Great Wall, Warriors, & Li River

This full day of private guided tour explores Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven with a stop for a deluxe lunch. Tiananmen Square was built in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty and stretches a vast 440,000 square meters. The Forbidden City is the world's largest palace complex with 9,999 buildings. 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. The Temple of Heaven was built in 1420 AD during the Ming Dynasty to offer sacrifice to Heaven.

Enjoy a private deluxe dinner at a fine local restaurant. After a delicious meal you will be picked up and transferred by private car to the Liyuan Theatre, for which you have Peking Opera show VIP seats.

The Liyuan Theatre is one of the most prominent ones in Beijing and is located in the Qianmen Hotel. Old Beijing can be found in many objects within the theater; for example the performers’ distinctive make-up, the outdated 8-seaters tables (Baixian Table), attendants serving tea in Tang suits (Chinese garments) and the old-styled stage.  The venue is well equipped for international tourists, offering simultaneous translations for English and Japanese speaking guests as well as English subtitles to help follow the story line. There is also a souvenir shop if you wish to buy some small presents for your loved ones.

Enjoy a full day private guided tour of the Great Wall at Mutianyu, located 45 miles northeast of Beijing. This section winds along lofty, cragged mountains for 1.4 miles and holds a prominent place in Chinese military history. Construction started in the Northern Qi Dynasty (550 - 577) and was restored in the early Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). There is an abundance of natural springs, which feed a great variety of verdant plants and ancient trees. Built mainly from granite with 8m high walls and 5m wide at the top, the wall is notable for its 22 watchtowers that suggest a significant military importance. Next, you will visit The Summer Palace which is a sprawling suburban compound used by royalty as their summer retreat and best known for its stunning grounds around Kunming Lake. The Summer Palace occupies an area of 294 hectares (726.5 acres) of which three quarters are water. Classically designed as an archetypal Chinese garden, it is ranked among the most noted gardens of the world and was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1998. Lunch is included in this tour.

A transfer to/from the train station with private vehicle, driver and English-speaking guide is provided.

A private transfer with an English speaking professional guide from the hotel to the train station, or vice versa, is provided.

This morning you will visit the Terra Cotta Army and Banpo Museum lead by a private guide. This tour includes a deluxe lunch. The over 7,000 Terra Cotta life size warriors and horses arranged in battle formations are China's greatest archaeological excavation. They symbolically guard the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who was the first emperor of the Qin dynasty (246-209 BC). The Museum Banpo is located next to the archeological remains of Xian’s first settlement. The museum and Neolithic site display nearly 10,000 production tools and the remains of 200 cellars and 45 houses.

This half day private guided city tour takes you to some of the highlights of 3,100 year old Xian, which is besides Rome, Athens and Cairo one of the four ancient capitals. Start with the Shaanxi History Museum which is with its 370,000 exhibits one of the nation's best. The next stop is the Xi’an City Wall, which is the most complete to survive in China and one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. The walls, ramparts, gates and watchtowers still stand ready to repel attackers. Built in the 13th century on the foundations of the original Tang Forbidden City surrounding the city centre, you can walk, rent a bike or take an electric cart around the full 14km circuit, with great views of the city on either side. Finish this tour with the Great Mosque, located in the heart of Xi'an's Muslim quarter. The Mosque is one of the largest in China. Remarkable for the melding of Chinese architecture with Islamic practice, the courtyards align from east to west facing Mecca. The pavilions, halls and gateways are wonderfully decorated. This is an active place of worship for the Hui descendants of Silk Road traders and travellers.

An airport transfer by private car with an English-speaking guide is provided.

Relax on the direct flight from Xi'an to Guilin.

You will be picked up by private car with an English speaking guide and transferred between the airport and Guilin City.

Relax on a full day Li River Cruise with a deluxe lunch (included). 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 river under the blue sky. Water buffalo ply 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 not 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. Snacks, fruit and bottle water is provided on this tour.

You will be picked up by private car with an English speaking guide and transferred between the airport and Guilin City.

Relax on the direct 2.5 hour flight from Guilin to Shanghai.

A transfer between the airport and your hotel or the city Shanghai with a private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking Guide is provided.

Walk along the famous Nanjing Road and the fabulous Bund area while you listen to your expert local tour guide explain the history and development of China's most cosmopolitan city.
The famous Nanjing Road, Shanghai’s major shopping district is one of the world's busiest shopping streets, packed with bustling stores and food outlets. It is named after the neighboring province’s capital. A large part of Nanjing Road is a pedestrian precinct. The next stop is the Bund, which is Shanghai’s famous waterfront are. From here you will have spectacular views of the city.

Today’s full day private guided tour takes you to the Shanghai Museum, the Jade Buddha Temple the Yu Garden and includes a deluxe lunch. The Shanghai Museum is a authentic treasure house of ancient Chinese art and houses about 120,000 precious relics. Bronzes, pottery, paintings and calligraphies are distinctive features of the Museum's collection. The next sight is the Jade Buddha Temple, which is one of the most popular sights in Shanghai containing rare white jade Buddhas brought from Burma in the nineteenth century. Yuyuan Garden is the largest of Shanghai's ancient gardens with architectural styles of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The garden has six areas, each designed in a different style, of which the Grand Rockery located in the center is the most popular.

A 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, is provided (this involves a little walking).