DAY ONE: DEPARTURE FOR BEIJING (meals/movies en route)
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| Morning: |
Arrive at your departure airport 3 hours prior to take off. Check in your luggage, move through security and onto your departure gate. |
| Afternoon: |
Depart for Beijing (there may be a stop/transfer en route). |
| Evening: |
Overnight en route. |
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DAY TWO: ARRIVE BEIJING (meals on plane, D)
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| Morning: |
En route |
| Afternoon: |
Arrive into Beijing. Established as the capital of the Yuan Dynasty by Kublai Khan in 1267, Beijing has been at the political and cultural center of China for over 700 years. Taking its shape during the subsequent Ming and Qing Dynasties including the building of the Forbidden City, Beijing is both a modern and ancient capital. Reestablished as China’s capital by Mao Zedong, nowhere is the power and authority of present China more in evidence. Beijing is surrounded by historical evidence of the recent imperial past and of monuments to the current People’s Republic. Beijing offers a fascinating glimpse into China’s past and present. After passing through immigration, meet your local bilingual tour escorts who will assist with luggage and customs formalities. Load coaches and baggage/equipment truck and transfer to your hotel in Beijing. |
| Evening: |
Arrive at the hotel and check-in. Dinner as a group at the hotel. |
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DAY THREE: BEIJING (B,L,D)
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| Morning: |
Breakfast at the hotel with a choice of Chinese and Western foods. This morning you will visit Tiananmen Square, said to be the largest square in the world and capable of holding over 1 million people. You will also visit the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City was the capital and residence of the ruling Emperors during the Ming and Ching Dynasties (14th Century to the early 20th Century). You will visit the formal audience chambers and grand spaces where the grandeur and pomp of Imperial China come to life. You will also visit the living quarters and gardens (it is said that the Emperor could sleep in a different room every night for 3 years) |
| Afternoon: |
Lunch as a group. This afternoon, enjoy a visit to the Temple of Heaven - where the Emperors of China interacted with the gods. |
| Evening: |
Dinner as a group. This evening, enjoy the amazing Chinese Acrobat Show and marvel at the truly impossible stunts and displays of strength and agility. |
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DAY FOUR: BEIJING (B,L,D) - Performance #1
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| Morning: |
Breakfast at the hotel This morning enjoy a visit to the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace was the summer residence of the final two Emperors and Emperor Dowager (the Emperor’s mother). The Palace is built around a beautiful lake and set at the foot of a hill. The opulent grounds (including a boat made entirely of marble) are a testament to the Emperor Dowager’s rule. |
| Afternoon: |
Lunch as a group. Return to the hotel and prepare for performance. Transfer to concert venue. Performance at public venue, cultural center or local school. |
| Evening: |
Dinner as a group. |
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DAY FIVE: BEIJING (B,L,D)
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| Morning: |
Breakfast at the hotel. Today, we will visit the stunning Great Wall of China. The wall was built in many sections over the course of 2000 years and stretches more then 3,000 miles from the Great China Sea to the Gobi Desert. You will have time to climb the wall and enjoy the amazing amount of work it took to create such a monument. |
| Afternoon: |
Lunch as a group on the way back from the Great Wall. On the return from the Great Wall, you will stop at a Jade Factory to see how jade is worked and created. Late Afternoon: Arrive back into Beijing. This afternoon, we will visit the “Bird’s Nest”, Beijing’s Olympic Stadium for a tour |
| Evening: |
Enjoy a traditional Peking Duck Dinner as a group (vegetarian option will be made available) then return to the hotel. |
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DAY SIX: BEIJING (B,D) - Performance #2
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| Morning: |
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, enjoy a visit to a the Drum Tower (Beijing’s clock during the days of the Emperors) followed by a tour through a Hutong. A Hutong is the traditional style of Beijing neighborhood prior to the 20th Century. Enjoy a relaxing tour by rickshaw through the alleyways of the Hutong and visit a traditional style home to see how the Chinese lived in years past. |
| Afternoon: |
Transfer to Wangfujing St, Beijing’s premier pedestrian shopping area. Lunch and free time on own at Wangfujing St. Return to the hotel and get ready for this evening. |
| Evening: |
Dinner as a group. Transfer to performance venue and get ready for the concert. Shared performance at local university or concert hall. After the concert, return to the hotel. |
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DAY SIX: BEIJING . XI’AN (B,L,D)
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| Morning: |
Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out of the hotel and load the coaches. Transfer to Beijing’s Capital International Airport. Check-in for flight to Xi’an. Depart Beijing for Xi’an. Arrive into Xi’an. Collect baggage and board the coach. Xi’an was established as the Imperial Capital (called Chang’an) of the Qin Dynasty by the 1st emperor to unify China (Emperor Qin Shi Huang of Terracotta Warrior fame). Another Twelve successive dynasties established Xi’an as their capital (including the magnificent Tang Dynasty) until the 1st Ming Emperor moved the capital to Beijing in the 14th Century. Today, Xi’an offers a fascinating look into China’s glorious past. |
| Afternoon: |
Lunch as a group. This afternoon, we will visit the Southern Gate of the City Wall (for a view of Xi’an) and the Drum Tower (which served as a clock for ancient Xi’an). Late Afternoon: Arrive at the hotel and check-in. |
| Evening: |
Enjoy dinner at the Hundred Dumplings Restaurant, which true to its name serves dozens of different kinds of dumplings. Afterwards, enjoy the excellent Tang Dynasty Cultural Show to get a glimpse of court life in 9th Century China. |
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DAY SEVEN: XI’AN (B,L,D) - Performance #3
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| Morning: |
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, you will visit the excavation sites of the astounding Terracotta Warriors. Created in the 3rd Century BC over the course of 11 years, the Terracotta Warriors were made as an army to accompany Emperor Qin Shi Huang to the afterlife. Altogether over 7,000 soldiers, horses, weapons, etc have been found – each unique and different from one another. |
| Afternoon: |
Lunch as a group. Return to the hotel in Xi’an and get ready for this evening. |
| Evening: |
Dinner as a group. Transfer to performance venue and get ready for the concert. Shared performance at local university or concert hall. After the concert, return to the hotel. |
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DAY EIGHT: XI’AN . HANGZHOU (B,L,D)
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| Morning: |
Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out of the hotel and load the coaches. Transfer to Xi’an International Airport. Check-in for flight to Hangzhou. Depart Xi’an for Hangzhou. |
| Afternoon: |
Arrive into Hangzhou. Collect baggage and load the coach. The beauty of Hangzhou has inspired poets and artists for centuries. China’s capital during the Southern Song Period (12th and 13th Centuries), Marco Polo described Hangzhou as “the city of heaven, the most magnificent in the world”. Today the beauty of Hangzhou continues to inspire visitors and gives a fascinating glimpse into China’s rich cultural heritage. Lunch as a group. Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Early Evening: Enjoy the views of West Lake and Hangzhou from the Leifang Pagoda. |
| Evening: |
Evening: Enjoy Dinner as a group in Hangzhou. |
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DAY NINE: HANGZHOU (B,D) - Performance #4
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| Morning: |
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, enjoy a boat ride along West Lake. The spectacular scenery around West Lake is what has inspired poets and artists for generations. Also enjoy a visit the Guo Gardens, a traditional Chinese garden. |
| Afternoon: |
Lunch on own in central Hangzhou. Return to the hotel to get ready for this evening’s activities. |
| Evening: |
Dinner as a group. Transfer to performance venue and get ready for the concert. Shared performance at local university or concert hall. After the concert, return to the hotel. |
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DAY TEN: HANGZHOU . SHANGHAI (B,L,D)
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| Morning: |
Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out of the hotel, load the coach and luggage van. This morning, enjoy a visit to the amazing Buddhist Temple of Lingyin Si. Founded in 326AD, this temple is one of the largest and most important Buddhist sites in China. Afterwards, we will visit a Tea Plantation. |
| Afternoon: |
Lunch as a group in Hangzhou. Depart for Shanghai (~3 hour drive). Early Evening: Arrive into Shanghai. During the late 19th Century through the 1920s and 1930s, Shanghai was the financial capital of Asia and served as the entry point for Europeans into China. Today it is boldly reclaiming its title as the “Financial Capital of Asia” as attested by the amazing and unprecedented building boom. With its blend of colonial European buildings and modern skyscrapers, Shanghai is an interesting mix of old and new and dramatically shows what the future holds for all of China. |
| Evening: |
Dinner as a group. Afterwards, transfer to your hotel and check-in. |
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DAY ELEVEN: SHANGHAI (B,D) - Performance #5
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| Morning: |
Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a tour of the Pudong District. In twenty years, the Pudong District has gone from rice patties to a modern high rise city. Some of the most interesting architecture in the world exists in Pudong. Enjoy a visit to the “Pearl of the Orient” TV Tower and go to the observation deck for stunning views of Shanghai. |
| Afternoon: |
Transfer to Nanjing St. via the historic Bund (where European banks and trading companies established headquarters in the 19th Century). Lunch and free time on own at Shanghai’s premier outdoor pedestrian shopping district. Enjoy a visit to a Silk Factory then return to the hotel and prepare for this evening. |
| Evening: |
Dinner as a group nearby. Return to performance venue and get ready for the concert. Shared performance at local university or concert hall. After the concert, return to the hotel. |
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DAY TWELVE: SHANGHAI (B,D)
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| Morning: |
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, enjoy a tour of the classically styled Yu Gardens, an oasis in the middle of Shanghai’s Old Town. After your tour, you will have free time to shop and sightsee in the outdoor markets surrounding Yu Gardens. |
| Afternoon: |
Lunch on own at Yu Gardens. The afternoon is free to explore Shanghai on own. Visit the fabulous Shanghai Museum or wander the leafy streets of the French Concession, go to the top of the Jin Mao Tower (2nd tallest building in China) or the Shanghai World Financial Centre (tallest building in China), visit a nearby “water town” such as Zhouzhang or Xitang, etc. |
| Evening: |
Tonight, enjoy a Farewell Dinner Cruise along the Huang Pu River for fabulous nighttime views of Shanghai. |
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DAY THIRTEEN: DEPART SHANGHAI (B, meals/movies in flight)
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| Morning: |
Breakfast at the hotel. Check out of the hotel and depart for Shanghai International Airport. Upon arrival, check in your luggage, move through security and onto your departure gate. Board the plane and depart Shanghai. |
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WELCOME HOME! |
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Beijing .. Xi’an .. Hangzhou .. Shanghai