Limited to no more than 60 people D Y N A S T I E S O F CHINA Main Tour 11 nights Beijing/Xian/ Yangtze River Cruise/Shanghai 24 September 4 October 2007 Optional Tour Extension 4 nights Guilin/Hong Kong 5 9 October 2007 An exclusive tour for Pharmacists, their partners and Industry friends. Tour Leaders Mike Lazarow & Dipak Sanghvi Dynasties of China Tour
D Y N A S T I E S O F C H I N A TO U R This itinerary is based on flights and schedules that are current at the time, however all schedules and costs are subject to alteration at any time. For the true adventure traveller, one of the most exciting and aspirational destinations on everyone s dream list must be CHINA. A land steeped in 3000 years history, where in a time several centuries BC, great feats of engineering and great inventions that seem astounding today, were accomplished; a land of fascinating culture with a history of great battles, heroes, mystery, myths, magic and legendary creatures that breathe fire. CHINA, the host city for the 2008 Olympic Games is emerging from behind the bamboo curtain and will delight and surprise every visitor. The Dynasties of China awaits you. Introduction From the balcony of the Rostrum 35 metres above Tiananmen Square in Beijing on October 1, 1949 Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Communist Party proclaimed the People s Republic of China. Mao gazes south from a huge portrait on the south side of the gate onto Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world. Behind the Rostrum lies the Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace. The Forbidden City is so called because it was off limits to commoners for 500 years. This is just a taste of what awaits as one of the world s great cultures unfolds before you when you awaken each day in China, a place of great beauty and mystery that will challenge your imagination. Our tour begins in stunning BEIJING where we are for 3 days and 4 nights. Our experiences will include a Hutong Tour, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and of course, The Great Wall of China plus lots, lots more. We then fly to XIAN the home of the fabled Terracotta Warriors and Huaqing Hot Springs where we spend 2 nights. After two nights in XIAN the tour moves on for the 4 night, 3 day, YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE. Flying to Chongqing we transfer directly to the M/S East Queen. Visit fascinating villages, pass through the Qutang, Wu and Xiling Gorges. Experience an excursion up the Shennong Stream and enthral at the Three Gorges Dam with its 5-stage shiplocks. From Yichang we fly to sensational SHANGHAI, the financial centre of the Far East and cultural melting pot. We will visit The Bund, Nanjing Road, Curio Alley and the Yu Yuan Gardens. Dine at one of the world s most famous restaurants, 3 on the Bund. Day 1 Depart Australia/Arrive Beijing Monday 24 September Depart Australia and arrive in Beijing to be met by our expert guides. Transfer to our hotel for check in and Welcome Cocktails sponsored by your hosts, Dipak and Mike followed by Dinner. Day 2 Beijing Tuesday 25 September Breakfast at leisure or why not try a Tai Chi experience. Enhance your agility and strength with an optional morning Tai Chi session. Tiananmen Square is the largest public square in the world. It has long been a gathering place for locals and visitors alike. In the centre of the square stands the Monument to the People s Heroes and behind that, Chairman Mao s Mausoleum. On the west side sits the Great Hall of the People where party and national congresses are held. Tiananmen Gate (the Rostrum) is to the north. On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong, chairman of the Communist Party, proclaimed the founding of the People s Republic of China from the balcony of the Rostrum. Mao gazes south from a huge portrait on the south side of the gate onto Tiananmen Square. The Forbidden City (Imperial Palace), directly behind the Rostrum was home to 24 emperors from Emperor Yongle in 1420 until the last Qing emperor, Puyi in 1924. The entire complex consists of 8,706 rooms in which lived nearly 10,000 people including 3,000 eunuchs. Strictly off-limits to Chinese ordinary people (hence the name) the gates today lead to a fascinating display of Chinese history in what is probably the finest preserved site of classical Chinese architecture. We then embark on a Hutong Tour with lunch in the home of a local family. Built during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, hutongs are the narrow network of lanes created by closely built quadrangular homes. Guests ride in pedi-cabs (3-wheeled bicycles) through the narrow alleys to visit a home and meet a typical family. The residents, who have lived through great changes and interesting and sometimes difficult times are delighted to answer any questions. That evening we will dine at Quanjude Peking Roast Duck Restaurant, a restaurant with a delightful ambiance, providing the traditional duck cuisine a new lease of life and a unique experience not to be missed.
Day 3 Beijing Wednesday 26 September Breakfast at leisure then we depart for a full day tour of The Great Wall. (Remember Emperor Nasi Goreng and the rabbits!) The Great Wall, one of the 7 Wonders of the World was built and rebuilt by a succession of Chinese emperors to keep out the marauding hordes of nomads who from time to time swept into China. The incline and series of steps leading to the top, while not treacherous, mandates participants wear good hiking or walking shoes. A cable car is also available for those not up to the challenge. The reward at the top is a magnificent view of the wall snaking restlessly for miles over mountain ridges. We also visit the cloisonné workshop where this intricate enamelware is made by soldering copper wires onto a metal base to create cells which are then filled with enamel paste, fired then polished. A wide range of merchandise is available for purchase at very competitive prices. Lunch will be at the factory. After a visit to the Ming Tombs we return to the city before departing for the world renowned Acrobat Show. That evening we will enjoy the experience of Green- T House. Prog ramme & Itinerary Day 4 Beijing Thursday 27 September The Summer Palace was a favourite haunt of the Empress Dowager. It is a wonderful series of lakeside halls and pavilions to the northwest of the city popular for boating in the summer and ice skating in the winter. A major feature of the Summer Palace is the Long Corridor, an open sided corridor, its beams and sides are decorated with 8,000 colourful scenes depicting the sights enjoyed by the emperor during his travels. We return to the hotel for lunch after which we will have Business Session 1 while partners enjoy the shopping experience of Silk Alley. That evening we will experience our Farewell to Beijing Dinner with a ten course Chinese set dinner at The China Club. Day 5 Beijing Xian Friday 28 September Early breakfast before transfer to the domestic airport for our flight to Xian with immediate transfer to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda & Tang Museum and lunch. After a tour of the remarkable City Wall check in at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Dinner will be at a local Dumpling Restaurant. Day 6 Xian Saturday 29 September After a leisurely breakfast we depart the hotel for a full day tour of the Terracotta Warriors and Huaqing Hot Springs. Uncovered in 1974 by peasants digging a well, the terracotta warriors are Xian s greatest and most important attraction. The first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, Qin Shi Huangdi, ordered the making of the warriors. The estimated 8000 terracotta soldiers are a testament to his power and megalomania. The tour includes lunch. That evening we will enjoy the famous Tang Dynasty Dinner Show which is considered one of the best in China today due to the dedicated and talented Shaanxi Provincial Song and Dance Troupe. The one hour Tang Dynasty Show interprets the songs and dances of the most prosperous and progressive era in the history of China. Day 7 Xian Yichang Sunday 30 September After breakfast we will have Business Session 2 whilst the partners are at leisure to further explore Xian. Afternoon transfer to the domestic airport for flight from Xian to Chongqing where we transfer directly to the pier to board the M/S East Queen for our 4 night/3 day, Yangtze River Cruise. Cruise Itinerary Day 7 Sunday 30 September 22:00 Embarkation Chongqing. Dinner on board. Day 8 Monday 1 October Shibaozhai Shore Excursion Day 9 Tuesday 2 October Passing Qutang Gorge Passing Wu Gorge Shennong Stream Shore Excursion Passing Xiling Gorge West Part Passing Three Gorges Dam 5-Stage shiplocks Day 10 Wednesday 3 October Three Gorges Dam Project Shore Excursion Arrive Yichang Disembarkation Transfer to airport for flight to Shanghai Hotel check in followed by dinner at 3 on the Bund Day 11 Shanghai Thursday 4 October City Tour of Shanghai visiting The Bund, Curio Alley and Yu Yuan Garden. The Bund is China s most famous and recognised thoroughfare. It stretches along a section of the Huangpu River and is bounded on one side by a row of Colonial buildings. At the heart of the old city is the Yu Yuan Gardens. Legend has it that Yu Yuan s gardens were built in the 16th Century by the eccentric and gifted landscape architect Zhang Nanyang who was
commissioned by the Pan family of the Ming court. After visiting the beautiful gardens we will be able to visit and shop in the adjoining market. Lunch will be at Mei Long Zhen Restaurant which combines Shanghai food flavour in Sichuan cooking. In the afternoon we will visit the Shanghai Museum and Silk Factory. Our Farewell Dinner will be something very special at the Shangri-La Hotel. Day 12 Shanghai Australia or Guilin Friday 5 October Breakfast in our Shanghai Hotel and the morning at leisure for optional tours, last minute shopping and lunch at leisure before transfer to the airport for the return flights back to Australia or to Guilin for the optional extension. Optional Post Tour Extention Guilin/Hong Kong Day 12 & 13 Guilin Friday 5/Saturday 6 October Two nights staying at the Sheraton Guilin Hotel. Located in the north east part of Guangxi Zhuang Region, Guilin is praised as the most beautiful attraction on earth and has been an inspiration to Chinese poets and artists throughout its long history. The stunning beauty of Guilin s shark-tooth karst hill formations and the enchanting magic of the twisting Li River are unique to the world. The Li River is crystal clear and along its banks, fantastic peaks ride straight up like forests. On your unforgettable cruise you will pass ancient villages, cruise through spectacular gorges, bamboo groves and see cormorant fisherman. The Reed Flute Cave is a huge and fantastic cavern eroded out of karst formation. It is lined along its entire 500-metre zigzag length with stalactites and stalacmites. Continue on to Fubo Hill one of Guilin s famous hills offering panoramic views of the city. Elephant Trunk Hill is regarded as the symbol of Guilin landscape. The hill has a history of 3.6 hundred million years. Resembling an elephant leisurely sucking water from the river with its long trunk, this hill has been famous as Elephant Trunk Hill for hundreds of years. Day 14 Guilin Hong Kong Sunday 7 October Morning city tour in Guilin with a mid afternoon flight to Hong Kong. In Hong Kong we will be staying in the ultra modern Langham Place Hotel. Day 15 Hong Kong Monday 8 October Enjoy your 2 night stop over in fabulous Hong Kong including a Hong Kong Island Tour and Farewell Dinner. Day 16 Hong Kong Australia/Europe Tuesday 9 October Breakfast at leisure before your onward or homeward flights.
Climate The average September temperature ranges in the midtwenties with mostly sunny days. Business Program There will be 8 hours of conference program. The program content will be assessed and the appropriate CPE points allocated. An attendance register will be maintained and all delegates will receive a certificate of attendance. The nature of the program is yet to be finalised but it will be of a relevant and topical nature. Our Hotels All the hotels we have booked are modern first class hotels. In BEIJING we have booked the Park Plaza, a modern hotel in the heart of the city. In XIAN we will be in the Hyatt Regency, one of the most popular hotels in the city whilst in SHANGHAI we have the sensational Shangri La Pudong. Our vessel for the Yangtze River Cruise, the M/V East Queen includes all shore excursions and all meals. Dining & Entertainment An important feature of all our tours is to ensure an interesting and diverse culinary and cultural experience. Our Dynasties of China Tour will be no different. What would a visit to Beijing be like without a Peking Duck experience? The Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant employs 25 top chefs, all capable of preparing a series of classic Chinese delicacies and All Duck Banquet. A unique experience not to be missed. Also in Beijing is The China Club, previously a 16th Century Palace and now totally restored. A superb selection of everything that embodies classical Chinese food is offered including regional specialties such as Cantonese, Shanghainese and Sichuanese haute cuisine. And then there is the Green-T House! This fusion dining experience will blow you away. You will talk about this meal for years to come. In Xian we will enjoy a Tang Dynasty Dinner Show. Considered one of the best in China with its talented Shaanxi Provincial Song and Dance Troupe, winners of numerous national and international awards. In Shanghai we will have the privilege of dining at 3 on the Bund. Jean-Georges Vongerichten, one of the world s most renowned chefs and touted culinary innovator brings his contemporary haute cuisine to China. For lunches we will experience Shanghai food in Sichuan cooking. Specialities include longan bean-curd and celery shredded quail.
Dynasties of China Main Tour Travel Package 11 nights Tour registration fee $395 Tour Package $8600 (per person ex Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, twin share basis) Dynasties of China Guilin/Hong Kong Optional Extension 4 nights Guilin/Hong Kong Optional Extension $2250 (per person twin share) Tour Package Includes Return economy class airfare from Australia Economy domestic airfares in China 4 nights/3 days Yangtze River cruise Airport departure taxes 7 nights twin share accommodation (plus 4 nights for optional extension) Daily buffet breakfasts Dinner each night Lunches on most days Transfers airport/hotel/airport All tours as per itinerary All tips and gratuities Air conditioned fi rst class coaches 8 hours of Business Program Plus lots, lots more Not Included Passport and visa costs Travel insurance Expenses of a personal nature such as personal telephone calls, laundry, room service Alcohol and refreshments not included in program Single supplement for all hotels where applicable Pharmacy Tours Mike Lazarow and Dipak Sanghvi well known Industry identities are the principals of the Dynasties of China Tours. After three highly successful tours to India, this tour to China will build on the experience gained in leading small group tours. A feature of our tours are all the little extras built into the program that ensure extraordinary value for money. IMPACT TRAVEL (formerly Yvonne Lazarow Travel P/L) is an accredited travel company, well versed in handling large travel groups. A member of the Travel Compensation Fund ensures all monies are safeguarded in an appropriate trust account. Pacific World Limited will be our locally based ground agents in China. For 20 years they have served a variety of travel markets. They have a proven track record, experienced field operators and their volume purchasing power has ensured an unparalleled value-for-money delegate package. As this tour is restricted to no more than 60 participants, we advise early registration to avoid disappointment.