14 Days Culture and Nature Trip

Trip name:

14 Days Nature Paradise Trip

Trip code:

LCT-BXZGS-14D-01

Trip length:

14 Days

Attractions:
Trip overview:

China is a great country with a long history and stunning natural beauty. During this long trip, you will be able to learn about Chinese history in Beijing, Xian, and Shanghai, covering times dating from the Xia Dynasty to the founding of the new China, whilst enjoying the most amazing natural scenery in Zhangjiajie and Guilin by walking on the breathtaking glass bridge over the Grand Canyon and taking a cruise on the Li River.

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Price
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* Note: This price is per person.

Highlights
1. Skip the line and access the hidden halls of the Forbidden City;
2. Take cable car up and toboggan down the Great Wall while admiring the beautiful scenery;
3. Get a close look at the Terracotta Figurines and Weapons, learn about the World’s Eighth Wonder;
4. Visit the Yuanjiajie National Forest Park and observe the rare animals and herbs;
5. Ride the steepest escalator and challenge yourselves by walking on the hanging Glass Bridge;
6. Board a Cruise and relax on a leisurely trip down the Li River, enjoying the picturesque scenery;
7. Visit the local Rice Field Terraces and see the local minority life;
8. View the modern Shanghai from the top of the World Financial Center.

Detailed itinerary

Day 1 Arrival in Beijing

    Pick up from Beijing airport and transfer to your hotel. Recover from jet lag or explore on your own for the rest of this day.

Day 2 Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Hutong Walking Tour


    09:30-10:30: Walk in the world’s largest city square - Tiananmen Square and learn about the great historical events that occurred here driving the progress of Chinese society.



    10:45 - 13:00: Just a few minutes drive and you will arrive at the world-famous Forbidden City. Follow your guide, the grand and splendid palace will unveil its mystery and tell more stories of old times.



    13:00 - 14:00: During this time period, you are free to choose your lunch at your own expense. Your guide will be happy to help you order.



    14:00 - 15:00: After lunch, Jingshan Park will be waiting for you. Adjacent to the great palace, you will find the Imperial Park provides a superb perspective for capturing the perfect picture of the whole palace.



    15:20 - 16:30: Wrap up this day tour by walking in the old Hutongs where local Beijingers lived a few decades ago.



    17:00: Day tour ends and return to hotel.



    Forbidden City    Jingshan Park


Day 3 Mutianyu Great Wall, Bird Nest and Water Cube

    07:30: Start early and drive to the Huairou district for the Great Wall.

    09:00 - 12:30: Recently renovated, the Mutianyu Great Wall has better views and less crowds. Taking a cable car up will save you a lot of energy whilst riding a toboggan down would bring you lots of fun! You are recommended to have 1-2 hours walking along the wall.

    12:30 - 13:30: Have lunch at a local farmer’s house where the traditional northern staples are available.

    15:00 - 16:00: Return to the city and visit the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube. It was built for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Later, they become the National Stadium and Swimming Center respectively. It’s not open for visiting inside, but you can take some photos outside.

    16:30: Drop off at your hotel and finish this day trip.


    Great Wall    Water Cube

Day 4 Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Take flight to Zhangjiajie

    09:00: Pack your luggage and bring it with you when commencing this day trip.

    09:30 - 12:00: Head for the Temple of Heaven first. No longer an Imperial Ritual place, it has become a local park. You will find many locals doing morning exercise and children playing everywhere. You are most welcome to join them if interested.

    12:00 - 13:00: Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant.

    12:20 - 14:00: Your last sight in Beijing is the Summer Palace, a summer resort for imperials to escape from the heat. You will find it a great place to relax and enjoy yourself.

    14:00 - 15:30: Do a little shopping in Wangfujing Area by yourself.

    16:30: Drop off at Beijing airport and take flight to Zhangjiajie.

    21:30: Zhangjiajie airport pick up and hotel drop off.


    Temple of Heaven    Summer Palace

Day 5 Bailong Elevator, Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain

    09:00: Greeted by your local Zhangjiajie guide you will start this exploration tour.

    09:10 - 13:00: you will make your way to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park to start today's adventure. Explore beautiful scenery during your ride to the Bailong Elevator made of see-through glass before using it to ascend the Yuanjiajie Mountain. Venture from Yuanjiajie's summit with a 2.5-hour hike into the Pillar of the Southern Sky, an inspiration for Hallelujah Mountains in the movie, Avatar. From there, you will proceed to the Platform of Forgetfulness to admire nearby peak-views before walking across the First Bridge Under Heaven.

    13:00 - 14:00: Lunch at the local restaurant will be available for your own expense.

    14:10 - 17:00: The park shuttle bus will take you to visit the Tianzi Mountain where the Imperial Writing Brush Peaks, Xihai Stone Forest, and other incredible views and scenery await. Your activities for the day will conclude with a trip in the Tianzi cable car before being transferred back to your hotel.


    Zhangjiajie National Forest Park    Tianzi Mountain

Day 6 Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, Glass Bridge, Baofeng Lake, fly to Xian

    09:00: Meet your guide and start the tour.

    09:20- 12:00: You will enjoy a morning view of the Grand Canyon completed with aesthetically pleasing cliffs, caves, streams, and lakes. Take time to observe the flora and fauna of this natural museum of the northern temperate zone. Slide down to the bottom of the hill where you have the opportunity to cross the half-mile Glass Bridge, which is built between two mountains of the Zhangjiajie Grand canyon, it is 375 meters long and 6 meters wide, suspended 300 meters from the valley floor.

    12:00 - 13:00: Have lunch at a local restaurant.

    13:20 - 16:00: Visit the Baofeng Lake. It is the only water-themed scenic spot in Zhangjiajie. Surrounded by mountains, the Baofeng Lake will provide a different travel experience for you since you have visited a lot of mountains.

    17:00: Return to your hotel.

    22:00: Drop you off at Zhangjiajie airport, you will take your flight to Xian.


    Glass Bridge    Baofeng Lake

Day 7 Pick up at airport, Terracotta Warriors Museum

    01:35: Airport pick up upon your arrival and Xian hotel drop off. Your Xian local driver will hold a welcome sign with your name on it at the baggage area and wait for you.

    13:00: Greeted by your local Xian guide, you will start your Xian trip right away.

    13:50 - 16:30: Admire the Terracotta Warriors and Horses. Listed as a significant world heritage site, it attracts many visitors every day. People are amazed by its large size, grand formation, small details in each soldier’s facial expression, and the various relics and antiques excavated there. In contrast, many people are shocked when they hear of the huge cost that this mausoleum incurred. No matter how you feel about this, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Site is still a human wonder.

    17:00: Hotel drop off.


    Terracotta Army    Terracotta Army

Day 8 Shaanxi History Museum, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, City Wall, Muslim Quarter


    09:00: Meet your guide again and enjoy the city tour.

    09:10-11:30: Head for the Shaanxi History Museum. As the largest comprehensive museum in northwestern China, this museum has drawn a lot of attention for its unique design appearance,  cultural treasures, and its grand formation. It is possible to learn the whole of Chinese history in this museum.

    11:30 - 12:30: Enjoy an authentic local lunch.

    12:40 - 14:00: Enjoy a stroll in the Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Da Ci’en temple). Built in the Tang Dynasty as a designated place for Buddhist scriptures, this pagoda was famous due to a great monk - Xuan Zang. In fact, you can see a giant sculpture of Xuan Zang right in front of the pagoda. You may also enjoy a splendid fountain show there.

    14:20 - 16:00: Walk along the City Wall and enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the city center. Standing there for over 600 years, the City Wall was a part of the defense system of Xian. It has lost its original function now, instead, it has become a great place for locals to relax. You are recommended to rent a bike and ride on the bumpy road. Please note that the price for bike rental is not included.

    16:10 - 17:00: Wander in the Muslim Quarter. People say Xian is a food paradise, but where would you find the core center of this paradise? Well, it’s Muslim Quarter. A variety of local foods are available there, along with stores selling souvenirs and local cultural artifacts.

    17:30: Hotel drop off.


    City Wall    Golden Bowl of the Shaanxi History Museum


Day 9 Hanyangling Museum, take flight to Guilin

    Enjoy some free-time in the morning.

    13:00 - 16:00: Head for Hanyangling Museum, AKA Jingdi’s Tomb. This is a Han Dynasty mausoleum, one that’s said to be greatly underrated. It’s also the only museum built underground. You will need to follow your guide and go inside the tomb to appreciate the excavations.

    16:30: drop off at Xian airport to take flight to Guilin.

    20:40: Guilin airport pick up and Guilin hotel drop off.


    Hanyangling Museum    Han Yangling Mausoleum

Day 10 Li River Cruise, West Street

    09:00: Meet your Guilin local guide and start this trip.

    09:20 - 13:00: When visiting Guilin, the Li River Cruise is an activity you simply can’t miss. Surrounded by the stretching mountains on both sides, the Li River meanders through slowly and quietly. You will board the boat booked for you and enjoy the picturesque natural scenery. With the swimming ducks, napping fisherman on the bank, and buffaloes eating green grass, you will feel like you are wandering in a fairyland. The boat trip ends in Yangshuo.

    14:30- 16:00: As you disembark the boat, you will you will find yourself in another splendid picture. Brooks gurgle all around and proud, lush trees dance with the wind. Birds are singing and the mountains fade into a water-colour distance. Such a relaxed and picturesque place is best explored with a bike ride along scenic paths. With the guidance of our representative, you can also learn some facts and history of Yangshuo.

    16:00 - 17:00: Wander along West Street, a street built in western style. It’s a unique cultural symbol in Yangshuo, and makes foreigners feel welcome and at home. As the first western-style street, West Street has been a model for other tourist cities to clone from. Here you will see various kinds of western stores as well as shops selling traditional Chinese decorations like small embroidery pouches, Chinese knots and lucky bags.

    17:00: After the tour, you will be transferred back to your Guilin hotel to prepare for another amazing day.


    Li River    West Street

Day 11 Longji Terraces


    07:30: Meet your tour guide and head for the Longji Terraces Rice Fields.

    09:30 a.m - 15:00: Enjoy the amazing natural views of the Longji Terraces and taste the authentic Zhuang nationality food. Situated about 27 kilometers southeast of Longsheng County, there is a vast region of rice terraces stretching layer upon layer. Known as the Longji Rice Terraces (Dragon Backbone’s Rice Terraces), the grandest terraces in China! Construction began in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and the terraces were only completed in the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It represents the great accomplishment of profound wisdom and the strenuous labor of minority people in Southern China.

    Varying scenes put on their display with the passage of four different seasons, as nature displays its grandeur. The terrace presents a picture of chains or ribbons hung on the hillsides in the spring due to the irrigation systems. With the coming of Summer, massive green shadows cast from the heavens, float across the terraces. With the commencement of Autumn, ripened millet bends the stems, giving people hope of harvest. In winter, the whole terrace is covered with white snow like a playful dragon that has been rolling in the snow. Wandering in the terraces, one can not only enjoy the natural beauty, but also experience the unique culture of ethnic minorities. There are several minorities, including Zhuang, Miao and Yao. One can visit their wooden buildings, learn their beautiful dances and appreciate their costumes and Longji tea.

    17:00: Guilin Hotel drop off at the tour end.


    Longji Terraces    Longji Rice Paddies


Day 12 Reed Flute Cave,Elephant Trunk Hill, Fly to Shanghai


    09:00: Greeted by your tour guide and head for the most famous sight in Guilin city - the Reed Flute Cave.

    09:20 - 12:00: Visit the Reed Flute Cave. This name is derived from the fact that reeds which are good for making flutes, grow near the cave. Entering the Reed Flute Cave area, you will see the luxuriant flowers and trees immediately. On the left, there is a pond surrounded by restaurants, shops, tea houses, pavilions and bridges. Inside the cave, you will be intoxicated by the various stalactites, stalagmites and columns. Under the shower of different lights, all formations are varied and bizarre.

    12:00 - 13:00: Enjoy a typical Guilin lunch at a local restaurant at your own expense.

    13:20 - 14:00: Your last sight in Guilin will be Elephant Trunk Hill. From the name, you can guess what you will be looking at. As the city symbol, Elephant Trunk Hill is the typical representation to Guilin mountains and water. Entering the sight, you will see stone carvings of elephants. As you keep moving a hill looking like an elephant trunk will be revealed. From the hill, you can admire all the rivers and views right in front of you including small Love Island and Standing Tower as well as drifting rafts waiting for guests and sea eagle’s poised to catch fish.

    14:30: By now, your Guilin tour draws to an end. Your driver will take you to Guilin airport for the flight (CZ3251, 16:25 - 18:50) to Shanghai.

    18:50:Met by your Shanghai driver in the Shanghai PVG airport, you will be transferred to your Shanghai hotel for a good rest.



    Reed Flute Cave    Elephant Trunk Hill


Day 13 Shanghai Museum, Yuyuan Garden, the Bund

    09:00: Greeted by your tour guide in your hotel lobby, you will set out for the Shanghai Museum. 09:20 - 12:00:Visit the Shanghai Museum. As one of the renowned ancient art museums, the Shanghai Museum has collected about 140,000 cultural relics. There are 10 classes of relics currently displayed. To appreciate the most spectacular relics in such a limited time period, our tour guides will introduce you to some of the historic ones. You will see ceremonial wares like a battle-axe and tripod, daily necessities in ancient life like pottery and porcelain, calligraphy works like the Oracle, and various jade ornaments.

    12:00 - 13:00 : Lunch for your own arrangement under the recommendations of our tour guide.

    13:00 - 14:30: After lunch, you will visit the Yuyuan Garden. Dating back 400 years ago, Yuyuan Garden was a private garden. It was built in the style of most of the classic Jiangnan gardens. You will see Yu Linglong - a unique stone listed as one of the 3 famous stones in Jiangnan. The other two refer to Guan Yunfeng in the Liu Garden of Suzhou and Zhou Yunfeng in the Zhusu Garden of Hangzhou. Our guide will also brief you about the local cuisines you may come across.

    14:50 - 15:20: Our guide will take you to “climb” the Shanghai World Financial Center. With the height of 492m, Shanghai World Financial Center is ranked as the 3rd tallest building in the world. You will view the whole city standing on the tower.

    15:40-16:40: Walk on the Bund. Located on the west bank of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, the Bund was originally a pathway for boatmen and hard laborers; while nowadays, the Bund has become the most characteristic view and the most recognized symbol of the city with its rich cultural connotations of hundreds of years. For the Europeans, it was like the Wall Street in the east, where prosperous trading took place and massive fortunes were made and lost. Other famous Shanghai landmarks like the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and the Jinmao tower stand proudly across the river from the Bund creating a stark contrast between the old and the new Shanghai, and a must see on your tour.

    17:00: Your tour comes to an end and you will be transferred back to your hotel.


    the Bund    Yuyuan Garden

Day 14 Departure from Shanghai

    Hotel-airport transfer & see you off. Have a nice journey home! Your driver will pick you up 3 hours before your flight and transfer you to the airport.

Additional Information

What’s included:

Air-conditioned vehicles with experienced driver.
Licensed Chinese- English bilingual speaking tour guide.
Entrance fee for sites mentioned, including cable car up and toboggan down the Great Wall.
Bottled water.
Economy class air tickets listed above.

What’s not included:

Meals
Personal expenses or private entertainment items at sights.

Tips or gratuities for guide and driver if we did a good job (recommended)

Accommodation


What to take:  smile and a relaxed enthusiastic attitude.

Good to know:

1. Please follow your tour guide very closely. The road names in Zhangjiajie change very frequently, only locals can discern. You can’t even trust your e-map.
2. Coming to Zhangjiajie, your primary goal is to appreciate the cloudy mountains. Please check the weather conditions in advance.
3. Book your hotel in advance. It’s better to book 4-5 star hotels, where service quality is guaranteed.
4. When you order meals in Zhangjiajie, do not order dishes with no specific price. Do not order so-called rare animal meat.
5. Be cautious about the girls who describe themselves as from the Tu Nationality. They may get too enthusiastic and take you for pictures and force you to pay.
6. When you take taxi cabs on your own, be cautious about the taxis providing the service for only 10 RMB! That’s fraud.
7. As our customer, your time is very valuable to us. We will never take you to any factories or shops for shopping.
8. For lunch, we will take you to a nice local restaurant, where you can enjoy the local food at a fair price. Please inform us about your food preferences in case you have any allergies.
9. A regular day tour will last 8-9 hours. If you want a tour with a duration exceeding the working period of our tour guide and driver, we need to charge you for your extra hours at the standard rate of 100 RMB per hour.
10. The tour we provide you is based on days, not the hours. A regular day tour will last 8-9 hours. In case you only need our service for between 6 hours to 8 hours in one day, we will consider it a day tour.
11. Please be aware that your itinerary can be changed at anytime. Whenever you want to adjust it, we will help you with that.
12. What we provide are high-quality private tours, you will only be with your families or friends. There are no other people joining your tour.
13. Wheelchairs are available, please advise prior to your trip in case you need any.
14. Please advise in advance in case you want to enjoy the Acrobatic show or Kungfu Show.
15. Please advise prior to your trip if you want to do some activities such as painting, calligraphy, exercising Tai Chi, watching opera, paper cutting, etc.

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