China Express

Day 1: Arrive Beijing
Arrive at anytime during the day and make your way to the hotel.  An evening group meeting is planned followed by an optional dinner.
· Group Meeting and optional Beijing Duck Dinner

Day 2:Beijing
Spend the day visiting Tiananmen Suqare, Forbidden City and Beijing’s old hutong areas behind the Forbidden City.
· Tiananmen Squre, Forbidden City

Day 3:Beijing
Spend the day exploring the impressive Great Wall. Late afternoon boarding an overnight hard sleeper train to Xi’an.
· Mutianyu Great Wall Excursion

Day 4: Xi'an
Arrive in the historical Silk Road city of Xi’an starting with a morning orientation of the Muslim Quarter and surrounding sites.
· Orientation walk around Bell and Drum Towers and old Muslim Quarter
 
Day 5: Xi'an
Spend the morning visiting the Terracotta Warriors and leaving the afternoon free to wander Xi'an's city walls until boarding an overnight hard sleeper train to Shanghai.
· Terracotta Warriors

Day 6: Shanghai
Morning arrival into the modern metropolis of Shanghai and spend the day exploring the local markets, historical Bund area and the futuristic PuDong skyline.
· Orientation walk of Nanjing Road pedestrian street and the historical Bund Riverside area

Day 7: Shanghai
Opt for a day trip to Zhujiajiao by subway.

Day 8: Depart
You are free to depart anytime during the day.

Day 1: Beijing
Nihao! Welcome to Beijing, the Capital of China. Your tour begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. and there will be more information about the meeting when you arrive at the hotel. Please look for a note in the hotel lobby or ask at reception. Your group meeting will include details about your trip, followed by an orientation walk and optional dinner at a local restaurant.

Accommodation:
· Hotel (1 night)
Included activities:
· Group meeting
· Orientation walk
Optional Activities:
· Beijing – Temple of Heaven – CNY40
· Beijing – Kungfu Show – CNY180
· Beijing – Lama Temple – CNY25

Day 2: Beijing
Today we' ll explore famous sights in Beijing. There will be a lot of walking today as well as using public the subway to get around.After breakfast, we will take the metro to Tiananmen Square, one of the world's largest public squares, home to the Monument of the People's Heroes and the Great hall of the People. Then enter the Forbidden City, built from 1406 to 1420, a ceremonial and political center of the Chinese government for more than 500 years. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987 and is listed by UNESCO as the most extensive collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. After the Forbidden City, we will stroll in the alleys formed by lines of traditional courtyards known by Hutong and experience the local lifestyle of Old Beijing.

Accommodation:
· Hotel (1 night)
Included activities:
· Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City
· Walking tour of Hutong area

Day 3: Beijing
This morning we'll take a private bus to visit Great Wall - Mutianyu Section (approx. 2hrs), one of the best-preserved parts of the Great Wall with 22 towers winding along the mountain ridges. Spend quality time exploring and learning the history of Great Wall of China as well as enjoy the view at Huairou county the suburban area of Beijing.The great idea is to bring a picnic lunch with you to enjoy at the top the wall during a rest break.In the late afternoon, we will take private transfer to Beijing railway station and board the overnight train to Xian.

Accommodation:
· Overnight Hard sleeper (2nd Class) train
Included activities:
· Mutianyu Great Wall Excursion

Day 4: Xi'an
Upon arrival transfer to Hotel. Your adventure starts with a walking tour of the trendy Muslim quarter, and stroll around at the narrow streets dotted with small shops, markets, and restaurants. Then we will take a walk around Muslim quarter, lively markets, and Bell & Drum Tower. The afternoon we will visit the ancient City Wall, the most significant and best-preserved wall extant in China now, running over 13 kilometers around Xian. 

Accommodation:
· Hotel (1 night)
Included activities:  
· Historic Xian walking tour - Muslim Quarter
· The Ancient City Wall
Optional Activities:
· Xi’an – Small Wild Goose Pagoda – CNY50
· Xi’an – Great Mosque – CNY25
· Xi’an – Bell & Drum Towers – CNY50
· Xi’an – Big Wild Goose Pagoda – CNY80

Day 5: Xi'an
Today we will visit the Terracotta Warriors by bus. You’ll learn all about this incredible archaeological find, discovered in 1976 by farmers digging a well, after being buried for 2,000 years. Three main pits are open for you to view, where just under 2,000 of the total 6,000 warriors – each individually sculpted from clay, each having a different costume, height, and even facial expressions – stand in battle formation. The scale is incredibly impressive.The free afternoon before overnight train journey to Shanghai.

Accommodation:
· Overnight Hard sleeper (2nd Class) train
Included activities:  
· Terracotta Warriors

Day 6: Shanghai
Upon arrival, transfer to our hotel. Join your tour leader for a historical Shanghai walking tour: we will explore the narrow streets(Nongtang) of Shanghai and experience local's daily life. At the Bund, you can get a taste of 1920s Shanghai, walk along Huangpu River; you will get a feeling of the urban city with long history. Then we will walk along famous Nanjing Road down to the People's square where the Shanghai municipal government headquarter based.

Accommodation:
· Hotel (1 night)
Included activities:  
· Orientation walk of the Bund
Optional Activities:
· Shanghai – Yuyuan Gardens – CNY40
· Shanghai – Oriental Pearl Tower Viewing Deck – CNY150
· Shanghai – Propaganda Museum – CNY20

Day 7: Shanghai
Start for Zhujiajiao by subway in the morning, get a taste of traditional China on a day trip to an ornate water town. It is an ancient water town well-known throughout the country, with a history of more than 1700 years. Wander through the small streets and across the bridges that criss-cross the town. Get lost among the maze of peaceful cobblestone streets lined with village buildings – it’s a welcome break from the bustle of modern Shanghai. While here, gliding along the waterways in a gondola is the ideal way to enjoy a real water town experience.

Accommodation:
· Hotel (1 night)
Included activities:  
· Opt tour to Zhujiajiao

Day 8: Departure
There are no activities planned for the final day, and you can depart the accommodation at any time.

Visas

A visa is required for entry into China for all nationalities except Japan, Singapore and Brunei who are allowed visa free stays under 14 days. Travellers holding APEC cards are allowed entrance visa free if their card has already been approved for China.

In some cases, you may be required to provide further information or documentation and if this is the case we will notify you as soon as possible.

Booking a Single Room

On this particular tour we are pleased to be able to offer travellers the option of pre-booking a guaranteed single room. Due to the variety of accommodation used on this tour, single rooms are available for a majority of the nightstops, however it would still mean sharing on any overnight trains. All of our tours are planned and operated on a twin-share basis, meaning that the standard cost is based either on individual travellers sharing accommodation with another group member of the same sex, or people who book together sharing accommodation.

Vaccinations and Your Health

We recommend that you contact your primary care physician or a travel doctor for advice on vaccinations and travel health and we advise that you check to see if your tetanus-diphtheria booster is still valid every 10 years. 

Insurance

Travel insurance is compulsory for all our customers. At the start of the trip you must provide us with: the name of your insurance company, your policy number, a 18 hour medical emergency contact number, and the expiry date of the policy. You should ensure that your policy covers you for medical expenses and repatriation. If you are unable to provide all this information at the start of the trip you will not be allowed to join the trip. You can purchase insurance easily online by checking our Travel Insurance page.

Luggage

One main piece of lockable baggage and a shoulder bag. Total allowance: 44lbs/20kgs. Remember, you are expected to carry your own baggage – so don’t overload yourself. It is essential that your baggage is lockable; the airline/train authorities insist on this. Please be aware, before boarding a flight in China that the Chinese authorities will only allow bottles onto aircraft if they have been checked in as main luggage. Any bottles in the hand luggage may be confiscated.

What to Expect on Tour

Itinerary Disclaimer

The information in this trip details has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. 

Accommodation

Your accommodation is selected for convenient.