9 Days Private China Tour of Shanghai, Xian and Beijing

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Shanghai Arrival

   Welcome to Shanghai! Upon your arrival at Shanghai Airport, your driver will greet you at the exit of arrival hall by holding a name sign and transfer you to your downtown hotel. Before getting off the plane, please double check your belongings to ensure you have collet all your staff. The rest of the day is for your own arrangement. If you need any suggestions on your free time, we will be very happy to help you.

   Accommodation: Shanghai local 3* hotel

2. Day 2: Shanghai
   Shanghai Museum, Yuyuan Garden, French Concession, Nanjing Road, the Bund (B + L)

   AM: Your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel in the morning and transfer you to Shanghai Museum. The museum houses millions of collections and especially features bronze wares, porcelain works, paintings and calligraphy works. Then you will move on to Yuyuan Garden. It is a famous classical garden which was originally built by the owner as a place for his parents to enjoy a tranquil and happy time in their old age.

   Noon: Lunch in a local restaurant.

   PM: After lunch, you will visit former French Concession, a perfect place to learn the history of Shanghai from 1849 to 1943. Then wander around Nanjing Road to see traditional department stores and optionally try some authentic Shanghai snacks. The last stop is the Bund. You will admire buildings of various styles, enjoy the beautiful Huangpu River, and listen to your guide explaining its history. After a leisure walk at the Bund, the guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

   Accommodation: Shanghai local 3* hotel

   

3. Day 3: Shanghai - Xian by Flight
   Xintiandi, Buddha Temple, Zhujiajiao Water Town (B+L)

   AM: After breakfast, meet your guide and driver at your hotel lobby and check out as you will take flight to Xian directly after today’s tour. Please pack your belongings in advance.

   The first stop is Xintiandi, a walking street converted based on the old Shikumen building district, where you can find nice bars, cafes and square. Next visit Jade Buddha Temple. This more than 100-year-old temple was built to keep two jade Buddha statues brought back from Burma by a monk named Huigen.

   Noon: Lunch in a local restaurant.

   

   PM: After lunch, drive to the ancient Zhujiajiao Water Town. You will stroll along the old-time town while listening to the guide’s introduction about its history. The town could be dated back to even 1,700 years ago, as early as the time of Three Kingdoms. In the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the village grew into a town and got the name “Zhujiacun Village”. The appearance of the town we see today was left from the Ming Dynasty. Nowadays the ancient town is best known for its bridges, old streets, and gardens built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The highlight things to see here are: Fangsheng Bridge, Baoguo Temple, Town God’s Temple, and Zhuxi Garden. Capture snapshots of charming alleyways and ancient stone houses. You can also take the optional boat cruise here if you are interested.

   After the tour ends, we will transfer you to the airport for your flight to Xian. Upon your arrival in Xian, your driver will greet you at the exit of arrival hall by holding a board with your name and transfer you to Xian downtown hotel for a good rest.

   Accommodation: Xian local 3* hotel

   

4. Day 4: Xian
   Terracotta Army, Big Wild Goose Pagoda (B+L)

   AM: Your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel lobby in the morning and head to today’s highlight, Terracotta Army. Known as the Eighth Wonder of the World, the Terracotta Warriors slept under the ground for 2,200 years before the accidental discovery by local farmers who were digging wells. The life-size terracotta warriors differ from one another in clothing, hairstyle, posture and facial expression. Since its opening to public in 1979, it attracts millions of people from all over the world each year and has become one of the things that represent China throughout the world.

   Noon: Lunch in a local restaurant.

   PM: After a Chinese style lunch, we will drive back to Xian downtown to visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. It was built to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and travelers Xuanzang in the Tang Dynasty. At the end of the tour, your guide and driver will take you to your hotel.

   Accommodation: Xian local 3* hotel

   

5. Day 5: Xian - Beijing by Overnight Train
   Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Ancient City Wall, Shuyuanmen Street, Great Mosque, Muslim Street (B+L)

   AM: Meet your guide and driver at your hotel lobby after breakfast. Today’s first stop is Small Wild Goose Pagoda, the twin of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Both the two pagodas are important witnesses for the history of Great Tang Dynasty. Same as the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Small Wild Goose Pagoda was also built to store the Buddhist scriptures brought from Ancient India by the master monk Xuanzang. Different from the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Small Wild Goose Pagoda attracts visitors with its special charms of keeping quiet and peaceful in the bustling downtown area and has precious value on architecture and Chinese garden aesthetics. Then you will move on to the Ancient City Wall, a military defensive system in old times. You can optionally ride a bike on the top of City Wall and enjoy the amazing view of the entire area inside the City Wall.

   Noon: Lunch in a local restaurant.

   

   PM: After lunch, visit Shuyuanmen Street, an ancient culture street, renovated based on the Ming and Qing architecture and now lined by stores selling the four treasures of study (writing brush, ink stick, ink slab and paper). Then have a walk on Bell Tower & Drum Tower Square, a landmark building in Xian.

   Visit Great Mosque, a main Islam place for religious activities in Xian. Different from the mosques in Arabic, the mosque here in Xian possesses much Chinese traditional style in both its design and artistic outlook. The last stop is the famous Muslim Street, which is a paradise for food lovers where you will find all kinds of delicious local snacks such as Biang Biang Noodle, Roujiamo (Chinese Hamburger), and Yangrou Paomo (Mutton and Bread Pieces in Soup).

   After the tour ends, we will transfer you to the train station for your overnight train to Beijing (Z20/ 19:21- 06:58). You will spend the night on the train.

   Accommodation: Overnight Train

   

6. Day 6: Beijing
   Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace (L)

   AM: When your train arrives in Beijing in the morning, your guide will wait for you at the exit of the train station by holding a name sign. After you meet the guide and driver, you can have a breakfast (on your own cost) before the exploration. You will begin the tour with Tiananmen Square, the heart and symbol of Beijing and the largest city square in the world. The spacious square has been used for many public celebrations, ceremonies, and demonstrations for over a hundred years. Next you will pay a visit to Forbidden City, one of the largest and most completely preserved palace complex built of wood. It functioned as the imperial palace in the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1912). 24 emperors of the two dynasties once lived here.

   Noon: Lunch in a local restaurant.

   PM: After lunch, we will go to Temple of Heaven. Located at southern part of Beijing, it served as a complex of sacrificial building where emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties prayed for peace and harvest. Today’s last scenic site will be Summer Palace. It is located at the west skirt of Beijing and covers an area of 290 hectares. During the Qianlong Era of the Qing Dynasty, the Summer Palace was built by imitating the layout of the West Lake in Hangzhou. Now it is the largest and most completely preserved imperial garden in China. After the whole day tour, the guide and driver will transfer you to your downtown hotel.

   Accommodation: Beijing local 3* hotel

   

7. Day 7: Beijing
   Ming Tomb，Mutianyu Great Wall (B+L)

   AM: After breakfast, your guide and driver will greet you at your hotel lobby. First we will drive to visit the Ming Tomb and see the underground palace of Dingling (one of the 13 Ming Dynasty Imperial Mausoleums). Dingling is the tomb of Emperor Shenzong, Zhuyijun, who reigned the nation for 48 years as the longest-serving monarch among all Ming emperors.

   Noon: Lunch in a lcoal restaurant.

   PM: After a Chinese-style lunch, we will drive to Mutianyu Great Wall for about 1 hour. It would be a good chance to see the urban and suburban scenery of Chinese capital. Mutianyu Great Wall is the most scenic part of Chinese Great Wall. It was built in the early Ming Dynasty at 1368 and stretches for 5400 meters. 90 percent of the Mutianyu is covered by vegetation. So in each season this part of the Great Wall will treat visitors with its unique scenery. If hiking is too much for you, cable car is available and optional. After all the activities, you will be transferred back to your downtown hotel.

   Accommodation: Beijing local 3* hotel

   

8. Day 8: Beijing
   Free Day (B)

   Free and easy on your own. No tour arrangement for today.
   Accommodation: Beijing local 3* hotel

9. Day 9: Beijing Departure

   It’s time to say goodbye today. Your driver will pick you up at your hotel lobby and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight (usually 4 hours in advance for international flights and 3 hours for domestic flights). Our 9 days China private tour will end here. Wish you a pleasant journey!