CHINA, PANDA AND VILLAGES

Beijing-Pingyao-Xi’an-Guilin-Longsheng-Yangshuo-Chengdu-Shanghai 13 days/12 nights 

Day 1 BEIJING

Upon arrival in Beijing meet local English speaking guide and transfer to visit the Temple of Heaven 天坛, one of the most remarkable examples of Chinese classical architecture. Meals not included. Overnight in hotel.

Day 2 BEIJING  (B, L, D ) 

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 in hotel. Special dinner with roasted Beijing duck in a local restaurant. Overnight in hotel.

Day 3 BEIJING (B, L, -)
After breakfast, meet the guide and transfer to visit Badaling Great Wall 八达岭长城  - 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. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 4 BEIJING/PINGYAO (B,- D) fast train REF: G609 (10:28/14:32) 2nd class

Breakfast in hotel, meet the guide and transfer to the station to take the train to Pingyao. Lunch not included. Upon arrival, meet the local 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. Afterwards, go to Pingyao 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. In the evening walk in the old town. Special dinner with noodle show and possibility to make noodles on the spot. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 5 PINGYAO/XI’AN  (B, L, -)  express train REF: D2525 (16:58/19:45) 2nd class

After breakfast, meet local guide and 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. Lunch in a local restaurant. Then, transfer to the station and take the train to Xi’an. Upon arrival, meet local English speaking guide and transfer to the hotel. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel.

Day 6 XI’AN (B, L, D) 

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. Special dinner with jiaozi (Chinese dumplings) typical of Xi’an and of Shaanxi region. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 7 XI’AN/GUILIN (B, -, -)  flight

After breakfast, meet the guide and visit Xi’an ancient city walls 古城墙. Lunch not included. In the afternoon, transfer to the airport and take the flight to Guilin. Upon arrival, meet local English speaking guide and go to the hotel. Dinner not included, overnight in hotel. 

Day 8 GUILIN-LONGSHENG-GUILIN  (B, L, -)

After breakfast, meet with the local English speaking guide and transfer to Longsheng 龙胜 to visit the rice terrace fields of Longji 龙脊稻田. This spot is one of the top-12 places most beautiful of Guangxi province and these rice fields have an history of 600 years, their construction began during Yuan dynasty and finished at the beginning of Qing dynasty. Lunch in a local restaurant. Afterwards, visit a village of Yao ethnic minority: Huangluo village. Back to Guilin. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 9 GUILIN-YANGSHUO-GUILIN/CHENGDU (B, L, -)  flight

After breakfast, transfer to Guilin’s pier for the Li River Cruise 漓江游船从桂林到阳朔 (around 5 hours). During the cruise you can admire the beautiful landscapes, represented by several generations of Chinese painters. Buffet lunch on board. At around 2 pm arrival in Yangshuo. In the afternoon, free time at your disposal and walk on the characteristic West Street 西街, the most famous and typical street of Yangshuo. Afterwards, transfer to Guilin airport and take the flight to Chengdu. Upon arrival, meet local English speaking guide and go to the hotel. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 10 CHENGDU-LESHAN-CHENGDU   (B, L, D)

After breakfast, meet with the guide and transfer to Leshan (170km, 2h by car). Upon arrival, visit Lingyun Temple 凌云古寺 and the Giant Buddha 大佛. The giant buddha, built during Tang dynasty, is the biggest buddha carved in stone on the world. It is possible to climb to the head of the buddha through a stairway carved in stone. Lunch during the excursion. After lunch, boat tour (optional) on the river where you can admire a group of hills that seem to have the shape of a sleeping buddha. N.B. Boat tour ticket is not included. After the visit, transfer back to the hotel in Chengdu. Special dinner in a local Sichuan restaurant with "Face Changing" show. 

Day 11 CHENGDU/SHANGHAI (B, -, -) flight

After breakfast meet with the guide and transfer to the biggest research base of giant panda 成都大熊猫繁育基地 of all China (18km, around 40min). After the visit, go back to the city and take a stroll in the old part of Chengdu and Jinli Street. Lunch not included. Transfer to the airport to take the flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival, meet with local English speaking guide and transfer to the 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. Afterwards, take a stroll in 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. Then, walk 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, where to admire Shanghai skyline. 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.