China Photography Tour with Mysterious Tibet

Welcome to Beijing! You will meet your guide at the airport and then you will be transferred to your hotel.

After Breakfast, we will take you to visit Tian’anmen Square. The 500-year-old Tiananmen Square is the largest city center square in China and even in the world. In 1949, the founding ceremony of the People’s Republic of China was held here. It has witnessed the development and prosperity of China along the way. Tian’anmen Square is on the south of the Forbidden City. So after visiting the square, we will visit the Forbidden City (It is closed each Monday). The Forbidden City was built in 1420 and was a royal palace in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is also the most complete building group of the wooden structure in existence in the world. The Forbidden City is surrounded by a city wall that is 10 meters high and 3400 meters long, with a 52-meter wide moat outside the city wall. The architectural forms and exquisite carvings in the Forbidden City have attracted countless tourists. The Forbidden City has also been selected as one of the top five palaces in the world. The other four palaces are the White House in the United States, Versailles in France, Buckingham in England, and the Kremlin in Russia. After lunch, we will take you to visit the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace was a place where the emperors and their families spent summertime in the Qing Dynasty. Because there are mountains, lakes and lush trees. Even in midsummer, the temperature here is very pleasant. The Summer Palace is divided into three parts, one is the emperor's office for government affairs; the other is the place where the emperor and his family live, and another part is the place for leisure and sightseeing. Kunming Lake is one of the famous attractions in the Summer Palace. There are three artificial islands on Kunming Lake. This is a very traditional architectural form of one lake and three islands in ancient China. They use this method to simulate the look of a wonderland.

Option: When you come to Beijing, you must try Peking Roast Duck. This dish has a long history. The emperor of the Ming Dynasty liked roast duck very much. After years of improvement, the roast duck is now very delicious. Duck meat is rolled in pancakes, with shredded green onions and cucumbers. This is the most classic way of eating Peaking Roast Duck. Duck bone can be made into duck bone soup. If you want to eat it for your dinner, we are happy to arrange it for you.

Summer Palace

Forbidden City

Today, we will visit the Ming Tombs. It is 45 KM away from the city center and we may need to drive for 1 hour. The Ming Tombs are the general name of the tombs of 13 emperors in the Ming Dynasty. In fact, not only the emperors are buried here, but also some of the empress and princes. We will visit the Chang Tomb today. It is the first tomb of these 13 tombs. Chang Tomb is the tomb of the third emperor Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty and his empress. The mausoleum is huge, covering an area of 120,000 square meters. According to records, its underground palace was built for 4 years. However, due to the limited technical conditions, the underground palace of Chang Tomb has not yet been excavated. We can visit the buildings on the ground, such as the main hall for worshiping the emperor. After that, we will drive about 1 hour (43 KM) to visit the world-famous Great Wall. As the largest defense project in ancient China, the Great Wall played an important military role in ancient times. Now it no longer has a military function but appears in front of the people of the world as a Chinese cultural symbol and a national symbol. You will take the cable car to the Great Wall. Remember to take a photo and record the moment. And then, we will drive back to the city center. On the way back, you will have a photo stop at the Water Cube and Bird Nest. They used to be the venue for the Olympic Games. Many people now come here to take pictures because of their unique appearance.

Ming Tombs

Water Cube

After breakfast, we will take you to visit the Temple of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven is located at the southern end of Beijing City. It was a place where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties prayed for a good harvest. The Temple of Heaven is exquisite in architecture and has a unique ethnic style. Taking the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests as an example, its base is made of white marble, and the building is made of wood and painted. It contrasts with the obvious color of the blue sky and white clouds, which is very eye-catching. After lunch, we will take you to the train station and you 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 your hotel for a rest.

Temple of Heaven

Temple of Heaven

In the morning, we will visit the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum. The emperors in ancient China planned to build tombs for themselves from the beginning of succession. Emperor Qin Shihuang is no exception. He was 13 years old when he took the throne, and the terracotta warriors and horses began to be built at that time. It lasted for 39 years. You can imagine what a grand architectural project this is. From the unearthed terracotta warriors and horses, we can see that the average height of the terra-cotta army is 1.85 meters, and the horses and chariots are the same sizes as in reality. After lunch, we will visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. This is a famous pagoda in Xi’an. There are many precious Buddhist Scriptures and several Buddha sarira bone. The square beside the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a Tang Dynasty culture theme square. If you are lucky, you will see the light and music fountain show there. After that, you will visit Muslim Street. It is a shopping street. If you want to get some gifts such as paper-cutting and clay figurines for your friends, you can buy some here.

Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

After breakfast, we will take you to the airport and take an estimated flight MU2335 11:40/15:20 to Lhasa. Your guide will meet you at the airport. And then you will be transferred to your hotel.

Lhasa is a high-altitude area. When you just arrive in Lhasa, please refrain from strenuous exercise. You can take a break in the hotel or take a walk in the city. Your body will gradually adapt to the high altitude.

In the morning, we will take you to visit the Potala Palace. The Potala Palace was built 1300 years ago. It was once the center of Tibet's political and religious unity. The Potala Palace is built on a hillside and looks majestic. The solid thick granite wall, the magnificent golden dome, the huge gilt vase, and the red flag, all reflect the ancient Tibetan architecture features. As a sacred place of Buddhism, countless tourists visit the Potala Palace every year. The Potala Palace is also known as the "Pearl on the Roof of the World". Its murals, wood carvings, and other decoration are well-known in the world. After lunch, we will visit the Jokhang Temple. The Jokhang Temple has a lofty position in Tibetan Buddhism. This can be seen from the endless stream of pilgrims and the altar candles which burn day and night. The Jokhang Temple is the earliest wooden structure building in Tibet. Its main hall is 4 stories high, and the golden roof and dougong of the whole building are in the typical Han style. Carved beams are Tibetan style. In addition, there are Tibetan murals nearly 1,000 meters long in the temple. After that, we will visit Barkhor Street. Barkhor Street is the street surrounding the Jokhang Temple. This is a circumambulation for Tibetans. It is also called the holy road by Tibetans. At the same time, Barkhor Street is also a commercial street. On both sides of the street are traditional Tibetan buildings and dwellings.

Jokhang Temple

Potala Palace

After breakfast, we will visit the Sera Monastery. Sera Monastery is one of the three major monasteries in Tibet. There are tens of thousands of Vajra Buddha statues in the Sera Monastery, most of which are made locally in Tibet. Some were brought from the other cities of India. A large number of original colorful murals are preserved on the walls of the main hall. The first Tibetan printed Tripitaka is also preserved here. After that, we will visit the Drepung Monastery. Drepung Monastery is the most important monastery in the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The annual Xuedun Festival is one of the grandest festivals in Lhasa. At this time almost all people in Lhasa will come to Drepung Monastery. People will watch the huge Buddha statue thangka. In terms of architectural form, the topography of the main hall is much higher than the gate. This also reflects the noble position of the Buddha Hall. In addition, you will see that the walls of Drepung Monastery are white. This is not the white color of the paint. It is painted by the believers with milk mixed with honey. After that, we will visit the Tibet Museum. If you want to learn more about Tibetan culture, then come to visit the Tibet Museum. This is a comprehensive history museum. The architecture has a distinct Tibetan cultural style. There are treasures of Bayeux, scriptures written on birch bark, various thangkas, etc.

Sera Monastery

Drepung Monastery

In the morning, you will be transferred to the airport and then take an estimated flight 3U8694 12:00/13:55 to Chengdu. Your guide in Chengdu will wait for you at the airport and then you will be transferred to your hotel. The rest of the time will be yours. You can have a rest in your hotel or walk around the city. Wide and Narrow Alley is a famous shopping street here. you can taste some local food or buy some souvenirs there. 

Wide and Narrow Alley

Wide and Narrow Alley

In the morning, we will visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The giant panda is China's national treasure and an endangered wild animal. Therefore, in order to protect the giant pandas, the Giant Panda Research Base in Chengdu was separated from the Chengdu Zoo and became a place dedicated to the protection and research of giant pandas. In addition to breeding and raising pandas, there is also a panda museum, a panda hospital, and a panda kitchen. At the same time, many giant panda volunteers have been trained here. So that the giant panda can be better protected. Don’t forget to record the cute pandas with your camera. After lunch, we will visit the Wenshu Monastery. Wenshu Monastery is a key Buddhist monastery in China. It is an all-wood building with magnificent momentum. It is a Buddhist holy land in Chengdu. Many people come here to pay homage to the Buddha, admire the garden architecture, or do religious studies. And then, we will visit the People’s Park. Chengdu has always been called the most leisure city. Therefore, when you come to Chengdu, you must also experience the leisure life of Chengdu people. People's Park is a comprehensive park in Chengdu. Here, you can drink tea, watch the scenery, or try the local ear cleaning skill, and enjoy a leisurely afternoon.

Option: Hot Pot is the most famous food in Chengdu. Traditional hot pot soup is made of beef tallow and plenty of chili and other seasonings. First, put them together and fry and then pour into rib soup. You can put any dish you like in it. Beef, lamb, vegetables, tofu, are the must-eat dishes for hot pot. If you want to feel the hotness of Chengdu too, then come and try the hot pot here.

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

Wenshu Monastery

After breakfast, we will take you to the airport and then you will take an estimated flight 9C6278 11:15/13:55 to Shanghai. The guide will wait for you at the airport. And then you will be transferred to your hotel. After a short break, you will visit the most famous shopping street in Shanghai-Nanjing Road. It is the earliest commercial street established in Shanghai. Now, the shops on both sides have changed a lot. But some century-old shops are still open. In addition, many well-known luxury brand shops have been updated to meet the needs of different shoppers. There are also Dingding cars running on Nanjing Road. If you are tired, you can take the Dingding car for sightseeing.  

Nanjing Road

Nanjing Road

In the morning, you will visit the Yu Garden. Yu Garden used to be a private garden. His former owner, Mr. Pan, used to fly kites, listen to operas, and hold banquets with friends here. And then, it became a public garden. More and more people know about this classical garden. The rockery, iron lion, and pavilion are all of great ornamental value. Many foreign dignitaries have also visited here, for example, French President Macron and his wife. And then, you will visit the Jing’an Temple. Jing'an Temple is an ancient Buddhist temple in China. Since ancient times, most of the temples are built in a quiet place like high mountains. But Jing'an Temple was built in the center of Shanghai. The temple relies entirely on stone pillars to support each other, without a nail. The plaque of Jing'an Temple was written by a famous calligrapher in ancient times, and it was plated with gold in the Song Dynasty. Open the door and you can see the magnificent square. There is also a large incense burner made of 15 tons of white copper. This is the highest incense burner in the world. In the most northwestern direction, there is a golden Jing'an Golden Pagoda. After that, we will go and visit Shanghai Tower. It is the highest building in Shanghai. Walking on the view platform, you will get an overview of Shanghai city. The elevator to the sightseeing hall was designed by Mitsubishi, and the fastest speed can reach 18 meters per second.

Option: If you want to add an activity in the evening, we will recommend the Huangpu River Cruise for you. It is one of the most popular night activities in Shanghai. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery on both sides of the Huangpu River by taking a cruise. On one side, there are modern high-rise buildings, such as the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Center, etc.; on the other side, there are traditional buildings with a sense of history, such as the Peace Hotel. If you happen to catch up with the light show or the drone show on the Bund, it will be even better.

Yu Garden

Shanghai Tower

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport. And then you can fly back to your sweet home.

Our service ends here.

Editor: Betsy He