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CTH-010: China Cultural and Historical Experience

Tour code: CTH-010
Tour Type: Architecture,Culture,History,Religious
Destinations: Beijing - Datong - Taiyuan - Pingyao - Xian - Luoyang - Zhengzhou - Shanghai - Suzhou - Tai'an
Tour overview: This 17-day holiday presents many great sights of China and it is popular for those who seeking deeper and greater understanding of China's culture. We start in Beijing, trek the Great Wall then head to the less visited spots, such as Datong, Pingyao, Luoyang, Mount Tai and Qufu; the tour also combines the vibrancy of modern Shanghai and a traditional garden trip in Suzhou.

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Highlights

Beijing
Hiking up the dragon-like Great Wall for about half day; have a hutong rickshaw tours takes you into the common Pecking people's life and the ancient narrow laneways; taste the famous Pecking Duck banquet

Taiyuan & Pingyao
Visit the Qiao Family and admire at the master piece of folk architecture in North China

Xian
Enjoy the fabulous Tang dynasty show and taste the delicious dumpling banquet; walk or cycle on the grand ancient city wall and marvel massive army of more than 7,300 life-sized Terracotta Warriors

Luoyang
Visit the Shaolin temple- the birthplace of Chinese Kungfu and wandering in the Pagoda Forest.

Shanghai
Walk along the splendid the Bund to see history of dozens years ago; a visit to the Xintiandi makes the visit of Old Shanghai fully relaxed and comfortable.

Suzhou
Stroll at the exquisitely traditional garden in Suzhou and have a leisure cruise along the Grand Canal; the tranquil and picturesque Zhouzhuang water town offers a typical relaxed journey

Taishan
Climb the Mountain Taishan which is the leader of the 'Five Sacred Mountains', for beautiful scenery as well as cultural relics and artworks

Qufu
The birthplace of Confucius

Beijing

Freely explore the city Beijing

Tour Date	City	Tour Brief
1	Beijing	N/A
2	Beijing	Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven
3	Beijing	the Great Wall, Ming Tombs
4	Beijing - Datong	Summer Palace, Hutongs
5	Datong - Taiyuan	Yungang Grottoes, Huayan Monastery, Shanhua Temple
6	Taiyuan - Pingyao	Twin Pagoda Temple, Jinci Temple
7	Pingyao - Xian	Qiao Family Courtyard, Pingyao Old City Wall, Ancient Ming-Qing Street
8	Xian	Xian City Wall, Shaanxi History Museum, Big Goose Pagoda
9	Xian - Luoyang	Terra-Cotta Warriors and Horses
10	Luoyang	Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum, Longmen Grottoes
11	Luoyang - Zhengzhou - Shanghai	Shaolin Temple, Pagoda Forest
12	Shanghai	Jade Buddha Temple, the Bund, Yuyuan Garden, Xintiandi
13	Shanghai - Suzhou - Tai'an	Zhouzhuang Water Town, Garden of the Master of the Nets, Tiger Hill, Pan Gate, Grand Canal
14	Tai'an	Mount Tai
15	Tai'an - Beijing	Kong Family Mansion, Cemetery of Confucius
16	Beijing	Free day
17	Beijing	Free day

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1

City:	Beijing
Activity:	Arrival in Beijing. Arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport. Our guide will greet you at the exit of Arrival Hall and transferred to your hotel. Free at leisure for the rest of the day.
Attractions:	N/A
Hotels:	Bamboo Garden Hotel
Meals:	No meal

Day 2

City:	Beijing
Activity:	Full day trip to the Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven.
Attractions:	Tiananmen Square Named after the Ming-dynasty gate at the northern part; with the huge portrait of Chairman Mao on it; it is the world's largest public square, with national flag raised at dawn and lowered at dusk on a daily basis. Forbidden City Served as the Palace Museum now，it was once home to 24 emperors in Chinese history. With the magnificent architectures and royal gardens well-left, it is the largest imperial palace in the world. Temple of Heaven A master piece of Ming-dynasty architecture; it served as an exclusive altar for the emperors to worship the Gods. Now the locals do morning exercises over there.
Hotels:	Bamboo Garden Hotel
Meals:

Day 3

City:	Beijing
Activity:	Full day trip to the Great Wall and Ming Tombs. Enjoy a famous Peking Duck Banquet for dinner.
Attractions:	the Great Wall Ancient world wonder, stretching thousands of miles; the giant stone & brick dragon, winding through the lofty mountains, great rivers and boundless deserts, offers great hiking experience and breath-taking scenery. Ming Tombs The final resting place of 13 of the 16 Ming Emperors, with diverse stone carvings, magnificent palatial buildings and numerous funerary treasures inside.
Hotels:	Bamboo Garden Hotel
Meals:

Day 4

City:	Beijing - Datong
Activity:	Visit the Summer Palace and Hutongs by rickshaw. Transfer to take soft-seat train to Datong (5.5 hours).
Attractions:	Summer Palace Located at the Shore of Kunming Lake, it was once the summer retreat of the emperor, combining water, hill and large palaces. Hutongs The traditional living quarters of local people; they are formed by narrow alleyways, streets, courtyard houses, grey walls and tiles. Take a rickshaw tour to get a glimpse of Old Peking Culture, and pay a visit to a local family.
Hotels:	Datong Taihechun Hotel
Meals:

Day 5

City:	Datong - Taiyuan
Activity:	Visit Yungang Grottoes, the Huayan Monastery and Shanhua Temple. Take an overnight train to Taiyuan at soft sleeper class (7 hours).
Attractions:	Yungang Grottoes Yungang Grottoes, an official UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the treasure-house of ancient Chinese sculpture. All togerher the site is composed of 252 grottoes with over 51,000 Buddha statues. Huayan Monastery Huayan Temple is a classic art of Liao Dynasty (907-1125 AD) in China. The temple is divided into two temples, the upper temple and the lower temple. Shanhua Temple Built in Tang Dynasty 1300 years ago, Shanhua Monastery centered in Datong city. The entire monastery is a well-proportioned, well-preserved complex. It has over thirty Buddhist statues sculptured, the most noteworthy being covered in gold leaf.
Hotels:	Overnight Train
Meals:

Day 6

City:	Taiyuan - Pingyao
Activity:	Be met at the railway station and transfer to have breakfast in Taiyuan. Drive to Pingyao, en route visit Double Pagoda Temple and Jinci Temple. Overnight at Pingyao.
Attractions:	Twin Pagoda Temple It gets the name for a pair of solemn and lofty towers dating back to 400 years. The 53-meter-high pagoda was octagonal with 13 stories made of brick and stone. Inside the temple are one Great Hall and two affiliated halls in the east and west. Jinci Temple Located in Taiyuan city, Shanxi Province, Jinci temple features ancient sacrifice architectures, gardens, sculptures, frescoes, and stele-carving. It is consider a perfect combination of historical relics and beautiful landscapes.
Hotels:
Meals:

Day 7

City:	Pingyao - Xian
Activity:	Private tour to Qiao Family Courtyard, the City Wall and the Ming-Qing Street. Take an overnight train from Taiyuan to Xian
Attractions:	Qiao Family Courtyard Qiao Family Courtyard House was first built in Qianlong Period, and reflects residential style of big families in feudal society in north of China. Well-knit arrangement and exquisite architecture make it the nice tourism spots in Shanxi Province. Pingyao Old City Wall Pingyao is the best-preserved city with 72 watchtowers and 3000 battlements. Its city wall has gone through flames of war, winds and rains for one thousand years. It has become a centerpiece of the Heritage Site. Ancient Ming-Qing Street As the commercial center of Pingyao County, Ming-Qing Street assembles hundreds of shops which include banks, pawnshops, butchers, drug stores and silk warehouse. Gone through winds and rains, it keeps prosperity as hundreds years ago.
Hotels:	Overnight Train
Meals:

Day 8

City:	Xian
Activity:	Arrive at Xian. Be met and drive to visit the Ancient City Wall, Shaanxi History Museum and Big Goose Pagoda. Enjoy Dumpling Banquet and Tang Dynasty dancing Performance at the same time.
Attractions:	Xian City Wall The most intact ancient fortifications in China, including moat, hanging bridge, gate towers and turrets; walk up to the top of the wall, riding bikes on it and have a wonderful view of Xian and Bell Tower. Shaanxi History Museum The museum itself is modeled on Tang dynasty style pavilions, with extensive galleries and exhibitions including bronze wares, tomb murals, pottery figurines, ceramic wares, gold or silver wares, and ancient coins. It shows the rich history of Xian. Big Goose Pagoda A well-preserved pagoda from the Tang Dynasty in the Temple of Great Maternal Grace (Da Ci'ensi); built to house the Buddhist scriptures brought back from India by the traveling monk Xuan Zang.
Hotels:
Meals:

Day 9

City:	Xian - Luoyang
Activity:	Visit Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum and old city quarters. Transfer to take train to Luoyang at soft seat class (4.5 hours). Overnight at Luoyang.
Attractions:	Terra-Cotta Warriors and Horses The miraculous archeological discovery in last century, famed as the world’s eighth wonder; over 8,000 life-size, vivid statues were lined in battle formation. Each figure shows various facial expressions as well as their hair styles and accessories.
Hotels:
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Day 10

City:	Luoyang
Activity:	Private tour in and around Luoyang: Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum and the Longmen Grottoes.
Attractions:	Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum A nice place for tourists interested in exploring ancient tombs; it’s divided into upper and lower parts; former represents funerary ritual and utensils before Han dynasty, while the latter collects 22 tombs from Han to North Song dynasty. Longmen Grottoes One of the three most famous ancient sculptural sites in China (along with the Mogao Caves and Yungang Grottoes); From north to south, the distance covered by grottoes is about 1 km. Nearly 110,000 Buddhist images and statues still exist today.
Hotels:
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Day 11

City:	Luoyang - Zhengzhou - Shanghai
Activity:	Morning private car to Shaolin Temple and Pagoda Forest. Then proceed to Zhengzhou and take soft sleeper train to Shanghai (13.5 hours).
Attractions:	Shaolin Temple The birthplace of Chinese martial arts; Founded in the 5th century, Shaolin Temple is known in and outside of China for Shaolin Kung Fu. One of the more interesting sights is the Forst of Dagobas; each dagoba was built in memory of a monk. Pagoda Forest Outside the walls past the Shaolin Temple, it gets the name for over 240 pagodas. It keeps the remains of the deceased abbots and other eminent monks. The pagodas vary in appearance and are from one to seven stories high, the highest being 15 meters.
Hotels:
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Day 12

City:	Shanghai
Activity:	Be met and take private tour to the Jade Buddha Temple, Shanghai Museum of Ancient Chinese Art, the Bund, the Yuyuan Garden and Xintiandi. Overnight at Shanghai.
Attractions:	Jade Buddha Temple A nice Buddhist temple in downtown Shanghai; it gets the fame mostly for a jade seated Buddha, wearing a robe inlaid with precious jewels. The temple houses number of ancient sculptures, paintings, and scriptures. the Bund The icon of Shanghai, with remarkable western-style architectures; Stroll around the area in different period of one day to see taichi playing in the mornings and colorful neon lights at nights. Yuyuan Garden A charm and quiet garden located in the city heart of Shanghai separated travelers from the bustling street; it is a classical Chinese architectural marvel with traditional pavilions, bridges and rocks inside. Xintiandi A popular area in Shanghai for shopping, fashion, leisure & arts; it features distinctive stone-framed-door architecture, with brick-paved alleyway, red-and-green brick wall, heavy ebony-black door, and baroque-volute-relief on the lintel.
Hotels:
Meals:

Day 13

City:	Shanghai - Suzhou - Tai'an
Activity:	Private tour to Suzhou and Zhouzhuang Water Town. You will visit Garden of the Master of the Nets, Tiger Hill, Pan Gate and take a cruise on the Grand Canal. Take soft sleeper train to Taishan from Shanghai.
Attractions:	Zhouzhuang Water Town Well-known as the Venice of Orient, Zhouzhang is a must for visitors to Suzhou. Crisscrossed by rivers and canals, this small town has convenient water transportation. Well-preserved architecture of Ming and Qing dynasty is another feature. Garden of the Master of the Nets Considered as the smallest garden in Suzhou; the most striking feature is its use of space: courtyards is ingeniously designed to give the illusion of a much larger area. It was added on the list of "World Cultural Heritage Site" in 1997. Tiger Hill It looks just like a crouching tiger, hence the name. The hill, known for its natural beauty, is the final resting place of He Lu, the founding father of Suzhou. It has been a tourist destination for hundreds of years. Pan Gate As one of the eight gates of Suzhou, well-protected Panmen is the entrance to the walls surrounded and protected ancient Suzhou city. Famous for its complex of land and water city gates, people directly refer to it as the "Land and Water Gate" . Grand Canal The Grand Canal of China, the world’s oldest and longest canal, is 1,795 Km (1,114 miles) long with 24 locks and 60 bridges. And the canal at Suzhou is the best part for shipping. You can indulge yourself in the two-side scenery of the river.
Hotels:
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Day 14

City:	Tai'an
Activity:	Be met at train station and have breakfast. Then transfer for a full day visit to Mount Tai. You will take private car to the Hongmen Gate and start your climbing to the summit via Mid-heaven Gate and South-heaven Gate. Down to the Mid-heaven Gate by the same route, then take a mini bus to the foot. Your guide will be with you.
Attractions:	Mount Tai Taishan is the most reversed of the five sacred Taoist mountains of China. Climbing the mountain makes an unforgettable experience - its supernatural allure (religion, natural scenery, and history rolled into one) drags tourists over in droves.
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Day 15

City:	Tai'an - Beijing
Activity:	After breakfast, take private car to Qufu, Visit the Kong Family Mansion, the Confucius Temple and the Confucius Forest. Take soft sleeper train to Beijing from Tai'an (7 hours).
Attractions:	Kong Family Mansion Also called Confucius Mansion, Kong Family Mansion is where Great Educator Confucius’s offspring lived. A lot of documentaries and relics were kept here, well preserved and designed architectures since Song dynasty are also features. Cemetery of Confucius As the largest family funerary graves, Confucius Cemetery contains many celebrities’ tombs. It had been restored or additionally established for more than 13 times according to documentary. It is a good place to study transition of burial custom.
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Day 16

City:	Beijing
Activity:	Arrive in Beijing in early morning. Take a taxi to your hotel. Free time at the rest of day.
Attractions:	Free day
Hotels:
Meals:

Day 17

City:	Beijing
Activity:	Your own arrangement to airport and fly to your next destination.
Attractions:	Free day
Hotels:
Meals:

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