18 Days Educational Tour—Beijing / Dunhuang / Zhangye / Lanzhou / Yangtze River Cruise/ Shanghai

Arrive in Beijing and meet your private guide and driver at the airport before driving to your hotel. Perhaps, you can enjoy rest of your day wondering the night markets and streets nearby.

• Hotels: Beijing Double Happiness Courtyard Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Beijing, Fairmont Beijing Hotel

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We’ll start the day with a stroll to Tian’anmen Square. If you wake up early enough, you’ll get to watch daily flag raising here. Your guide will introduce to you those architectures on the square. Across this enormous square, moving on to Forbidden City, located at the very heart of Beijing city. This complex of mesmerising structures is older than you expected. Built in the 1400s, it has witnessed the rise and fall of the last two dynasties in Chinese history. Stopover at Treasure Gallery for some amazing collections of ornamental valuables in the palace. After an authentic dim sum lunch, stroll Jingshan Park where the only hill in city area locates, for a panorama view of the surrounding area and Forbidden City from above. From here, walk the hutong alleys nearby and join a one hour mortise and tenon structure lesson. During this session, we’ll learn the history of mortise and tenon joint in China and try our hand at building simple wood structures that are combined using the technique of mortise and tenon. Rest of the day is yours to rest, perhaps spending the night to watch kung fu show at Red Theatre or Peking Opera performance at Liyuan Theatre.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Hit the road early and drive to Temple of Heaven, where emperors used to perform rites for worshipping the god or for good harvest. Majestic and intricate buildings, special layout and use of these structures are the highlights you are going to explore with your tour guide. See groups of elderly exercising and performing some stunning athleticism here. Then, join a one hour Tai Chi session in Temple of Heaven with a local Tai Chi master. Following your lunch, take a 1.5 hour drive to Mutianyu Great Wall, one of the most well-preserved sections of the Great Wall of China. A section that provides splendid surrounding landscape and majestic view of wall snaking through mountains. You will take chairlift up the wall and zoom down with toboggan. Return to city area, feel free to relax and enjoy dinner on your own.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Enjoy your breakfast leisurely before we join square dancing with a group of locals at nearby park. Then, drive to Gaobeidian Village and visit a local kindergarten here. A wonderful opportunity to interact with children and to know basic education development in the village. Next, visit a family living in the village, to know about the everyday life of Beijinger and try your hand at making Chinese dumplings with the family. Enjoy your lunch with the family. In the afternoon, learn the history of Peking Opera, basic knowledge of different kinds of mask paintings and finally learn to paint your own Chinese opera mask. From here, rest of the time is yours to explore Beijing city and dine on your own.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Set off for one of the largest royal garden in China, Summer Palace. Appreciate its exquisite architectures and cruise the Kunming Lake in the garden for fascinating views. Then, pay visit to China Railway Museum where you can find plenty of Chinese locomotives and railway systems on exhibition. Later, tour Confucius Temple in Beijing, built in 1302 during Mongol-led Yuan dynasty (1271-1368AD), which is even older than Forbidden City. Walk the temple and admire its grand architectures, while learning about its history from your guide. Next to the temple is the Imperial College, also known as Guozijian in Chinese. It was recognised as the highest official institution during Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Later, return to your hotel for a relaxing evening on your own.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Enjoy breakfast at your leisure, before drive to airport to catch your flight to Dunhuang. Arrive at Dunhuang airport and meet your private guide and driver, before driving to your central located hotel. Check in at your hotel and have rest of your day exploring the surrounding on your own. Perhaps you can do some research on Mogao Grottoes murals.

• Meals: Breakfast,
• Hotels: Grand Soluxe Hotel Dunhuang, Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel

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Lying on an oasis at the edge of the Taklimakan desert, Dunhuang not only was one of the trading cities on ancient Silk Road but also an ancient site of Buddhist religious activity and popular destination of pilgrims. There’s a great number of Buddhist grottoes along the route of ancient Silk Road in Gansu. Among all, Mogao grottoes is one of the most significant. Find a collection of Buddhist art in cells and cave sanctuaries located on the sheer dusty desert cliffs, located 16km southeast of city. These cave arts not only reflect the history of religion but also provides a wide range of information, from historical to artistic. Join an expert-lead art session in studying and copying part of Dunhuang murals. Study the paintings closely, interpret the profound connotations of ancient art and understand some basic painting techniques used on the murals. Capture these sophisticated paintings with your brush and perhaps find your artistic inspiration here.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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We’ll ease into the day by visiting Mingsha Mountain located south of Dunhuang city. These massive sand dunes over area of desertscapes is known for the sound of moving sand. In between mountains of sand dunes, find a piece of fertile oasis that is called Crescent Spring. This crescent moon-like water body has for millennia been a refuge for tired Silk Road travellers. Later, we’ll take a camel ride on Mingsha Mountain to admire the desertscapes. Then, drive back to city area. Stopover at Shazhou Ancient City Ruins skirting Dunhuang city. Shazhou Ancient City was once an important stop on the ancient Silk Road. Wander around this ancient site, with only some parts of the city wall left, it’s hard to imagine its former glory through descriptions on the storyboard and through the mouth of your guide. Yet, a place worth the stroll to known about history of ancient Silk Road. Following your lunch, take a 2 hour drive to Liuyuan South Train Station to catch the train to Zhangye. Arrive in Zhangye and settle into your hotel in the heart of Zhangye city.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Zhangye Huachen International hotel, Jinyang International Hotel

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Following your breakfast, take a one hour drive to Seven-colour Danxia Scenic Area. Track the walking plank and observe those spectacular hills with layers of orange, yellow, brown and white coloured sandstone and minerals in this national park. Stunning landscape formed by layers of sandstone and minerals deposits pressed together over the course of millennia. Later, return to the city area and have rest of your time to explore on your own. Perhaps, you may want to check out Big Buddha Temple located in the heart of Zhangye city or drive through suburbs to admire the mesmerising Mati Temple and its sublime grottoes complex.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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After your breakfast, drive to Zhangye train station to catch your train to Lanzhou. Arrive in Lanzhou and meet your private guide and driver at the train station. Start the tour in Lanzhou with a visit to Water Wheel Park. This park sets by the Yellow River exhibits great number of wooden copies of water wheels. A pleasant and small riverside park where is the starting point of your sheep-skin rafting. Inflated goat skin rafts were the traditional transportation for people who lived along the river bank. Flow down the Yellow River on goat skin rafts and admire the scenery on both sides of the river. Life jackets are provided. Also, do prepare extra attires to change in case your shirt get wet. Finish your ride at Zhongshan Bridge and head to Baita Mountain or White Pagoda Mountain nearby. This was established as a park in 1958. Up the mountain for a splendid vista of city area and Yellow River. Drive to your hotel, from here, rest of the time is yours to dine and wonder the city on your own.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Crowne Plaza Lanzhou, Legend Hotel Lanzhou, Wanda Vista Hotel Lanzhou

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Following your breakfast, take a yacht from Liujiaxia Dam to Bingling Temple. Appreciate the scenery along the river bank. Then, visit Bingling Temple near the bank of Yellow River. Bingling Temple has a history of more than 1,600 years, first built during The Sixteen Kingdoms Period (303-439AD). We’ll visit Bingling Buddhist grottoes carved out of dusty desert cliffs. These series of caves distributing up the cliff are filled with Buddhists sculptures and statues, remain some of the best-kept secrets in the country. Later of the day, enjoy you meal at a local restaurant before spend rest of the time exploring Lanzhou city on your own.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Enjoy your breakfast at your leisure before drive to airport to catch your flight to Chongqing. Meet your Chongqing guide and driver at the airport. From here, they will transfer you to Chaotianmen dock for your Yangtze River Cruise which sails at 9pm. We will pay the porter to carry your luggage, one per passenger. Any additional luggage to be carried by the porter will be needed to pay by yourself. Also, please take note that dinner is not provided on the cruise tonight. We recommend you to have your dinner beforehand at a local restaurant. If you want to make order on the cruise, we can help with the arrangement. Please advise your tour advisor in advance.

Please note that all arrival and departure time, shore excursions & lectures are subject to change due to different cruise, weather, river conditions and permission from the navigational authorities.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Today, practise Tai Chi on the deck with a master in the morning, and join a lecture to know the history of Yangtze River. Sail down the river, participate in cultural activities and go ashore for an excursion to Shibaozhai after buffet lunch. Located on the south bank of Yangtze River, Shibaozhai was first built during Ming dynasty. There is a 12-story pagoda built along the sheer cliff surface of a hill. In the evening, enjoy a buffet dinner and performances.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,

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Enjoy your morning tea or coffee before your Tai Chi lesson on the deck. Have a buffet breakfast and take your time to enjoy the scenery on both sides of the river. Sail through Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge at around midday. Enjoy your leisurely buffet lunch before taking a ride on a small boat down Goddess Stream. It is a 30km long emerald stream opposite of Three Gorges, winding through verdant hills. Along the way, find bizarre peaks. Return to your cruise for captain’s farewell banquet at night.

Optional morning shore excursion -- White Emperor City (7:30am – 10:15am) at an extra fee.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,

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Following your breakfast on the cruise, prepare to check out and land at Maoping Pier before 8am. The cruise company will help you transfer your luggage from Maoping Pier to Yichang Sanxia Tourist Centre (No.9 dock). You will get a baggage claim ticket from the stuff which you need to show later when collecting your luggage at Yichang. Take a bus from Maoping Pier for a 2.5 hour expedition to Three Gorges Dam. This dam on Yangtze River was built from 1994 to 2006. It is one of the largest dam structure in the world. After the visit, you will then take a 90 minute bus to Yichang Sanxia Tourist Centre. Meet your guide and driver, and enjoy a simple lunch in a local restaurant. Later, drive to airport in Yichang to catch your flight to Shanghai. Arrive in Shanghai, meet your guide and driver at the airport before drive to your central located hotel. Check in at your hotel and have rest of the time to dine and wander on your own.

The ship elevator is not included in the regular itinerary. Additional shore excursion---Board sightseeing-ferry sailing through TGP Ship's elevator is available at an extra fee CNY295. Please check with your tour advisor in advance if you want to take the marine elevator, as it takes longer time.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Four Seasons Hotel Pudong Shanghai, Grand Central Hotel Shanghai, Hotel Indigo Shanghai on The Bund

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Then, down the French Concession to see clusters of historic colossi and old school shops and restaurants. Smell incense burning in Shanghai City God Temple. It’s a Taoist temple famous for its splendid architecture and long history which can date back to Tang dynasty. Tour a classic Chinese garden located in the central area. Yu Garden is packed with traditional pavilions, rockeries and traditional Chinese architectures. This garden was first built during Ming dynasty with a history of more than 400 years. Later, visit Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Centre to know the urban development and city image of Shanghai. Up second tallest building in Shanghai, Shanghai World Financial Centre (94th, 97th and 100th floor) for a panorama view of the central area of Shanghai. In the end, amble along Huangpu River down promenade of The Bund. At night, you can choose to watch Shanghai acrobatic show ERA: Intersection of Time, or SPIRAL (optional).

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Today, we’ll journey west to a beautiful water town of Tongli. Similar to other water towns in eastern China, this water town is filled with whitewashed buildings, arched stone bridges and canal-side streets. This water town was founded more than 1,000 years ago during Song dynasty. Find traditional Chinese buildings of different dynasties and even some western style residences here. A unique town nudge into the top few famous water towns in China. Stroll the shop and residence lined streets and cruise the town down those winding water canals. At the end of the day, we’ll return to Shanghai.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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This morning, take breakfast at your leisure and depart for flights home, or onto your next destination. Until your next journey!

• Meals: Breakfast,

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