China Tour

In contrast to the other tours, we have chosen this tour with 2-3 stars hotels according to the Chinese categories, which however are clean and proper. Moreover, you will take a night train instead of the plane twice.

Itinerary:

Arrival at Beijing Capital International Airport. Greetings by your tour guide and transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is at your disposal.

Visit the world-famous Tian'anmen Square (Tian'anmen Guang chang) in the morning. Enter the Forbidden City (also called the Palace Museum) through Tian’anmen Square Gate. The Forbidden City is on the UNESCO's World Heritage List. It is a masterpiece of Chinese palace architecture of the Ming and Qing era and it demonstrates imposingly the integration of traditional architecture in ancient northern China into the art of palace building. Afterwards visit another landmark of Beijing, the Temple of Heaven (Tian Tan). It is also on the UNESCO's World Heritage List, because it is a unique expression of the Chinese concept of the relationship between heaven and earth.

In the morning, you drive by bus to the Badaling Great Wall . You can climb up to the wall through a scarped staircase and enjoy the scenery from above. Afterwards, visit the Summer Palace (Yi He Yuan). It is an imperial garden, where the Chinese gardening is perfectly reflected. That's why it is on the UNESCO's World Heritage List. Transfer to the train station in the late afternoon. Go to Xi’an by night train in a first class sleeping wagon.

Arrival in Xi’an in the morning and transfer to the hotel. After breakfast, go to the excavation sites and visit the Army of TerraCotta Warriors (Bing Ma Yong), which is a part of the grave of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang (221-210 BC). The grave, including the TerraCotta Warriors is on the UNESCO's World Heritage List. Besides thousands of life-size TerraCotta Warriors and Horses guarding the Tomb of the first emperor of China, you can see two bronze models of horse carriage and warrior (Tong Che MA) from that time. They were found in ducts beside the burial mound. Return to Xi’an in the afternoon. Afterwards, visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Da Yan Ta) in the Dacien temple built in 652 A.D., which is considered as Xi'an’s landmark.

In the morning, visit the Bell and Drum Tower square (Zhong Gu Lou) and the Muslim Old Town with its numerous small shops and restaurants. There you will visit the Great Mosque (Qingzhen Si; or Hua Jue Si), which is built in the typical Chinese temple architectural style. The afternoon is at your disposal. You can, for instance, visit Xi’an City Wall or the Shaanxi History Museum (Shaanxi Lishi Bowuguan), one of the most beautiful museums in China. You will get the best overview of Chinese history, starting from Paleolithic to the end of the emperor era. Fly to Chongqing in the evening. Transfer to the hotel.

Today, you will visit the Chaotianmen Esplanade at the dock, which is shaped like a ship bow. It is located on a peninsula, which is formed by the confluence of the Yangtze River and the Jialing River. Afterwards, stroll along the pedestrian zone in the Jiefangbei district with its hotels, department stores and restaurants in this fast developing industrial metropolis in the middle reaches of the Yangtze. When you visit the Eling Gongyuan (Goose Hill Park) on the bluff of the Jialing River, you can get a nice overview of the city from the observation deck. Get on the Yangtze cruise ship in the late afternoon.

Within two and a half days you will cruise the whole 600 km long distance from Chongqing to the Three Gorges Dam. You will cross the Three Gorges as well. At first you will come to pass the only 8 km long and rather narrow, but very impressing Qutang Gorge (Bellows Gorge), then the 40 km long Wu Gorge (Witch Gorge) and finally the 76 km long Xiling Gorge (West Mountain Gorge). You will make a trip to a very old village, which nearly can not be reached from the landside, and a boat trip through the small gorges of one of the tributary rivers into a charming protected landscape. Moreover at the second day, you will pass the gigantic five ary watergate of the Three Gorges Dam - an outstanding attraction

Arrival in Yichang in the morning. Then travel to Wuhan by bus. The drive takes approximately 4 hours. Transfer to the train station in the afternoon and go to Guilin by train in a first class sleeping wagon.

Arrival in Guilin in the morning, transfer to the hotel and breakfast. Afterwards, make a city sightseeing tour through Guilin, which is located amidst karst cone hills.Then visit the famous stalactite cave - Reed Flute Cave (Ludiyan) –, Guilin’s landmark - the Elephant Trunk Mountain (Xiangbi Shan) - and the Fubo Hill, where you can get a beautiful view of the city and the surrounding hills.

Go for a cruise on Li River through a picturesque karst landscape with its typical cone-shaped hills, rice fields between the mountains, bamboo forests, and bathing water buffalos, which impart a romantic picture of South China to you. The boat trip ends at the small river haven of Yangshuo. After the arrival in Yangshuo, you can experience the impressing karst landscape by bike or have a round trip by electrical minibus through the villages, along rice fields and between beautiful hills. Overnight stay at the West Street Guesthouse in Yangshuo.

A suggestion for the evening: Impression Liu Sanjie, directed by the famous Chinese film director Zhang Yimou. He will be the leading director of the opening and closing ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The evening performance is a wonderful presentation of local dance and singing.

Return to Guilin by bus in the morning. Transfer to the airport and fly to Shanghai. After the arrival, transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is at your disposal.

This day is at your disposal. For instance, You can go for a walk in the Old Town, go shopping in the Nanjing Road or the Huaihai Road, or visit the Shanghai Museum.

Transfer to the Pudong international airport and fly back home. (You can spend approx. $7 to go to the airport by the Transrapid).

End of the travel.

B: Breakfast     L: Lunch     D: Dinner

Number of participants	Peak season	Single room extra charge	Single cabin extra charge	book
2-5 Pers.	1500 USD	135 USD	220 USD
	Shoulder season	Single room extra charge	Single cabin extra charge
	1470 USD	135 USD	200 USD

The hotels:
Beijing Home Inn Beixinqiao**
Xi'an 3e Hotel**
Chongqing Chung King Hotel***
Guilin Jingxiu Hotel***
Yangshuo West Street Guesthouse**
Shanghai Motel Anyuan**

Price includes:
-- All overnight accommodation in double rooms shared by two adults with    breakfast and the meals as listed in the itinerary.
-- All transfers and entrance tickets as listed in the itinerary.
-- With Yangtze River cruise ship Marco Polo****.
-- Inland flight tickets including all fees.
-- Local English-speaking tour guide.

Price does not include:
-- International flight tickets
-- Visa for China
-- Personal expenditures, tips etc.

Note:
-- If you choose the second class sleeping wagon (six beds in a compartment) in    a train, $21 could be saved per person.
-- The prices do not apply to the May Day Holiday (30th April. –7th May.), the     National Day Holiday (30th Sep.–7th Oct.), and the Formula 1 in Shanghai    (25th Sep.–5th Oct. 2006).
-- The hotels, trains and flights listed in the itinerary may be changed into the    ones of similar category if necessary.
-- The Yangtze River cruise ship sails off every Friday evening from Chongqing,     so that the itinerary must be planed according to that.
-- If you need more information, please contact us.