Tour Description
What do you think of when you picture China? Chances are you imagine walking on the Great Wall, visiting the immense Forbidden City, standing in Tiananmen Square which you remember from the news and looking at the ancient Terracotta Warriors of Xi'an. Explore all these classic Chinese experiences and more during this trip to visit the highlights of China.
Highlights
- Tour the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square
- Visit the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs
- Admire the famous Terracotta Warriors of Xi'an
- Visit the southern Chinese style town of Suzhou
- Explore the Bund riverfront in Shanghai
Beijing - 3 nights
Day 1: Arrive Beijing
An English speaking guide will meet you at Beijing's airport and transfer you to your hotel. Your group reconvenes this evening for a welcome dinner.
Day 2:
A full-day Beijing city tour includes the Forbidden City where emperors have ruled for centuries, and Tiananmen Square, the political heart of Beijing. The tour continues to the picturesque narrow streets of Hutong - Old Beijing.
Day 3:
Today is devoted to the Great Wall and the tombs of the Ming Emperors. The Great Wall at Mutianyu offers breathtaking scenery with fewer crowds than Badaling. In the afternoon, we will see the Ming Tombs, where 13 emperors and their empresses and concubines are buried. Your time in Beijing ends with a Peking Duck dinner this evening.
Xi'an - 2 nights
Day 4:
After breakfast, transfer to the airport to catch your flight to Xi'an. A guide will meet you at the Xi'an airport and take you to your hotel.
Day 5:
Your tour today begins with the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, built in the Tang Dynasty to store the Buddhist scriptures. Next, see the highlight of Xi'an, the Terracotta Warriors. Over 2000 years old, the lifelike army, horses and bronze chariots remain remarkably preserved.
After an included lunch, visit the Great Mosque and admire its handwritten copy of the Qur'an. A stroll in Xi'an's lively Muslim Quarter takes you past shops selling souvenirs, local specialties, and snacks.
Shanghai - 3 nights
Day 6:
Catch a flight to Shanghai this morning. Your tour begins with a visit to the beautiful Yuyuan Garden, a classical example of Ming Dynasty garden design. Then head to the Jade Buddha Temple, home to a Buddha sculpted out of a single piece of white jade.
Your evening is free to enjoy the best of Shanghai nightlife, or visit an acrobatic show.
Day 7:
Enjoy a full day tour to Suzhou, famous for its canals and gardens in the Southern Chinese style. See Suzhou's picturesque canals, which earned it its nickname "Venice of the East." In the afternoon we will have the opportunity to visit a silk factory where you can see how silk is processed from the silk worm to the final woven cloth.
Day 8:
In the morning visit the French Concession and the Xintiandi Shopping Area that offer glimpses into both Shanghai's glamorous past and its equally glamorous present as a leader in style and commerce.
Visit the Bund river front, the time honored symbol of Shanghai and show piece of the city's Neo-classical European imperial past.
This evening enjoy a farewell dinner and a Huangpu river cruise.
Day 9:
Transfer to the airport to catch your flight home.
Inclusions
- Accommodations: : Beijing 3 nights, Xi'an 2 nights, Shanghai 3 nights
- Continental breakfast daily. Lunch and dinner as noted in itinerary
- Ground transportation via air conditioned luxury coach
- English speaking assistants and guides
- Admission tickets as outlined in itinerary
Download the Classic China pdf file.