33 Days Complete China Tour

Detailed Itinerary

• Day 1. Arrival at Beijing.  
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  Reach Beijing airport or railway station. Your private guide will wait at the exit and escort you to hotel for check in.
  Free for the remainder of the day.
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• Day 2. Beijing: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven.  
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  Your guide will pick you up from hotel at 08:30am.
  Take a stroll on the largest downtown square in the world, Tiananmen Square. The square has witnessed the founding of the new China.
  Then visit Forbidden City. This world's largest palace complex was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties(1368-1911).
• Proceed to Summer Palace after lunch. Combining lakes, gardens and ancient structures, Summer Palace is the best-preserved and largest royal garden existing in China.
  Continue to Temple of Heaven, the largest sacrificial building complex in the world. The temple was the place where emperors came to perform worship to the God of Heaven and pray for good harvests. Transfer you back to the hotel after the tour.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 3. Beijing: Ming Tombs, Badaling Great Wall.  
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  Your guide will pick you up from hotel at 08:30am.
  Visit Ming Tombs in the morning. With a history of over 600 years, Ming Tombs is the final resting place of 13 emperors of Ming Dynasty(1368-1644).
  Discover the largest and the first built tomb, Changling. It is the tomb of the third Ming Emperor Zhu Di and his wife.
• Head to the famous Badaling Great Wall in the afternoon. Badaling is the best preserved and most popular section of the Great Wall of China. It is close Beijing city and featured with magnificent architectures and breathtaking nature scenery.
  Transfer you back to the hotel after the tour.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 4. Take flight to Xian.   Arrive in Xian, Great Mosque, Ancient City Wall, Bell Tower.  
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  Pick you up from hotel and transfer to airport. Take flight to Xian.
  
  Local guide will meet you at Xian airport.
  Drive to visit Great Mosque. With a history of over 1,200 year, Great Mosque is one of the oldest and largest mosques in China. It was designed with traditional Chinese architecture style and decorated with Islamic culture.
• Go on to Ancient City Wall, one of the most important landmarks of Xian. It was built over 600 years ago as an important military defensive system to fortify the city.
  Continue to Bell Tower . The Tower is an exquisitely constructed wooden architecture and houses a number of large bronze-cast bells from the Tang Dynasty.
  Transfer you to check in the hotel after the tour.
•   Breakfast, , Lunch, ,
• Day 5. Xian: Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Banpo Musuem, Tang Dynasty Show.  
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  Your guide will pick you up from hotel at 08:30am.
  Drive about 1 hour to visit Terracotta Warriors and Horses. Be honored as the Eighth Wonder in the World, Terracotta Warriors and Horses is a part of the Mausoleum of the Emperor Qin Shihuang(259-210BC). Over 8,000 life-size warriors, horses and chariots are arranged in battle formations.
• After lunch, proceed to Banpo Musuem . The museum was built on the site of Banpo Village Ruins. It is the first prehistoric museum in China. Banpo Museum showcases a matriarchal society based on farming and displays the culture and social life of the Neolithic Matriarchal community of Yangshao about 6000 years ago.
• Enjoy Tang Dynasty Show after dinner. Tang Dynasty Show presents the essence of music and dance art of the Tang Dynasty over a thousand years ago.
  Transfer you back to the hotel after the tour.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Day 6. Take flight to Chengdu.   Arrive in Chengdu, Sanxingdui Museum.  
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  Pick you up from hotel and transfer to airport. Take flight to Chengdu.
  
  
• Local guide will meet you at Chengdu airport.
  Drive to visit Sanxingdui Museum.The museum displays the precious relics unearthed from Sanxingdui Site, which has a history of 3000-5000 years.
  Transfer you to the hotel in Chengdu.
•   Breakfast, , Lunch, ,
• Day 7. Take flight to Lhasa.  Arrive in Lhasa.  
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  Pick you up from hotel and transfer to airport. Take flight to Lhasa.
  
  
• Local guide will meet you at Lhasa airport and escort you to check in the hotel.
  Remainder of day at leisure.
  Acclimatize yourself to the high altitude.
•   Breakfast, , , ,
• Day 8. Lhasa: Potala Palace, Sera Monastery, Norbulingka Park.  
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  Pick you up from hotel at 09:00am.
  Visit the landmark of Lhasa, Potala Palace. With a history of over 1,300 years, Potala Palace is the highest ancient palace in the world, integrating palace, castle and monastery.
  Then drive to Sera Monastery. As one of the three largest monasteries in Lhasa, Sera Monastery houses many vivid Buddhist statues such as Maitreya, Bodhisattvas and keeps a lot of fine murals.
• Move on to Norbulingka Park, is the largest and finest garden in Tibet. Norbulingka Park was served as a summer palace for the Dalai Lama where they handled political affairs and practiced religious activities.
  Transfer you back to the hotel after the tour.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 9. Lhasa: Drepung Monastery, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street.  
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  Pick you up from hotel at 09:00am.
  Drive to Drepung Monastery. The monastery is the most important monastery of Gelugpa in Tibetan Buddhism. It houses many rare cultural relics.
• Proceed to the ultimate pilgrimage destination of Tibetan Buddhists, Jokhang Temple. It was first built in 647 A.D. to house sacred image of the Buddha, which the king's Nepalese wife brought with her as a dowry.
  Continue to the thriving bazaar of the Barkhor Street. Tibetan culture, economy, religion and arts assemble here.
  Transfer you back to the hotel after the tour.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 10. Take flight to Kunming.  Arrive in Kunming, East and West Temple Pagodas.  
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  Pick you up from hotel and transfer to airport. Take flight to Kunming.
  
  Local guide will meet you at Kunming airport.
  Drive to visit East and West Temple Pagodas. These two pagodas are landmark of old Kunming. They are connected by an ancient China style street. Many local snacks can be found on the street.
  Transfer you to check in the hotel.
•   Breakfast, , , ,
• Day 11. Kunming: Stone Forest.  
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  Your guide will pick you up from hotel at 08:30am.
  Take a full-day excursion to the World Karst Landscape Museum, Stone Forest. Covering 400 square kilometers, Stone Forest is made up of large numbers of awesome natural rock formations with grotesque shapes. It has been regarded as “The First Wonder of the World”.
• Transfer you back to the hotel after the tour.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 12. Take flight to Lijiang.  Arrive in Lijiang, local Naxi family, Lijiang Ancient Town.  
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  Pick you up from hotel and transfer to airport. Take flight to Lijiang.
  
  
• Local guide will meet you at Lijiang airport. Drive to visit a local Naxi family, where travelers can enjoy the Naxi Minorities evening party and Naxi farmer food.
  . Move on to Lijiang Ancient Town. The town preserves Dongba culture and ancient Naxi music. Many traditional Naxi houses are made of adobe bricks and wood.
  Transfer you to check in the hotel.
•   Breakfast, , Lunch, ,
• Day 13. Lijiang: Baisha Ancient Town and Baisha Murals, Black Dragon Pool, Spruce Plateau.  
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  Your guide will pick you up from hotel at 08:30am.
  Proceed to Baisha Ancient Town, which is the most pristine Naxi village. The town was the earliest political and spiritual center of Naxi ethnic minority.
  Enjoy Baisha Murals in Baisha Ancient Town. The murals describe the religious stories of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism with the fine and smooth lines, bright colors and vivid pattern.
  Go on to Black Dragon Pool. The pool was built in 1737 during the Qing Dynasty and surrounded by towering old trees and bamboo groves. Some ancient architectures were built near the pool.
• Take cable car to Spruce Plateau and overlook the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. This alp flowery meadow is regarded as the entrance to the heaven by the local people.
  Transfer you back to the hotel after the tour.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 14. Take flight to Chongqing.  Arrive in Chongqing, Chongqing Zoo(Panda House). Board the cruise ship.  
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  Pick you up from hotel and transfer to airport. Take flight to Chongqing.
  
  Local guide will meet you at Chongqing airport and escort you to Chongqing Zoo. You may take a closer look of lovely pandas in the Panda House. Chongqing Zoo is the home to over 230 species of animals.
  Transfer you to cruise port and board the ship.
•   Breakfast, , , ,
• Day 15. Yangtze River Cruise Ship.  
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• In the afternoon, go ashore to visit Fengdu Ghost City, where the Chinese believe the soul of the dead goes.
• In the evening, you will be the guests at the captain's cocktail party.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Day 16. Yangtze River Cruise Ship.  
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  Cruise through the famous Three Gorges: Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge. Enjoy the lofty peaks and historical sites.
  Take an excursion to Shennong Stream, another tributary of the Yangtze River. You may find the plank roads and ancient hanging coffins.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Day 17. Yangtze River Cruise Ship, flight to Shanghai.  Arrive in Shanghai and hotel check-in.  
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  Disembark at Maoping Port in the morning and take shore excursion to Three Gorges Dam. Admire this world's largest hydroelectric dam.
  You local guide will meet you at the tourist center in Yichang and escort you to airport. Take flight to Shanghai.
  
  
• Local guide will pick you up from Shanghai airport and escort you to check in the hotel.
•   Breakfast, , , ,
• Day 18. Take train to Suzhou.   Arrive in Suzhou, Lingering Garden, Humble Administrator's Garden.  
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  Pick you up from hotel and transfer to railway station. Take speed train to Suzhou.
  
  Local guide will meet you at Suzhou railway station. Drive to Lingering Garden. The garden is celebrated for its artistic way of dealing with the spaces between various kinds of architectural form. The four parts of the garden are connected by corridors which twists and turns with the terrain, spiraling up hills, spanning valleys, skirting ponds, or leading to secluded nooks.
• Move on to Humble Administrator's Garden, the largest of all classical gardens in Suzhou. It is a representative of gardens in southern China. Humble Administrator's Garden is a treasure house containing arts of architecture, calligraphy, carving, painting, and bonsai. Transfer you to check in the hotel.
•   Breakfast, , Lunch, ,
• Day 19. Zhouzhuang one day tour from Suzhou, Grand Canal.   
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  Your guide will pick you up from hotel at 08:30am.
  Proceed to Zhouzhuang Water Town. With a history of about 1,000 years, Zhouzhuang Water Town is reputed as "the No. 1 Water Town in China" and the "Venice of the East". It features well-preserved residential houses, distinctive stone bridges, elegant watery views and local culture.
• Drive back to Suzhou and visit Grand Canal, which is the longest artificial canal in the world. Its section in Suzhou makes a circuit around Suzhou Old City.
  Transfer you back to the hotel after the tour.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 20. Ouyuan Garden, Pingjiang Historical Street. Take train to Shanghai.  Arrive in Shanghai and check in hotel.  
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  Your guide will pick you up from hotel at 08:30am.
  Proceed to Ouyuan Garden, also one of the classical gardens of Suzhou and a World Heritage site of UNESCO.
  Then visit Pingjiang Historical Street. With a history of over 2500 years, Pingjiang Historical Street has the features of typical water town in south China, stone bridge, ancient lanes and traditional houses with white walls and black tiles standing by the river.
• Take speed train to Shanghai in the afternoon.
  
  Local guide will meet you at Shanghai train station and escort you to check in the hotel.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, , ,
• Day 21. Shanghai: Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, Nanjing Road, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, The Bund.  
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  English speaking guide and private vehicle will pick you up from hotel at 08:30am.
  Start your Shanghai trip with Yu Garden. This well-restored Suzhou-style garden is one of the best gardens in southern China. It perfectly combines pavilions, halls, bridges, towers, ponds and rockeries.
  Go on to Jade Buddha Temple, a Buddhist temple with the architecture style of Song Dynasty(960-1279). The temple houses many ancient Buddhist sculptures, rare paintings and Buddhist scriptures.
  Take a stroll on Nanjing Road. Nanjing Road is the most prosperous shopping street in Shanghai and one of the top ten pedestrian streets in China.
• After lunch, proceed to Oriental Pearl TV Tower. This 468-meter-high tower is the most recognizable landmark of Shanghai. It has four major sightseeing observatories at different heights.
  Wander on The Bund. The Bund is a famous waterfront along the Huangpu River. It is famed as "Exhibition of International Buildings" because of 52 various buildings in different architectural styles, such as Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque and the Renaissance.
  Transfer you back to the hotel after the tour.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 22. Take flight to Huangshan.  Arrive in Huangshan and check in hotel.  
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  Pick you up from hotel and transfer to airport. Take flight to Huangshan.
  
  
• Local guide will meet you at Huangshan airport and escort you to check in the hotel.
•   Breakfast, , , ,
• Day 23. Mt. Huangshan.  
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  Drive to Mt. Huangshan in the morning.
  Take cable car at Yungu Station to the top of the mountain and check in the hotel.
• After lunch, you will view Brush Pen Peak, tour Lion Peak and Xihai Grand Canyon, enjoy the sunset glow at the Cloud Dispelling Pavilion, etc.
  Stay overnight at the summit.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 24. Mt. Huangshan, Hongcun Village.  
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  Try to get up early in the morning to catch the magical sunrise.
  After breakfast, visit the Begin-to-Believe Peak to see the grotesque pine trees.
  Take the cable car down to the foot of the Mt. Huangshan.
• Drive to Hongcun Village. With a history of over 500 years, Hongcun Village is famous for its Huizhou-style Residences with white walls and gray tiled roofs. It was listed as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 2000, together with Xidi Village.
  Transfer you back to the hotel in Huangshan city after the tour.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 25. Take trainto Hangzhou.  Arrive in Hangzhou and check in hotel.  
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  Pick you up from hotel and transfer to train station. Take speed train to Hangzhou.
  
  
• Local guide will meet you at Hangzhou train station and escort you to check in the hotel.
•   Breakfast, , , ,
• Day 26. Hangzhou: West Lake, Lingyin Temple, China National Tea Museum, Six Harmonies Pagoda.  
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  First go to West Lake. West Lake is one of the most beautiful scenic sites in China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will take a cruise on the lake to enjoy the water view, historical sites and learn about the legends. Then visit Lingyin Temple, one of the ten most famous ancient Buddhist temples in China. It has a history of about 1700 years. The temple contains an important collection of Buddhist literature together with many other treasures.
  
• Proceed to China National Tea Museum in the afternoon. Surrounded by green tea plantation farms, China National Tea Museum is the only museum themed on tea and tea culture in China. The museum displays the history, culture, customs, sets and others about the Chinese tea.
  Continue to Six Harmonies Pagoda. It is an octagonal pagoda with various sorts of stone tablets and stone statues both inside and out. The pagoda is the best place to view the Qiantang River Tide.
  Transfer you back to the hotel after the tour.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 27. Take flight to Guilin.  Arrive in Guilin, Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill.   
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  Pick you up from hotel and transfer to airport. Take flight to Guilin.
  
  Local guide will meet you at Guilin airport.
  Drive to visit Reed Flute Cave. Known as "the Palace of Natural Arts", Reed Flute Cave is a spectacular world of various stalactites and stone pillars formed from 180 million years ago.
• Then we will visit Elephant Trunk Hill, the symbol of Guilin. The hill looks like a giant elephant with a long trunk.
  Afterwards, transfer you to check in hotel.
•   Breakfast, , Lunch, ,
• Day 28. Li River Cruise to Yangshuo.  
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  English speaking guide and private vehicle will pick you up from hotel in the morning and transfer you to Zhujiang Port.
  Take a Li River Cruise to Yangshuo escorted by your guide. The section from Guilin to Yangshuo is the essence of the Li River scenery. It is reputed as the "Hundred-mile Gallery". The cruise will last about 4.5 hours. Lunch is on onboard.
• Disembark at Yangshuo in the afternoon. Take an exploration in this ancient town. Walk on the famous West Street and feel the relaxed atmosphere.
  Stay overnight in Yangshuo.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 29. Yangshuo: Jiuxian Village, rafting alone the Yulong River, back to Guilin.  
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  Take bike to Jiuxian Village. The village has a history of about 1400 years. The architectures of different dynasties can be found here, such as city wall, old residences, ancient bridges and wells.
  Have a rafting alone the Yulong River. Yulong River is a major tributary of Li River flowing through over 20 villages with beautiful karst scenery. Rafting alone the river will bring totally relaxing.
• After lunch, transfer you back to hotel in Guilin.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 30. Take flight to Guangzhou.   Arrive in Guangzhou and check in the hotel.  
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  Pick you up from hotel and transfer to Guilin airport. Take flight to Guangzhou.
  
  
• Local guide will meet you at Guangzhou airport and escort you to check in the hotel.
•   Breakfast, , , ,
• Day 31. Guangzhou: Chen Clan Temple, Yuexiu Park, Xiguan Ancient Grand House, Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street.  
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  Pick you up from hotel at 08:30am.
  Proceed to Chen Clan Temple. Built between 1890 and 1894 during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, This ancestral temple is the largest, best preserved, and best decorated ancient architecture existing in Guangdong province.
  VisitYuexiu Park, which is the largest park in downtown Guangzhou. The park is made up of three artificial lakes and seven hills of Yuexiu Mountain. It is also famous for its Zhenhai Tower and the Sculpture of the Five Rams.
• Move on to Xiguan Ancient Grand House. The houses were built by the rich and powerful families during the Qing Dynasty(1644-1911). With traditional Lingnan characteristics, these buildings are grand and bright with their halls and gardens combined with each other and decorated brilliantly.
  Discover Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street. The street is one of the busiest commercial centers in Guangzhou and a showcase of architecture culture, food culture and folk customs of Lingnan area. Its features are Qilou architectures, sculptures and time-honored brands.
  Transfer you back to the hotel after the tour.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 32. Guangzhou: Huanan National Botanical Garden, Temple of the Six Banyan Trees.  
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  Pick you up from hotel at 08:30am.
  Drive to Huanan National Botanical Garden. The garden is the second national botanical garden in China and the largest subtropical botanical garden in the world. Consists of 38 specialized gardens, Huanan National Botanical Garden is the home of over 17,000 species of ex-situ plants.
  
• Visit Temple of the Six Banyan Trees in the afternoon. The temple is a world famous ancient Buddhist temple built about the year 537 during the Liang Dynasty. Its main structure is the Flower Pagoda (also called Six Banyan Pagoda), where many Buddhist relics are collected.
  Transfer you back to the hotel after the tour.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 33. Departure.  
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  Pick you up from hotel and transfer to airport for departure.
•   Breakfast, ,