China Private Tour of Beijing Shanxi Shaanxi Yunnan Guangxi and Shanghai

Detailed Itinerary

• Day 1. Reach Beijing  
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  After arriving at Beijing airport, you will be met and transferred to hotel for checking in.
  Remainder of the day is at leisure.
  
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• Day 2. Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Olympic Park  
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  Enjoy your breakfast in hotel. English speaking tour guide and private vehicle will pick you up from hotel lobby at 08:30 am.
  We will first visit Tiananmen Square. Covering an area of 440,000 square meters, Tiananmen Square was built in Ming Dynasty (around 1417), originally named Chengtianmen. Being the biggest downtown square in the world, it witnessed many important events of China.
  
  After walking through a underground passage and Tiananmen Rostrum, we will enter Forbidden City from Wumen Gate. Being the imperial court for 24 emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasty, Forbidden City consists of 90 palaces and courtyards, 980 buildings and 8,704 rooms. We will take sightseeing along the central axis.
  
  
• After lunch in a local restaurant, we will drive 40 minutes to visit Summer Palace. Being the previous imperial garden of Qing dynasty, Summer palace offers both natural scenery as well as traditional Chinese style buildings such as halls, pavilions, towers, etc. The most interesting one is the Long Corridors and the paintings on the roof.
  
  At the end of the sightseeing day, we will drive to the venue of 2008 Beijing Olympics to take an outside view of Birst Nest and Water Cube before being transferred back to hotel.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 3. Ming Tomb, Mutianyu Great Wall.   
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  After buffet breakfast in hotel, you will be met by local tour guide in lobby at 08:30am.
  First we will drive 1.5 hours to Changping county of Beijing to visit the Ming Tomb. Ming Tomb is the final resting place of 13 Emperors of Ming Dynasty. We will discover the underground palace of Dingling Tomb.
  
  
• After having lunch in a nice local restaurant of Changping County, we will drive to Mutianyu Great Wall. First built in the mid-6th century, Mutianyu section is the longest fully-restored Great Wall with 22 original style watchtowers. Most foreigners come to visit this section because this part of Great Wall is not crowded.
  Take sightseeing on Great Wall for 1.5 to 2 hours before being transferred back to hotel in Beijing.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 4. Temple of Heaven, Beijing Hutong, Capital Museum,   speed to Datong.  
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  Beijing local tour guide will wait you in hotel lobby at 08:30am.
  Drive to visit Temple of Heaven. Built in 1420 during Ming Dynasty, Temple of Heaven is the best preserved and largest sacrificial building complex in the world. The emperor came to the temple every winter to pray for ample harvests and good weather. Visit Temple of Heaven for 1 hour.
  
  Then we will drive to discover daily life area of old Beijingers - Beijing Hutong. Most of the small alleys were built during Yuan, Ming or Qing dynasty. This means the oldes Hutongs are 900 years old. We arranged man-powered rickshaw to give you an unique experience to discover the hutong area.
  
• Lunch and a short rest is arranged in a nice local restaurant.
  Drive to visit Lama Temple (Yonghegong in Chinese). Built in 1694, Lama Temple was rebuilt based on palace of a prince. The Hall of Harmony and Peace is the main building of the temple.
  
  Then we will drive to visit Capital Museum. Covered in a building with classical culture and modern features, Capital museum is a good place to discover custom and folk of Beijing.
  
• You will be transferred to train station of Beijing to connect speed train to Datong.After arriving at Datong station, you will be met and transferred to hotel in downtown Datong.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, , ,
• Day 5. Datong : Yungang Grottoes, Shanhua Monastery, Nine Dragon Screen.   
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  Datong local tour guide of Beijingservice team will wait you in hotel lobby at 08:30am.
  Drive to southwest suburb to discover one of the four Grottoes of China - Yungang Grottoes. Yungang grottoes are considered unique for the tremendous size, ancient history, and relatively complete state of preservation.
  
  
• Drive back to Datong city to visit Shanhua Monastery. Located in central Datong within the old city walls, Shanhua Monastery was first constructed during the Tang dynasty (618-907AD). Most of the present wooden building dates back to the 12th century.
  
  Then we will drive to visit Nine Dragon Screen. Built over 600 years ago, Nine Dragon Screen is presently the oldest and largest glazed screen in China today. This screen is three times larger than that in Beihai Park, Beijing.
  
  You will be transferred back to hotel after the sightseeing.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 6. Datong, Hanging Temple, Yingxian Wooden Pagoda,   Overnight in Taiyuan.  
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  After buffet breakfast in hotel, you will be met by datong tour guide at 08:30am to start a sightseeing day of mircle.
  Drive to south suburb to find a architectural miracle - Hanging Temple. The name in Chinese is Xuankong Temple, which meaning 'Hanging' in English. About 40 buildings are scattered half way up the mountain Heng on the cliff face, from 26 to 50 meters to the ground.
  
  
• Then we will drive further to south to visit another mircle - Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. With another name "Sakyamuni Pagoda", this pagoda is the oldest and highest wooden structure in the world.
  
  After the sightseeing, you will be transferred to Taiyuan to check in hotel.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, , ,
• Day 7. Taiyuan: Jinci Temple, Pingyao.   Overnight in Pingyao.  
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  Be met by local tour guide at 08:30am after enjoy your breakfast in hotel.
  Drive to south suburb to visit Jinci Temple. Combines garden art and traditional Chinese building skill, Jinci Temple was built in the Beiwei Dynasty (386-534) in memory of Shuyu, the second son of Zhouwu kingdom. The cypress, the long-life Spring and the painted clay figures of maids in the Saintly Mother's Hall are reputed as Jinci Temple's 'three wonders'.
  
  
• Then we will drive to take a short visit of Shuanglin Monastery. This is a good place to enjoy ancient clay figurines and painting art.
  
  After the sightseeing, you will be transferred to Pingyao Ancient City.
  Check in a traditional Chinese hostel. Remainder of the day is at leisure. You may take a walking in the ancient street to find what a street like 700 years ago.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, , ,
• Day 8. Pingyao Ancient City  
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  Tour guide will meet you in hotel lobby after haveing your breakfast.
  This is a day of discovering the Pingyao Ancient City.
  Being called one of the 50 places in China for foreigners, Pingyao Ancient City show you a complete city of China 700 years ago. Walking in the old street of the city or standing in the county office, travelers believe a time-machine take you back to Ming Dynasty of ancient China.
  
  The main places we will visit today covers: Ri Sheng Chang Exchange Shop, the Tongxinggong ancient bank, local Courtyard Residence, the City Wall and the Ming Qing Street.
  
  Overnight in Pingyao Ancient City.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 9. Wangjia Family Courtyard. speed to Xian.  Overnight in Xian.  
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  After breakfast in Pingyao, we will start from Pingyao Ancient City to visit Courtyard of Family Wang. Located 35 km north of Pingyao Ancient City, Courtyard of Family Wang is a deluxe residence built by one of the four merchants in Shanxi province. Being the only enclosed castle-style building in Jinzhong Basin, this big courtyard is called "Folk Forbidden City". How big is the courtyard? It is better to feel it by your own eye and foot.
  
  
• Drive 140 km back to Taiyuan to take speed train to Xian.
• After arriving in Xian, you will be met and transferred to hotel for checking in.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, , ,
• Day 10. Xian: City Wall, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Shaanxi History Museum, Muslim Quarter  
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  After delicious breakfast in hotel, you will be met by Xian local tour guide of Beijingservice team.
  Drive to visit Ancient City Wall of Xian. Beijing the oldest largest and best preserved city wall of China, Xian City Wall used to be an important military defensive system to fortify the city built in 1370.
  
  Then we will drive to visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Being one of the landmarks of Xian, Big Wild Goose Pagoda was built in 652 during Tang Dynasty. Buddhist sutras and figurines brought to China by Xuanzhang was stored in this pagoda.
  
  
• Have lunch in a nice local restaurant.
  Drive to visit Shaanxi History Museum. Being the first huge state museum with modern facilities in China, the museum houses over 300,000 items including murals, paintings, pottery, coins, as well as bronze, gold, and silver objects.
  
  Then we will drive to take sightseeing to Muslim Quarter. Known as Huiminjie Street, Muslim Quarter is the Muslim community located in downtown Xian. Businessman and students from Arabic countries and Persia went to Xian since the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-9 AD). Instead of one street, Muslim Quarter covers several blocks. More than 20000 Muslims are making their living in this area.
  
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 11. Xian : Terracotta, Great Mosque, Shuyuanmen Street, Dumpling Banquet, Tang Dynasty Show  
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  Be met by tour guide at 08:30am.
  Drive 1 to 1.5 hours to Lintong to visit the famous Terracotta Warriors and Horses. Beijing the eighth wonder of the world, Terracotta Warriors offers more than 6000 pottery figures depict the history of the Qin Dynasty from 221 BC-206 BC. Each terracotta figure differs in height, facial features, clothing, hairstyle and gestures.
  
  
• Have lunch in a nice restaurant. Drive back to Xian city
  Visit Great Mosque - the oldest and best-preserved mosques in China. With another name 'Huqjuexiang Great Mosque', was built in a style of Chinese courtyard with strong traditional Chinese architectural features.
  
  If time permit we will take a leisure walk in Shuyuanmen Street before dinner. The street is restored in the traditional style of Ming and Qing Dynasty. The street is closely related with local art, culture and education. It is a good place to enjoy Chinese calligraphy, painting and related products.
  
  
• Today we will taste Chinese Dumpling, typical Chinese food for Chinese New Year. It is a kind food even art to combine flour meat and vegetable.
  After dinner, we will enjoy Tang Dynasty Show. This is a kind of performance covers music and dances, which was popular in the Tang dynasty of China more than one thousand years ago. Start at 19:30, Xian Tang Dynasty performance covers eight classical sections.
  You will be transferred back to hotel after the whole day trip.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Day 12. Xian to Kunming.   Flowers and Birds Market  
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  Be met from hotel lobby at appointed time and transferred to Xian Xianyang International Airport. Connect flight to Kunming.Be met by Kunming local tour guide in Kunming Airport.
  
• Drive to downtown Kunming to visit the Golden Palace. Measuring 6.2m in length and width, this 6.7m high Golden Temple is the biggest and best preserved copper architecture remains intact in China. It is also a nice place to take a walk and relax. Travelers may enjoy the charming scenery when have a bird view on top of Bell Tower.
  
  Move on to visit Flowers and Birds Market. You may find all kinds of shopping stalls in this 500 meters long street, including bird, flower, worm, jewelry, local arts, antique... This is nice corner to know the daily leisure life of local Kunming people.
  
•   Breakfast, , Breakfast, ,
• Day 13. Kunming: Stone Forest. or to Lijiang  Overnight in Lijiang  
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  Have breakfast in hotel and then meet tour guide in lobby at 08:00am.
  Drive around 86 km to visit Stone Forest. Located 86 km south east of Kunming, Stone Forest is one of the most famous natural Kast attraction. It is more beautiful if you visit the Stone Forest between April to November. Ethnic performance can be founded in the attraction.
  Take sightseeing in Stone Forest for 1.5 to 2 hours.
  
• Drive back to Kunming to take speed train or flight to Lijinang. After reaching Lijiang, be met and transferred to hotel for checking in.
  
•   Breakfast, Lunch, , ,
• Day 14. Lijiang : Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Baisha Ancient Town, Baisha Murals  
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  After breakfast in hotel, you will be met by Lijiang local tour guide at 08:30am. Drive to visit Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Being the southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere, the mountain consists of 13 peaks. The highest peak named Shanzidou (扇子陡), which is 5,596 meters above seal level. Except natural landscapes of glacier, there is possibility of seeing rare animals or wild plants.
  
  
• Drive to visit Baisha Ancient Town. Located 12 km nortof Lijjiang city, Baisha Ancient Town is the original settlement of the Naxi people in Lijiang. Still in a condition of quiet and simple, the ancient town is a good place to touch Naxi local culture. The famous Baisha Murals of Ming and Qing dynasty should nevery be skipped.
  
  You will be transferred back to hotel in lijiang.
  
• If physical strength permit, you may take walk in the Lijiang Ancient City on your own in the evening. Please take a name card of your hotel.
  
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 15. Lijiang to Guilin.   Overnight in Guilin.  
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  Be met from Lijiang hotel at appointed time and then transfer to airport to connect flight to Guilin
  
• After reaching Guilin airport, you will be met by Guilin local tour guide and transferred to hotel in downtown Guilin.
  Remainder of the day is at leisure.
•   Breakfast, , , ,
• Day 16. Guilin: Li River Cruise to Yangshuo  
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  You will be met by Guilin local tour guide of Guilin and transferred to cruise port of Li River.
  Today we will have a wonderful Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo. During this 4 hours cruising, you many enjoy the picturesque mountains, peaceful green fields, farms and villages with water buffaloes, cows wondering around on both sides of the riverbank.
  
  Lunch is arranged on the cruise ship.
  
• We will reach Yangshuo in the afternoon. Located around 75 km southeast of Guilin, Yangshuo is a small county surrounded by beautiful karst peaks caves and winding rivers. With a history of more than one thousand years, Yangshuo is a popular tourism place for both Chinese and foreigners.
  Take a short visiting of Yangshuo before driving back to Guilin.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 17. Guilin: Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill, Fubo Hill. to Shanghai.  overnight in Shanghai  
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  After buffet breakfast in hotel, you will be met by Guilin local guide at 08:00am.
  Dive to visit Elephant Trunk Hill. Located on the western bank of Li River, Elephant Trunk Hill is the symbol of Guilin. The shape of the hill is just like a huge elephant drinking water from the river with its trunk.
  
  Then we will drive to visit Fubo Hill. Located at northeast of Guilin by the Li River, Fubo Hill is one of the wonderful scenic spots in Guilin. And it is a good place to take a bird view of Guilin. Move on to visit Reed Flute Cave. This karst cave is a spectacular world of various stalactites, stone pillars and rock formations created by carbonate deposition.
  
• Be transferred to Guilin Liangjiang International airport and connect flight to Shanghai.After reaching Shanghai, you will be met and transferred to hotel in downtown Shanghai.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, , ,
• Day 18. Shanghai Suzhou Garden one day tour    
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  Be met from Shanghai hotel at 08:00am.
  Drive 2 hours to Suzhou, a city famous for its beautiful Suzhou Garden.
  First we will take sightseeing in Humble Administrator's Garden. Being the largest classic garden in Suzhou, Humble Administrator's Garden is representative of gardens in southern China. Built in the Ming Dynasty, it offers arts of architecture, calligraphy, carving, painting, and bonsai.
  
  
• Then we will drive to visit Tiger Hill. Famous for the historic cultural and man-made scenery, Tiger Hill can be traced back over 2500 years to the founding of Suzhou. The millennium-old Yunyan Pagoda stands on top of the hill and is regarded as the symbol of Suzhou.
  
  Move on to visit Garden of the Master of the Nets - the smallest garden in Suzhou. Covering 5000 square meters, this garden possess all elements of a classic Chinese garden.
  
  Drive back to Shanghai after the sightseeing.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, , ,
• Day 19. Shanghai : Yu Garden, Nanjing Road, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the Bund, Huangpu River Cruise  
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  Enjoy buffet breakfast in hotel till be met by guide at 08:30am.
  Drive to visit Yu Garden. Being a famous Suzhou-style garden, Yu Garden was finished in 1577 by a government officer of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). With pavilions, halls, chambers, towers, ponds and rockeries, the Garden presents more than 40 scenic spots.
  
  Move on to visit Najjing Road. Regarded as the first business street, Nanjing Road is is one of the most famous and bustling business streets in China.
  
  
• Have lunch in a nice restaurant before heading to visit the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. Made up of 11 huge balls, this tower is a great place to take a bird view of downtown Shanghai. We will ascend the second ball to take a tourist sightseeeing.
  
  Drive to visit the Bund. Being a a famous waterfront and regarded as the symbol of Shanghai, the Bund is famous for the scenery along Huangpu River and various buildings in differnt architectural style. It is also a good place to watch the new Pudong area across the Huangpu River.
• After dinner, we will take a short Huangpu River cruise. The River run through Shanghai and divides Shanghai into east and west, old and new. On one side of the bank is the building with hundred of years' history, on the other side you can find the grand Steel and glass structures in Pudong new district.
  You will be transferred back to hotel after the sightseeing.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Day 20. Departure.   
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  Be met from your hotel at appointed time and transferred to Shanghai to connect homeward flight.
•   Breakfast, ,