This 13-day, 12-night escorted tour will show you the many fascinating faces
of the vast People's Republic of China. Spend your initial days in Beijing,
the capital of China. Despite being a very contemporary capital city with one
of the largest urban populations in the world, it is also home to an
incredibly rich cultural heritage. While in Beijing you will enjoy an evening
of Peking Opera at the Liyuan Theatre - and pay a visit to one of the symbols
of the People's Republic of China: Tiananmen Square. You will tour the former
imperial family's Summer Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on
beautiful Kunming Lake, taste authentic Peking duck and visit the Temple of
Heaven, where China's former emperors would worship the god of Heaven and pray
for a bountiful harvest.
As part of the sightseeing in Beijing, you will
also explore the Forbidden City; this UNESCO World Heritage Site was home to
emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties for half a millennium. Though set
right in the heart of Beijing - it was off limits to normal Chinese citizens
until the 20th century. Its inner complex of colorful alleys, gardens and
pavilions will astonish you. You will also enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime day trip
to the Great Wall of China. Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this
magnificent - truly beautiful - fortification's construction began in the 7th
century BC.
On your arrival day you will also have free time in the
afternoon, so consider visiting a hutong to see how traditional Chinese
neighborhoods were once designed. From Beijing, you will fly southwest to the
city of Xi'an, one of China's most historic cities. In fact, Xi'an is one of
the four great ancient capitals of China. Here you will visit another UNESCO
World Heritage Site: the 2222-year-old tomb of Qin Shi Huang, China's first
emperor, which is guarded by an army of thousands of life-size terracotta
soldiers. While in Xi'an you will also see the remarkable, 8th-century Big
Wild Goose Pagoda and enjoy an evening dinner show.
Your tour will then
excitingly change altitude! You'll be headed up, up and up to the Tibetan
Plateau, the highest region on earth and commonly referred to as “the Roof of
the World.” Characterized by nomadic herders, lakes and valleys, the plateau
is encircled by mountains - specifically by three the Himalayan range (home to
Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth), the Kunlun Range and the Qilian
Range. Your destination is Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region
in the People's Republic of China.
Residing in a river valley in the
Himalaya Mountains, Lhasa is home to some of the most precious Buddhist sites
in the world, several of which you will visit including the Sera Monastery - a
bastion of Buddhist philosophy - and the Jokhang Temple; this UNESCO World
Heritage Site was the first Buddhist temple to be constructed in Tibet. It
was built in the 7th century during the reign of King Songtsän Gampo to
celebrate his marriage to a Buddhist princess from the Chinese Tang Dynasty.
While in Lhasa, you will also visit two other UNESCO World Heritage Sites,
both of which are traditional residences of the Dalai Lamas: the Potala Palace
(his winter palace) and Norbulingka Palace (his summer palace).
From
here you will travel southwest by overnight train to Xining, the largest city
on the Tibetan Plateau. For over two millennia, Xining was a trading center on
the Northern Silk Road. Reflecting the local population - today Xining is
home to several religiously significant mosques and monasteries. While here
you will visit a local market. Notice that the cuisine of Xining is unique in
China as most of its dishes are based on food products only found in this
region.
Your tour will finish in Shanghai where you will have an
exciting sightseeing tour featuring Yu Garden, the historic Jade Buddha
Temple, a stroll down China's premier shopping street - and a visit to the
French Concession for a look into Shanghai's colonial past.
This escorted tour includes delicious, local meals, excellent guiding
and utmost comfort - meaning that your tourist visa, flights, rail tickets,
hotels and transportation are all taken care of (please see specific
inclusions list). Concerning your logistics, this itinerary features a
combination of planes, trains and private coaching, which is the most
comfortable way of traveling through this vast, fascinating country.
