Wonders of China

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Beijing: Arrival - Transfer - Nanluoguxiang - Tian’anmen Square

  Arrival in Beijing. Depending on your arrival flight, meet your French-speaking guide at the airport and transfer to the city. Walk along Nanluoguxiang pedestrian street, a very lively alley located in the heart of the old city. First encounter with Tian’anmen Square, the largest square in the world and a symbol of modern China. Check-in at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 2

  Day 2: Beijing: Great Wall - Olympic Park - Tea Ceremony

  Excursion day to the Mutianyu Great Wall (bring good shoes), much less crowded than Badaling or Juyongguan. In addition, it is equipped with a cable car and a toboggan (fees to be paid on site), which makes it suitable for both elderly people and young people. After visiting the Great Wall, a journey of about 1h15 to discover one of the Thirteen Tombs of the Ming emperors: the Changling Tomb. Then, visit the "Sacred Way", lined with guardian animal statues leading to the entrance. Return to the city. Tea tasting in a tea house! Tea is an integral part of Chinese culture.

• day 3

  Beijing: Forbidden City - Coal Hill - Lama Temple - Hutong

  Visit to the Forbidden City, also called the "Imperial Palace." Especially, our guide will accompany you through the Museum of Imperial Treasures: a relatively quiet corner of this city, where you will discover immense jade sculptures, golden stupas, etc. Climb up Coal Hill, which offers, from its summit, a panoramic view of the old city and all of Beijing. Afterwards, we will visit the Lama Temple, a Tibetan Buddhist temple in the city center and the most visited in Beijing. Stroll on foot through the old district, discovering with your guide one of the ten most beautiful hutongs in Beijing, Yandai Xiejie. This street, where Beijingers love to stroll, is known for its daily entertainment. If you wish, you can rent a bicycle on site for a tour of the old city.

• day 4

  Beijing: Temple of Heaven - Summer Palace

  Walk in the Temple of Heaven, where the emperor used to pray for good harvests. It is an opportunity to discover popular life through folk dance, singing, and gymnastics. Excursion to the Summer Palace and its imperial garden. It is considered the "Versailles of China." Climb to the Pavilion of the Fragrant Buddha and enjoy a boat ride in the palace. Evening: optional Kung Fu show.

• day 5

  Beijing - Pingyao HSR - Old town of Pingyao

  Transfer to the station, high-speed train (4h30) to Pingyao, a traditional 14th-century Han Chinese city (UNESCO), in the central province of Shanxi. Welcome and free afternoon. Experience a night in a traditional "guesthouse" in the heart of Pingyao.

• day 6

  Pingyao - Xi'an Pingyao Wall - Old Town - Rishengchang Museum - Shuanglin Temple

  Visit to the Ping Yao wall, built of bricks and stretching over 6,157 m, the old town and the Rishengchang museum. Excursion to visit the Double Forest temple. Free time to stroll through the alleys of Ping Yao. At the end of the afternoon, transfer to the station and high-speed train to Xian. Welcome and check-in at the hotel.

• day 7

  Xian Terracotta Army - 8th wonder of the world

  Departure for a visit to the archaeological excavations of the Terracotta Army (40 km, 1h), which is part of the funerary complex of the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang Di (3rd century BC). Do not miss the famous bronze chariots, nicknamed "kings of bronze." If you wish, you can also watch a short panoramic film about this underground army. Return to the city. Stop at the Square of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda to experience the city's lively atmosphere. Evening: dumpling banquet and a show of dances and music from the Tang dynasty.

• day 8

  Xi'an-Guilin: Ancient capital - Old town - Flight to Guilin

  We start with the Folk Museum, where you can take a calligraphy class. The visit continues with the Shaanxi History Museum (closed every Monday). In the afternoon, enjoy a pleasant walk from the South Gate to the Wenchang Gate and the antique street, passing through the park at the foot of the city walls, where calligraphy and Chinese painting stalls are gathered. Discover the old city. Transfer to the airport, flight to Guilin, arrival and welcome by your guide, then transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 9

  Guilin-Longsheng-Guilin: Ping’an - Longji Rice Terraces

  Road to Longsheng (2h30 drive) along a splendid mountain road. Ping'an and Longji, "the dragon's backbone", are so named for the spectacle of the terraced rice fields, shaped by man from generation to generation, following the whimsical curves of nature. They are of stunning beauty. Return to the hotel in Guilin. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 10

  Guilin-Yangshuo: cruise on the Li River - West market - local market

  Transfer to the pier for the Li River cruise, through the magical landscapes, to Yangshuo. Lunch on board. Disembarkation at Yangshuo. Stroll through the West market where all kinds of stalls, bars, and restaurants aimed at tourists can be found. However, do not miss the real daily life: a local market with fresh vegetables, aquatic products, meat, including dog and cat... Check-in at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 11

  Guilin - Shanghai: free day, then flight to Shanghai.

  Free morning to fully enjoy this small village of Yangshuo. You could rent a bike to take a tour through the rice fields, or take a small cruise on bamboo rafts on the Yulong River. Then, transfer to Guilin airport and flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival, meet your guide, transfer to the hotel in Shanghai and overnight in Shanghai.

• day 12

  Shanghai: Yu Garden - Old Town - Jade Buddha Temple - Shanghai Museum – Bund - Nanjing Road

  Visit to the Yu Garden (16th century), located in the heart of the old city and its pedestrian alleys lined with traditional shops. Visit to the Shanghai Museum (closed every Monday), located next to Renmin Square (People's Square), as well as the Jade Buddha Temple, the most famous in Shanghai. Stroll along the "Bund," the center of administrative and commercial activities of the time, offering a magnificent view of the port and along the river. Then, a walk in Nanjing Road, the first pedestrian shopping street in China. Evening – Optional Shanghai Circus.

• day 13

  Suzhou, Eastern Venice - Master of the Nets Garden - Old town by boat

  Transfer to Suzhou. Visit of a charming garden, the Master of the Nets Garden, which is the smallest garden in Suzhou. Visit of the Suzhou Museum, designed by architect Pei. Walk in the old town (Pingjiang Road) of Suzhou, an opportunity to discover the revival of the old districts at your own pace. A traditional boat ride on the river. Visit of a silk factory. Then, drive to Shanghai (1h). Overnight at the hotel.

• day 14

  Shanghai Return

  Meet at the hotel for the transfer to the airport for the return.