China Discovery Tour and Shaolin-Monastery

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Depart on your schedule flight to Beijing, overnight as you cross the International Date Line.

On arrival in Beijing, you will be met by your tour manager and tour guide and transferred to your hotel.

Today you will take in the sights of China’s bustling capital city Beijing, formerly known as Peking. Your tour starts with a walk around Tian’anmen Square, the world’s largest public square, from there you will go through the Gate of Heavenly Peace, where one of the few sights in the world, which truly takes your breath away awaits you - the magnificent Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which houses the Imperial Palace - China’s largest and best-preserved set of ancient buildings. Construction of these buildings began in 1406, took 14 years to complete and is an extravagance of Ming and Qing dynasties. After lunch, visit the beautiful Temple of Heaven, a World Heritage site. First built during the Ming Dynasty in 1420, the temple was a sacred place for the ancient Chinese who believed it was a place to convey their wishes to heaven. Situated in a 267-hectare circular park, along with the impressive Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, also first built in 1420, this circular structure is made entirely of wood, without the use of a single nail or cement and is supported by 28 wooden pillars, which symbolize 28 constellations in the sky.

The highlight of today’s tour is no doubt a visit to the amazing Great Wall, a true wonder of the world meandering its way 15,000 kilometres across Northern China. Its beauty and spectacular scale are staggering. Dating back to the 7th century BC, this wall was originally built to ward off enemies. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. After lunch, visit the vast imperial playground of the Summer Palace where the regal court would escape to during the hot summer months. Now a wonderful public park, a perfect place to escape Beijing’s hustle and bustle with its expansive green spaces and ornate structures. Take a cruise on the placid waters of Lake Kunming (weather permitting), the centerpiece of the park.

After breakfast, you’ll have some leisure time at the Hutongs of Beijing and you could visit the traditional courtyard residences of China by riding bikes. Free time at the afternoon, you could do some shopping at Wangfujing or Xiushui Street. After Dinner, take overnight train to Xi’an, the ‘City of Eternal Peace’ which was China’s capital city for six dynasties.

You’ll be met by your local tour guide at the railway station and taken to the hotel. Today it is most famous for its UNESCO World Heritage site, the amazing Terracotta Army, accidentally discovered by farmers in 1974 and form The Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. Over 6000 life-size warriors and horses protected his tomb, which are lined up in battle order and rank. Then take the high-speed train to Luoyang. After arrival, you’ll be met by your local guide and taken to visit the Longmen Grottoes, which are one of the finest examples of Chinese Buddhist art. Housing tens of thousands of statues of Buddha and his disciples.

This morning you will visit White Horse Temple first. Then drive to Zhengzhou, visiting the famous Kongfu Monastery and Shaolin Temple en-route. Shaolin has become famous all over the world for its Kong-Fu fighting techniques. During your visit, you will see Kong-Fu demonstrated by the monks of the temple.

After breakfast, drive to Chenjiagou（Birthplace of Taiji Boxing）. You will visit the Memorial of Taiji Boxing, Shrine and Tomb of Family Chen.

Today you will visit the Henan Museum. It has a collection of more than 130,000 pieces of cultural relics through the ages. After lunch, you’ll be transferred to the railway station and take the high-speed train to Shanghai.

Shanghai, the most populated city in China. The vibrant buzz of this city combines China’s ancient history and culture with modern day architecture.
This morning, you will visit the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, which gives Shanghai its magnificent, unusual and truly breathtaking skyline. Then visit the Yu Garden in Shanghai’s Old City, which typifies the traditional Chinese sense of architectural beauty. You will stroll down The Bund taking in the colorful views and the colonial buildings erected by the Europeans during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

A full day excursion to Tongli and Suzhou, you will be driven to Tongli. It is known for a system of canals and famous for three bridges: Taiping Bridge, Jili Bridge and Changqing Bridge. Tongli is 40 minutes away from Suzhou city known as the ‘Venice of the East’, famous for its beautiful landscaped gardens and narrow canals. On arrival in Suzhou, you will visit the Lingering Garden, which is considered one of the most beautiful gardens in China. Finally, you will visit a local silk factory, for which Suzhou is famous for.

Transfer to Shanghai airport and fly back to your country.