11 Day Self-guided Tour to Beijing, Xian, Shnaghai and Yangtze

Day 1

Place & Transport: Arrive in Beijing, Flight not included

Today's Activities: Airport Transfer (Beijing)

Detailed Itinerary: Your guide will meet you at the flight arrival, holding your name sign and a sign of China Highlights (our company name). Except a explanation of Beijing, your guide will also brief you how your self-guided tour goes.

Day 2

Place & Transport: Beijing

Today's Activities: Temple of Heaven, The Mutianyu Great Wall(with round way cable car), Shahe Cloisonne Factory

Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch at Xin Shuang Quan Restaurant

Detailed Itinerary: We arranged a day guided tour to help you getting used to China. Besides your travel to the following attractions, your guide will show you on the map the places of interests that you may visit in the next days, teach you some basic Chinese phrases, answer your questions about China.

- Temple of Heaven: Built in 1420, the Temple of Heaven covers an area of 2.72 million square meters,even bigger than the Imperial Palace. Most of the buildings are located along the central axis from south to north. This is where ancient emperors used to hold sacrificial ceremonies and pray for bumper harvests for his people.

- The Mutianyu Great Wall(with round way cable car): This section of the Great Wall is less-crowded than Badaling. It is about 2.5 hours from Beijing city center. Cables car is available to take visitors to a good section and enjoy superb views from its watch towers. You can either walk back down or choose to descend in a chairlift. Good walking shoes and protection from weather is advisable.

- Xin Shuang Quan Restaurant: Xin Shuang Quan Restaurant is near Great Wall of Mutianyu section. This garden style restaurant serves farmhouse dishes, specializing in rainbow trout, sturgeon and salmon. Its use of natural ingredients and fabulous taste will leave you with great memories.

Day 3

Place & Transport: Beijing

Today's Activities: Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, Treasure Houses, Short Hutong Tour in Xicheng District

Meals: Breakfast

Detailed Itinerary: Today, you will start your tour on your own. We suggest you the following must-see attractions in Beijing.

- Tiananmen Square: Located in the center of Beijing City, it is the largest city square in the world. It is surrounded by many magnificent buildings, such as national museums, People's Hall, and Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao.

- The Forbidden City: The Imperial Palace was once home to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, from 1420 till 1911.Its construction began in 1406 and completed in 1420. It is the world's largest and best preserved ancient complex of wooden architecture. In 1987, it was enrolled as a "World Chutural Heritage" by the UNESCO.

- Treasure Houses: Treasure house has undergone 4 time renovations, the present one takes up almost 220 square metres, more than 440 treasures on display belonged to Qing dynasty royalty, half of which have not never been on display in the old one. It's worthy of visiting.

- Short Hutong Tour in Xicheng District: Hutong, or old alleys, is the best place to observe the tradition of old Beijing. By taking a Hutong tour, visitors can ride a rickshaw that goes through the winding Hutongs, visit a local family in their courtyard house, talk to Beijingers and get to see how life goes on within these traditional architectures.

Day 4

Place & Transport: Beijing to Xian, Flight No. TBA

Today's Activities: Summer Palace, Hotel to airport Transfer (Beijing), Airport Transfer (Xian)

Meals: Breakfast

Detailed Itinerary: An afternoon flight will let you have more time to discover Beijing. Before be transferred to the airport, you can visit Summer Palace or shopping malls near your hotel. Please keep in mind your departure time that your guide settle down in advance. When you arrive in Xian, we will have a guide to meet you at the flight arrival and help you to check in. Your guide will also discuss with you your itinerary in Xian and tell you the best way to travel.

- Summer Palace: Much-loved summer retreat of the Imperial families, the lovely landscaped gardens, halls, pavilions and corridors are set around the lake and rivers in natural harmony. You can expect to spend 2-3 hours here. Renovations (complete in 2010) mean that an individual section or building may be closed at any one time, but this is a huge site. Wear good walking shoes and protection from the weather.

Day 5

Place & Transport: Xian

Today's Activities: The Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Muslim Street, Xian City Wall with Bicycle

Meals: Breakfast

Detailed Itinerary: A classic Xian Tour on your own. We suggest you visiting the Terracotta Army, local streets and City Wall. Please remember to take along the map we prepare for you.

- The Terracotta Warriors and Horses : It is one of the "Eight Wonders of the World". Over 7000 life-size soliders, chariots, horses as well as other archeological relics have been buried in this impeiral tomb since 210 BC, till they were accidentally discovered in 1974. Here you can also watch a film introducing the history of this vault. It is advisable to wear comfortable walking shoes.

- Muslim Street: The 500-meter-long avenue paved by blue stones gathers many restaurants, food stands and souvenir shops, which are mostly run by Muslim people. A walk through the Muslim Quarter is an interesting experience,as it not only prvides good opportunities for food and shopping, but also see the vibrant life there.

- Xian City Wall with Bicycle: The City Wall is the oldest and best preserved city wall in China, and it divides the city into inner and outer parts. It is 25.7 kilometers long and encircles the inner city. Biking on the City Wall is a pleasant experience to enjoy the view and its former glory.

Day 6

Place & Transport: Xian to Chongqing to Yangtze, Flight No. TBA

Today's Activities: Shaanxi History Museum, Hotel to airport Transfer (Xian), Airport Transfer (Chongqing), Cruise pier Transfer (Chongqing), Board the ship from 5:00pm to 8:00pm and departs Chongqing at 10:00pm.(Dinner is not included)

Meals: Breakfast

Detailed Itinerary: Before going to the airport, you have time to visit Shaanxi History Museum on your own. The same as in Xian, we will have a guide to meet you at flight arrival in Chongqing and accompany you as you check in the cruise. Your guide will brief you the itinerary and activities onboard. You will have s shared guide in the next three day to all the shore excursions.

- Shaanxi History Museum: Shaanxi Province is rich in historical relics, having served as the ancient capital of 13 dynasties throughout China's History. Therefore, the history of Shaanxi is often said to be the history of China. The museum houses over 370,000 historical relics, spanning 1 million years from premitive stone age to modern times. Its architecture also embodies folk tradition and local features.

Day 7

Place & Transport: Yangtze

Today's Activities: Shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City (8:00-10:00am).

Meals: Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner

Detailed Itinerary: --Fengdu is where the devil lives, according to Chinese legend. They say that spirits go to heaven, and evil goes to Fengdu. The town is overlooked by Ming Shan Hill, home of Tianzi, the King of the Dead. The whole place has an eerie feel to it with deserted streets, tower blocks, empty shops and banks. The only people here are those who make a living from visiting cruise boats.

Day 8

Place & Transport: Yangtze

Today's Activities: Shore excursion to Shennong Stream(1:30pm-5:30pm).You also have the option of visiting the White Emperor City.

Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner

Detailed Itinerary: --Shennong Stream is another tributary of the Yangtze River, and its fast-flowing, crystal clear water runs southwards through deep gorges. The stream races past large and small karst caves, flocks of swallows, sheer cliffs, deep gorges, waterfalls, three-colored springs, rapids, the ancient plank path, a suspended coffin in the cliff, groups of ancient tombs and marvelous karst formations.

Day 9

Place & Transport: Yangtze to Yichang to Shanghai, Flight No. TBA

Today's Activities: Cruise pier Transfer (Yichang), Airport Transfer (Yichang), Airport Transfer (Shanghai), Shore excursion to The Three Gorges Dam Site. Arrive in Yichang at 1:00pm.

Meals: Breakfast

Detailed Itinerary: After a visit to the Three Gorges Dam, you will get shore to Yichang. Your guide will you at the pier and transfer you to the airport. Then your Shanghai guide will meet you at the flight arrival and accompany you to your hotel. In the next two days you will discover Shanghai on your own.

--Three Gorges Dam, the largest water conservancy project ever undertaken by man and it has been a dream for several generations of Chinese people. The construction of the dam formally began in 1994. The body of the dam was completed in 2003, and the whole construction will be competed in 2009. It will be 2,335 meters long, 185 meters high, 18 meters wide on the top and 130 meters wide at the bottom.The tourists can get access to the top of the dam and enjoy different kinds of photo opportunities.

Day 10

Place & Transport: Shanghai

Today's Activities: Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, Yuyuan Garden, The Bund, Oriental Pearl TV Tower&Shanghai Urban History and Development Museum

Meals: Breakfast

Detailed Itinerary: A day visit to the must see attractions in Shanghai on your own.

- Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall: It gives an intersting exhibition of Shanghai's city planning in the past as well as in the future. The centerpiece is a huge scale model of Shanghai, which shows the layout the main buildings of this metropollis. Visitors will get to know the history, present and future developments of Shanghai through various displays and interactive exhibitions supported by multimedia and technology.

- Yuyuan Garden: Yu Garden was built in 1559, and is a beautiful landscape park consists of pavilions, bridges, rocks, resident halls and ponds. A busy small market nearby offers a great shopping opportunity for souvenirs, antiques and local snacks.

- The Bund: The 1.5-kilometer-long pedestrian with Huangpu River on the east side, is lined with European-style buildings on both sides, so it is also called "World Architectural Fair". Beautiful scenery together with shops, restaurants and bars offer much to see and do during a leisurely walk. The view at night is also magical with lighting on.

- Oriental Pearl TV Tower&Shanghai Urban History and Development Museum: Located at the tip of Pudong District opposite the Bund, it is the tallest TV tower in Asia and the third in the world. It is a symbolic construction of Shanghai. There is a Shanghai History Museum on its 1st floor, where you will get to know Shanghai's history and development.

Day 11

Place & Transport: Depart Shanghai, Flight not included

Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Shanghai)

Meals: Breakfast

Detailed Itinerary: You will say goodbye to a discovery tour with us. Get everything packed, and your guide will come and transfer you to the airport.