12 Days China Shanxi Tour

Day 01 Beijing

Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. You are greeted by your guide at the airport and transferred to the four-star Holiday Inn Downtown Hotel.

Day 02 Beijing (B, L)

Morning tour starts with the Gugong, also called the Forbidden City, in scripted as a UNESCO world cultural heritage site in 1987.Built between 1406-1420, it is the largest palace of the world imperial complex covering 74 hectares. It has 9999 halls and rooms in which emperors lived for over 500 hundred years in Ming and Qing dynasties. Walk leisure around Tian An Men Square to admire the grandeur of the largest public squares in the world. After lunch, you will visit the biggest and most important imperial Temple of China, Temple of Heaven, where emperors performed annual rituals of sacrifice to ensure prosperity for future generations. Then you will drive to the Summer Palace which was built 800 years ago. It is the second largest and best-preserved royal garden in China, with 294 hectares including the beautiful and serene Kunming Lake.

Day 03 Beijing (B, L)

Travel to the Badaling Great Wall, one of the eight ancient wonders of between 6000- 6500 km long built over several centuries to keep out the invading northern tribes. After a hike along a portion of the Wall, you visit the Ming Tombs (Changling), a secluded valley housing 14 imperial burial mounds. Then you will have an overview of Olympic Stadium, including Bird Nest and Water Cube. Then proceed to the Cloisonné factory to appreciate the marvelous Chinese traditional handicrafts.

Day 04 Beijing / Datong (B, L)

Morning ride in three-wheeled rickshaws through Beijing's Hutong, experiencing the lifestyle of the Beijing locals. Proceed to visit Lama Temple, the only Beijing city temple that survived the Cultural Revolution. It is the largest Lama Temple outside Tibet. It was built in 1694 and the architecture and ornamentation of the buildings show the influence of Han, Manchu, Mongolian and Tibetan styles. This afternoon visit 798 factory, it is a new rising, avant-garde and trendy space that hosts high-level cultural, artistic and commercial activities. In the evening board the overnight train to Datong, the second largest city in Shanxi province.

Day 05 Datong (B, L)

Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the local best Garden Hotel. After breakfast in the hotel, travel to the Yungang Grottos consisting of a series of 53 caves. They are completed during the Northern Wei Dynasty (460-494 AD) and in scripted in 2001 as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in China officially. Afterwards, you will visit the Nine Dragon Wall that probably is the largest of its kind in China. Later you will visit the Upper Huayan Monastery which is considered to be one of the two biggest Buddhist halls existent in China. It was built under the Liao Dynasty in 1062.

Day 06 Datong / Pingyao (B, L)

Drive to Ping Yao in the morning. Tour to the Ping Yao Old Town. Paralleling Xian, Nanjing and Lijiang, Pingyao is one of time-honored cities that have survived with its ancient walls, a best example from the Ming Dynasty. In Nov. 1986, UNESCO subscribed the city into the World Heritage List in China. Overnight at the local best Yun Jin Cheng Hotel.

Day 07 Pingyao / Taiyuan (B, L, D)

Today you can visit the famous Qiao Family built in 1755 and the Double Forest Temple that houses over 2,000 Buddhist terracotta sculptures. Drive to Tai Yuan, the capital of Shanxi Province. Upon arrival, you will meet your guide and be transferred to the four-star Yu Garden Hotel.

Day 08 Taiyuan / Xian (B, L)

Today you will visit the Jinci Temple with its ancient gardens and historical relics. In the afternoon fly to Xian. You are greeted by your guide and transferred to the four-star Aurum International Hotel.

Day 09 Xian (B, L)

A full day tour will bring you to visit Terracotta Warriors. It is the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. It was listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the world cultural heritages. The museum covers an area of 16,300 square meters, divided into three sections: No. 1 Pit, No. 2 Pit, and No. 3 Pit respectively. Return to Xian and continue your tour with a visit to Shaanxi Provincial History Museum. The museum's permanent exhibition primarily displays Shaanxi's ancient history. The collection from the Han through the Tang (618 A.D.-907 A.D.) and Song (960 A.D.-1279 A.D.) dynasties shows the changes of art and craftsmanship.

Day 10 Xian / Shanghai (B, L)

Morning visit the majestic Big Wild Goose Pagoda. It is a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. Then visit Ancient City Wall. It's the most complete city wall that has survived in China, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. Fly to Shanghai in the afternoon. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the four-star Shanghai Greenland Jiulong Hotel. The rest of the day is free at leisure.

Day 11 Shanghai (B)

Shanghai visit starts with a tour of the premier attractions of the city where we can immerse ourselves in the culture and sophistication of this cosmopolitan. You can stroll along the lovely paths and pavilions of Yu Garden in Shanghai Old City and at the same time experience Shanghai recently gained modernity. This afternoon visit Shanghai Museum, mainly the exhibitions of painting, bronze, sculpture, ceramics, calligraphy, jade, Ming & Qing Dynasty furniture, coins, seals, and ethnic artwork. Continue visiting Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Centre to see what a city of the future is really going to look like. Enjoy your shopping in Nanjing Road, known as the No. 1 Shopping Paradise in China. In the evening enjoy leisure walk along the riverfront Bund and admire the night lights on both sides of the harbor.

Day 12 Shanghai (B)

Transfer to the airport for your departure flight.