Great Wall of China
Best of China
Highlights:
Tiananmen Square • Forbidden City • The Great Wall • Beijing Zoo • Temple of Heaven • Rickshaw Tour • Terracotta Warriors • Guilin • Bund • Acrobatic Show • Zhujiajiao • Shanghai Museum
Day 1: Overnight Flight Day 2: Beijing, China - Tour Begins Your adventure begins in Beijing.
Day 3: Beijing Ease your way into the local culture as your tour manager teaches you a few key phrases of the native language. Next, visit Tiananmen Square, one of the largest public spaces in the world. Then, visit the Forbidden City, an awe-inspiring palace complex that has been home to 24 Chinese emperors for almost 500 years. Take a special tour of the Treasure Hall, a section normally not open to the general public. Next, savor a traditional dim sum lunch. This style of meal consists of various small dishes served in succession. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner at a world-famous Peking Duck restaurant. (B, L, D) Day 4: The Great Wall China’s
legendary landmark, the Great Wall, is yours to discover. During your visit, walk along a portion of this 3,700 mile marvel! Visit jade and cloisonné workshops to learn how local
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artists create these ancient masterpieces. Feel the excitement of the 2008 Summer Olympics when you view the Olympic Green where you have the opportunity to take photos of two famous structures - the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube. Tonight, have fun at a traditional Beijing hot pot dinner. (B, L, D)
Day 5: Beijing Begin your day with a
visit to the Summer Palace, considered a masterpiece of Chinese landscape artist design. Explore a pearl factory and learn about the different varieties of these underwater gems. Visit the Beijing Zoo, home of the famous pandas. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Perhaps you will decide to explore the 798 Dashanzi Art District. In the evening, you could choose to watch a traditional Peking Opera and explore the Donghuamen night market. (B, L)
Day 6: Beijing - Xian Explore the
world-famous Temple of Heaven, an ornate sanctuary where Chinese Emperors worshiped their gods. Learn tai chi amidst the locals doing their morning exercises or watch them playing cards or board games.
Enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime rickshaw tour through the Hutongs, the narrow streets of ancient Beijing. With help from an interpreter, you will learn about a local family’s way of life when you share lunch with them in their Hutong home. Next, meet a Chinese calligraphy master and learn how to write using this ancient art. A short flight brings you to China’s interior city of Xian. (B, L)
Day 7: Xian Your day begins with a visit
to the excavation site of the Terracotta Warriors. This vast clay army, 8,000 strong, was created to guard one of China’s emperors in the afterlife. Visit one of the most famous Buddhist temples in the world, the classical Wild Goose Pagoda. This impressive structure was built during the Tang Dynasty to house Buddhist treasures. The remainder of your day is at leisure. Tonight, you may choose to enjoy a Tang Dynasty dinner and show. (B, L)
Day 8: Xian Begin your day with a visit to
the Shaanxi Museum where you can view bronze wares, pottery and murals. Visit the Xian city wall, the largest and best-preserved
TOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL See page 109
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