Treasures of China 17 days

�@   �@	Highlights	�@
	BEIJING • KUNMING • LIJIANG • LHASA (TIBET) • CHENGDU •  GUANXIAN • WOLONG (RESERVE FOR THE GIANT PANDAS) •  SHANGHAI

Day 01 (Fri) US / BEIJING Take an international flight from the US to Beijing, China. Meals and snacks will be served on the plane. Movies will also be available during the flight. Day 02 (Sat) BEIJING Upon arrival in Beijing, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Beijing by our tour guide. The rest of the night will be free for your leisure. Day 03 (Sun) BEIJING (AB, L, SD) Today you will tour the delicately crafted Temple of Heaven, where the emperors used to pray for good harvest. After lunch, you will tour the Hutong (Chinese alleyways) by riding aboard a rickshaw pedicab through the narrow lanes of the old residential quarters. You will have the opportunity to take a glimpse of the local residents' daily life. Attend a welcome Peking Duck Dinner Party in the evening. Day 04 (Mon) BEIJING (AB, L, D) The highlight today is a trip to the astonishing Great Wall of China, the only man-made structure on Earth that can be observed from the moon. After lunch, you will visit the Ming Tombs, burial sites for 13 of the Ming emperors. Day 05 (Tues) BEIJING (AB, L, D) The excursion today includes a visit to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the largest and most intact conglomeration of ancient structures of the imperial palace. This was the palace for 24 Ming and Qing Dynasty emperors who ruled China for over 500 years. Lunch is followed by a visit to the Summer Palace, the famous resort of Empress Dowager Ci Xi. Feast your eyes on the Long Corridor, Longevity Hill, and Kunming Lake. You may also have the opportunity to see pandas at the zoo in Beijing. In the evening you will attend an acrobatic show. Day 06 (Wed) BEIING / KUNMING (AB, L, D) Today you will take a flight to Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province, often referred to as the "city of eternal spring" due to its temperate climate. Kunming is especially well known for its numerous minority populations and stunning cultural diversity. Enjoy a minorities singing and dancing show in the evening. Day 07 (Thurs) KUNMING (AB, L, D) Today's excursion takes you to the geological wonders of the Stone Forest, the woods like karst formation of 270-million-year-old rocky gray outcroppings. You will also visit a Sani tribal village to experience the lifestyle and unique culture of this minority population. Day 08 (Fri) KUNMING / LIJIANG (AB, L, D) This morning you will take a short flight to Lijiang, seat of the minority Naxi people. The most fascinating attraction is the Old Town of Lijiang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with earthen-walled houses, stone bridges and cobbled streets crisscrossed by rivulets and gushing canals. Tonight you will attend a concert of traditional Naxi music played by the local senior performers of more than 65 years old. Day 09 (Sat) LIJIANG (AB, L, D) The highlights today will include the Yufeng Monastery, known for its 14th century religious frescoes and the ancient (over 500-year-old) "Riot of Camellias" tree. The tour will also take you to the Dongba Cultural Institute and the Black Dragon Pond Park. Day 10 (Sun) LIJIANG / KUNMING / CHENGDU (AB, L, D) After breakfast, you will take a morning flight to Kunming for connecting flight to Chengdu. Enjoy the authentic Sichuan cuisine for your dinner. Stay overnight in Chengdu. Day 11 (Mon) CHENGDU / LHASA (AB, L, D) Today you will fly to Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet. It is often referred to as the "City of Sunshine" with more than 3000 hours of sunshine annually. The rest of the day will be free for your leisure and adapting yourself to the high elevation. Day 12 (Tues) LHASA (AB, L, D) The tour today will cover the Potala Palace, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will also visit Johkang Lamasery and stroll along the bustling Barkhor Street in Lhasa filled with various local handicrafts. Day 13 (Wed) LHASA (AB, L, D) You will visit Norbulinka, the summer palace for Dalai Lama followed by the Tibet Museum. You may also call upon a Tibetan family to take a glimpse of the local residents' daily life. Day 14 (Thurs) LHASA / CHENGDU / GUANXIAN (AB, L, D) This morning you will depart Lhasa for Chengdu. Upon your arrival in Chengdu, you will be met and taken to Guanxian by bus, where you will visit a famous irrigation system-Dujiang Dam which was built 2000 years ago. Overnight in Guanxian. Day 15 (Fri) GUANXIAN / WOLONG / CHENGDU / SHANGHAI (AB, L, D) This morning you will head for Wolong-the natural reserve for the giant pandas where you may have the opportunity to hug and take photos with the lovely giant pandas. Take a bus ride back to Chengdu for a late flight to Shanghai. Shanghai, China's largest city (home to 14 million people), is also China's principal port on a deep estuary of the Yangtze River. Often regarded as "the Paris of the East," Shanghai has retained the flavor of its past European influences. Day 16 (Sat) SHANGHAI (AB, L, SD) Today's excursion takes you to Yu Garden, the Bund, the bustling Nanjing Road, and the well-known Shanghai Museum of Art and History, which ranks among the great museums of the world. Attend a farewell dinner party in the evening. Day 17 (Sun) SHANGHAI / US (AB) After breakfast you will take a departure transfer to the airport for the flight back home.

Roundtrip international air transportation All domestic air and ground transportation 15 nights hotel accommodations at five-star deluxe hotels or the best available hotels Escorted tours and sightseeing with admission and English speaking tour guides in each city 43 Meals: 15 breakfasts, 14 lunches, 14 dinners including Peking duck dinner, Shanghai cuisine dinner, and farewell dinner party Cultural entertainment: Acrobatic show in Beijing, singing and dancing by the minority people in Kunming, concert of traditional Naxi music in Lijiang