Plateau and Ethnic Appeals & Hong Kong

Day 1 Beijing

Upon your arrival at the Beijing airport, you will be greeted by your private English-speaking guide and driver and then transferred to the hotel to shake off jet lag.

Day 2 Beijing

Hop on the private vehicle with your guide and start your China tour. The fist leg is Temple of Heaven which was an ancient emperor worshipping site and now is the playground for a forest of local morning exercisers to build a healthy body via a variety of practicing programs like Taichi, color-silk dancing, rope-whipping, etc. Strolling across the history-hidden Tiananmen Square, you then walk in imperial Forbidden City which has carried the heavy history of about 24 emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasty. After dark, you can just name it whether to immerse in the sedate-style traditional art--Beijing opera or more active version--Kungfu show to color the night.

Day 3 Beijing

Today make an excursion outside the city to marvel at the less-crowded and yet thicker-planted wild Mutianyu Wall section (round-trip cable car). Stop by a small rural village for an unrestored winding wild wall view. View the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games inheritance--Bird's Nest and Water Cube. Then twiddle your chopsticks on the crisp Peking Duck in the evening banquet.

Day 4 Beijing - Hangzhou

Take our time in the Summer Palace--a former imperial garden dotted with ornate temples, pavilions, and winding corridors. Contrast with the noble life splurge, we in detail focus on old Beijingers' life through the Hutong rickshaw ride and old stuff collections of a Hutong private museum. Take fast train to Hangzhou and get transferred to hotel by your Hangzhou guide and driver.

Day 5 Hangzhou - Shanghai

Feel the breeze kiss and view the sliding-by West Lake sights on the boat. Surrounding green mountains, pavilions and towers in touches of gold and azure will contribute to a boat riding in a painting. Skirting the flanks of the Feilai Peak leads to the incense-permeated Lingyin Temple which has assembled devoted worshippers round the year to pray for changing-luck-for-the-better wishes. Take a deep breath in the vast tea plantation of Dragon Well Tea Village. If you are a tea fancier, you can also choose to spend more time here to savor the authentic Longjing green tea. Qing Dynasty Hefang Street, a fun pedestrian street with variety snack stalls, teahouses and Chinese traditional medicine stores, etc can be a nice tour option. One outstanding medicine shop of Hefang Street is Huqing Yutang Chinese Medicine Museum for its impressive collections of quality medicine materials and traditional wares heavy with medical culture. Head to Shanghai metropolis by D-train. Soak up the sea of lights in the Bund, feast on the riverside night views and satisfy your shopping desire in the nearby East Nanjing Road.

Day 6 Shanghai

Chinese history can be paged through in the impressive collection in Shanghai Museum of People's Square. Have a heart-pounding bird's eye view on the dazzling observant deck of Shanghai World Financial Center. Visit the tranquil Jade Buddha Temple and try the vegetarian dishes where pure common veg ingredients are specially cooked to create the meat flavor. Have some old touch in the Old Town district whose highlights--Yuyuan Garden with its exquisite characters and the bustling bazaar will give you a good browsing day. Add a touch of risky action to the intraday tour in the awe-inspiring performance of Shanghai Acrobatic Show.

Day 7 Shanghai - Xi'an

Detailedly experience Shanghainese's life in a half-day local family visit. Shopping in the local grocery market, cooking Shanghai dishes and partaking in the residents' entertainment activities can be tasted in this visit. The rest of the day is your own free exploring time: you can randomly explore the historic and trendy mixed French Concession on bike or on foot or just idle away the afternoon in the business, entertainment and cultural complex area--Xintiandi. Board the maglev train to head for Xi'an flight at a lightening speed.

Day 8 Xi'an

Cycle on the broad ancient City Wall at your pace with the guide's company. Stroll the Great Mosque, a nice blending building of Chinese and Islamic touch. If you want some exotic refreshment, the profusion of snacks in the Muslim Quarter deserves a try. Get a glance of the ancient officer's lifestyle in the former officer residence--Gao's Courtyard.

Day 9 Xi'an

Visit the motionless ranks of Terracotta Warriors that rested the guiding mission hope of its builder--ancient Qingshi emperor in his afterlife. Climb up the Xi'an great landmark--Great Goose Pagoda and gain more insights into China ancient history in Shaanxi History Museum. Immerse in the Tang Dynasty Show to glimpse at the ancient Tang Dynasty imperial entertainment.

Day 10 Xi'an - Lhasa

Different from military-focus Terracotta Warrior, a quantity of pottery figurines exhibited inTomb of Emperor Liu Qi revolves more about the ancient daily life. Fly to Lhasa and transfer to hotel. The remaining day is at leisure so you can better acclimatize the breathtaking altitude and get ready for the next day's tour.

Day 11 Lhasa

Embark on your spiritual tour in the cardinal landmark of Lhasa--Potala Palace. Visit the large intact monastery--Sera Monastery and see the monks' debating activity if time suits. Get intimate with the original Tibetan's custom over butter tea and authentic Tibetan snacks in the Tibetan's family visit.

Day 12 Lhasa

Heavy yak butter smell and murmuring pilgrims spinning prayer wheel can be expected in Jokhang Monastery. Plenty of Tibetan crafts are hawked in the bustling Barkhor Street and time to run your bargain engine. Just remember to follow the local prayer custom to clockwise (the direction to spin the prayer wheel) tour this street, which the local believe it is mounting their merits and virtues. Enter the Norbulingka--the heavily-planted summer palace for the Dalai Lama to isolate the worry and clear the mind. Dig the Tibetan history in the informative display items in the Tibet Museum.

Day 13 Lhasa - Chengdu

Today farewell Tibet and descend the high altitude after the Chengdu flight. "Numb"; your taste buds in the volcanic Sichuan dishes or savor light-taste cuisine alternatives if spicy foods are not your cup of tea (or exactly not your plate of dish). Visit Chengdu worshipper-frequented Buddhism temple--Wenshu Temple. Have a lazy afternoon in the People's Park. In the park's Heming Teahouse, you can sample the fresh tea and observe how the local's leisurely go on their life--playing mah jong, tuning the radio or squinting at the papers with glasses, etc. If you favor Chinese art performance, Sichuan opera face changing is a recommended night pastime to marvel at how many different masks the performer can change in the twinkling of an eye.

Day 14 Chengdu - Jiuzhaigou

Make an early morning visit to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to see the cute pandas doing their favorite things: feeding and napping. Fly to Jiuzhaigou and transfer to hotel.

Day 15 Jiuzhaigou

Have a whole day in the natural gem reserve park with your guide. A wide range of highlights in the Jiuzhaigou park like Sparkle Lake, Shuzheng waterfall, Mirror Lake, Long Lake, Five-colored Pool, etc will be a worthy reward for your time.

Day 16 Jiuzhaigou - Chengdu - Lijiang

Fly to Chengdu. Fly to Lijiang and transfer to hotel.

Day 17 Lijiang

Get your camera ready for the view-filled Black Dragon Pool Park. Visit the Dongba Research Institute to learn about the Naxi civilization--the living pictograph script in the wealthy collection of cultural relics. Take the cable car up the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain for the breathtaking glacier view. Search the Naxi root in the rural Baisha village. Visit the most-admired man in the Baisha village--Dr. Ho in his herb medicine clinic and know more about the magic medical use of pure plant roots or leaves. Read the life stories of different religions in the Baisha mural paintings. Give your ears a great treat in the Naxi Orchestra for Xuan Ke Taoist temple music performance, an old music performance displayed by a group of old musicians.

Day 18 Lijiang - Kunming

Marvel at the First Bend of Yangtze River and awestruck Tiger Leaping Gorge following the ancient Stone Drum Village. Fly to Kunming and transfer to hotel.

Day 19 Kunming - Guilin

Visit Stone Forest to see how the rainwater and wind could amazingly shape such a stunning karst rock cluster. Fly to Guilin. Meet your Guilin guide in the airport and escort to your Guilin hotel.

Day 20 Guilin

Solitary Beauty Peak nestles in tranquil Wangcheng, a former Ming dynasty mansion and now is home to Guangxi Normal University. The mansion was built even earlier than Forbidden City and dubbed as 'Little Forbidden City'. Tour the emblem of Guilin city--Elephant Trunk Hill and impressive grotto--Reed Flute Cave.

Day 21 Guilin - Yangshuo

Hop on the Li River Cruise and get your camera ready in the illuminating cruise scene section between Xingping and Yangdi. After disembarking in Yangshuo, you can freely explore the surrounding. West Street lined with the cafes, bars, souvenir shops can be a nice spot for the night hangout.

Day 22 Yangshuo - Hong Kong

Cycle with your guide around the Yangshuo countryside to see: farmhouses, the buffalo ploughing hard at its master's cry, the thirsty-for-knowledge pupils in the primary school, Moon Hill, Banyan Tree, etc. Yulong River raft is nice choice to get some cool touch. Old Yulong Bridge, nestled Baisha village, wavering bamboo bush, hills are well dotted along the rafting trip. Then it is time to excite your shopping desire in Hong Kong after a short flight transfer. Have an accompanied drive to Hong Kong hotel.

Day 23 Hong Kong

Tour the Victoria Harbor in a local commuting way---the old reputed Star Ferry. Ascend the Peak by the old and yet safe tram to have an all-embracing view of Hong Kong: the Hong Kong Island, the Victoria Harbor, Kowloon and hills afar. Hop on the Sampan to deeper experience Aberdeen, a fishing village busy with many different fishing boats and old sailing-boats. The fishing boats have long served as the locals' fishing tool as well as their living places. If you are a seafood fan, this place full of fresh caughts would be your paradise. Go to Repulse Bay, one of the Hong Kong featured beaches with clear water and soft sand. Explore good bargains in the Stanley Market--a large traditional open-air market selling an array of cheap clothing.

Day 24 Hong Kong

A whole free day for you to deeper explore this energetic city.

Day 25 Depart Hong Kong

Pack up your luggage and heavy traveling memory to head for your homebound flight.