Discover China's Historical Sites

Meet your tour guide at the airport and he will transfer you to your hotel by private vehicle. Your tour guide will help you with hotel check-in.

Shanghai

Today’s action-packed tour covers all of the highlights of Shanghai. Firstly, set off on a walking tour in Yu Garden, an ancient private garden abundant in history and culture. Each corner of the garden looks like a traditional Chinese painting. Step outside of Yu Garden, you will see Yuyuan Bazaar, where you can find clothing, snacks, souvenirs, jewelry, gold.

Go to Pudong District and rise to the 259-meter-high glass view terrace of Oriental Pearl TV Tower, where you can see a panoramic view of Shanghai. It is recommended that you challenge your courage by looking down and snapping photos through the transparent glass floor. Try some authentic Shanghai cuisine for lunch at a local restaurant.

Yu Garden

Nearly 1 million ancient relics from most parts of China have been collected in Shanghai Museum. The bronze vessels, chinaware, masterpieces of Chinese calligraphy and paintings are the top treasures in this museum.

After that, you will go to The Bund which was the former British Concession. Over 52 buildings in foreign styles are standing upright, as The Bund is considered to be the symbol of the modern history of Shanghai.

The Bund

Recommended activity:

1. A live acrobatic show by Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe, or another one called ‘ERA, Intersection of Time’.

2. Night cruise along Huangpu River to see the beautiful city lights on both sides.

Bid Shanghai a fond farewell after breakfast and fly to Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan Province. You will be transferred to Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng after your plane lands at the airport in Zhengzhou.

You must have heard of Shaolin Temple or even seen a Kungfu film about Shaolin Temple before. Today, you will tour the place where Chinese Kungfu originated. A Kungfu show and a vegetarian lunch in the temple are the best introduction to the life of the monks. Besides, Pagoda Forests teach you the spirit of Shaolin Temple and Chinese Kungfu. We drive you to Luoyang for an overnight stay.

Shaolin Temple

Initially chiseled in 493, Longmen Grottoes have experienced over 7 dynasties in the history of China. Nowadays, there are around 97,000 sculptures of Buddha embedded in the 1-kilometer long grotto area. You can also learn about the ancient music, religion, costumes, paintings, calligraphy and medicine from the relics in the grottoes. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

Longmen Grottoes

And then continue your exploration of Buddhism in the White Horse Temple, which has an even longer history than the Longmen Grottoes. India, Burma and Thailand respectively built their Buddhist halls in the temple. After today’s tour, you will spend nearly two hours on your speed train to Xi’an, another historical city in China. On arrival at Xi'an north station, you will meet your tour guide waiting at the exit and be accompanied to your hotel.

Unearthed in 1974, the Terracotta Army is a must-see attraction for every first-time visitor to China. Over 7000 terracotta soldiers, 100 chariots and 100 war horses are on display in the three exhibition pits in the Terracotta Army Museum. It enjoys a reputation for being the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. After that, you can take a look at a Cave dwelling which is an ancient form of habitation on the loess plateau in northwest China. Try Xi'an pasta for lunch.

Terracotta Army

Your next destination, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. It is the same architecture style with the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, but much quieter with less tourists. It is a typical work of the square Miyan style brick pagoda in early China and is Buddhist architectural art heritage of the Tang Dynasty. You can learn how Buddhism was introduced into the Central Plains and integrated into the Han culture. And then you will have a chance to watch a Shadow Puppets Show, which is a kind of folk drama. It tells stories in silhouettes of characters made of animal skins or cardboard. Finally you will take a stroll in the Muslim Quarter, where you can find over 300 types of Islamic snacks and 500 types of local handcrafts. We will be grateful if you respect the Islamic customs in the area.

Small Wild Goose Pagoda in Autumn Day

Recommended activity:

1. The music fountain at the north square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda is free to the public. You can stroll around it after dinner to experience local life.

2. Tang-Dynasty Palace Music and Dances is a performance that was re-created by many famous artists in Shaanxi province, displaying the essence of music, rhythm, and dance art in the Tang Dynasty.

After breakfast, you will take a 2.5-hour speed train ride from Xi’an to Pingyao, where over 4000 buildings constructed in the Ming or Qing Dynasties are well preserved. On arrival, your guide will pick you up from the railway station and take you to have lunch before starting the tour.

Pingyao Ancient Town is the most renowned area for ancient buildings in Pingyao City. You will visit the most popular houses. The former site of Rishengchang, located on the West Avenue in the ancient town, was the first draft bank in China. The draft bank did business with companies in Europe and America. It controlled the economy of the Qing Dynasty in the 19th century. Tongxinggong Escort Agency was like a security agency that escorted cash or valuable goods safely to certain destinations. The Ancient Government Office was the place for pretty much every judicial affair in the 3rd-5th centuries AD and was also where the county magistrate lived. Shuanglin Temple is another must-visit site in Pingyao. Over 2000 colorful statues are collected in the temple, while most ancient statues in other cities of China are colorless. Finally you can climb up to Pingyao City Walls to view the whole Pingyao Ancient Town.

Pingyao Ancient Town

After breakfast, board a speed train, you will spend a whole morning getting to Beijing.

On arrival at Beijing west station, you will meet your tour guide and be transferred to a local restaurant for lunch. After lunch, you will spend the rest of time visiting the Summer Palace. There are over 3,000 pavilions, towers, houses or halls in the Summer Palace, which covers an area of over 3 square kilometers. The Kunming Lake and Long Corridor are worthy of a look. There are over 14,000 paintings on the beams of the Long Corridor. All the paintings are about the tidbits in Chinese classical novels. Your guide will send you to your hotel and help you with check-in.

The Summer Palace

Recommended activity:

1. The Legend of Kungfu premiered in 2004. In contrast to the traditional Kungfu show, it demonstrates Kungfu through dramatic stories. The group also tours abroad and has a good reputation.

2. Acrobatics at Chaoyang Theatre was founded in 1984. Their performances have won more than 30 awards at home and abroad. "Blue And White Porcelain" (balancing a stack of bowls on the head), which is one of them, was on the stage of the Spring Festival Gala in 2015.

3. Peking Opera is one of five major operas in China and the quintessence of Chinese culture with a history of nearly 200 years. It was entertainment only for the court in the beginning and then slowly opened to common people as well.

The Temple of Heaven was built in the Ming Dynasty to pray for a good harvest every year. There are still apparatuses for the sacrifice ceremony in the park. However, the park mainly plays the role of a place for morning exercise nowadays. Tai Chi is the oldest way to keep fit for Chinese people. Thousands of locals play Tai Chi there. You are welcome to play along with them to be like a local. And then we will drive you to Mutianyu Great Wall and have lunch on the way at a farm.

The Temple of Heaven

You can hike on Mutianyu Great Wall which has more watchtowers than the others due to the massive significance of the area. Besides, the abundant vegetation cover grants Mutianyu a clearer air quality and it is more beautiful than the others as well. You will be back to hotel at around 17:30.

Mutianyu Great Wall

The Forbidden City, inhabited by 24 emperors through the Ming and Qing Dynasties, has been one of the most popular places of interest since China opened its door to the world in 1978. It is a good idea to follow the emperors’ footsteps and visit the palaces and halls like royalty. Tiananmen Square is a part of the Forbidden City tour. The Monument of People’s Heroes on the square reminds all Chinese people of fighting against invasions in the past. Try typical Chinese cuisine for lunch at a local restaurant.

The Forbidden City

After lunch, you will linger in a Hutong, the symbol of old Beijing. You will learn some interesting facts about the Hutong from your tour guide during your time inside this area. You may smell the bouquet of Chinese wine as there is a Chinese Wine Museum in it. Over 5,038 kinds of Chinese wine are stored in the museum.

It is time to say goodbye. Your guide will accompany you to the Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) and assist you to get your boarding pass. Feel free to contact us if you want to visit any other fantastic parts of China next time. Have a good trip!