Taste the legacy of 5000 years of history and culture, the vibrancy of a modern emerging nation and the beauty of one of Earth's largest and most diverse landscapes. Luxury hotels and unique tours bring together unique artistic and natural attractions. Experience Beijing - China's modern capital and historic heart. Discover the world famous Great Wall, China's most significant architectural achievement of China's times. Stroll through Tiananmen Square and some of the buildings that make the Forbidden City the world's largest palace complex. Get lost amidst the hundreds of acres of classic Chinese gardens at the Summer Palace and watch locals at play in the park surrounding the Temple of Heaven. Explore the exploding Chinese modern arts scene at it's epicentre, the district known as Dashanzi. From Beijing fly to Guilin, world famous for it's otherworldy landscape of limestone karst mountains. Cruise the Li River as it’s snakes through these mountains from Guilin to Yangshuo, Enjoy an evening performance by the director of the Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies, try your hand at preparing local cuisine in a local cooking school or enjoy the views from the terrace of your boutique hotel. Finish in cosmopolitan Shanghai. Shop the glittering streets, visit the temples and be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the museums. From Beijing's Olympic glory through to Shanghai's Expo 2010 shine, this is China at its best.

Includes internal airfare, deluxe lunches per itinerary, private vehicle transfers, expert English-speaking guides, activities and entrance fees.

Day 1
BEIJING
Take a private airport transfer by private car with an English-speaking guide. Kensington Tours donates a portion of our proceeds to our charitable initiative www.kensingtoncares.com which supports education-based initiatives in disadvantaged communities. Beijing is China's foremost city and capital for twenty four successive emperors. Some of the major sights include: Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, Great Wall and Summer Palace. The complete range of chinese cuisine can be found in the capital, and evening entertainment is superb. Perfectly situated at the crossroads of famous Chang An Avenue and the district of Wangfujing, Raffles Beijing Hotel is in the heart of the prestigious business and commercial districts and a few minutes from famous cultural sights. Raffles Beijing Hotel epitomizes elegance and exclusivity, as guests are pampered in 171 beautifully appointed guest rooms and suites, which are some of the most expansive and decadent in Beijing. The unmatched quality is taken a step further with sumptuous culinary creations to delight every palate, state-of-the-art meeting and banquet facilities and a Fitness Centre complete with its own indoor swimming pool.
Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price).

Day 2
BEIJING
You will be picked up from your Beijing hotel and taken on a half day private guided tour of TianAnmen Square and the Forbidden City with a deluxe lunch. Tiananmen Square was built in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty and was the front door of the Forbidden City. The present square stretches a vast 440,000 square meters and features Tiananmen Tower, Monument to the People's Heroes, Great Hall of the People, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall. The Forbidden City is the world's largest palace complex with 9,999 buildings across 74 hectares, surrounded by a six meter deep moat and a ten meter wall, and divided into two parts. The Outer Court was where the emperor exercised his supreme power over the nation. The Inner Court was where he lived with his royal family. Fourteen emperors of the Ming dynasty and ten emperors of the Qing dynasty reigned here until 1924. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price).

Day 3
BEIJING
You will be picked up by private car and English speaking guide for a tour of the Great Wall at MuTianYu located 45 miles northeast of Beijing. En route, pass by the site of the Olympic Green to view the grandeur of the site and architectural wonder of buildings like the "Cube" and the "Bird's Nest". The extent of access to the Olympic area depends on the status on post-Olympic development but currently includes access inside the buildings. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price).

Day 4
BEIJING-GUILIN
Combine ancient and modern creativity with this private guided tour of the Temple of heaven and Dashanzi Arts District. The Temple of Heaven was built in 1420 AD during the Ming Dynasty to offer sacrifice to Heaven. The most magnificent buildings are The Circular Mound Altar (Yuanqiutan), Imperial Vault of Heaven (Huangqiongyu) and Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest (Qiniandian) - which are connected by a wide bridge called the Sacred Way. The temple is surrounded by a park which is a popular meeting point for local people to recreate (in every imaginable way every morning and is often considered a highlight of visiting the temple) - on this tour we join the locals through a private Tai Qi session. Drive to the Dashanzi Art District, home of Beijing's vibrant and emerging modern art community. Centred around the 1950's factory now known as Space 798, this area is a wonderful place to explore both for art lovers and those seeking to discover some of the modern creativity emerging in Beijing. Direct flight from Beijing to Guilin. Avail of an organised Airport transfer by private car with a professional tour Guide in Guilin. Guilin is situated in the northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on the west bank of the Li River. Its name means "forest of Sweet Osmanthus", owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city. The city has long been renowned for its unique scenery. Ideally located alongside the Li River lies the five-star Sheraton Guilin Hotel. Guilin has been an inspiration to Chinese poets and artists throughout the centuries and the hotel sits in the heart of this enchanting city. The hotel includes 430 guest rooms, including 19 suites. Facilities at the hotel include a pool and fitness center, and there is a golf course nearby.

Day 5
GUILIN-YANGSHUO
Relax on a full day Li River Cruise with a deluxe lunch. The cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo is the centerpiece of any trip to northeastern Guangxi Province. Gorgeous Karst peaks surprise and delight at each bend of the limpid river under the blue sky. Water buffalo patrol the fields, peasants reap rice paddies, school kids and fisherman float by on bamboo rafts. The river trip is over eighty kilometers (52 miles) long and is estimated to take seven to eight hours with lunch on board. The eye-feasting landscape and country scenery will never disappoint you. With its breathtaking scenery and taste of a life far removed from the concrete metropolis, the scenery along the Li River is one of China's top destinations. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). Yangshuo lies in the northeast of Guangxi Province and to the southeast of Guilin City along the banks of the scenic Li River. The special geography gives it breath-taking beauty while over 1,400 years of history bless it with a cultural diversity coupled with a modern day cosmopolitan style as an outdoor adventure mecca. The Li River Retreat is located about a 20 minute walk north of Yangshuo in an isolated location overlooking the Li River. While there are more conveniently located hotels in the area this is in fact the absolute best located to enjoy a scenic panorama of the local topography while still being able to get to town. The rooms are simple yet spacious, clean and well appointed. The owners are some of the friendliest people in Yangshuo and serve some of the finest local and international fare in the area. Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price).

Day 6
YANGSHUO
Explore the unique rural countryside of rice farms, villages and karst mountains with a float down the Yulong (Dragon) River finishing at a gourmet cooking school built in a converted mudbrick farmhouse in the village of Chaoyang. Prepare local Chinese food with expert instruction in this charming and hygenic school and finish the day enjoying the fruits of your labour. This tour takes about 5 hours. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). The Liu San Jie Show was created by the Oscar winning Zhang Yimou and presents the local culture through a calvacade of lights and a cast of 500 using a private bay as the theatre and local mountains as the backdrop. This is sure to be one of the more memorable evenings during your trip.

Day 7
YANGSHUO-SHANGHAI
Enjoy a direct flight between Guilin and Shanghai. Experience the Reed Flute Cave while transferring to/from the airport. Reed Flute Cave got its name from the verdant reeds growing outside it which are used to make flutes. Inside this water-eroded cave is a spectacular world of various stalactites, stone pillars and rock formations created by carbonate deposition. Enjoy an airport transfer in Shanghai with a private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking Guide. Shanghai is the symbol of "New China", bustling and busy with excellent shopping. With an ecclectic architectural mix from Asian infused Victorian and Art Deco to 21st Century advante-garde, Shanghai is an exciting, ever-changing metropolis. Popular attractions range from the Jade Buddha Temple, Yuyuan Garden and Shanghai Museum to modern wonders like the Oriental Pearl Tower. Landmarks of the city include the French Concession and historic waterfront known as the Bund. Shanghai is an excellent base from which to explore the canal towns of the Yangtze delta as well as nearby Suzhou or Hangzhou. Shanghai will host the 2010 World's Fair. Located in the heart of Pudong, The St. Regis Shanghai embraces a vibrant mix of culture, entertainment and business. Easy access to the city's major tunnels means guests can be in charming historical Puxi within 15 minutes.
Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price).

Day 8
SHANGHAI
Enjoy a half day private guided tour of Shanghai taking in the Urban Planning Museum, Nanjing Rd, Bund, a cruise on the Huangpu and the character of Yuyuan Gardens. Start with a short visit to the Urban Planning Hall, a fun and informative introduction to the exciting city of Shanghai past and future. Strolling down Nanjing Rd, once listed as one of the most interesting in the world, you will arrive at the historic Bund. Enjoy a cruise on the Huangpu river that divides old Shanghai from the futuristic Pudong before venturing to the old quarter and Yuyuan gardens. Much of this tour is best done by foot. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price).

Day 9
SHANGHAI
Transfer from central Shanghai with a driver, and English-speaking Guide to the Maglev station in Pudong from where you can complete your airport transfer in about 8 minutes at speeds of over 400 km/h. (Warning - involves a little walking). Depart from Shanghai international airport - end of itinerary.