China Trip 2009 Itinerary

Itinerary Details

6/26 US -Beijing
Leave US to Beijing .

6/27 Beijing (D) Best Western Hotel (4 star)
Arriv al in Beijing , the capital of China in the afternoon. You will be welcomed by your local guide and transferred to the hotel after dinner where you can rest and recover .

6/28 Beijing (BLD)
After breakfast, you will have an excursion to Great Wall, the symbol of China . This 1500-mile-long structure is known as one of the wonders of ancient world. Lunch is at local restaurant near the Wall. See a Chinese herb store and stop at a cloisonné factory if the time permits on the way back . You will have some taste of delicious local food at a popular food-street in the evening.

6/29 Beijing (BLD)
Today, you will experience an ancient Emperor's daily life. After breakfast, you will visit Temple of Heaven , a place for emperor to offer sacrifice to Heaven; you continue to Tian'anmen Square , the largest square in the world. In the afternoon, visit the Forbidden City , from where the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties governed for over 500 years. A special viewing of the Treasure Houses of the Qing Dynasty royalty and Hall of Clocks and Watches. Stop at a local wholesale market where you can find real bargains.

 6/30 Beijing (BLD)
Beijing is a city of an ancient capital with i ncredible historical sites, and a bustling modern metropolis . After tasting the royal lifestyle, today you will experience some modern life. You begin with a "Chinese flee market" in the morning, and Olympics facilities such as Bird Nest and Olympics Village . Then visit a school and a non-government welfare center - Shun-yi Sun Village , where over one hundred children whose parents are in prison live there . Later , tour traditional North China courtyard houses in a "hutong' (little alley) area including a ride on a rickshaw. Visit a family in the Hutong and chat with local people about their life. Finish the day with a famous Peking duck dinner.

7/1 Beijing-Xian ( BLD ) Jian Guo Hotel (4 star)
Morning flight to Xian, the capital of ancient China . Tour the ancient city wall, a landmark of Xian. If you have energy, you can have a bike ride along the top of the wall. Visit a history museum if the time permits . Then see Great Mosque of 1200 years old, which is very different from the regular mosques. In the evening, wander at Muslim Quarter to see the local people's evening lives.

7/2 Xian (BLD)
Tour the 2200 year-old Terra-cotta Warriors, which is part of the underground tomb of the first Emperor of China. With over 7000 figures adorned in full battle array they are all housed in several large pits. Many of the figures, including soldiers, archers, horses and chariots, have been restored. Y ou can see both repaired and broken warriors in a truly impressive display. You will also see Huaqing Hot Spring and Banpo Neolithic Museum. Stop at a jade factory on the way . E njoy a unique royal dumpling dinner before see a show , which presents the palace dances and songs of the Tang Dynasty when Xi'an was the capital of ancient China .

7/3 Xian (BLD)
Learning the ordinary Chinese people 's life by visiting a city market in the morning , a farmers' residence, an elderly home, a kindergarten or an orphanage. Stop at a pottery factory . Free time afterwards.

 7/4 Xian- Chongqing - board on cruise ( BLD )
Fly to Chongqing , the largest city in Sichuan Province , where giant pandas live . See some giant pandas and Three Gorges Dam Museum before board on the cruise.

The cruise departs at night. All cruises feature professional, multi-lingual, cruise directors and well-trained local staff; a full range of facilities with excellent cuisine (both Western and Chinese specialties); interesting lectures on history and culture; live entertainment featuring traditional performing arts; and more. It is equipped with satellite TV ( including HBO ) , instant fax service and Internet access .

7/5 Yangtze River - Fengdu
Travelling down the Yangtze, today's excursion includes a visit to Fengdu where the devil lives, according to Chinese legend. The town is overlooked by Ming Shan Hill, home of the King of the Dead. The whole place has an eerie feel to it with deserted streets, tower blocks, empty shops and banks. The only people here are those who make a living from visiting cruise boats. This new 'island' formation was a direct result of the building of the new Three Gorges Dam Project, the largest dam construction project on earth .

 7/6 Yangtze River - Lesser Three Gorges
A shore excursion to the Lesser Three Gorges. This is three separate valleys which lie on the lower reaches of the Daning River that flows into the Yangtze. The gorges are truly spectacular with sheer cliffs soaring up to the sky from the brown-green water. Mountain tops hover above the ribbon of mist, disconnected from their roots. In addition to the wonderful natural scenery there are a number of historical places of interest along the way, such as a suspended coffin, boat coffin, and remains of ancient plank walkway.

 7/7 Yichang fly to Shanghai Shanghai Hotel or equivalent (4 star)
Today you will witness t he Three Gorges Dam, the largest water conservancy project ever undertaken formally began in 1994. The body of the dam was completed in 2003, and the whole construction will be completed in 2009. It will be 2,335 meters long, 185 meters high; 18 meters wide on the top and 130 meters wide at the bottom. You will have access to reach the top of the dam. After lunch, disembark in Yichang and fly to Shanghai .

7/8 Shanghai ( BLD )
Shanghai , the largest city in China is full of energy. So are our activities. From the morning, you'll visit Pudong, the newly developed area ; a Chinese hospital, elder's center; Jili's old neighborhood and her father's theater. Then tour Yu Garden, the old traditional garden. Stop at a silk factory on the way. Enjoy the fa scinating Chinese acrobatics in the evening .

7/9 Shanghai ( BLD )
Today you will have a semi home-stay experience. In the morning , you will be picked up by a Chinese teacher or a student. You will spend the whole day with their family to do whatever they do. Return to the hotel after dinner.

 7/10 Shanghai (BLD)
Before you leave China , exhausted, you will have another busy day. Tour the famous Nanjing Road and Bund, visit Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition and Shanghai Museum , one of the best museums in China with a collection of 120000 items. On the way, v isit a pearl factory . Then a farewell dinner.

 7/11 Shanghai - fly to US (BL)
A free morning. After lunch, be transferred to Pudong Airport and fly home. You will be arriving in US the same day.

Note:

• The itinerary is subject to change if the situation changes.
• The cost is based on the exchange rate of 6.8. If the rate changes, the cost will change accordingly.
• Some Olympics facilities, such as Bird Nest and Water Cube are not open to public yet, so we can only take pictures from outside.