Flight: EK306 Dubai - Beijing 03.55 - 15.25

Meet & greet: Upon arrival at Beijing Airport, you will be welcomed to China by your private English-speaking guide, and then transferred to your hotel to check in.

Afternoon walking tour of the hutongs: Time permitting this afternoon, start your sightseeing with a walking tour of the fascinating hutongs near your hotel, which are the narrow network of lanes created by closely built quadrangular homes in the centre of Beijing. Mostly built during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, the hutongs are a fast disappearing sight as Beijing's city developers move in to modernise these areas.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Shichahai Shadow Art Performance Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Guided tour of Beijing including the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven: The morning will start on Tiananmen Square, where you will be able to take in the panorama of the largest public square in the world. It is through here that you will enter the Forbidden City, the largest and most complete group of ancient buildings in China. Built in the 15th Century, the Imperial Palace was a forbidden area for 500 years before the revolution of 1911. It was home to two royal dynasties, the Ming and Qing emperors, and it is from this palace that the emperors governed China, stepping out of its confines extremely rarely.

Continue to the Temple of Heaven, located in the centre of Tiantan Gongyuan Park. This spectacular Ming temple has become regarded, and is widely used, as the symbol of Beijing. Dating from 1420, its wooden pillars support a curved ceiling without cement or nails to a height of 38 metres. The temple's intricate carvings and bright colours illustrate the opulent Ming style. Also in the Temple complex is the Echo Wall - a circular structure composed of polished bricks on the inside. The temple and its surrounding altars, gates and park are a meeting place for the people of Beijing and it is possible to see the locals enjoying a game of chess or practicing the ancient art of Tai-Chi. 

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Shichahai Shadow Art Performance (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Guided tour to the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu: Stretching from the Gobi desert to the Yellow Sea, this is the largest man made structure on earth and is an amazing feat of engineering, labour and sacrifice. The original wall was begun 2,000 years ago when China was unified under Emperor Qin Shi Huang to keep out marauding nomads. The construction used hundreds of thousands of political prisoners and an estimated 180 million cubic metres of packed earth. Between 1-2 hours drive from Beijing, Mutianyu pass is further out of the city than some of the more developed and more crowded parts of the Wall. Visitors can see the collection of watchtowers and ramparts at Mutianyu resting on the mountain ridges, offering views of the Great Wall as it snakes across the skyline far into the distance.

Private transfer: This evening, your guide and driver will take you to the train station for your overnight journey to Xi’an.

Overnight train: Z19 will depart Beijing at 20.41 and arrive in Xi’an the following morning at 08.15. A private 2 berth deluxe cabin (with ensuite bathroom) will be reserved for your exclusive use.

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Private transfer: On arrival at Xi’an Railway Station, you will be met and transferred to your hotel to check in.

Guided tour of Xi’an: Once checked in and refreshed after your train journey, you will visit the Shaanxi Museum, established in 1952, and considered to be one of the best museums in China. You will also be taken to the city walls which form a circumference of 9 miles with a gateway and watchtowers on each side. Most sections of the wall have been restored or even rebuilt and stand at 12 metres high. Lunch will be taken in a local restaurant and this afternoon visit a symbol of ancient Xi’an, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a well preserved ancient building and Buddhist holy place. It is located in the southern suburb of Xi’an City, about 2.5 miles from the city centre. Standing in the Da Ci'en Temple complex, the pagoda attracts visitors due to its appealing style of construction and the new square that is in front of the temple.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Grand Noble Hotel (Superior Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Morning excursion to the Terracotta Warriors: After breakfast, leave the city to visit the site of the Terracotta Warriors. In 1974 a peasant digging a well came upon what now stands as one of the main attractions in China and one of the most important archaeological finds of the 20th century. An army of thousands of life-sized warriors and their horses in battle formation, which were buried for 2,000 years, stand guard over the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The figures were buried with artefacts and weapons of the day and every figure differs in facial features and expressions. The dig is still in progress, as it is believed that the site is part of an even larger army still buried underground. Return to Xi’an for lunch.

Afternoon tour of ancient Xi’an: This afternoon, visit the Bell Tower, Drum Tower and the historic Muslim Quarter of the city. In the centre of the walled city, the bell in the Bell Tower was sounded at dawn when the city gates were opened, and the drum of the nearby Drum Tower at dusk when the gates closed. The renovated Bell Tower dating from 1384 was moved to its present site in 1582 where it is now encircled by downtown's shopping and commercial centre and stands 118 foot high. The beautiful mosque lies close by the Drum Tower in Huajue Xiang. It is surrounded by the old houses and narrow lanes of Xi’an's Muslim, or Hui, community. Islam has been the most enduring of all faiths in Xi’an. It was first introduced by Arab merchants during the Tang Dynasty, and flourished during the Yuan (1279-1368). The Great Mosque survived the Cultural Revolution virtually unscathed and remains an outstanding Chinese re-interpretation of an Islamic place of worship. It was founded in 742 A.D, according to a stone tablet in the mosque, but nothing from this Tang period survives. The present layout dates from the 14th century.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Grand Noble Hotel (Superior Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Private transfer: After breakfast, you will be collected from your hotel by your guide, and transferred to Xi'an Airport in time for your onward flight.

Flight: CZ6376 Xian - Guilin 12.05 - 14.15

Private transfer: On arrival in Guilin, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day will be free at leisure for you to relax and explore the charming riverside city of Guilin at your own pace.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Aroma Tea House (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Private transfer: After breakfast, you will be transferred to the river, where you will board your cruise boat.

Cruise to Yangshuo on the River Li: Depart Guilin on a leisurely 4 hour cruise down the picturesque Li River. There is stunning scenery on the way as your boat meanders between the dramatic forested peaks and past bamboo fishing villages. This is one of the most enchanting river journeys in China with great photo opportunities along the way. A simple Chinese packed lunch will be served on board.

Private transfer: On arrival in Yangshuo, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the afternoon you will have some time to explore the charming town of Yangshuo.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Yangshuo Secret Garden (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day at leisure in Yangshuo: Today you are free at leisure to roam the Guangxi countryside independently. By far the best way of getting around is by bike, although walks of any length are also available. Spending time on the water either on the Li itself or by bamboo raft along one its’ many gullies is also a memorable way to explore. Numerous other activities are also recommended, such as a cooking class at the Yangshuo Cooking School, shopping along Yangshuo’s central West Street, taking in the evening Son et Lumiere show, or arranging a trip to witness the fascinating fishing with cormorants method still practised by local fishermen.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Yangshuo Secret Garden (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Transfer to Guilin airport: This morning, you will be met at your hotel by a driver, and transferred to Guilin’s airport in time for your onward flight.

Flight: CA3232 Guilin - Shanghai 11.30 - 13.45

Private transfer: On arrival in Shanghai, you will be met and transferred to your hotel to check in.

Afternoon at leisure: This afternoon, you have some free time to explore the vibrant city of Shanghai independently. Wander around the Old French Concession, take an evening boat trip along the Huangpu River, so simply people-watch in one of Shanghai’s pretty parks.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Anting Villa Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Guided tour of Shanghai: Your day begins with a visit to the Shanghai Museum. Set in a newly designed building in the 'People's Park', the Shanghai Museum is China's foremost collection of exhibits dating from Neolithic times. The bronze collection is considered to be the best in the world, with other first-rate exhibits of sculpture, jade, calligraphy, painting and Ming and Qing dynasty furniture and minority art. Continue to the old city and the Yuyuan Gardens. Within the past turbulent century much of Shanghai's old quarters were destroyed; however what remains gives an interesting insight into Shanghai's past. The Yuyuan Gardens date from the 16th century, and after looking around the gardens you will have time to visit the adjoining market or sip tea in the tea pavilion. Lunch will be taken in a local restaurant. The tour ends at the Bund, lined with fine colonial buildings from its 1930's heyday when the city was occupied by European, American, and Japanese banks, trading houses, clubs, consulates and hotels. These buildings have been restored as a showcase of the city and are spectacularly lit up at night.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Anting Villa Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch