13-Day China Senior Tour: Beijing Xian Guilin Hangzhou…

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival in Beijing

   Welcome to our 13-day China Senior tour from Beijing! Upon your arrival at Beijing International Airport, your private driver will pick you up and escort you to a hotel in the city center. At the hotel, have a good rest.

   Meal: N/A

   Accommodation: in Beijing

2. Day 2: Beijing City Exploration
   Explore the Historical Treasures of China's Royal Family

   After breakfast, your private guide will wait for you in the hotel lobby and then drive you to visit the Tiananmen Square. The square is 880 meters long and 500 meters wide, with an area of 440,000 square meters, and it is the largest urban square in the world.

   Walk about 800 meters north from there to our highlight today - the Imperial Palace, formerly known as the Forbidden City. It is a royal palace from the Ming and Qing dynasties in China, with nearly 9,000 rooms. As one of the largest and most well-preserved wooden ancient architectural complexes in the world, the Forbidden City was listed as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1987. Your informative guide will tell you the stories that have happened here.

   

   In the afternoon, transfer you to the Summer Palace, which was a royal garden during the Qing Dynasty in China, based on the scenery of West Lake in Hangzhou. It's a good place for the senior to relax. The entire park covers an area of 3 square kilometers, with water surface accounting for about three-quarters, mainly composed of Wanshou Mountain and Kunming Lake. There are more than 20 courtyards, over 3,000 ancient buildings, and 1,600 ancient and famous trees. You can spend a leisurely afternoon here.

   Optional activity: Take a boat tour on Kunming Lake. (at your own expense)

   Last, you will be escorted back to your hotel for rest.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Beijing

3. Day 3: Beijing Great Wall Hike
   Ascend the Great Wall via Cable Car and Have a Cultural Exploration

   The highlight of today is the Mutianyu Great Wall. From your hotel, the car ride takes 1.5 to 2 hours, during which, your guide will tell you the facts about the construction of the Great Wall. Mutianyu has dense enemy buildings and high vegetation coverage, which can not be found in other sections of the Great Wall.

   You will take a cable car up to the Great Wall (specially arranged for the elderly) and learn about its history and importance over the centuries while exploring the wall. Your expert tour guide will point out some of the best locations for you to take unforgettable photos. If you want to hike up to the Great Wall, please tell your travel consultant in advance.

   

   After the exploration on the Great Wall, drive you to Changling Tomb, the joint burial tomb of Emperor Zhu Di and his empress of the Ming Dynasty. It is one of the three largest imperial tombs in terms of architectural scale among the Thirteen Tombs, covering an area of 120,000 square meters. It is a world cultural heritage site, and your guide will share the story of the tomb owners to you.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Beijing

4. Day 4: Beijing to Xian by High-speed Train
   Attend a Tai Chi Class to Relax Your Body

   Today, continue to another world cultural heritage site, the Temple of Heaven, the largest ancient sacrificial architecture complex in China. The guide will mainly take you to visit the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, located in the inner altar. Built in 1420, the hall was a dedicated building for praying for the valley in the first lunar month. Three floors and 38.2 meters high, it is covered with blue glazed tiles and has a golden spire. Here, you can join in a Tai Chi class with the locals, which is very good for the old people.

   

   After lunch, your guide will transfer you to board a high-speed train to Xi'an, the Thirteen Ancient Capitals of China.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Xian

5. Day 5: Xian Terracotta Army Tour
   Make a Replica Small Terracotta Soldier and Visit Local Cave Dwellings

   After breakfast, meet your Xian guide at your hotel and then you will be transported back in time when visiting the Terracotta Warriors and Horses. Known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World", it is a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring life-sized warriors, and many horses and chariots. Your guide will lead you to visit the Pits 1, 2 and 3 of the Terracotta Army and explains the stories behind them to you. After that, you will enjoy making a replica small terracotta soldier. And you can take your “work” home.

   

   After lunch, be guided to discover local cave dwellings, and gain an insight into historical living habits. Then, go back to Xian downtown area to stroll around Muslim Quarter, a paradise for food lovers. Here, you will find many kinds of delicious local snacks such as Biang Biang Noodle, Roujiamo (Chinese Hamburger), and Yangrou Paomo (Mutton and Bread Pieces in Soup).

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Xian

6. Day 6: Xian to Guilin by Flight
   Admire the Ancient Pagoda and Many Cultural Relics

   Today we will go to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, which is a Buddhist building with a long history dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). You will be amazed by its complex carvings. You can leisurely stroll in the surrounding gardens. In the scenic area, you will be led to visit the Xi'an Museum, which will show you more about the history of this ancient city.

   After lunch, you guide will escort you to take a flight to Guilin. Upon arrival, the Guilin local driver will be there to pick you up and transfer you to your well-selected hotel.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Guilin

   

7. Day 7: Guilin to Yangshuo by Cruise
   Enjoy a Relaxing Cruise with the Karst Landscape

   After breakfast, your guide will take you to hop on a 3-star / 4-star cruise ship (depending on you). The Li River is the world's largest and most scenic karst landscape excursion area. Along the 4-hour journey, you will see clear mountains, beautiful water, strange caves, deep pools and flying waterfalls.

   

   Arriving at Yangshuo, go to explore the West Street, located in the center of Yangshuo County. The street, 517 meters long, is famous for its rich exotic atmosphere. It is lined with ancient houses and buildings. The small stores on both sides of the street offer a variety of tourist souvenirs and snacks and are well worth a visit.

   Recommended Activity: you can enjoy the performance of Impression Liu Sanjie, a grand open-air show featuring local folk songs and amazing visual effects (at an additional expense).

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Yangshuo

8. Day 8: Yangshuo Relaxing
   Spend a Leisure Day in Yangshuo: Cooking Class and Countryside Cycling

   Yangshuo is an ancient village with a history of over 1000 years. It features limestone peaks and beautiful Li River water scenery. Today you can enjoy a full day tour in Yangshuo at your own pace. This is very friendly to the elderly. We do not arrange any activities, it is entirely up to you to plan.

   We offer several optional activities. If you are interested, please tell your travel consultant or tour guide in advance. You can choose a leisurely countryside cycling, and you may see local people farming. Or, join a cooking class and make local dishes under the guidance of a professional head chef.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Yangshuo

   

9. Day 9: Guilin to Hangzhou by Flight
   Marvel at the Natural Wonders of Stone Pillars

   After breakfast, you will be escort back to Guilin city and your guide will lead you to Reed Flute Cave, the "Palace of Natural Art". There are a lot of exquisitely carved stalagmites, stalactites, stone pillars, and stone flowers inside the cave, like a magnificent underground palace. Some scenes from the famous Chinese novel "Journey to the West" was filmed here.

   After that, you will take a flight to Hangzhou. The city is known as the "Heaven on Earth" due to its beautiful scenery

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Hangzhou

   

10. Day 10: Hangzhou's Essence
    West Lake Boat Trip and Tea Cultural Immersion

    At around 8 am, your private guide will meet you at your hotel. It would be hardly complete without a visit to the impressive West Lake. As one of the top sought-after scenic spots in China, it has been praised by many Chinese literati. The scenery in all four seasons is beautiful and worth visiting. You will take a walk along its shores and enjoy a boat tour on the lake.

    

    Then, we head to Lingyin Temple. The temple has a history of about 1,700 years and is considered one of the most significant Buddhist temples in China. You will listen to your guide about its history and stories and admire various buildings.

    In the afternoon, transfer you to the first-class protected area of West Lake Longjing Tea, Dragon Well Tea Plantation. The village is the main source of the Chinese Longjing tea. Follow your guide to walk around the village, smell the faint aroma of tea in the air, and try some fine tea. If you come here in spring, you can even join the locals to pick tea leaves.

    Last, if you are interested, the guide will take you to visit a traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy to learn about some basic Chinese medicinal herbs used to treat common illnesses such as colds and fever.

    Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

    Accommodation: in Hangzhou

11. Day 11: Hangzhou to Shanghai by Flight
    Experience Traditional Intangible Cultural Heritage

    This morning is your last time in Hangzhou. You will visit the Hangzhou Workmanship Demonstration Pavilion, which integrates interactive teaching, intangible cultural heritage experience, and folk skills performance. It is the largest handicraft experience base in Zhejiang. There are a total of 20 intangible cultural heritage handicrafts displayed in the museum, and you will learn about traditional Chinese culture and the spirit of craftsmanship.

    After that, say goodbye to Hangzhou and take a high-speed train to Shanghai, an international mega city.

    Meal: Breakfast

    Accommodation: in Shanghai

    

12. Day 12: Shanghai City Sightseeing
    Explore Classical Garden and Historic Sites Such as French Concession

    Begin your Shanghai exploration at the famous Wai Tan, aka the Bund. It is a must-see place for visitors. Here you will admire 52 buildings, which blend various international architectural styles and can be called the "International Architecture Exhibition". Next, take a guided tour of Shanghai Museum. Founded in 1952, the museum has a collection of nearly 1.02 million cultural relics, including over 140,000 precious cultural relics. You will see bronze, ceramics, calligraphy and painting, and so on.

    

    Then, go to visit a classical Chinese garden, Yuyuan Garden. It was originally a private garden in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). You can see many ancient trees, the Ming and Qing Dynasty furniture, celebrities' paintings and calligraphy, clay and brick carvings, plaques and couplets, and other cultural relics and treasures in this garden.

    After that, take a leisurely walk through Bugaoli's historic buildings and then spend a leisure time in Fuxing Park. The park is the only garden in Shanghai that retains the French classical style, and is also a masterpiece of the fusion of Chinese and Western garden cultures in modern Shanghai. The most prominent feature of the park is its symmetrical layout, featuring flowers, trees, pavilions, mountains, and pools. Your tour guide will tell you anecdotes and allusions that happened here.

    Last, go to visit the former French Concession, a perfect place to learn the history of Shanghai from 1849 to 1943.

    Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

    Accommodation: in Shanghai

    

13. Day 13: Departure from Shanghai

    Enjoy your last morning in China at your own pace. Depending on your departure time, your driver will then escort you to the airport or train station. The 13-day China tour for seniors ends here.

    Meal: Breakfast

    Accommodation: N/A