Round-the-China Odyssey

Day 1 Beijing

Upon your arrival at Beijing, your private guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. A dinner of welcome is waiting for you to cheer you up after a boring cross-country flight.
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Day 2 Beijing

Make an early visit to the Temple of Heaven to see the early morning life of Beijingners. There you can see a lot of people of different ages and genders, doing morning exercises composing an outstanding scenery in the loyal surrounding. If you're interested, just join them. Let's take a walk on Tiananmen Square-where many political and historical events had taken place. We will enter the magnificent Forbidden City. You'll learn to draw the Beijing Opera mask with a folk artisan. Time permitting; you could buy some souvenirs on a famous shopping street and remember to show your bargain talent. In the evening, you can have a better understanding of the charm of this classical Chinese art when a performance of Beijing Opera is on.

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Day 3 Beijing

As a Chinese saying goes: "He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man." To sense this Chinese saying better, today we climb the Mutianyu section of Great Wall that is favorable for its less-crowed and easily-accessible. To enjoy an overlooking view and avoid exhaustion, you could take a round trip on the cable car. Even though, remember to wear your portable and skid-proof shoes. After the morning trip, have lunch at a farm house in a nearby village and appreciate an unrestored section of the Great Wall there. If interested, you can even climb to experience this pristine Great Wall section. On our way back, we'll visit the 2008 Olympic stadiums--Bird's Nest (National Stadium) and Water Cube (National Aquatics Center). Have the famous Beijing Roast Duck for dinner.
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Day 4 Beijing - Xi'an

Let's explore a local market Guanyuan Market which sells kinds of pets and flowers (or visit Panjiayuan Market at weekend to explore the hidden gems of the old stuffs). Visit fast-vanishing Hutongs by rickshaw to appreciate the more traditional way of Beijingners' life. Having a good chat with a local family and making dumplings with them will make your trip more memorable. Also the Private Museum of the Old Beijingners' Stuffs in the Hutong trip will unveil to you the past lifestyle of the Beijingners. In the afternoon, we fly to Xi'an. After checking in the hotel, you could make a free visit to the cool and colorful Giant Music Fountain.
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Day 5 Xi'an

The trip to the Banpo Museum takes you back to the Neolithic Age dating back about 6,000 years. In the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, you can take a closer look at the amazing Terracotta armies. And a short film about the excavation will be on. Next stop is the Shaanxi History Museum where you can learn about the long history of Xi'an as a capital of ten dynasties. We climb up the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Spoil your stomach and your eyes with the dumpling banquet.
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Day 6 Xi'an - Chengdu

Ride a bike along the ancient City Wall to sense the history. The Great Mosque, located in Muslim Quarter, along with the Gao's Courtyard will provide you with a tranquil oasis to shelter from the tumultuous bazaar. This well-preserved architecture of the courtyard will take you back to the past life of the local wealthy family. Enjoy the ancient opera--"shadow puppet" play in the Courtyard. In the past, it brought people pleasure and fantasy as modern movies and TVs do. In the late afternoon, we'll fly to Chengdu.
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Day 7 Chengdu

Make your memorable visit to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to get along with the lovely pandas closely followed by the Wenshu Temple. Instantly wake your taste buds with the spicy Sichuan cuisine at lunch and have afternoon tea in an open-air teahouse to pursue the nature of Chengdu people's life. The rest is free for you to explore. Enjoy the magic Sichuan Opera Face Changing in the evening.
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Day 8 Chengdu - Lhasa

On your arrival in Lhasa, you will be met by our guide and transferred to your hotel to acclimatize yourself to the breath-taking altitude (altitude sickness may greet you 4-6hours after you arrive in Tibet and slow actions may help you better adapt to the high altitude).
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Day 9 Lhasa

You will visit the Potala Palace in Lhasa, the palace on the highest altitude in the world. Go to the Sera Monastery which has collected the valuable Tibetan scriptures. Pay a visit to an authentic Tibetan family to know the true life of Tibetans today.
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Day 10 Lhasa

Let's head to the Norbulingka to glimpse the brief Tibetan history in a series of comic paintings. Our learning trip goes on to the Tibet Museum. And peruse the Tibetan devotion in the Jokhang Temple from the sunken stone board for the time-honored worshipping Kowtows of the devotee. Take a walk on the Barkhor Street, all kinds of peculiar goods there will display you all facets of the Tibetans' life.
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Day 11 Lhasa - Yomdrrok Tso Lake - Karola Glacier - Gyantse

Drive to one of the sacred lakes--Yamdrok Tso Lake and you may run into and say hi to precious species. On your way to Gyantse, you can enjoy the majestic Karola Glacier and Mt. Nojin Kangsang. Visit Palkhor Monastery. Immerse in the ancient atmosphere in Gyantse old town. In the Pala Manor, you can peek into the luxurious palace of the manor of slave-owners and the ghastly prison for the slaves. On the fortress, trace the locals' valiant invasion resistance hundred years ago.
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Day 12 Gyantse - Shigatse

Visit the Tashilhunpo Monastery which houses a 26 meter tall gilded copper of image of the future Buddha.
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Day 13 Shigatse - Lhasa

On your way back to Lhasa, never miss the fantastic river valley along the Yarlong Tsangpo. Enjoy your last day in Tibet.
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Day 14 Lhasa - Shanghai

Fly to Shanghai and take a good rest.
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Day 15 Shanghai

Go to the Shanghai Museum to learn the development history of this modern metropolis. Experience the new Shanghai landmark--the World Financial Center to have a bird view of Shanghai. Pay a visit to the tranquil Longhua Temple and try the healthy vegetarian dishes there. Indulge yourself in the dizzying varieties of Shanghai specialties and snacks in the temple bazaar after we visit the Temple of the Town Gods . Appreciate Yuyuan Garden--a garden full of exquisiteness for your detailed eye! A stunning and incredible acrobatic show will end today's trip.
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Day 16 Shanghai

Be a Shanghainese for half a day to experience the common life of the locals. Make friends with a host family, visit the local food markets to buy the cooking ingredients and cook some Chinese dishes under the guidance of the host. Besides, you can engage yourself in the local community activities. The rest of day is free for your own leisure.
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Day 17 Shanghai

Take the maglev train(luxury seat) to go to your departing plane at lightning speed!
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