The Pursuit of Happiness

Hotel: Crowne Plaza Hotel Beijing Chaoyang U-Town (Superior Room)(TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2015)

Private Airport Transfer
After a long journey on the airplane, you will arrive in Beijing. Your children-friendly local tour guide, driver, and a well-maintained private non-smoking van will be waiting for you upon arrival. Your guide will assist you with your luggage at the airport and help you check-in at your hotel.

A Leisurely Recovery
Your afternoon or evening is free for you to recover and relax. Feel free to ask your guide what there is to do nearby if you want to take a walk or discover parts of the area on your own.

Hotel: Crowne Plaza Hotel Beijing Chaoyang U-Town (Superior Room)
Meals provided: breakfast and lunch

Experiences on the day include the classic, epic sites of Beijing. The Forbidden City was the imperial palace that was home to 24 emperors. It is where treasures are now housed and history has occurred. The grand Tian'anmen Square is the largest city square in the world and has been witness to many major historical events.

After spending half a day walking around those two sites, you will get on a rickshaw to the hutongs to discover the traditional local lifestyle. The interesting activity of the day for the children is to learn how to do Peking Opera mask painting with a soft Chinese brush. If you prefer other activities at hutong, paper-cutting, playing Yo-yo or learning how to make kites are available.

Hotel: Crowne Plaza Hotel Beijing Chaoyang U-Town (Superior Room)
Meals provided: breakfast, lunch, and a roast duck dinner

Wake up in the morning and start the day at the Temple of Heaven, which was a place for the emperor to pray for good weather and a good harvest. Interact with the locals and join in with different morning exercise groups to experience their happy lifestyle.

Avoid the rush hour in the morning, and then continue to the Great Wall at Mutianyu. This is a less-crowded section that allows for leisurely walks along it, passing through the watchtowers, and presenting a superb view as it snakes across the hills and mountains. For family fun, you can have a picnic lunch on this World Wonder and take a toboggan sled down it, which was the choice of President Obama's family in 2014.

End the wonderful day by having a roast duck dinner at Quanjude Restaurant and share your happy experiences of the day.

Hotel: Wyndham Grand Xi'an South (Deluxe Room) (TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2015)
Meals provided: breakfast and lunch

Spend the morning relaxing in the Summer Palace, which consists of gardens and lakes. Take a boat ride across a lake and explore the Garden of Virtue and Harmony to take you further into China's history.

Located at the north end of the central axis of Beijing City, the Olympic Stadiums contain a national museum, exhibition area, the Olympic Village, and the Olympic competition venues. Approximately 31 venues were used in the Beijing Olympics, including the National Stadium, the Bird's Nest, and the National Aquatics Center. The kids will have fun exploring the park and you can take a look at the great architecture.

You will catch a flight to Xi'an at night or in the late afternoon. If you would like to experience five hours high-speed rail to Xi'an, please feel free to tell this to your travel advisor.

Hotel: Wyndham Grand Xi'an South (Deluxe Room)
Meals provided: breakfast and lunch

This day includes the highlights of Xi'an. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses, with each figure being unique, have guarded Emperor Qin's tomb since 210 BC. Have a silent conversation with these figures that are 2,200 years old. With the background knowledge, the kids will have an opportunity to try their hand at making small terracotta figurines with pottery clay in a workshop, and can take them home as special gifts for their friends.

Another highlight is the outdoor activity of cycling around the Ancient City Wall. The wall encircles the city and is perfect for seeing an overview of Xi'an.

Hotel: Shangri La Hotel Guilin (Deluxe Room) (TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2015)
Meals provided: breakfast and lunch

As one of the best museums in China, Shaanxi History Museum provides a perfect overview of Chinese history, and parents should not miss it. The museum houses over 370,000 items including murals, paintings, pottery, and coins, as well as bronze, gold, and silver objects. If you think you already seen enough museums, the Great Mosque at Muslin Quarter is recommended to discover and learn different culture with less tourists.

Have a special lunch at a local family's house. The friendly hosts will teach you how to make different shapes of dumpling from dough. Enjoy the interaction with these people and the dumplings you make.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda that was built in 652 AD. The Chinese-style architecture combined with historic Buddhist statues, murals, and scriptures is complemented by the best panoramic view over Xi'an.

Before leaving Xi'an, walk around the Muslim Quarter to find local snacks. Take a flight to Guilin at night.

Hotel: Shangri La Hotel Guilin (Deluxe Room)
Meals provided: breakfast and lunch

All activities for this day are arranged in Guilin City. Discover the mysterious Reed Flute Cave with a torch and use your imagination to see these living stalactites and stalagmites. Then head to Daxu Ancient Town to know about aged housed 200 years ago and listen to their stories of the hosts who are still living in it.

As important parts of Chinese culture, painting and the language both reflect Chinese philosophy. Take a two-hour lesson at the Chinese Language Institute to learn more about China. Experienced English-speaking teachers will fully communicate with the kids and adjust the lessons according to their interests.

Hotel: Yangshuo Green Lotus Hotel (Deluxe Room)
Meals provided: breakfast and lunch

Enjoy the stunning natural beauty of the Li River as you cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo, which takes about four hours. Get your camera ready and record the unforgettable scenery and moments. You will reach Yangshuo Wharf, near the bustling West Street, at approximately 1:30pm. A Chinese buffet lunch is included. Families are recommended to take some snacks and cards or games for the children due to spending half a day on board.

One-Hour Bamboo Rafting on the Yulong River
After arriving in Yangshuo County and completing the check-in process at your hotel, it is time to stretch your legs and do an outdoor activity. Recognized as the best river view of Yangshuo, the Yulong River is a perfect place for bamboo rafting. Enjoy a close experience with the clear water.

Good to Know:
Impression Liu Sanjie is a quality outdoor performance that is highly recommended for your evening. Put together by the famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou, the show is set on the Li River with karst peaks as its backdrop, featuring magnificent folk music and dancing. Due to weather conditions it may not be included as part of the itinerary, so ask your guide to check the availability on that day.

Hotel: Les Suites Orient Bund Shanghai (Bund Studio River View) (TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2017)
Meals provided: breakfast and lunch

With your guide's help, rent bicycles from West Street and get ready for about two hours' biking in the villages. Pass through rice paddies, vegetable fields, and an orchard, and take photos with water buffalos. Pay a visit to a local farmer's family and get to know some traditional farm tools that have been used for generations.

Head to Guilin Airport in the afternoon and catch a flight to Shanghai.

Good to Know:
Mountain bikes, ordinary bikes, and bikes for children are available. You can also choose tandems if there is someone who cannot ride a bike, or for very young kids.

Hotel:Les Suites Orient Bund Shanghai (Bund Studio River View)
Meals provided: breakfast and lunch

Shanghai's colonial legacy combined with Chinese culture has created a unique fusion of East and West, including ancient architecture to modernistic buildings. You will visit the Yuyuan Garden, located in the center of Shanghai's old city. Just outside the tranquil garden is the busy Yuyuan Market where lots of snacks and souvenirs are available.

After the market, you will head to the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, where you can get a magnificent view of the city's ever-changing modern skyline and the kids will have fun in the wax museum on the first floor. Then relax at the Bund to look at the high buildings on the other bank of the river.

Meal provided breakfast

It is the last day of the family tour. Get everything packed, both in the suitcase and in your memory. Your children are lucky to have the opportunity to travel to China when they are very young and to see the oriental nation in its booming days.

Hotel: Beijing Ritan Hotel (Deluxe Room)

When your international airplane lands in Beijing, there will be a smiling face waiting for you. Your children-friendly guide and driver will meet you at the arrival hall, take care of your luggage at airportand and escort you directly to your hotel. The rest of the time is for you to relax and get ready for the coming days.

Hotel: Beijing Ritan Hotel (Deluxe Room)
Meals provided: breakfast and lunch

Wake up in the morning and start the day by visiting attractions on the axis: Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City. The grand Tian'anmen Square is the largest city square in the world and has been witness to many major historical events. The Forbidden City was the imperial palace and home to 24 emperors. It is where treasures are now housed and history has occurred.

In the afternoon, ride a rickshaw and visit a local family to get a more personal experience of the hutongs, a maze of historic alleyways and single story traditional courtyard houses. Learning to apply facial makeup for the Beijing Opera is a fun way to experience the local culture. If you prefer other activities at hutong, paper-cutting, playing Yo-yo or learning how to make kites are available.