Itinerary for April 24 - May 9, 2010

Day 1
Beijing flight arrival
Meet at airport and transfer to hotel
Evening to relax
Dinner at Hotel

Day 2
• Morning at leisure for rest
  Panda Zoo – Home to giant and lesser pandas of China. Statistics show that China now has only approximately 1,000 giant pandas living in the wild.
  Temple of Heaven – The Temple was built in 1420 A.D. during the Ming Dynasty to offer sacrifice to Heaven. Built with NO nails, perfect proportions.

• Shopping at Pearl Market – Great prices!
  Lunch at Sichuan Restaurant.
  Hutong Tour – Hutong is an ancient typical neighborhood in Beijing
  Peking Duck Dinner

Day 3
• Morning Tai qi at Coal Hill – Learn from the pros
  Tiananmen Square – The largest city square in the world, holds one million people.
  The Forbidden City – Construction of the palace complex started in 1407.
  Chairman Mao's Memorial – where the embalmed Great Helmsman lies at rest.
  The Great Hall of the People
• PM – Shopping
  Dinner with Local Friends

Day 4
  The Great Wall – We will hike the Badaling Section One of the seven wonders of the world and the symbol of China. About one million people, one-fifth of China's population at the time, were involved in the project.
  Lunch on Ghost Street – Brazilian BBQ
  Panjiayuan Market- Hands down the best place to shop for yìshu (arts), gongyi (crafts) and guwan (antiques) in Beijing. Everything from calligraphy, Cultural Revolution memorabilia and cigarette ad posters to Buddha heads, ceramics and Tibetan carpets. Acrobatic Show Spinning plates, juggling umbrellas, contortionists and acrobats fill the air. Integrating superlative juggling, unicycling, balancing and jumping through hoops with the finest ancient Chinese dancing, the star-studded cast will amaze.

Day 5
AM – Rest, shopping or explore on your own
PM – 798 art factory “the” place to see chinese contempory art.

Day 6
Morning flight to Lhasa, Tibet. Rest of the day adjust to altitude.

Day 7
  Potala Palace – Home of the Dalai Lama before he was Exiled
  Jokhang Temple – Lunch at local restaurant; dinner in the hotel

Day 8
  Sera Monastery – Nunnery Tibetan Monk Style
  Lunch in Old town and free time to wander in Old town on Bharkhuo Street

Day 9
AM- On your own
PM- Flight to Xian

Day 10
  The Terra-cotta Museum – The 8000 Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century.
  Lunch at Terra-cotta Museum
  The Big Wild Goose Pagoda – a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. Originally built in 652 during the reign of Emperor Gaozong.
Free time to walk/bike the old city wall

Day 11
AM-  flight to Guilin
PM- Tour of the Reed Flute Caves, the seven Star Park and Fubo Hill and Bird and Mall street market Dinner walking distance from Mall Street.
Evening- visit to Pagodas on own

Day 12
  Li River Cruise – The cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo is the centerpiece of any trip to northeastern China. Water buffalo patrol the fields, peasants reap rice paddies, school kids and fisherman float by on bamboo rafts.
Lunch on boat
Spend night in Yangshuo

Day 13
Optional Bike tour along Yu Long River to the Moon Hill. Scale the hill.
Lunch at a farmer's house OR free time to shop
Drive back to Guilin for Flight to Shanghai

Day 14
  Yu Garden
  The Jade Buddha Temple – In 1882, an temple was built to keep two jade Buddha statues which had been brought from Burma by a monk named Huigen.
  Children's Palace –
Lunch restaurant that serves 100 kinds of Dim Sum
Evening Shanghai Acrobatic show. Cirque du soleil

Day 15
  Zhujiajiao Water Town – Known as "the Venice of Shanghai",  We will take a walking tour through this well-preserved ancient town.
  Shanghai Museum
  Shanghai City Planning Exhibition
  TV Tower
Free time in the Nanjing Road and Taikang road
Western style Dinner along Bund

Day 16
Transfer to Airport and Fly home

 

      *Current group airfare for round trip from Denver on United Airlines

INCLUDED: All International airfare, all domestic airfare, hotel accomodations, all group meals, group transfers, daily exploration and activity fees, all entrance fees, local guide service, porter fees, personal services of the CCA staff, all gratuities .

NOT INCLUDED: Excess baggage charges, Liquor, airport arrival and departure taxes, transfers for independent arrivals and departures, passport/and or visa fees, personal expenses such as immuzations, laundry, telephone, fax charges, taxis, accident/baggage/cancellation insurance

RESERVATIONS AND DEPOSITS: To reserve your place on a China Cultural Adventure complete the reservation form and return it with your $2,500 deposit. Checks should be payable to “China Cultural Adventure LLC. A second deposit of $2,500 will be due January 1st. The balance will be due one month before trip depature.  Funds are non-refundable after January 2nd.

AIRFARE: We will offer a group airfare from Denver on United Airlines in the class of service you prefer and from your home airport. Rates and itineraries are subject to change. Price is per person, double occupancy.