-Excursion to superb Mutianyu Great Wall.
-Access to the Hall of Clocks and Treasure Gallery in the Forbidden City.
-Closer look at the Terro Cotta Warriors.
-Luxury cruise on the mighty Yangtze River.
-Visit to the best water town in south China;
-Jazz band in Peace Hotel, Shanghai.
-Authentic Chinese cuisine and western meals at carefully selected restaurants.
Upon arrival, you will be greeted by the guide and be transferred to your hotel in the city center. Relax after your long flight.
After enjoying your breakfast your tour begins with a walk through Tiananmen Square, which is the world's largest with a capacity to hold over one million people. Continue through the beautiful Gate of Heavenly Peace to enter the splendid Fobidden City. It was the sacred heart of the empire for about 500 years (1420 - 1911), totally 24 Ming and Qing Dynasty emperors lived and ruled here. Your tour here will include access to two special exhibition halls, Hall of Clocks and Treasure Gallery, which are not included in normal tours.
Have lunch at Family Li Imperial Cuisine Restaurant, the first Michelin star restaurant in Beijing famous for Chinese imperial cuisine.
In the afternoon embark on a pedi-cab tour of the hutongs(alleyways) in Beijing's historic Houhai(Back Lakes)district. These alleyways containing traditional courtyard homes used to be neighborhoods in Beijing. Though many have been torn down to make room for modern buildings, some are saved and well preserved. On this tour, you will get to visit several homes and chat with the families who reside in them, a rare insight into everyday life of Beijingers.
Tonight enjoy a traditional Peking duck dinner at Dadong Restaurant which is considered by many as the best duck restaurant in Beijing and repeatedly voted "Best Chinese Restaurant of the Year" in Beijinger's Annual Restaurant Awards. The skin of the duck at Dadong is crispy and you dont find any oil at all in the duck meat, more tasty and healthier.
This morning head for the superb Mutianyu section of the 2,000-year-old Great Wall, which is the country's most famous attraction and one of the few sights in the world that is still able to exceed the expectations of visitors. Walking along the walls and enjoy the breathtaking landscapes. Cable car ride is available to save your energy.
For lunch, you will taste the authentic American food at Mutianyu Schoolhouse Restaurant.
After lunch visit the Summer Palace, a royal residence set among traditional Chinese gardens on the beautiful Kunming Lake.
Stroll along the famous Long Corridor and enjoy the traditional imperial architecture.
Dinner is on your own choice.
After breakfast you will visit the spectacular Temple of Heaven, one of the most important landmarks of Beijing and a magnificent example of ceremony architecture, where emperors offered ritual sacrifices and prayed for good harvests.
After that go to Liulichang, a street with long history and rich cultural atmosphere. It is a favorite place of scholars, painters and calligraphers as there were hundreds of shops selling ancient books, paintings, ink stones...etc.
This noon, you will taste authentic Cantonese cuisine and dim sum for lunch at Crystal Jade.
This afternoon pay a visit to Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple), the largest and best preserved lamasery in China.
The last program of today is a leisurely walk along Salitun, the famous bar street in Beijing.
Dinner is on your own arrangement.
This morning you will be transferred to the airport and take flight to Xian. After that, flight CA1209 (Air China, 10:30am-12:25pm).
Upon your arrival, your local guide will meet you and transfer you to the city center.
Lunch today will be served at Real Love Chang An, Xian's best-known restaurant. You will be deeply impressed by both its tasty dishes and excellent decoration.
This afternoon visit the Shaanxi History Museum, which houses a wonderful collection of historic and cultural artifacts.
Xian saw its heyday in Han (206 BC - AD 220) and Tang (618 - 907)Dynasty. The museum boasts a great deal of extremely valuable relics reflecting the history, culture and social life of the two periods. From this point of view, even the Palace Museum (Forbidden City) can't compete with it.
Tonight you will enjoy dinner at Tang Palace while watching a fantastic dancing show Tang Dynasty Show. It is quite impressive and reflects the social conditions and culture of Tang Dynasty (618-907) vividly.
Today visit the world famous Terra Cotta Warriors. It was discovered in 1974 and considered one of the eight wonders in the world. Lunch will be served at Xian Restaurant. This time-honored restaurant serves authentic Shaanxi food including various traditional Xian snacks.
This afternoon drive to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. It was built in AD652 to house and protect Buddhist scriptures brought back from India by a famous Chinese monk Xuanzang, who spent 17 years traveling to India for the scriptures and translating them into Chinese. His journey has been described in the famous Chinese novel Journey to the West.
Dinner will be your own choice tonight.
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport and take flight to Chongqing. After that, flight:HU7268 (Hainan Airlines, 1250-1405).
In the afternoon enjoy a half day tour of the city, including the Chongqing Museum and General Stilwell Museum which was found in memory of five-star general Joseph Warren Stilwell (1883-1946). He contributed a lot to Chinese people during the Second World War. For dinner, you will make it at Yunyuan Garden.
Later on, you will board your Yangtze River cruise boat.
Tonight you will take a ship to Three Gorges Area.
After breakfast make shore excursion to Fengdu, a legendary old town made famous by old stories of sinister spirits and terrible ghosts. You will see many statues of ghosts and devils in the mountain town.
Return to the ship and continue cruising down the Yangtze.
After breakfast Today sailing through the Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge.
Have a boat excursion to Shennong Stream. Sail through the Parrot Gorge and Dragon Boat Gorge amid breathtaking scenery of lush pine and crystalline waters, discovering the ancient plank roads, ancient cave coffins and rare animals.
Then sail through the Three Gorges dam shiplocks.
This morning visit the Three Gorges Dam, which is the world's largest water project. Return to the ship and continue to Yichang. Disembark the cruiser at about 11:30am.
Your local guide will meet you and take you to the center of Yichang for lunch.Lunch is served at Guobin Garden Hotel.
This afternoon you will be transferred to the airport and take flight to Shanghai. After that, fM9366(Shanghai Airlines, 3:35pm - 5:05pm).
Your guide in Shanghai will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Check in for a 3-night stay.
Dinner is your own choice tonight.
Today visit the lively People's Square, a popular area for Shanghai residents to do morning stretching exercises and a good spot to take in a panoramic vista of the city.
Continue to the Urban Planning Museum to learn more about the city's future and past and to see a scale model of how Shanghai will look in 2020.
Then stop in at the Shikumen Museum, where a traditional courtyard home is decorated as it would have been in the 1920s.
Lunch will be served to you at Din Tai Fung Restaurant which is highly praised for its 'steam dumplings' and many other authentic dim sum items.
After lunch Move on to the Former French Concession to experience a mixture of both Chinese and Parisian taste. After that visit the trendy boutiques and restaurants in the Xintiandi district.
At night, you will have dinner at Lan Club,a high-end venue that brings premium levels of culture and cuisine.
This morning you will be driven to Tongli. After that, explore this small water town with delightful scenery in peace and tranquility. It's well-known for its "low bridges, running water and small villages", for its customs and traditions, as well as its rich collection of antiques and historic sites.
After having lunch you will be transferred to Suzhou. After that, you will have lunch at Deyuelou Restaurant,a time-honored restaurant in Suzhou and well-known for its history and the delicious local-taste dishes.
visit Suzhou Museum which is designed by the world famous architect I.M.Pei. Besides thousands of cultural relics housed, the museum itself is absolutely a piece of exquisite piece of art work. You will also visit Net of Master Garden. Small but elegant, it was listed as a UNESCO world cultural heritage site in 1997.
Return to Shanghai after your tour in Suzhou.
Tonight you will dine at Jean Georges, a very nice French restaurant on the Bund that offers wonderful views across the river of the Pudong skyline.
After dinner go to the historic Peace Hotel to hear its famous jazz band.
Free till being transfered to the airport. End of the fabulous tour in China.
Service included
- 9 breakfasts,8 lunches and 6 dinners at China's finest restaurants (soft drinks & local beer or wine included).
- All internal flights (Beijing/Xian, Xian/Chongqing, Yichang/Shanghai).
- All land transportation.
- Entrance fees to all tourist attractions.
- Travel Agency's Liability Insurance.
- Service charge and government taxes.
Service not included
- Visa processing fees.
- Personal expenses such as alcoholic beverages, excess luggage fees, telephone charges, room service and laundry charges.
Remarks
Beijing City Guide is an important part of Beijing Travel. Beijing is an internationally famous metripolis for its culture and history as well as the center of China. Since Yuan Dynasty, Beijing has been the national center for several centuries. The tourist attractions, magnificant performances and city travel services rank top in China. Reading Beijing travel guide is your best way to understand Beijing in depth.
Know more about: Beijing Travel .
Xian is the real center of China, even the center of China culture and history. Xian with a history roughly as long as China is a tourist destination famous for its historic and cultural attractions. Xian travel currently is the must of Classic China tour. Any travel expert ignoring the importance of Xian in tourism will not deserve trust
Chongqing is called the “Mountainous City” and “Foggy City” in China. It is also considered as a legendary city because of its past history and celebrities. Spicy food and diversified snacks is one of the city’s highlights. Besides, the dialect and people here have distinctive features and well-known all over China.
Three Gorges area of Yangtze River is one of the worlds largest grand canyons with magnificent landscape section of waters and mountains. Three Gorges area is one of Chinas top 10 scenic spots. Across Chongqing Municipality and Hubei Province, various scenic spots, magnificent rivers and mountains and natural attractions famed at home and abroad are available on the two sides of Three Gorges. Starting from Baidicheng Fengjie County in Chongqing to Yichang, Hubei province, Three Gorges area is comprosed of Quetang Gorge, Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge with the total length of 193 kilometers. Three Gorges area is the essence of the Yangtze River scenery, and the gem of mountains and rivers in China. The grandness of Qutang Gorge, the enchantment of Wu Gorge and the steepness of Xiling Gorge, and more flaring small attractions such as Daling River, Shennong Stream, Xiang Stream and so on in Three Gorges area will draw your eyes and soul tightly. In geography, Three Gorges area starts from Yichang city, Huibei Province, however in convention especially in tourism; Wuhan is considered as the starting point of Three Gorges area.
Yichang, originally known as Yiling, in the southwest of Hubei Province, is located in the middle or upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The world-famous Three Gorges Project is being done in Yichang. It is the second center city in Hubei province and administers three cities and five counties. Yichang has an area of 21,000 square kilometers with the total population of 4149300, and the number of urban population is about 1338000 in Yichang city.
With the acceleration of opening to the outside world, the economy of Shanghai is getting developed on a daily basis. Most of 500 world famous enterprises who have invested in China have chosen Shanghai as their headquarters. More and more foreigners, who speculate on Chinese economic growth, or who are fond of Chinese culture and oriental culture, come to Shanghai working, traveling or studying.
Tongli, an ancient town in the Yangtze River Delta, located south of Suzhou city in Jiangsu Province. The town has a total area of 102.91 sq. km with a population of 58,000. The scenic Tongli is surrounded by five lakes, which are named Tongli, Jiuli, Yeze, Nanxing and Pangshan. The town is divided into 7 small islands by 15 rivers connected by 49 ancient bridges, making these islands an integrated area. The architecture built by riverside, famous for small bridge, flowing stream and thatched households, which make Tongli town the best-reserved town by riverside as well as the key cultural relic’s protection unit of provincial level, which has been listed as one of 13 scenic spots of Tai Lake.
When talking about Suzhou, Chinese people might mention the old saying: Paradise in Heaven, Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth. If you find yourself walking in the downtown area, your pace will be slow as you are appreciating the scenes of ancient narrow lanes, verdant trees and small rivers. Everything here will be startled by the light air flow that to be caused by passing visitors. In the scene, you will virtually be in the dream of the good old days : the tranquil lanes with ancient architectures, stone carved lions on both sides of the doors, and the air is filled a slight smell of old wood. As well as picturesque Suzhou gardens are an excellent example of simple elegance, with intriguing scenes found in every season and in all weathers.
Chinese people boast their profound and incomparable China cuisine culture throughout the world. Traveling in China and tasting Chinese food is surely an unforgettable and impressive experience. Absolute China Tours provides the finest available Western and Chinese restaurants in any destination. Some serve authentic Chinese cuisine of different regions; some may remind you of your sweet home. From Michelin star restaurants to local privately run dining house, your tour in China will be a great memory.
Beijing
Xiao Wang Fu
Xiao Wang Fu serves home style dishes in a romantic setting, located besides Houhai Lake. The
restaurant offers tasty dishes from different regions of China. In addition to the fresh and authentic dishes, it offers excellent service. As a result, the restaurant was awarded In September 2003 with the Five Stars Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. This was the first time that a privately held restaurant in China received this award.
Crystal Jade
This Singaporean chain, bills itself as "authentic Cantonese and the decor and presentation make it ideal for extravagant dining. The menu features the usual dim sum delights (i.e. pork buns and radish cakes), barbecued pork (cha shao rou), and some more interesting selections like fish glazed in osmanthus honey sauce. Voted "Outstanding Dim Sum" in the Beijinger's Reader Restaurant Awards.
Dadong Duck Restaurant
The ducks are leaner than those of other roast duck restaurants. It has been repeatedly voted "Best Chinese Restaurant of the Year" in the Beijinger's annual Reader Restaurant Awards. Try dipping a slice of duck in the sugar provided alongside other condiments? somehow, it works beautifully. The 160-page menu is a work of art in itself, with a plethora of duck dishes backed up by vegetable dishes, soups and more.
Li Jia Cai (Family Li Imperial Cuisine)
Retired professor Mr. Li's house restaurant deserves its devoted following. It serves set meals of imperial-style food . Sitting down to a meal at the Li's table is more than just an exquisite gourmet experience; it is a chance for everyone to savor one of the most prestigious and rare cuisines in the world, to dine on foods which used to be the exclusive domain of the Imperial Family.
Schoolhouse Canteen
Schoolhouse Canteen serves food based on fresh local ingredients and home made from scratch in their own kitchens under the leadership of Executive Chef Randhir Singh. The Canteen's a la carte luncheon menu offers Western comfort food and fusion are as well as several Chinese and Asian specialties to accommodate the tastes of our guests, who come from all over the world to the visit the Great Wall at Mutianyu.
Shanghai
LAN Club
For those seeking the ultimate dining experience, LAN Club Restaurant has a unique blend of contemporary design and quiet luxury, complemented by the most attentive service. LAN Club Restaurant delivers excellence in fine dining, whether the occasion is group dining or romantic escape. There are many kitchen areas, each one skilled in preparing authentic flavors from around the world. All of this combines with expert service, exquisite food, and glorious wines to ensure a memorable experience of stylish, sophistication and classic dining experience at LAN Club.
Crystal Jade
Situated in the second floor of Nanli Square in down town Xintiandi, an obscure location yet famous for authentic Cantonese cuisine. Crystal Jade is a popular restaurant in Shanghai. It has won many awards, including the "one of the Best Shanghai restaurants" by Shanghai Tatler in 2006, No.1 Best Dim Sum by That's, "The best Cantonese restaurant" in 2003, 2004 and 2005 by "Modern Weekly", the 2004-2005 yearly "Eat and Drink Mobilization" and "Most popular restaurant" by "Sky Weekly".
Lynn
Vogue & modern, Lynn, the new generation of Shanghai cuisine, revitalizes famous Suzhou, Zhejiang and Shanghai dishes with modern cooking techniques. Lynn Shanghai cuisine, with it's unique taste, culinary skills and environment, evolves as the emblem of beauty and fashion. To the discerning diner, Lynn is an unforgettable experience and a true feast for the senses.
T8
T8 features a creative, eclectic mix of contemporary European, Asian flavored cuisine. This makes T8 a major attraction in a city that boasts a distinguished culinary tradition. T8 was awarded as one of the best 50 restaurants in the world by Conde Nast Traveller 2002.
Jean Georges
Shanghai features Mr. Vongerichten's eminent French cuisine in a refined setting, with sweeping views of the Bund and Pudong neatly complimenting his lilting recipes. Mr. Vongerichten's first signature restaurant outside of New York has set the bar for fine dining in Shanghai, with an inspired seasonal menu, elaborate wine list, and elegant, understated service.
Din Tai Fung
This restaurant's popularity and reputation for delicious Taiwanese cuisine is well deserved. The tender, juicy crab roe-filled dumplings are accompanied by a tasty mouthful of broth in each bite, and the chicken and beef soup nicely complements the palate. No wonder tasting the dumplings in Din Tai Fung is considered by many as one of the 10 must-do things in Shanghai.
Hangzhou
| Double occupancy | USD5677 |  |
| Single Room Supplement | USD2893 | |
| First Class Upgrades (Domestic Air) | USD617 |
Remarks
Prices per person
Summary
- Day 1 Arrive Beijing
- Day 2 Beijing Sightseeing
- Day 3 Great Wall Excursion
- Day 4 Beijing Sightseeing
- Day 5 Beijing to Xian
- Day 6 Xian Sightseeing
- Day 7 Xian to Chongqing
- Day 8 Yangtze River Cruise
- Day 9Yangtze River Cruise
- Day 10 Yichang to Shanghai
- Day 11 Shanghai Sightseeing
- Day 12 Suzhou Day Excursion
- Day 13 Depart Shanghai
Hotels
| Beijing | Raffles Beijing Hotel (Landmark Room) |
| Xian | Sofitel on Renmin Square (Executive Room) |
| Shanghai | The Westin Bund Center Shanghai (Crown Deluxe Room) |
Cruise Ship
| Yangzi Explorer (Deluxe Cabin on 2rd Floor) |
