (B/L)
Day 11/Mon: Shanghai
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 Yu Garden in the old town centre. If time permits,
we may go to Jade Buddha Temple for a quick visit. Enjoy a thrilling
acrobatic show after dinner. (B/L/D)
Day 12/Tue: Shanghai
Today is a free day. Exploring China's most dynamic city on your own has
never been easier. Our recommended list includes
Jinmao Tower, a ride aboard the world's only commercially run
Maglev train, and the popular evening
cruise on Huangpu River to enjoy the city's spectacular neon-lit skyline.
(B)
Day 13/Wed: 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 International Airport costs about 140 yuan or $22.
(B)
Back to top
|
Dates & Prices 2011 |
|
Depart (Fri) |
Return (Wed) |
Full Package
from Vancouver
air add-ons from
other cities |
Land Package
excluding int'l airfare |
Single Supplement
applicable to travellers without roommate |
|
Dec 23 |
Jan 4, 2012 |
N/A |
$2100 |
$650 |
Contact us for unbeatable airfare
deals!
Back to top
|
Costs
Not Included in Tour Prices |
| Taxes & Surcharges |
Recommended Tipping |
Chinese Visa Fee |
| please contact
us for details |
|
$10/client/day |
Click
here for details |
|
China tours
since 1998 
