12 days of Ancient China & Tibet Discovery Tour

Day 1

Place & Transport: Arrive in Beijing, Flight not included
Today's Activities: Airport to Hotel Transfer (Beijing)
Detailed Itinerary: Beijing is a city of amazing contrasts - an ancient capital with some incredible historical sites and a bustling modern metropolis getting ready to host the 2008 Olympics. Upon your arrival in Beijing, our guide will meet you and transfer you to your Hotel. The guide will give you some tips on local restaurants that we recommend and shopping in streets nearby. The rest of the day is free to rest to recover from jetlag or to explore on your own.

Day 2

Place & Transport: Beijing
Today's Activities: Mutianyu Cable Car(round trip), Great Wall at Mutianyu, Temple of Heaven
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner at Roasted Duck at Hepingmen
Detailed Itinerary: After breakfast, our guide will accompany you to the Great Wall - Mutianyu Section which has some unique characteristics over other sections. It is surrounded by wonderful landscape and has a rarely seen structure formed by three connected watch towers and the cable car provides a safe comfortable assent and decent. Lunch is at local restaurant near the Wall. In the afternoon, you’ll enjoy visiting the attractive tree-lined Sacred Road, bordered by stone statues along which the Emperors once trod to conduct their sacred ceremonies. Dinner is at Quanjude which serves the world known Beijing roasted duck.

Day 3

Place & Transport: Beijing
Today's Activities: The Forbidden City, The Tian'anmen Square, Hall of Clocks and Watches
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: Be Chinese for the morning as we join with the thousand of local people as they practice Tai Chi at the Temple of Heaven before breakfast. Join in or just watch, it's your decision. Later we continue to Tian'anmen Square, the symbol of Beijing and ranked No. 1 of the 16 scenic highlights in Beijing. Walk through - it's much bigger than you think - to check out the many points of interest. After a real local lunch, you will be able to experience the ancient emperor's daily life at the Forbidden City from where the Emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties governed for over 500 years. It is the essence and a "must see" in Beijing. The magnificent and solemn palaces will arouse your imagination of the life of Chinese emperors.

Day 4

Place & Transport: Beijing
Today's Activities: Summer Palace, Hutong Tours in Rickshaw
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: After experiencing royal life today there is the opportunity to take a rickshaw ride to the Hutong where we visit a local flea market which is an excellent example of typical architecture of this area. You may find some interesting things and learn how to bargain. You will also visit with a local family and talk to the family members to gain a true understanding of life in this region and to have an experience of this unique form of community. We can guarantee you will have impressive stories to tell your friends after this. Then to the Summer Palace, which is equally famous as the Forbidden City. It is the best preserved and the largest imperial gardens in China.

Day 5

Place & Transport: Beijing to Xian, Flight No. TBA
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Beijing), Airport to Hotel Transfer (Xian), Shaanxi Historical Museum, City Wall
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: This morning you will be transferred to the airport in time for your flight to Xi'an. After arrival you will proceed to at one of the best museums in China, the Shaanxi Historical Museum. Among the 400,000 items on display are treasures from many Dynasties including some magnificent bronzes and porcelain which have never before been on permanent display. Later we will take a half-hour's hike along the Ancient City Wall to familiarize ourselves with this fascinating cross cultural city. For the energetic we recommend a ride bike along the top of the wall (Bikes can be rented for around 20 yuan/hour). The City Wall is a major landmark and the best preserved, oldest and largest city defense system in China.

Day 6

Place & Transport: Xian
Today's Activities: Terracotta Warriors, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Bell Tower
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: After breakfast in the hotel, you will set off for the incredible 2000 year-old Terra cotta warriors. The Warriors are part of the underground tomb of the Emperor Qin. Well over 7000 figures in full battle array are formed for battle in several large pits. Many of the figures - soldiers, archers, horses and chariots have been restored. The repairs and excavations continue at the site where you can see both repaired and broken warriors in a truly impressive display. There is also an excellent museum which includes bronze chariots unearthed nearby, and a film about the history and discovery of the tomb. It will takes about 15 minutes to walk from parking place to the entrance, so we have provided an electric car to make the day a little easier. In the afternoon we're going to the Bell Tower where you can get a bird's view of the city from the top. There is a music performance of the ancient music and a display of the instruments. We will continue to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda where widely renowned Master Xuanzang (Monk Tripitaka) stored his collection of classic Buddhist artifacts brought from India.

Day 7

Place & Transport: Xian to Lhasa, China Eastern Airline MU2335 Dep 12:30PM - Arr 3:20PM
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Xian), Airport to Hotel Transfer (Lhasa)
Meals: Breakfast
Detailed Itinerary: After breakfast in the hotel, our group will depart for the airport in time for the flight to Lhasa, Tibet. After arriving in Lhasa the rest of the day is free to explore the city and to allow your body to adjust to the altitude.

Day 8

Place & Transport: Lhasa
Today's Activities: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: Today we explore Lhasa. Your first stop will be The Potala Palace with its 10,000 steps. It is the largest structure in Tibet. Then we visit to the most celebrated temple in Tibet the Jokhang Temple. The afternoon is a little more relaxed with time to enjoy some leisure time in Barkhor Street to shop and to look at some of the local crafts.

Day 9

Place & Transport: Lhasa
Today's Activities: Sera Monastery, Norbulingka, The Carpet Factory
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: Today's highlights will include visiting the Carpet Factory, Norbulingka, Drepung Monastery, and Sera Monastery. These important monasteries were constructed as a summer palaces for the Dalai Lama and later served the whole governmental administration. The Carpet factory is very interesting as it gives an insight into the manufacture of the famous Tibetan Carpet.

Day 10

Place & Transport: Lhasa to Shigatse
Today's Activities: Tashilunpo Monastery, Yomdrok Lake
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet is today's destination. After having lunch in the city, we will visit Tashilhunpo Monastery which is painted in red and white. The buildings in the monastery stand close together in terraced rows offer a great view of the surrounding country side.

Day 11

Place & Transport: Shigatse to Lhasa
Today's Activities: The Palgor Chorten
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: After having a breakfast we will drive back to Lhasa. Enjoy the grassland views on the way. A free afternoon is available for you to explore more of Lhasa, to revisit those shops or just catch up on your rest.

Day 12

Place & Transport: Depart Lhasa, Flight not included
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Lhasa)
Meals: Breakfast
Detailed Itinerary: Your time is your own, until you are ready to be transferred to the airport for your departure.

Note: If you choose to stay on in Lhasa for a few extra days, or arrive a few days early in Beijing, please let us know, and we'd be happy to extend your hotel bookings, or arrange additional tours for you.