16 Days Magnificent China Tour

Day 1 – Arrival in Beijing

As soon as you get off your flight and pass to the arrival hall, you will meet our trusted English-speaking guide who will give you any necessary information that is required, and then take you to your hotel. Once at the hotel, you will check-in and have any remaining time for yourself. We suggest having some rest, as you will need your energy to see the best of China and enjoy your time in the country.
🏚️ Hotel Option: Mercure Wangshan Beijing or similar.

Day 2 – Beijing City Tour (B, L)

You will have your full buffet of breakfast at the hotel and then we will go to see the largest square in the world. We will get to Tiananmen Square by car or van. Once we are there, you will learn about the events that have taken place in this location and hear a little about its history. Next, we will go to The Forbidden City that is the imperial palace of the Ming dynasty. The palace is very large and was forbidden for people to see, but now you have the opportunity to enjoy its magnificence. When this visit is finished, it is time for lunch in a Chinese restaurant to eat a Chinese dish of your own choice.
Our afternoon will be spent at The Temple of Heaven, which is unique in terms of its architecture. This temple is considered to be the largest of its kind and is also built taller to be closer to the heavens. After that, you and your group will be taken to watch a Chinese Kong Fu Show and enjoy a piece of their culture.
🏚️ Hotel Option: Mercure Wangshan Beijing or similar.

Day 3 – The Great Wall of China – The Summer Palace (B, L)

In the morning you will have a full buffet breakfast and then head out to your first destination of the day; The Great Wall of China. Due to its length, we will only take you to the most famous and least-crowded sections of the wall such as the Mutianyu or Badaling sections. To climb the wall and enjoy the view, and take better pictures, we can go hiking up, or we can use cable cars and toboggan for climbing up or down. After seeing one of the seven wonders, we will make a short stop for lunch and then see the Jade Factory, where we will also have time for some shopping if you want. After some time, we will head out to the Summer Palace, which is another great and beautiful part of Beijing. To make the most of this day, we will then take you to a local tea house to have a Tea Ceremony where you can have some Chinese tea and learn more about life in China.
🏚️ Hotel Option: Mercure Wangshan Beijing or similar.

Day 4 – Beijing Hutong Tour – Leaving for Xian (B)

You will have your last breakfast in Beijing on this day, we will then go to see some old neighborhoods of the city during a visit to the Hutongs of Beijing. You can take a walk around the area, or try some tricycles while we are there. In the afternoon you will check-out from your hotel so we can leave Beijing for Xian. Once there, your guide will find you and take you to the new hotel for check-in so you can rest.
🏚️ Hotel Option: Mercure Xi’an on Renmin Square or similar.

Day 5 – History, Culture, and Crafts in Xi’an (B, L, D)

On this day you will learn about the history and culture of Xian by visiting the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, where you can see the crafts of the Qin dynasty and also enjoy the pottery-making factory right after that. After these visits, it is time for some Chinese food of your choice in one of the best restaurants in the city.
Next, you and your group will be visiting Small Wild Goose Pagoda and Xian Museum to see some of their must-see paintings and calligraphy. Afterward, we have arranged for a Dumplings dinner, which is one of the most famous Chinese dishes that you must try. After dinner in an exotic Chinese restaurant, we will watch a Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show and our day is complete.
Remarks:
Since the dance show is closed in December, January, February, and March, passengers in these months will have a free evening instead.
🏚️ Hotel Option: Mercure Xi’an on Renmin Square or similar.

Day 6 – Xi’an City Walls and Muslims of China (B, L)

On our sixth day, we go to see the city fortifications or the City Walls that are very well preserved and are an important part of Xian. During that time, you can also rent bicycles and enjoy the visit for some time before leaving for lunch (the bicycle ride is an optional part of this visit and thus not included in the tour fee). Once you have had your lunch, your group will be taken to The Great Mosque of Xian to learn about the Muslims of China. After the mosque, there is some free time to walk around Muslim Street to try some of the food there and even go shopping if you want.
🏚️ Hotel Option: Mercure Xi’an on Renmin Square or similar.

Day 7 – Departure from Xi’an – Arriving at Guilin (B)

On the morning of this day, we will check-out from the hotel in Xian right after breakfast to catch a flight to Guilin. Once there, we will immediately go sightseeing. First off, we will go and see the Reed Flute Cave, which is an attractive pare of Chinese nature for lovers of nature. We will then make our way to the Elephant Trunk Hill before going to our five-star hotel to check-in.
🏚️ Hotel Option: Guilin Grand Link Hotel or similar.

Day 8 – Guilin to Yangshuo – Cruising on Li River (B, L)

First, you can have your full buffet breakfast at the hotel and then set off to see more of the rich culture and nature of China in Guilin, this time on a Cruise on Li River. It is time to rest, relax, and enjoy the time on the river. While on the cruise, we will provide you with boxed lunch; You can also bring any snacks you want. This lovely trip will take about 4 hours, after which we will get to Yangshuo. Once we are off the cruise, we will take a walk in Yangshuo West Street and then take a ride to see the countryside. There, you can see and feel the simple life of the folk in some of the rural areas and enjoy the view even more. After this visit, we can return to the hotel so you can rest.
🏚️ Hotel Option: Guilin Grand Link Hotel or similar.

Day 9 – Leaving for Chengdu (B)

After 2 hours of flight, our guide will pick you up upon your arrival and transfer you to your hotel and you are free today to have lunch and spend your evening on your own. Your hotel is very close to Chunxi Road and Tianfu Square so you can walk around the city and have some free time after an active week or and get ready for the rest of your journey.
🏚️ Hotel Option: Mercure Chengdu Chunxi or similar.

Day 10 – Chengdu City Tour – Giant Pandas – Jinsha Site Museum (B, L)

Today is scheduled to visit China’s national treasure, giant pandas at the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding after breakfast. The morning is the best time to watch active pandas. You will surely enjoy seeing panda bears eating bamboo or playing with each other. After having lunch, you will visit the Jinsha Site Museum where you can watch a 4D film “Dream Back to Jinsha”. This gives you a chance to understand how life was 2,000 years ago.
🏚️ Hotel Option: Mercure Chengdu Chunxi or similar.

Day 11 – Leaving for Chongqing (B, D)

You will have the whole morning to yourself to explore the city and have lunch and also get ready to check out your room. (You can visit Chengdu Renmin Park). Then our tour guide will transfer you to the railway station and help you board a bullet train to Chongqing. The train is high-speed and very comfy and it just takes 2 hours to arrive in Chongqing. Our tour guide will pick you up at the train station and you will check in to your luxury five-star Yangtze cruise ship to start your floating adventure along this very famous river that travels from east to the west of China.|
🏚️ Overnight in Cruise Ship – Yangtze Golden Cruise (Double room with balcony).

Day 12 – Shibaozhai Temple Facts (B, L, D)

You will disembark at Zhongxian at about 14:00. Here, you visit Shibaozhai a huge twelve-story pagoda sheltering at the top of a temple. It is located on an island, on the northern banks of the Yangtze River. You will re-embark for joining the Captain’s Welcome Party in the evening.
🏚️ Overnight in Cruise Ship – Yangtze Golden Cruise (Double room with balcony).

Day 13 – Shennv Stream and Xiling Gorge Yangtze River (B, L, D)

The cruise ship arrives at Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge in the morning. The Gorges are spectacular and this is the best time to take some photos. The cruising guide will make a formal presentation to you. After lunch, you will disembark in the Shennv Stream by boat. The locals call it “Beauty Stream”. It makes your day marvelous. The visit lasts around 3 to 4 hours. You will embark to sail to the western section of Xiling Gorge.
🏚️ Overnight in Cruise Ship – Yangtze Golden Cruise (Double room with balcony).

Day 14 – Leaving Yichang for Shanghai (B, L)

The last excursion stop on the Yangtze is the Three Gorges Dam which is the largest hydroelectric plant in the world. Then the cruise ship takes you to the Three Gorges Tourist Center and our guide will find you there. After lunch, we will take a flight to the last scheduled destination on this tour, Shanghai. At the airport, our English-speaking guide will meet you outside the customs area and transfer you to the hotel. Once at the hotel, you will check-in and have any remaining time for yourself. We suggest having some rest, as you will need your energy to see the last destination of your tour in China.
🏚️ Hotel Option: San Want Hotel or similar.

Day 15 – Shanghai City Tour and Sightseeing (B, L)

In Shanghai, you will mostly hear about the history of the city and see its beauty. After your full buffet breakfast at the hotel, you will learn about both history and culture when you get to the Shanghai History Museum. After learning about their history, we will take you to a more modern destination which is the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower, also known as their iconic TV tower. From above the tower, you can get a view over Shanghai, and enjoy the view just before we go to get our lunch. We will have lunch in one of their good quality restaurants. Our final destination for today is one of the most beautiful places in China, The Yu Garden. In the garden, there are several buildings, exotic decorations, and carvings. There are also ponds and stone bridges that make this visit special. Before going back to the hotel, we have scheduled a visit to a silk shop for those who like shopping.
🏚️ Hotel Option: San Want Hotel or similar.

Day 16 – Departure from Shanghai (B)

This is the last day of your tour, you will check out of the hotel after breakfast and go to the airport by yourself. If you have more time in Shanghai before you catch your flight, we are offering different day tours in Shanghai that you can book for this day. You can visit Shanghai Disneyland or Shanghai Tower. You can ask your tour guide assistant for more information.