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Day
1 Depart
Canada
Depart
on your flight to Beijing, crossing the
International Date Line, you arrive the next
day.
Day
2 Beijing, China
Upon
arrive in
Beijing- the capital of China, you will be
transferred to hotel.
Day
3 Beijing
Kublai
Khan made Beijing his capital in 1271 and for
centuries afterward China’s powerful emperors
resided here. Your explorations begin from the
“Eighth Wonder of the World” - The Great
Wall, which snakes across China for thousands of
miles, was begun during the Qing Dynasty
(221-206 B.C.) and expanded over many centuries.
In the afternoon, you also visit the Ming Tombs
starting with the famous Sacred Way. A visit to
a Cloisonné Factory is included on the way back
to the city. A welcome banquet, featuring Peking
Duck, is planned this evening. Overnight at
hotel. (B/L/SD)
Day
4 Beijing
A
full day tour today will take you to the massive
Forbidden City- it was built in 17th
century with 775,000 square feet as the
residence for the several emperors and
empresses, also as the place for imperial
business during Ming and Qing dynasties, you can
explore the 15the century halls, the pavilions
and the imperial treasures, then on to the
Temple of Heaven- built in 1420, where the
emperors came to pray for a good harvest during
the first lunar month each year because of its
acoustic architectures and quality: the Summer
Palace-
which was
used by the court as a retreat from the capital’s
heat for 800 years. During the Qing Dynasty it
became a fashionable royal resort and scene of
extravagant celebrations. The Empress Dowager
Cixi made it her residence and spent vast
amounts of money (much from the state coffers)
to create a veritable Xanadu:
and Tiananmen Square-as famous as its
uses on ceremonial occasions both in the past
time and now. Overnight at hotel. (B/L)
Day
5
Beijing- Xi’an
Morning
free to explore the city by yourself. In the
afternoon, you’ll fly to Xi’an- the ancient
capital of China where you’ll be transferred
to hotel. (B/L)
Day
6 Xi’an
This
morning you’ll set off to see the Terra Cotta
Warriors, which were built to guard the
legendary tomb of Qing Shihuangdi and includes
8,000 lifesize figures grouped in battle order.
After lunch, you’ll visit the Banpoo Museum-
which was discovered in 1953, is a covered
excavation that clearly shows the layout of a
Neolithic village of the Yangshao culture.
and Big Wild Goose Pagoda-
first built in AD 652 to house the sutras
collected by the wandering monk, Xuanzang, from
India. The top offers fine views across the
city. Dinner and a folk Tang dynasty show at Tang Palace Restaurant.
Overnight at hotel. (B/L/SD.)
Day
7
Xi’an/Guilin
At various times for more than a thousand years,
Xi’an was the capital of the Chinese empire.
We visit the Provincial Museum, which covers the
history of Xi’an since prehistoric times, the
Ming Dynasty City Wall- it is the only well-preserved large-scale city wall surrounded by
moats in China. After lunch, you’ll fly to
Guilin- an ancient city on the shore of the
mesmerizing Lijiang River. Rest of the day at
free. Overnight at hotel. (B/L)
Day
8 Guilin
After
breakfast take a scenic cruise along the Li
River, which offers 30 miles of breathtaking
scenery, mist-shrouded mountains rising from the
river banks. Since ancient times, this landscape
has been the subject of countless poems and
paintings. Your cruise will end at the colorful
market town of Yangshuo, where you have an
opportunity to shop before you return to Guilin
by coach. Overnight at hotel. (B/L)
Day
9
Guilin/Shanghai
Your
stay in China’s ancient and scenic wonderland
ends with a tour of the Reed Flute Cave- is a
wonderful limestone cave with a large number of
stalactites, stalagmites, stalacto-stalagmites,
rocky curtains, and cave corals. Fubo Hill- with
caves containing ancient statues. After lunch,
transfer to the airport for Shanghai- the
largest metropolis and one of the ancient
cultural cities of China.
On your arrival you will be met and
transferred to hotel.
(B/L)
Day
10
Shanghai
Today
you’ll visit the magnificent garden of Yu
Yuan, which was built in1577. Hidden behind
high-carved brick walls is a small lake spanned
by a zigzag bridge and surrounded by teahouses,
pavilions, rockers and goldfish ponds. Afternoon
you’ll be introduced to the Waterfront and the
Children’s Palace, a place of learning for
highly talented children. Tonight, you will
enjoy a famous Shanghai Acrobatic Show.
Overnight at hotel. (B/L)
Day
11
Shanghai/Wuxi
After
breakfast you will be transferred to the train
station for your train to Wuxi- an ancient
cultural city in China (2 hours), upon arrival,
you will be met and transferred to hotel. Rest
of the day at leisure. Overnight. (B/L)
Day
12
Wuxi/Suzhou
Spend
a whole day to enjoy the beautiful Tai Lake- one
of the largest freshwater lakes in China,
followed by Li Garden and Huishan Clay
Sculpture Factory. In the afternoon, you will
cruise on the ancient Grand Canal (4.5 hours) to
the city of Suzhou – famous for its scenic
beauty, dotted with lakes and ponds, canals, old
humpbacked bridges and delightful gardens. Upon
arrival meet and transfer to hotel.
(B/L)
Day
13
Suzhou/Hangzhou
A
half-day sightseeing includes: Garden of Master
of Nets (Wangshi Garden), Pan Gate. Afternoon
transfer to the station and board a train to
Hangzhou, known for its picturesque location on
the West Lake. Upon arrival you will be met and
transferred to hotel. (B/L)
Day
14
Hangzhou
Meet
for a morning cruise of Hangzhou’s West Lake-
elegantly landscaped gardens line the banks of
the West Lake and nearby hills are dotted with
temples, pagodas and monasteries. Your afternoon’s
tour is to a Tea Farm where grows the famous
Longjing Green Tea. Overnight at hotel. (B/L)
Day
15
Hangzhou/Home city
Transfer to the airport for your return flight
home. (B)
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