East Asia Discovery - China & Japan

Private escorted tour to the Great Wall, the greatest of the eight ancient architectural wonders in the history of human civilization. Then go to Ming Tomb, about 50 kilometers from the northwest of Beijing, is the best preserved Chinese imperial tombs and have been nominated by UNESCO as world cultural heritage. The Sacred Road, namely "the way leading to Heaven", is affiliated with Ming Tomb. At night, a famous and delicious Peking Duck Banquet is offered.

Meal: B, L, D

Enjoy the free time until your guide escort you to airport for you flight to Xi’an. Upon arrival, transfer to visit Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum. It is known as the eighth wonder of the world and a museum to display terra-cotta warriors and horses in Qin Dynasty (221-207B.C.).

Meal: B, L

After breakfast, go to the Shaanxi History Museum, which boats a large collection of unearthed cultural relics of China. Then visit the Ancient City Wall, the best-kept and biggest city walls in China--13,912 meters in circumference, 12 meters in height, and the foundation is 18 meters in width and the top of the wall is 15 meters wide. Later, go to the Wild Goose Pagoda - the city emblem, which was first built in Tang Dynasty (618--907) for the storage of Buddhist scriptures taken from India by Monk Xuanzang.

Meal: B, L

Fly to Chengdu. Upon arrival, transfer to visit Jinsha Cultural Relics Museum, which was claimed as the first important archaeological find in China at the beginning of 21 century. Then wander around Jinli Old Street to have fun.

Meal: B, L

Drive to Dujiangyan Irrigation Project to see the aqueduct used for more than 2200 years, and then proceed to Mt. Qingcheng for a pilgrimage to Taoist Holy Mountain.

Meal: B, L

Half-day tour to Chengdu Panda Breeding Center to see the lovely China's ambassadors. Then transfer to airport and fly to Chongqing. Be picked up at the airport and transferred to visit Ciqikou Ancient Town. It was named as it had supplied large sum of chinaware dating during Qing and Ming dynasties. After dinner, board the Yangtze Cruise at night.

Meal: B, L, D

On board, shore excursion to "the Ghost City" Fengdu or Shibaozhai Hill depending on the schedule of the cruise companies. Since 2010, some cruise companies offer optional shore excursions during your cruise, please kindly check with your travel consultant for more information.

Meal: B, L, D

Today you'll get a close look of the enchanting landscape as you board a small boat and cruise along a tributary to the Yangtze to explore the exceptionally beautiful Lesser Three Gorges or Shennong Stream depending on the arrangement of the cruise company.

Meal: B, L, D

Arrive in Yichang at noon time. After lunch, transfer to the airport and fly to Shanghai. Check int your hotel.

Meal: B, L

Visit the beautiful classical Chinese Garden Yu Garden. A saying goes as:" Those who have visited Shanghai but missed Yu Garden cannot claim that they have been to the city." Then pay a visit to Pudong Area and Shanghai World Finance Center to experience the prosperity of Shanghai. Later, wander around the area of the Bund and Nanjing Road. The Bund is located in the Huangpu District, the scenery line of Shanghai and the center of Shanghai. Nanjing Road is a shopping paradise just nearby the Bund.

Meal: B, L

Drive to Zhujiajiao to witness the traditional lifestyle at Yangtze Delta. The centuries-old town Zhujiajiao was a trading area due to its strategic location linking many canals. Later, transfer back to Shanghai and enjoy a free afternoon for your own exploration.

Meal: B, L

Enjoy the free time until your guide escort you to airport for you flight to Tokyo. Upon arrival, enjoy the free time in Tokyo.

Meal: B

The first full day tour takes you to the best spots of Tokyo's popular districts - Otemachi and Ginza. After the lunch in Tsukiji (one of the world's largest fish markets), you will visit a large artificial island - Daiba where the giant Gundam statue is waiting for you. In the end of the day you can relax in the healing waters of Oedo Onsen Monogatari (hot spring theme park). The water is rich in sodium and chlorine ions, drawn from 1,400 m underground, and the thermal baths here are thought to be effective in relieving nerve, muscle and joint pain.

Meal: B, L

You will explore the most prosperous and lively districts of Tokyo - Harajuku, Omotesando and Asakusa. You will visit Meiji Jingu Shrine that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken. Right across the street next to Harajuku Station you will find the trendy shops and boutiques of Takeshita Dori Street where the most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles are blooming. After lunch you will relocate to North-East of Tokyo to Asakusa - a historical district with Tokyo’s biggest Buddhist temple and countless traditional shops where you can buy Japanese hand made souvenirs. After the breathtaking observation of Tokyo from 634 m. height of Skytree you will be taken back to the hotel where you can enjoy the dinner and relax after the intensive day.

Meal: B, L

A full day excursion to a city located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, Kanto, Japan, approximately 140 km north of Tokyo. In Japan, there is a saying: “See Nikko before you die” or “You cannot say enough until you see Nikko”. Surrounded by rich forests, there are many temples and shrines as well as hot springs in Nikko. Among them, the highlights are Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Rinnoji Temple and Futarasan Shrine which form the Nikko UNESCO World Heritage Site. Next place is Chuzenji - a scenic lake in the mountains above the town of Nikko. It is located at the foot of Mount Nantai, Nikko's sacred volcano. For the lunch you will have fish taken from the lake Chuzenji. After the lunch you will visit Kegon - an impressively high 97m waterfall. Then transfer back to Tokyo, Free at leisure at nignt.

Meal: B, L

After breakfast, drive to Hakone. Time to enjoy the panoramic views of Mt Fuji in Hakone. The picturesque lakeside region of Hakone is a wonderland of stunning mountain panoramas and relaxing outdoor onsen (hot spring baths). You'll cruise Lake Ashi on a pirate ship, take a ride on a ropeway to the Valley of Geysers – Owakudani and try the longevity-enhancing eggs boiled in the hot spring waters. You will stay in a traditional Japanese hotel (Ryokan) where you can enjoy an open bath hot spring (rotenburo), tasty home style dinner and wearing yukata (a casual cotton kimono).

Meal: B, L, D

After breakfast, take bullet train to Kyoto, Visit Kiyomizu-dera - the temple of the Goddess of Mercy, a symbol of religious belief for more than 1,200 years. Many tourists from overseas visit the temple to drink water from three sacred streams. Transfer to Gion - Kyoto's most famous geisha district, located between Yasaka Shrine and the Kamo River. Then visit Yasaka Shrine. According to the legend of the shrine, its history may go back as far as 150 years before the Heian era, AC656 (the second year of the reign of Emperor Seimei). Along with the development of the capital, adoration to the shrine spread widely all over Japan. Today, approximately 3,000 satellite shrines exist in various parts of Japan.

Meal: B, L

Today we will explore Kyoto city area, first is Kinkakuji - one of Kyoto's leading temples which was built at the end of 14th century as a villa of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu who was the 3rd shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate. Then Visit Ryoanji - Kyoto's most famous Zen Temple. The next stop is Ginkakuji which is perhaps the pinnacle of Japanese artistic expression. The last attraction is Heian Shrine. Heian Shrine was built in 1895, which was the 1,100th anniversary of the founding of Heian (Kyoto).

Meal: B, L

After breakfast, drive to Nara which is an ancient capital of Japan and the center of Buddhism. There are many attractions in Nara, such as biggest bronze Buddha statue in Japan and the biggest wooden building in the World - Todai-ji Temple ("Great Eastern Temple"). Drive to Osaka, upon arrival, check in hotel, free at leisure at night.

Meal: B, L

Visit Osaka Castle and central Osaka districts – Namba and Shinsaibashi, then enjoy free time on your own.

Meal: B, L

Enjoy free time in the morning until our guild escorts you to airport for your homeward flight.

Meal: B