Tripology

Hotel

You will leave the US for China via Vancouver. The adventure begins! You arrive in Vancouver. You will stay overnight as will the rest of the group. Meals on the plane.

Commercial Flight

You will go to the airport for your flight to Beijing. The rest of the day will be on the flight.

When you arrive in Beijing, you will be met by a guide and transferred to your hotel. Meals on the plane.

Sightseeing

The day begins with a visit to TianAnmen Square and then to the Forbidden City. In addition to seeing the buildings and grounds of the Emperor's palace, you will also see the Emperor's clock collection and the Qing Dynasty Jewelry, Robes and Relics collection (which Westerners rarely see). After lunch we will take you to the Temple of Heaven. This is where the emperor used to go once a year to commune with the Heavens for the harvest. B, L

Sightseeing

The day begins with a tour of a Chinese Hutong. This begins with a rickshaw ride through the old neighborhood, then a short walking tour into the narrow streets of the Hutong. You will be able to visit the home of a family who lives there; feel free to ask any questions. This is the traditional housing in old Beijing that was generally four small houses surrounding a court area. The Hutong has been home to both the poor and the rich. These quaint dwellings are disappearing in the continual modernization of China. (If you have a group of 10 or more we can arrange for you to have lunch prepared by a local family in the Hutong).

Sporting Events

After lunch, we can take you to some pre-Olympic events or the afternoon can be free.

Food and Dining

We will go to an early dinner and then take you back to your hotel. B, L, D

Performing Arts

Beijing Opera.

Shopping

Today we will take you to visit the 2nd Hand Street Market. This market is only open on Saturdays and Sundays and is where the Beijingers shop.You will find a wide array of items from Jade, jewelry, art, cloth, chopsticks, furniture, etc. etc. If you know how to bargain you can get deals that are dimes or even pennies on the dollar.

Sporting Events

We will take you to whatever Olympic Events that you want during the day.

Sporting Events

We will take you to whatever Olympic Events that you want during the day.

Sightseeing

After lunch we will take you to a special part of the Great Wall at Jinshanling, where you can stay overnight in a guard tower! This portion of the Wall is not offered to the tourist on most general tours, we are offering this site to those who want an adventurous Great Wall experience, which includes going to site where you will see few or no other Westerners on the wall and you can enjoy a home-cooked dinner by your Chinese hosts! You drive three hours outside of Beijing, passing out of the metropolitan area, past smaller villages, interesting farmland and animals and then into the mountainous area. Then you come to the small set of buildings below the Great Wall at Jinshangling. There you will meet your hosts. They will take you to the Great Wall and show you the options of where you will sleep. You can then explore the wall and walk along. Some of our clients have experienced being the only ones on the wall for hours (or you will see very few others). You should be able to take some particularly striking photos of this intriguing portion of the wall without hundreds of people on it.

Food and Dining

Later you hosts will cook for you a home-cooked meals with you can eat either on the Great Wall or down below in their home. Your hosts will then set you up with sleeping bags and a small mat on the guard tower floor (or if you prefer, there is an enclosed room that you can sleep in. You will be able to enjoy sunset and sunrise on the Great Wall. This requires a little more effort then some portions but we believe you will find it very rewarding. This experience is a little more expensive, but is a unique experience that you remember for the rest of your life. B, L, D

Sightseeing

You will wake up one of the Wonders of the World! It is certainly the longest of the Wonders. You can spend more time enjoying the wall. After you have finished with your time there you will be taken to the grocery store to purchase beverages, food, snacks, etc.

Afterwards we will take you to the airport to fly to Lijiang. (If flight and time is available).

Sightseeing

You will visit the Black Dragon Garden and tourOld Town. Evening Option:Traditional Naxi Music; the best one is called XUANKE. The very best ison the main street of Old Town. B, L

Sightseeing

Visit the Naxi village: Baisha. Go to Snow Dragon Mountain. You will visit the highest spot on the lift. You can explore the mountain and then you will return to your hotel in Lijiang. B, L.

Sightseeing

Today enjoy a drive through the mountains, passing through Chinese villages and many beautiful vistas and gorges including the Tiger Leaping Gorge. You will have an opportunity to stop and hike in the Gorge areas as desired. Then you will continueonto Zhongdian (Shangri-La). You will take a brief tour of Zhongdian, including a walking tour through some of the older neighborhoods, the produce market and the main streets of the city.B, L

Sightseeing

Visit the Little Potala Palace and villages as you tour the Tibetan countryside. You can meet some of the local people and possibly enjoy some delightful Tibetan hospitality. B, L.

Commercial Flight

Today you will fly to Xian (via Kunming). Once you arrive, if there is time we will take you to the City Wall.

Food and Dining

Then you will have dinner at the famous De Fang Chang Dumpling Restaurant.

Adventure

Watch the Wild Goose Pagoda water show. This free show is the largest of its kind in China.

Museums

Today you will visit what has been called the 8th Wonder of the World the Terra Cotta Soldiers Museum. Oftentimes, one of the farmers who discovered the site is actually there. You will also visit the Terra Cotta Soldiers Replica Factory. You can actually purchase a genuine looking Terra Cotta Replica constructed at a variety of sizes including full size. This unique factory and store also offers many other quality products including silk rugs, jewelry, the famous Xi’zan 3–color pottery and some beautiful furniture with laminated jade artwork. The Terra Cotta Soldiers Museum itself, has 3 major “pits” where various types of figurines were uncovered. No two soldiers look exactly alike. The museum also has a 360-degree theatre which shows a dramatized history of how and why the Terra Cotta soldiers were created.

Commercial Flight

Then you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Chongqing.

Sightseeing

Upon arriving you will be taken to the Three Gorges Museum, which will give you an interesting overview of the cruise you will be taken.

River or Barge Cruise

Then after a delicious Sichuan Dinner you will be transferred to the 5-star Victoria Cruise Ship (by current schedule, this would be on the excellent Katarina cruise ship). The ship leaves the harbor around 9:00pm. (as we will be on the move during lunchtime, B, L, D

River or Barge Cruise

The Yangtze River Cruise continues The Ghost Temple, Shendong stream and beautiful scenery. B, L, D.

Sightseeing

You will visit the Three Gorges Dam project and then reboard the ship for the remainder of the cruise.

The cruise ship arrives at Yichangwhere your guide will transfer you to the airport.

Sightseeing

Then you will be driven through the Land of Fish and Rice. We can stop at a local museum which feature a mummy which is 90% intact as are the internal organs. It is a mystery as to what embalming techniques that the local people used to so effectively preserve this ancient mummy.

Commercial Flight

Then we will continue driving you to the Wuhan airport. There you will fly to Guilin.

Hotel

Upon your arrival you will be taken to your hotel. B, L

Sightseeing

Today you will be given a half day tour of Elephant Trunk Hill, Fubo Hill, and the natural beauty of the Reed Flute Caves. B, L, D

Spa/Wellness

The world famous Foot Massages of Guilin.

Performing Arts

The Minorities Concert.

River or Barge Cruise

We will take you on the 3-4 hour Li Jiang River Cruise. This is one of the most beautiful areas in the whole world, showing the magnificent limestone mountains rising along the river banks, usually shrouded in clouds and catching a glimpse of the people who live along the riverbanks. Cormorant fishermen still use these unusual birds to catch their daily fish.

Sightseeing

As the cruise ends, you will disembark in Yangshuo, a quaint village with a very nice street market. You are very close to the beautiful mountains and you can go into the countryside to see the beautiful vistas. Youcan take a bicycle ride or a drive through these fantasy-shaped mountains. We will check you into your hotel in Yangshuo. B, L

Performing Arts

Enjoy the spectacular show "Impressions" with over 600 performers, live animals, and spectacular lighting effects all performed on the Li River with the majestic limestone mountains as the back drop.

Commercial Flight

Today you will drive through the beautiful countryside on the way back to the Guilin Airport. You will fly to Shanghai. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

Sightseeing

After you have refreshed, we will take you to dinner and then to see the Bund, which is particularly beautiful at night. B, L, D

Performing Arts

The famous Peace Hotel Jazz Band (in the Bund area)

Sightseeing

The day begins with a tour of the classic YuYuan Gardens,which is agorgeous example of a classic Chinese Garden. This area exits into the main shoppingcenter ofShanghai.Shanghai issuch an East-Meets-West city that they call this area China Town. After lunch, you will be taken to the world-class Shanghai Museum. This fantastic museum has a number of quality exhibits including an ancient coin collection and on the fourth floor an ethnic minority exhibit which features their costumes, masks, and various implements and tools. B, L

Performing Arts

Shanghai Acrobats.

You will make your way back to the airport for your flight back to your home city in the USA with many wonderful memories!