Delightful China Senior Tour with Yangtze Cruise

After arrival, your guide will meet you at the airport and then you will be transferred to your hotel.

Option: We can provide extra airport pick-up service if you need, such as a wheelchair, a walking stick and so on. If you want to get a Chinese SIM card, we can also prepare one for you in advance. In this way, you can use it as soon as you arrive in China. Besides, we can also provide currency exchange service in small denominations. Your guide can exchange some money for you and tell you where is the nearest bank or where can you get currency exchange in your hotel if you need more Chinese money. We are devoted to providing all the things you need in advance so that you can get a worry-free tour.  

Beijing is a city with a history of more than three thousand years. It was once the capital of six dynasties in history. Therefore, many palace buildings were built here. Beijing is the city with the largest number of imperial palaces, imperial gardens, and imperial tombs in China. In 2008, the 29th Olympic Games were successfully held in Beijing. On July 31, 2015, the President of the International Olympic Committee Bach announced that Beijing and Zhangjiakou have won the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. As a result, Beijing has become the first city in the world to host both the Summer Olympics and the upcoming Winter Olympics. In addition, Beijing is the eighth largest "Gourmet City" in the world. The snacks in Beijing have a long history, a wide variety, and are very popular with tourists.

After breakfast, we will take you to visit Tian’anmen Square. It is the square where Chinese people hold the grand celebrations. The flag-raising ceremony held here every day also attracts countless tourists. If you come to Beijing in October, you may see a huge flower basket on Tian’anmen Square. This is a Chinese tradition. Every year during National Day, huge and gorgeous flower baskets are designed and arranged in Tian’anmen Square to express blessings to the motherland’s birthday. Taking the 2020 flower basket as an example, the overall height of the flower basket is 18 meters. There is peony, tulip, lily, jasmine, pomegranate, orange, and so on inside. The diameter of the artificial flower can reach 1.5 meters. From a distance, that looks like hundreds of flowers blossoming, very beautiful.

Through the Tian’anmen Gate, you will enter the Forbidden City (It is closed each Monday). It used to be the living and working place for 24 ancient Chinese emperors. You will be impressed that such a large wooden-structure building is preserved so well. All kinds of halls and rooms are arranged very neatly. Then you may want to know where did the emperor meets the officers every day. The Gate of Supreme Harmony (Taihe men) is the place where the emperor and the officers discussed and dealt with national affairs. Every morning, the emperor would sit on the dragon chair placed in front of the Gate of Supreme Harmony. The officials stood on the square outside the gate according to their ranks, and report the important things to the emperor. An official stood beside the emperor who was responsible for recording the emperor’s opinions. After the morning meeting, these opinions will be sorted out and issued to the whole country. This is the "sacred decree". This is how the country’s daily affairs are handled. According to the regulations at that time, no matter it is sunny, snowy, or rainy, the emperor and officials must go to the morning meeting every day.

After lunch, you will visit the Lama Temple. It is the Tibetan Buddhist temple with the highest standard in China. After Emperor Yongzheng died, his coffin was parked here. And Emperor Qianlong was born here. Therefore, it became a place closely related to the royal family. That is why it uses yellow tiles and red walls which can only be used in the imperial palace in ancient times. There are numerous Buddha statues, thangkas, and a large number of precious cultural relics in each hall in the temple. In Lama Temple, you can buy a special kind of bracelet. It is made of colored glaze. The most attractive thing is that there is incense ash from the temple in the bracelet. Such bracelets are believed to be blessed by the Buddha.

The Forbidden City

Tiananmen Square

After breakfast, we will drive for about 1.5 hours (74 KM) to visit the Mutianyu Great Wall. It is to the northeast of Beijing city. The Great Wall is one of the seven wonders of the world. It is the longest established defensive structure in the world. Since the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046BC-771BC), it has been continuously constructed for 2000 years. And today, you will take the cable car up to the Great Wall and feel its profound history and culture in person. Although it has now lost its military defense function, the beacon towers that can be seen every few hundred meters seem to tell you that countless invading enemies have been repelled here. After lunch, we will drive back to the city center. 

And then you will visit the Hutongs. The Chinese call the small alleys Hutongs. Both sides of the hutong are generally courtyards. The authentic Beijingers live there. You will take a rickshaw to visit the Hutong. Unlike the other tourists who only walk in the Hutongs, we will take you to visit a local family. The host will tell you more interesting stories about his family and this Hutong. And you will know more about the Chinese folk culture. 

Option: If you want to get a much deeper touch of the Chines culture, we can arrange a cooking class here for you. As we mentioned above, Beijing is the eighth largest "Gourmet City" in the world. There are many delicious foods such as meat sauce noodles, dumplings, Kung Pao Chicken that are tasty and easy to learn. You just need to tell us what kind of food you want to learn. We will arrange the local chef for you. And he will teach you from the very beginning and help you finish this meal. This meal can be your dinner today. As we know, Chinese people use chopsticks instead of forks for eating. So, don’t forget to learn how to use Chinese chopsticks from your teacher. That is a little bit difficult but very interesting.   

Mutianyu Great Wall

Hutong

After breakfast, we will visit the Temple of Heaven. It used to be the place where ancient Chinese emperors worship heaven. Ancient Chinese people respected heaven very much. So, the total size of the Temple of Heaven is 4 times larger than the Forbidden City where the emperors lived. There are palaces for emperor living, fasting, a place for handling oblation, and an office for dealing the rites and music. Now there is no ceremony for heaven worship anymore. And the Temple of Heaven became a park. You can see many people doing morning exercise here such as Tai Chi and fitness dance. 

Option: Tai Chi is one of the most popular morning activities in China. Do you want to learn several moves of Tai Chi and experience the Chinese culture? We can arrange it for you. Tai Chi has different requirements for the movements of your head, neck, shoulder, arm, and leg. Your Tai Chi master will teach you how to play Tai Chi and how to adjust your breath. Tai Chi is not a strenuous exercise. It is very suitable for the elderly. 

After lunch, we will take an estimated train G87 14:00/18:19 to Xi’an. Your guide will wait for you at the train station and then you will be transferred to the hotel. 

Some people say that walking into Xi'an is like walking into a museum of Chinese history. With a history of more than 3100 years, Xi'an is the best place to experience Chinese history and culture. Every year, more than 1 million tourists come to Xi'an to travel. Many foreign leaders chose Xi'an as their first stop on their visit to China, such as French President Macron. Macron visited China with his wife in 2018. They arrived in Xi'an first. This is Macron's first visit to China since he became French president. He and his wife visited the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum in Xi'an.

Temple of Heaven

Temple of Heaven

After breakfast, we will drive for about 1 hour (40KM) to visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum which is to the northeast of Xi’an City. The terracotta army is regarded as the No. 8 wonder in the world. There are currently about 8,000 terracotta warriors unearthed, as well as some warhorses, chariots, and weapons. All of these are as large as the real ones. And the most surprising thing is that the unearthed sword is still very sharp and not rusty. Most of the terracotta warriors were brightly colored when they were just dug out, but after contact with the air, the bright colors faded immediately. So, the terracotta warriors you see now are all colorless. Many foreign leaders have visited the terracotta army and gave highly praise to them. Queen Elizabeth II of England once said that the bronze carriage here is better than the carriage of her court. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has a keen sense of observation, asked many classic questions when visiting the terracotta warriors such as "Why are the shoes of the terracotta warriors different?" "Why do the terracotta warriors carry two rings behind their back?" " Why horses in Qin Dynasty is not high?". 

After lunch, we will visit the Great Mosque which is listed as one of the world's Islamic cultural relics by UNESCO. The architectural style and color of the Great Mosque are based on the traditional Chinese style. However, all the layouts and decorations in the mosque are strictly based on the Islamic system. The whole mosque has a total area of 13,000 square meters, and there is a large wooden archway with a height of 9 meters built in the early 17th century. In addition, there are seven stone steles, and the inscriptions are written in three languages: Arabic, Persian and Chinese. 

And then we will visit Muslim Street. It is a famous food street in Xi’an. You can taste the delicious local food or get some souvenirs here. The sweet-scented Osmanthus Cake in Xi'an has a history of more than 300 years. The original way to make sweet-scented osmanthus cake is very easy. You need to collect the fresh sweet-scented osmanthus, squeeze out its flower juicy, and then mix them with honey. Next, you need to mix it with the steamed glutinous rice, oil, and sugar. The original sweet-scented osmanthus cake is ready. Later, people improved the procedure of making sweet-scented osmanthus cake and it tastes much better than before. 

Great Mosque

Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum

After breakfast, you will visit the old City Wall. The city wall of Xi'an is the most complete ancient city wall in China. In ancient times, weapons were not developed, and the city gate was the only way in and out of the city, so the city wall was the focus of a city's defense. The original Xi'an city wall was rammed with loess in layers. The bottom layer is tamped with a mixture of soil, lime, and glutinous rice juice, which is extremely hard. Later, blue bricks were laid on the inner and outer and the top of the entire city wall. On the top of the city wall, there is a sink made of blue bricks every 40-60 meters for drainage, which played a very important role in the long-term protection of the ancient city wall in Xi'an.

After that, you will be transferred to the airport and take an estimated flight 3U3269 15:45/18:10 to Guilin. 

Different from Xi’an which is famed for its history, Guilin is famous for its fascinating natural scenery. The beauty of Guilin’s mountains and rivers is praised as the best in the world. Follow our steps and explore the beautiful Guilin together.

City Wall

City Wall

After breakfast, you will take the Li River Cruise to Yangshuo. Chinese people always say that Guilin owns the most beautiful mountain and river scenery. And the river here refers to the Li River. The Li River is 437 kilometers long. The most beautiful part of the Li River is about 83 kilometers between Guilin and Yangshuo. I sum up the beauty of the Li River into the following aspects: The first one is the strangely shaped mountains. Some of the mountains on both sides of the Li River are like horses, some are like tortoises, and some are like blooming lotus. The second is pastoral scenery. There are many farmlands on both sides of the Li River. You may occasionally encounter farmers and buffaloes working in the fields. The third point is the Li River fishing boat. There are many fishermen in Guilin, who make a living by fishing. You may come across these fishing boats, or see fishermen rewinding their nets. Today you will have lunch on the cruise. 

And then you will disembark at Yangshuo. We will take you to visit Yangshuo West Street. It is the most famous street in Yangshuo. And it is also a place where combined Chinese and Western culture. You can enjoy a leisure afternoon here. I will suggest you taste the Ciba (a kind of glutinous rice cake) which is one of the famous snacks in Yangshuo. The way of making Ciba is easy. You need to steam the glutinous rice, use a bamboo pole to beat the steamed glutinous rice into the puree and then knead it into a ball or round cake and steam it. The steamed glutinous rice cake can be eaten with sugar. If you like other flavors, you can also choose bean-paste filling or sesame osmanthus filling. After that, we will drive back to Guilin.

Li river

Yangshuo west street

After breakfast, you will take an estimated train G2856 11:27/17:45 to Chengdu. Your guide will pick you up from the train station and then you will be transferred to your hotel. 

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan Province. It is the city in western China with the largest number of foreign consulates and the largest number of international air routes. Chengdu has a glorious history. The Dujiangyan water conservancy project in Chengdu was built around 250 BC, and it has worked for more than 2,000 years. The Sichuan brocade was the first brocade silk fabric invented in the world. The brocade weaving machine in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD) was the world’s most advanced brocade weaving machine at that time. By the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD), Chengdu became the center of the world's lacquerware craftsmanship and the birthplace of Chinese tea culture. Contemporary Chengdu is still synonymous with prosperity and entertainment. It is also the City of Gastronomy named by UNESCO. There are National Forest Park, Snow Mountain, Giant Panda Nature Reserve, and so on. There are also bar streets that young people love most. Come to Chengdu and experience vibrant China.

This morning we will drive south for about 2.5 hours (154KM) to visit the Leshan Giant Buddha which is the largest carved rock statue in China. The Giant Buddha statue is 71 meters high and 10 meters wide. Its ears are 7 meters long; the nose is 5.6 meters long; fingers are 8.3 meters long, and the instep is 8.5 meters wide where can seat a hundred people. The Buddha sits facing the river and looks solemn. According to historical records, it takes more than 90 years to complete this Giant Buddha. It is praised by a poet as "a mountain is a Buddha, and a Buddha is a mountain". 

After that, we will drive back to the city center and visit the Wide and Narrow Alley. This is a famous shopping street in Chengdu with a long history. People say that Wide Alley is a nostalgic zone. Walking here, you can see historic buildings and traditional craftsmen everywhere, and you can also taste authentic Sichuan cuisine here. Narrow Alley is more like a young man, he is full of vitality. There are bars, cafes, art galleries, and early western-style buildings. It is the best place for young people to relax and take pictures.

And then you will visit the Chengdu Wuhou Shrine Museum. It was originally an ancestral hall to commemorate Zhuge Liang, the famous prime minister of the Three Kingdoms period. Now it has become a famous tourist area in Chengdu. It is composed of three parts: cultural heritage protection area (Han Zhaolie Temple, Wuhou Temple, Hui Tomb, Sanyi Temple), cultural experience area (West District, the former Chengdu Nanjiao Park), and Jinli Folk Custom Area. 

Option: Shu Feng Ya Yun is the Sichuan Opera theater. There will be wonderful Sichuan Opera performances every night. You may not know much about Sichuan Opera, but you must have heard of or seen the face-changing performance of Sichuan Opera on TV shows. Here, you will have the opportunity to watch the performance in person and feel the charm of face-changing. With the change of music and the dance of the face-changing actors, the facial makeup on the faces of the actors keeps changing. The most amazing thing is that even if you stand in front of the actor, you can't see how he changed the facial makeups. In addition to this, you will also taste the Chengdu local tea. Watching Sichuan opera while drinking tea, you could enjoy the leisure time in the evening like an authentic Chengdu native. Sichuan opera performances start at 8:00 every evening. If you also want to get close to traditional Chinese culture, we are happy to book tickets for you in advance.

Leshan Giant Buddha

Wuhou Shrine Museum

In the morning, we will visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. We all know that pandas are China's national treasure. Most pandas in China live in Sichuan Province. You may have seen them on TV. Their chubby body and cute appearance made them gain a large number of fans. They like playing on the tress or in the pool. Their favorite food is bamboo. But you may not know that they also eat meat. There is a very interesting legend in China. In ancient times, the giant panda was an extremely ferocious beast. Its size is 5 times or even 10 times its current size, which is very large. And their teeth are so sharp that can even bite off the steel. Therefore, the giant pandas at that time were also called iron-eaters. Later, China's ancient god Chiyou once rode a panda to fight another god, the Yellow Emperor. Chiyou was defeated. And then, the Yellow Emperor sealed the ferocious gene in the giant panda. The panda has become very cute ever since. 

After lunch, you will take an estimated train G2887 15:03/16:41 to Chongqing. Your guide will pick you up from the train station and then you will be transferred to the pier. You will go abroad here and start your Yangtze River Cruise tour.

Since ancient times, the beautiful scenery of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River has attracted countless tourists. The emperors of ancient China used to cruise south in royal ships. This may be the earliest cruise ship in China. The ship at that time had no power. It can only rely on wind and manpower. If it encounters an upstream situation, it will move more slowly. Compared with that time, the current Three Gorges cruise ship provides great convenience for tourists. You can choose the type of cruise ship according to your needs. We provide comfortable and luxurious cruise ships. You can also choose whether your room includes a balcony, whether it is a double bed room, etc. Besides, the other facilities on the ship are also very complete, including bars, performance theaters, and restaurants. We are committed to bringing you a worry-free tour on the Yangtze River.  

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

This morning, you will pass the Fengdu Ghost City. Although people do not know where they go after death, they built this ghost city based on their imagination and legends passed down from generation to generation. Here is a place where souls are judged and reincarnated after death. There is the Naihe Bridge which is also called Abyss Bridge. It is said that the soul will forget all the things in his life after he crosses the Naihe Bridge. You will also see the Temple of Yama, the place where the soul is judged, and the king of the underworld stays. There is also a hell which is the place where evil people are punished after death in Chinese legends. Your guide will tell you more interesting stories here. 

The lunch will be on board. And then you will visit the Shibaozhai Pagoda. This wooden pagoda is built against the mountain. There are 12 floors. Standing on the pagoda, you can see the magnificent scenery of the Yangtze River. We recommend that you wear comfortable shoes when you get off the cruise. Because you will probably take some stairs.

Shibaozhai

Fengdu Ghost City

Today we will pass by the Three Gorges. Qutang Gorge is the first gorge you pass through. Although it is only about 8 kilometers long, it is very dangerous. The scenery of Qutang Gorge was printed on the back of the Chinese currency RMB 10 yuan. If you happen to have an RMB 10 yuan, you can take it out and take a picture of the scenery with it.

And then it will be Wu Gorge. Wu Gorge is more than 40 kilometers long. Different from Qutang Gorge, the scenery on both sides of Wu Gorge is different. Especially the mountain peaks on both sides of the gorge show different shapes. The Fairy Peak also named Shennv Peak has been the most favorite place for tourists since ancient times. Looking from a distance, it looks like a fairy who is waving to you. 

And the last one is the Xiling Gorge. Xiling Gorge is more than 60 kilometers long. It is the longest one of these three. The waterway here is curved and there are often boulders. After the construction of the water conservancy project, the water flow here gradually stabilized. And the scenery is still very spectacular. There are many small gorges in Xiling Gorge. The most famous one is Dengying Gorge which is also called Fan Gorge. Because there is a rock on the south bank of the gorge that looks like an open folding fan. In addition to Dengying Gorge, here you will also see Baojian Gorge (Sword Gorge), which resembles a sword, and Baigou Gorge (White Dog Gorge), which resembles a huge white dog, and so on.

Three Gorges

Three Gorges

After breakfast, you will disembark at Yichang. We will take you to visit the Three Gorges Dam. The Three Gorges Dam Project is a key project for comprehensive management and development of the Yangtze River. It is the largest hydropower project in the world today. The average annual power generation can reach 84.9 billion kWh. Here you can visit the natural landscape of the Yangtze River, and you can also see some graphic introductions in the exhibition hall. 

And then you will take an estimated train D954 14:06/20:27 to Shanghai. Your guide will meet you at the Shanghai train station. And then you will be transferred to your hotel. Have a good rest. 

The word "Shanghai" represents not only a city, but has become a symbol, a symbol of fashion, change, and internationalization... Shanghai has become the business center of China through rapid development for more than 100 years. It has also become a link between China and the world. Follow our steps and discover the charming Shanghai together. 

The Three Gorges Dam

The Three Gorges Dam

This morning, we will visit the Jade Buddha Temple. Jade Buddha Temple is one of the famous temples in Shanghai. It is named after the jade Buddha statues enshrined in the temple. There are two jade Buddhas in the hall. One is from Myanmar and the other is from Singapore. The jade Buddha statues are exquisitely carved and lifelike. They are inlaid with gemstones such as pearls, which are very delicate. There are many Buddhists in China. And the 1st day and 15th day every month in the Chinese lunar calendar are the big days for them. So, if you come to the temple in that two days, there will be much more people. 

And then, we will take you to visit the Yu Garden (It is closed each Monday). It is said that a China tour is not complete without visiting a Chinese garden. Yu Garden is a masterpiece of Chinese gardens. Although the Yu Garden is not large, only 20,000 square meters, the pavilions inside are all carved with exquisite patterns, and the rockeries inside are peculiar in shape, which also attracts many tourists.

After lunch, we will visit the Shanghai Tower which is the highest building in Shanghai. There are 9 divisions in the tower, which are responsible for retail, hotel, office, sightseeing, and other functions. In addition, the architectural appearance of Shanghai Tower is spiraling upward. This is to effectively reduce the damage of the typhoon to the building. 

After that, you will visit Nanjing Road. This is the most prosperous shopping street in China and it is also the must-visit place in Shanghai. You can buy some gifts here for your friends such as silk and chopsticks. Or you can taste some local food here such as Shanghai Dim Sum.

Shanghai Tower

Nanjing road

In the morning, we will drive for about 3 hours (178 KM) to Hangzhou. Chinese people often say that if you have been to Hangzhou, you have seen heaven. It is conceivable that the scenery of Hangzhou is excellent. The most famous landscape in Hangzhou is West Lake. West Lake Scenic Area has more than 100 small scenic spots. You will visit West Lake by boat. Whether you are traveling by boat or walking on your own, you can discover endless beautiful scenery. 

After that, you will visit the Six Harmonies Pagoda. It is 59 meters high, with a brick structure inside and a wooden structure outside. There are copper bells hung on the eaves of each floor. Besides, you will see sculptures of various themes on Six Harmonies Pagoda such as flowers, birds, beasts, and so on. The brick carvings are well-designed and rich in decorative effects. The stone carvings of the "Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra" are also in the pagoda.

And then we will visit the Dragon Well Tea Plantation. The Chinese have been drinking tea for thousands of years. China is also a major tea producer in the world. Dragon Well tea is one of the most famous tea in China. It has the effects on delaying aging, refreshing, and so on. Today you will visit the Dragon Well Tea Plantation and see the tea production process. After that, we will drive back to Shanghai.

West Lake

Dragon Well Tea Plantation

Today you will be transferred to the airport and then fly back to your country.

Editor: Betsy He

Proofreader: Carrie Zhang