Light physical activity suitable for most people with average fitness levels.
Starts
Beijing, China
Ends
Shanghai, China
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Classic China
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Highlights
Beijing: Visit and have lunch with a local family in their home in one of Beijing's hutongs and gain a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse into their lifestyle.
Xi'an: Give Chinese calligraphy a go in this hands-on class, learning an art form that’s been around since the Han Dynasty. With an expert to guide you, you’ll master brush techniques and create your own characters, discovering how every stroke tells a story in this timeless tradition.
Beijing: Indulge in a foot massage at the Foot Reflexology Centre.
Xi'an: Discover the traditions and techniques of dumpling making, indulging in an opportunity to sample them.
Xi'an: Step inside 2,000-year-old Yaodong cave dwellings, built from naturally insulating, earthquake-resistant Loess earth. As modern homes replace them, your visit helps families restore their homes, keeping their heritage alive while embracing the future. Your visit also directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Explore Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai
Visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Great Wall of China at Juyongguan, the Sacred Way in Beijing, Hutong residences, the Great Mosque, the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, the Bund waterfront and the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai
See Local people practicing Tai Chi in the morning and the Shanghai Acrobats
Shanghai: Opened in 1988 as Shanghai’s first Chinese-designed five-star hotel, The Kunlun Jing An has hosted state leaders, dignitaries and international guests. Exceptionally located in the heart of the city’s fashionable Jing An district, it’s just a short walk from the iconic Jing An Temple and West Nanjing Road.
Explore Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai
Visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Great Wall of China at Juyongguan, the Sacred Way in Beijing, Hutong residences, the Great Mosque, the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, the Bund waterfront and the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai
See Local people practicing Tai Chi in the morning and the Shanghai Acrobats
Shanghai: Opened in 1988 as Shanghai’s first Chinese-designed five-star hotel, The Kunlun Jing An has hosted state leaders, dignitaries and international guests. Exceptionally located in the heart of the city’s fashionable Jing An district, it’s just a short walk from the iconic Jing An Temple and West Nanjing Road.
Customer Reviews
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4.9
based on 11 reviews
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What's Included
Accommodation
Cherrypicked hotels, all tried and trustedAll hotel tips, charges and local taxesOn occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilised.
Meals
Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
Transport
Luxury airconditioned coach with WiFi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)Flights from Beijing to Xi'an and Xi'an to Shanghai
Guide
An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
Others
All porterage and restaurant gratuitiesMustsee sightseeingAudio headsets for flexible sightseeingOptional Experiences and free time
What's Excluded
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12 days
Itinerary
Follow in the footsteps of the ancients – up the ornate steps of the Forbidden City, along the ramparts of the Great Wall, snaking its way across the rolling countryside, and through the winding ancient alleys of Beijing’s hutongs to learn about Chinese traditions over a home-cooked lunch.
day 1 - Say N Ho to China
Transfer to your Beijing hotel where you'll meet your Travel Director for a dinner at a local restaurant.
Meals:Dinner
Location Visited:Beijing
Accommodation:Novotel Peace
day 2 - Discover the Icons of Beijing
Delve into Beijing's rich imperial heritage, beginning your encounter with the remnants of centuries-old dynasties in the world's largest public space, Tiananmen Square. Tread in the footsteps of emperors, passing through the south gate to the UNESCO-listed Forbidden City, the imperial palace for emperors and their households for over six centuries. Immerse yourself in the ancient rituals, traditions and history of this palace complex before lunch. Continue to the tranquil Temple of Heaven, another UNESCO Heritage Site, once visited by the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to pray for good harvests and divine guidance. This evening, the salty, sweet flavors of succulent Peking Duck take center stage during a Regional Dinner.
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Location Visited:Beijing
Accommodation:Novotel Peace
day 3 - Journey to the Great Wall
We leave the city behind, bound for the iconic Great Wall of China at Juyongguan. Standing on its ramparts, we look down on the Chinese countryside which its walls successfully defended against marauding nomadic invaders. Watch it snake thousands of miles into the distance as you imagine how these man-made fortifications were built and rebuilt from the 5th century B.C. to the 16th century. Then, walk the Sacred Way past the imposing stone statues that guard the Ming Tombs and remains of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty.
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch
Location Visited:Beijing
Accommodation:Novotel Peace
day 4 - Explore Beijing Connect with Locals Dive Into Culture
A leisurely start to our morning sees us embark on a rickshaw tour around the ancient narrow alleyways of the courtyard Hutong residences. Connect with the local culture as you join a family for a delicious meal of traditional Chinese cuisine at a Be My Guest lunch, followed by a visit to a tea house, where a Local Specialist prepares and serves tea, explaining the historic tea-making ritual. This afternoon, you'll indulge in a relaxing foot massage at the Foot Reflexology Center.
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch
Location Visited:Beijing
Accommodation:Novotel Peace
day 5 - Travel to Xi'an
We fly to Xi'an, which reveals its role as the ancient departure point of the Silk Road. Visit the Great Mosque, one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved mosques in China. According to historical records it was built in 742 during the Tang Dynasty and is a combination of Islamic art and traditional Chinese architecture.
Meals:Breakfast
Location Visited:Beijing, Xi'an
Accommodation:Wyndham Grand Xi'an South
day 6 - Uncover Xi'an's Treasures Make Travel Matter
Start your day at a Gallery, where you'll explore China's artistic legacy. Dive into Culture at a traditional calligraphy class, where you'll try your hand at Chinese writing using a brush and ink, an art form dating back to the Han Dynasty. Step inside ancient cave dwellings on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience in the Loess Plateau, built from naturally insulating, earthquake-resistant earth, and see firsthand how local families are preserving their heritage while adapting to modern life. History comes to life as you stand before the UNESCO-listed Terracotta Warriors, a silent army guarding China's first emperor for over two millennia.
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch
Location Visited:Xi'an
Accommodation:Wyndham Grand Xi'an South
day 7 - Onwards to Shanghai Dive Into Culture Stays With Stories
This morning, your choice of activities gives you an opportunity to mimic the graceful movements of a skilled T'ai Chi Local Specialist, or consider joining a cycle tour around part of the ancient City Wall of Xi'an. Later at a local restaurant, you will be watching a demonstration in the art of making dumplings, with an opportunity to sample these for lunch. Savor the juicy flavors of these boiled, steamed and fried treats, transporting you back to ancient China, before transferring to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. Ascend to the 88-storey Jinmao Tower for panoramic views of the skyscrapers that loom over the most populous city on earth.
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch
Location Visited:Xi'an, Shanghai
Accommodation:The Kunlun Jing An
day 8 - Experience Shanghai Dive Into Culture
Stroll down Shanghai's famous Bund' with your Travel Director, admiring the neoclassical colonial buildings that have lined this city's renowned waterfront since the early 1900s. Learn how this marshland was transformed into one of the world's most important trading hubs. Then, continue to the winding streets and vibrant markets of Old Shanghai to discover the how the customs and traditional lifestyle of this area have remained relatively unaltered. Enjoy some free time for lunch and shopping in the Old Town before we Dive into Culture during a visit to a silk museum. This evening, indulge in a performance by the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe.
Meals:Breakfast
Location Visited:Shanghai
Accommodation:The Kunlun Jing An
day 9 - Shanghai Your Way
Spend a day exploring the Paris of the East on your terms shop for delicate Chinese ceramics, or consider joining an Optional Experience to Zhujiajiao, an ancient water town founded more than 1,700 years ago. In its heyday, Zhujiajiao was a bustling market town. Today, old historical buildings such as rice shops, banks, spice stores and even a Qing Dynasty post office can still be found as you stroll down its ancient streets and wander across the many stone bridges that crisscross its canals. This afternoon, you'll have some free time to explore the city or simply relax before joining your travel companions for dinner.
Meals:Breakfast, Dinner
Location Visited:Shanghai
Accommodation:The Kunlun Jing An
day 10 - Farewell Shanghai
Our mystical encounter with China at its end, take a transfer to Shanghai Airport for your onward flight.
My wife and I loved the itinerary. However, we do suggest adding an additional day to Xi’an.
M
Michael C.Verified Traveler
5.0 out of 5
This has been my 6th tour with trafalgar and my 24th country and I must say this was the cleanest and nicest country I've been too.
To say don't believe what you've thought about this country would be an understatement. From the culture to the people we felt welcomed and untreated everywhere you go. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and accommodating and went over and above to make our experience memorable. If you can make it past the 19hrs in the air this trip is highly recommend, my only regret it wasn't long enough. Until our next visit.
A
AnonymousVerified Traveler
5.0 out of 5
was a fabulous tour guide. Well spoken caring. We learned so much about China
A
AnonymousVerified Traveler
5.0 out of 5
Great itinerary
A
Amen H.Verified Traveler
5.0 out of 5
Excellent itinerary. Well planned with good attention to detail . Vast knowledge of the travel director.
