Fly to Beijing from hometown. Cross the International Date Line.

 Arrive in Beijing, the capital city of China. Your tour guide will greet you at the airport arrival hall and then transfer you to your hotel for a good night’s rest. A welcome dinner will be arranged for you in the evening (if your flight lands before 5 pm local time).

 Your China tour starts today from Beijing which has served as the capital of five dynasties over a period of 800 years. Start your city tour with a visit to the Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world. Next stop is the Forbidden City. This complex is the largest and most intact conglomeration of ancient imperial palace ever built in the world. In the afternoon, continue to the Temple of Heaven, which was used by emperors to offer sacrifices to heaven and pray for good harvest in ancient times. In the evening, enjoy a fabulous Peking Roast Duck dinner. After that, return to your hotel or you have the option to join the Chinese martial art show- “The Legend of Kung-fu” at your own expense.

 The highlight today is a tour of the astonishing Great Wall (at Juyong Pass). As the most famous image of China, it is the only manmade object visible from the moon and one of the Eight Wonders of the World. After lunch, see skilled artisans at work at a Cloisonné Factory. Later, visit the Changling Exhibition Hall of the Ming Tombs, where 13 out of 16 Ming Dynasty emperors were buried. Return to the city, walk along the Qianmen (Front Gate) Street and then have an up-close view of the beautiful Bird’s Nest and Water Cube, both of which are national stadiums built for the 2008 Olympics. You’ll also have an opportunity to visit one of the largest Jade Centers in Asia today to learn the Chinese jade culture and shop for authentic jade souvenirs. After dinner, cap off the day by enjoying an exciting Chinese Acrobatic Show.

 In the morning, tour the exquisite Summer Palace (Imperial Garden), the largest ancient preserved garden in China followed by a shopping visit to the renowned Chinese Herbal Institute- Tong Ren Tang.  After lunch, you’ll have your afternoon free to explore the city by yourself. You may join our optional Experience the Hutong (Old Alley) Life tour at your own expense or just stroll along the Wang-fu-jing Business Street at leisure.

 After breakfast, fly to Shanghai, the modern metropolis and commercial center of China. Walk along the Bund, a mile-long stretch along the Huangpu River. Lined by the colonial architectures of European design; this area is the best place to capture the western influences of the old days. Continue the day by visiting the Ming Dynasty Yuyuan Garden which is considered to be one of the four greatest Chinese gardens. Our final stop will be the bustling shopping district, Nanjing Road. After dinner, you may join an optional tour, the Night Cruise on the Huangpu River at your own expense.

 In the morning, travel to Nanjing by coach. Literally means “South Capital”, Nanjing served as the capital of six dynasties in China’s history and is diffused with cultural relics, museums and nice scenery. Your city tour includes Dr. Sun Yat-Sen’s Mausoleum, the Ancient City Wall, the Presidential Palace and Confucius's Temple Night Market. Enjoy local cuisine for dinner.

 In the morning, travel to Wuxi by coach. Wuxi is a unique water village and a pearl situated in the center of China’s Yangtze Delta. Tour the Three Kingdom City movie base, a place to learn the historical period that was one of the bloodiest in Chinese history but also has been greatly romanticized in the cultures of China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. Proceed to the Lingshan Buddhist Scenic Spot. The Grand Buddha there is one of the largest Buddha statues in China and also in the world while the Fan Palace is an amazing showcase of Chinese Buddhist arts of engraving, painting, mural and architecture. Visit the Freshwater Pearls Farm before you taste the classic Lake Tai cuisine for dinner. 

 This morning, a short trip by coach to Suzhou. On the way, have a tour to the Tongli Town, a quiet and beautiful ancient water town with more than 1000 years of history. Suzhou has been praised as the “Paradise on Earth” since ancient times. Also known as “Venice of the East”, it was built around Grand Canal featuring world class gardens and silk products. Take a cruise on the Grand Canal to view the life along China's golden waterway in its heyday. Tour the Liu Garden, one of the best four Chinese gardens and an UNESCO world heritage, then visit a Silk Spinning Mill where you will learn how silk is created from the mulberry-munching silkworms to produce thread and finest cloth. 

 Travel to Hangzhou by coach in the morning. Hangzhou is a city described by Marco Polo as “the most beautiful and magnificent city in the world”. Have a relaxing cruise tour on the magnificent West Lake; tour the Six Harmony Pagodas and then visit the Former Residence of Xueyan Hu, the richest Chinese businessman in late Qing Dynasty. Taste the well-known Dragon Well Tea before enjoying the special West Lake-flavor dinner.

 After breakfast, travel back to Shanghai by coach and visit the Shanghai Museum. Spend ample time there to see the ancient Chinese art, furniture and jade. This afternoon will be at your leisure. You may take this time to do some last-minute souvenir and gift shopping or further explore the city on your own. 

 Your China journey is over all too soon as you get transferred to the airport and fly back home. You’ll arrive home on the same day as you leave China.