We Love —
- Embark on a fascinating tour visiting iconic cities and sights in the majestic East Asian country of China.
- Highlights include the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Summer Palace in Xi'an, the Terracotta Army, the legendary West Lake in Hangzhou and the city of Shanghai.
- Our offer includes 4* accommodation with daily breakfast throughout, a private English-speaking guide, and all transfers included.
Book Now, Pay Later —
Booking 80 days in advance and spending over £500 per person? No need to pay in full today! Just select the 30% deposit option on our payment page (terms & conditions apply)
Your Destination —
This 10 night tour will take you to some of China's most iconic cities and sights including Tienanmen Square, the terracotta warriors and the West Lake.
Knowledgeable local guides will travel with you the whole way, helping you unearth the hidden gems of this awe-inspiring country.
Your Itinerary —
Arrival in Beijing, welcome by your guide at the airport and transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is at your disposal.
Overnight at Mercure Beijing Downtown 4*
DAY 2 - BEIJING
This morning after breakfast at your hotel, you will visit the well-known Tiananmen Square and walk through the Tiananmen Gate in to the Ming and Qing Dynasty Imperial Palace (better known in the West as the Forbidden City). The palace is listed on UNESCO's World Heritage List because it is a masterpiece of Chinese palace architecture and an impressive demonstration of how traditional Chinese architecture of northern China was incorporated into palatial architecture. Then visit another Beijing landmark, the Temple of Heaven. This complex is also on UNESCO's World Heritage list, it represents a unique material expression of the Chinese concept of the relationship between heaven and earth.
Overnight at Mercure Beijing Downtown 4*
After breakfast at your hotel, you will visit the Great Wall near Badaling, which you can climb and admire from above. After lunch you will visit the Summer Palace (Yi He Yuan), an imperial garden. This garden has been included in UNESCO's World Heritage List because it reflects the theory and practice of Chinese gardening in its entirety. In the late afternoon the transfer to the train station takes place and you will take the overnight train to Xi'an in a first class sleeper cabin (four-bed compartment).
DAY 4 - XI'AN
In the morning you arrive in Xi'an. Transfer to a hotel for breakfast. It follows the visit to the excavation site of the Terracotta Army near the underground tomb of the first emperor of China. This complex is also listed in the World Heritage List of the UNESCO. You will see the two exhibited bronze carts (Tong Che Ma) from this complex, two jewels of archeology. In the afternoon you go back to the city. Afterwards, you visit the Small Wild Goose Pagoda (Xiao Yan Ta).
Overnight at Grand Dynasty Culture Hotel 4*
DAY 5 - XI'AN
In the morning, you will visit the square between the Bell and Drum Towers (Zhong-Gu Lou) and the old Muslim Quarter with its many market streets. There you will visit the Great Mosque (Qingzhen Si), which was erected against all expectations in the typical Chinese temple architecture style. Afterwards take a stroll on the square in front of the Wild Goose Pagoda.
Overnight at Grand Dynasty Culture Hotel 4*
In the morning you will visit the Provincial Museum (Shaanxi Lishi Bowuguan), one of the most beautiful museums in China. Here you get a good overview about Chinese history, from the Paleolithic to the end of the Imperial era.In the afternoon you fly to Hangzhou. After the welcome by your guide at the airport you will be transferred to the hotel.
Overnight at Best Western Hangzhou Meiyuan Hotel 4*
DAY 7 - HANGZHOU
In the morning you go to the legendary West lake, a huge landscaped garden, which served in parts as a model for the Summer Palace in Beijing. There, take a boat trip on the lake to admire its many attractions. Even today, this lake decisively shapes the cityscape of Hangzhou. Afterwards you visit the old town. In a very interesting building, the Pharmacy Museum, you can learn something about the otherness and the peculiarities of Chinese medicine. In the afternoon you will go to the tea plantation at Meijiawu. There you will learn interesting facts about the famous dragon well tea. Chinese Dragon Well tea is a green tea from the Hangzhou growing area in Zhejiang province. The tea is harvested from April to September. Depending on the harvest time, the tea has different qualities. The tastiest one is the harvest in April. The scent of a high-quality dragon well tea is unmistakable and reminds of roasted chestnuts with a touch of orchid scent. Its taste is mild and sweet with floral notes, which lingers after the consumption of the tea for a particularly long time in the mouth. Then visit the Tea Museum. The Hangzhou National Chinese Tea Museum, opened in 1991, is a must for any tea lover. It includes a comprehensive collection on the history of tea as well as contemporary and historical teaware. There are also two Chinese teahouses in the museum grounds where you can taste selected Chinese teas.
Overnight at Best Western Hangzhou Meiyuan Hotel 4*
The 13th-century explorer Marco Polo called Hangzhou the “finest and most splendid city in the world”. Seven hundred years later, this city in the eastern Zhejiang province is still one of the most picturesque destinations in China
In the morning after breakfast it you will be transferred to the train station, then take the high-speed train to Suzhou. Upon arrival in Suzhou, visit the garden of the Master of the Nets. It is the smallest of the Suzhou private gardens, but it is perhaps the most impressive one, because through its clever layout it gives the impression of a much larger garden than it actually is. Afterwards, visit a silk spinning mill typical of Suzhou.In the afternoon take a stroll along the Pingjiang street.
Overnight at Garden Hotel Suzhou 4*
DAY 9 - SUZHOU TO SHANGHAI
In the morning after breakfast, you take the high-speed train to Shanghai. Be picked up at railway station and transfer to hotel.
Overnight at Northern Shanghai Hotel 4*
DAY 10 - SHANGHAI
After enjoying breakfast at your hotel, feel free to explore Shanghai at your leisure.
Overnight at Northern Shanghai Hotel 4*
DAY 11 - DEPART FROM SHANGHAI
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport to fly back home.
Your Hotels —
You will stay in the below hotels or similar (depending on availability) in a Standard Room.
All hotels are of a 4* standard have been carefully selected for their location and reputable service.
Beijing: Mercure Beijing Downtown 4* (2 nights)
Xi'an: Grand Dynasty Culture Hotel 4* (2 nights)
Hangzhou: Best Western Hangzhou Meiyuan Hotel 4* (2 nights)
Suzhou: Garden Hotel Suzhou 4* (1 night)
Shanghai: Northern Shanhai Hotel 4* (2 nights)
Please note: For 1 night, guests will also be accommodated in a in a first class sleeper cabin (four-bed compartment) aboard an overnight train to Xi'an
Your Journey —
Flights: You may choose from Economy or Business class flights.
The flights included are with either a scheduled or no-frills airline and are subject to live availability and prices can change. You can choose your preferred departure times during the booking process. Please select your flight options carefully as departure and arrival airports may differ.
Transfers: Transfers are included as per itinerary.
Please note: A visa is required to travel on this tour. Please refer to www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice prior to departure for the latest requirements and how to apply.
Tipping is an expected element in China's tourism industry. Usually every passenger pays on arrival to the guide and it is distributed appropriately between the local guides and drivers. As a guideline we recommend 5- 7 USD per person per day.