14 Days China Ancient Imperial Cities Tour
During this tour, we will visit three major ancient capital cities, Beijing, Xian and Luoyang. Also we will explore the ancient cities of Datong and Pingyao. At last, experience the old and modern culture of Shanghai.
Highlights:
- Experience the old and modern culture of Beijing, Xian and Shanghai.
- Enjoy the quiet atmosphere in Pingyao Ancient City.
- Marveled at the Hanging Temple, Nine-Dragon Screen and Yungang Gottoes in Datong.
- Appreciate the authentic Shaolin Kung Fu and explore Luoyang culture.
Brief Itinerary
- Day 1: Beijing Arrival
- Day 2: Beijing
- Day 3: Beijing
- Day 4: Beijing – Datong
- Day 5: Datong
- Day 6: Datong – Pingyao
- Day 7: Pingyao
- Day 8: Pingyao – Xian
- Day 9: Xian
- Day 10: Xian – Luoyang
- Day 11: Luoyang
- Day 12: Luoyang – Shanghai
- Day 13: Shanghai
- Day 14: Shanghai Departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Beijing Arrival
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals:
Upon arrival, met by tour guide and transferred to your hotel for a rest. The rest of the day is free for you to explore this city.
Day 2 Beijing
Sightseeing and Activities: Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
We will start the tour form the center of the city – Tiananmen Square. Go north through the square and you will reach the Forbidden City. As the largest and best-preserved ancient wooden structure in the world, it has more than 8,000 pavilions and thousands of historic treasures. Then enjoy the lunch.
The last stop is Summer Palace , which used to be the summer resort for royal families and emperors.
Day 3 Beijing
Sightseeing and Activities: Mutianyu Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Bird’s Nest, Water Cube
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, head to visit Mutianyu Great Wall. Great Wall is one of the greatest architecture projects in human history. Then visit Ming Tomb(Changling), where the 3rd emperor of Ming Dynasty Zhu Di and his queen were buried.
See the appearance of Bird’s Nest and Water Cube on the way back to your hotel.
Day 4 Beijing – Datong
Sightseeing and Activities: Temple of Heaven, Hutong
Accommodation: Datong
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, we will head to visit Temple of Heaven – the royal altar of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Then move on to visit Beijing hutong alleys, narrow but original.
After lunch, transferred to Beijing Railway Station and take the soft-sleeper train to Datong City. A local tour guide will pick you up at train station and transfer to your hotel.
Day 5 Datong
Sightseeing and Activities: Hanging Temple, Nine-Dragon Screen, Yungang Caves
Accommodation: Datong
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast at hotel, drive about 70km to visit Hanging Temple. Built more than 1,500 years ago, this temple is notable for its location on a sheer precipice and the only existing temple with the combination of three Chinese traditional religions: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.
After the visit, drive back to Datong city and visit Nine-Dragon Screen and Yungang Caves. Nine Dragon Wall is the oldest and largest glazed-tile Nine Dragon wall still extant in China. And Yungang Grottoes are excellent examples of rock-cut architecture and one of the three most famous ancient Buddhist sculptural sites of China.
Day 6 Datong – Pingyao
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Pingyao
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, take the train to Pingyao. The rest of the day is free at leisure.
Day 7 Pingyao
Sightseeing and Activities: Shuanglin Temple, Wang Family Compound
Accommodation: Pingyao
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast at hotel, start today’s tour with Shuanglin Temple, a large Buddhist temple, is notable for its collection of more than 2,000 decorated clay statues that are dated to the 12th-19th centuries. Then continue the tour to Wang Family Compound. Wang Family Compound is a luxurious residence built during 1762-1811 by the descendants of the Wang Family, one of the Four Families of the Qing Dynasty in Shanxi Province.
Day 8 Pingyao – Xian
Sightseeing and Activities: Ming and Qing Street, Rishengchang Shop, Ancient Government Office, Ancient City Wall, Ancient Security Guard Company
Accommodation: overnight train
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, head to visit one of the earliest exchange shops in China founded during the Qing Dynasty – Rishengchang Exchange Shop, to experience the scene that appeared one hundred years ago. The exchange shop is now a museum.
Then head to the ancient city wall to get a bird view of this town and stroll along the ancient Ming and Qing Street, which was the busiest centre of business at that time.
Afterwards continue the tour to Ancient Government Office and Ancient Security Guard Company.
Then take the overnight train to Xian.
Day 9 Xian
Sightseeing and Activities: Shaanxi History Museum, Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Accommodation: Xian
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Upon your arrival, a local tour guide will pick you up and transfer you to your hotel for a short rest. Then start today’s tour with Shaanxi Provincial History Museum, one of the first huge state museums with modern facilities in China and one of the largest with the large storage of cultural relics from the Shang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty.
The next stop is Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a Buddhist pagoda built in 652 during the Tang dynasty with original five stories.
Day 10 Xian – Luoyang
Sightseeing and Activities: Terracotta Warriors, White Horse Temple, Luoyang Museum of Ancient Tombs
Accommodation: Luoyang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today visit the world famous Terracotta Warriors. The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.
After lunch, take high speed train to Luoyang. Picked up by tour guide and start today’s tour after luggage settlement. First we will visit the White Horse Temple, the first Buddhist temple in China and renowned as the cradle of Chinese Buddhism. It was established in 68 AD under the patronage of Emperor Ming in the capital Luoyang of Eastern Han dynasty.
Then move on to Luoyang Museum of Ancient Tombs, a museum presenting Chinese ancient tombs.
Day 11 Luoyang
Sightseeing and Activities: Shaolin Temple, Pagoda Forest, Kungfu show
Accommodation: Luoyang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Morning, drive about 1.5 hours to Shaolin Temple, which is about 80km away from Luoyang. With a history of more than 1500 years, it is reputed as the Head Temple of all Zen Buddhist temples in China. And in the year of 2010, it was listed as the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.
Then move on to Pagoda Forest to see hundreds of stone pagodas and graveyard for the monks through the ages.
Shaolin Kung Fu performance is another highlight of this tour, which is performed by the professional performance team from Shaolin Tagou Wushu School.
After the tour, drive back to Luoyang.
Day 12 Luoyang – Shanghai
Sightseeing and Activities: Shanghai Acrobatic show, Xintiandi Bar Street
Accommodation: Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, take the flight to Shanghai and picked up by the local tour guide. The rest of the day is free at leisure. Shanghai Acrobatic show and Xintiandi Bar Street are highly recommended for you to experience the nightlife of Shanghai.
Day 13 Shanghai
Sightseeing and Activities: Yuyuan Garden, Yuyuan Market, City God Temple, Nanjing Road, The Bund, Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Municipal History Museum
Accommodation: Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, we will first visit Yuyuan Garden and Yuyuan Market. Yu Yuan Garden(or Yun Garden) is a famous classical garden located in Anren Jie, Shanghai. It abuts the Yuyuan Market. Then we will stop at City God Temple, which is a famous Taosim temple in Shanghai area, and the must-see attraction when traveling in Shanghai.
Afterwards visit the bund and Nanjing Road. Located along the Huangpu River, the bund is a famous waterfront and regarded as the symbol of Shanghai. Nanjing Road is the first choice for many fashion-seeking shoppers.
Next stop is Oriental Pearl TV Tower. The ultra-modern Oriental Pearl TV Tower combines ancient concepts with 21st Century technology, where you can get a bird-eye-view of whole Shanghai city.
At last we will visit Shanghai Municipal History Museum at the pedestal of the tower.
Day 14 Shanghai Departure
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation:
Meals: Breakfast
Explore this city at leisure until being escorted to Shanghai airport for your flight to next destination. Service ends.
Recommended Hotels and Price List
| Destinations | Luxury Hotel | Comfortable Hotel | Economy Hotel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing | Jin Nian Hotel | Sunworld Hotel | |
| Datong | |||
| Pingyao | |||
| Xi’an | Grand Park Hotel | Bell Tower Hotel | Feilu Business Hotel |
| Luoyang | |||
| Shanghai | Howard Johnson Caida Plaza | Golden River View Hotel | Charms Hotel |
| Group Size | Tour Prices | ||
| 2 Travelers | |||
| 3-5 Travelers | |||
| 6-9 Travelers | |||
| Above 10 | |||
| Single Supplement | |||
| Remark |
|
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| Earlier Booking, Bigger Savings 10% off – book 60 days before, 5% off – book 30 days before |
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Service Included:
- Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
- Meals as listed in the itinerary;
- Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
- Private English-speaking tour guide;
- Private vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with skilled driver;
- Service charge & government taxes;
- Luggage transfers between airports and hotels;
- Domestic train tickets of soft sleeper.
Service Excluded:
- Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
- Chinese visa fees;
- Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
- Single room supplement;
- Tips to guides and drivers;
- Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
- Personal travel accident insurance;
- All optional programs.
