China Encounter

Day 1 : Beijing

Upon arrival in Beijing you will be met and escorted to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Day 2 : Beijing

First on your tour this morning will be a visit to the Temple of Heaven, where Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties used to attend annual ceremonies of prayer for a good harvest. You might also see some of the local people doing their morning exercises in the park outside the complex (weather permitting). Afterwards continue to Tiananmen Square, the largest city square in the world and spiritual heart of China. Here, you’ll walk through the Tiananmen Gate into the Forbidden City, which houses the Imperial palace from the Ming and Qing dynasties and is one of the grandest palace complexes that remain today. Continue to the enchanting Summer Palace, the imperial summer resort of the Qing dynasty, located on the northwestern outskirts of the city. Included in the tour is a 15 minute boat ride on the lake set in the middle of the magnificent gardens.

Note: The Forbidden City is closed on Mondays. Depending on your day of arrival in Beijing the order of sightseeing may need to be changed. The Summer Palace boat ride is not available when the lake is frozen, normally from 1 November to 1 April.

Day 3 : Beijing

Today’s full day tour starts with a 1.5 hour drive to the magnificent Great Wall, the longest wall in the world that stretches around 6,700 km and was built over 2,000 years ago. Travel by cable car to the Mutianyu section of the wall, where you can walk along the ramparts and enjoy the gorgeous views as well as be amazed by the incredible construction of the wall itself.

Lunch will be provided at a restaurant nearby before you continue to the Chang Tomb, the largest and best preserved of the 13 tombs near Beijing. The layout is identical to the tomb of the first Ming emperor in Nanjing and similar to a miniature version of the Forbidden City. Afterwards visit the Ding Tomb, the burial site of Emperor Wanli, the 13th emperor of the Ming Dynasty, who ruled for 48 years until his death in 1620.

Return to your hotel in the late afternoon for an evening at leisure.

Day 4 : Beijing > Xi’an

Transfer to the rail station and board a mid-morning fast train to Xi’an, the ancient imperial capital of Chang’an and easternmost city of the Silk Road. Upon arrival, you will be met and escorted to your hotel located inside the old city walls. In the afternoon you will take a guided walk on the Ancient City Walls. The walls are some of the oldest and best preserved walls in China, and wide enough to carry a golf cart or rickshaw. Afterwards visit the Islamic Quarter, home to a sizeable community of Chinese Muslims, and stroll along Muslim Street, a narrow bazaar-style street lined with shops selling local delicacies, snacks and souvenirs. A number of small restaurants are also located on this street, serving typical Muslim food.

Day 5 : Xi’an

A full day of sightseeing is arranged for you, which starts with a visit to the infamous underground Terracotta Army. Six thousand intricately carved, life size clay statues of terracotta warriors and their horses stand in battle formation, and have been protecting the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor in Chinese history, for over 2,200 years. After lunch, you continue to the Banpo Museum. An architectural village discovered in 1953, it represents the 6,000 year old Neolithic Yangshao culture that is renowned for its colourful ceramics. The day’s tour is rounded off with a visit to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, built to house the sutras brought back from India by Xuanzang, the Chinese Buddhist monk famous for his travels in the early Tang Dynasty.

Day 6 : Xi’an

The morning is free until your transfer to the airport for your departure flight.