13 Day Classic China Tour with Xian and Flights

Beijing

After breakfast, visit Tiananmen Square, the second-largest public square in the world! Tiananmen Square is named after the Tiananmen (“Gate of Heavenly Peace”) located to the north of the square, separating it from the Forbidden City. The square contains the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the National Museum of China and the Mausoleum of Chairman Mao Zedong, and holds great cultural significance as it was the site of several important events in Chinese history.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation: Fuyong Yulong Hotel or similar, Beijing

Optional activities at an additional cost. To be booked and paid for locally.

• Forbidden City Tour for approximately AU$87 per person - Hailed as the landmark of Beijing and the centre of imperial China during the Ming and Qing dynasties, Forbidden City is a great place to be if you want to learn about Chinese culture and history.
• Peking Duck Dinner for approximately AU$42 per person - Authentic Peking Duck Banquet served with all the traditional accompaniments.

Beijing

Today’s highlight is an excursion to the majestic Great Wall at Juyong Pass. This is one of the three most famous passes along the Great Wall of China, together with Jiayuguan and Shanhaiguan. 60 km from downtown Beijing, Juyong Pass was the northern route to Beijing in ancient times. Once here, there is plenty of time to learn about the wall’s constriction and you’ll have the chance to climb a portion of this 6,000 km marvel. On the way back to Beijing, we stop at one of the largest jade exhibitions in Asia. Then, after lunch, see skilled artisans at work at a Cloisonné Factory. Cloisonné is a famous traditional enamelware, known as the ‘Blue of Jingtai’ in China, with a history of over 500 years. 

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation: Fuyong Yulong Hotel or similar, Beijing

Optional activities at an additional cost. To be booked and paid for locally.

• Musical Performance for approximately AU$81 per person - “The Golden Mask Dynasty” Show 

Beijing

Enjoy a tour to the Summer Palace, the largest preserved ancient garden in China and a former summer resort for Emperors followed by a visit to the Chinese Herbal Institute to learn about traditional Chinese medicine as you enjoy a rejuvenating foot massage which has existed for thousands of years.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation: Fuyong Yulong Hotel or similar, Beijing

Optional activities at an additional cost. To be booked and paid for locally.

• Hutong Life & Panda House Tour for approximately AU$87 per person - On this tour, you can explore around the intricate winding hutongs to admire the old courtyards. They are maze-like and deep and exactly as they were a long time ago. You are invited to visit a local family’s house to experience authentic Beijing life. Next, visit the Panda House in Beijing Zoo to see China’s adorable national treasure – the Giant Panda.

Beijing  Wuxi

Take a high-speed train to Wuxi, an ancient city richly endowed with natural attractions. Wuxi boasts a reputation for being the ‘Land of Fish and Rice’. Enjoy the scenery as we pass by Lake Tai, the third-largest freshwater lake in China. This evening, we will stroll along the trendy yet traditional Nanchang Street composed of both ancient and modern architecture juxtaposed with the peacefulness of the waterside town and fashionable life of Wuxi.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation: Wuxi International Hotel or similar, Wuxi

Wuxi to Suzhou

This morning visit one of the largest freshwater pearl exhibitions in the country. 

After lunch, travel by coach to Suzhou, an extraordinarily elegant city with its canals, stone bridges, and meticulously designed gardens. Suzhou has been referred to as ‘Paradise on Earth’ by Chinese poets and writers since ancient times. It is also known as the ‘Garden City’ due to its many classical gardens, renowned for their charming natural beauty. Visit the Lingering Garden, which is among the finest in China.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express Suzhou Taihu Lake or similar, Suzhou

Optional activities at an additional cost. To be booked and paid for locally.

• Grand Canal Cruise for approximately AU$42 per person - Take a cruise along the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Grand Canal of over a thousand years to view life along what was known as ‘China’s golden waterway’ in its heyday.
• Western Buffet Dinner for approximately AU$53 per person - Enjoy a sumptuous western style buffet dinner with at your hotel, a relaxing way to wind down the day.

Suzhou to Hangzhou

This morning visit a silk spinning mill and learn how silk is created from mulberry-munching silkworms to produce the finest thread and cloth. 

After lunch, travel by coach to Hangzhou, described by Marco Polo as “the most beautiful and magnificent city in the world”. Upon arrival, take a boat ride on the serene West Lake, noted for its scenic beauty which blends naturally with many famous historical and cultural sites.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Xiaoshan or similar, Hangzhou

Optional activities at an additional cost. To be booked and paid for locally.

• Impression West Lake for approximately AU$87 per person - This evening, enjoy an open-air performance, a masterpiece created by Zhang Yimou, the director of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Games Opening Ceremony.

Hangzhou to Shanghai

Experience tea-tasting at the Dragon Well Tea Plantation. 

Then travel by coach to Shanghai, a vibrant metropolis and the commercial centre of China. Upon arrival, walk along the famous Bund, a mile-long stretch along the Huangpu River. Lined with the colonial architecture of European design, it is the best place to capture the Western influences of the old days. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure strolling along the bustling shopping district, Nanjing Road.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation: Venus International Hotel or similar, Shanghai

Optional activities at an additional cost. To be booked and paid for locally.

• Huangpu River Cruise for approximately AU$53 per person - Cruising on the Huangpu River has become a must for most visitors to Shanghai.

Shanghai

This morning, visit the Shanghai Museum to see ancient Chinese art, furniture and jade. The rest of the afternoon is at your own leisure, or you may join our optional programs.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation: Venus International Hotel or similar, Shanghai

Optional activities at an additional cost. To be booked and paid for locally.

• Shanghai Insight Tour for approximately AU$53 per person - This tour takes you to Lujiazui Financial & Trade zone, where the Jinmao Tower is located. Jinmao is with 88 stories reaching a height of 420.5 meters and 290,000 square meter construction area, it literally means "Gold Luxuriance Building" in Chinese. In here, you can find the perfect combination of traditional Chinese architectural style and the world's modern architectural technology. After this, we will visit another famous site in Shanghai - Xi'tian'di. It is a historical and cultural character of the city tourism attraction, its unique Shikumen Shanghai-based urban construction attracts people from the globe to explore this special leisure area.
• Chinese Acrobatic Show for approximately AU$81 per person - ERA The Intersection of Time or SPIRAL - Tonight you can watch a stunning Chinese acrobatic show combining Chinese arts and modern technology, comparable to the tradition of the Broadway Musical.

Shanghai  Xian

Today you will travel to Xi’an. It is an ancient city in China and records the great changes of the country just like a living history book. In the evening, you can treat yourself by joining our suggested optional activities.

Accommodation: Titan Times Hotel or similar, Xian
Meals included: breakfast

Optional activities at an additional cost. To be booked and paid for locally.

• Dumpling Feast & Tang Dynasty Cultural Show for approximately AU$67 per person - Xi’an was China's capital city during the Tang Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty culture plays a significant part of sharpening today’s Chinese local culture. You will be fascinated by the Tang Dynasty culture during the show while enjoying the signature local Chinese food – dumplings. You will be surprised how many types of dumplings are serving during the feast.

Terracotta Warriors

Today you will visit the enigmatic ranks of the Terracotta Warriors in the company of our professional and experienced local guide. You may also have the opportunity of meeting the man who discovered the Warriors and learn about the moment they were uncovered by talking to one of the farmers who stumbled upon them in 1974. Followed by a visit to the famous Moslem Street, where many delicious local snacks and souvenirs are available for purchase.

Accommodation: Titan Times Hotel or similar, Xian
Meals included: breakfast

Xian Australia

Conclude your memorable tour with a transfer to the airport for your onward flight via connecting cities.

Meals included: breakfast and inflight

Australia

Arrive home today.

Meals included: inflight only