Day 1 Upon your arrival in Beijing

Upon your arrival in Beijing: Your Beijing driver will welcome you at the airport with a friendly smile. He will transfer you safely to your hotel. You can spend the rest of your day overcoming jetlag.

Day 2 Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, Jianshan Park, Temple of Heaven

09:00: Meet your Beijing tour guide and start your China tour.

09:30-10:30: Visit Tiananmen Square, a rectangular square of 440,000 sq meters. Tiananmen Square echoes the layout of the Forbidden City to some extent. It also displays the major concept of Chinese politics in ancient times namely, centralism. Many historic events took place here, the most famous of which is the Tiananmen Incident. Now, it’s just a symbol.

10:45 - 13:00: Visit the magnificent Forbidden City, the largest Imperial Palace in the world. We’ll spend a couple of hours wandering around this amazing example of Imperial architecture and learning about the history of the palace. Enclosed by long scarlet walls extending 3.5km, the UNESCO-listed Forbidden City was the very centre of power of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. This large palace witnessed the prosperity and the decline of feudalism. Here you will directly experience how royals lived and how they ruled.

13:00 - 14:00: Enjoy local food in a nice restaurant popular with local Beijingers. (Lunch is for your own account)

14:00 - 15:00: Visit Jingshan Park and have a bird’s-eye view of the whole Forbidden City. It was originally an imperial garden in the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. Nowadays, it’s a public garden for people to enjoy their leisure time.

15:20 - 16:30: Head for the Temple of Heaven. Situated in the southeast of the central city, the Temple of Heaven was originally constructed in the eighteenth year of Yong Le (1420) in the Ming Dynasty. The Ming and Qing emperors conducted annual ceremonies praying to Heaven for a good harvest. It combines the architectural technology of the Ming and Qing Dynasties together, which is rare in ancient Chinese architecture and it is the largest sacrificial complex in the world. Charmed by its size, colorful meaning and importance in China's history, the site was classified into the "Directory of World Heritage" by UNESCO in 1998.

17:00: Finish your day tour and return to your hotel.




    

Day 3 Mutianyu Great Wall, Ding Mausoleum

07:30: Greeted by your tour guide in your hotel lobby your day tour commences.

09:00 - 11:30: Drive around 1.5 hours to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall and have a quick snack at the Subway restaurant at the foot of the Mutianyu Wall. This is one of the most famous and idyllic sections of the Great Wall. You will have a choice of taking the cable car or chair lift up the breathtaking wall and spend a leisurely 1 to 2 hours walking up and down the various sections exploring the Watch Towers and marvelling at the construction and beauty of the renowned and legendary Wall. You then have the option of an exhilarating toboggan ride back down or simply returning the way you came with the cable car.

11:30 - 12:30: Enjoy a typical Beijing lunch nearby the Mutianyu Great Wall (Lunch for your own account).

13:20 - 15:30: Head for Ming Tombs. Ming Tombs a cluster of tombs burying 13 Ming Emperors, 23 Empresses and many other imperial members during the Ming Dynasty after the capital moved to Beijing. Due to its grand architecture and comprehensive planning, it boasts great historic and cultural value. Although there are many tombs on the site, only a few are accessible to tourists. Today, we will only pay a visit to the biggest tomb - Ding Mausoleum. If you are interested in walking on the Sacred Way, please pay for this on moment.

17:00: Arrive back at your hotel.



    

Day 4 Summer Palace, Hutong, Head for Xian

09:00: Greeted by your Beijing tour guide you begin your last day in Beijing.

09:30 - 11:00: Visit the Summer Palace. As the largest imperial garden in China, the Summer Palace was a summer resort for the royal families. There are huge lakes, bridges, corridors, pavilions, and various kinds of flowers and many rooms radiating the natural beauty and the grandeur of imperial gardens. With arched bridges and glittering ripples, pretty promenades and flowers in blossom, decorated corridors, ancient doors, and "breezeways" (a kind of hallway that allows the passage of a breeze between structures) tourists enchanting are presented with ever-changing scenery.

11:00 - 12:00: Walk in the tranquil Hutongs. In those interlaced Hutongs, one can experience the life of the ancient Beijing people. With public toilets available, shops and vendors selling all kinds of goods to satisfy local people's daily needs, and people gossiping along the lanes to strengthen their relationships, one can walk through history and savour the unique culture. Thus, we say that where there is a lane, there is a story.

12: 00 - 13:00: Enjoy local food in a nice restaurant popular with Beijingers. (Lunch is for your own account)

14:00: Drop off at Beijing West Train Station and you will take the high-speed train to Xian.

Your Xian driver will be waiting for you holding a welcome sign with your name on at the Information Desk” (问询台/信息台) . Then, he will transfer you to your Xian hotel.




    

Day 5 Terracotta Warriors Museum, Traditional Cave Dwelling, City Wall, Shuyuanmen Street

09:00: Greeted by your tour guide, your exploration to this great city begins.

09:50: You will arrive at Terracotta Warriors Museum. Your tour guide will take you through all important figures, horses and weapons. By examining the terracotta figures discovered here, you can imagine what the Qin soldiers looked like 2000 years ago. From the horse cart and weapons displayed, you will have an idea how these soldiers used to fight. If you look closely enough, you will discover that each figure has different facial expressions, which is astonishing considering how many figures there are. Then, you will appreciate how great this work is and why the Terracotta Warriors Museum is regarded as the Eighth Wonder in the world.

12:30: Time to find lunch which will be for your own account. Your tour guide will be happy to cater to your needs and find a suitable restaurant for you. Here are some local foods you might be interested in: Chinese Hamburger, Baozi (steamed stuffed bun), Spicy Soup, Tofu Jelly, Deep-fried dough sticks, Pita Bread Soaked in Mutton Soup, Biang Biang Noodles, Guokui, etc..

13:30: Visit a local family living in a Traditional Cave Dwelling. Your tour guide will explain to you why people like to live here.

14:10: Depart the Terracotta Warriors and return to the city. The transfer takes about 50 minutes during which you can have a little rest and be prepared for the afternoon tour.

15:00: Visit the Ancient City Wall in a style that suits your preferences. You can either walk or ride a bike, or even take a golf cart (golf carts and bikes for your own account). This City Wall is the best preserved and most complete wall that has survived through China’s long history. It is about 12 meters high, 12 to 14 meters wide across the top and 15 to 18 meters thick at the base. The entire circumference is about 13.7 kilometers. It can take a while if you choose to walk the whole way around.

16:30: Visit the Shuyuanmen Cultural Street and learn about Chinese calligraphy and painting. The name originates from the Guanzhong Shuyuan (Academy), which was the highest institution of higher learning in the Ming and Qing dynasties in Shaanxi, and now has become a painting and calligraphy center in Xi 'an. Today there are sound splash-ink works and high-quality goods on exhibit, sold in street stalls with elegant displays of price tags. Wandering in the street, you will have the misconception of walking in ancient China. Every year a large number of painting and calligraphy masters converge on Xi’an, holding various exhibitions. You might take part in one of them if you are lucky.

17:00: Your tour is ended for the day and you will be dropped off at your hotel.




    

Day 6 Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Muslim Quarter, Bell Tower, Hanyangling Museum

09:00: Be ready to be picked up by your friendly tour guide.

09:20 - 11:30: Your morning tour will start with a visit to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Located inside the Da Ci En temple, it was built in the Tang Dynasty to store all the Buddhist Sutra and Buddhist figures that Xuan Zang brought back from India. It’s the largest and oldest square pagoda ever built. Today, it has been remodeled and enlarged into a large park where local people come to relax on sunny days. If you come here at night, you will see local people dancing and singing, children running, fountain show performances and various small stalls selling local snacks.

12:00 - 14:00: Wander in the Muslim Quarter. This block is famous for its various foods and is regarded as a tourist spot for the tourists coming from all around the world, but also a place for locals to enjoy snacks and entertainment. It is especially popular with the locals in the summer where you will find them gathering for snacks and amusement. In fact, all the “Huifang” area is filled with restaurants, various Muslim food stalls, in which you can find the widely-renowned old shops. Enjoy a local lunch here.

14:00 - 14:40: Visit the symbol of Xian city - Bell Tower (Or Drum Tower). In ancient times, the bell and the drum were used to strike time in the morning and at dusk because people didn’t have clocks or watches, so there is a saying ‘Morning Bell and Dusk Drum’ in Chinese. The two towers are icons of Xi’an, as they are the best preserved in all of China.

15:30 - 17:00: Start your day tour with the only underground museum in China - Hanyangling Museum, also called Jingdi’s Tomb. It is located near the airport about 30km north of Xian City. This is the burial sight of Emperor Jingdi and his wife Empress Wangzhi. This tomb has been dated back 2100 years. You will see some of the funeral goods such as pottery figurines dating back to the Han Dynasty, Luojing Stone that was used for measurement, and all kinds of stele inscribed with words.

17:30: Drop off at Xian Xianyang International Airport. You will fly to Shanghai. Your Shanghai driver will be waiting for you when you arrive at SHA airport. Then, you will be transferred to your Shanghai hotel.




    

Day 7 Zhujiajiao Water Town, Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai World Financial Center

09:00: Meet your Shanghai guide in your hotel lobby and start your Shanghai tour.

10:00-12:00:Visit Zhujiajiao Water Town. As the best preserved water town in Shanghai, Zhujiajiao has a history of 1700 years. It’s also the nearest water town to Shanghai. Unique old bridges across bubbling streams, small rivers shaded by willow trees, and houses with courtyards attached, all transport people from the hustle and bustle of modern city living to a world filled with antiquity, leisure and tranquility. The boat riding fee is not included.

12:00-13:00: Enjoy a typical Shanghai lunch in a nice local restaurant. (Lunch is for your own account).

14:00- 15:30: Visit Yuyuan Garden. Dating back 400 years, Yuyuan Garden was a private garden. It was built in the style of most of the classic Jiangnan gardens. You will see Yu Linglong - a unique stone listed as one of the 3 famous stones in Jiangnan. The other two refer to Guan Yunfeng in the Liu Garden of Suzhou and Zhou Yunfeng in the Zhusu Garden of Hangzhou. Our guide will also brief you about the local cuisines you may come across.

16:00- 17:00: Our guide will take you to “climb” the Shanghai World Financial Center. With the height of 492m, Shanghai World Financial Center is ranked as the 3rd tallest tower in the world. You can view the whole city standing on the tower.

17:30: Drop back to your hotel.




    

Day 8 Departure Shanghai

3 hours before your flight, your Shanghai driver will pick you up and drop you off at the airport.