Home > China Tours> Code H004

Tour Code:	H004(Old China plus Water-Towns Tours / 14 days)
Destinations:	Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, Shanghai, Suzhou, Wuxi, Nanjing
Trip Overview:	This 14 day package tour is designed to let you discover ancient China. Join us to go through China's history and the present China by visiting these most popular ancient and modern cities in China. Besides covering most of the important tour attractions, such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Terra-cotta Warriors. Follow us the beautiful Chinese classical gardens in Suzhou & Hangzhou which enjoy the reputation of "Paradise on earth". Enjoy the an amazing cruise on the old Grand Cannel. This travel route is, what Peter Xie thinks, one of the best travel routes for western tourists, especially for those who come to China for the first time.

Itinerary:

Old China plus Water-Towns Tours / 14 days

Day 01 Arrival in Beijing

Upon your arrival in Beijing, to be met at the airport then transferred to your hotel. Free at leisure in the evening.

Hotel Accommodation:
Meals To Be Included: none

Day 02 Beijing

Sightseeing: Tiananmen Square / Forbidden City / Temple of Heaven / Lama Temple / Peking Opera Show

Depart from your hotel in the morning to have city tours to visit Tiananmen Square, the symbolical heart of China and gathering place for the masses. It is the biggest public square in the world, which can hold one million people. Have a free walk there, imagining the great historic events of the 20th century that took place there. You will also see legendary landmarks including the Great Hall of the People and the towering 125 foot granite obelisk, Monument to the People's Heroes, honoring those who died in revolution.
Walking across the Golden River Bridge, enter the Forbidden City, the inner sanctum and palace where for centuries Chinese emperors ruled their world. It has a 9000-room maze of courtyards, palaces, and ceremonial halls, where 24 emperors used to live. Forbidden City was indeed a forbidden place, where commoners were kept out for nearly 500 years. Tour the palace and imagine the mystery, intrigue and incredible power that reigned here.
After having lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Temple of Heaven. It was built in the 15th century, a sacred site for ancient Beijing, where the emperor and his 1000 member entourage would retreat twice a year for religious ritual. Surrounded by enormous grounds designed in accordance with fengshshui, the Temple complex consists of the Celebrated Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a unique wooden and blue-tiled structure built without a nail. It is considered the supreme achievement of traditional Chinese architecture.
Follow with the Lama Temple (Yonghegong). It is a renowned Lama temple of the Yellow Hat Sect of Lamaism, situated in the northeast part of Beijing. The Lama Temple has a long and varied history. It was originally built in 1694 and used as an official residence for court eunuchs of the Ming dynasty. It was later converted to the royal court of Prince Yongzheng(Yin Zhen), a son of Emperor Kang Xi of the Qing Dynasty. Before he ascended the throne, during the 33rd year (1693) of Kangxi's reign of the Qing dynasty, it was renamed Yonghegong. After the prince came to the throne in 1723, half of the residence was used as an imperial palace and the other half was converted to a lamasery, a monastery for Mongolian and Buddhist monks, as it remains today. The Lama Temple is now a typical Tibetan Monastery. Having been closed for many years during the Cultural Revolution, it was refurbished and reopened in 1980.
Enjoy the Peking Opera Show in the evening.

Hotel Accommodation:
Meals To Be Included: breakfast, lunch

Day 03 Beijing

Sightseeing: Badaling Great Wall / Ming Tombs / Sacred Way

Depart from your hotel after breakfast. Spending about 1.5 hours to be transferred outside the city to the surrounding countryside to visit the Badaling Great Wall, one of the most remarkable feats of mankind, built over 2,000 years ago. You will be able to climb and walk one of the best preserved sections of the ancient wall, admiring the splendid mountain scenery.
After having lunch at a local restaurant, visit the fabled Ming Tombs, the resting places of thirteen emperors and their splendid treasures. Passing down the Sacred Way, a road lined with statues of dignitaries, as well as huge elephants, lions, camels and horses, you will encounter the marble tombs of the Ming Dynasty emperors. Visit one of the spectacular tombs-Dingling-featuring an underground palace.
Enjoy your special Peking Duck dinner.

Hotel Accommodation:
Meals To Be Included: breakfast, lunch & dinner

Day 04 Beijing Xi'an

Sightseeing: Xian - Shaanxi Provincial Museum / Old City Wall / Tang Dynasty Show

Check out and depart from your hotel. Take morning flight to Xian. To be met at the airport & transferred to your hotel. Have city tour to visit the Shaanxi Provincial Museum, the largest comprehensive museum in the province. It is also the fist national-level grand museum equipped with modern facilities. It exhibits primarily historical relics of past dynasties and displays precious art treasures and stone carvings of the Han and Tang dynasties. Walking through the exhibits in the museum is like walking through 3,000 years of Chinese history.
After having lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Old City Wall. It is the most complete surviving city wall survived in China as well as one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. The wall was built in the Tang dynasty (618-907) and enlarged in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).
Enjoy your special Tang Dynasty Show with dinner.

Hotel Accommodation:
Meals To Be Included: breakfast, lunch & dinner

Day 05 Xi'an

Sightseeing: Full day private tours to Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses / Bell Tower / Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Today will be your highlight in Xian. Depart from your hotel after breakfast. To be transferred outside the city to visit the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses. The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. It has been regarded as THE 8TH WONDER OF THE WORLD! Over 2,200 years ago, the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, in search of immortality, ordered the construction of a vast army of 8,000 life-sized Terra-cotta warriors and buried them with him to protect his empire after his early death. They were discovered accidentally in 1974 by farmers digging a well. For history lovers, the sight is truly breathtaking.
After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Bell Tower which is the most well-preserved and best-known one among many ancient cities of China. The Bell Tower was originally built in the Yingxiang Temple in 1384, at the intersection of West Street and Guangji Street. Then in 1582, it was moved to its present pivotal position, in the very heart of the city at the junction of four main streets extending to the east, south, west and north, for rebuilding and later restorations. With magnificent carved beams and painted rafters, this classical building is truly elegant.
After coming back to the city, have another tour to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Situated in the south of Xi'an, as one of the main constructions in the famous Buddhist temple Da-Ci-En Temple, the pagoda is one of the most distinctive and outstanding landmarks of Xi'an.
Free at leisure in the evening.

Hotel Accommodation:
Meals To Be Included: breakfast, lunch

Day 06 Xian Guilin

Sightseeing: Guilin - Reed Flute Cave / Elephant Trunk Hil

Check out and depart from your hotel. Take morning flight to Guilin. To be met at the airport & transferred to your hotel. Then visit Reed Flute Cave. A ten-minute drive (half hour bike ride) from downtown, the cave is one of the largest known examples of what each tropical karst cone conceals within it. The script writers and set designers for Star Trek would have a field day in this cavernous underground stalactite/stalagmite maze-style theater. The dropping water is rich and the dripstones are not only in various types but also in big size, displaying a wonderful cave world. This cave was called "The Art Gallery of Mother Nature." Colored fluorescent lights which cast shadows and illuminate shapes of imaginary animals, fruits and vegetables complete the unworldly effect.
Following with Elephant Trunk Hill. It is located on the west bank of the Li River by a small branch called Peach Blossom River, and resembles a huge elephant standing on the bank of the river, sucking up water with its long trunk. The trunk is particularly striking and lifelike when viewed from either nearby or afar. A circular foot cave called Shui Yue Dong (Moon-In-the Water Cave) separates the trunk and the body. A 3-story Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D) brick pagoda rises from the top of hill.
Be transferred to your hotel.

Hotel Accommodation:
Meals To Be Included: breakfast, lunch

Day 07 Guilin - Yangshuo

Sightseeing: Full day Li River Cruise to Yangshuo with lunch aboard

Depart from your hotel in the morning to have Li River cruise to Yangshuo. The Li River is by far the main reason to visit Guilin. Double-decker and triple-decker river boats which weigh anchor from a pier at Zhujiang, about 40 minutes from Guilin by bus, and meander through the sleepy countryside are relaxing way to enjoy the superlative river scenery and life along its banks. In contrast to the burgeoning cities of the north, it is quiet here; the rural scenery is magnificent. You will enjoy the picturesque mountains, peaceful green fields, farms and villages with water buffalos, cows wondering around on both sides of the river bank.
After about 4.5 hours, the one-thousand-year-old town - Yangshuo, the disembarking point, comes into sight. It is well worth browsing around this quaint town and its environs. Explore the old town freely for the rest of the day.

Hotel Accommodation:
Meals To Be Included: breakfast, lunch

Day 08 Yangshuo

Sightseeing: Yangshuo Fuli ancient town / Banyan Tree Park / Moon Hill

After breakfast, visit the ancient town - Fuli, an ancient town located by the Li River, where most of the local people live by making art fans and farm products. You may visit the local market, rice noodle factory and rice wine factory.
After lunch at a local restaurant, have a bike ride (or motor bike ride) along the country road to visit Banyan Tree Park and Moon Hill.
Free at leisure on Western Street in the evening.

Hotel Accommodation:
Meals To Be Included: breakfast, lunch

Day 09 Guilin Shanghai

Sightseeing: Shanghai - The Bund / Acrobatic Show

Check out and depart from your hotel. Take morning flight to Shanghai. To be met at the airport & transferred to your hotel. Then visit Bund. Have a stroll along the waterfront to experience the smells, sights and sounds of the old "Wall Street" in Shanghai. Banks, trading houses, residences, hotels and clubs all had a view of bustling Huangpu River traffic as they shared in the city's rising and falling fortunes. Then walk along the famous shopping street-Nanjing Road. It is said that shopping in Shanghai is the most varied and rewarding in China
Enjoy a wonderful acrobatic show later in the evening.

Hotel Accommodation:
Meals To Be Included: breakfast, lunch

Day 10 Shanghai

Sightseeing: Full day private tours to The Shanghai Museum /Yu Garden/ Children's Palace/ Oriental Pearl TV Tower

Depart from your hotel to visit the Shanghai Museum. As a museum of ancient Chinese art, the Shanghai Museum possesses a collection of 120,000 precious works of art. Its rich and high-quality collection of ancient Chinese bronze, ceramics, paintings and calligraphy is specially celebrated in the world. The present Shanghai Museum has eleven galleries and three special temporary exhibition halls.
After having lunch at a nice local restaurant, visit Yu Garden. This delightfully restored labyrinth of tiny specialty shops, tea and snack houses centered around a Ming-dynasty Mandarin Suzhou-style garden is a fascinating spot to people-watch over a pot of tea, to shop for unique souvenirs and to get a feel for Old Shanghai. It is well worth a meander through the Yu Garden, which has many scenic courtyards decorated with baroque rockery, pools and flora, all connected by corridors and passageways.
Follow with the Children's Palace and the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower. At 468 meters high (1,536 feet), the tower is the third tallest TV and radio tower in the world as well as the tallest structure in Asia. It is the best place to have a bird's-eye view of Shanghai. With its unique and amazing design, it has become the new landmark of Shanghai and a big magnet for tourists. The viewing area is half-way up and offers a splendid ,unparalleled view of the Bund, the emerging new modern Shanghai. The view of Shanghai from this height fills you with wonder at the beauty that surrounds you.
Be transferred to back to your hotel.

Hotel Accommodation:
Meals To Be Included: breakfast, lunch

Day 11 Shanghai - Suzhou via train

Sightseeing: Suzhou - Humble Administrator's Garden / Lingering Garden /Panmen City Gate/ Tiger Hill / Garden Show

Depart from your hotel after breakfast. Take the morning train to Suzhou (about 1.5 hours). Then visit the Humble Administrator's Garden and Lingering Garden. Located in the northeast of Suzhou city, the Humble Administrator's Garden is the largest classical garden in Suzhou and one of the four most famous classical gardens in China. It was originally built in 1513 A.D by Wang Xianchen, an imperial censor who had just been demoted and sent back to his hometown. The garden consists of three parts with different types buildings around streams and ponds. The Lingering Garden, one of the four most famous classical gardens in China, was first built in 1522. The garden is separated into the middle, eastern, northern and western parts connecting with beautiful corridors 700 meters long. The whole garden features artificial mountains, unique limestone, beautiful pavilions and a number of attractive buildings.
After lunch at a local restaurant, visit Panmen City Gate. It is the oldest city gate in existence in Suzhou. It used to be one of the eight city gates during the Spring & Autumn Annals (770-476 BC) when Suzhou was the capital of the Wu Kingdom. The current gate was reconstructed in 1351. It consists of Water and Land Gates, a City Gate Tower and City Walls at both sides.
Then visit Tiger Hill (Huqiu), the most famous sight in Suzhou, enjoying the reputation of "the first scenic spot in the Wu area" due to its imposing beauty, including Leisure Spring, Testing Sword Rock, Third Spring, Broken Pillar Hall and Mountain Villa Wrapped in Emerald Green, etc. Only 36 meters high, with an area of 20 hectares, you might think it is an an artificial hill, but its history can be traced back 2,500 years. The Tiger Hill Pagoda in the park is the landmark of Suzhou.
Enjoy the Garden Show in the evening.

Hotel Accommodation:
Meals To Be Included: breakfast, lunch

Day 12 Suzhou - Wuxi via Grand Canal Cruise, Wuxi Nanjing via private car or coach

Sightseeing: Wuxi - Yuantouzhu Peninsula / Li Garden / Huishan Clay Figure Workshop

Depart from your hotel to cruise along the Grand Canal. It ranks alongside the Great Wall of China as the country's greatest engineering achievement and it is the longest man-made waterway in the world.
Then visit the Yuantouzhu Peninsula. This turtle's head-like peninsula is the best place to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Tai Lake-one of the largest lakes in China.
Follow with Li Garden. Liyuan Garden is a private garden built in the early 20th century in southwest Wuxi, and is surrounded on three sides by Wuli Lake. The garden is classical Chinese in layout and architecture. It is a splendid place for visitors. Before being transferred to Nanjing, visit Huishan Clay Figure Workshop.
Be transferred to your hotel after arrive at Nanjing.

Hotel Accommodation:
Meals To Be Included: breakfast, lunch

Day 13 Nanjing Beijing

Sightseeing: Nanjing - Zhonghua City Gate / Confucius Temple/ Qinhuai River

Depart from your hotel in the morning to have a city tour to visit Zhonghua City Gate. This "gate" is actually one of the best preserved ancient Chinese castles, and the biggest and most splendid city gate of the Nanjing city wall. The gate was built from 1366 to 1386.The whole structure was built with huge bricks and special cement which is extraordinarily strong.
Then visit the Confucius Temple. Situated on the north bank of the Qinhuai River, consisting of 3 architectural complexes, the Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) was originally built in 1034. It has been the center of culture, commerce and city life since then. Today, the entire area around the temple consists of a series of tourist shops, snack bars, restaurants and entertainment arcades, all done up in "Ming" and "Qing" style architecture. The area is great fun and a very pleasant part of the city to walk around. It is particularly interesting in the evenings when a lively street market sets up in the district, and locals and tourists take part in the bargain hunting!
After having lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Qinhuai River, a branch of the Yangtze River. The inner branch of the river used to be the most flourishing place in Nanjing since it was the red-light district famous throughout the nation.
Then take the afternoon flight to Beijing.

Hotel Accommodation:
Meals To Be Included: breakfast, lunch

Day 14 Depart Beijing for your next destination

Free at leisure until transferred to the airport for your next destination

Hotel Accommodation: none
Meals To Be Included: breakfast

End of Service!

Note: seasonal price difference upon request 

This trip price includes:

The trip price does not include: