A Sketch of China

Day 1 Beijing

On your arrival in Beijing, you will be met by your private guide and transferred to your hotel by your experienced driver via the comfortable vehicle. After a good rest and welcome dinner, you could explore the night of Beijing by yourself.

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Day 2 Beijing

Make an early visit to the Temple of Heaven where local people do exercises to keep healthy. Taichi is popular and maybe some of them you have never seen before, like writing calligraphy by water on the ground. Make a brief stop at Tiananmen Square before exploring the Forbidden City, which is made up of together more than 800 buildings and 9,000 chambers. In the afternoon, try your hand at drawing the Beijing Opera mask under the guidance of an old artist. At night we will enjoy the Beijing Opera.
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Day 3 Beijing

Take cable car (Round trip) to the Great Wall at Mutianyu -- the less-crowed and easily-accessible section. Pay a visit to the nearby village and have a homemade lunch in a local family. On the way back we will visit the Water Cube (National Aquatics Center) and Bird's Nest (National Stadium). The delicious Peking duck in a famous local restaurant will pamper your empty stomach. Today's tour is strenuous, so please remember to wear your well broken in footwear to avoid the sore feet or blisters.
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Day 4 Beijing - Xi'an

Visit a local flower and pet market--Guanyuan Market (or visit

Panjiayuan Market at weekend - a market to test your good eye for the good old stuffs). Visit fast-disappearing Hutongs by rickshaw to glimpse the ordinary life of Beijingners, at the same time, stop at a home to chat with its owner and engage in the dumpling making for lunch. The Private Museum of the Old Beijingner Stuffs in the Hutong will unveil to you the past lifestyle of the Beijingners. Fly to Xi'an. Your driver and tour guide are waiting for you at the airport. After settling down in the hotel, you could seize the time to explore the night of Xi'an. Muslim Quarter and Giant Music Fountain near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda are highly recommended places to go in your free time.
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Day 5 Xi'an

The trip to the Banpo Museum unveils the ancestors' life that had existed long before the Terracotta Warriors'. Go ahead to explore it where you would marvel at the thousands of lifelike Terracotta Warriors guarding the tomb of Qinshihuang (the first emperor of China). You will get a general idea from a short film of discovering the warriors in the museum. Tour the Shaanxi History Museum to learn about the history of Xi'an as a capital of ten dynasties. Go to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and climb up to have a bird eye view of this city. Fulfill your stomach with the dumpling banquet which is also another good chance for you to challenge and enhance you chopstick skill when handling the escaping dumplings.
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Day 6 Xi'an - Shanghai

Ride bike along the broad City Wall to soak in the heavy history atmosphere of this time-honored city. The Great Mosque, located in Muslim Quarter, along with the former wealthy Gao' Courtyard will provide you tranquil oasis to shelter from the tumultuous bazaar. We'll see an exhibition of period furniture, paintings, pottery, porcelain, photos and demonstrations of folk art, including a "shadow puppet" play with traditional music in Gao's courtyard. Say goodbye to Xi'an and fly to Shanghai and settle down with your private guide. It is highly recommended to take a stroll along the Bund or sip a cup of coffee in a soothing bar to enjoy the city floating in a glittering ocean of lights.
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Day 7 Shanghai

Tour the Shanghai Museum and the new Shanghai landmark--the World Financial Center to have an all-embracing view of Shanghai. Visit the tranquil Longhua Temple and try the temple vegetarian dishes that trick your taste buds to believe that they are made out of meat! Visit Temple of the Town Gods and immerse in its intense incense. For restoring energy for the following tour, indulge yourself in the dizzying varieties of Shanghai specialties and snacks in the temple market. Visit the private garden--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 8 Shanghai

Be a Shanghainese in a host family by visiting the local markets, bargaining with the sellers and having a look of the original material of the cuisine you will cook under the guidance of your host family. Engage yourself in the local community activities.
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Day 9 Depart Shanghai

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