Jewish Heritage Tour
13-Day Beijing, Harbin, Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, Luoyang, Xi'an and Shanghai Tour
Discover China's Jewish history as well as the most popular attractions. This Jewish Heritage Tour offers a special experience, visiting sites in Beijing, Harbin, Kaifeng and Shanghai.
Suggested Itinerary
Your vacation starts with a private car with a guide picking you up from the airport, and giving you a cell phone for keeping in touch with your guide.
Your journey starts with the famous two, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, where the presence of history is so palpable: the imperial red walls of magnificent gates and walls, golden roofs reaching for the sky and courtyards designed to impress.
The Temple of Heaven is perhaps less known, but equally wonderful feat of architecture and design; the circular buildings connected by long ceremonial avenues speak of times gone by.
We can organize a visit to the only one synagogue school in Beijing, where Shabbat services and weekly Parsha studies are organized for the Jewish community.
The Mutianyu Great Wall is less-crowded and has stunning views across the valleys; it also has the most watch towers. A cable car takes you to the top; for the way down you can also choose to toboggan.
Summer Palace was the favorite place for the imperial family to relax in a more informal setting. It is one of the most charming places in Beijing; the willows reflecting in the lake and lovely walkways leading to pavilions and bridges. It is no wonder it has been declared a World Heritage Site.
After lunch the guide and driver will take you to the airport to catch a flight to Harbin.
Harbin during the first half of the 20th century had the largest Jewish population in the Far East. The Jewish Synagogue, built in 1918, is the largest Jewish synagogue in China.
Dragon Tower is a landmark of Harbin City, and serves as Heilongjiang TV Broadcasting Tower. The observation platform has a stunning panoramic view of Harbin City, and a revolving restaurant at the top is a memorable dining experience.
The Jile Temple (Jile si) is the largest Buddhist Temple in Heilongjiang Province, and has an ancient pagoda complex inside. In the winter, the Ice and Snow Sculpture Gallery is of course the main attraction in Harbin, the exquisite works of art made of the high quality ice from the Songhua River.
Siberian Tiger Park is the largest center for breeding these endangered majestic creatures. An enforced bus takes visitors through an open park, where over 100 tigers roam freely. Among the interesting sights are the ligers, a product of tiger and lion cross breeding.
Later in the day your guide will take you to board you plane to Zhengzhou.
A private car will take you to Kaifeng, which had a very large Jewish Community from about 900AD to the beginning of 20th century. It is only recently that this heritage has come to wider knowledge, and the 200 descendants of those Jewish people still living in Kaifeng are starting to attract visitors.
Kaifeng Museum has several exhibition halls displaying Chinese history and a small part telling some of the story of the Jewish peoples history in Kaifeng. Original this area had its own synagogue, built in 1163 but destroyed by flood in middle of 18th century; only a well remains.
Millennium City on the edge of Longting Lake is a large historical theme park founded as a tribute to the painting by a famous artist from the Northern Song Dynasty (960AD-1127AD.
In the morning your guide and drive will take you to Luoyang to visit the famous Shaolin Temple, where the monks have perfected their style of world famous kung fu: wushu. The monks display their skills in as show several times a day, which you are invited to watch.
Today your guide will take you in a private car to see two of the most famous sights in Luoyang: Longmen Grottoes and White Horse Temple. The grottoes are carved on the river side and have been listed as a World Heritage Site, and the temple was a birthplace of Buddhist monasteries in China.
Boarding the high speed train to Xi'an, where you will be picked up and taken to your hotel. Ask your travel advisor for suggestions on what to do in the evenings.
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses are still one of the most intriguing archeological finds nearly 40 years after they were discovered, as new artifacts are still being unearthed; some include statues of musicians and acrobats.
Ancient City Wall of Xi'an is actually more like an elevated road, it is so wide. You can just take a walk, or hire a bike or a rick shaw to see more in shorter time. Shaanxi History Museum gives a great insight into how culture developed in this province, the cradle of the ancient China.
This morning your guide will take you to the airport for you to continue to Shanghai, which also has a Jewish heritage.
Yuyuan Garden in the old part of the city is a charming Ming Dynasty creation; it is said that the cost of building the garden ruined the eminent family who lived here; quite believable. Yuyuan Market nearby is actually a collection of streets full of merchandise: a shopper's paradise.
The Bund, the world-famous embankment along the western bank of Huangpu River is not only a museum of architecture, but also a thriving hub of activity. You may wish to linger here, perhaps sit in one of the cafes waiting for the dusk, as it is a delight in the evenings.
Shanghai was home for tens of thousands of refugees from before the Second World War until 1949. The Old Jewish Quarter was where they settled among the Jewish community that had started on the banks of the Huangpu River around middle of the 19th century. Shanghai Jewish Synagogue has a museum attached as well as a small art exhibition of Jewish works related to Shanghai.
Duolun Road was home to a number of famous writers in the 1930s, now it has antique shops and restored buildings.
Price includes:




98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+
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Great tours!
I had an amazing two trips on the Great Wall and the Forbidden City with the guide Ivy during my stay in China. She was very helpful and answered all of our questions with an enthusiastic approach. I have nothing to say but to highly recommend the trips they offer on the Great Wall hiking/camping and also the in-depth Forbidden City tour! Thank you Ivy and China Highlights. more
May 2023,
Serhat Altay
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Amazing First Time to Beijing with China Highlights
Tom, my private tour guide was there when I landed and accompanied me all the way through to sending me off at the airport after check-in at the end of my trip. Zhao the driver, who also did all the driving during my trip, was calm, confident and knowledgeable in taking us around. Both Tom and Zhao were punctual too. The Great Wall of China Hike I wanted to do started in a very remote, unrestored part of the wall. This would not had been possible without Tom problem solving many issues we had on the way up and I could not have done this on my own a a foreigner. It was well worth the effort and probably the highlight of my trip.The remainder of the tour around Tiananmen Square, Forbidden Kingdom and The Temple of Heaven was paired with a detailed commentary by Tom of which I learnt a lot. more
May 2023,
Munsie
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Beijing - city of surprises
A fantastic guide was waiting for us - Jack, who told all the stories with passion and commitment. He also fulfilled those wishes that were not in the plan. I highly recommend visiting Beijing with this guide. more
May 2023,
Joanna i Piotr Kuzebscy
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Liu Yuan was a superb guide and a lot…
Liu Yuan was a superb guide and a lot of fun to spend time with during my first visit to Beijing. It was a wonderful intensive three days. more
May 2023,
Pam S.
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Great weather and a good trip out with Lily!
Many thanks to my guide Lily for customising the trip to make it as efficient and enjoyable as possible. She arranged to start an hour earlier to beat the crowd and I got to enjoy the Great Wall before the crowd streamed in and while the weather was cool. I requested to switch the next attraction to visit from Temple of Heaven to Ming Tomb and she not only accommodated the prompt request, but made all the necessary arrangements even before the trip coordinator managed to reply! Kudos! Our driver was jovial and friendly, always on top of traffic conditions and took detours to beat slow moving traffic. Hassle free day and I wouldn’t have been able to cover the two attractions so easily and comfortably without them! more
May 2023,
Meibao
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This was our first time traveling to Beijing
This was our first time traveling to China, so we really wanted to experience some of the major historical sights of Beijing together with a tour guide. Our itinerary was very carefully planned out according to our interests and tailored to our needs. First, we went camping on the Great Wall and hiked from Jiankou to Mutianyu, and the next day we got an in-depth tour of the Forbidden City as well as a tour of the Temple of Heaven and a taiji experience in the gardens. Our tour guide, Ivy, was truly wonderful in preparing and organizing our personalized itinerary. She is very friendly and knowledgeable, and she was always able and willing to answer all of our questions. Ivy provided us with a truly amazing first visit to China and I would warmly recommend China Highlights for everyone who wishes to travel to China and I would especially recommend Ivy as a tour guide for your trips! more
May 2023,
Annalina Wheeler
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Tom is the BEST tour guide EVER!
Just had the most AMAZING tour with Tom. He was beyond knowledgeable, so generous with his time and made me feel so at ease which was super important as I am travelling by myself. Thank you Tom for the best day-you have totally made my China trip a fabulous experience, one I will never forget! more
May 2023,
SHARRYN HINCHLIFFFE
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Superb service and wonderful time in Beijing
Superb service from Jack who were with us for 4 wonderful days in Beijing. Jack was clearly knowledgeable about the history and able to deliver insight information to us about places. He was also kind and accommodating to my mother who has bad knees. Both China Highlights and Jack were flexible about the itinerary to ensure that we enjoy the best of Beijing. We'll definitely use China Highlights' services again for our next trip to China. more
May 2023,
Chani
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Amazing Trip
First time booking a trip with China Highlights and was fortunate to have Sunny as my private tour guide. We went to the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall, then arrived and walked around Gubei Water Town, and then visited the Simatai portion of the Great Wall at night. Was a very enjoyable trip as we were able to see a night time drone show in the sky, ride a private boat through the canals of the Gubei Water Town, and eat a delicious lunch at a local restaurant along the way. Sunny is super knowledgeable when it comes to the history of the Great Wall and took the time to explain various interesting facts and stories which made the trip very meaningful. The driver we had was also a very nice man who was always on time and eager to help. Was an unforgettable experience and would highly recommend Sunny and China Highlights :) more
May 2023,
Allen C
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Tour to the great wall from the airport
My guide Tom was ver kind and knowlegable, he explained everything to me about the great wall and even went out of his way to help me the next day at Bejings downtown! amazing service!!! thank you so much Tom! more
May 2023,
Fer Villasefior
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Great tour, fantastic guide!
This tour was fantastic! I loved hearing about the history of the Forbidden City and admiring the views at the Great Wall. William was a fantastic tour guide. We were a group of families with several young children, and he was very accommodating and flexible with timing and arrangements. I totally recommend this tour and William as a guide! more
May 2023,
Ryan Corless
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Four excellent sightseeing days in Beijing
We had wonderful four days in Beijing. The entire trip was tailored exactly to our wishes. From experiencing local food, to exploring the major sites of the city up to hiking the great wall of China. Additionally, we had two amazing guides Ina and Fan taking care of all the tickets and coordination required. Also, they could not only tell us everything about the sights we visited and give us an insight to local customs and traditions, but they did so in perfect German. The chauffeur service from Mr Chang was also excellent, getting us from A to B without any hazzle. The past couple of days were one of the most carefree trips we have had so far. more
May 2023,
Katha
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Great tour from William
Great tour organized by China highlights, our tour guide was William - his knowledge was impressive, his English was great and he was always on time. We did the four day tour including the wall and forbidden city - would definitely recommend to anyone looking for an English tour guide. more
Apr 2023,
Lawrence
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Beijing 2 day private tour
The tour itself was great, private driver to and from, my guide Ivy was great English speaking guide. She was very knowledgeable and passionate about her country. Was a great time exploring the Great Wall of china and then my second day did a city tour (forbidden city, hutong tour, summer palace). Felt extremely safe, and was confident having an English guide. Thank you china highlights. (Provide them what you want and they’ll make it happen). Prices are reasonable as I looked at a few places but for private tour, my own schedule, and confidence of getting around safely you can’t go wrong. more
Apr 2023,
Mark
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Very enjoyable
Everything was to the vest standard, the history all very well explained by the Tour Guide in Beijing, Ivy. Really enjoyed it, and appreciated the time. more
Apr 2023,
Jonathan
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Amazing Beijing Experience
I had an amazing time in Beijing and glad Tom was my tour guide. He went above and beyond and I’m truly grateful. Tom did all that he could to ensure my stay in Beijing for two days was pleasant and thanks to him, I say that it was. The driver was also nice and courteous, I called him Jon. The company is blessed to have a good tour guide like Tom on their team so if you are planning to come down to Beijing, make sure you ask for Tom. Thank you Christy and Kimmy for replying all my emails with questions that I had. more
Apr 2023,
Pedro V
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Great experience
We had a great experience with China Highlights and Roger was highly efficient and helpful planning our itinerary exactly how we needed. more
Apr 2023,
Brenda Sarmanho
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Excellent service and tour guide!!
Excellent service and communication from the travel agent Roger Li and amazing tour and experience of Great Wall of China from our tour guide Amber. Highly recommended! more
Apr 2023,
Evangelos Athanasopoulos
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Maggie was such a tremendous help for…
Maggie was such a tremendous help for our recent Beijing trip. Very prompt and helpful in helping us plan and adjust/amend to our requests. more
Apr 2023,
Hi
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HK-Beijing-Wuhan-Guilin-HK
We travelled first to Beijing for a few days before moving on to Wuhan for the wedding and then for a few days in Guilin along with my son and daughter in law. It was a great trip and all went smothly with the help of the guides we had along the way. William in Beijing and Jenny in Guilin were excellent. Chas in HK was also very helpful in getting us to the right place and the right time to fly home. more
Apr 2023,
Alan Harris
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