

Best of China
Beijing / Xian / Shanghai
8 nights – April 17th-26th 2008
Day 01 Arrive Beijing (D)
On arrival meet and transfer to hotel to rest of the day is at leisure to unwind from your flight.
Beijing , the capital of the People's Republic of China, the political and cultural heart of China, Beijing is an extraordinary place with one of the world's oldest civilizations. It has been in existence as a settlement for over 3,000 years and the capital of the nation over many centuries, yet it is now a vibrant metropolis that is moving toward the future at hyper-speed and home to 11 million citizens. Some of China's most stunning sights can be found in Beijing: the Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the T emple of Heaven, the Lama Temple and the Great Wall, etc.
Dinner at a local restaurant
Overnight stay at Crystal International Hotel (4*)
Day 02 Beijing (B/L/D)
This morning visit Tiananmen Square, the world's largest and most famous square, followed by a visit to the Forbidden City, where exquisite architecture and a vast glimpse of the staggeringly opulent lifestyles of the Chinese Emperors could be found.
Tiananmen Square - With a total area of 440,000 square meters, the Tiananmen Square boasts the largest of its kind in the center of Beijing. Over hundred years, many ceremony and demonstration have been held at Tiananmen Square. Found here are the Museum of the Chinese Revolution, the Museum of Chinese History, the Monument to the People's Heroes and most popular with the Chinese, the remains of Chairman Mao in the Memorial Hall. In summer the queue can be rather long .
Forbidden City - Located just half a mile from Tiananmen Square is the 250 acre imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is also called the Palace Museum and known to be the world’s largest palace with over 9000 rooms. It was closed to the common people for many years and only opened to the public in 1949. 
After lunch, visit the picturesque Summer Palace l ocated 9 miles from Beijing, the Summer Palace is the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China, with a history of over 800 years. It’s worth a visit to these gardens.
Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight stay at Crystal International Hotel
Day 03 Beijing (B/L/D)
Today explore a part of the great wall which is not frequently visited by visitors. Box lunches
You will have the unique opportunity to trek a part of the Great Wall which is not commonly used by general tourists. Your guide will drop you at one end of the wall where will start your trek which is approximately 4 hours. This trek will take you through parts of the wall which are broken and remain in their original state and where you will not run into many visitors. (The trek is strenuous and only fit for those with stamina, thus we offer an option to visit this part of the wall and return to your coach which will drive to meet the rest of the group arriving from the trek).
Great Wall - The highlight of your stay in this ancient city is a visit to the Great Wall, built 2300 years ago and extends 3,750 miles. (visible from space). It’s a must see for every visitor.
Dinner at a local restaurant
Optional: you may enjoy a Peking Opera dinner show at an additional cost of US$ 13 per person
Overnight stay at Crystal International Hotel
Day 04 Beijing (B/L/D)
Today visit the Temple of Heaven , where the former emperors prayed for good harvest.
Thereafter continue your visit of Beijing by taking a rickshaw ride in the “Hutongs” – the alleys which run through shops and courtyards which are residences to the older generation.
Dinner at a local restaurant
Overnight stay at Crystal International Hotel
Day 05 Beijing / Xian (B/L/D)
This morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Xian.
Xian is one of China’s six historic capital cities. From 1027 BC onwards eleven dynasties chose it as their seat of government. It probably possesses more items of archaeological interest that any other town or city in China, the most important, of course being the world famous Terra Cotta Warriors.
Met on arrival at Xian airport and proceed on a city tour of Xian with visits to the Wild Goose Pagoda, one the famous Buddhist pagodas in China, followed by a visit to the ancient City Wall.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda , situated in the Da Ci'en Temple, is one of the famous Buddhist pagodas in China. Originally built in 589 A.D. in the Sui dynasty, the temple was named Wu Lou Si Temple till 648 A.D. when Emperor Li Zhi, (then still a crown prince), sponsored a repair project on the temple. This was a symbol of thanksgiving to his mother for her kindness, after she had suffered an early death .
City Wall of Xian is an extension of the old Tang dynasty structure and the building was built by Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of Ming dynasty (from 1370 A.D. - 1375 A.D.). After the enlargement the city wall stands 40 feet high and 40-46 feet across the top. It is 50-60 feet wide at bottom and 8.5 miles in length with deep moats surrounding the wall. It boasts to be the most complete city wall to have survived through China's long history.
Dinner at a local restaurant
Overnight stay at Jian Guo Hotel (4*)
Day 06 Xian (B/L/D)
This morning visit the burial site of an incredible army of 8000 lifelike Terra-cotta Warriors, horses, and chariots. Thereafter visit the History Museum.
Terra Cotta Warriors - In 1974 a group of peasants digging a well, made what was to become the greatest archaeological find of the 20 th century when they unearthed fragments of a life sized Terra Cotta Warrior. Excavation of the vault revealed thousands of warriors and their horses, an entire army designed follows its emperor into eternity.
This evening enjoy a traditional Tang Dynasty Dinner Show.
Overnight stay at Jian Guo Hotel
Day 07 Xian / Shanghai (B/L/D)
This morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Shanghai .
Shanghai - was a small town supported by the fishing and weaving industry before the first Opium War. Late in 1990 when the central government starting developing the area, the city's economy boomed and today it is a scintillating city boiling with rapid cultural change. Since market restrictions were lifted, Shanghai has embraced the forces of business and design and rewritten its rule book shaping a fresh, new city that is sophisticated, innovative and living a life it has never lived before.
Met on arrival and transferred to hotel on one of China’s super-fast maglev train.
This afternoon proceed on a tour with visits to the Bund the former foreign settlement, ranged along with imposing buildings of the colonial period. The Bund offers views of the colorful traffic on the Huangpu River with colonial buildings built by the Europeans during the 19 th and early 20 th century. It’s a beautiful place to walk in the evenings
Thereafter visit the Jade Buddha Temple - the most famous Buddhist temple in Shanghai, located in the western part of the city. In 1882, a monk named Huigen left two of five jade Buddha statues (brought from Burma) in Shanghai and built a temple to keep the statues. In 1918, the old temple was burned down and a new one was built at the present site and now named Jade Buddha Temple.
Dinner at a local restaurant
Overnight stay at Best Western New Century Hotel (4*)
Day 08 Shanghai (B/L/D)
This morning visit Yu Garden , characteristic of the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty and used to be a private garden with a 400 year history. Yu Garden maybe the most celebrated classical Chinese garden in Shanghai, located in the northeast part of the old town with an area of fives acres. In 1559, a Ming official named Pan Yunduan launched the construction of this private garden for his father. The construction lasted for 19 years. Later, due to the decline of the Pan family, the garden gradually fell into oblivion. Furthermore several civil conflicts in the mid 19 th century caused great damage to it. After several large-scale re-constructions since 1949, Yu Yuan was finally opened to the public in 1961.
The garden attracts countless visitors from China and overseas. Built in the Suzhou style, Yuyuan garden is characterized by its exquisite layout, beautiful scenery and the artistic architecture. Each pavilion, hall, stone and stream in the garden can express the quintessence of South China’s landscape designed from the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Thereafter visit the old town of Shanghai and stop at Nanjing Road for some shopping.
Dinner at a local restaurant
Overnight stay at Best Western New Century Hotel
Day 09 Depart Shanghai (B)
At leisure until departure transfer to the airport for your flight back home.
“End of tour” 
Cost: $1,595 per person sharing twin room
$559 single supplement
Land cost includes:-
- Accommodation at hotels specified or similar on sharing basis
- Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (B-breakfast at hotel, L-lunch & D-dinner at local Chinese restaurants)
- Tang Dynasty dinner show in Xian
- Coach class air ticket for travel Beijing / Xi’an / Shanghai inclusive of airport taxes (please note check-in luggage restricted to 20 kg / 44 lbs per person in total).
- Transportation and sightseeing using air-conditioned vehicles with English speaking local guides.
- Entrance fees for sightseeing wherever applicable.
- National Guide to accompany group for duration of the trip
Land cost does not include:-
- International tickets ( USA / Beijing & Shanghai / USA) with applicable departure taxes.
- Applicable visa fees.
- Extra visits and meals not indicated.
- Items of a personal nature such as telephone calls, laundry, beverages etc.
- Porterages, tips and gratuities to staff and guides.
- Personal medical and travel insurance.
For more information on these trips as well as any other destinations you are thinking of, please contact Terry at 608.438.2457 or submit an inquiry request here.