China Hidden Treasures

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 (2 nights)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today
Optional Activities:
• Beijing –Temple of Heaven & Summer Palace day tour
• Beijing –Half-day tour to Summer Palace
• Beijing – Evening Acrobat show
• Beijing – Evening Kungfu Show

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.

Accommodation:
•Campanile Hotel Guanganmen or similar (2 nights)
Meals Included:
• Breakfast

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. The great idea is to bring a picnic lunch with you to enjoy at the top the wall during a rest break.
Return to Beijing in time for a high-speed train ride to Datong (2 hours).

Accommodation:
•Hongqi Hotel Datong or similar(1 night)
Meals Included:
•Breakfast

The Nine Dragon Screen, built over 600 years ago, is the oldest and largest glazed screen in China today. It is three times the size of the one in Beihai Park, Beijing. The screen, built for the thirteenth son of Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), has been well preserved and remains intact to this day. It is made up of 426 specially fired glazed bricks, with a height of 8 meters (about 26 feet), is 2.02 meters (6.6 feet) thick and 45.5 meters (149 feet) long.

Later it is a 3-hour journey to Pingyao by bullet train. Píngyáo (in central Shanxi province) is China’s best-preserved ancient walled town and is inscribed on the World Heritage list. Here take the electric car to the old town and with your guide explore the opulent mural-coated halls and courtyard residences. Admire the rows of brightly painted statues dating from the 10th century.

Accommodation:
• Honghu Guesthouse (2 nights)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today

Explore more of the old Pingyao town. Discover the first and largest draft bank of China--Rishengchang Draft Bank, the ancient city wall and walk in the 15th-century street in its old-fashioned Chinese style. The old town is one of the best places to learn Chinese business philosophy and you will visit a sophisticatedly designed residence, named the Qiao’s Family Mansion.

Accommodation:
• Honghu Guesthouse (2 nights)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today

It is about 3 hours by fast train to Xi’an, arriving in time for lunch. Xi’an is not only the capital city of Shaanxi Province, but also home to many imperial powers dating back to 2200 years. The development of the historic city is booming; however, many amazing historical sites are still very well preserved. Your orientation tour begins at the iconic Bell and Drum Tower then on to the popular food paradise of the Muslim Quarter.

Accommodation:
• Chenggong International Hotel or similar (1 night)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today
Optional Activities:
• Bell & Drum Tower and Great Mosque tour
• Big Wild Goose Pagoda visit

Morning free with optional activities.
Then we will set off to visit the Terracotta Warriors. This incredible archaeological find, discovered in 1976, comprises more than 6,000 warriors, chariots and horses - each individually sculpted from clay with different costumes, height and even facial expressions – all in battle formation. 3 main pits displaying over 2,000 of the warriors are open for you to view.
After marveling at this incredible display we will head to Xi’an North Station for a sleeper train to Shanghai

Accommodation:
• Overnight on hard-sleeper train from Xi’an to Shanghai( 1 night)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today
Optional Activities:
• Cycling tour on the Ancient City Wall

We arrive Shanghai in the early afternoon. Later, we will enjoy a walking tour that takes us back in time. The first stop is the City God Temple area, a folk temple neighboring Yuyuan Garden. The City God Temple in Shanghai originated as the Jinshan God Temple, dedicated to the spirit of Jinshan or "Gold Mountain", an island off the coast of Shanghai. It was converted into a City God Temple in 1403, during the Yongle era of the Ming dynasty. Its popularity turns the surroundings into a large pedestrian area that hosts 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.

Then we’ll stroll along the narrow winding lanes (longtangs) of Old Shanghai where we can get a real glimpse into the locals’ daily life. In the evening, we will 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

A free day to explore Shanghai. You may stay in the city area, strolling around the French Concession and Nanjing Road, then visit the Shanghai Museum. Or you can head to the Zhujiajiao Water Town - famed as "Venice of the East," on the outskirt of Shanghai. It was built about 1,700 years ago. There are 36 stone bridges and numerous rivers and many ancient buildings stretching along riverbanks. It has been taken as the best example of lifestyle and architecture in Yangtze River Delta.

Accommodation:
• Shanghai Railway Mansion or similar (2 nights)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today
Optional Activities:
• Walking tour to Shanghai Museum, French Concession and Nanjing Road
• Private tour to Zhujiajiao by bus

It is about 3.5 hours by fast train to Wuyi Shan, arriving in the early afternoon. Wuyi Shan is located in northern Fujian and has some of the most unspoilt scenery in the province. The mountains were inscribed on the World Heritage list for cultural, scenic, and biodiversity values in 1999. For Chinese, here is the origin of the most rare rock tea trees. On arrival explore the town with a half-day hike.

Accommodation:
• Guesthouse in Wuyishan (1 night)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today

A free morning for your explorations in the Wuyi Shan Mountains. You may raft on the Nine Bended Stream to appreciate its natural beauty as it passes through sheer rock cliff gorges or walk around on the old 11th-century styled street adjacent to Wuyi Palace.
In the early afternoon, we will board a fast train to Longyan (2.5 hours). Longyan is the home of the Hakka people with 75% of the population identifying themselves as Hakka. Upon arrival, you’ll be transferred to your hotel. After a short break, you will take an orientation walk together with your guide.

Accommodation:
• Guesthouse in Longyan (1 night)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today

This morning we will set off to visit the 800-year-old Pei Tian village located in the mountains of western Fujian Province. Walk the well preserved narrow cobbled lanes amid stone houses; pass the bridges and archways and step inside the old temples and the Hakka Academy.
The Hakka of Yongding are famous for their fortress-like tulou (roundhouses); today more than 30,000 survive, many still inhabited. Visit Hongkeng Folk Cultural Village, viewed as the embodiment of Yongding Hakka earth buildings. It is surrounded by rolling hills and the clear Hongchuan Creek flows through.

Accommodation:
• Yuchenglou Guesthouse or similar (2 nights)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today

Today we will explore the village which is famous for its 30-odd tulou of different sizes and shapes, among which the Zhencheng building is the grandest. This building is nicknamed "the Prince of Tulou." In addition there are many other famous buildings including the Rusheng Building (a miniature round earth building), the Kuiju Building (which resembles the Potala Palace), the Fuyu Building (a mansion-style building), and the Jingyang Building (with the thickest walls among all Hongkeng tulou).

Accommodation:
•Yuchenglou Guesthouse or similar (2 nights)
Meals Included:
•There are no meals included today

It’s a 3-hour journey to Xiamen by road. Xiamen is a typical littoral city with abundant tourist attractions such as islands, mountains, temples, and parks, providing you with a full sightseeing schedule. Now, it’s famous for its young and romantic ambience. Upon arrival, you will meet your guide and be transferred to your hotel.

Accommodation:
• Local guesthouse (2 nights)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today

This morning we will head to Gulangyu Island by ferry. The island is best known for its natural beauty, ancient relics, and varied architecture. You’ll visit the beautiful seaside Shuzhuang Garden, Southern Putuo Temple, and check out the world's most significant canon at Hulishan Cannon Fort then enjoy a scenic drive on the Island Ring Road along the East Coast of Xiamen.
After the tour, return to your guesthouse for the night.

Accommodation:
•Local guesthouse (2 nights)
Meals Included:
•There are no meals included today

Today you’ll travel by high-speed train to Shenzhen (approx. 4 hrs.) and cross the border to Hong Kong where the tour ends.

Meals Included:
•There are no meals included today