Beijing

Beijing

Beijing

Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)

Huangshan, Beihai Hotel

Huangshan

Guilin

Guilin

Guilin

Guilin

Guangxi

Yangshuo

New York/Beijing 

Beijing

We will be met by our local guide at the Beijing International Airport. Hotel check in. After a brief rest, you’ll exchange money at the front desk and follow our guide to take the subway to downtown Beijing to have your first real experience of China. You will be surprised to find how modern Beijing really is.  Beijing, the political and administrative center of the People’s Republic of China, governs more than 3.5 million square miles of territory and no less than twenty percent of the world’s population. It is one of the largest and fastest growing municipalities in modern China, home to some 13 million people.  Beijing is also called: “The capital of bicycles.”  Beijing's tourism industry has been brought up to Western standards almost overnight, with shopping malls and international hotels, all connected by an intricate freeway and subway system criss-crossing the city. (D)   

Beijing

We will get up early today to begin our official tour of Beijing. First is the imposing Forbidden City, a 250-acres of secluded and guarded home to the Emperors of China. From outside you can not imagine how immense this royal palace really is until you walk through it. It is the largest and most complete ancient imperial palace in the world, with more than 800 buildings and 9,999 and a half rooms. In front of the Forbidden City is Tiananmen Square, which at 98 acres is the largest public square in the world and site of many history-making events. A visit to the 15th century Temple of Heaven shows you where the Emperors made offerings for the harvest. And now it is a popular place for local people to play chess, practice tai chi or listen to the Peking Opera. Later we will visit a cloisonné factory to see local craftspeople at work.  Tonight enjoy a special world famous acrobatic show. (B,L,D)

Day Four

Beijing/Simatai Great Wall

Early morning bus ride to Simatai today (12km up and down), Simatai Located at the boundary between Gubeikou Town, 130 km away from Beijing, and Luanping County, Hebei Province, the 19-kilometre-long wall of Simatai began its construction in 1368. Architecturally, the wall is delicately structured and unique in design. The 35 watchtowers there are original structured and varied in form. The Tower for Viewing the Capital at an elevation of 986 meters above sea level, is constructed on sheer precipices. This part of the great wall is characterized as astonish, unusual and vicious.  Drive back to Beijing in the evening and treat yourself with a foot massage (very relaxed, you may even fall asleep!).  Then check in our hotel. (B,L,D)

Day Five

Beijing/Huangshan

Today's visit will be the famous Summer Palace, the largest park in Beijing, with a huge lake dug by hand in 1888. It was a favorite haunt of the Dowager Empress Cixi. A boat made entirely of marble is evidence of how she squandered China's treasury at the end of the 19th Century. In the afternoon we will have a walking tour of the Hutong area-an old working class Chinese settlement within Beijing.  Here, workers live in a typical Chinese house with carved doors; the neighborhood is laced with canals crossed by small bridges.  We will take a late afternoon flight to Tunxi, Huangshan City in southen part of Anhui Provice along the Yangtzi River. Check in at Huangshan International Hotel, a four-star hotel situated in the city proper of Tunxi. It faces Henjiang River, just 4km from the airport.  Tunxi has been one of the most important towns in the region since ancient times. It lies in the upper reaches of the Xinan River - the vital communications link between the provinces of Anhui, Jiangxi and Zhejiang. The Ancient Tunxi Street, (an early commercial row selling souvenirs and  local products for hundreds of years),  is so antique and quaint that it has been referred to as "The Town of the Song Dynasty" and has been used for shooting films of ancient Chinese stories. After settling into our hotel we will take an evening walk to the historic Old Street to see its old style buildings, souvenir rows and antique furniture. (B,L,)

 Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)

We will get up early today (optional) to visit a local farmers' market and to a local park to watch  people do Tai Chi exercise. After breakfast, we'll drive to Huangshan ("Huang means yellow and shan means mountain), which is about 75 km northwest of Tunxi. In 1990 the Huangshan region was listed by UNESCO as a world culture and natural heritage area. It has many famous peaks over 1800 meters above sea level. There are over 400 scenic spots making Huangshan one of the most spectacular areas of China. The unique scenery of jagged peaks and twisted pines is often depicted in traditional Chinese paintings. Rocks, mist, trees, temples and water make this an unforgettable place. Within an area of 154 square kilometers, there is a crown of peaks, seventy-two of which have names indicating the shapes they resemble. Lotus Flower, Bright Top and Celestial Capital are the three major ones, all rising above 1,800 meters.  Today we will hike about 3 hours to get to the summit and check in at the best located, Beihai Hotel, right on the top of the mountain.  Spend rest of the day enjoying the many natural beauties of Huang Shan. (B,L,D,)
Total hiking 6 hours

Huangshan  

Hangzhou/Guilin

Yangshuo

After the breakfast our bus will take you to Zhuijiang dock where you will start your Li River Cruise. The total journey is about 83 kilometers and will take about 4 hours. From the crystal clear Li River you can enjoy the charm of the passing landscape - the lush green mountains, farmlands, sleepy villages and of course the picturesque karst formations unique to the area.  Enjoy lunch on board before arriving at the charming little town of Yangshuo, a backpacker's "paradise". Bike through the old road via Aishan. We will pass by picturesque villages, tucked among subtropical plants and stretched in between rice paddies. The ride one way covers 13 kilometers on well paved road, and should take up about one hour. For those with more energy, you may climb 819 steps to get to the top of the Moon Hill to a get a bird’s-eye-view of the surrounding hills.  Stay at Yangshuo Li River Hotel tonight with Western breakfast. (Tel: 0773-8827698 Fax 8827439) (B,L,D)

Bike 2 ½ hours

We bicycle along a riverbank to the fishing village of Xing Ping, 27 kilometers. This will be our highlight of the biking. Numerous hills are everywhere; strange pinnacles thrust up right next to you; hospitable rustic farmers will invite you take a rest in their home; nosy water buffaloes will stop working and take a strange look at you; school children might ask you to play Ping-Pong with them. You will immediately fall in love with this area and do not want to go back. Return to Yangshou by bike and transfer back to Guilin.  Guilin Brava Hotel (Tel:0773-2823950, Fax:2824067) (B,L,D)  Biking 3 hours

Day Eleven                                                                                                                      Guilin

Half an hour ride to a Yao Mountain and hike to the top of the mountain and have a bird's eye view of Guilin City.  Take a cable car down the mountain and visit Reed Flute Cave to learn how the limestone was formed. This evening enjoy a colorful minority dance show.  Relax in your 4 star hotel or take the last change to have another foot massage. Guilin Brava Hotel (Tel:0773-2823950, Fax: 2824067) (B,L,D)

Hiking 1 ½ hours

Your wonderful China experience comes to an end today. Morning flight to Beijing and then flight to US.  Arrive home the same day.  (B)

Itinerary subject to change

Trip cost:                   4-6 people:  $2899 per person, double occupancy;

                                7-9 people:  $2699 per person

                                10 and above:  $2499 per person

                                single supplement: $520

Hiking description:        daily 5-10 miles; moderate pace

Biking description:        daily 15–25 miles, in flat, rolling and mountainous areas, easy,