20 day Grand China Escapade

Day 1

Place & Transport: Arrive in Hong Kong, Flight not included
Today's Activities: Airport to Hotel Transfer (Hong Kong), Leisure by yourself
Detailed Itinerary: Upon your arrival in Honk Kong, 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 yourself.

Day 2

Place & Transport: Hong Kong
Today's Activities: Leisure by yourself
Meals: Breakfast
Detailed Itinerary: Hong Kong is a fascinating combination of the traditional Chinese culture and hi-tech western civilization. It is well known for its great shopping areas and colorful streets. The whole day is of yours to explore the city - the pearl of the orient.

Day 3

Place & Transport: Hong Kong to Guilin, Flight No. TBA
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Hong Kong), Airport to Hotel Transfer (Guilin)
Meals: Breakfast
Detailed Itinerary: Your time is your own, until the time when you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Guilin

Day 4

Place & Transport: Guilin
Today's Activities: Li River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: Guilin is famous for its stunning scenery, and the best way to see it is from the deck of a Li River Cruise boat. The boats leave from various wharves, according to river height at different times of the year, and you'll be transferred to the appropriate pier for an unforgettable trip down river to the lovely old town of Yangshuo. The afternoon will give time to explore the area which is famous for its shopping.

Day 5

Place & Transport: Guilin to Shanghai, Flight No. TBA
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Guilin), Airport to Hotel Transfer (Shanghai), Reed Flute Cave, Piled Silk Hill (Folded Brocade Hill)
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: Today you'll see a little more of Guilin. Folded Brocade Hill, get its name from the traversed stone blocks piled one after another just like colorful folded silk, and Reed Flute Cave is a vast and very impressive cave system, are two of the best attractions in the city. Make sure you have plenty of small change with you are at the caves - the children there sell flutes for about 1 yuan, and if you only have an American dollar, you're likely to end up with a whole basketful of flutes! Later in the afternoon you will go airport in time for your flight to Shanghai.

Day 6

Place & Transport: Shanghai
Today's Activities: Pujiang Cruise(from South bund to Yangpu Bridge), Admire Jinmao Tower in a distance, Oriental Pearl TV Tower
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: A Huangpu River Cruise is one of the best ways to see both old and new Shanghai. We will cruise on the Pujiang Cruise from South Bund to Yangpu Bridge. We get a great view of The Jinmao Tower which is the third tallest building in the world and the tallest building in China. Afterwards it's the famous Oriental TV Tower (also known as the Pearl Tower, for its distinctive shape). The viewing platform provides wonderful views over Shanghai and the Huang Pu River.

Day 7

Place & Transport: Shanghai to Yellow Mountain, Flight No. TBA
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Shanghai), Airport to Hotel Transfer (Yellow Mountain), Yuyuan Garden, Nanjing Road
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: Today you will head off to Yellow Mountain but before going you visit the lovely old Yuyuan Garden, the most famous garden in Shanghai. Yuyuan Garden is decorated by beautiful pavilions, miniature lakes, bridges and rock formations. If you are lucky you may catch a glimpse of the monk's tea ceremony. We conclude the day in Shanghai with Nanjing Road 'shopper's paradise' before flying to Huangshan (Yellow Mountain).

Day 8

Place & Transport: Yellow Mountain
Today's Activities: Huangshan Scenic area
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: The whole day will be spent on the mountain. After breakfast in the hotel we'll drive to Huangshan Scenic area and take cable car uphill. It will take several hours to climb to the nearby peaks but only by hiking can you enjoy the magnificent scenery formed by the many granite peaks and rocks emerging out of clouds. Tonight you'll stay on the mountain.

Day 9

Place & Transport: Yellow Mountain to Shanghai, Flight No. TBA
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Yellow Mountain), Airport to Hotel Transfer (Shanghai), Hongcun Village
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: The highlight for today is Hongcun Village. An ancient town over 800 years old, leaning against Mt. Huangshan. It is often folded in the fog. It enjoys the reputation of 'The Chinese town in the pictures'. The famous film 'Crouching Tiger' was shot in Hongcun Village. You will return to Shanghai in the evening.

Day 10

Place & Transport: Shanghai to Yichang to Yangtze, Flight No. TBA
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Shanghai), Airport Transfer (Yichang), Cruise pier Transfer (Yichang), Board the ship from 5:00pm to 10:00pm and departs Yichang at night--00:00am.
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: The morning is free and we fly to Yichang where your guide will meet the group a and transfer you to the pier to board your Yangtze River cruise ship which will departs late in the Evening. The mighty Yangtze is said to be the cradle of Chinese civilization.

Day 11

Place & Transport: Yangtze
Today's Activities: Shore excursion to Three Gorges Dam Site(8:30-10:30am).

Meals: Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner
Detailed Itinerary: After an early breakfast the first excursion is to the Three Gorges Dam site, the largest water conservation project ever undertaken by man. You can get access to the top of the dam and have lots of photo opportunities. The rest of the day you can enjoy the beautiful scenery along the river.

Day 12

Place & Transport: Yangtze
Today's Activities:  Shore excursion to Shennong Stream(8:00am-12:30pm).

Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner
Detailed Itinerary: Morning brings us to the Shennong Stream, a tributary of Yangtze River. It's fast-flowing, crystal clear water runs southwards through deep gorges. The stream races past karst caves, sheer cliffs, deep gorges, waterfalls, the three-colored springs, and rapids on it's way to join the main river. Evidence of ancient human habitation is shown by the ancient plank path, the suspended coffins on the cliffs and groups of ancient tombs. The excursion lasts about 4 hours.

Day 13

Place & Transport: Yangtze
Today's Activities: Shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City (8:30-10:30am).

Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner
Detailed Itinerary: Today's itinerary takes us to Fengdu Ghost City this morning. Fengdu is where the devil lives, according to Chinese legend. They say that spirits go to heaven, and evil goes to Fengdu. The town is overlooked by Ming Shan Hill, home of Tianzi, the King of the Dead. The whole place has an eerie feel to it with deserted streets, tower blocks, empty shops and banks. The only people here are those who make a living from visiting cruise boats.

Day 14

Place & Transport: Yangtze to Chongqing to Xian, Flight No. TBA
Today's Activities: Cruise pier Transfer (Chongqing), Airport Transfer (Chongqing), Airport to Hotel Transfer (Xian), Shaanxi Historical Museum, City Wall, Arrives in Chongqing at 9:00am.
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: The cruise boat arrives in Chongqing at 9:00 where our local guide will meet you and escort you to the airport for your flight to Xi'an. Then, we set off for the Shaanxi Historical Museum, one of the best museums in China. Later, the half-hour's hike along the Ancient City Wall is a great experience. (Bikes can be rented for around 20 yuan/hour). It is a major landmark, and the best preserved and oldest and largest city defense system in China.

Day 15

Place & Transport: Xian
Today's Activities: Terracotta Warriors, Forest of Stone Steles Museum, Big Wild Goose Pagoda
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. After lunch, first stop is the Xi'an Stele Forest Museum which houses 900 years of history, holding a large collection of the earliest stone steles from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. 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 16

Place & Transport: Xian to Beijing, Flight No. TBA
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Xian), Airport to Hotel Transfer (Beijing), Great Mosque
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: The last stop in Xi'an is the Grand Mosque which is one of the four grand Islamic mosques in China with history more than 1,200 years. It's really well worth the trip, not only for its history but also for its unusual architecture-combining traditional Muslim and Chinese styles. Later your guide will transfer you to the airport for your flight to Beijing. You will have lunch on arrival.

Day 17

Place & Transport: Beijing
Today's Activities: Great Wall at Mutianyu, Mutianyu Cable Car(round trip)
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. Dinner is at Quanjude which serves the world known Beijing roasted duck.

Day 18

Place & Transport: Beijing
Today's Activities: The Tian'anmen Square, The Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: It is a great chance see local people practicing Taiji at the Temple of Heaven in the early morning, or you enjoy watching as they sing to each other.After this, we continue to the Tian'an men Square that lies in the center of the city, it's the symbol of Beijing and ranked No. 1 in the 16 new scenic highlights of Beijing. If you like, we can stop and let you have a walk on the square. After lunch, you will have the privilege to experience ancient emperor's daily life. We will visit the Forbidden City, from which the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties governed for over 500 years. It is the essence and a must for sightseeing in Beijing, the magnificent and solemn palaces arouse your imagination of the life of Chinese emperors.

Day 19

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 20

Place & Transport: Depart Beijing, Flight not included
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Beijing)
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 Hong Kong 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.