ARRIVAL BEIJING

Arrival Beijing airport, you will be met at Beijing International Airport by our guide and transferred to a hotel in central Beijing. Today, you will have an opportunity to rest and recover from the long flight.

• Accommodation Floral Hotel Michael's House

BEIJING HIGHLIGHTS

This morning, we will first go to visit Summer Palace. Summer Palace located in a northwestern suburb of Beijing; it is an immense park containing some Chinese traditional architecture and arts. It was built and served as a royal garden during the Qing Dynasty. It exhibits the quintessence of the Chinese classical landscape gardening. The halls, the pavilions, the corridors, the pagodas, the bridges and the water were elaborately arranged. The long Corridor is one of the most exquisite structures in the garden. It is over 700 meters long and decorated with thousands of Chinese traditional paintings.

In the afternoon, we will continue to visit Tian’anmen Square, the largest public square in the world, then follow in the footsteps of emperors, court ministers and eunuchs and head south to the magnificent and colorful Forbidden City. Forbidden City Beijing, also called Imperial Palace Museum, is located in the very heart of Beijing. It remained the residence of the emperors for nearly five hundred years, from the 15th century to the early 20th century, and was the actual and symbolic seat of imperial power. Popularly known as the Forbidden City, it was built in the Ming Dynasty between the 4th and the 18th years of the Yongle period (1406 - 1420 AD). Many of the buildings of the Palace have been repaired and rebuilt, but their basic form and layout remain in their original state. Hike to Jingshan Park, where gives a nice panoramic view of the Forbidden City at the top of Coal Hill.

Transfer to enjoy a delicious Peking duck dinner - the capital's most famous dish. Once imperial cuisine, now the legendary duck dish is served at restaurants around the world.

Free in the evening.

• Accommodation Floral Hote Michael's House

• Meals BLD

JIANKOU TO MUTIANYU GREAT WALL

After breakfast, check out the hotel, Your last day in Beijing will on the Great Wall which is great for photography! We will drive 1.5-2hrs to a small village called Jiankou. The Jiankou section of the Wall is known to be one of most beautiful part of the Wild Wall near Beijing, loved by photographers. After a half-hour climb upwards, through a gentle wooded area, we will clamber out onto a portion of the Wall not visited by tourists. The hike itself is quiet and beautiful - in about four hours of passing deserted sections of the Wall in its original state, we will get to the well-known restored section of the Wall - Mutianyu. What a difference between the tourist section and the original Wild Wall we have just seen! At the end of the trek, transfer back to Beijing downtown.

• Accommodation Floral Hote Michael's House

• Meals BL

BEIJING - XI’AN

After breakfast, enjoy a guided tour of Art District 798.

Art District 798 is located in the Dashanzi area. At the beginning of 2002 artists and cultural organizations began to divide, rent out and re-make the factory spaces gradually developing them into galleries, art centers, artists’ studios, design companies and restaurants.

After lunch, transfer to Beijing West Railway station, take a high speed train to Xi’an. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel in center Xi’an. Free in the evening.

• Accommodation ET House Xi’an

• Meals BL

XI’AN CITY TOUR

After breakfast, we will drive to visit the magnificent Qin Terra-cotta Army, one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in the world: a life-size clay soldier poised for battle. Qin's tomb was built in about 2500 years ago and was filled with more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots and 520 horses as well as models of palaces, pavilions, fine vessels, precious stones and rarities. UNESCO listed it in 1987 as one of the world cultural heritages. In the afternoon, drive back to Xian city.

Continue to visit the Ancient City Wall, which represents one of the oldest and best preserved Chinese city walls. Bicycle or sightseeing car will be arranged on the wall to go around.

Continue to visit the Great Mosque, and Muslim Quarter.

• Accommodation ET House Xi’an

• Meals BL

XIAN - CHENGDU

In the morning, take a high speed train to Chengdu. Located in the heart of eastern Sichuan, Chengdu is the capital of this southwestern province. Geographic and political remoteness have always contributed to the free-spirited nature of the Sichuan people, and the modern cosmopolitan nature of Chengdu reflects this. Chengdu’s identity as a fast-growing metropolis, gateway city to Tibet, and source for some of Sichuan’s most delicious cuisine, makes it one of the most interesting cities to visit in China.

Upon arrival, we will first have local Hot Pot for lunch, and visit Wenshu Temple in the afternoon, where you can spend some time sitting in its tea house to enjoy a cup of tea and absorb the special atmosphere of Chengdu.

After dinner, attend the Sichuan Opera—a dazzling show performed with local instruments, hand shadows, candle storytelling, fire spitting, and face changing. Wandering around the local market and bar street Jinli, take local delicacies yourselves and enjoy the leisure life with local people.

• Accommodation Mercure Hotel Chengdu

• Meals BLD

CHENGDU - LESHAN - E’MEI

In the morning, we will go to the Chengdu Research center of Panda Breeding to have a real chance to get intimate interaction with lovely panda. It has been created and imitated the natural habitat in order that they might have the best possible environment for rearing and breeding. We will spend the whole morning visiting different panda rooms. Here, we can explore the daily life of the cute pandas, eating bamboo at their active time (from 9 o’clock to 11 o’clock), and other rare and endangered wild animals including with black-necked cranes, white storks etc.

After lunch, take a 1.5hrs drive visit Leshan Giant Buddha, the looming Leshan Giant Buddha is a Tang dynasty (618-907 AD) relic that is the largest carved stone Buddha in the world at 71 meters. The Buddha, build in AD 713 by a Chinese monk named Haitong to calm the river waters, was crafted from a cliff face. It seems that so much stone from the carving process fell into the river below that it did indeed calm the area’s waters. While often crowded with tourists and battling the effects of pollution, Leshan is nevertheless an exquisite UNESCO world heritage site that is not to be missed for its impressive size and beautiful surrounding area.

After visit, drive 1hour to Emei, check in the hotel and have a rest.

• Accommodation E’mei Hot Spring Hotel

• Meals BLD

E’MEI MOUNTAIN

• Accommodation Hotel run by Wannian Monastery

• Ascent 1100m

• Descent 300m

• Distance 13 miles

• Meals BLD

• Time 4-5 hours

E’MEI MOUNTAIN - CHENGDU

This morning, continue ascending, perhaps encountering families of monkeys on this higher section. On reaching the road route which many tourists arrive by, you will have a choice of ascending the final section by cable car. From the top there is the famous first temple of China with spectacular views over the lowlands below, distant mountains and nearby vertical cliffs. Then return to the base of the cable car where your transport will return you to Chengdu City.

• Accommodation Mercure Hotel Chengdu

• Meals BL

CHENGDU / LHASA

Take a morning flight to Lhasa. Upon arrival in Lhasa, you will be greeted by our guides and warmly welcomed with a pure white katak scarf (prayer scarf). As we drive the 100 kilometers into the city, we may stop occasionally for pictures of holy shrines or local village life. As we have just made a sudden ascent to 3,670 meters, the rest of the afternoon is free to rest and acclimatize. We suggest taking it easy, drinking lots of water, and avoiding heavy foods. If you are feeling up to it, you may find a stroll around the Barkhor in the old town an exciting introduction to the spiritual, and commercial, side of Lhasa. As our hotel is generally in the old town, we recommend you venture around Barkhor market, where you will feel you are at the very heart of Tibet.

• Accommodation Flora hotel Lhasa

• Meals B

LHASA

Today we will ride to the Drepung and Sera monastery. About 8km west of central Lhasa is the Drepung, once world's largest monastery with about 10,000 monks. Walking up to the hill is a pleasant thing, an easy break from the solemn ambience inside the halls and chapels. At the plat roof of hillside, you can have very good views of the whole Lhasa city and the distant mountains. Sera Monastery sits at the foot of the mountains. One of the three main Gelupka monasteries in Lhasa, Sera is an important spiritual center for Buddhist monks. We will visit Sera Monastery in the afternoon, because if we are lucky enough, we could watch the Lamas in their traditional theological exercise of lively debating.

• Accommodation Flora hotel Lhasa

• Meals B

LHASA

Your guide will pick you up from your hotel. This morning we visit the Potala Palace, a landmark of Lhasa and the political symbol of Tibet. You will join many pilgrims on your way to the top of a hill where this 13-storey architectural wonder stands. The approach to the Potala is not easy, and requires climbing many steep steps, so we take it slowly and allow ourselves to leisurely enjoy the Palace and its surroundings. We enjoy strolling through its winding corridors and peaking in some of its thousand rooms, and can only imagine what life here was once like. In the afternoon, we visit the Jokhang (Da zhao) Temple, the spiritual center of Lhasa. As we make the inner circuit around the courtyard, spinning numerous prayer wheels as we go, we are swept up in the energy of the devout. From the rooftop, we get stunning views of the Potala, and the snow capped peaks off in the distance. Around the Temple runs the Barkhor, a holy circuit which pilgrims undertake and a bustling commercial market.

• Accommodation Flora hotel Lhasa

• Meals B

LHASA / GYANGTSE / SHIGATSE

Drive from Lhasa to Gyangtse (3,950 m or 12,956 feet) via Yamdrok Tso Lake (4408 m), one of Tibet’s three holy lakes and located 110km outside of Lhasa. It takes three and a half hour to Yamdrok Tso Lake, most of the time we are driving on the mountain road, winding and bumpy. Climbing over the snow pass of Kambala (5030m), the dazzling Yamdroktso just lies several hundred meters below the road, and in clear weather is a fabulous shade of deep turquoise. Far in the distance is the huge massif of Mt. Nojin Kangtsang (7191m).After down from the mountain, there is about 30km road along lakeside, with barley fields on the other side of the road. A nice walk by the lakeside can be a great joy.

At arrival at Gyantse visit the Pelkor Chode monastery and its associated Kumbum (three dimension mandala) temple. Gyantse is a relaxed town offering a splendid sight of the Kumbum Stupa situated at its Northern edge. Housed within the compound of a rather barren looking Pelkor Chode Monastery, Kumbun consists of 8 levels and a total of 75 chapels with wonderful murals revered by art scholars around the world. Drive another 95km (about one hour) to Shigatse. It would be a long day for about 10 hours.

• Accommodation Shigatse Hotel

• Meals B

GYANGTSE / TINGRI

This day can make you tired as you basically spend the whole day on the road driving (about seven hours on the way). On the way, you will cross over Gyatsola Pass at 5,220m. You will also visit Sakya Monastery and see Mt. Everest far away. Located in Sakya County southwest of Shigatse, the Sakya Monastery is the principal monastery of the Sakyapa Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Tingri or rather Lao Tingri is the last stop before Everest Base Camp Tour.

• Accommodation Sakya hotel in Tingri

• Meals B

MT. EVEREST BASE CAMP

Although it's just 100km from Tingri to Mt. Everest Base Camp, it takes about 5 hours since the cracked winding roads demand much caution. But the views are stupendous on a clear day and f eature a huge sweep of the spectacular Himalaya ranges including its glorious peaks over 8,000km, Makalu (8,463m), Lhotse (8,516m), Everest (8,844m), Gyachung and Cho Oyu, especially when you cross over the top of the Gawu la Pass (5,250m) on the way. When you finally get to Everest Base Camp, the first sight of the mighty Everest simply leaves you speechless. All the hardship you bear along the way makes sense at the while. As the supreme point of the world, Mt. Qomolangma is also blessed with many starkly beautiful and extreme wonder. This afternoon is left free for you to wondering around the Rongphu Monastery or hiking to the base camp of Mt. Everest.

• Accommodation hostel near Rongphu Monastery

• Meals B

EBC - SHIGATSE

After a simple breakfast, drvie from Rongbu Monastery to Shigatse via Tingri, about 9 hours on the way.

Time permitting, we will visit Tashilunpo Monastery and the spectacular tombs of Panchen Lamas, do the monastery kora which provide you a great view of the whole Shigatse city.

• Accommodation Manasarovar hotel

• Meals B

SHIGATSE - LHASA

After breakfast, drive about 300km to Shigatse and have lunch. Then, we will visit Tashilunpo Monastery. Built in 1447 and the seat of the Panchen Lama, the monastery houses a giant statue of the Maitreya Buddha and The Stupa-tomb of the Tenth Panchen Lama, which contains masses of jewels and gold and is the most splendid and costly mausoleum in China since the 1950s. Just close Tashilhunpo is the Old Town of Shigatse, a great place to wander around: Nicely decorated Tibetan houses and interesting market and bazaar give you a vivid picture of local people's life.

• Accommodation Flora hotel Lhasa

• Meals B

LHASA - SHANGRI-LA

Transfer to the airport in the morning, take a flight to Shangri-La. Upon arrival, tour to the old town of Dukezong, it is no youngster—at 1,300 years old, the city boasts a formidable history. Showcasing traditional and authentic Tibetan dwellings, the small town provides a snapshot of the past. You can see the Thang-ga painting in academy. Thang-ga is a unique style of painting developed in the 7th century in the Tibetan area. Thang-ga is a Tibetan word which refers to the scroll painting mounted with colorful satins and fabrics.

Once a stop along the Ancient Tea Horse Road, the town has come a long way from its heyday as a major port of trade in the region. But the city has retained much of its ancient charm and Tibetan identity; indeed, the town maintains its layout in the shape of a lotus flower, and you're likely to stumble across a gathering of locals strumming their traditional instruments, especially in the evening. 

• Accommodation Tree Space

• Meals B

TIGER LEAPING GORGE / STAY IN HALFWAY GUESTHOUSE

Today is special! After crossing the Yangtze River(Chang Jiang), we will spend approximately 6 hours trekking to Halfway Guesthouse located in Bendiwan. Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the world’s deepest gorges or river canyon in the world. The mountains, Yulong(Jade Dragon) Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain, on either side of the Tiger Leaping Gorge reach over 5,000m at their highest point, looking down to the Yangtze River(Chang Jiang) running through it below. There is a huge stone in the center of the river, and a tiger once leaped from Yulong Snow Mountain to Haba Snow Mountain by jumping on it, which contributes to the name of Tiger Leaping Gorge.

In the morning we will drive for 2 hours to Qiaotou (1,835m) to begin our trek. First, trek 2 hours to Naxi Family Guesthouse and have lunch. The Naxis are a Chinese minority group and can be identified by their royal blue and white outfits.

Then continue to trek another 2 hours, making it over the 28 bends(or hairpin) turns up the gorge, the most difficult part to the trek, which involved steep trails and climbing using the rocks and roots of trees to help. Once we get on the top (2,670m), the outstanding views made it all worthwhile. The trail can be very narrow and slippery at times so you do have to be extra vigilant with each step, especially in wet weather.

After a break, trek another 1-2 hours, we will finally arrive at Halfway Guesthouse in Bendiwan with a great view of Yulong Snow Mountain, and overlooks the Jinsha(Golden Sands) River Valley, the upper reaches of the Chang Jiang, which has some of the roughest and most spectacular white water rapids in the world. Here you can sit out on a deck facing the mountain, and there are hot showers and clean beds. The vistas here are awe-inspiring and perhaps the best of any lodging in the gorge, and the view from the communal toilets is worth the price of a bed alone.

• Accommodation Halfway Guesthouse in Bendiwan

• Distance 20km

• Meals BLD

• Time 6hrs hiking

BENDIWAN / DA SHEN GOU / LIJIANG

• Accommodation Ivy Garden Resort Hotel

• Distance 7km

• Meals BL

• Time 2hrs hiking

LIJIANG

In the morning drive to Black Dragon Pool Park (pinyin: Hēilóngtán), also named Jade Spring Park, shows visitors picturesque scenery with a large crystal pool, luxuriant trees, a tall mountain and historic buildings in graceful shapes. Located at the foot of Elephant Hill, a short walk north along Square Street of Lijiang Old Town in Yunnan Province, China, it was built in 1737 during the Qing Dynasty and offers a spectacular view on the region's tallest mountain, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, over its white marble bridge. The park features several smaller temples and pavilions

Then we will drive 22 kilometers to Yuhu village, Yuhu is a simple village of Naxi minority with the former residence of Dr. Joseph Rock. Dr. Rock, an Austro-American botanist and explorer who lived here off and on from 1922-1949, is best remembered for the introduction of innumerable plant species to the West and his rigorous works on Naxi ethnology. Just steps away from Dr. Rock’s residence.

Tour to Baisha village and visit Baisha Frescoes, north of Lijiang Country finds the Liulidian Temple and Daobaoji Temple at Baisha village, housing 558 mural paintings on 12 walls that date back to the Ming Dynasty in 1385. Buddhism, Taoism and Lamaism manifest in integration in styles of the Han Chinese, the Tibetan, the Bai and the Naxi people on the murals, a proof of exchange on politics, economy, culture and religion between the mainland and the frontiers of China. They are now rated as key cultural relics under national protection.

And Shuhe ancient town named as the town of clean water.ShuheAncientTown, an important part of theAncientLijiangCity, the world cultural heritage, is one of the earliest sites inhabited by Naxi ancestors in Lijiang highland and at the same time it is once an important post station on the ancient tea road.

• Accommodation Ivy Garden Resort Hotel

• Meals BL

LIJIANG - GUILIN - LONGJI

Free in the morning, then picked up by our local guide and driver, transfer to the airport, take flight to Guilin.

Meet your guide and driver either at Guilin Liangjiang Airport in early afternoon, take 1.5~2hrs drive to witness one of the most beautiful terraces in China, Longji Terraces and have an excursion there for ethnic minority culture.

As soon as you get to the entrance of Longji, change the local shuttle bus for another 30 minutes uphill to Longji Ancient Zhuang Village, then start your hiking to Pingan Zhuang Village where your hotel is located. This hike route is quite non-touristy, during which you will enjoy the picturesque and peaceful rural life, and view the rice terraces from different angles and take a look at how farmers do their farm work. The hiking distance is around 4 kilometers with some small ups and downs, the ascent is about 60 meters, and you may need one hour to cover it. After check in the hotel in Pingan Village, if time permits, we can hike on the cobbled paths built among terraces to catch the best landscape.

Evening: dinner with community members in rural village to practice Chinese language.

• Accommodation Longji Ridge Inn

• Meals BD

LONGSHENG HIKING

Wake up in the fresh air of peaceful morning to watch the magnificent sunrise in Ping'an Village Terraced Fields. After breakfast, hit the road for a 4-5-hour hike to Dazhai Village. Walk on the flagstone trekking path on the mountains with many ups and downs shared by the local minority farmers and water buffaloes, which allows you to have a better understanding of these mountain tribes and their real life. You may also stop at minority villages along the way for a break. On both sides of the path, terraced rice fields wait for you to take pictures. When you see more hanging buildings, you are approaching Dazhai Village, where the Jinkeng Red Yao Terraced Fields are the core heartland of the Red Yao ethnic group. In the villages the long-haired Yao ladies dress in their unique and dazzling red embroidered costumes. Then back to hotel in Pingan Zhuang Village at the end of the day.

• Accommodation Longji Ridge Inn

• Distance 10km

• Meals BLD

• Time 4-5hrs hiking

LONGSHENG - GUILIN

After breakfast, start to do a 2 hours hike from Ping'an via the rice terraces to a local Zhuang village, transfer to your van or bus. Then drive 2 hours to Guilin, visit: Reed Flute Cave (the most famous limestone cave in this area and good example of this Karst Formation), Yao Mountain (the highest in Guilin, by chair lift, for a great bird's eye view of the surroundings on the summit), the biggest organic tea farm at the foot of Yao Mountain. In the evening, follow your guide and take a 1.5 hours' leisure walk along the city's ancient water system – this ancient water system was built by the locals 800 years ago and was served as moat before.

• Accommodation Ivy Garden Resort Hotel

• Distance 5km

• Meals BL

• Time 2hrs hiking

GUILIN - YANGSHUO

After breakfast, meet your guide at your hotel lobby and drive 50-60 minutes to the Mopanshan Pier for a 4-hour's cruise on Li River, with lunch aboard. You will enjoy the beautiful mountains, verdant fields, farms and villages with water buffalos, cows wondering around on both sides of the river bank. Get off at Yangshuo - famous for its spectacular view of hills and rivers.

In the afternoon, we arrange a Chinese cooking class, which lasts for about 3 hours. It begins with going to the local food market to buy ingredients for your cooking class. Then cook 2 or 3 popular Chinese dishes under the guidance of an English-speaking tutor, and the taste fruits of your labor at the end.

• Accommodation Bamboo Leaf Yangshuo

• Meals BLD

YANGSHUO

After breakfast, we will first drive to Yulong river to relax yourself on the narrow Bamboo Rafts. The 1.5 hours’ rafting on Yulong River will give a fascinating insight into life in rural China, then take an easy bike ride in the countryside for about 1.5 hours if you want. Throw yourself into the stunning countryside views and relaxed atmosphere. Be enthralled by the patches of paddy fields nestling under green hills and near the mirror-like river, with farmers cultivate the soil with their water buffalos. This evening is for you to walk leisurely.

After lunch, transfer to do rock climbing on natural cliffs. Free in the evening.

• Accommodation Bamboo Leaf Yangshuo

• Meals BL

YANGSHUO - GUILIN - HONG KONG

After breakfast, take a short drive to Xionggongshan Hill. When you climb up to the top of Xianggongshan Hill for about 20 minutes, overlook and find the hills standing orderly, clear Lijiang River meandering through the hills. The light, clouds, sunrise, pink clouds here attracts numerous photographers and photography enthusiasts. Therefore, it is one of the best place to enjoy the best view of Li River. It is even better and less costly than taking the Lijiang River Cruise.

After lunch, continue transfer to Guilin railway station, take a high speed train to Hong Kong.

Picked up by our local guide in Hong Kong, transfer to the hotel and have a rest.

• Accommodation Empire Prestige Causeway Bay

• Meals BL

HONG KONG

Free time in Hong Kong.

• Accommodation Empire Prestige Causeway Bay

• Meals B

HONG KONG DEPARTURE

Transfer to the airport on your own to catch the flight back home.

• Meals B