Multiaspect Reflections of Grand China

Day 1 Beijing

Once you arrive in Beijing, our experienced tour guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel with the private driver. A brief orientation for the coming China tour will be delivered if time permits.
D

Day 2 Beijing

Watch or exercise with the local early birds in the Temple of Heaven. Next stop is Tiananmen Square and following is the loyal Forbidden City. Have a private lesson given by the experienced artist on the Beijing Opera masks and draw one by yourself which you could bring home as a unique souvenir for your later Beijing trip's reference. Time permitting; you can visit the shopping street to explore some good souvenirs for your family members or friend at home. Watching the Beijing Opera may provide you a good chance to go over your mask drawing knowledge.
B, L

Day 3 Beijing

Drive to and climb up the Great Wall at Mutianyu--a less-crowed and less-commercial section without reducing its beauty and grandness and enjoy more of this on the cable car (Round trip). Visit a nearby village to savor a tasty homemade meal with a view of one pristine segment of Great Wall in a distance. If interested, you can give it a try and climb up to experience this unrestoredl section. Tour the Beijing Olympic stadiums- Bird's Nest (National Stadium) and Water Cube (National Aquatics Center). Then savor the crisp Peking duck to disperse today's exhaustion. Due to today's strenuous route, please remember to wear your comfortable shoes to have easier walk.
B, L

Day 4 Beijing - Xi'an

Visit Guanyuan Market to know about one of the locals' hobbies – keeping flower and pet bird (or visit Panjiayuan Market at weekend--a market perfect for you to single out the worth second hand stuffs). Visit fast-vanishing Hutong by rickshaw to see and taste for yourself about the true life of Beijingners by chatting with one courtyard family and engaging in the dumpling making. Stop at the Private Museum of the Old Beijingners' Stuffs in the Hutong trip to touch the past air of the Beijing residents' life. Fly to Xi'an. An optional visit to the Giant Music Fountain of Xi'an will immerse you in the soothing music and the coolness brought by the fountain splashes.
B, L

Day 5 Xi'an

Banpo Museum will display the ancestors' life of prehistoric time in front of you. Appreciate the amazing Terracotta figures and watch a short film of discovering them in the Terracotta Warrior Museum. Next stop is the Shaanxi History Museum to dust off the heavy history of Xi'an serving as a capital of ten dynasties. Tour the Big Wild Goose Pagoda to enjoy a bird eye view on its upper floors. Delight your stomach with the dumpling banquet and meanwhile challenge and upgrade you chopstick skill when handling the escaping dumplings.
B, L, D

Day 6 Xi'an - Chengdu

Explore the broad City Wall on your the CO₂-free bike encircling the Xi'an city with a smiling face. The Great Mosque of the Muslim Quarter, together with the Gao's Courtyard will shut off the noisy bazaar world outside and provide you a tranquil oasis. The well-preserved architecture of the courtyard will unveil you the past luxury of the local wealthy family. Enjoy the combination of art and folk music--"shadow puppet" play in the Courtyard. Fly to Chengdu.
B, L

Day 7 Chengdu

Have a close contact with many pandas in large enclosures in Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to view leisurely life of those black-and-white plump fur balls. Soak in the heavy cultural air in the Wenshu Temple. Sweat yourself with the spicy hot Sichuan cuisine (if you are not a big fan of chili, please tell your guide in advance to arrange another luring taste for you.) in your lunch. Drink tea in an open-air teahouse as Chengdu people do. The rest is free for you to explore. Enjoy magic Sichuan opera face changing performance in the evening.
B, L

Day 8 Chengdu - Leshan - Mount Emei

Drive to mountain Buddha statue -- Leshan Giant Buddha. Transfer to the hotel at the foot of Mount Emei with your private guide and driver.
B, L

Day 9: Mount Emei

Half drive and half walk before taking the cable car(Round trip) to Jinding to marvel at the magnificent scene of sky, sea of clouds, mountains and immortals coming together as one. Drive down to the Monastery of Ten Thousand Years. Then hike the rest of the trip so you will not miss another fantastic view. Along the descending way, you will pass the Qing Yin Pavilion that may well soothe your senses. Try a squeeze through one Line of Sky. There comes the Ecological Monkey Area, a home to monkeys, which are clever enough to tell the travelers from the locals. Remember to restrain your hand from fondling these cute monkeys so as to avoid their mischievous (even evil) behaviors.
B

Day 10 Chengdu - Lijiang

Trace the past of Chengdu through Jinsha Ruins and Wuhou Temple. Wake up your taste buds with the smoking hot Sichuan cuisine(if you are not a big fan of chili, please tell your guide in advance to arrange another luring tasty dishes for you.). Fly to Lijiang and enjoy the night time in the Lijiang Old Town.
B, L

Day 11 Lijiang

Know about the local conservancy state in the Visitor's Center for Nature and Culture of Northwest Yunnan. Appreciate the white world on sacred Jade Dragon Snow Mountain after the large cable car ride (Round trip). Drive to the Baisha to admire the mural paintings, displaying harmonious existence of diverse religions. You could intimately immerse in tne local family visit.
B, L

Day 12 Lijiang

After crossing the beautiful Lashi Lake and Stone Drum Village, you can thrill your eye and mind with the First Bend of Yangtze River (part route of the central Red Army Long March) and the awestruck Tiger Leaping Gorge. Feast your ear with the authentic Naxi Ancient Music listed as intangible cultural heritage.
B, L

Day 13 Lijiang - Kunming - Shanghai

Fly to Shanghai and transfer to the hotel with the company of your private guide and driver. Stop at the Temple of the Town Gods. Indulge yourself in the rich Shanghai specialties and snacks in the bazaar near the temple. Visit the private garden -- Yuyuan Garden to marvel at the countless exquisiteness. The rest of the day is free for you to get around. The bund, the Nanjing Road, Huaihai Road and Xintiandi, any of them is a good choice for you to wander around.
B

Day 14 Shanghai

Travel the Shanghai Museum and the World Financial Center (the highest building) to touch the past and new pulse of Shanghai city. Tour the tranquil Longhua Temple and sample the tasty vegetarian dishes. The last one is the stunning and incredible acrobatic show that will thrill your eye and mind.
B, L

Day 15 Shanghai

Live Shanghainese's life for half a day by bargaining with hawkers in the local markets and looking at the raw ingredients you will cook under the guidance of your host family. Have a good time by joining in the local community activities.
B, L

Day 16 Depart

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