Lifestyle Travel around the Middle Kingdom

Be met at the airport and transfer to your hotel at downtown.

Escorted tour by public transportation (subway, bus or taxi) to Forbidden City first. It's over 250 acres and has over 9,000 rooms which were built between 1406 and 1420 and it is the symbol of the Imperial. Second, lead you to Temple of Heaven which is one of Beijing's most impressive sites in terms of architecture, color and significance and was used by Emperor to communicate directly with Heaven. The Summer Palace comes third-- locates northwest of Beijing, it is said to be the best preserved imperial garden in the world, and the largest of its kind still in existence in China.

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One day coach tour to Mutianyu Great Wall. As the old saying goes, "One who fails to reach the Great Wall is not a hero". Therefore, it is the must-see site during your Beijing tour. This section is a masterpiece of restoration, with 22 original style watchtowers and the longest fully-restored Great Wall section open to tourists. Then go to the Ming Tomb. Covering 40 square kilometers in the Changping District, it is the cemeteries of the 13 Ming emperors, 23 empresses, and many imperial concubines, crown princes and princesses, etc.

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Today is a free day for you.; Suggest you to go to Wangfujing Shopping Avenue to have a modern one-stop shopping experience there, or have a pedicab tour to historical Hutong, where you can get close to the real life of Beijingers and the tradition. Or else, go to Houhai is also great where is the place for leisure drinking and reading with beautiful natural surroundings. Later, your own arrangements to the train station to board the overnight train to ancient city Pingyao. 

Arrival in Pingyao in the morning, be met and transfer to hotel at downtown. No fixed travel plan as for your own exploration. This ancient town sets in the middle of Shanxi Province and covers an area of 2.25 sq kilometers, 90km southward from the provincial capital Taiyuan, which is one of the four best-preserved ancient towns in China.

Free time for more in-depth tour around the area. The most brilliant spot of this ancient town is its city wall which was originally built during 827-782 B.C. Another recommendation is Rishengchang, the first private banking unit in China. Besides, there are many stunning temples inside and around Pingyao. Shuangling Temple, 6km southwest from Pingyao is famous for its colorful sculpture. The Zhengguo Temple which is 12km to the northeast features unique wooden structure. Your trip may lead to these kinds of exploration.

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Arrival in Xian in the morning, be met and transfer to the hotel at downtown. Then independent tour to the Xian Bell Tower at the downtown area of Xian. It was originally built in Ming Dynasty and used to house the bells that were sounded every morning to announce the time to the ancient capital's inhabitants. Then walk to the area of Old City Quarters nearby. By wander along it, appreciate the traditional style architecture and the life of local people. Go to eat some local food at the snack street is also suggested. 

Half day tour to Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum. Its often referred to as the eighth wonder of the world which is an enormous collection of vivid Chinese warriors made out of hardened clay. There are four main categories of figures in this museum: chariot warriors, infantrymen, cavalrymen, and horses. There are generals, middle ranking officers, lower ranking officers, ordinary soldiers, and armored warriors. Go to the train station by yourself and board the train to the China's southwest city Chengdu.

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Arrival in Chengdu in the morning, be met and transfer to Leshan Buddha site, the largest stone-carved Buddha sculpture in the world. The Leshan Giant Buddha is about 71 meters high and 24 meters wide. The head is 14.7 meters long and 10 meters wide with total 1021 buns of hair on it, and his toenail can accommodate a seated person. 

Dujiangyan Panda Base is brand new giant panda breeding base in Chengdu, which is a “Panda Paradise”. It provides an opportunity to get closer contact with these cute creatures and watch their daily life and original habitat. Besides, you can be a volunteer in the base and learn how to take good care of pandas. And then travel back to Chengdu at night.

Get prepared and fly to Lijiang in the morning.

Free day for your own exploration. Lijiang's architecture is noteworthy for the blending of elements from several cultures that have come together over many centuries. Lijiang also possesses an ancient water-supply system of great complexity and ingenuity that still functions effectively today. Lijiang is worldly famous as an ancient town built in a simple and artistic style and scientifically laid out. It was listed as a national historical and cultural city in 1986.

Another free day for your in-depth exploration of Lijiang. Many stone bridges and arches in the city were built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and orderly roads and lanes extend to four directions from the central square. Residential houses are made of timber, most of which have a screen wall in front and some have a quadruple courtyard. The ethic group here is also fascinating, the Naxi people. The customs and life style of them are worth exploring. 

Your own arrangement to the train station to head for another famous ancient town Dali. Be met and transfer to the hotel. The town's layout was uniform, with five main streets from south to north and eight main streets from east to west, while marketplaces were neatly arranged within the town, which has remained unchanged to this date. Besides the Bai houses, the houses with gray-green roof tiles, peculiar workshops, temples, schools and churches with antique flavor are scattered. 

Free day for your own exploration. Recommend a close trip to the dwellings of Bai People to know more about their brilliant culture and special way of living. Or wander around the streets to enjoy leisure time, which is quite different from that in modern cities. 

Your own arrangement to the bus station and head for the "City of External Spring" - Kunming. Be met and transfer to the hotel. Free time for rest and self-tour. 

One day tour to the Stone Forest, it is about 120 km from Kunming City and requires only a 1.5-hour drive. It covers an area of 400 square kilometers and includes both large and small forest as well as many other scenic spots. A visit to a minority village on the way where you can enjoy precipitous hills, beautiful lakes and an integration of the customs, religious and architecture of the 26 nationalities. Your own arrangement to the train station to board the overnight train to world- famous Guilin.

Arrival in Guilin. Be met and transfer to the hotel. Free at the rest of the day.

Take a leisurely Li River cruise, disembark at the beautiful small town famous for its Karst landscape--Yangshuo. Check in the hotel. Then have a free afternoon for your own exploration. 

The ideal way is wander around and go to tourist spots like Moon Hill, Big Banyan and so on. At night, the West Street is a must-go where shows lively nightlife with both Chinese and western styles. Besides, you can also go to watch the optional show 'Impression Sanjie Liu' on the natural stage along Li River.

Morning is free for your rest or exploration. You may ride (or take a golf-car-like vehicle) to the countryside to see the stunning scenery, rice paddies, water buffalo and local farmer's life. Later, take a local bus to Guilin Train Station to board the overnight train to burgeoning city Guangzhou.

Arrival in Guangzhou, be met and transfer to the hotel. Free for your own trip around. First, Guangzhou is a gourmet's heaven, where you can all different kinds of delicious food, from famous Chinese cuisines to local snacks, and dishes from home or brought in from other countries are all available. Second, Family Chan Temple, Yue Xiu Park and so on are valuable attractions. Third, modern streets for one-stop shopping are here and there, a stroll on Beijing Road is recommended. 

Free morning for your adjustment or else. Your own arrangement to Guangzhou Train Station. Head for Hangzhou--where most famous West Lake lies. 

Arrival in Hangzhou in the morning, be met and transfer to the hotel. Free time for your enjoyments--wander around the downtown area of the city and buy some souvenir, for example, special local-made products like Xihu silk umbrellas, color-glazed porcelain, Longjing green tea, etc. Or have sight-seeing of West Lake area. 

Free morning for nearby trip or rest. Then your own arrangement to train station to head for Shanghai. Be met and transfer to the hotel at downtown. A downtown exploration, a local food tasting and a nightlife enjoyment at downtown area are recommended.

Free day for your own exploration. For modern sights, recommend prosperous Nanjing Road, Oriental Pearl TV Tower or Jinmao Tower, Shanghai Expo Stadium and so on. For historical sights, the Bund, Yu Garden, Old City God Temple, Shanghai French Concession, etc. 

Your own arrangement to the airport (possible via Maglev Train) for your flight to next destination.

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