China Discovery Tour
Overview
16 days private guided China tour takes you to explore ancient Chinese culture, modern miracles and amazing natural scenery. The fantasitic of Mutianyu Great Wall, Forbidden City and Terracotta Army are the top sites to be explored with the metropolis Shanghai and the beautiful Yellow Mountain as well as Guilin & Yangshuo - where are regarded as some of the most scenic towns in China with surreal karst landscape.
Best for: couples, first timers, families
Duration: 16 days & 15 nights
Destinations: Shanghai - Suzhou - Huangshan - Hangzhou - Guilin - Yangshuo - Longji - Xi'an - Beijing
Travel type: Private escorted tour - Flexible & Free to customize
Highlights:
• Must-see Forbidden City, the Great Wall, Terra-cotta Warriors
• Charming Shanghai with Yu Garden and the Bund
• Most scenic Huangshan and Karst Landscapes in Guilin and Yangshuo
• Discover the real China from metroplises to villages in remote mountain areas
Customize Your Tour:
☑ Travel Dates ☑ Your Interests ☑ Your Travel Style
Itinerary Expand All
Enjoy full-day tour to famous attractions: Yu Garden, which features traditional architectural style of Yangtze Delta and used to be a private garden with 400 years’ history. Old Quarters, where you can appreciate the special architecture style, Xintiandi, a pedestrian street composed of traditional street format of Shanghai Shikumen and modern development. Then pay a visit to Shanghai Museum, a large museum of ancient Chinese art. It boasts 120,000 pieces of rare and precious cultural relics in twenty-one categories, including bronze ware, ceramics, calligraphy, paintings, sculpture, etc. Later, go to the Bund and Nanjing Road. As it is known to all, The Bund is Shanghai’s waterfront to see new-erect modern skyscrapers and aged buildings of the colonial period, while Nanjing Road is the busiest shopping street.
Meal: B, L
Today drive from Shanghai to Suzhou, which boasts China's best classic gardens and some charming water towns. Visit Panmen Gate built in 514, a gate to both the landway and waterway. There are also ancient bridges, pavillions, temples and pagodas. Then visit Lingering Garden, one of the four classic gardens in China, Picture yourself walking an exquite artificial landscape with elegant layout, artistic architecture and even idyllic rural scenery. Proceed to Tongli Water Town, one of the top traditional water towns in East China, but relativly less touristed. You may enjoy a traditional boat cruise along the streams. And pay a visit to Tuisi Garden (Retreat and Reflection Garden). Drive back to Shanghai.
Meal: B, L
Leave Shanghai and catch your bullet train to Huangshan, where the famous Yellow Mountain is located. It is best renowned for its natural scenery in China. Take cable car up the mountain and get to your hotel. Along the road enjoy its stunning sights like wondrous pines growing from the sheer cliffs, strangely shaped rocks, amazing seas of clouds, etc. In the afternoon, explore the West Sea Canyon, one of the highlights of Yellow Mountain with splendid mountain views. And also hike to visit other scenic spots and watch the sunset if the weather permits. Overnight on the mountain.
Meal: B, L
Enjoy the sunrise on Yellow Mountain if you wish and the weather is good. Take cable car down, visit the UNESCO-protected Hongcun Village, where Oscar Winner "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was filmed. It is known as "a village on the picture" with perfectly-preserved Huizhou dwelling houses, bridges, stone-paved path, shops, etc. Hongcun is also one of the most famous places in China for photography. Later visit the Tunxi old streets of Huangshan City to discover many traditional shops and cultural sites. Then catch your high speed train to Hangzhou, and transfer to check in hotel.
Meal: L
Visit Lingyin Temple-- one of the ten most famous ancient Buddhist monasteries in China. Next to the temple, go to the Feilai Peak, 209 meters (about 700 feet) tall, is a pure limestone mountain that is very distinctive from the sandstone mountain around it. Then enjoy boat cruise on West Lake, with its beautiful lakes, mountains and many attractions, it has become the world-famous tourist destination and is known as the "paradise on earth". Later, go to Dragon Well Tea Plantation to enjoy a leisure time there.
Meal: B, L
Continue your China discovery tour, flying to Guilin. Be met by your Guilin local guide at the airport and transferred to hotel check in. Then visit Reed Flute Cave, known as "Natural Art Gallery" or an underground palace. It is famous for its fantastic stalactites and stalagmites formation which are illuminated by colorful lights. If there's still time, you may have a leisure walk around the central lakes to find Elephant Trunk Hill - the symbol of Guilin, and Sun and Moon Twin Tower.
Meal: B
Enjoy the cruise trip on Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo, the best part of the river with picturesque scenery of islets, limestone peaks, villages, bamboo groves... Disembark at the beautiful small town famous for its Karst landscape--Yangshuo. At Yangshuo, you can have a free afternoon for your own exploration to the West Street or the nearby rural farmlands. In the evening, you can watch the optional evening show ‘Impression Sanjie Liu’ on the natural stage along Li River.
Meal: B, L
This monring bike to the countryside of Yangshuo to exerise your feet and witness local peaceful village life. Optional tour of bamboo rafting on Yulong River. It winds its way in a picturesque valley sided by stunning limestone hills. Sitting on a bamboo rafting, you can lie down on the chair smelling the fragrance of rice, enjoying the gentle water buffalo walking on the bank. On the way, you can also slide down some small dams on the raft as a soft adventure. Later, transfer to Longji.
Kind Reminder
- From the parking lot to your hotel, you are supposed to walk about 30 minutes up to your hotel. There’s no regular vehicle that can be used to transport visitors or luggage. The walking distance depends on the location of your hotel. We suggest that you leave the big luggage at the hotel at the foot of the mountain and take a small bag with you up to hotel for the one night stay. Or you may hire a local porter to transport your luggage with a fee of about RMB100 per person (round way).
Meal: B, L, D
Pay a visit to Longji (Dragon Back) Rice Terraces, located 55 miles (87km) northwest of Guilin, where you will be rewarded feats of farm engineering going all the way up a string of 2400 feet (800 m) mountains. Walk up to the observation deck to view the endless rice terraces and take awesome pictures. Wave goodbye to the nature of Guilin and fly to the historical Xian. Be met at the airport and transferred to hotel check in.
Meal: B
Today's sightseeing including 3 highlights: Ancient City Wall, the best-kept and biggest city walls in China. Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, one of the most important archaeological finds in the 20th century; an army of terra-cotta warriors and the bronze chariots entombed in vast underground vaults at emperor Qin's tomb since 2200 year ago. Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum, which is the resting place of the first Emperor in China.
Meal: B, L, D
This morning, visit the iconic landmark of Xian - the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. It was built in Tang Dyansty to keep the Buddhist classic brought back by Master Xuanzang who traveled along the Silk Road to Ancient India. Have a walk on the Muslim Quarter to witness the local Muslim lifestyle. It is also Xian's most famous food street, therefore you can taste various authentic local foods. Thereafter, visit a local family to learn from the friendly host to make dumplings - the most famous Chinese food. Enjoy the home-made dumplings for lunch. Transfer to take a bullet train to Beijing, the.dynasty capital of China.
Meal: B, L, D
In the morning, go to the Temple of Heaven, a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design where the ancient emperors used to pray for the God's bless of the whole nation. Then visit the Forbidden City, the largest imperial palace in China for 24 emperors' reign during the Ming and Qing dynasties with a history of around 600 years. The rest of the day is at leisure.
Meal: B, L
After breakfast transfer to visit Summer Palace, loved by Qing Dynasty emperors as a summer retreat. It was built perfectly based on the natural landscape of lakes and hills, with superb garden art and beautiful architectures. After lunch, delve deep into Beijing local culture, taking a 3-wheel rickshaw to Hutong, being regarded as a window into Beijing folk life, it is a unique street design in Beijing-- some crisscrossing old narrow paths with courtyard houses built on each side.
Meal: B, L
Visit Mutianyu Great Wall, a less visited and more original part of the Great Wall. It is situated where vegetation is luxurious and over 90 percent of the land is covered with grass, forests and fruit trees. Then pay a visit to Ding Tomb, an underground palace for a Ming-dynasty emperors' afterlife.
Meal: B, L
Here comes to the end of your 16 days China discovery tour. Pick up at the hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight back home. Welcome to China again!
Meal: B
End of service.