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CHINA HERITAGE TOUR (CHT) - 18 DAY TOUR
(Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, Yangshou,
Kunming, Lijiang, Zhong Dian, Shanghai)
Itinerary and Departure Dates and Fares:
Day 1. Saturday. USA/Beijing.
Your tour departs from Los Angeles about mid-day and you will head across the Pacific Ocean to Beijing, the illustrious capital city of China. Spend the night aboard your trans-Pacific flight as you cross the International Date Line.
Day 2. Sunday. Beijing. (IM).
You arrive in Beijing, one of the largest cities in China, in the late afternoon. There, you will be escorted to a local four- or five-star hotel.
Day 3. Monday. Beijing. (AB, L, D).
Your highlight today will be a visit to an unrestored section of the awe-inspiring Great Wall, close to a quiet farming village. You will also visit the solemn Ming Tombs, the burial place for the 13 Ming Dynasty emperors. The tour continues with a wonderful stroll down the renowned Sacred Way, the formal entrance to the Ming Tombs. Attend a delicious Peking Duck banquet in the evening.
Day 4. Tuesday. Beijing. (AB, L, D).
Morning sightseeing features the infamous Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest public square. Next, you will stroll through the fabulous Forbidden City, the residence of emperors for more than 500 years. In the afternoon, you will tour the beautiful Temple of Heaven where, during the last Ming and Qing Dynasties, the emperors prayed for good harvests. A tour to the Summer Palace on Kunming Lake is another highlight of the day.
Day 5. Wednesday. Beijing/Xi’an. (AB, L, D).
In the morning, you will take a domestic flight to wonderful Xi’an, the historic, cultural, ancient capital of China. Upon arrival, you will visit the splendid Xi’an ancient Grand City Wall, which was built 700 years ago during the Ming Dynasty. You will also see the mysterious Small Wild Goose Pagoda built 1,400 years ago during the Tang Dynasty. After these wonderful sights, you will check in at a local four- or five-star hotel.
Day 6. Thursday. Xi’an. (AB, L, D).
Today’s full day tour will help you recall the glories of ancient Xi’an as you visit a vast burial site containing an incredible army of 8,000 lifelike terra-cotta soldiers. You will also visit the fascinating 6,000-year-old Banpo Neolithic Village. On your way back to town, you will be a guest at a quaint local farm village, and you will be able to sit with the resident villagers in their communal courtyards and enjoy a friendly chat. You will have a chance to learn about the many changes that have come to the villagers’ lives during the past several years. In the evening back in Xi’an, you will enjoy two local specialties, a delectable Xi’an Dumpling Dinner and a wonderful Tang Dynasty Show at the renowned Shaanxi Grand Song and Dance Theatre.
Day 7. Friday. Xi’an. (AB, L, D).
In the morning, you will have a chance to visit a primary school in Xi’an and join the local kids in a great “back-to-young” time. You will also have a chance to give small, practical school supplies to the children who are sure to become your newest friends in China. In the afternoon, you will visit the Shaanxi Provincial Museum and wander through the galleries seeing the Museum’s fine collection of artifacts.
Day 8. Saturday. Xi’an/Guilin. (AB, L, D).
In the morning, you will take a two-hour domestic flight to Guilin, one of the most mystical and picturesque cities in China. Upon arrival, you will visit the ancient and colorful Reed Flute Caves, where spectacular stalactite and stalagmite formations dazzle visitors. You will check in at a local four- or five-star hotel. In the evening, you are welcome to join an interesting and fun optional tour where you will see local fishermen ply their trade with the assistance of their trusted friends and partners, Cormorant Fishing Birds! Another optional side tour ($15.00) includes a revitalizing Reflexology foot massage and a relaxing shoulder massage.
Day 9. Sunday. Guilin/Yangshou. (AB, L, D).
Today you will travel by deluxe motor coach through the lush countryside surrounding Guilin. During the trip, explore the bamboo trees, water chestnut trees, sugarcane and rice fields. You arrive at a local village and from there embark on a memorable Lijiang River cruise, passing through scenic Yangshou. Upon arrival in Yangshou at about 1 p.m., you will check in at a local four- or five-star hotel and the rest of the day is yours. You may wish to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery, tour the local “American Town” where many Westerners reside and love to entertain you with real Western food, or do some shopping in the large local market. You may choose to take a ride in a local rickshaw taxi to see close up the beautiful trees, water and rock formations, and to visit the local farmers. On a ride such as this, you can stop anywhere and take excellent pictures from a variety of scenic landscapes and local villages.
Day 10. Monday. Guilin/Kunming. (AB, L, D).
This morning you will take a one hour domestic flight to Kunming, the “Spring City” of China. Located on the eastern edge of the Tibeten Plateau, Kunming is blessed by wonderfully warm weather year round. Later in the morning, you will climb the Western Hills where you will see delicate Taoist and Buddhist temples. A very beautiful lake view of the Dianchi Lake comes in to sight while you are atop the Dragon Hills Gate. On the way down, you will have a chance to visit the mysterious Huating Temple, which contains 500 sculptures of the disciples of the Buddha. In the evening, you will check in at a local four- or five-star hotel.
Day 11. Tuesday. Kunming. (AB, L, D).
Today’s full day excursion takes you to the awesome Stone Forest, one of the natural wonders of Kunming, and a typical Karstic Landscape. On the way, you will thoroughly enjoy a visit to a small, quaint, typical Chinese village. There, you will mingle with the local villagers, walk through their streets and see their homes. The photographic opportunities are endless.
Day 12. Wednesday. Kunming/Lijing. (AB, L, D).
Today you start your day by taking a domestic flight to Lijing, a small town with a spectacular mountain backdrop. Check in at a local four- or five-star hotel upon arrival, then enjoy the breathtaking scenery. After lunch, you will visit the Black Dragon Pond. Later, enjoy a visit to the Dongba Culture Exhibition Museum, which exhibits the Dongba Pictographic Characters and the Naxi Minority People’s mysterious culture, some of whom still use the matriarchal social system today. In the late afternoon, you will tour the ancient town of Dayan, recently named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations.
Day 13. Thursday. Lijiang. (AB, L, D).
Today’s whole day tour starts with a visit to Yufeng Si, a traditional Lamasery famous for its 1000-year-old Camellia Tree. Next you will tour the Basha Naxi Minority People’s village, with contains ancient Dongba wall paintings.
Day 14. Friday. Lijiang/Zhong Dian. (AB, L, D).
Today you will continue your deluxe motor coach trip from Lijiang to Shigu Village, located at the first bend in the Yangtze River. There, you will explore the river's tremendous Tiger Leaping Gorge, then continue on to Zhong Dian, located on the edge of the Tibetan plateau. In Zhong Dian, you will check in at a local four- or five-star hotel.
Day 15. Saturday. Zhong Dian. (AB, L).
Zhong Dian is a well-known city, but it is not very well-known under this name. However, you will recognize the name Shangri-La. The book Lost Horizon was based on stories of events that actually happened in this little town. You will have a chance to explore Zhong Dian and the surrounding Tibetan cultural areas, including the large Songzanlin Monastery, and the quaint local Tibetan farms and villages. Your next stop is the alpine Shudugang Lake, located an amazing 12,000 feet above sea level.
Day 16. Sunday. Zhong Dian/Kunming. (AB, L).
Today you will take a 50-minute domestic flight back to the “Spring City” of Kunming. Once there, you will tour the Da Guan Yuan Mansion, and then the Bird and Flower Market in the afternoon. You will check in at a local four- or five-star hotel.
Day 17. Monday. Kunming/Shanghai. (AB, L, D).
In the morning, you will take a domestic flight to Shanghai, China’s financial and commercial center. Upon arrival, you will visit the historic Bund along Shanghai’s waterfront. After that, you will experience the gorgeous Yu Garden. You will check in at a local four- or five-star hotel in the evening.
Day 18. Tuesday. Shanghai/Los Angeles. (AB).
After visiting the fascinating Jade Buddha Temple in the morning, you will board your trans-Pacific flight back to the United States. You will take home many wonderful memories of China.
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Departure Dates and Fares:
10 or more passengers that sign up as a group may be eligible for special discounts upon request.
If your preferred travel date is not listed in the departure dates, please call to set up your own tour date, at no additional charge.
2004:
|
Departure
Date
(Saturday)
|
Return
Date
(Tuesday)
|
Tour Fare
From
Los Angeles
|
Land
Tours
Only
|
Single
Supplement
|
|
1/3
|
1/20
|
$3,019
|
$2,229
|
$649
|
|
2/7
|
2/24
|
$3,019
|
$2,229
|
$649
|
|
3/6
|
3/23
|
$3,019
|
$2,229
|
$649
|
|
4/3
|
4/20
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
5/8
|
5/25
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
6/5
|
6/22
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
7/3
|
7/20
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
8/7
|
8/24
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
9/4
|
9/21
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
10/9
|
10/26
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
11/6
|
11/23
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
12/4
|
12/21
|
$3,019
|
$2,229
|
$649
|
2005:
|
Departure
Date
(Saturday)
|
Return
Date
(Tuesday)
|
Tour Fare
From
Los Angeles
|
Land
Tours
Only
|
Single
Supplement
|
|
1/8
|
1/25
|
$3,019
|
$2,229
|
$649
|
|
2/19
|
3/8
|
$3,019
|
$2,229
|
$649
|
|
3/12
|
3/29
|
$3,019
|
$2,229
|
$649
|
|
4/2
|
4/19
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
5/7
|
5/24
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
6/4
|
6/21
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
7/2
|
7/19
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
8/6
|
8/23
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
9/3
|
9/20
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
10/8
|
10/25
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
11/5
|
11/22
|
$3,259
|
$2,289
|
$849
|
|
12/3
|
12/20
|
$3,019
|
$2,229
|
$649
|
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