CULTURAL & SCENIC CHINA

BEIJING ● PINGYAO ● XIAN ● HANGZHOU ● HUANGSHAN ● SHANGHAI

TOUR OVERVIEW

DURATION, PRICE, TOUR TYPE & DEPARTURES

9 nights from UK £ 2,115 / US $ 2,970 per person*

*Price based on 2 people travelling. These prices are based on 2021 rates and are here to give guidance. Final quotes vary by date, exchange rates and are subject to availability.

PRIVATE TOUR - NOT A GROUP TOUR - CAN BE TAILORED 

SEASON - YEAR ROUND STARTING ANY DAY

TOUR CODE : TS-C-WE-06

MAP & DESTINATIONS

THE STOPS VISITED ON THIS TOUR

?? BEIJING

This trip starts on departure from China's stunning capital of Beijing. 

?? PINGYAO - 1 night

Wonderfully preserved Ming Dynasty walled city full of old world atmosphere.

?? XIAN - 2 nights

China’s Tang Dynasty Capital & home to the extraordinary Terra Cotta Army.

?? HANGZHOU - 2 nights

Chinese cultural centre set around the temples and gardens of West Lake.

?? HUANGSHAN - 2 nights

One of the most dramatic of china’s sacred mountains offering superb walks.

?? SHANGHAI - 2 nights

China's bustling financial capital is full of energy and a glimpse into the future.

Note: This tour is designed to be booked in conjunction with our Trans-Siberian tours which already include accommodation, tours and transfers in Beijing. If booking this tour on its own we can add in the full Beijing section to this trip.

TSCWE06 map

OUR EXCLUSIVE TRIP GUIDEBOOK

This trip includes our exclusive 200+ page guidebook personalised to your trip with sections about the trains, destinations, timetables and emergency contacts and allowing you to be fully prepared for your trip of a lifetime - an invaluable resource!

DAY BY DAY ITINERARY

DAILY DESCRIPTIONS OF ACTIVITIES, MEALS & OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATION

DAY 1 - BEIJING TO PINGYAO

BULLET TRAIN ON TO THE MING DYNASTY WALLED CITY OF PINGYAO

After breakfast a transfer on to the station to catch a bullet train. Reaching speeds of over 300 km/hour the overall trip is on a par with flying with the added bonuses of views from the window and being able to stretch your legs. Arrival in Pingyao, an intact Ming Dynasty city and once a centre of banking in China with the only complete city wall of that era left in China.

Transfer to your hotel with the rest of today is free to start exploring this ancient and easily navigated city with the help of your trip Guidebook. Alternatively, this characterful traditional style courtyard hotel is an ideal place to relax.

MEALS: None Today.

OVERNIGHT: Hongshanyi Hotel  ★ ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 2 - PINGYAO TO XIAN

WALKING TOUR OF THE OLD CITY INCLUDING MERCHANTS HOUSES & THE CITY WALLS & TRAIN TO XIAN

Today you have a private walking tour of Pingyao’s old city within the walls. Visit a selection of the merchant and banking houses which have been converted into museums. You also have the opportunity to see the Confucius Temple and spend time walking up on the city’s most impressive structure, the Ming Dynasty Walls which completely enclose the old city.

After the the tour a transfer to the station to catch a bullet train on to your next destination. Arrival in Xian, the once golden city of Emperors, soldiers, arts, culture and the capital of the prosperous Tang Dynasty. Your guide and driver will meet and transfer you to your hotel.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

OVERNIGHT: Atour Hotel  ★ ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 3 - XIAN

THE TERRA COTTA ARMY, BIG WILD GOOSE PAGODA, CITY WALLS & MUSLIM QUARTER

Today visit one of China’s most extraordinary sights, the Terra Cotta Army built by China’s first Emperor Qin Shi Huang in 246 BC. Several thousand of the life-sized soldiers are on display and, with no two soldiers looking alike, make for a truly impressive spectacle.

We also visit a relic of the Tang Dynasty, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, home to some of the most famous Buddhist scriptures in China. It is possible to climb the pagoda - you will need to buy a ticket locally if you wish to do this - for views over Xian. Continue to the 14 km Ming Dynasty City Walls which are up to 18 meters thick at the base and 12 meters in height. It is possible to hire bicycles and ride some sections of the wall - local rental payment required.

Finish the day with a wander through Xian’s vibrant Muslim quarter, including a visit to the Great Mosque, unusually built entirely in the Chinese architectural style. This area is an excellent place to souvenir shop.

After the tour a transfer to the airport for a flight on to Chengdu, capital of mountainous and spicy Sichuan province and the place to come and see Giant Pandas. Your guide and driver will meet and transfer you to your hotel.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast & Restaurant Lunch.

OVERNIGHT: Atour Hotel  ★ ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 4 - HANGZHOU

THE SUPERB UNDERGROUND HANYANGLING MAUSOLEUM & FLIGHT TO HANGZHOU

On the way to the airport this morning we visit the unique Hanyangling Mausoleum, the burial place of the Emperor Jing of Han who ruled from 188 BC to 141 BC. The Mausoleum is China’s first underground museum where you can actually walk over the burial pits along glass paths. Less crowded and more intimate than the Terra Cotta Army, the experience allows you to get up closer to the ancient artefacts which are well presented.

Continue onto the airport for your flight to Hangzhou, a city famed throughout China for its culture and the beauty of its West Lake, praised and written about for centuries. Your guide and driver will meet and transfer you to your hotel with free time for the rest of the day.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

OVERNIGHT: Jinxi Hotel  ★ ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 5 - HANGZHOU

BOAT RIDE ON THE WEST LAKE, LINGYIN TEMPLE, SIX HARMONIES PAGODA & A TEA PLANTATION

Hangzhou is famed throughout the country for its beautiful West Lake, one of China’s most important cultural centers for the last 1,000 years and represents the Chinese ideal of man in perfect harmony with nature. The many temples and gardens surrounding the West lake are designed to personify this relationship and this style has been exported to Japan and Korea. Today’s tour includes a boat ride on the lake itself as well as visit the Lingyin Temple, Six Harmonies Pagoda and a visit to a nearby tea plantation.

Return to your hotel with the rest of the evening free.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast & Restaurant Lunch.

OVERNIGHT: Jinxi Hotel  ★ ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

DAY 6 - HUANGSHAN

PRIVATE CAR TO MOUNT HUANGSHAN WITH AN EXHILARATING CABLE CAR RIDE TO YOUR HOTEL

Transfer by private car the approximately 3 hour journey to Mount Huangshan’s cable car station that takes you to the Northern Summit area and your hotel. The cable car fee and Huangshan entrance fee is included and a guide will meet you on arrival at the cable car station to accompany you to your hotel.

Please note that there is about a 30 minute walk from the top of the cable car to the hotel along good paths. You will be able to leave any unneeded luggage at a hotel before taking the cable car.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

OVERNIGHT: Behai Hotel  ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 7 - HUANGSHAN

THE FAMOUS SUNRISE ON THE MOUNTAIN & A FREE DAY TO EXPLORE ITS MANY PATHS

Make sure you are up very early this morning to see the sunrise Huangshan is famous for. One of the best view points is only a few hundred meters away. Much of the year it can be very cold at dawn but you should find down jackets in your hotel room’s wardrobe. If the weather Gods’ are on your side the sunrise is spectacular and the “cloud sea” often plays a part in this with a layer of cloud well below your view point. Return to the hotel for breakfast before a free day exploring the multitude of well signed and maintained paths that stretch out across the mountains.There is no set itinerary to follow but the time you have is long enough to see the highlights.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

OVERNIGHT: Behai Hotel  ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

DAY 8 - SHANGHAI

A SECOND CHANCE TO SEE THE SUNRISE ON HUANGSHAN BEFORE DESCENT & A BULLET TRAIN TO SHANGHAI

Another chance to see the sunrise (and these can be very different from day to day so resist the temptation to stay in bed!) before breakfast.

A transfer guide will meet you at the hotel from where you take the cable car down the mountain and collect any stored luggage. Continue on to the bullet train station for the afternoon service to Shanghai, China’s exciting and futuristic financial capital and living testament to China's phenomenal growth.

Evening arrival in Shanghai with a transfer to your hotel to overnight or perhaps head out to sample Shanghai’s vibrant nightlife.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

OVERNIGHT: SSAW Boutique Bund  ★ ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 9 - SHANGHAI

YUYUAN GARDENS, OLD SHANGHAI, ANTIQUE MARKET, THE BUND, SKYSCRAPER & ACROBATS

Today you will have a full day private tour of some of Shanghai’s highlights starting with the classical Yuyuan Garden that dates back to 1577. Surrounding the garden is Old Shanghai, an area that has been a vibrant commercial centre for over a century. Here we visit Fuyou Road antique market, one of the best places for souvenir hunting and a fascinating experience even if not shopping. The tour continues with a walk down the Bund along which the Huangpu River runs and where some of Asia’s finest colonial architecture is located. From here we cross the River by ferry to Shanghai’s ultra modern Pudong Financial district for a bird’s eye view of the city from the top of one of the stunning skyscrapers.

There is no better way to round off this Shanghai experience than with a visit to the world famous Chinese Acrobats for a show filled with colour and excitement.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast & Restaurant Lunch.

OVERNIGHT: SSAW Boutique Bund  ★ ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

DAY 10 - end of tour

TAKE THE ULTRA FAST MAGLEV TO THE AIRPORT FOR YOUR FLIGHT OUT OF CHINA

Free time until a transfer to the Maglev station for the world’s fastest train to Pudong Airport to catch your flight out of China. Your transfer guide will buy a standard class Maglev ticket for you and make sure you get on the train which takes just 8 minutes to cover the 30km to the airport reaching a top speed of 430 km / hour (300 km / hour before 9am).

We sincerely hope that you have had a fantastic China experience with us full of all the memories which make this country such a fascinating destination that continues to inspire us!

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

Thank you so very much. We had the best time!
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AMY WEGERHOFF

"Your company really did an amazing job on this trip."
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ENGELA POTGIETER

"Nothing short of outstanding & the fulfilment of a lifetimes dream."
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ALF SAVILLE

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INCLUSIONS & EXCLUSIONS

FOR FULL DETAILS ASK UP FOR DOWNLOAD THE TRIP DOSSIER

Train tickets.
All accommodation as specified above.
All private transfers and transport as described.
All meals as specified in the itinerary.
All tours as specified including entrance fees.
24 hour emergency assistance
Visa Paperwork you need in order to obtain the visas.
Financial Peace of Mind as your trip is protected.
Our exclusive 200+ page trip guidebook.
International Airfare to / from the start / finish of your trip – we can book these flights on request.
The Chinese visa – we can advise and partner with VisaCentral.
Travel insurance to cover any medical treatment – we canadvise on options.
Discretionary gratuities to drivers and guides.

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