Tour Itinerary
Day 1: London – Shanghai
Fly overnight from London Heathrow to Shanghai with Virgin Atlantic.
Day 2: Shanghai
Welcome to Shanghai – China’s bustling and modern metropolis, a place with a deeply evocative past and where tree-lined streets rub shoulders with sci-fi cityscapes. You will be transferred to the Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai Puxi for the next 2 nights. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore China’s most vibrant city.
Day 3: Shanghai
A full-day private city tour of Shanghai, including Yu Garden, an oasis of peace in the heart of the dynamic city, and the wonderful 19th-century Jade Buddha Temple that depicts the historical Buddha – a rare cultural relic and a porcelain artwork. (B/L)
Day 4: Shanghai – Beijing
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Shanghai airport for your flight to Beijing, China’s capital and the regimented seat of the communist power and filled with historical narrative. On arrival, transfer to the Holiday Inn Downtown for the next 3 nights. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore this cultural city. (B)
Day 5: Great Wall of China
A full-day tour to the awe-inspiring Great Wall of China and the Tombs of the Ming Emperors. Visit the Great Wall of China at Badeling, built to hold back the Mongolian hordes, where you can enjoy a memorable walk along a section of one of mankind’s most incredible creations which covers an astonishing 6,500km. (B/L)
Day 6: Summer Palace – Forbidden City
Enjoy a full-day tour to the stunning Summer Palace, the seasonal retreat of the Qing Emperors, followed by the mystical Forbidden City, once off limits to all but the Ming and Qing dynasty Emperors, plus the immense Tiananmen Square – symbolic political centre of the country. (B/L)
Day 7: Beijing – Xi’an
Morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Xi’an – formerly Chang’an, a thriving city of emperors, courtesans, poets and an epicentre for early Chinese civilisation, where you will feel potency of this city’s history just by wandering the streets. On arrival, transfer to the Jian Guo Hotel for the next 2 nights. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore this ancient city. (B)
Day 8: Terracotta Warriors
Enjoy a full-day tour to see the magnificent Terracotta Warriors, which were discovered in 1974 by a group of farmers who were digging a well. It is estimated that in the 3 pits containing the Terracotta Army there were over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses. Also visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Banpo Neolithic Museum. (B/L)
Day 9: Xi’an – Shanghai
Transfer to Xi’an airport for your flight to Shanghai. On arrival, transfer to the Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai Puxi for 1 night. (B)
Day 10: Shanghai – London
After an early breakfast, you will be transferred to Shanghai airport for your flight back to London Heathrow with Virgin Atlantic, arriving this evening. (B)
This is essential China. Beijing, China’s capital, and Shanghai are probably the most dynamic cities in the world. Enjoy the modern metropolis of Shanghai, followed by historic Beijing and Xi’an. Beijing is home to some of the most stunning architectural wonders in the world. The Imperial residences never fail to awe with their grandeur and scale, whilst the Great Wall humbles with its sheer scale. Xi’an is the site of one of the world’s most important archeological treasures: the army of 2,200-year-old famous Terracotta Warriors with life-size soldiers, chariots and horses buried to protect the tomb of the first Qin emperor.
You may wish to extend your stay with our 4-night extension from Shanghai to beautiful Suzhou, Wuzhen and Hangzhou. Your tour extension will commence on day 10 of the ‘A Taste of China’ itinerary and will include 4 whole days of sightseeing in and around these stunning cities.
Why not extend your tour from Shanghai with a short tour to Chengdu to visit the famous Panda Breeding Centre? The tour includes flights to Chengdu from Shanghai, 2-nights accommodation at the Minshan Hotel in Chengdu, a full-day sightseeing around Chengdu and a morning visit to the Panda Breeding Centre.
l Shanghai l Beijing l Great Wall of China l Ming Tombs l Summer Palace l Forbidden City l Xi'an l Terracotta Warriors l Wild Goose Pagoda