19-Day China Classic Tour of Shanghai, Suzhou, Guilin, Chengdu, Lhasa, Xi’an and Beijing

Attractions: No
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Shanghai

Welcome to Shanghai! After retrieving your luggage.Our guide will wait at the airport, holding a sign with your name on it. After a warm greeting, you will be taken to the hotel we have booked for you, which have prefect infrastructure.The rest of the day is at your disposal, you can take a warm rest or explore this city on your own.

Attractions: the Bund, Yu Garden, Shanghai World Financial Center
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Shanghai

A full day sightseeing begins with the Shanghai Museum, where you will experience the richness of Chinese culture. We will then take a fun walk in the charming Former French Concession. 

The next stop is Yu Garden, a representation of traditional Chinese gardens. Walking through its decorated bridges, you may feel like stepping back in time to 400 years ago. Right next to the garden, you’ll get to the Yuyuan Market, where you can taste local snacks or buy unique souvenirs. Besides, you’ll visit a silk workshop to see how small cocoons are transformed into elegant silk. End the day with a bird’s view of the city from the 100th floor of Shanghai World Financial Center.

End with the Bund to take in heritage buildings featuring architectural styles from Neoclassical to Gothic to Baroque. While walking on the streets full of various colonial architecture, the epitome of 19th-century Shanghai will come to your mind vividly.

Attractions: Lingering Garden, Shantang Ancient Street, Tiger Hill, Suzhou Silk First Factory
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Suzhou

Today, we will drive to Suzhou. Start our journey today with the Lingering Garden. The Lingering Garden is one of the four major gardens in China. After visiting the Lingering Garden, we will head to Shantang Ancient Street. It’s a great place to walk on the canals or cruise for leisure.

In the afternoon, we will go to the most historic attraction in Suzhou – Tiger Hill. Next, you will go to Suzhou Silk First Factory, where you can learn about some of the history and culture of Chinese silk.

Attractions: Suzhou Museum, Zhouzhuang
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Shanghai

This morning, we are going to visit the Suzhou Museum. It was designed and built by the world-renowned architect I.M. Pei. When designing the Suzhou Museum, Pei perfectly combined the characteristics of Suzhou gardens with modern fashion.

Next, we will head to the beautiful water town of Zhouzhuang. Known as “China’s first water town”, Zhouzhuang is one of the ten most beautiful towns in the world, with a history of more than a thousand years. Famous attractions in Zhouzhuang include Shuangqiao, Old Theater, Cultural Street, etc.
After the water town tour, your guide and driver will escort you to your hotel in Shanghai.

Attractions: Jade Buddha Temple, Tianzifang
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Lhasa

In the morning, you will visit Jade Buddha Temple, home to the world’s largest emerald Buddha and numerous religious artifacts, ancient statues, and Buddhist scriptures.

Next, you will be transferred to Tianzifang, a typical tourist attraction to appreciate the local Shikumen architectural preservation, and in this place full of strong life, you can stroll leisurely through the clean old alleys.

In the afternoon, your guide will escort you to the airport for a flight to Guilin. The rest of the day is your time for leisure.

Attractions: Li River, Yulong River, West Street
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Yangshuo

Today, you’ll take a relaxing sightseeing cruise along the Li River from Mopanshan Wharf to Yangshuo Town to explore this best landscape.

After disembarking, we will take a break and we will start exploring the Yulong River. There are a variety of ways to have fun and beauty, including cycling, hiking, sightseeing buses, bamboo rafts, and scooters.

Tonight, you can walk the ancient West Street at your leisure and witness how Western and Chinese cultures coexist perfectly and peacefully here.

Attractions: Longji Rice Terrace, Huangluo Yao Village, Ping’an, Seven Stars with Moon, Nine Dragons and Five Tigers
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Longji Rice Terrace

In this early morning, you’ll be driven about 150 kilometers to witness one of the most beautiful rice terraces in China – Longji Rice Terrace, an amazing feat of farm engineering rising up to 1000m high in Longsheng County. There are several featured Zhuang and Yao minority villages along the road and you’ll take a visit to the special Huangluo Yao Village, the First Village of Long Hair in the World, where you can see women in red ethnic clothes with very long hairs .
Later, continue your drive to a beautiful 600-year-old Zhuang Village – Ping’an and check in your hotel located near the rice terraces.

After some rest, start to explore the breathtaking views. From Ping’an, you can hike on the cobbled paths built among terraces to catch the best landscape. Climb up to the great lookouts at Seven Stars with Moon and Nine Dragons and Five Tigers from which you can get superlative views of terraces and villages.

Attractions: Elephant Trunk Hill, Reed Flute Cave
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Guilin

The rest time of this morning is free and you can do everything what you want to do or you can just have a great rest to get prepare for this afternoon’s tour.

Then make a visit to the symbol of Guilin landscape – Elephant Trunk Hill. A giant rock hill vividly shapes like an elephant which is drinking water.

Then, drive about 7 kilometers to next attraction – Reed Flute Cave, a majestic underground palace with sparkling different colors. The magical Mother Nature condenses millions years of natural efforts to form the incredible stalactite, stalagmite, stone shield and stone waterfall of different sizes and shapes.

Attractions: No
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Chengdu

Today is free. After that, you will be flying to Chengdu.

Attractions: Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Wenshu Temple, City’s Renmin Park, Jinli Old Street
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Chengdu

A full day sightseeing begins with the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. This facility is not only the most important panda scientific research center in the world, but also the home for more than 100 Giant Pandas.
Following the visit to this Panda base, you will be taken to a hidden spiritual Buddhist temple in hustling downtown Chengdu, Wenshu Temple, where you will marvel at the exquisite Buddhist architecture, soak in the reverent atmosphere, and wander on the temple’s peaceful paths.
Chengdu is famous throughout China for its relaxing and leisurely pace and lifestyle, which will be demonstrated by a visit to the City’s Renmin Park.Next will be an impressive visit to the famous Jinli Old Street. Time will steal away as you quietly walk on the lively streets full of delicious local snacks, delicate artifacts, interesting folk shows, and other activities.

Attractions: Yarlong Tsangpo River
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Lhasa

After arriving in Lhasa, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Yarlong Tsangpo River.The altitude of Lhasa is very high and you need some time to get used to it in order to prevent severe altitude sickness from affecting your trip, if you need any help, you can find our guide.

Attractions: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Lhasa

Today, we will start with the Potala Palace. With a history of more than 1,300 years, the Potala Palace is the political and religious center of Tibet, as well as the place of governance and preaching of the Dalai Lama.

In the afternoon, head to Jokhang Temple, the holiest Buddhist temple in Tibet, where a 12-year-old statue of Sakyamuni is enshrined. The Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Tibet, attracts hundreds of devout pilgrims every day.

Outside the Jokhang Temple is the famous pilgrimage circle, Barkhor Street, where you can walk around the temple with loyal Tibetans dressed in colorful clothes.

Attractions: Norbulingka Park, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Lhasa

After breakfast,we will take a visit to the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas and also the largest Tibetan garden – Norbulingka Park. Then drive about 5km westward to Drepung Monastery. This monastery used to play a crucial role in Tibet Buddhism as the school of the Dalai Lamas. Various Buddhist rituals are performed in the monastery during festivals, most famous being the ceremony of Buddha Display in the annual Shoton Festival.

You will then visit the featured six hundred year-old Sera Monastery, famous for its grand ceremony of Buddhist debating and its beautiful temples with sensational icons, murals and history.

Attractions: No
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Xi’an

Today’s time is your own until you fly to Xi’an.
Welcome to Xi’an!

Attractions: Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Bell and Drum Tower Square, Great Mosque, Muslim Quarter
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Xi’an

Drive about 40km to discover one of the greatest man-made wonders in the world – the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, built by the first emperor of China Qin Shihuang to protect him in his afterlife. The Terracotta Army covers an enormous area and contains three pits, which you may not have enough time to complete.But standing in front of these figures, one can’t help being amazed by the fabulous artistic skills of ancient Chinese artisans.

After that, return back to Xian for some leisure time at the Bell & Drum Tower Square, where the biggest and most intact Bell Tower and Drum Tower in China stands. Then head to the Great Mosque, Chinese style decoration on its outside and Muslim style decoration on the inside. This visit is followed by a relaxing wander around bustling and lively Muslim Quarter, a place where you can try different local snacks and explore Muslim culture.

Attractions: Daci’en Temple, Xi’an City Wall
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Beijing

Before heading to the capital Beijing, we will first visit the Daci’en Temple and the Xi’an City Wall in Xi’an.
The Great Ci’en Temple was built by the famous Buddhist master Xuanzang to preserve the classic scriptures he bought back from India in the early Tang Dynasty.

Next, you’ll stroll around the Xi’an City Wall, the largest and best-preserved ancient city wall in China.
Then you’ll take the high-speed train to Beijing.

Attractions: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Beijing

Today, we embark on our journey of exploration of Beijing from Tnanmen Square. Tiananmen Square is now the largest city square in the world.

Passing through Tiananmen Square, you can see the five most important palaces in the world, the Forbidden City. It was the residence of the Ming and Qing emperors and represented the supreme power of ancient China.

After that, we will spend a relaxing afternoon at the Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China.

Attractions: Mutianyu Great Wall, Sacred Way, Water Cube, Bird’s Nest
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Beijing

In the morning, visit the Mutianyu Great Wall, a less crowded but well-preserved section of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty. You will take a cable car ride up the Great Wall and then hike to the most beautiful and interesting places in Mutianyu.

Then continue your journey to the Sacred Way, a 7-kilometer-long passage to the tombs of the 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty.

Finally, drive back to Beijing and stop at the Beijing Olympic Village to admire the famous Bird’s Nest and Water Cube from the outside.

Attractions: Temple of Heaven, Hutongs
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: No

Drive to the Temple of Heaven. Once a place where the emperor offered sacrifices and prayers, the Temple of Heaven has now become a lively place.

Then, head back to the city to experience the various Hutongs and learn about where Beijingers live.
Your trip to China is coming to an end and you will return home or head to another flight.