9 Days China Highlight Tour (Deluxe)

Day 01 Beijing

Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. You are greeted by your guide at the airport outside the luggage claim area with your name displayed and then transferred to the 5-star Raffles Beijing Hotel.

Day 02 Beijing (B, L)

Today's highlight is a visit to Forbidden City, which was served as the home of the Emperor and his household, as well as the ceremonial and political centre of Chinese government for almost five centuries. An expert from Forbidden City will guide you to appreciate the history and beauty of Forbidden City. Afternoon features Summer Palace, once served as a summer resort for Empress Dowager Cixi. In December 1998, UNESCO included the Summer Palace on its World Heritage List. It declared the Summer Palace an "outstanding expression of the creative art of Chinese landscape garden design, incorporating the works of humankind and nature in a harmonious whole." Lunch will be arranged at Jiangnanfu Restaurant which is famous for its Hangzhou style cuisine.

Day 03 Beijing (B, L)

Morning program takes you to the Mutianyu Great Wall, which stands as a monument to both the strength and the weakness of the Chinese Ming Dynasty. You will learn, touch, and explore the history of a wall built over 300 years ago, yet which remains largely intact as it snakes endlessly across the mountain ridgelines. You will have lunch at Xiaolumian local restaurants, a family style restaurant in Huairou District. And then drive to enjoy the 798 Art Zone, which houses a thriving artist community, among 50-year old decommissioned military factory buildings of unique architectural style. It is often compared with New York's Greenwich Village.

Day 04 Beijing (B, L)

Today you will be dazzled by the murals in Fahai Temple, which are represented by the mural painting the auspicious clouds behind the three-life Buddha, the mural painting the Buddhists attending a meeting, the mural behind the shrine painting the three Masters and the mural on the back wall depicting Brahma worshiping the Buddha. They all adopt the traditional Chinese realistic painting method characterized by fine brush work and close attention in detail. Fine, delicate strokes, meticulous painting and exquisite coloring have made the murals distinguished among murals found in Beijing. Spend the afternoon exploring the Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Art and Archaeology, a highlight of Peking University's verdant campus. It offers not only a wealth of treasures but also well-cured exhibits. With over 10,000 objects, it presents many collections as they were excavated. Lunch today will be booked at Lulu's Restaurant, a Shanghai style cuisine popular restaurant for local Beijing people.

Day 05 Beijing / Xian (B, L)

Fly to Xian in the morning. Check into the 5-star Shangri-la Xian. Begin you tour with the Great Mosque, one of the oldest and most renowned mosques in China. It is really well worth a trip to see the Great Mosque, not only for its centuries-old history but also for its particular design of mixed architecture - traditional Muslim and Chinese styles. You will have your lunch at the luxury decorated Chinese Restaurant: True Love Restaurant, which serves the Shaanxi local cuisine. And then continue to visit the Shaanxi History Museum, the first huge state museum with modern facilities in China. It has been called the "bright pearl of ancient city, treasure house of China."

Day 06 Xian (B, L)

A full day of sightseeing features one of tour highlights, the army of Terra-cotta soldiers, created 2,200 years ago to protect Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife. Today you will have your lunch at the Old Xian Restaurant, a famous one for its Shaanxi local cuisine. Pay a short visit to the local primary school to communicate with the children. After lunch drive back to the city and enjoy the white-glove activity in museum of Small Pagoda to further exposure to cultural relics and have a close touch with these exhibitions.

Day 07 Xian / Shanghai (B, L)

In the morning, fly to Shanghai, the biggest city and commercial heart of People's Republic of China. Check into the 5-star Le Royal Meridien Hotel. And then take a city tour to visit the city's major attractions and get a general understanding of this city. You will enjoy a wonderful tour to Yu Garden, one of the four finest Chinese gardens, and Bund area, the former French Concession area. You will also have a chance to experience the local life of Shanghai people by visiting the unique Shikumen, the traditional houses for them. Lunch today is at Xianqiangfang Restaurant, a special renovated Old Shanghai style restaurant.

Day 08 Shanghai (B, L)

Today you will roam in the art paradise by visit the Shanghai Museum and Shanghai Art Museum. As a museum of ancient Chinese art, Shanghai Museum possesses a collection of 120,000 precious works of art. Its rich and high-quality collection of ancient Chinese bronze, ceramics, painting and calligraphy is specially celebrated in the world. Located on busy Nanjing Road in People's Square, Shanghai Art Museum has 12 exhibition halls, covering more than 5,000 square meters. The building itself is a charming area to walk around as it used to be the club house of Shanghai's Race Club built in the 1930's. Whilst enjoying the architecture, you can also peruse the different exhibits that change throughout the year. Drive to have lunch at Shenyuexuan Restaurant, where you will enjoy the Cantonese style cuisine in a very nice environment. And then you will continue to visit Shanghai Jinmao Tower, which is the tallest building in the PRC, the fifth tallest in the world by roof height and the seventh tallest by pinnacle height. Along with the Oriental Pearl Tower, it is a centerpiece of the Pudong skyline.

Day 09 Shanghai (B)

After leisure breakfast, you will transfer to the airport for your homebound flight.