Day 1 Depart for China
Depart for Beijing, China from your preferred U.S. international gateway city.

Day 2 On board the flight to Beijing, China
Enjoy the onboard services and hospitality of the airline crew as you cross the international dateline towards the Asian continent.

Day 3 Beijing
Upon your arrival and immigration clearance early in the morning, our tour representative will meet you outside the baggage claim exit and guide you to the comforts of our transfer vehicle that will bring you to your hotel for check-in, to rest and to refresh. Then may at your leisure to accustom yourself to the new time zone, explore the capital city of China on your own, or join us for these optional tour programs:

Optional Tour 1: Tiananmen Square and The Forbidden City Tour with Lunch at $70 per person.
Get ready to be awed by the largest public square in the world and see the locals stroll and play in Tiananmen Square. Then walk to the legendary Forbidden City nearby – the palace complex of the Ming and Qing dynasties from 1420 to 1912 where Chinese emperors and their household once ruled as the power and political center. This huge palace ground covers over 180 acres in the center of Beijing city and has been touted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the largest collection of ancient wooden structures in the world. Feel free to roam from one end of the complex peeking into the once-home of the generations of emperors and concubines, and then exit on the other side of this vast magnificent compound. Lunch will be hosted at a local restaurant.

Optional Tour 2: Peking Duck Dinner Banquet with wine served at $40 per person.
Enjoy this famous culinary dish that had been served on the imperial court menu and aptly named where it had originated – the Peking (Beijing) Duck meal is characterized by servings of deliciously roasted slices of duck skins that you will wrap with steamed rice flour pancakes together with your choice of spring onion stalks and cucumber strips dosed with sweet bean sauce. Serving with a glass of wine will make this unique culinary experience even more exquisite.

Overnight: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 Beijing
See the spectacular man-made structure on Earth that has been recorded as a UNESCO World Heritage Site without contest – the Great Wall of China is the longest man-made structure on the planet-spanning over 13,171 miles. Built with the aim to be a physical barrier against the nomadic enemies from the north, the many Great Walls that have been constructed by successive emperors of different feudal empires were finally linked together to become what it stands today. Hike along the Great Wall at JuYongGuan Pass and after spending some free time on your own on the Wall, the tour will proceed with an educational experience at the Jade Museum and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Center to learn about the historical significance of Chinese jade and Chinese medicine to end the day.

Optional Tour: Entertainment for the night for your purchase will be the Golden Mask Dynasty Show at $55 per person.
An entertainment galore with over 200 performers of Chinese dances, acrobatics, costumes, and lighting, acoustics, and effects.

Overnight: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5 Beijing – Xi'an
You can enjoy the morning at your leisure or join the morning optional tour.

Optional Tour: Temple of Heaven and Rickshaw Tour with Lunch at $85 per person.
Visit the Temple of Heaven a spectacular imperial complex of religious buildings located in the southeastern part of Beijing which is also a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Used by emperors of the last two Chinese dynasties as a sacred temple to pray for a good harvest during annual ceremonies, it houses a magnificent wooden circular building built on three layers of marble stone base completely void of any nail. You can also be amazed by the Echo Wall there that can transmit sounds over large distances from one end of the perimeter to the other. Chinese rickshaws used to be a common mode of transportation in Beijing in the old days. You can still ride in these rickshaws during your tour through narrow alleyways that connect between the high walls of traditional courtyard residences that are still being preserved under the encroaching skyline of the modern skyscrapers.

Depart for flight to Xi'an, the capital of northwestern Shaanxi Province in the afternoon, and upon arrival at the airport of the ancient city, our local guide will meet and greet you to escort you to the hospitality of your next hotel accommodation to rest for the day.

Overnight: Xi'an
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 Xi'an
Take an orientation ride around the city and visit the impressive city monument, the Xi'an City Wall which is also one of the largest and oldest conserved Chinese fortifications in the country. The rectangular-shaped Xi'an Wall was rebuilt in the 14th century over the previous palace wall of the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907 A.D.) is now 39 feet high, between 39 and 46 feet wide at the top, and encloses an area of 5.4 square miles. Described by Michelle Obama as "a wall that has withstood war and famine and the rise and fall of dynasties" during the Obamas' visit in 2014, City Wall now give visitors a majestic view of the ancient city caught in between the old and the seemingly new forever expanding city with a changing skyline in its perimeter. You can stroll atop the spacious wall and peek into the uniquely-styled watchtowers and imposing gates underneath. The rest of the day will be at your leisure or you can participate in the wonderful optional excursion to visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum in the day, and the optional Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show in the evening.

Optional Tour 1: Visit the Terracotta Warrior and Horses Museum with lunch at $89 per person.
Come marvel at the undisputed Eighth Wonder of the World – the live archeological site at the Terracotta Warrior and Horses Museum in Xi'an.  The exposed Terracotta Army and Horses are touted to be only a small contingent in the necropolis that was accidentally discovered by farmers in 1974 while digging for well water. Since then, the site has been converted into a working museum for archaeologists consisting of several buildings protecting the live-size terracotta human and horse figurines that were supposed to safeguard the First Emperor of a unified China in his afterlife more than 2,500 years ago. Seize the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the three excavation pits and see the breathtaking scale of an ancient empire. After spending your time exploring the museum, you will be routed to visit a terracotta replication factory to look at the modern production process of these terracotta soldiers.

Optional Tour 2: Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show at $50 per person.
You can now enjoy the sights, sounds, music, and dance of imperial court entertainment during the heights of Chinese civilization in the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907 A.D.) at this stage performance. The multi-talented professional performers and dancers will amaze the audience with a great series of repertoire that includes performances with ancient musical instruments, Chinese dances, songs, grandeur costumes and pageantry rarely seen today.

Overnight: Xi'an
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 Xi'an – Shanghai – Suzhou
Check out of the hotel in the morning and depart for flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival at the airport of the sophisticated metropolitan Shanghai, the vehicle transfer will bring you to the city that is fabled as Venice of the East, Suzhou. The city of Suzhou dates back to 514 B.C. With its more tranquil and less hustle-like atmosphere, it has become a suburban city of getaway for many city dwellers in Shanghai nearby. Visit the famous first street named in the city, Shang Tang Street, that is now a busy and colorful pedestrian-friendly commercial boulevard where one can shop for local handicrafts, snacks, gifts, and necessities. This ancient street with over 1,100 years of history still remains as a typical style of Suzhou's old alleys where it used to be.

Overnight: Suzhou
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 Suzhou – Wuxi
Suzhou is famous for its classical gardens and has been acknowledged as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for this inherent quality. Visit the Lingering Garden where most Chinese gardens around the world would most likely be modeled after. See the wonderful visual perspectives created by ancient Chinese landscape artists that once brought the Chinese garden designs into greatest heights. Next, learn about the famous asset for trade in the ancient Silk Road at the Silk Spinning Factory. Here you will realize that Suzhou was the source for many Chinese Silk textiles and products for the merchants during ancient international trade.

Optional Tour: Grand Canal Boat Ride with a Walk Tour at $35 per person.
Experience the pleasant wonders of venturing along the Grand Canal in Suzhou peeking at the lives of the locals living along the famous waterway that once linked the delivery of goods all the way to Beijing.

Drive to the nearby city of Wuxi, an ancient city touted as the "Land of Fish and Rice" that is richly endowed with natural attractions and warm moist climate.  The ride will pass the third-largest freshwater lake in China, Lake Tai, and will visit the trendy Nanchang Street full of ancient and modern architectures.

Overnight: Wuxi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 9 Wuxi – Hangzhou
Visit one of the largest freshwater pearl displays in China before lunch and take a ride to the poetic city of Hangzhou. Once famous for providing many legendary Chinese poets with composition inspirations, the West Lake in Hangzhou is a must-see attraction. 

Optional Tour: Boat Ride On The West Lake at $35 per person
Take a boat ride onto the West Lake to get close to the scenic beauty of its willow draped islets and picturesque connecting bridges. 

Overnight: Hangzhou
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 10 Hangzhou – Shanghai
Hangzhou is famous as the tea capital in China because of its unique climate that is conducive for cultivating tea. Visit the Green Tea Village before moving on to Shanghai not far away. Upon arrival in Shanghai, stop by The Bund, a five-block riverfront promenade walkway at the edge of the Huang Pu River that divides the city into east and west. The glaring contrast of modern skyscrapers on the eastern side of the river cast towering modernity against the lower profiles of traditional European architectural buildings now primarily housing banks and trading houses on the west. Make the best use of your time by joining the optional Shanghai Lujiazui FTZ and Huangpu River Cruise.

Optional Tour: Shanghai Lujiazui FTZ and Huangpu River Cruise at $50 per person.
Check out the financial and trade zone of Shanghai on the eastern bank of the Huangpu River commonly known as Pudong. This is where gleaming skyscrapers give Shanghai its imposing skyline and metropolis feel – all surrounded by the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower, stately Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai Tower, and the Shanghai World Financial Center. Then board a riverboat along the Huangpu River the cruise between the modern skyscrapers on the East and the neo-classical building of European designs on the western shore, the Bund. Dodge under the two spectacular suspension bridges, the Yangpu and Nanpu bridges and be amazed by the amazing feats of modern engineering connecting the old and new Shanghai.

Overnight: Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11 Shanghai
Spend a full day at leisure to explore the city on your own or join the following optional tours:

Optional Tour 1: Shanghai Day Tour with Maglev Train Experience at $65 per person.
Check out many of Shanghai's must-see highlights, mingle among the crowd to find great bargains in souvenirs and gifts at local bazaars, and continue to the modern shopping district, Xintiandi for your last minute shopping needs. Then take the breath-taking ride on the Maglev Train that can speed past 242 miles per hour.

Optional Tour 2: Shanghai ERA Acrobats at $55 per person.
This permanent show presents the most death-defying and most spectacular combination of stunts, dance, and color that should not be missed. A very highly rated show that is considered as the best in the world that is far more superior in scale, content, and quality than even the Cirque du Soleil shows presented anywhere.

Overnight: Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast

Day 12 Shenzhen and depart from China
Today you will visit Shekou Seaworld, OCT Harbour and Dongmen Pedestrian Street in Shenzhen. At the end of this wonderful journey, head to the airport for the flight back home.

Meals: Breakfast