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AB:
American Breakfast | L: Lunch | D: Dinner | SD: Special Dinner
Day 01 (Tues) US/BEIJING
Take an international flight from the US to Beijing, China. Meals and snacks will be served on the plane. Movies will also be available during the flight.
Day 02 (Wed) BEIJING
Upon arrival in Beijing, you will be met and transferred to your hotel by our tour guide. For those arriving in Beijing earlier today, you may spend the rest of the day for leisure or join in one of the optional tours in Beijing.
Day 03 (Thurs) BEIJING (AB, L)
This morning you will take a tour of Hutong (Chinese alleyways) by riding aboard a rickshaw pedicab through the narrow lanes of the old residential quarters. You will have the opportunity to take a glimpse of the local residents’ daily life. After lunch, you will tour the delicately crafted Temple of Heaven, where the emperors used to pray for good harvest. Enjoy the rest of the day for leisure.
Day 04 (Fri) BEIJING/LHASA (AB, L, D)
Today you will fly to Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet. It is often referred to as the “City of Sunshine” with more than 3000 hours of sunshine annually. The rest of the day will be free for your leisure and adapting yourself to the high elevation.
Day 05 (Sat) LHASA (AB, L, D)
The tour today will cover the Potala Palace, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will also visit Johkang Lamasery and stroll along the bustling Barkhor Street in Lhasa filled with various local handicrafts.
Day 06 (Sun) LHASA (AB, L, D)
You will visit Norbulinka, the summer palace for Dalai Lama followed by the Tibet Museum. You may also call upon a Tibetan family to take a glimpse of the local residents’ daily life.
Day 07 (Mon) LHASA/CHENGDU (AB, L, D)
This morning you will depart Lhasa for Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province. Upon your arrival in Chengdu, you will visit the Panda Breeding Base to watch pandas. Enjoy some free time before attending Sichuan cuisine dinner and Sichuan Opera.
Day 08 (Tues) CHENGDU/LIJIANG (AB, L, D)
Today you will tour the Temple of Marquis Wu in memory of Zhu Ge Liang, the famous strategist during the Three Kingdoms period, and Du Fu Cottage where the famous Poet Du Fu used to live. Take a flight to Lijiang, seat of the minority Naxi people. The most fascinating attraction is the Old Town of Lijiang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with earthen-walled houses, stone bridges and cobbled streets crisscrossed by rivulets and gushing canals. Tonight you will attend a concert of traditional Naxi music played by the local senior performers of more than 65 years old.
Day 09 (Wed) LIJIANG (AB, L, D)
The highlights today will include the Yufeng Monastery, known for its 14th century religious frescoes and the ancient (over 500-year-old) “Riot of Camellias” tree. The tour will also take you to the Dongba Cultural Institute and the Black Dragon Pond Park.
Day 10 (Thurs) LIJIANG/KUNMING (AB, L, D)
Today you will take a flight to Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province, often referred to as the “city of eternal spring” due to its temperate climate. Kunming is especially well known for its numerous ethnic minority populations and stunning cultural diversity. Upon arrival in Kunming, you will take an excursion to the geological wonders of the Stone Forest – the woods-like karst formation of 270-million-year-old rocky gray outcroppings. You may also visit a Sani tribal village to experience the lifestyle and unique culture of this minority population. Enjoy a minorities singing and dancing show in the evening.
Day 11 (Fri) KUNMING/SUZHOU (via Shanghai) (AB, L)
Today you will take a city tour of Kunming before taking a flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival in Shanghai, you will be met and transferred to the city of Suzhou, noted for its landscaped gardens.
Day 12 (Sat) SUZHOU/SHANGHAI (AB, L, D)
Today you will cruise on the world famous ancient Grand Canal of more than 2400 years history to experience the unique cultures and glimpse the daily life of the local residents. You will also visit the silk embroidery factory, the Master of Fishing Nets Garden and the ancient Panmen Gate, the only existing water & land gate. Take a stroll along the famous Shan Tang Street with a history of more than 1100 years, where you can still experience the past prosperity of Suzhou and its traditional cultures well preserved. Return to Shanghai in late afternoon.
Day 13 (Sun) SHANGHAI (AB, L, SD)
Shanghai, China’s largest city (home to 16 million people), is also China’s principal port on a deep estuary of the Yangtze River. Often regarded as “the Paris of the East,” Shanghai has retained the flavor of its past European influences. The excursion today takes you to the Bund- a waterfront area that showcases many landmark buildings of western style built in the early 20th century, the bustling Nanjing Road, Chenghuangmiao Old Town, and Tianzifang, an old neighborhood with hidden alleyways full of boutiques and art galleries. You will also visit the well-known Shanghai Museum of Art and History, which ranks among the great museums of the world. Attend a farewell dinner celebration of Shanghai cuisine in the evening, followed by an optional cruise on the Huangpu River to enjoy a fascinating night view of Shanghai.
Day 14 (Mon) SHANGHAI/US (AB)
After breakfast you will take a departure transfer to the airport for the flight back home.
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