Tour Code: WT-L/S601   14 Days to Beijing, Urumqi, Kasghar, Turpan, Dunhuang, Xian and Shanghai

Departure: Wednesday

Please be sure that B, L, D denotes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Day 01: Arrive in Beijing

Tiananmen Square, Beijing

Upon your arrival in Beijing, our guide will meet you at the airport exit holding a sign with your name on it and transfer you to the well-selected hotel we arranged for you. The rest of the day is free for you to stroll around in the city at leisure. You can ask your guide for some useful information.

  Day 02: Beijing
Start your day tour from the visit of the Tiananmen Square. It is the largest of its kind in the world, covering an area of over 400,000 square meters (nearly 100 acres). To the west of the square is People's Great Hall and its counterpart building on the east side houses the Chinese History and Revolutionary Museum. It is a must for travelers who are interested in China's recent history. Then proceed to the Forbidden City which is a range of well-preserved palace architecture of the Ming and Qing dynasties and sometimes offer sacrifice to Heaven. After enjoying an a la carte lunch at a nice restaurant, later transfer you to visit the Temple of Heaven. In ancient China, emperors considered themselves as 'The Son of Heaven', inheriting supreme power to dominate the world. Originally built in the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) in 1420, the Temple of Heaven was the sacrificial place for emperors to hold prayer and sacrificial ceremonies. In the evening, a lively Chinese Kungfu Show at Red Theater will be arranged for you. (B+L)

 Day 03: Beijing
It is a once in a life time experience to walk upon the Badaling Great Wall of China which remains one of the most appealing attractions all around the world owing to its architectural grandeur and historical significance. To celebrate this historic visit, your lunch is specially arranged at a local popular Sichuan cuisine restaurant. Then visit the Sacred Way and the Ming Tomb in the afternoon. The Sacred Way is a road usually built in front of an ancient Chinese mausoleum, which symbolically led emperors to Heaven. The Sacred Way in the Ming Tomb is a typical example. On the way back to downtown, drive by the Bird's Nest (Olympic National Stadium). You will see its appearance at a distance. (B+L)

 Day 04: Beijing - Urumqi

Jiaohe Ruins, Turpan

The last stop in Beijing is a visit to the Summer Palace which is reputed to be the best preserved Museum of Imperial Garden Architecture in China. Like most garden architecture in China, the design of the Summer Palace has borrowed from nature bringing mountains and lakes into a whole with a variety of palace buildings, temple structures and pavilions and pagodas and other garden constructions added to create a splendid paradise. After enjoying an a la carte lunch at a decent local restaurant, you will take a flight to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which is a city far away from the ocean blessed with its majestic landscape and peculiar human and cultural sights. Upon arrival, you will be picked up warmly by the local guide and be transferred to the hotel for a good rest for the remainder of the day. (B+L)
 

 Day 05: Urumqi - Kashgar

You will take a morning flight to Kashgar, "the pearl of the Ancient Silk Road". Boasting a long history and splendid culture, there are various kinds of cultural relics scattered in and around Kashgar City. Upon arrival you will be taken to the local best hotel. Then you will visit the famous Sunday Market which covers more than 250 mu (about 41 acres). All kinds of merchandise could be found there. Every Sunday, heavy traffic and huge crowds of people make this bazaar extremely lively. You can see special kinds of local products made in Xinjiang, such as hand-crafted items, household merchandise, fruits and vegetables, and livestock. It is not an exaggeration to say that this bazaar is a perfect place for you to taste the most distinctive and authentic folk-customs of Xinjiang. (B+L)

 Day 06: Kashgar - Urumqi - Turpan
The morning visit will take you to the Id Kah Mosque, a typical Islamic mosque building in Kashgar. The importance of Id Kah Mosque is not only because of its long life and exquisite construction, but also because it is a sacred place for all the Xinjiang Moslems. Every Friday afternoon (the most important day of the week in their religion), Moslems from nearby come here to worship. The Mosque can house 6,000 to 7,000 people at one time. Then stroll along the Old Street to experience the atmosphere of people's life in the city. The last place for visit in Kashgar is the Abakh Khoja Tomb. The tomb consists of five parts; gate tower, chapel, the large worship temple, a hall for learning scripture and the tomb chamber, which is the main building among these series of constructions. The tomb chamber is rather mighty and splendid which is the most magnificent and exquisite dome-style structure in Xinjiang. After that, you will take a flight to Urumqi and then be transferred to Turpan. Check in at the hotel. (B+L)

 Day 07: Turpan
The day tour will bring you to visit the Jiaohe Ruins. Buildings in the old Jiaohe city are quite special because the ancient residents dug caves into the earth and built houses over them so the buildings are half-buried in the earth. Many of these underground buildings are still well preserved to this day. The only brick building in the city is a grand temple in the southeastern section. Most of the buildings we see today were built during the Tang Dynasty. Then proceed to the Karez Well. The annual rainfall in this area is low and surface water evaporates quickly. To survive in this harsh environment, ancient people used a system consists of underground canals accessed by wells, over-ground canals and small reservoirs to irrigate the Turpan desert. They channeled the melting snow from Tian Shan Mountain into the Karez, thus many oases appeared in the desert, including the famous Grape Valley. Then go to visit the Sugong Pagoda and end the day tour. (B+L)

 Day 08: Turpan - Dunhuang

Crescent Lake, Dunhuang

The highlight tour of the day is the visits of the Gaochang Ruins, the Baizikeli Thousand Buddha Cave and the Flaming Hill. Although many ruins have already destroyed with the time goes by, Gaochang ancient city still stands as a symbol of the long history and monument of the Silk Road. The Baizikeli Thousand Buddha Cave site was once a royal Buddhist temple complex for the ancient Gaochang Kingdom and most of the relics found in the cave became the representations of Gaochang culture. Murals of that period depict the King and Queen of Gaochang Kingdom, the stories and images of Buddha and the life of the Gaochang people vividly. The Flaming Mountain is very famous because of the legendary Monkey King in the novel Journey to the West. In fact, this 100-kilometer long mountain is made of red sandstone laid down in Jurassic times. The temperature of this deserted mountain is indeed the highest found in China. Detailed explanations of the history of Flaming Mountain, its geology as well as the legend are displayed in the museum. You will take an overnight soft sleeper train to Dunhuang to extend your Silk Road exploration. (B+L)

 Day 09: Dunhuang
Upon arrival in Dunhuang, you will be picked up at the railway station and transferred to the hotel. Visit the Mogao Grottoes. There are about 492 preserved caves from different dynasties; these constitute the most complete and massive art caves in the world. Tourists will discover depictions of ancient lifestyles, folk-customs, scenes of economies and cultures intermingling at various times, creating a study of ancient China. In 1991, UNESSCO listed the Mogao Caves as part of World Heritage. Then you will visit the Dunhuang Museum. Breakfast is on your own since the breakfast time has passed when you arrive at the hotel. (L)

 Day 10: Dunhuang - Xian

Calligraphy practice

You will experience a short camel-ride along the Echoing-Sand Dune to reach the Crescent Lake. One of the wonders in Dunhuang City is Echoing-Sand Dune. The huge dune takes its name because its sands make sounds. When tourists climb up or slide down the mountain, the rolling sands make different sounds, some like orchestral music, and others like thunder. The phenomenon is a marvelous spectacle of nature. A blue lake in a green basin surrounded by Echoing-Sand Mountain called Crescent Lake. It was given this name because of its shape and the clear water. Strolling along the lake, tourists can appreciate the fish swimming leisurely in the water and the reflection of the standing poplars and elegant pavilions on the bank. In the afternoon take a flight to Xian, one of the six ancient civilized capital cities in China and transfer to the hotel. (B+L)

 Day 11: Xian
Today's highlight is a visit to the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum. In 1974 when a group of peasants was digging a well, they surprisingly unearthed fragments of life-sized terra cotta warriors made in the Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC), which became the greatest archaeological discovery of the 20th century. The great excavation revealed thousands of warriors and their horses - an entire army buried for safeguarding the eternity of Emperor Qinshihuang. Your a la carte lunch is served at a well-known restaurant. In the afternoon, visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Murals and steles preserved in the pagoda which are treasures of Chinese art. Visitors can reach the top via the stairs inside and overlook the beautiful landscape of Xian as well as the marvelous scenery of South Hill. Then continue to visit the City Wall which boasts the most complete city wall to have survived through China's long history. Tonight you will enjoy the wonderful Tang Dynasty Dinner Show. (B, L, D) 

Note: Tang Dynasty Dinner Show at the Tang Dynasty Palace is arranged for Luxury series while Standard series will have the Dumpling Banquet and Tang Dynasty Music and Dances Show at Shaanxi Opera Theater. 

 Day 12: Xian - Shanghai

Our clients at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Xian

In the morning you will visit the Great Mosque on the bustling Muslim area. Near the mosque is a lively bazaar, where you will enjoy some free time. Then pay a visit to a local family. After an a la carte lunch,  take a flight to Shanghai whose modern, international and fashionable reputation entice travelers and visitors from all over the world. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to the hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the city on your own. (B+L)

Day 13: Shanghai
In the morning you will visit the Shanghai Museum which has an immense collection of Chinese ancient art. There are altogether, over 120,000 precious cultural relics stored in this museum, including bronzes, chinaware, calligraphy, paintings, bamboo and wooden lacquer works, and so on. Then proceed to the famed Yuyuan Garden which is characterized by an exquisite layout, beautiful scenery and artistic architecture. Each pavilion, hall, stone and stream in the garden can express the quintessence of South China landscape design from Ming and Qing dynasties. After a la carte lunch, you will be transferred to take a Huangpu River cruise. Then you will stroll along the Bund area and visit an old street in Shanghai.  (B, L)
 

 Day 14: Departure from Shanghai
Private transfer will take you to the airport and see you off to board your homeward flight. Your pleasant China tour ends here. (B)

CityClass	Luxury	Standard
Beijing	Crowne Plaza Hotel	Holiday Inn Central Plaza
Urumqi	Hoi Tak Hotel	Mirage Hotel B Tower
Kashgar	the local best hotel	the local best hotel
Turpan	Huozhou Hotel	Huozhou Hotel
Dunhuang	Dunhuang Hotel	Dunhuang Hotel
Xian	Sheraton Hotel	Grand New World Hotel
Shanghai	Renaissance Shanghai Yuyuan Hotel	Ya Fan Long Men Hotel