Luxury Family Tour with Panda Visit

Today, our guide will be waiting for you at the airport and drive you to the five-star hotel in the city center. After check-in, you can have a nice rest after a long flight.

Option Activity: It is a good choice for you to experience the Foot Massage, because it can eliminate exhaustion and help you stay healthy. Being a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Foot Massage has a history of more than 4,000 years. Normally, we keep each Foot Massage under 40 minutes. Besides, if you do Foot Massage at night, it also helps improve sleep. 

After breakfast, we will pick you up at the hotel, and then we will first visit Tian’anmen Square. It is located in the center of Beijing city and is in the shape of a rectangle, which is 880 meters long and 500 meters wide. At present, it is the largest center square of city in the world with a total area of about 440,000 square meters. And what is interesting is that this square can hold one million people, and the population of Beijing city is about 20 million people, which means almost one in twenty people in Beijing can stand here side by side at a time. How large it is!

After that, we will go to Forbidden City (Closed on each Monday). It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are over 70 palaces and more than 9,000 rooms in the Forbidden City. In 1406 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Emperor Zhu Di ordered some people to build the Forbidden City. He asked them to look for the best wood and stones across the country. Then those wood and stones would be transported to Beijing and be used to build the Forbidden City. According to the history book, there is a scene of how ancient people transported them. Tens of thousands of laborers dug wells on both sides of the road, and every 500 meters, they dug a well. When it is cold enough in winter, they will draw water from the wells and then splash water on the road, so the road will suddenly become an icy road which will contribute to the transportation. The construction of the Forbidden City cost great money and effort and it lasted for 16 years. After this magnificent building was completed, there were 24 emperors who lived here and exerted influence during the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912).    

After lunch, we will visit Hutongs. Hutong is a relatively narrow lane between rows of old and typical dwellings of Beijingers. There are over 4,000 Hutongs in Beijing, some of them are straight and some of them are zigzag. There are many ways to explore Beijing Hutongs, and we will have a rickshaw tour there. Rickshaw tour is very popular among tourists. Sitting on the rickshaw, you are free to take pictures or videos, and you may also have a nice chatting with the rickshaw drivers. During the luxury Hutong tour, we can also visit the Hutong family, and most of them live here for generations. Therefore, you can learn the life of local family and learn many local traditional customs.

Then, we will go to Shichahai. It is located in the northwest part of Beijing city. There used to be over 30 ancient mansions of monarch and temples, and until now, almost ten of them are still preserved well. With a long history, Shichahai scenic area comprises three lakes which are Front Sea (Qianhai), Back Sea (Houhai), and West Sea (Xihai), and the water area of Shichahai is about 330,000 square meters. In spring, there are weeping willow trees by the lakes. While in summer, there are beautiful lotus flowers in the water. Those beautiful scenery make Shichahai more attractive.            

Next, we will have a walk at Nanluogu Alley. As one of the oldest streets in Beijing, Nanluogu Alley has become the hot spot reported by many fashion magazines. It is also on the list of must-see attractions in Beijing for many visitors. Besides, this alley is full of cultural diversity. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasty, various people had lived here, and they had different backgrounds and different occupations, from royal people to heroic generals, from literary luminaries to master artists. Except for that, delicious snacks are something that you can not miss in Nanluogu Alley, such as the Roast Duck (Beijing Kaoya), Crab Dumplings in Soup (Xiehuang Tangbao), and Quick-fried Tripe (Baodu). Beijing Roast Duck is one of the most popular snacks in Beijing. The roasted duck is golden brown and has a unique fragrance which will definitely improve your appetite. After today’s visit, we will drive you back to your hotel.

Shichahai

Nanluogu Alley

Today, we will spend all day visiting Mutianyu Great Wall. It is located in the northeast part of Beijing and a 1.5-hour drive (about 80 kilometers) will take you to get there. Built during the Ming Dynasty, it is one of the most famous Great Wall sections with a length of 5,400 meters. Mutianyu Great Wall winds its way along the rolling mountains with the lowest elevation of 486 meters and the highest elevation more than of 1,039 meters. On the Mutianyu Great Wall, there are many popular spots, such as the Zhengguan Terrace and Bigcorner Tower. Bigcorner Tower is located at the highest point of the Mutianyu Great Wall, so it can give you a good view.

During the luxury Great Wall tour, we will offer you an unforgettable experience that you can visit the Mutianyu Great Wall on a helicopter. After entering the Mutianyu Great Wall scenic area, you can directly get to the heliport by VIP ferry. In the heliport, there is a two-story VIP lounge, you can have a rest, and take pictures here when you are waiting for the helicopter. As we provide this helicopter tour, we also put special emphasis on your safety. To give you a more safe and more comfortable tour, the professional workers will do security check before you get on the helicopter. Then, you can start your exciting 10-minute visit. On the helicopter, you can overview this Great Wall and you will be amazed by how magnificent it is. After the helicopter tour, you can still take a ferry back to the scenic area entrance and continue your journey. After the Mutianyu Great Wall visit, we will escort you back to the hotel.

Mutianyu Great Wall

Mutianyu Great Wall

After breakfast, we will go to the Temple of Heaven. Temple of Heaven is located in the southern part of Beijing and covers an area of some 2.73 million square meters. It can be traced back to the 15th century. In the old days, the Temple of Heaven was the place where the emperors worshiped heaven and prayed for a good harvest. But nowadays, the Temple of Heaven has become a hot spot for tourists and a leisure area for locals, especially for the elderly, who often do some exercise here. And one of the most popular exercises is doing Tai Chi. 

Tai Chi actually is a traditional Chinese martial art, which can be played in major performances and sports games. There are various types of Tai Chi. The original Tai Chi involves quite fast movements and there is also a slower form of Tai Chi. You will feel quite energetic after you have done Tai Chi, which can make you fit. When we visit the Temple of Heaven, we will arrange for you to join a Tai Chi class. And you do not have to worry about the language barriers, because there will be an English-Speaking Tai Chi Master who will teach you. Besides, you will put on authentic Tai Chi clothes, which will make you look more professional. 

Then, we will have lunch. After that, we will escort you to the airport and you will take an estimated flight EU2112 15:30/17:45 to Xi’an. Our local guide will be waiting for you at Xi’an airport.

At night, we will enjoy a Tang Dynasty (618-907) Singing and Dancing Show with Dumpling Dinner. It is no exaggeration to say that each visitor from China or abroad will watch the show after arriving in Xi’an. The Show has a lot of very amazing moments, and the best part is the music and lighting, which are magic. And those actors are wearing the costumes of the Tang Dynasty, which is like traveling back thousands of years ago. The Show tells the story of Wu Zetian. She is an empress in Tang Dynasty and she is also the only female emperor in Chinese history. At the age of 14, she was selected to serve the emperor in the imperial palace. But her life in the palace was not always easy. She fought with other women over the attention of the emperor, because if women like her were ignored by the emperor they would get bad treatment in the palace. Wu Zetian also experienced many ghastly wars. Those experiences in her whole life turned her into a strong woman from an innocent girl. Finally, she took the throne when she was 67 years old. 

When you are watching the show, you can also enjoy a nice dinner with dumplings as its highlight. Those cute dumplings are in different shapes and are wrapping different stuffings. After the show and dinner, we will back to the hotel, then you can have a rest and conserve your energy for the rest interesting attractions of the luxury Xi’an tour.

Temple of Heaven

Temple of Heaven

After breakfast, we will visit Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum. It is about 43 kilometers away from the city center. Heading east, it will take 50 minutes to drive there. The United Nations has recognized it as a UNESCO world heritage site. It is also one of the Eight Wonders of the world. You may know that the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum was built to guard the tomb of Ying Zheng, the first emperor of China, but why did he build it? 

It all started when a 13-year-old boy named Ying Zheng unexpectedly inherited the throne in 247 B.C. He spend his youth in the fight to conquer other states and survived a coup and three assassination attempts. At the age of 38, he brought all of those states together and unified China for the first time. The construction of the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum had begun when he was just new to the throne. At that time, he has not yet completed the achievement of unifying China. Besides, except for terra cotta warriors and horses, there are also many ancient weapons in this place. So there is a wild guess that this great project had certain military uses, and Ying Zheng may do military exercises and produce weapons here for his ambition to achieve the unification of China. But it is also widely believed that Ying Zheng wanted to show his great achievements in his whole life through this great project. 

After that, we will have lunch, and in the afternoon, we will drive southwest (about 1 hour) to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda (Closed on each Tuesday). It is about 48 kilometers away from Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum. Small Wild Goose Pagoda was first built in 707 during the Tang Dynasty and survived about 70 earthquakes. Now, it is a 13-storey building with a height of some 43 meters. In the Pagoda, there is a famous iron bell built in 1192. At that time, monks struck the bell every morning. The ring is deep and sonorous and you can hear it a few kilometers away.

After that, we will visit the Xi’an Old City Wall. It is the largest ancient city wall in China. With a history of more than 600 years, it is still well-preserved today. The thickness of the Xi’an Old City Wall is greater than its height. It is 12 meters high and about 14 meters thick. And we will have a bicycle tour on the city wall. There are single bikes and double bikes. The circumference of it is 13.74 kilometers, so normally you can complete this course by bicycle in two hours. But you can cover the whole distance or just shortly experience the joy of riding a bicycle on the city wall. After that, you will be escorted to the hotel.

Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum

Small Wild Goose Pagoda

After breakfast, we will escort you to the hotel and you will take the estimated flight MU6796 12:40/14:20 to Chengdu. Our local guide will pick you up at the hotel.

In the afternoon, we will go to the People’s Park. Built in 1991, it covers an area of more than 110,000 square meters. In Chengdu, parks are the places that most define their leisurely lifestyle, especially the People’s Park. There are many beautiful spots, such as Goldfish Island and Orchid Garden. Except for that, there are also many teahouses. People in Chengdu enjoy tasting tea so much. When they are in teahouses, they are also playing chess, chatting, or listening to operas. Besides, they are particular about physical comfort, so the chairs in teahouses are all made of local bamboo for guests sitting or lying down. When you come to People’s Park, you can not miss it.      

Then, we will take a stroll along the Kuan Zhai Alleys. With a history of more than 100 years, it is mainly composed of Kuai Alley (Wide Alley), Zhai Alley (Narrow Alley), and Jing Alley (Well Alley). They are three parallel alleys. Along them, there are over 40 courtyards. One of the best parts of Kuai Zhai Alleys is the street food. For example, many visitors will enjoy the Bobo Chicken (BoBo Ji) when they come here. It is a typical Sichuan food with spicy and salty flavor. Bobo is a pottery pot. Local people will put chicken and seasonal vegetables into the pot and boil them. After they are done, people will slice them, and then the sliced chicken and seasonal vegetables will be separately pieced together with many bamboo skewers. Finally, the chicken and vegetables with bamboo skewers will be dipped in a special spicy sauce in the pot. It tastes amazing. Then, we will drive back to the hotel.

People's Park

Kuan Zhai Alley

After breakfast, we will go to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. It is not far away from the downtown. Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is created to provide a natural environment for the rearing and breeding of giant pandas. When you can here, you will see those cute giant pandas and maybe you will have close contact with them. Known as a Chinese national treasure, giant pandas usually eat bamboo. A giant panda can eat 30 kilograms of bamboo a day. And they need to eat a lot to stay healthy, so they spend more than 12 hours everyday eating!

After lunch, we will visit the Wenshu Temple. With a history of more than 1,400 years, Wenshu Temple covers an area of over 200,000 square meters. It is a well-preserved Buddhist temple. There are many cultural relics that attract a lot of visitors. You will find Chinese calligraphy and painting, and they were all from famous and important people. For example, in the temple, there are two characters “Kong Lin”, which literally means uninhabited forest, were written by Emperor Kangxi, the fourth emperor of the Qing Dynasty. By the way, he took the throne when he was only 8 years old. Except for the cultural relics, there are also exquisite gardens and buildings for visiting.

Then, we will visit Wuhou Temple. It is only about 6.6 kilometers away from Wenshu Temple. Wuhou Temple was erected mainly in honor of Zhuge Liang, a famous military strategist of the Shu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280). However, the Temple of Liu Bei in the Wuhou Temple is also worth a visit. When you pass through the second gate, you will see it. Liu Bei was the Emperor of the Shu Kingdom. He cared about his people and appreciated talented people like Zhuge Liang. And before he died, he entrusted his son to Zhuge Liang, which shows how much he trusted and treasured Zhuge Liang. Many people are moved by the stories between them, so if you are interested in, our guide would like to tell you more about them. After the visit, we will back to the hotel.

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

Wenshu Monastery

Today, we will drive southwest to Leshan Giant Buddha, about 136 kilometers away from Chengdu. It will take us about 2 hours to get there. Leshan Giant Buddha is located at the confluence where three rivers meet here. It is the largest statue of Maitreya in China. you may wonder, how big is this Giant Buddha? According to the information, it is 71 meters high, which is equivalent to a 25-storey building. It has 7-meter-long ears and 8-meter-long fingers. And more interesting, its insteps are so big that over one hundred people can sit on there. If you want to clearly see its whole body, you must stand far enough. 

After that, we will have lunch. In the afternoon, we will visit Baoguo Temple. It is at an altitude of 533 meters. There are beautiful natural scenery and magnificent halls. Baoguo Temple is surrounded by ancient and trees which creates a peaceful and secluded environment for people who come here to piously pray and incense. This temple is east, and in the early morning, when the sun is bright, the black gate and red wall are in a perfect blaze of splendor. Even the two stone lions in front of the gate come alive, like two majestic soldiers guarding this temple. Then, we will drive to the hotel. After check-in, you can have a good rest.

Leshan Giant Buddha

Baoguo Temple

This morning, we will visit Mount Emei. It is one of the Four Famous Mountains of Buddhism in China. When we arrive at Mount Emei scenic area, we will take the bus at Traffic Center to Leidongping Cable Car Station. Then we will go to the Golden Summit by cable car. Golden Summit is the top of Mount Emei and is about 3,077 meters above sea level. There are spectacular natural scenery and Buddhist statues and buildings on the Summit. And we will visit the golden statue of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva with a height of 48 meters and a weight of about 100 tons.   On sunny days, the golden statue will be surrounded by soft golden glow, which shows that the Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s wisdom and love for people as sure as the sunlight. 

Then we will go to the Huazang Temple, which is behind the golden statue of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. Huazang Temple was first built in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and it is one of the earliest temples in Mount Emei. Covering an area of 1614 square meters, this magnificent temple attracts many visitors and believers. After the visit, we will go down the mountain by cable car and then take the bus to the entrance to the scenic area. Then, we will drive northeast back to Chengdu, then have a rest in the hotel. Mount Emei is some 170 kilometers away from Chengdu and it is a 2.3-hour drive.

Mount Emei

Golden Summit

After breakfast, we will escort you to the airport and you will take the estimated flight CA4323 09:10/10:55 to Guilin. Our local guide will meet you at Guilin airport.

After lunch, we will visit Elephant Trunk Hill. It is located at the meeting place of Li River and Peach Blossom River. And in the distance, the Elephant Trunk Hill looks like an elephant drinking water with its long trunk. Between the elephant’s legs and trunk, there is a semicircular cave. The calm river water passes through the cave. At night, the cave’s reflection in the water and the cave form a complete circle which looks like a beautiful and bright moon in the water. So local people call it Water Moon Cave. 

Then, we will go to Reed Flute Cave with a depth of 240 meters. It is only 5 kilometers away from downtown Guilin. Reed Flute Cave has attracted many visitors since the Tang Dynasty. As a beautiful Karst cave, Reed Flute Cave got its name from an interesting story. Outside the cave, there were a lot of reeds which made it hard to see the entrance to the cave. One day, a cowherd got lost. Then, he heard wonderful music and was very curious. So he followed the direction of the music. Finally, he came to the cave and saw a lot of reeds. It turned out that the wind made a song as it blew across the hollow reeds. Then, he realized that he could make flutes out of reeds. Then, more people knew this place because of the cowherd and they also found this cave. Later, people automatically call it Reed Flute Cave.

Elephant Trunk Hill

Reed Flute Cave

After breakfast, we will go southeast to Zhujiang Wharf. It is about 25 kilometers away from the center of the city and it will take us about 45 minutes. At Zhujiang Wharf, we will get on the 4-star cruise ship and start our Li River Cruise. Normally, there are two kinds of cruise ships on the Li River. One is the 3-star ship, the other one is the 4-star ship. Of the two the latter is more luxurious than the former. Besides, the guide in the 4-star ship can introduce those amazing natural scenery in both Chinese and English, but there are only Chinese services provided by the 3-star ship. You can only have the Chinese box lunch on a 3-star ship. But the 4-star ship provides nice buffet lunch with over 20 different kinds of food. Today, we will spend around four wonderful hours on the 4-star ship. I hope this luxury Li River Cruise with buffet lunch will definitely leave you beautiful memories.

Li River has a total length of 164 kilometers. It stretches from Guilin to Yangshuo with mountains on either side. There are many beautiful spots along Li River, such as the Wave-Stone View, Mural Hill, and Yellow Cloth Shoal. Mural Hill is a very popular attraction and people also call it Nine Horses Fresco Hill. Its vast cliff looks like a great drawing board with some natural texture images, which looks like nine horses. In fact, there is an interesting story about these patterns. 

Long time ago, there was an old painter. When he draws a flower, amazingly bees flying to gather honey from the flower. And if he draws some trees, monkeys will come to pick fruits. So you can see how good he is at painting. And even the emperor invites him to paint at the imperial palace, but he said that he does not like feel confined in such a place. After he rejected the emperor’s request, he began to travel around. One day, he came to Li River. Then he saw a towering mountain on the riverside and one side of the mountain facing the river is a cliff, which looks like a neatly divided pear. Watching it, the old painter thought, “It would be great if I can draw a picture on it. More importantly, this picture can be enjoyed forever.” But what should be drawn? There were already lush mountains, clear water, and blue sky. Then, an ingenious idea suddenly came up to him. People also wondered what the old painter would draw but no one knows. They just knew the sun rises and sets a hundred times and the old painter drew everyday. When this masterpiece was finally finished, people came to realize that on the cliff, there are nine horses galloping. Then, it attracts many visitors all over the country and people call it Nine Horses Fresco Hill.

After arriving at Yangshuo, we will go to Yangshuo West Street. It is the oldest and busiest street in Yangshuo with a length of 800 meters. There are exquisite buildings which are more than 400 years. When you are here, you can not miss local specialties, and the highly recommended food is Beer Fish. Fish, one of the main ingredients, is from Li River. The fish will be fried first. After being braised with local beer and soy sauce, the fish will be crispy outside and tender inside. You may have had Beer Fish many times in many places, but you will definitely be amazed by Yangshuo Beer Fish. It is worth a try. After the visit, we will drive north back to Guilin. It is 70 kilometers away from here and it takes about 1.5 hours.

Li River Cruise

Yangshuo West Street

After breakfast, we will drive you to the hotel and you will take the estimated flight MU8565 13:35/15:55 to shanghai. Our friendly guide will be waiting for you at the airport. Shanghai is an international metropolis attracting more and more visitors in recent years. We hope you can have a pleasant tour in Shanghai.

Then, we will go to Nanjing Road. It is 5.5 kilometers long and is also known as the shoppers’ paradise. Each holiday or weekend is the busiest time and thousands of visitors will come here. Except for exploring the snacks of time-honored brands, you can also experience the Dangdang sightseeing tram. It covers a distance of 1 kilometer. When it moves slowly through the Nanjing Road, you will note that the moment you get on the tram, the bustling street is so much prettier. For many people, it is an opportunity to slow down and build connections with local people, buildings, and many other things. 

After that, we will visit the Bund, a landmark of Shanghai. It is 1.5 kilometers long and located by the peaceful Huangpu River. There are many famous spots, such as Huangpu Park and Waibaidu Bridge. Along the Bund, you will see many old buildings in different styles which look nostalgic in these modern times. The Bund reveals its charm during the day, and it is also a place that if you spend more time getting to know it, you will fall in love with what it looks like at night. Therefore, during this tour, we will have a Huangpu River cruise. When the night is falling and the lights of buildings along the river are illuminated, the Bund looks like a beautiful cluster of neon jewels under the dark sky. And this is the way it exudes prosperity and confidence in front of you yet without being arrogant. The whole process of the cruise will last for 50 minutes. After that, we will back to the hotel.

Nanjing Road

The Bund

Today, we will first visit Yu Garden(Closed on Mondays). It is one of the most famous gardens in China and was built during the Ming Dynasty. There are many beautiful buildings inside the garden, such as the Cuixiu Hall, Wanhua Chamber, and Huxin Pavilion. Huxin Pavilion was built during the Qing Dynasty and in 1855, it officially became a tea house. It is very popular and Queen Elizabeth II used to come here during her visit to China in 1986. Today, we will enjoy a Tea Ceremony here. In fact, tea tasting in this place has become a great fun for many local people, and the tea ceremony is another thing they will not miss each day. It is very interesting!

Then, we will go to Shanghai Old Street. It is an old and busy business street. The buildings on the street have black roofs with upswept eaves. And there are over 200 stores providing all kinds of products. As a famous attraction, there are many time-honored brands, like the Songyue Restaurant and Lu Bo Lang Restaurant. Lu Bo Lang Restaurant is a very popular and famous restaurant among visitors. People paid it a high compliment for its delicious food and sweet service. Through the luxury Shanghai tour, you will learn more about Shanghai and have many wonderful experiences.

After lunch, we will go to Tianzifang Market. Tianzifang is a street. Before 1998, it was just an unknown and normal road decorated with rising dust. after 1998, it was repaved and gathered many stores, galleries. People enjoy leisure time in the cafe every afternoon. All kinds of shops stand on each side of the street. Some of them are selling silk clothes, some of them are selling handicrafts. There are also people painting a portrait for you.

Then, we will visit Shanghai Tower. It is the tallest building in Shanghai with a height of 632 meters. It has 127 floors above ground. The shape of this skyscraper is an upward spiral which can cut down the wind resistance and withstand typhoons. Some people also think Shanghai Tower looks like a dragon flying up to the sky. The 118th floor of this building is an observation deck where people can enjoy a 360-degree view through a huge floor-to-ceiling window. You will see the skyline and a different Huangpu River from this perspective. After the visit, we will back to the hotel.

Shanghai Tower

Tianzifang Market

Today, we will spend a wonderful day at Zhujiajiao Water Town. It is 50 kilometers away from the Yu Garden. And we will drive southwest for about 1 hour to get there. Located in Qingpu District, Zhujiajiao Water Town covers an area of over 136 square kilometers and is a well-known attraction in Shanghai. We will take the local wooden boat to explore one of the most fascinating views along the river. At a glance, there is an aesthetic component you do not need to explain. You will see pretty terraced houses rising. They look almost the same with white walls and black roofs. You will also pass through antique bridges, and most of them were built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The boat tour will last for 10 to 15 minutes. When you take a walk on the street, you can get closer to the local people, buildings and other things.  

We will have lunch at this town. After that, we will drive back to downtown Shanghai. Zhujiajiao Water Town and the Bund are 48 kilometers away from each other. We will drive northeast (about 55 minutes). After today’s visit, we will escort you back to the hotel.

Zhujiajiao Water Town

Zhujiajiao Water Town

Today, your wonderful China luxury tour will come to an end. Our guide will drive you to the airport and we are looking forward to seeing you again. 

Author: Zhao Yalin