China May 2010 - Itinerary
What follows is the itinerary for our China trip. This is the trip of a lifetime: walking the Great Wall, cruising the Yangtze, entering the Ming Tombs, exploring the Forbidden City, marveling at the Buddhist Temples, understanding the Temple of Heaven, and so much more. Read the itinerary, attend our informational meetings, and complete our Tentative Registration Form. If you have questions and cannot attend one of the informationa. meetings, feel free to contact the trip organizer Gary Anderson, via
or phone, 480-839-3542.
Our tour leader is "Lucky" Wang. Every Chinese has adopted an English name to use with English speakers. You will meet "Helen" and "Lilly" and "Bryce" and "Charles". Most of the adopted English names are taken from movies, books and TV. Lucky has taken many, many U.S. groups from colleges and universities around China. He has just finished his ninth year with a group from Pepperdine University. I have taken a group and toured with Lucky and find him extremely helpful, informative and excited to share his country with us. Lucky's spoken English is very good but his written English is better known as "Chinglish". I have left Lucky's itinerary in his own words. I think you will understand his words and feel his excitement.
Day 1 USA / Shanghai
Arrive in Shanghai Pu Dong International airport by 19:00? from USA. Lucky Wang and local guide in Shanghai will welcome the guests in Shanghai Pu Dong Airport. On the way to back the hotel we will see Lu Jia Zuei Financial district in Pu Dong on the bus and will drive to the hotel to check in directly. Accommodations: Shanghai Liang An Hotel.
Day 2 Shanghai / Hangzhou (bus)
8:30 Leave hotel for the sightseeing in Shanghai
We will visit the Jade Buddha Temple and Yu Yuan Garden and then visit the Bund to take picture. Lunch in Shanghai. After lunch we'll drive to the water village Wu Zhen (It is located between Shanghai and Hang Zhou) visit Wu Zhen. At about 17:30 we will drive to Hang Zhou (over an hour driving). dinner in Hang Zhou, check in the hotel and evening free. Accommodations: Three stars level hotel in Hang Zhou.
Day 3 Hangzhou
Hangzhou, a city famous for its natural beauty and historical and cultural heritage. It is one of the seven ancient capital cities in China. The most famous scenic spots in Hangzhou is the West Lake. We cruise on the West Lake this morning to enjoy the beauty both natural and manmade. and Lei Feng Tower later. In the afternoon we visit to Lingyin Temple (Monastery of the Hidden Souls). It is one of the most famous ancient Buddhist temples in China and houses a variety of Buddhist literature and treasures. The next stop is the Meijiawu Tea Plantation you will experience the unique tea culture, taste the fragrant tea and appreciate the beautiful village scenery. Green Tea" Long Jing" is most famous in Hang Zhou. Lunch and dinner in hang Zhou, the evening free. Accommodations: The same hotel in Hang Zhou
Day 4 Hangzhou / Yichang ( train )
07:00 Morning call
07:30 Please keep your checking luggage outside your door. You cannot see your checking luggage until in Yi Chang. Please prepare over night luggage on the train tonight.
08:00 breakfast in the hotel
09:30 Sightseeing in Hangzhou
Suggestion for you: No lunch, and early dinner, save time to see more.
Visit the Huqingyu Tang Chinese Medicine Museum. The Museum of Chinese Traditional Herbal Medicine is a key cultural relics and historic site under the protection of the government. It is housed in the ancient buildings of a famous Hangzhou Chinese herbal medicine shop. The exhibition halls introduce the origin, development and application of traditional Chinese medicine and its role in the history of medicine.
16:00 Early dinner in Hang Zhou
17:30 Arrive in Hang Zhou East Railway Station Hang Zhou East / Yichang K253 (18:10/15:10) We need to prepare some snacks, fruits and water for next day breakfast and we will have lunch in the dining coach (the meal on the train is not very good and expensive, we just have one experience on China train, not like AM Track in US). Enjoy the nice scenery and meet the ordinary Chinese people on the train (four people share one compartment).
(Yi Chang is small city along the Yangtze River, which is an important transportation key point South west part of China .) Overnight on the train.
Day 5 Three Gorges of Yangtze Cruise
Arrive in Yichang Train Station at 15:10.
Yichang City is located at the west of China's Hubei Province, where the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River are divided. Yichang has been defined as a distributing center, an important trading port and a transportation hub along the Yangtze River linking west Hubei and east Sichuan since ancient times. For a very long time, it has been renowned as "Gateway to the Three Gorges". Today, as well as a cultural and tourist city in China, Yichang remains a brisk river port of China, controlling the access to Chongqing City to its southwest.
Short time city tour and do some shopping in the supermarket, as we will spend four days on the boat. Dinner in Yichang, then check in the deluxe tourist boat in the evening and relax (two guests in one cabin room). The tourist boat is leaving next morning for the sightseeing along the Yangtze River
(The local sponsor will help us to pick up the checking luggage from the station and transfer to the boat.) Overnight on the boat (the boat is leaving next morning).
Day 6 3 Gorges of Yangtze Cruise
06:30 Tai Ji exercise (optional exercise class on the top of the boat!)
07:00 Departing Yi Chang Pier
07:30 Breakfast (buffet)
08:30 The briefing introduction of cruiser facilities and itinerary
09:00 Sightseeing the Xi Ling Gorge on the cruise
09:00 - 13:00 Pass the ship locks of Gezhou dam
12:00 Lunch on board
13:00 - 16:00 Shore excursion to Three Gorges Dam
16:30 - Sightseeing for Xiling Gorge on board
18:00 Welcome dinner
20:30 Singing and dancing concert
Overnight on the boat
Day 7 3 Gorges of Yangtze Cruise
06:30 Tai Ji exercise
07:30 Breakfast (buffet)
09:00 - 13:00 Badong-shore excursion-drifting in the Shennong stream
13:30 Lunch on board
13:30 - 15:30 Sightseeing for Wuxia Gorge on board
16:00 - 17:00 Sightseeing for Qutang Gorge on board
18:00 Dinner on board
20:00 Chinese Evening
Over night on the boat
Day 8 3 Gorges of Yangtze Cruise
On the boat including meals and sightseeing
06:30 Tai Ji exercise
07:30 Breakfast ( buffet )
08:30 - 10:30 Shore excursion for FENGDU
12:00 Lunch on board
18:00 Farewell dinner
20:00 Singing and dancing concert
Overnight on the boat
Day 9 Chongqing / Kunming (Air)
We arrive in Chongqing. Chong Qing: Built on a peninsula at the confluence of the Yangtze and the Jialing rivers presents a unique magnificent picture as miles of the roads and streets winding up and down the hills and along the river banks, thus, it has been well-known for its nickname "Mountain City". Chongqing is the fourth central municipal city in China. We will fly an hour and ten minuets from Chongqing to Kunming.
KUNMING is the capital of southwest China's Yunnan province, a primarily agricultural province of 45 million. Kunming has a population of five million and is located in one of the world's most geographically, ethnically, biologically and linguistically diverse regions. Situated at 1,900 meters (6,233ft) above sea level and 25° north of the Equator it has a rather unique and pleasant climate for a Chinese city. Because of its high altitude Kunming weather is typically characterized by intense sunlight during the daytime and a slight chill at night. When the rest of China is hot, Kunming is one of the country's coolest cities. When the northern half of the country is frozen and covered with snow, flowers are blooming. Hence, Kunming's nickname in Chinese is ‘Spring City'.
Accommodations: Kun Ming Ying Hua hotel.
Day 10 Kunming / Lijiang (Air)
Breakfast in the hotel and then we will fly an hour to Li Jiang .
It is about fifty minute's flight to Lijiang, where NaXi people live. Lijiang old Town is listed the World Culture Heritage by UNESCO. It is right there that many great American pilots known as "Flying Tiger" helped Chinese people fighting against Japanese invaders. "Camel Peak Flight Ruth" is known as the great spirit of friendship between Chinese people and American people in the Second World War. Many many American young generations visit Yun Nan, Lijiang to search their grandfathers' footmark today.
Dongba Culture is famous in China. Dongba Religion is worship of spirit of the nature, it means the wise. Dongba also refers to the person that holds sacrificial rites. The Dongba pictograph was widely used among the NaXi people in the 11th century. It is the only living heiro-glyphic in the world today. We will stay in the centre of this small ancient county. We will visit Mu Residence which is know as the most beautiful group of building. After dinner we will enjoy the "Beautiful Water and Golden River" Singing and Dancing Performance which will help you to know most of the Chinese minorities nationalities living in Yun Nan Province.
Accommodations: Lijiang Jian Nan Chun Hotel
Day 11 Lijiang
Breakfast in the hotel, we'll visit Mr. Joseph Rock's former residence. In May of 1922,there was an odd westerner, an American appointed by the US Department of Agriculture to China, thousands of miles away from his home. His job was to conduct a botanic research and specimen collecting in Hengduan Mountain range. However this person was deeply attracted by the wonderful local conditions and customs. He changed to research NaXi culture. He was the "Father of NaXiologyi", the famous Joseph Rock (1884---1962). He wrote nine articles continuously in National Geography from 1922 to 1935. Then we will visit Baisha Murals and the Baiasha village, Dragon Spring Temple in Su He Old county, which is the very important county along the road transportation from Yun Nan to Sichuan, Tibet, which is known as the famous "the ancient Tea-horse Road". After lunch, we will visit Black Dragon Pool where Dong Ba Cultural Museum is located. You will walk in the small ancient street to understand how NaXi people live and work. Dinner in the old town and evening free. The Naxi minority Ancient Music performance which regarded as a "living fossil of Chinese music" which reaches back Tang Dynasty. If you are really interested in it, you may ask your Naxi local tour guide to book the performance ticket (25$) for you when you get to Lijiang. After the show you may walk back to the ancient city to enjoy the night scenery. We will enjoy the last evening in Li Jiang and have a good time there.
Naxi Ancient Music Bands have been invited to perform in Hong Kong, Great Britain, America, Holland, Belgium and Norway, exercising great influence and gaining attention from all over the world. The ancient town of Lijiang has been classified as a World-class Cultural Legacy by UNESCO, it has a history of almost a thousand years. Lijian is famous for its old simple architecture style and the elegant art for the lay-out of the town. As a poem has it: A house beside a stream with a small bridge across it makes a wonderful scene.
Accommodations: Lijiang Jian Nan Chun Hotel
Day 12 Lijiang / Kunming / Gui Lin (Air)
We will fly back to Kun Ming, change plane flying an hour and half to Gui Lin.
GUILIN is China's most spectacular geological site and most photographed landmark with a population of 670,000, situated in the north the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China, which is located about 350 miles northwest of Hong Kong 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. Gui Lin's unique scenery is formed by its Karst topography, i.e., landscape shaped by the dissolution of limestone layers, leaving a terrain characterized by sinks, ravines, and underground streams. The Li River cruise excursion provides a remarkable passage to the most treasure highlight including Elephant Trunk Hill, the city's symbol, so named because of its resemblance to an elephant's sipping water from the Li Jiang River with its trunk; and Reed-Flute Cave, named after the reeds growing around the cave mouth.
Accommodations: Gui Lin Huan Qiu Hotel
Day 13 GuiLin / Yang shuo (Boat)
The Li River is more than 250 km in length and 500 meters in width. It presents one of the finest excursions on your tour of China. The journey downstream to Yang Shuo offers 30 miles of breathtaking scenery. Blue jade hills... green silk water... hidden caves... mysterious rocks... fish man on the bamboo-small boat... That explains the joy of taking a ride on a ferry to Yang Shuo, a town where the boat trip ends.
07:00 Check-out luggage and Breakfast (in hotel)
08:30 Bus to the boat
09:30 Boat from Guilin to Yangshuo. Lunch box(on boat).
14:30 Check-in at hotel in Yang Shuo
15:00 Free time ( Yang Shuo is a tiny mountain town )
17:30 Dinner
18:30 Go to enjoy the Open Air Show.
"Impression of Sister Liu" which directorate by Zhang Yimou who is the Chief director in charge of Beijing 2008 Olympic opening and closing ceremonies.
Accommodations: Yang Shuo Ai Yuan Hotel
Day 14 Guilin / Xian (Air)
Breakfast in Yang Shuo. We will go back to Gui Lin to flying an hour and half to Xian.
XIAN, capital of Shaanxi Province, lies in the middle of the Guanzhong Basin with the Weihe River to its north. As one of China's seven ancient national capitals, it was the capital of 12 dynasties over 1,000 years, thus Xi'an has a great number of precious relics and historical sites. Xi'an was the start point of the Old Silk Road Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province.
After we get to Xian, we will visit the South Gate City Wall, in the evening we will go to the theater to enjoy the Tang Dynasty Show with special local dumpling dinner.
Accommodations: Xian Li Garden Hotel
Day 15 Xian
Breakfast, then we will visit the New Shaanxi Provincial Museum and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xian.
Lunch in the local restaurant in Xian. Then we will go to Visit Terracotta Warrior and Horses. (We will see the Circle Version film first for sure and then the pit 2,3 and 1, then the small galley for taking picture, the Bronze Chariots.) Dinner in Xian and evening free. Accommodations: Xian Li Garden Hotel.
Day 16 Xian / Lou Yang ( train )
Visit Bei Yuan Men, the big Mosque in the Northwest of China. We will take noon time train to Luo Yang which is also one of the seven ancient capital cities in China. We will arrive Luo Yang at about 20:15,dinner in Luo Yang, check in the hotel and relax.
LUOYANG is a small city, 25 kilometers to the south of the Yellow River, and is well known in China as "The Capital of Nine Dynasties", having been capital from the Eastern Zhou (770 BC) to the later Tang Dynasty (923-936 AD). For several centuries, Luoyang was the gravity center of China. In 68, White Horse Temple, the first Buddhist temple in China, was founded here. The temple still exists, albeit the architecture is of later origin, mainly from the 16th century. In 493 the Northern Wei Dynasty moved its capital from Datong to Luoyang and started the construction of the artificial Longmen Caves. More than 30,000 Buddhist images from the time of this dynasty have been found in the caves. Accommodations: Xiang Jin Ling hotel.
Day 17 Lou Yang / Beijing (train)
Breakfast in the hotel, we will visit Shao Lin Temple, it is one of the birth places of Chinese "Gong Fu". Lunch nearby there. In the afternoon we will visit Bai Ma Temple, which is the first Buddhist Temple in China Then we will visit Dragon Gate Grottos, which is the three most famous grottos in China and in the world. Dinner in Luo Yang and take train to Beijing at about 21:40. (over night on the train)
Day 18 Beijing
Arrive in Beijing in the early morning 06:20. Breakfast in the hotel, we will try our best to check in the hotel earlier, but Lucky could not promise our guests. Maybe we will visit the Temple of Heaven after breakfast in the morning and check in the hotel after that. The whole afternoon relax have good rest.
Dinner in the downtown at 17:30.
19:10 Enjoy Chinese Acrobatic Show
21:30 Back to the hotel.
Accommodations: Beijing Tian Tan Hotel 0086 10 6719 0666
Day 19 Beijing
Breakfast in the hotel.
Visit Tian An Men Square, Mao's Mausoleum. Then the Forbidden City, lunch in Bei Hai Park. In the afternoon we will visit Summer Palace which is the largest imperial park in China. Dinner in downtown, the evening free. Accommodations: Beijing Tian Tan Hotel
Day 20 Beijing
7:00 Morning call and breakfast in the hotel
8:30 We will have whole day trip today.
We'll visit Ba Da Ling Great Wall after lunch then visit Ming Tomb, We ‘ll visit the cloisonné factory if we have enough time. Mongolian Hotpot dinner in Beijing, and evening free.
Accommodations: Beijing Tian Tan Hotel
Day 21 Beijing
7:00 morning call and breakfast in the hotel.
9:00 We will visit the Yong He Gong Lama Temple. Then the free time shopping in either local department stores, Wang Fu Jing Street, Xi Dan Street, Silk Street or Hong Qiao Pearl Market.
The Beijing Duck Banquet Dinner at 18:30
Accommodations: Beijing Tian Tan Hotel
Day 22 Beijing / Sweet Home
Breakfast in the hotel. we will leave hotel for the airport.
The China trip end.
We wish all the guests had a good time in China! Thank you !