100% CHINA

Beijing-Datong-Pingyao-Xi’an-Shanghai-Suzhou-Tongli 13 days/12 nights

Day 1 BEIJING

Upon arrival in Beijing meet local English speaking guide and transfer to the hotel. Time at disposal. Meals not included. Overnight in hotel.

Day 2 BEIJING (B, L, -)

After breakfast, meet the guide, visit Tian’an men Square 天安门广场 and the Forbidden City 故宫, the Chinese imperial palace from Ming Dynasty to the end of Qing dynasty. Lunch in a local Chinese restaurant. In the afternoon, visit of the Summer Palace 颐和园, emperors’ summer residence, dominated by the Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake. Back to the hotel. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 3 BEIJING  (B, L, D)
After breakfast, meetthe guide and transfer to visit Mutianyu Great Wall 慕田峪长城 (70km, 1h drive) - cable car not included. Lunch in a local Chinese restaurant and back to Beijing. In the afternoon, take a stroll in the hutong, narrow alleys typical of Beijing, formed by lines of siheyuan 四合院, traditional courtyard residences. Special dinner with roasted Beijing duck in a local restaurant. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 4 BEIJING/DATONG (B, -, D) flight REF: KN2937 (14:55/15:50)

After breakfast, visit the Temple of Heaven 天坛, one of the most remarkable examples of Chinese classical architecture. Then, transfer to the airport and take the flight to Datong. Lunch not included. Upon arrival, meet with local English speaking guide and transfer to the hotel. Visit of Datong Ancient city Walls 大同古城墙. Dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight in hotel.

Day 5 DATONG (B, L, -)

After breakfast, meet the guide and visit the Hanging Temple 悬空寺 (85km, 1.5h drive) , built 1400 years ago, famous not only because it has been built along the wall of the mountains, but also because it is the oney existing temple that combines the three Chinese traditional religions: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch, visit Yungang Grottoes 云岗石窟, an excellent example of rock-cut architecture and one of the three most famous complex of Buddhist caves in China. Back to Datong. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel.

Day 6 DATONG-PINGYAO (B, -, D) train REF K7807 (06:20/14:11) hard sleeper, no soft sleeper available on this train

Pack-away breakfast, meet the guide and transfer to the station to take the train to Pingyao. Lunch not included. Upon arrival in Pingyao, transfer to the parking lot outside the city walls to rent battery cars (inside city walls, private cars are not allowed). Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Then, visit Pingyao ancient city 平遥古城, one of the best preserved ancient city. During the Qing dynasty, Pingyao was an important financial centre. Special dinner with noodle show and possibility to make noodles on the spot. Overnight in hotel.

Day 7 PINGYAO-SHUANGLIN TEMPLE-WANG FAMILY COURTYARD-PINGYAO (B, L, -)

After breakfast, meet the guide and visit the Shuanglin Temple 双林寺. In this temple you will admire about 2000 colored sculptures from Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasty. Since 1997 it is enlisted as UNESCO heritage site. Lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Wang Family Courtyard 王家大院, with 123 courts and 118 buildings. Then, back to Pingyao. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 8 PINGYAO-XI’AN (B, -, D) express train REF: D2561 (10:03/13:12) 2nd class
After breakfast, meet local guide and transfer to the station. Lunch not included. Upon arrival, meet local English speaking guide and transfer to the hotel. Then visit Xi’an ancient city walls 古城墙 and the muslim district 穆斯林区. Special dinner with jiaozi (Chinese dumplings) typical of Xi’an and of Shaanxi region. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 9  (B, L, -) XI’AN

After breakfast, meet the guide and transfer to visit Terracotta Warriors 兵马俑 (45km, 1h drive) with more than 8.000 stone statues of warriors to guard Qing Shi Huang Di emperor’s tomb. Lunch in a local restaurant. Then visit Big Goose Pagoda 大雁塔. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 10  XI’AN/SHANGHAI (B, -, -) flight

After breakfast, transfer to the hotel and take the flight to Shanghai. Lunch not included. Upon arrival, meet local English speaking guide and transfer to the hotel. Start exploring Shanghai with a stroll along Nanjing Road 南京路 famous for shops and malls and visit the Bund 外滩 a walk on the banks of Huang Pu river. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 11 SHANGHAI-TONGLI-SUZHOU-SHANGHAI (B, L, -) 

After breakfast, visit Tongli water town (boat ticket not included).  Lunch in a local restaurant. Then, visit Suzhou, its most beautiful garden, Humble Administrator’s Garden 拙政园, and a silk factory. Back to Shanghai, dinner not included. Overnight in hotel.

Day 12 SHANGHAI (B, L,-) 

After breakfast, greet and meet local English speaking guide, visit Jade Buddha Temple 玉佛寺, built in 1882 to gather two jade statues brought from Burma by Huigen Monk, and walk through the colonial quarters. Lunch in a local Chinese restaurant. In the afternoon visit Yu Gardens 豫园, built in the second half of 1500, destroyed during the Opium Wars, then repaired by the Shanghai Government. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel.

Day 13 SHANGHAI (B)  flight

After breakfast, meet the guide and transfer to the airport to take the flight back home.