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12 days from $3,499 per person
Your 12 day small group escorted tour with no more than 16 guests features carefully selected 5-star hotels, 21 meals, in-depth small group sightseeing, luggage handling, all on-tour transportation and 4 internal flights.
Delve into some of the most fascinating places in the world on this innovative journey, designed to reveal ancient traditions and the vibrancy of modern life. Your days unfold with in-depth sightseeing, special cultural excursions and wonderful meals. Come evening, delight in the warm welcome of our carefully selected 5-star hotels.
Lhasa, Tibet; Beijing, Xian, Chengdu and Shanghai, China
Engaging Discoveries
Enrich your understanding of life and artistry in Tibet as you spend time with a resident family and visit the studio of a renowned thangka painter.
- Participate with Tibetan Buddhists as they perform a kora, circumambulating a sacred site in an ancient rite of pilgrimage and meditiation.
- Encounter a Panda, up-close and personal, as you go behind the scenes with a keeper among these amazing and elusive animals
- “Fly” from the airport to downtown Shanghai in less than 8 minutes, traveling more than 250 miles per hour on the Maglev Train!
- 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Day 1 - Welcome to the Capital!
Check-in to the 5-star, city-center Sofitel Wanda Hotel.
Day 2 - The best of Beijing
Full-day escorted sightseeing includes Tiananmen Square, the courtyards, palaces and pavilions of the Forbidden City , and the Summer Palace .
Meals B,L
Day 3 - Excursion to the Great Wall
Ascend by cable car to walk atop the Great Wall . Stroll the statue-lined Sacred Way to visit the Ming Tombs and see the amazing Olympic venues.
Meals B,L
Day 4 - Over the ‘Roof of the World’ to Lhasa
Fly to Lhasa and settle-in to the lovely Sheraton Hotel. Enjoy a free afternoon to acclimate to the altitude and dine this evening at your hotel.
Meals B,D
Day 5 - Exploring Lhasa
Today’s sightseeing includes Jokhang Monastery, Barkhor Market and Norbulinka, summer palace of the Dalai Lamas. Then join with pilgrims who come from all across Tibet to perform kora here at a sacred mountain site; this ancient rite of walking, prayer and deep meditation is a powerful and unforgettable experience.
Meals B,L
Day 6 - Into Tibetan Culture
Visit the magnificent Potala Palace and spend time with a Tibetan family to gain insight into the rhythms and deep traditions of their daily life. A specially-arranged visit to the Sera Monastery affords rare opportunity to observe Buddhist monks engaged in spirited debate. Then meet a master artist in his studio to learn about thangkas, colorful and finely detailed religious paintings.
Meals B,L
Day 7 - Fly to Chengdu
Fly to the thriving city of Chengdu and settle-in to the 5-star Crowne Plaza Chengdu. This evening, marvel at the seemingly magical “face changing” artistry of the Sichuan Opera.
Meals B,D
Day 8 - Encounter a Panda... Fly to Xian
Your specially arranged visit gives you exclusive, up-close access at the Panda Breeding Research Station. Go behind the scenes with a keeper to feed and learn about the care of these amazing creatures. Later you fly to Xian and transfer to the luxurious Shangri-La Golden Flower Hotel.
Meals B,L
Day 9 - China’s greatest archaeological discovery!
Today’s sightseeing brings you to the Terra Cotta Warriors , discovered 35 years ago by local farmers digging a well. You’ll be awe-struck by the massive terra cotta army, thousands-strong, which was buried 2,000 years ago to guard the tomb of an emperor. Savor dumplings, a regional favorite, and then explore along the ancient walls of the city.
Meals B,L
Day 10 - Onward to Shanghai
Fly to Shanghai and travel into the city center aboard the futuristic, ultra-fast Maglev Train, reaching speeds in excess of 250 miles per hour. Before you know it, you’ll be checking-in to the luxurious Hilton Hotel!
Meals B
Day 11 - Sightseeing in Shanghai
Your full-day sightseeing begins along the Bund, Shanghai’s elegant waterfront boulevard. Explore the bustling lanes of the old city bazaar and tour Yu Yuan Garden, laid out by a Ming Dynasty official for his aging parents. Enjoy a walking tour through the historic French Concession and visit the Shanghai Museum. Gather with your fellow travelers this evening for your specially planned Farewell Dinner.
Meals B,L,D
Day 12 - Farewell to Shanghai!
Your tour program ends this morning after breakfast.
Meals B
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