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Day 1
Beijing Arrival
Ni Hao! Welcome to Beijing. You will start your trip by meeting with your local guide at 6pm in the hotel lobby. They will welcome you and go over details about your trip including meeting up with your guides in each city. After that, your guide will take you on an orientation walk.
Accommodation:
•Campanile Hotel Guanganmen or similar (3 nights)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today
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Day 2
Beijing Great Wall at Mutianyu
Mutianyu (about 2 hours out of Beijing) is one of the best-preserved and restored sections of the Great Wall so it is easy to climb, but you can still appreciate the difficulty and scale of its construction. A picnic lunch on the Wall is provided.
Return to Beijing in late afternoon and relax or spend some time exploring the local market.
Accommodation:
•Campanile Hotel Guanganmen or similar (3 nights)
Meals Included:
•Breakfast
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Day 3
Beijing—free day with optional activities
Today is a free day to explore this fantastic city. You can climb to the top of Jinshan Park for a bird's eye view of the three palaces: Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace as well as Tiananmen Square, or visit the Temple of Heaven & Lama temple. You can also explore the fake market to test your barging skills.
Accommodation:
•Campanile Hotel Guanganmen or similar (3 nights)
Meals Included:
• Breakfast
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Day 4
Beijing Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Hutongs, train to Hangzhou
There will be a lot of walking today, as well as using the subway to get around some of Beijing’s most famous sights. Starting with Tiananmen Square; one of the world's largest public squares and home to the Monument of the People's Heroes and the Great Hall of the People continue to the Forbidden City (built 1406-1420), the 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 enjoy our lunch in a local restaurant, savoring authentic Chinese dumplings. Spend the afternoon strolling through the alleys formed by lines of traditional courtyards known as Hutongs, this is the best way to experience the local life of Beijing.
Evening board an overnight sleeper train to Hangzhou.
Accommodation:
•Overnight on train from Beijing to Hangzhou (1 night)
Meals Included:
•There are no meals included today
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Day 5
Hangzhou West Lake with Shibaoshan hike, train to Shanghai
Our day starts with a visit to the West Lake, regarded as a symbol of Hangzhou and as one of the most beautiful sights in China. Stroll around the lake exploring famous sites including Lotus Park. View fish at the Flower Harbor and Spring Dawn at Su causeway while learning interesting local folklore and history from your guide. Later, hike up to Mt. Shibaoshan for a birds-eye view of the entire west lake.
In the mid-afternoon, you will head to the train station for fast train to Shanghai, approximately 1.5 hours.
Accommodation:
• Shanghai Railway Mansion or similar (2 nights)
Meals Included:
•There are no meals included today
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Day 6
Shanghai -- City God's Temple, Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai Museum, the Bund
Today’s walking tour will take you back in time. The first stop is the City God's Temple area; a folk temple neighboring Yuyuan Garden. It originated as the Jinshan God Temple, dedicated to the spirit of Jinshan or "Gold Mountain", an island off the coast of Shanghai and was converted into a City God's Temple in 1403. Its popularity turns the surrounding area into a large pedestrian area hosting an array of shops, restaurants and teahouses, as well as annual temple fair events. Yuyuan Garden is an extensive ancient garden with Ming and Qing architectural styles.
Later, we’ll stroll along the narrow winding lanes (longtangs) of Old Shanghai where we can get a real glimpse into the locals’ daily life. Shanghai Museum is a highlight of the tour. The museum design is in keeping with Feng Shui principles and it houses a great permanent collection of over 120,000 pieces as well as hosting numerous special exhibitions.In the evening, explore the Bund. This spectacular array of Art Deco buildings line what was once the most important financial street in Asia.
Accommodation:
•Shanghai Railway Mansion or similar (2 nights)
Meals Included:
•There are no meals included today
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Day 7
Shanghai depart
Today is your last day in Shanghai. There are no activities planned but depending on the time of your outbound flight you can spend the day exploring more of the busy city or indulging in the many cuisines that can be found here.
Meals Included:
•There are no meals included today
