Grand Tour China

Day 1: Arrival in Hong Kong
Ni Hao! welcome to Hong Kong, Pearl of the Orient! You will be met by our local tour guide at the arrival hall of Hong Kong Airport and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is spent at leisure. If you want to explore nearby areas, feel free to get some practical suggestions from your guide.

Day 2: Hong Kong
Today you will spend a full day exploring Hong Kong. After breakfast, you will depart for a half-day tour with a visit to Hong Kong’s symbol - Victoria Peak. An exciting tram ride will take you to Hong Kong's highest peak. You will pass by the observation deck to take in the magnificent Hong Kong skyline and harbor views. Continue to take a trip to Repulse Bay, also known as the Hawaii of Orient, the Repulse Bay is the most beautiful sand beach with a long coastline, soft sand, clean water, and pleasant temperatures. After a short break in Repulse Bay, proceed to the Stanley Market, where you can browse in various little stores, or just order a cup of coffee or beer at the seaside café or pub, a great way to spend time away from the maddening crowds. In the evening you will head back to your hotel for leisure and overnight.

Day 3: Hong Kong - Guilin
After breakfast, you will check out and take an intercity high-speed bullet train from Hong Kong to Guilin, departing at noon. After about 3.5 hours train ride, you will arrive at Guilin North Railway Station. Be picked up by your guide and be transferred to your hotel for check-in. The rest of today is free at leisure to explore this beautiful city on your own.

Day 4: Guilin - Longsheng - Guilin
After breakfast, your guide will take you to Longsheng, which is about 2,5 hours from Guilin. Longji Rice Terrace is one of the most beautiful rice terraces in China. There are several featured Zhuang and Yao minority villages along the road and you’ll take a visit to the special Huangluo Yao Village, the First Village of Long Hair in the World, where you can see women in red ethnic clothes and their characteristic long hair. Afterward, continue your drive to a beautiful 600-year-old Zhuang Village - Ping’an and its rice terrace. You will be spending half a day hiking around the area before you are heading back to Guilin for leisure and overnight.

Day 5: Guilin - Li River Cruise - Yangshuo
After breakfast, you will depart for an exciting day out in some of China's most beautiful nature. Today you will start with a relaxing sightseeing cruise along the Li River from Mopanshan Pier to Yangshuo Town. During this cruise, dazzling scenery will overwhelm you like vast endless Chinese painting of a winding river, green limestone karst mountains, fascinating countryside views. Lunch is served by the cruise with simple local Chinese cuisine. After about 4 hours cruising down the Li River, disembark in Yangshuo Town, and check-in to your hotel. After a short break, you will head out to explore the Yulong River. You can decide to go biking, hiking, sightseeing bus, bamboo rafting, or explore by scooter. In the evening you can go out for a walk on ancient West Street to witness how western culture and Chinese culture perfectly and peacefully coexist here. Whether you want to enjoy a cup of drink in a bar, taste some local food, or just experience the relaxing atmosphere, you get it here.

Day 6: Guilin - Chengdu
After breakfast, you will drive about 2 hours to Guilin Airport to catch your flight to Chengdu. Upon arrival at Chengdu airport, your guide will be waiting for you and transfer you to your hotel in the city for leisure and overnight.

Day 7: Chengdu
After breakfast, you will depart for a full day of exploring Chengdu including a visit to the Giant Panda research center. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is not only the most important panda scientific research center in the world but also the home of more than 100 Giant Pandas. You will walk at leisure through the bamboo-framed paths and closely observe giant pandas of different ages eating bamboos, playing with each other, tumbling, and climbing trees. Be sure to not miss the chance to watch female pandas nursing their cubs in the nursery rooms! Afterward, you will head to a hidden spiritual Buddhist temple in downtown Chengdu, Wenshu Temple. Chengdu is famous throughout China for its relaxing and leisurely pace and lifestyle, which will be felt while visiting the City’s Renmin Park. Take a seat, order a pot of Chinese tea and watch locals indulging themselves in different kinds of entertainment. Next will be an impressive visit to the famous Jinli Old Street, full of delicious local snacks, delicate artifacts, interesting folk shows, and other activities. Transfer to your hotel for leisure and overnight.

Day 8: Chengdu - Chongqing
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Chengdu Eastern Railway Station to take the high-speed train to Chongqing (about 2hrs). Upon arrival at Chongqing Northern Railway Station, you will be met by your guide and head off to visit Ciqikou Ancient Town - Chongqing's old harbor and once the site of the residential houses of many of Chongqing's richest merchants. Afterward, you will be taken to the Three Gorges Museum, a large monographic museum presenting the history and culture of the Three Gorges Dam Project and its place in Chinese history. After the tour, you’ll be transferred to Chongqing Chaotianmen Port to board your cruise ship between 18:00-20:00 for your once-in-a-lifetime Yangtze River cruise.

Day 9: Yangtze River Cruise
In the morning, wake up leisurely and enjoy the gentle sunshine shining over the tranquil and beautiful Yangtze River. Onboard you will enjoy different kinds of activities, like practicing Tai Chi on the boat’s sundeck, drinking a relaxing morning coffee, attending a Yangtze River history and culture lecture, or taking part in the Captain’s Welcome Party and evening shows. You will also be able to take some excursions with local guides, including an excursion to Shibaozhai Pagoda, one of the “Pearls” of the Yangtze River. A gem of Chinese architecture, this 12-story, 18th-century red wooden temple on the northern bank of the Yangtze River is an architectural delight full of legends and beautiful stories. Lunch and dinner will be served on the boat.

Day 10: Yangtze River Cruise
Today you will sail through the spectacular Three Gorges while relaxing on the sun deck and soak up the breathtaking gorge scenery passing by as you drift through Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, and Xiling Gorge. In Wu Gorge, you will switch to a smaller boat to sail down the Shennv Stream (Goddess Stream). In the evening, you will enjoy the Captain’s Farewell Party as well including a dancing show.

Day 11: Yichang - Zhangjiajie
After breakfast, you’ll disembark at Maoping Port and head out for an excursion to Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydropower project, located in the middle of Xiling Gorge near Yichang. You will marvel at this gigantic dam from different angles, learn more of the background history of the Three Gorges Dam Project and enjoy the surrounding beautiful landscape and scenery. Afterward, you will be picked up at the Three Gorges Dam Site Parking Lot and transferred to Yichang East Railway Station for your train to Zhangjiajie (about 5 hours). Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by your guide, then transferred to your hotel in Zhangjiajie city.

Day 12: Zhangjiajie - Wulingyuan
After breakfast, you will depart for an exciting trip to Tianmen Mountain. Also known as the “Soul of culture and spirit of Zhangjiajie”. There are many exciting things to do, including experience the longest cableway in the world(7455m/24,460ft), experience the Cliff-Hanging Walkway, and walking on the breathtaking Glass Path. Next, you'll head to the Yellow Dragon Cave, also known as Huanglong Cave. It is an underground-lost palace that is praised as the most beautiful cave in the world by UNESCO Experts. There are two underground rivers, four waterfalls, 13 caverns, and 10,000 stalagmites and stalactites in this huge limestone cave. After the sightseeing, you'll be transferred to Wulingyuan for leisure and overnight.

Day 13: Zhangjiajie
After breakfast, you will be met by your guide and driver and transferred to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. You will first take the cable car up to Huangshi Village to enjoy the stunning views of the wide forest park on its peaks. Walk to the top famous sights including Star Picking Stand and Five-Finger Peak. You will be taking a cable car back down. Later, change your angle to explore the famous Golden Whip Stream deep in the valley, which is one of the most beautiful places in the whole forest park area. After lunch, you will take a sightseeing bus to exit the park and be transferred to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon which takes about 40 minutes. You will have a chance to walk on the transparent Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, which is the world's longest and highest glass-bottomed bridge so far in the whole universe, with a total length of 430 meters / 1410 feet and with a height of 400 meters / 1310 feet above the deep valley. After this exciting walk, you will enjoy the Nuokeli Slideway to the bottom of the valley. In the afternoon you will be transferred to your hotel in Wulingyuan for leisure and overnight.

Day 14: Zhangjiajie - Shanghai
After breakfast, you will depart for a full day of fun activities! You will start your day with a sightseeing bus to experience Bailong Elevator, the fastest elevator and also the tallest outdoor elevator in the world. Enjoy the 1.5 minutes to be shot from the valley bottom up to the pillar peak. And then, hike amongst the multiple erupting stone columns at Yuanjiajie Scenic Area. After lunch, take the sightseeing bus to visit Tianzi Mountain. Walk to He Long Park, which is one the of best viewing decks to admire the incredible and magnificent view of odd stone peaks standing one after another. In the afternoon, your guide will take you to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by your guide, then transferred to your downtown hotel in Shanghai.

Day 15: Shanghai
After breakfast, you will spend a full day of sightseeing to explore both the past and present of Shanghai. Your first stop is Shanghai Museum, this modern museum, has collected many international-standard exhibits of bronzes, paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, ceramics, jade from more than 5,000 years ago to the Qing dynasty. To help you learn about the history and facts about the relics in the museum easily, an audio explanation device will be ready for you. 
Afterward, you will visit Yu Garden and Yuyuan Bazaar where you can try tasteful local snacks and explore traditional Chinese handicrafts and artworks. After this delicious stop, you will head to “the Eye of Shanghai” Shanghai World Financial Center, where you will enjoy a panoramic view of the modern face of Shanghai from the 100th floor (474m). After this visit, you will head to Nanjing Road, a shopping paradise as well as a great place to take a wonderful walk to experience the modern atmosphere of the city. In the evening, you will stop at the Bund, originally a simple towpath for transporting goods but now transformed into a feverish trading district. You will stroll along the Bund, seeing and feeling the perfect fusion of Chinese and Western cultures while at the same time taking in the stunning Shanghai skyline with your own eyes! 

Day 16: Shanghai - Xian
After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel for some more exploring before heading to the airport. First, you’ll pay a visit to Jade Buddha Temple, the site of the largest Jade Buddha in the world, and numerous religious artifacts, ancient statues, and Buddhist scriptures. If time allows, you’ll be transferred to Tianzifang where you can stroll along the clean and old alleys to watch the daily life of local Shanghai people while enjoying a cup of tea at the open-air café and find some interesting things in the novel shops to feel the international feature mixed with real Shanghai culture. In the afternoon, your guide will transfer you to the airport for your departure flight to Xian. Upon arrival in Xian, our guide will be waiting for you and transfer you to your hotel in the city for leisure and overnight.

Day 17: Xian
After breakfast, you will set off to discover the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, built by the first emperor of China Qin Shihuang to protect him in his afterlife. Over 8,000 life-size warriors, horses, and chariots, buried in 3 pits for more than 2,000 years until uncovered by a local farmer in 1974. After lunch, return back to Xian and take a wonderful stroll on the Ancient City Wall, the largest and best-preserved ancient city wall in China. Enjoy panoramic views of modern Xian while you leisurely examine this well-maintained city wall. This visit is followed by a relaxing wander around the bustling and lively Muslim Quarter, a place where you can try different local snacks.

Day 18: Xian - Beijing
After breakfast, you will head to the Da Cien Temple, a famous Buddhist sutra translation site during the Tang Dynasty. Big Wild Goose Pagoda is the most famous building in the temple. It's possible to climb up the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, at an extra cost. You will also have an opportunity to try on the Hanfu which is the formal costume of the emperors and their families. Seize this rare opportunity to take some photos to record this unique memory! Next is a visit to the Shaanxi History Museum where you can ramble in the modern exhibition halls to appreciate historic relics such as porcelains, paintings, and currencies dating from the Zhou to the Tang dynastic periods (1100BC to 907 AD). The rest of the afternoon is free until you get transferred to catch your train to Beijing, which will take roughly 4,5 hours. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by your guide, then transferred to your hotel in the city.

Day 19: Beijing
After breakfast, you will be picked up at your hotel for a full day exploring Beijing. You will start to explore the historical face of Beijing with a brief visit to Tiananmen Square which is now the largest city plaza in the world. Stepping into Tiananmen, you will see one of the world’s 5 most important palaces – Forbidden City, a huge palace complex of more than 9,000 rooms where 24 emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties used to live in. After lunch, you will drive about 40 minutes to the outskirts of Beijing to visit the Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China. Stroll around ancient pavilions, mansions, temples, bridges, and corridors. In the evening transfer back to your hotel for overnight.

Day 20: Beijing
Today you will get to experience one of the Seven Wonders of the World, The Great Wall!
After breakfast, you will depart to Mutianyu, a less crowded yet well-preserved segment of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty. It will more than live up to all of your expectations! You’ll take a cable car to ascend the Great Wall, then hike the most beautiful and interesting part of Mutianyu. It's a wonderful experience to climb up its rising towers to enjoy scenic views and take brag-worthy photos of the wall wriggling along mountain ridges. After the exciting time, descend Mutianyu Great Wall by cable car or you can hike down which takes approximately 40 mins. After lunch, you will continue your trip to Sacred Way, a 7-kilometer-long passage leading to the Imperial Tombs of 13 Emperors of the Ming Dynasty. Take a walk through the largest archway in China and Great Palace Gate and you’ll see the magnificent stone guard of 12 sets of mythical animals and 12 officials. Then drive back to Beijing city for overnight at your hotel.

Day 21: Beijing - Xian
After breakfast, drive to the imperial site of the Temple of Heaven. Originally a site used to pay homage to Heaven and pray for good harvests, it is now a bustling place where locals take part in traditional activities such as Tai Chi, dancing, kite flying, water calligraphy, and others. After your visit to the Temple of Heaven, you will get back to the central city to hop on a rickshaw to experience the Beijing Hutongs - small alleys made by neighboring quadrangle dwellings. Shuttle among different Hutongs to get a feel of the old Beijing lifestyle, visit various antique shops and small boutiques, and truly feel the historical changes of Beijing, also pay a visit to a local family’s home in the traditional Hutongs. After lunch, you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight.