| 15-day China Golden
Route Tour (2011)
Beijing -
Xi'an -
Guilin - Yangshuo -
Shanghai -
Hong Kong
Scroll down to bottom for departure dates,
prices and hotel list.
Day 1/Fri: Departing Home City
The journey begins with your transpacific flight departing from a city of
your choice. We lose a day upon crossing the
International Date
Line.
Day 2/Sat: Arrival in Beijing
Meet our guide on arrival in late afternoon and transfer to the hotel. The
balance of the day is at leisure.
Day 3/Sun: 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/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, 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 6/Wed: Beijing - Xi'an
Enjoy some free time before flying to Xi'an after lunch. 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
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.
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 scenic Fubo 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. 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 18 years.
Afternoon visit to Jade Buddha Temple. (B/D)
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
Shanghai Urban
Planning Exhibition Center. Evening entertainment is a dazzling
acrobatic show. (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 - Hong Kong
 Morning
flight to Hong Kong. The half-day afternoon tour of Hong Kong Island
includes Aberdeen Village, Repulse Bay and Victoria Peak.
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 defence 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
organisations and events. (B)
Day 14/Thu: Hong Kong
Free day to explore the former British colony on your own. Please feel
free to ask your guide the day before for a list of recommended things to
do. (B)
Day 15/Fri: Hong Kong - Home City
Transfer to the airport on your own to board return flight and arrive home
the same day. You may want to take advantage of the
free airport express shuttle bus service that has a stop at our hotel.
(B)
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|
Dates & Prices 2011 |
|
Depart (Fri) |
Return (Fri) |
Full Package
from Vancouver
air add-ons from
other cities |
Land Package
excluding int'l airfare |
Single Supplement
applicable to travellers
without a roommate |
|
Sep 16 |
Sept 30 |
$4500 |
$3700 |
$1350 |
|
Sep 23 |
Oct 07 |
$4500 |
$3700 |
$1350 |
|
Sep 30 |
Oct 14 |
$4500 |
$3700 |
$1350 |
|
Oct 07 |
Oct 21 |
$4500 |
$3700 |
$1350 |
|
Oct 14 |
Oct 28 |
$4500 |
$3700 |
$1350 |
|
Oct 21 |
Nov 04 |
$4500 |
$3700 |
$1350 |
|
Nov 4 |
Nov 18 |
$4400 |
$3600 |
$1300 |
Strikethrough indicates sold-out.
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|
Costs
Not Included in Tour Prices |
|
Taxes & Surcharges |
Recommended Tipping |
Chinese Visa Fee |
| Full Package |
Land Package |
| please contact
us for |
current amount |
$10/client/day |
Click
here for details |
|
China tours
since 1998 
