Day 1 Beijing (D)
Pick up and transferred from Beijing international airport to your hotel, the day begins with a short visit to Summer Palace, take a stroll enjoying the classical Chinese garden architecture, the relaxation point of the royal family, enjoy dinner at a Chinese restaurant.
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Day 2 Beijing (B/L/D)
A day tour to see the famous city of Beijing, the first stop is Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world. Walk through the north side of the square through the red Tiananmen Gate into the Forbidden City, the ancient city home of the royal family and their court during China’s Ming and Qing Dynasties. After lunch visit the imposing Temple of Heaven where the Emperor’s came yearly to ask for a good harvest. Enjoy dinner and the a performance by the Peking Opera.
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Day 3 Beijing (B/L)
Visit the Great Wall, take a walk along and see one of the most impressive mad made structures on earth. After lunch travel some 50 km northwest of Beijing to the Sacred Way with its fabulous stone animals. The way leads to the Ming Tombs in the shadow of Longevity Mountain. Take a trip to the Underground Palace of Dingling and see the imperial coffins, burial artefacts and treasures before returning to Beijing.
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Day 4 Beijing-Xian (B/L/D)
Enjoy your morning free at leisure, before taking the afternoon flight to the ancient former capital city of Xian, and visit the City Wall built in the 14th century and one of the most important city walls in China. For dinner enjoy the local speciality of dumplings at a local restaurant.
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Day 5 Xian (B/L/D)
Visit the Terracotta Warriors Museum, thousands of life size soldiers and horses were created to guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi, the first Emperor to unite China under his firm rule. The royal tomb itself has yet to be opened but the rank upon rank of Warriors is a sight that is unrivalled anywhere in the world. After lunch, we will visit the Provincial History Museum which has the richest collection of artefacts in China. For the last visit of the afternoon see Big Wild Goose Pagoda. The square, seven-storey pagoda was built in 652 AD and is a fine example of Tang Dynasty Buddhist architecture.
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Day 6 Xian – Kunming (B/L/D)
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Kunming, after checking into your hotel and a short rest, see the sights of Kunming, including the Gold Horse & Green Cock Archways, the Bamboo Temple with its hundreds of Buddhist saint statues & the Golden Temple, set in beautiful gardens, the Jinri Tower & Guandu Ancient Town.
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Day 7 Kunming- Shilin – Kunming (B/L)
This morning we drive to Shilin, to visit the famous Stone Forest, a 200 million year old formation of Karst limestone peaks, streams and ponds. Lunch is at a local restaurant before returning to Kunming and enjoying the rest of the day strolling the city or shopping.
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Day 8 Kunming - Shangri-la (B/L/D)
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Shangri-la. After lunch visit the famous 300 year old Songzanlin Monastery where the Yellow Hat School of Tibetan Buddhism is practised. Return to town & wander around the old town of Zhongdian. After dinner at a local restaurant, visit the central square of the old town, where the local people gather every evening for music & dancing.
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Day 9 Shangrila (B/L/D)
Drive about 2 hours through the mountain scenery and the upper reaches of the Yangtze River to the mountainside Dong Zhu Lin Monastery, lunch at a local restaurant before driving back to Shangrila, calling on the way to visit a local Tibetan family home.
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Day 10 Shangrila – Lijiang (B/L/D)
Drive to Lijiang on the way visit Tiger Leaping Gorge, believed to be the deepest gorge in the world. Check into your hotel before having a enjoying a tour of the ancient town.
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Day 11 Lijiang – Dali (B/L/D)
On the way to Dali visit Black Dragon Pool Park and a Baisha village which dates back to the Qing dynasty with old Chinese houses that have hardly changed throughout the years. Once in Dali check into your hotel and then start a tour of the old walled city.
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Day 12 Dali – Kunming (B/L/D)
In the morning visit the famous Three Pagodas at Dali. These are among the oldest standing structures in south west China - the tallest pagoda, 16 floors high, was originally erected in the ninth century. After lunch drive to Kunming, on arrival checking in at the hotel.
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Day 13 Kunming – Shanghai (B/L/D)
Take the morning flight to Shanghai, some of its history can be seen at the Shanghai Museum on People’s Square with its fine collection of cultural relics. A trip to the Yuyuan Garden, laid out in the 16th century by a Ming official, this small (2 hectares) garden is a delight of pools, pavilions and rockeries. Strolling through the bazaar surrounding the garden, you will find lines of stores selling traditional Chinese arts and crafts. Visit The Bund, one of the most famous thoroughfares in China the commercial hub of Shanghai, to the thriving Pudong area. Enjoy your last tour dinner with excellent food and great views of the city.
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Day 14 Shanghai - Depart (B)
Transport to the airport for your onward flight
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