• Departure from home country. Overnight onboard

DAY 02 
ARRIVE IN BEIJING

• On arrival into Beijing Capital Airport be met by tour guide outside the baggage claim area. On the way to your hotel, your guide will point out the highlights and history of Beijing. Spend the rest of the day exploring this incredible city. Overnight in Beijing
• Meals included: None

DAY 03  
BEIJING

• Before heading to the Mutianyu Great Wall, sample the famous local food market Sanyuanli where you can stock up on fruit and snacks for your today’s trip. Continue to explore the Mutianyu Great Wall, a less frequented part of China’s 1,400-year-old iconic landmark located approximately 70 kilometres from Beijing. Take a pleasant and comfortable round-trip cable car transfer over the picturesque scenery, then walk the wall to take in the Ming dynasty guard towers and sensational views. On return to the city in the afternoon, exploration continues with a visit to the Confucius Temple and Imperial College Museum. Stroll through Wudaoying Hutong and experience local life as you wander through quaint shops, enjoy a coffee, and gain an insider’s view of a real Beijing community. Overnight in Beijing
• Meals included: Breakfast.

DAY 04  
BEIJING

• After breakfast today explore Beijing with your guide who will collect you from your hotel. Visit the world’s largest city square, Tiananmen Square. Make your way across the road to the magnificent Forbidden City, a culturally historic landmark in China, which was the former residence of Chinese royalty for five centuries. After the Forbidden City tour, exploration continues with a visit to the Summer Palace. Appreciate the beautiful gardens and imagine the lifestyle of royalty who enjoyed this summer resort during imperial times. A stopover at Beijing’s stadium and pool – the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube – built for the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics – provides a modern contrast to China’s ancient history. Return to the hotel. Overnight in Beijing
• Meals included: Breakfast

Note: Your tour guide may adjust your itinerary due to closure of the Forbidden City each Monday.

DAY 05
BEIJING – XIAN

• Start today with a visit to the remarkable Temple of Heaven, where emperors from the Ming and Qing Dynasties performed ceremonies and rituals to pray for good harvests and blessings for the country. Transfer to the Beijing West railway station and be checked in by your guide to travel by high speed rail train to Xian. Approximately a five hour trip, travelling at 300 kilometres per hour, you can relax and absorb the diverse landscape along the way. On arrival at the Xian North Station, your local tour guide will meet and escort you to your Hotel. Overnight in Xian
• Meals included: Breakfast

DAY 06 
EXPLORE XIAN

• Today’s tour highlight is the world-renowned Terracotta Army. Recognized as the largest underground military base in the world, take in this extraordinary archaeological discovery, which houses thousands of unique life-sized figures. Return to the city and explore Xian’s ancient City Wall, currently the largest and best-preserved wall of its type in China. Enclosing China’s former capital city and almost 14 kilometres long, enjoy your free time by exploring on foot or bicycle. For a change of pace, take in the quiet of Xian’s Great Mosque, located in the middle of the city’s old block. Built mid seventh century, the Great Mosque is the oldest and largest Islamic mosque in China. Mix with locals and find food of every flavour in Muslim Street, which is bustling with authentic eateries and souvenirs. Today’s final destination before returning to your hotel is Xian’s famous Bell Tower and Drum Tower Square. Overnight in Xian.
• Meals included: Breakfast

DAY 07 
XIAN – SHANGHAI

• After breakfast and check out from your hotel, the tour guide will take you to the Xian Museum where you’ll discover over 370,000 relics of Chinese history. Take in the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, one of two iconic Buddhist pagodas in Xian. You may have a chance to enter the top of the pagoda and look out over Xian’s 1,400 years of history, then take a contemplative walk through the temple and gardens. Following on from the morning’s activities, you’ll be driven to the to Xian airport and coordinate your flight check in to Shanghai. On arrival in Shanghai your local guide will meet you and transfer to your hotel, providing a brief introduction to Shanghai on the way. Overnight in Shanghai.
• Meals included: Breakfast

DAY 08
SHANGHAI

• Commence your tour of Shanghai with a visit to the Shanghai History Museum, a massive museum housing over 140,000 artefacts, presenting the full history and culture of this cosmopolitan city. Enjoy a walk along The Bund, iconic and prestigious, one of the most well-preserved examples of old Shanghai glamour. Walk Nanjing Road, the busiest shopping precinct in China. Change tempo and visit Yuyuan Garden, where you can marvel at the stunning gardens; then stroll around the nearby Chenghuangmiao bazaars. Make the most of your afternoon by wandering the quieter streets of Dongping Road or Sinan Road in the Former French Concession, where you will find the essence of classic Shanghai. Overnight in Shanghai
Meals included: Breakfast

DAY 09  
DEPART SHANGHAI

• After breakfast, Transfer to the airport for departure back home.