Spring Break Trip for College Students

Welcome to Beijing, China. You will be warmly welcomed by your local expert at the airport.It takes about an hours drive to your hotel in downtown Beijing. The rest of the day will be free to relax.

Welcome to China

Your guide will pick you up after breakfast to explore some highlight attractions.

Your trip will start from Tiananmen Square, a must-see iconic place for first-time visitors in Beijing.

Tiananmen Square is a city square in the centre of Beijing

From there, you will head to the Forbidden City by an underground path. In the last 600 years, Forbidden City has witnessed many political changes in the history of China.You will learn many ancient stories and get to understand the long history of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

The Forbidden City was home to 24 Chinese emperors

Lunch will be in a local restaurant that is famous for Peking Roast Duck.

Hutong is the well-preserved old household in central Beijing. You will visit the Shijia Hutong Museum to learn its history, lifestyle, architecture, and culture of Hutong. The old items and courtyards will wrap you in an atmosphere of modern blended with the classic.

Recommended optional activities at night:

1. The Legend of Kungfu: In contrast to the traditional Kungfu show, this one demonstrates Kungfu through dramatic stories. The group also tours abroad and has a good reputation.

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

A great way to spend the morning is a hike along the Great Wall for about 3-4 hours. Jinshanling Section of the Wall is famed for the picturesque surrounding, fewer crowds, and see parts of the original Wall.

You will be amazed by the stunning views as you hike across and reach one of the highest spots on the Great Wall.

Jinshanling Great Wall of China is an iconic and historical symbol of China

After the hike, you will be rewarded with a Chinese lunch at a local farmer's restaurant. Return to your hotel at about 5:30pm, and you are free in the evening.

You will have an opportunity to learn Tai Chi at the Temple of Heaven, just like the locals do every morning. A Tai Chi master will teach you the basic theory, poses, and movements. A great way to start your morning.

The Temple of Heaven was an imperial sacrificial altar in Ming and Qing Dynasty. The Circular Mound Altar, Imperial Heavenly Vault, Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests are the most important buildings. You will learn the ritual of heaven worship as well as the layout of the royal sacrificial altar in ancient China.

The Temple of Heaven was a place for emperors to worship the Heaven in the Ming and Qing

After your visit, you will be transferred to the railway station to catch the high-speed train to Xi’an.

Meet your guide at the exit of Xi'an North Railway Station and you will be transferred to your hotel.

A visit to the Terracotta Army is always on the list for first-time visitors to Xi'an. As a UNESCO World Heritage, the Terracotta Army became one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th Century. You will be amazed by the size and wonder of the army and the stories behind it.

The Terracotta Army was found by a local farmer digging a well in 1974

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then a drive back to downtown Xi'an for the afternoon tour.

Biking along the Ancient City Wall of Xi'an is a fun and interesting way to discover this ancient capital city. It's well preserved and the largest ancient city wall in China. The tour will be about 1.5-2 hours as you cycle along the Wall by bike.

Biking along the Ancient City Wall

The last activity today is to experience making dumplings at a local restaurant. We will prepare the materials beforehand, for you to learn to make your dumplings. Taste and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Afterward, you will return to your hotel and enjoy some free time in the evening.

Recommended optional activity:

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

After breakfast, there is a visit to the GuanZhong Ancient Academy, one of the Top 4 Ancient Academies in China.

It is the best place to learn about the Han culture. You can try on the traditional Han clothing, which is super popular among younger generations in China.

Hanfu or Ancient Chinese clothing

You will enjoy local cuisine for lunch at a restaurant.

Transfer to Xi'an airport and take a flight from Xi'an to Lijiang in Yunnan Province.

Meet your guide at the arrival hall of Lijiang airport. Your hotel is centrally located and there are many restaurants you can find for dinner on your own.

In this small and quiet town, you will be amazed at how different it is from the other cities you've visited. Located in Yunnan Province in the southwest of China, Lijiang is famous for its unique ethnic minority culture, snowy mountains, ancient town, and fine weather.

The first stop today is the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, with an altitude of 5,596 meters (18,359ft). With thirteen perennial snow peaks, it resembles a jade dragon flying in the clouds, hence the name.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

There are 3 routes to visit the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. You will take the Spruce Meadow Cable Car and arrive at Spruce Meadow at an altitude of 3,240 meters (10630 ft). It has one of the best viewing points, and the bonus is, there are not many visitors. The snow mountains, green meadows, blue sky, lakes, and reflections form breathtaking pictures that you will remember for a long time.

We will have lunch and then visit the Wangu Pavilion on the top of Lion Mountain in the Ancient Town of Lijiang. It's the best place to have a panoramic view of this ancient town.

Wangu Pavilion means the pavilion of everlasting clarity

Your guide will show you around the ancient town of Lijiang and the rest of the day will be free time for you to explore on your own. You can taste some of the local snacks, buy some souvenirs, or relax at a bar or cafe. There are many options for you to consider, which would not leave you bored!

Shaxi Ancient Town, about 1.5 hours drive from Lijiang, is peaceful, authentic, and the people are friendly. It was an important town along the Ancient Tea-Horse Road. However, this town seems to have been forgotten due to the decline of the Tea-Horse Road. Therefore, the town has maintained its original appearance.

Seniors sell hand-made products on the local market

Strolling around this ancient town and you will see Sideng Street, Xingjiao Temple, and the Ancient Opera Stage. Compared with the big cities, you will see and learn about the different life styles of the Minority Bai people.

You will have a cooking lesson to learn how to cook the local food of Bai.

Cooking class in Yunnan

After lunch, we are going to learn the Minority Bai people's traditional dancing. No matter if you can dance or not, it is a great experience to learn the local culture.

The traditional dance arts in Yunnan

You will return to your hotel in Lijiang in the late afternoon.

Meet your guide after breakfast and transfer to the Lijiang Train Station. You will take the high-speed train and arrive in Kunming City at lunch time.

Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province, is reputed as "Spring City" for its mild weather.

After lunch, you will visit the West Hill and Dragon Gate, where you can get a bird's view of Dian Lake.

Dian Lake

The grottoes at Dragon Gate is another highlight of this area. Those Taoist grottoes were carved on steep cliffs with exquisite skills, which are the grandest and most excellent works of Taoism in Yunnan Province.

Stay overnight in Kunming.

Stone Forest Scenic Area, 1.5 hours drive from Kunming City, is praised by visitors from both home and abroad.It's known for its significant karst formation landscape.

We will return to Kunming after lunch to the Cuihu Lake (Green Lake). This is a famous birding place to watch the Red-billed Gulls. In winter, thousands of Red-billed Gulls fly in from Siberia.

You will learn a lot about this kind of bird and environmental protection in Kunming.

Green Lake is an urban park in Kunming

The rest of the day will be at your leisure and explore Kunming by yourself.

Recommended activities at night:

Dynamic Yunnan is an original ethnic musical dance performance at the Yunnan Art Theater. It presents the beauty of the many ethnic minorities dance & songs in the province. The Chief Director is Mrs. Yang Liping is known to be the "Goddess of Dance" in China.

Dynamic Yunnan

Today, your spring break holiday in China has come to an end. Your guide and driver will send you to Kunming airport to see you off. We hope that you have enjoyed your visit and we wish you a safe journey home.