SIGNATURE CHINA

Day 1: Arrive Beijing
Transfer to the hotel upon arrival in Beijing.

Day 2: Beijing
After breakfast you will visit Tiananmen Square, look across the vast space to the Great Hall of the People and stand before the massive Tiananmen (Heavenly Peace) Gate bearing a huge portrait of Mao Zedong, who stood here to proclaim the People’s Republic on 1 October 1949. Lying behind is the Forbidden City, as the former imperial palace is called, where the magnificent marble courtyards, huge halls, gilded temples and ornate pavilions frequented by the emperors and their families are now open to your gaze. (B/L/D)

Day 3: Beijing
You will be taken north today to pace the ramparts of China’s famed Great Wall, originally constructed over 2000 years ago to keep invaders from the north at bay. Back to the city for a photo stop at the Olympic Stadium. Traditional enjoy a traditional Peking duck dinner tonight. (B/L/D)

Day 4: Beijing
Today you will visit the wonderfully preserved and restored Summer Palace, the famed pleasure garden of the Qing Emperors. Beautiful ornamental plantings, languid willows, and painted pavilions surrounding scenic lake recreate the atmosphere of bygone centuries. After lunch, you will experience a rickshaw tour of Beijing’s original “Hutong” district, a fascinating maze of back alleys and hidden courtyards where the people who still work and live here welcome you into their homes. (B/L/D)

Day 5: Beijing – Xian
This morning you will visit the Temple of Heaven, where the emperors carried out the most important sacrifices and ceremonies of the year. The main buildings here represent the epitome of Ming architecture. Transfer to the airport.   Transfer to your hotel upon arrival in Xian. After checking into the hotel, you will go to the old part of Xian which remains completely surrounded by a magnificent wall, complete with impressive gates and towers, built during the reign of the first Ming emperor in the late 14th century. This evening you will enjoy the lavish spectacle of the Tang Dynasty Show. (B/L/D)

Day 6: Xian
After breakfast you will to the east of Xian to visit the Banpo Museum, it is the site of a village that dates back around 6,000 years to the Neolithic era, which is known as the Yangshao Culture in China. The site was discovered in 1953 and covers an area of approximately 50,000 sq meters. Excavations revealed 45 houses, pottery, kilns, a burial ground, grain stores and tool stores. Banpo is considered to be one of the best examples of an agricultural community of this era anywhere in the world.  Then you will go to see the renowned archaeological site of the Terracotta Warriors, buried over 2200 years ago to guard the tomb of the first emperor. Tonight enjoy the famous local cuisine-Dumpling banquet. (B/L)

Day 7: Xian-Chengdu
This morning a visit to the Shaanxi Museum, although built in Chinese style, this huge modern museum, opened in 1992, it is said to be the best museum in China, it houses over 300.000 artefacts from prehistory onwards, including carvings, murals, pottery, porcelain, murals, paintings, coins and objects of bronze, gold and silver. And you will visit Small Goose Pagoda situated in the grounds of a temple founded by the Tang emperor Gaozong in 684 AD. You will fly to Chengdu.

In Chengdu you will stroll in People’ Park and watch countless tea houses and observe local people’s life. Tonight you will enjoy the colourful Sichuan Opera, with high–pitch voices and unique “changing faces”. (B/L)

Day 8: Chengdu
Today you will travel to the south-west of Chengdu, to see the Buddha statue, 71m high, is carved into a cliff on the bank of the Min at LeShan. It was carved between 713 and 803 AD in the hope that its presence exerts an influence to subdue flooding. Thought to be the largest ancient Buddha statue in the world. (B/L/D)

Day 9: Chengdu-Ljiang
This morning you will visit the Panda Research Institute. The visit provides an opportunity to see a large number of the endangered giant pandas, both adults and cubs. After lunch, you will fly to Lijiang.  On arrival you will be met and transferred to the hotel. Lijiang, lying at 2400 m at the foot of the imposing Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, which rises to 5500 m. This region is the home of the Naxi people, descendants of Tibetan nomads, and the old part of Lijiang, criss-crossed with cobbled streets, canals and bridges, is now a World Heritage area. (B/L/D)

Day 10: Ljiang
Today you will go the stunning Jade Dragon Snow Mountain with time for exploration on foot. It is the southernmost mountain in the Northern Hemisphere that is snow-capped year round. The scenery is dramatic and the vegetation fascinating.  After lunch there is a tour of the old town, including a visit to the Mu mansion, followed by a walk around the Black Dragon Pool Park. You will be Baisha Painting place with fascinating murals depicting Buddhist and Daoist scenes painted in the 15th and 16th centuries in a style with Tibetan, Naxi and mainstream Chinese elements. (B/L)

Day 11:Ljiang
Today you will get free time. (B)

Day 12: Ljiang – Shanghai
Fly to Shanghai. Transfer to the hotel upon arrival in Shanghai. In the afternoon you can walk along the famous Bund past the facades of the colonial buildings lining the Huangpu River. (B/D)

Day 13: Shanghai
This morning you will visit the beautifully maintained Yu Garden, an outstanding example of a classical garden dating from the 16th century, now surrounded by a bustling market area.  Later you will ascend the Grand Hyatt Tower (MinShan Tower), one of the world’s tallest buildings, for an astonishing view over the whole city. In the evening you will be entertained by Shanghai’s Acrobatic troupes. (B/L/D)

Day 14: Shanghai
Today morning you will visit the renowned Shanghai Museum which looks across the People’s Square to the new Grand Theatre. The museum is famous for its collection of paintings, sculptures, porcelain, costumes, ancient bronzes and other artefacts and provides a wonderful insight into Chinese culture. After lunch you will get free time. (B/L)

Day 15: Depart Shanghai
You will be transferred to Longyang Station to board on Maglav train to Pudong airport for your onward flight home. (B)

The prices of above tour are quoted on the basis of a minimum of 2 persons travelling together.