15 Days China and Tibet Tour (Deluxe)

Day 01 Beijing arrival

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. Our expert will guide you to appreciate the history and beauty of Forbidden City. Afternoon features the 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 restaurants, a family style one in Huai Rou 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. Today you will have your lunch at Lulu’s Restaurant to taste a Shanghai style cuisine.

Day 05 Beijing (B, L)

Today you will have a chance to experience the rural life of China on a tour to the Chuandixia Village, where you will not only see the typical local buildings of Ming and Qing Dynasties that survived from the long history, but also can learn the modern life of rural family. The beautiful countryside scenery will also be a highlight of the tour. Enjoy a local cuisine at this village or we can help prepare a lunch box for you instead.

Day 06 Beijing / Xian (B, L)

Fly to Xian in the morning. Upon arrival, check into the 5-star Shangri-la Xian to have a rest. In the afternoon, you will 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". You will have your lunch at the luxury decorated Chinese Restaurant: True Love Restaurant, which serves the Shaanxi local cuisine. And then you will have the chance to further expose to cultural relics by joining the white-grove activities in Small Pagoda Museum.

Day 07 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. Pay a short visit to the local family to experience their daily life. Today you will have your lunch at the Old Xian Restaurant, a famous one for its Shaanxi local cuisine. After lunch drive back to the city and visit 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.

Day 08 Xian / Lhasa (B, L)

Fly to the holy city of Lhasa, capital of the mystical Buddhist Kingdom of Tibet. Locked away in its mountain fortress of the Himalayas, Tibet has had a unique hold on the imagination of the West. You are greeted by tour guide at the airport and transferred to the 5-star Brahmaputra Grand Hotel Lhasa. The rest of the day will be at leisure for you to relax and adjust to the high altitude. After having lunch at Dunniya Restaurant, which is owned by a Tibetan people, you will also visit a Tibetan family and share tea in their home.

Day 09 Lhasa (B, L)

Tour starts from the religious Potala Palace, the architectural wonder in the center of Lhasa as well as the symbol of this sacred land. It was built in the 7th century by the famous Tibetan king-Songtzen Gampo. The present one was built by the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century. It became known as the "Winter Palace" by the 1750, when the 7th Dalai Lama built the Norbulingka Park as his summer residence. Today you will enjoy your lunch at Lhasa Kitchen, which serves the Nepal style food. Afternoon sightseeing features Jokhang Temple, first Buddhist temple in Tibet, situated in the old section of Lhasa. It was built during the reign of King Songsten Gampo to celebrate his marriage with Chinese Tang Dynasty princess Wencheng, who was a Buddhist. Now it is the most sacred place in Tibet. Pilgrims come here to pay homage from all over Tibet. In the late afternoon, you will have a chance to stroll on Barkhor Street to mingle in the crowds and enjoy the market activity.

Day 10 Lhasa (B, L)

Full day sightseeing takes you to Drepung Monastery. In Tibetan "Drepung" means the hill of rice', because this white Monastery looks like a big hill of rice. This monastery occupies an area of 150,000 square meters with 7700 lamas and becomes the largest monastery in Asia. After enjoying a local Tibet-style lunch at Namaste Restaurant, you will visit Norbulingka Park. In 1752, the 7th Dalai Lama built the first palace here for successive Dalai Lamas to carry out their political and religious activities during the summer season. Today Norbulingka has become a public park for picnicking, relaxing and entertainment. Continue to visit Sera Monastery. Sera means 'Hailstone' in Tibetan, and legend tells that it hailed during the foundation of this famous monastery.

Day 11 Lhasa / Guilin (B)

After breakfast drive to the airport and fly to Chengdu. Connect your flight to Guilin, a historical and cultural city as well as a tourist wonderland of world fame. "Guilin boasts the most beautiful scenery under Heaven" is a saying popular among its admirers. There are green hills and fields, forests of peculiar pinnacles and the beautiful Li River winding through the city. Check into the 5-star Hotel of Modern Art.

Day 12 Guilin (B, L)

Today you will enjoy the masterpieces of nature by visiting Reed Flute Cave, which is paired as a "Palace of Nature Art". The beautiful stalactites here experience a long formation process: calcium carbonate of rocks had being dissolved in groundwater; then after millions of years' depositing, accumulating and riming; it had turned into the stalactites we see now. Enjoy your lunch at local Gruel Restaurant. And then you will visit Yuzi Paradise, a large-scale international park of land art projects mainly engaged in cavern art and contemporary sculpture. With the joined efforts of global eminent artists, it is to be built as a living museum and leave a fine cultural heritage for future generations. It is a world heritage in progress shared and possessed by the world.

Day 13 Guilin (B, L)

After breakfast, you will head for the pier and then enjoy an exploration of Li River Cruise through the mist-shrouded limestone mountains, passing picturesque farms and fishing villages. And pay a short visit to the local primary school to experience their life.

Day 14 Guilin / Guangzhou / Hong Kong (B, L)

Fly to Guangzhou in the morning. Today you will visit the biggest, best preserved and decorated clan complex in Guangdong, Chen Clan Academy. It features classic excellences of typical Lingnan architecture, well-and-balanced layout, exquisite, and richly-decorated. You are greeted in a spacious square just outside and then attracted into the open matrix of four landscaped courtyards, imposing halls and peaceful corridors inside. Wood, brick and stone carvings, clay and pottery sculptures, iron structuring, glazed glass windows, painting, calligraphies and so on by local masters are all in functional art here and there. Have your lunch at Lianxiang Pavilion Restaurant to enjoy an authentic Cantonese meal and then take the express train to Hong Kong. Upon arrival, check into the 5-star Kowloon Shangri-la.

Day 15 Hong Kong (B)

Transfer to the airport for your departure flight. The whole tour ends with a memorable trip.