18 Day Luxury China Small Group Tour

Transcription

1 18 Day Luxury China Small Group Tour Including Return Airfares with Cathay Pacific Beijing Gubei Water Town Shanghai Xi'an Leshan Yangtze River

2 From $4,999 pp twin share Book Now Departure Dates 6 November March March April May June July August September October November 2019 Day 1 Australia Beijing Your boutique tour through China awaits! Your holiday will begin with an international flight to Beijing. Upon arrival at Beijing Airport, you will be met by your tour guide and escorted to your hotel to rest after your flight. Hotel: 5 Pan Pacific Beijing or similar Day 2 Beijing Today you will set out with your guide to discover Beijing s iconic imperial treasures. Stand in Tiananmen Square, one of the largest and grandest public plazas in the world before progressing on to the Forbidden City. Enter the imposing walls of the Forbidden City, once the domain of the Ming Dynasty, for an exclusive tour through this vast complex of courtyards and lanes. Enjoy the thrill of a rickshaw tour of the traditional Hutong areas, famous for the old-style buildings, and time-honoured workshops. Enjoy a delicious meal with a local family here before returning to your hotel an experience you ll never forget. Tonight, relax or enjoy one of our bonus Inspiring Sights options to enhance your experience.

3 Day 2 (cont.) You may choose to include two (2) optional Inspiring Sights throughout your tour, free as part of your package. Optional inspiring sight (1 of 4) - Kung Fu Legend Show - The Legend of Kung Fu Show is a mix of traditional martial arts and modern theatre. Presenting stunning Kung Fu skills, exquisite ballet and music, this beautiful story in no doubt has become the most loved Kung Fu show in China. Hotel: 5 Pan Pacific Beijing or similar Meals: Breakfast, lunch Day 3 Beijing Great Wall of China Mutianyu Gubei Water Town An incredible day awaits! Travel into the rugged mountain landscapes of the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China. Once on top of this famous ancient structure, take in the exceptional views. While here, enjoy an Inspiring Taste and sip some wine while you admire the incredible view from on top of the wall. Continue on your journey to learn about Jade, China s most precious and celebrated stone before driving to the remote Gubei Water Town which sits spectacularly in the shadow of one of the most beautiful Great Wall section - Simatai. It is a rare ancient village with a combination of natural landscapes and dramatic scenery making Gubei the China you have envisaged. On arrival, enjoy time at leisure to wander the narrow laneways and canals. Tonight your Inspiring Stay will be a boutique Chinese Courtyard inn. While not a modern 5 star hotel, staying in a courtyard inn gives you an insight into the Chinese way of life. Hotel: (Boutique) Yanmen Inn or similar "If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading." Lao Tzu

4 Day 4 Gubei Water Town Day 5 Gubei Water Town Beijing Shanghai Today, enjoy free time to experience the oldfashioned simplicity and elegance of Gubei Water Town. Rows upon rows of houses, old quartzite streets and long narrow alleyways which showcase the style and features of the ancient town. River channels are scattered between streets; houses near the river are bathed in sunlight. Besides sightseeing, you can experience unique local customs and participate in native activities. For the more adventurous you may choose to climb a section of the Simatai Great Wall. Please note, this section of the Great Wall is not reconstructed and is uneven and crumbling in some sections,however quite possibly, Simatai Great Wall is the most spectacular and most aesthetically pleasing section of the Great Wall of China. Hotel: (Boutique) Yanmen Inn or similar Meals: Breakfast Today we drive back to Beijing to board the highspeed bullet train to China s economic heart, Shanghai! China s bullet train network is now the most expansive in the world and you ll be rocketing to Shanghai at speeds up to 300km/h. On arrival you will be transferred to your hotel to enjoy some time at your leisure Hotel: 5 New World Shanghai or similar Meals: Breakfast Day 6 Shanghai Today, you will visit the Nanjing walking district and discover the history and culture of Shanghai at the Shanghai Museum. Continue to the Jinmao Building which was standing at meters high. It is located next to the Oriental Pearl Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Centre in the Lujiazui area of the Pudong district. Enjoy an Inspiring Taste of Shanghai Xiao Long Bao, the famous soup dumplings originating in Shanghai that are now found the world over. Then you will head to the Bund by the Huangpu River, and witness the old meeting the modern side of the city. Tonight, relax or enjoy one of our bonus Inspiring Sights options to enhance your experience. You may choose to include two (2) optional Inspiring Sights throughout your tour, free as part of your package. Optional inspiring sight (2 of 4) - Evening Huangpu River Cruise - Allowing you to take in the famous sites of Shanghai including; the People s Hero Monument, the Bund, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the dramatic skyline of the Pu Dong business district, the bustling International Passenger Station of Shanghai Harbour, the docks and the Wu Song ancient gun fort relics. Hotel: 5 New World Shanghai or similar Meals: Breakfast "Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still." Chinese Proverb

5 Day 7 Shanghai Xi an Today, you will be transferred to Xi an by flight. You will be met by your tour guide and escorted to your hotel. Xi an is one of the oldest cities in all of China, with a history of over 3,000 years. As one of the four great ancient capitals, it served as the capital city during several of the most significant dynasties in China s history. Xi an is now home to a great number of precious and ancient relics but is best known as the starting point of the famous Silk Road and where the towering Terracotta Army can be found. Hotel: 5 Sheraton Xi an North or similar Meals: Breakfast, dinner Day 8 X ian Today you will begin with a visit to the Wild Goose Pagoda. The temple was originally used by a large team of scholars to translate the Buddhism Scriptures into Chinese and subsequently became a holy place for pilgrims. You will then continue to the Provincial Museum, which documents China s archaeological finds which date as far back as the Neolithic Age (20,000 years ago). Your next visit will be to the Ancient City Wall, which was built in 194 BC and is the oldest and best preserved ancient city wall in all of China.

6 Day 8 (cont.) Tonight, relax or enjoy one of our bonus Inspiring Sights options to enhance your experience. You may choose to include two (2) optional Inspiring Sights throughout your tour, free as part of your package. Optional inspiring sight (3 of 4) - Tang Dynasty Dance Performance - The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show, a wonderful performance of the ancient music and dance, is a must when you visit Xian. Hotel: 5 Sheraton Xi an North or similar Day 9 Xi an Terracotta Warriors Xi an Today you will learn about over 1000 years of Xi an history, which served as China s capital for 13 dynasties and visit the Terracotta Warriors Site, considered the eighth wonder of the world and discovered by accident in Wear comfortable shoes today as, you will explore the army of over 7000 soldiers, archers, horses and chariots that has guarded Emperor Qin's tomb since 210BC. Each figure is unique, and the painstaking repair and evacuation continue to this day. On the way to the terracotta warriors, you will also visit an excellent factory where you can learn more about the creation, conservation, and history of the Warrior vaults. Day 9 (cont.) After lunch, enjoy a walking food tour through the famous Moslem Street, your guide will help order you delectable dishes and snacks for the more adventurous. Hotel: 5 Sheraton Xi an North or similar Meals: Breakfast, lunch Day 10 Xi an Today you will be transferred to by bullet train. Upon arrival at the, you will be transferred to your hotel to rest for your day of sightseeing tomorrow. 's history dates back to at least the 4th century B.C. when it served as capital for the Shu Kingdom but is more famous for the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, a conservation centre where visitors can view endangered giant pandas in a natural habitat. Hotel: 5 Crowne Plaza West Hotel or similar Meals: Breakfast, lunch A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving. Lao Tzu

7 Day 11 Set out today for an incredible tour of the Panda Research centre with an experienced local guide. The centre is famous for its breeding program and home of the Giant Pandas and their gorgeous cousins, the Red Pandas. Continue the Kuan & Zhai Alley, it is one of the top three historic preservation districts in City. It is formed by three alleys called Kuan Alley (Wide Alley), Zhai Alley (Narrow Alley), and Jing Alley. The major buildings in this site are courtyards and ancient style streets. Tonight we enjoy an Inspiring Taste with a local delicacy Sichuan Hotpot. Everyone who lives here seems to love it, and trying it should be a mandatory part of everyone's culinary tour of Sichuan. Hotel: 5 Crowne Plaza West Hotel or similar Day 12 Leshan Giant Buddha Huanglongxi Ancient Town After breakfast, we set out for a tour of the Leshan Giant Buddha. The Leshan Giant Buddha is a 71-meter-tall stone statue that has been carved out of the side of a towering cliff face. It is the largest stone Buddha in the world and it is by far the tallest pre-modern statue in the world. We finish today s activity with a visit to the Huanglongxi Ancient Town with a history of more than 1,700 years it still retains its rustic charm with ancient buildings and old folklore custom. Tonight, relax or enjoy one of our bonus Inspiring Sights options to enhance your experience. You may choose to include two (2) optional Inspiring Sights throughout your tour, free as part of your package. Optional inspiring sight (4 of 4) - Sichuan Opera Show - Sichuan opera show is considered one of the features of the city of. It features the mask-changing and fire-spitting tricks, has won its popularity and fame across China. Hotel: 5 Crowne Plaza West Hotel or similar Meals: Breakfast, lunch Day 13 Yichang Today, you will be transferred to Yichang by bullet train. Upon arrival, you will board the Yangtze River Cruise ship and settle in before its departure tomorrow. The expansive Yangtze River is the largest river in Asia and the third largest in the world. It is renowned not only for its impressive size but also for the natural beauty of its surrounds. The river begins in the remote mountainous regions and winds its way through stunning gorges, lush and fertile regions and connects with numerous lakes and waterways.

8 Day 13 (cont.) We have arranged an Inspiring Taste dining for you for the next 4 nights in the ships VIP dining room. Here enjoy a quieter dining experience, better views and complimentary beer and soft drinks. Ship: 5 Yangtze Gold 3 or similar Meals: Breakfast, dinner Hangzhou Day 14 Yangtze River Cruise Start with exercise on board in the presence of the beautiful Gorges. Enjoy an included shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam Site. The dam is one of the largest construction projects undertaken by mankind and is the biggest hydropower project in the world. After, return to the ship to enjoy some free time. Tonight enjoy the captain s welcome banquet and the evening entertainment of a Chinese dancing ball. Optional Shore Excursion - Tribe of the Three Gorges - You may also want to visit the Tribe of the Three Gorges, the only large scenic spot that has not been influenced by the Three Gorges Dam project, which showcases the abundant Ba Culture and Shu Culture. Ship: 5 Yangtze Gold 3 or similar Day 15 Yangtze River Cruise Today s included shore experience is to the Lesser Three Gorges you will leave your cruise ship and board smaller vessels to sail through the narrower and breathtaking Lesser Three Gorges region, lined by sheer cliffs and mountains. In the afternoon you will continue to cruise into the western section of Xiling Gorge. Optional Shore Excursion White Emperor City - You may also choose the optional excursion to visit the White Emperor City, an ancient temple that is located atop Baidi Mountain on the northern bank of the Yangtze River in Fengjie County. Ship: 5 Yangtze Gold 3 or similar

9 Day 16 Yangtze River Cruise Today you will pass through the mountains of Eastern Sichuan. Enjoy a shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City regarded as the City of Ghosts. The temples built on Ming Mountain depict the instruments of punishment and demon paintings, demonstrating the Chinese people s imagination of hell. Tonight, enjoy the farewell dinner and pack your bags as you ll be disembarking your ship tomorrow morning. Optional Shore Excursion Shibaozhai Shibaozhai is a 12-story wooden pagoda built against the rock in the 18th century. It is located in Zhong County on the south bank of the Yangtze River. There are steles and inscriptions of past dynasties on each floor. Ship: 5 Yangtze Gold 3 or similar Day 17 Disembark river cruise Australia Chongqing Today your guide will transfer you to the airport to wish you farewell you. We hope you have enjoy your journey through China. Meals: Breakfast Day 18 Australia Arrive home today Book Now Visit Contact Us support@inspiringvacations.com.au