21-day China highlights with West Exploration
Beijing-Xian-Lhasa-Shigatze-Chengdu-Lijiang-Kunming-Guilin-Shanghai
Itinerary:
Day 1 Arrival in Beijing (no meal)
Arrive at Beijing. Our guide will meet you at the airport & transfer to your hotel. Free at leisure for the rest of the Day.
Day 2 Beijing (B, L)
Full Day trip to the Tian'anmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven.
- The Tian'anmen Square: The largest city square in the world.
- The Forbidden City: The largest imperial palace in China for 24 emperors' reign during the Ming and Qing dynasties with a history of around 600 years.
- The Temple of Heaven: a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design where the ancient emperors used to pray for the God's bless of the whole nation.
Day 3 Beijing (B, L, D)
Full Day trip to the Great Wall, Ming Tomb. Enjoy a famous Peking Duck Banquet for dinner.
- The Great Wall: One of the great wonders in the world and the symbol of China.
- The Ding Tomb: an underground palace for a Ming-dynasty emperors' afterlife.
Day 4 Beijing/Xian by flight (B, L)
Visit Hutongs by rickshaw. Take an afternoon flight to Xi'an. Arrive at Xian. Be met & transferred to your hotel. Free time at leisure.
- Hutongs : the unique street design in Beijing - some crisscrossing old narrow paths with courtyard houses built on each side. It can be regarded as a window into Beijing folk life.
Day 5 Xian (B, L)
Visit the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses, the Bell Tower and the Wild Goose Pagoda.
- The Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum : one of the most important archaeological finds in the 20 th century; an army of terra-cotta warriors and the bronze chariots entombed in vast underground vaults at emperor Qin's tomb since 2200 year ago.
- The Bell Tower : first built in 1384, the largest and best preserved of its kind.
- The Wild Goose Pagoda : the city emblem, which was first built in Tang Dynasty for the storage of Buddhist scriptures taken from India by Monk Xuanzang.
Day 6 Xian/Lhasa (B)
Take a morning flight to Lhasa. Be met and transfer to hotel. Free time for acclimatization.
Day 7 Lhasa (B, L)
Full Day tour to Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhore Street.
- The Potala Palace: Rising 170 meters high on Red Hill, it is the greatest monumental structure in Tibet.
- The Jokhang Temple: the spiritual center of Tibet.
- The Barkhor Street: the oldest street in Lhasa as well as the center of old Lhasa.
Day 8 Lhasa (B, L)
Full Day trip to Drepung Monastery, Norbulingka and The Tibetan Dance & Song Show.
- The Drepung Monastery: It is one of the biggest monasteries in Tibet.
- The Norbulingka Park: meaning " Treasure Park ", first constructed as a summer palace for the Dalai Lama, and later served as the whole governmental administration.
- The Tibetan Family: Common Tibetan people welcome you to their homes, greet you in their traditional way and entertain you with their typical food.
Day 9 Lhasa/Gyantse/Shigatse (B, L, D)
Drive from Lhasa to Shigatse (about 350km). On the way visit Yamdrok Lake, and Palkhor Monastery. Overnight in Shigatse.
- Yamdrok Lake: one of the three Holy Lakes in Tibet, also a pilgrimage site for Tibetans.
- Palkhor Monastery: a unique monastery housing three schools of Tibetan Buddhism: Sakya, Gelugpa and Gedang. It also features a well-known "Kumbum Stupa", meaning a hundred thousand images.
Day 10 Shigatse/Lhasa (B, L)
Visit Tashilumpo Monastery. Drive along the Yaluzangbu River back to Lhasa.
- Tashilhunpo Monastery: one of the Six Big Monasteries of Gelugpa (or Yellow Hat Sect) in Tibet. It is the seat of the Panchen Lama since the Fourth Panchen Lama took charge in the monastery.
Day 11 Lhasa/Chengdu (B, L)
Take a morning flight to Chengdu , be met and transfer to visit Giant Panda Breeding Center. Stay at Chengdu overnight.
- Giant Panda Breeding Center: First opened in 1987, a semi-wild area where those lovely China 's ambassadors can be allowed to freely roam.
Day 12 Chengdu/Lijiang (B, L)
Drive to Leshan to see the 71meter-high stone-carved Buddha, and visit Jinsha Museum. Take an evening flight to Lijiang. Be met and transferred to check in hotel.
- Leshan Buddha: carved over 1200 years ago, it is the largest of the same type in the world.
Day 13 Lijiang (B, L)
Walk to visit the old town of Lijiang, Mu Mansion, Black Dragon Pool and Dong Ba Museum.
Day 14 Lijiang (B, L)
Bike to Shuhe town for half day visit, and bike back. Free afternoon.
Day 15 Lijiang/Kunming (B, L)
Take a morning flight to Kunming, be met and transfer to visit the Stone Forest, and visit a minority village on the way, overnight at Kunming.
- Stone Forest: the most famous tourist attraction in Kunming - a typical formation of Karst topography.
Day 16 Kunming/Guilin (B, L)
Fly to Guilin, be met and transfer to visit Reed Flute Cave. Overnight at Guilin.
- Reed Flute Cave: fantastic stalactites & stalagmites formation, known as “Natural Art Gallery”.
Day 17 Guilin/Yangshuo (B, L)
Take a leisurely cruise down Li River, and disembark at Yangshuo, free afternoon for shopping. Overnight at Yangshuo.
- Li River cruise: a wonderful 3.5 hour cruise going down a clear river sided by picturesque scenery. Lunch on board.
Day 18 Yangshuo/Guilin/Shanghai (B, L)
1-2 hour biking to see the most beautiful countryside in China, then bamboo rafting down Yulong River. Drive back to Guilin to connect the flight to Shanghai. Be met and transferred to hotel.
Day 19 Shanghai (B, L)
Visit Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, the Bund and Najing Road for shopping.
- Yu Garden: It used to be a private garden with 400 years' history, it features traditional architectural style of Yangtze Delta.
- Jade Buddha Temple: Most popular Buddhist temple in Shanghai boasting 2 precious jade Buddha sculptures from Burma.
- The Bund: Shanghai's famous waterfront to see new-erect modern skyscrapers and aged buildings of the colonial period.
- Nanjing Road: the busiest shopping street in Shanghai.
Day 20 Shanghai (B, L)
Tour to nearby ancient water town - Zhujiajiao, and transfer back to Shanghai, free afternoon.
- Zhujiajiao Town: an ancient water town featured with traditional lifestyle of Yangtze Delta.
Day 21 Shanghai departure (B)
Transfer to Shanghai Pudong airport for your flight to your next destination.
Service Ends.
Please feel free to contact our professional travel consultant for the best rate to Tibet!
Included Services: |
Non-included Services: |
1. Private transfers airport / hotel /airport (train station); |
1. International flights or trains; |
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