Day 1 Shaanxi History Museum, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, City Wall, Shuyuanmen Cutural Street

09:00: Depart from your hotel with your guide.

09:00-12:00p: Be prepared to be amazed by the rich history of China in the Shaanxi History Museum. Regarded as “the pearl of ancient dynasties and house of Chinese treasures”, it gives a miniature overview of the thousands of years of Chinese history and the splendid ancient cultures of golden times. Now with 370,000 exhibits, the museum vividly shows the Chinese history of over a million years from prehistoric times (1,150,000 years ago - 21st Century BC) to about 1840 AD. Visiting this museum will enable you to learn about Chinese history from the ancient times to modern times.

12:00 - 13:00: Enjoy lunch (for your own account) nearby the Shaanxi History museum and get ready for the afternoon tour.

13: 10 - 15:00: Just a few minutes drive and you will arrive at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. This is a Tang Dynasty Buddhist temple dating back 1,300 years, also named Da Ci’en Temple. The Tang Dynasty’s famous monk - Xuan Zang was here working on the Buddhist Scriptures that he brought back from India. He was responsible for the spread of Buddhism. You will get to learn historical facts and enjoy interesting stories here. You can see the Fountain Show, in the biggest fountain square in Asia. At night, this place together with the Datang City nearby is decorated with a variety of lights and many local people like to visit then.

15:20 - 16:20: Head to the city center and climb the Ancient City Wall built in the Ming Dynasty. There are many city walls in China, of which the Xian City Wall is the most complete that has survived. It is also one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. The reason why it was built lies in that ancient weapons were not advanced enough to break through a thick wall. Meanwhile, the only way to attack a city was to break the large gate, which explains why complicated gate structures can be found inside the City Wall. There are three ways to explore this grand city wall. The easiest way is to rent a golf cart (for your own account), which is comfortable but not very rewarding. You may also rent a bike (for your own account), which may be a little bumpy. The last way is walk slowly and feel the history.

16:30-17:00: Enjoy your last sight in a tranquil place - Shuyuanmen Cultural Street. The name originated from an ancient school named - Guan Zhong Academy. This academy was built by a scholar named Feng Congwu in the Ming Dynasty. Unfortunately, the academy was destroyed by Feng’s enemy - Wei Zhongxian (a corrupt eunuch trusted by the emperor). Even though different academies and schools were built on this site none remain. Now, it’s just a cultural street with various stands selling Chinese calligraphy and painting works. If you are interested, you may try to write or paint a little (for your own account).

17:00: Transfer to your hotel.




    

Day 2 Mt. Hua Hiking Tour

07:30: Meet your guide and be prepared for a day on the mountain.






09:30 - 16:00: Enjoy the most stunning scenery in Mt. Hua by taking the cable car up and down. It takes about 2 hours to get to Mt. Hua. Upon arrival, your guide will lead you to catch the shuttle bus that heads for the starting point of the West Peak cable car. You will take the cable car up and down the mountain. Mt. Huashan is praised as "the First Odd Mountain in the World". It boasts five imposing peaks with sheer precipices and overhanging rocks. The eastern one is called the ‘Peak of the Rising Sun’ which is the best location to view sunrise; the northern one, the ‘Peak of Cloud Terrace’  is famous for cliffs on its three sides; the western one is called the ‘Peak of Lotus; the southern one, the ‘Peak of Wild Geese’  is the main peak and also the steepest of Mt. Hua with an elevation of 2,083 meters; the Central one is called the 'Peak of the Jade Maiden’, and links the east, west and southern peaks. Each presents unique scenic beauty, surrounded by over 70 minor peaks.




16:00: Return to your hotel.

Day 3 Terracotta Warriors Museum, Banpo Neolithic Museum, Bell Tower, Great Mosque, Muslim Quarter

09:00: Meet your guide in your hotel lobby.

09:50 - 12:30: Arrive at the Terracotta Warriors Museum. Your guide will explain every detail of this museum, its history and other interesting facts. You will be fed with tons of knowledge. Being the most significant excavation of the 20th  century,  the Terracotta Army is a must-see sight for people coming to Xian. You will not only admire the craftsmanship of the different statues and ancient weapons in the three pits, but you will also learn about the motivation and significance of why this mausoleum was so grandly built.

12:30 - 13:30: Savour the most authentic local lunch (lunch is for your own account). Xian is one of the famous food cities in China. For lunch, you will be faced with a variety of choices such as a Chinese Hamburger, Baozi (steamed stuffed bun), Spicy soup, Tofu Jelly, Deep - fried dough sticks, Pita Bread Soaked in Mutton Soup, Biang Biang Noodles, Guokui, to name but a few.

14:20 - 15:30p.m: Return to the city and visit the Banpo Neolithic Museum. It’s the earliest example of the Neolithic Yangshao culture, displaying a matriarchal society between 4500 BC to 3750 BC. The site is comprised of three main parts: the residential area, pottery area and the cemetery. You will see how neolithic people lived, made tools and died. If you are interested, you can also pay extra and try activities like how to make fire out of wood, or how to make a house out of wood and straw.

15:50 - 16:20: Visit the Bell Tower. Built in 1380, the Bell Tower is a brick and timber structure used to announce each hour. Before the Bell Tower moved, there was a copper bell in the tower named the "Jingyun Bell". Its sound could be heard over several kilometers. No matter whether regarded by the shape, the sound, or the engraving technology, the bell reflects the highest craftsmanship of the metallurgy of the Tang Dynasty. After the Jinglong Bell moved with the Bell Tower, the Jingyun Bell was preserved in the Beilin museum of Xi'an. The big iron Jinglong Bell in the Bell Tower was made in the Ming Dynasty and weighs 2,500 kilograms. It has measured time for the city for more than 400 years. Today a recording of the sound of the Jingling Bell is used to announce the time.

16:30 - 17:00: Set out for the Great Mosque located in the Muslim Quarter. The Great Mosque is a masterpiece integrating Chinese architecture and the Islamic culture. The mosque is facing west towards Mecca. When you visit, please be quiet and comply with the regulations listed in the mosque. Outside the mosque, you will find several streets with stores selling local goods, this is the Muslim Quarter. You are free to wander here and learn about the folklore art.




17:00: Return to your hotel.






    

Day 4 Longmen Grottoes, Shaolin Temple

06:30: Your Xian driver will pick you up at the hotel and drive you to the Xian North Railway Station.

09:54: Your Luoyang tour guide will hold a welcome sign with your name on and greet you at the Luoyang Longmen Train Station.

10:10 - 12:30: Visit the world-famous Longmen Grottoes. Set on the banks of the Yi River, 12 km south of Luoyang City, the Longmen Grottoes are ranked the first of the Four Great Grottoes in China, together with the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Yungang Grottoes in Datong and Mount Maiji Grottoes in Tianshui. It was also listed into the World Cultural Heritages and Relics by UNESCO in 2000 for its broad collections and profound cultural influence in the world. Dotted between Xiangshan Mountain and the Longmen Mountain, with the Yi River flowing below, the Longmen Grottoes are harmonious with mountains, forests and rivers displaying a serene and peaceful atmosphere.

12:30- 13:30: Look for the most featured food in Luoyang, like Lamb Soup, Spicy soup, Bu Fan Soup , Tang Mian Jiao，noodles in Green-bean milk, etc.

14:30 - 17:00: After lunch, you will go to the Shaolin Temple, which is in the region of the Song Mountain, Dengfeng City, Henan Province, and is reputed to be “The Number One Temple under Heaven”. Included on UNESCO's World Cultural and Heritage List in 2010, it is the cradle of  Chinese Zen Buddhism and  Shaolin Martial Arts such as the Shaolin Cudgel.

18: 00: Drop-off at Luoyang Longmen Train Station.

20:09: Xian North Railway Station pick up and Xian hotel drop off. Our driver will meet you at the train station holding a welcome sign with your name on. The train station is huge and it is not easy for our driver to find you, so here are some guidelines to help you find each other. The arrival hall of this train station is in the basement level of the building. Since there are  a few exits to go out, sometimes it's pretty confusing to know which one to use. When you get into the arrival hall (there are two sides to go down to the arrival hall from the platform, and it's hard to know which side you will be on), please remember to find the “Information Desk” (问询台/信息台) which is in the middle of the hall and near the exit end, with four big screens on four sides above the desk! The driver will be there waiting for you!




    

Day 5 Hanyangling Museum, Yuanjiacun Village

09:00: Meet your tour guide and depart for the Hanyangling Museum.

09:50 - 12:00: Visit the Hanyangling Museum (Jingdi’s Tomb). This is a burial site for Emperor Jingdi and his wife Empress Wangzhi. This tomb can be dated back 2,100 years. It is the only underground museum in China. Emperor Jingdi was a great Emperor back then. Much influenced by the concept of Wuwei (non-interference), he reformed the national tax, engaged in diplomacy with neighboring countries, and changed the punishment of criminals. He was greatly admired.

In his mausoleum, you will hardly find anything martial like in Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum, just some day-to-day artifacts and terracotta figurines ranging from servants to cavalry. These figures were originally decorated with colors and clothes, but all have faded with time.

12:50 - 16:00: Hop in the car and drive to Yuanjiacun Village, a food paradise for lunch and snacks! As time goes on, people are pursuing high-speed lifestyles and forgetting how previous generations lived. Yuanjiacun Village provides a place for people that live in the city to recall what life was like in rural areas. Almost all the restaurants here offer homemade food with ingredients like wild herbs and coarse grains. It’s a great place to relax and experience the local life.

17:00: Return to your hotel and your tour ends.