The China Experience
April 2003
Hotels - 19 nights, Sleeper Train - 2 nights,
Village Homestay - 1 Night
Private mini bus, Plane, Boats, Trains and on Foot
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DAY 0 FRIDAY 04 Apr |
London to Beijing, via Frankfurt |
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DAY 1 SATURDAY 05 Apr |
Arr Beijing Join Tour & Check into Hotel. |
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DAY 2 SUNDAY 06 Apr |
Beijing Step out this morning with a full day tour along the Mutianyu section
of the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall is the only man-made object
that can be seen from outer space and it's now a World Heritage Site.
It was started 2,000 years ago and developed over the centuries. Bits
have In the evening you can go cultural with an optional visit to the BeijingOpera with traditional Chinese theatre with singing, dancing, mime and acting. |
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DAY 3 MONDAY 07 Apr |
Beijing, overnight train ti Xi'ian A city tour today with a local guide. First stop the infamous Tiananmen Square its name means Gate of Heavenly Peace. Main feature now is a huge portrait of Chariman Mao there's no getting away from this once powerful ruler. From Tiananmen you go into the Forbidden City- so called because only the emperors, their families, Imperial eunuchs and other servants were allowed in there. Here are some facts : it dates back to the early fifteenth century and was the base for two dynasties, the Ming and the Qing; at one time there were as many as 10,000 eunuchs in the Forbidden City and they were the real power behind the throne. Your tour finishes with a trip to the Old Summer Palace which dates further back to the twelfth century it's a series of connected gardens and buildings which were designed by Europeans, so they might look a bit familiar. |
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DAY 4 TUESDAY 08 Apr |
Xi'an In the afternoon there's a tour taking in the Wild Goose Pagoda and the Shananxi Provincial Museum. Then you'll see the other influences on this city the Great Mosque one of the oldest in China and the Muslim Quarter which has lots of character and an Islamic food market. |
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DAY 5 WEDNESDAY 09 Apr |
Xi'ian Drive out to see the legendary troops in the terracotta Museum and call in on the neolithic Banpo Village on the way back. Banpo ruins were found in the 1950s and the area was inhabited as far back as 4.500BC. The Terracotta Soldiers are a bit younger at a mere 2,000 years old. They were found by a Chinese peasant in 1974 when he was digging a well. We don't know if he ever finished his well, but he uncovered the most important new archaelogical find of the last century an underground vault full of life size terracotta soldiers and horses lined up for battle. This is the burial army of the Emperor Qin Shihuang Ling. |
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DAY 6 THURSDAY 10 Apr |
Xi'ian, train to Luoyang Early start today and a train journey from Xi 'an to Luoyang in Henan Province. This used to be a capital city and boasted 13000 Buddhist monasteries. It's more modern now, but you can see the old city walls. |
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DAY 7 FRIDAY 11 Apr |
Luoyang Some history and culture in Luoyang with a drive to the Longmen Grottoes where more than 100,000 images of Buddha are carved into the cliffs. Thieves have made off with bits of them heads being the most popular! You also get to tour Luoyang city streets and visit the White Horse Temple the first Buddhist place of worship in China. |
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DAY 8 SATURDAY 12 Apr |
Luoyang, Kaifeng It's off the tourist track now travelling to Kaifeng by bus. En route there's a stop off to see the Buddhist Caves lots of statues and religious carvings. - the Song Tombs where nine Emperors from the Song Dynasty are buried with hundreds of stone statues around the site and the Shaolin Temple. |
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DAY 9 SUNDAY 13 Apr |
Kaifeng to Zhengzhou. Overnight Train to Wuxi .Enjoy Kaifeng while you can. So far it's escaped Chinese modernisation and still has ancient city walls. This is what Chinese towns used to look like. It was a multiculutral sort of place a one time- so look out for Mosques and Christian Churches. Jews have lived here as well. You have a half day tour to the Dragon Pavilion and Pagoda. End the day with a bus trip to Zhengzou to catch an overnight train to Wuxi. |
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DAY 10 MONDAY 14 Apr |
Wuxi Arrive in Wuxi and check into your hotel for breakfast and then you are free to explore the city on your own. If you fancy a bit of fun there's an amusement park at Xihui Gongyuan where there's also a seven storey wooden pagoda. Or if it's fresh air you want, take a look at the Plum Garden and the Carp Garden. Wuxi also has a museum with some ancient artefacts on show. |
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DAY 11 TUESDAY 15 Apr |
Wuxi to Suzhou Take to the water this morning for a journey along the Grand Canal of China - it's the longest in the world. Although large parts of it have silted up, this stretch offers a relaxing glide through some great countryside. You arrive at Suzhou by lunchtime and in the afternoon visit the crazily named Humble Adminstrator¹s Garden a landscape straight from a Chinese picture with ponds, bridges, stream and a teahouse. You also visit the Zuzhou Water Gate |
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DAY 12 WEDNESDAY 16 Apr |
Suzhou Start with a morning trip to the fascinating Tongli Water Town and have the afternoon to look around Suzhou by yourself. Suzhou is a big silk production centre and has kept some of its ancient charm cobbled streets and lots of restful gardens, plus pagodas and a silk museum - so there'splenty to see. |
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DAY 13 THURSDAY 17 Apr |
Suzhou to Shanghai Take a train to Shanghai the city that used to be a nexus for traders and adventurers and tricksters. It was also known as gem of the Orient before the days of Chairman Mao. And now it's got a buzz again and new buildings shoot up into the skyline week by week. Breakfast |
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DAY 14 FRIDAY 18 Apr |
Shanghai Start with a morning tour to the Yu Yuan Garden Ming dynasty landscaping and a bazaar where food vendors sell great local snacks. Next see the 2m high White Jade Buddha, covered in jewels sitting in his temple, then step back in time with a visit to the Shanghai Museum. After our busy sightseeing tour in the evening, there's chance for an optional trip to see the acrobatic performance in the evening. |
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DAY 15 SATURDAY 19 Apr |
Shanghai Today is a day all to yourself. You can visit some of Shanghai's many art galleries, museums and exhibition sites or visit Shanghai Zoo. Get a flavour of old style Chinese Communism at the Shanghai Exhibition Centre. For a stunning view of the city take a trip up the Oriental Pearl Tower. |
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DAY 16 SUNDAY 20 Apr |
Shanghai In Shanghi Optional boat trip along the Hunagpu River, a real relaxing trip before we start travelling South to Hangzhou and Guilin. |
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DAY 17 MONDAY 21 Apr |
Shanghai to Hangzou Spend your last morning in Shanghai and then board a train for the journey to Hangzhou. Here's a city that is very popular with tourists but has managed to keep its attractions. |
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DAY 18 TUESDAY 22 Apr |
Hangzhou Spend the morning floating around the West Lake on a boat visit the Lingyin Temple and the statue of the Laughing Buddha and the Tea Plantation Garden. An afternoon off so theres time for your own exploring, you may want to visit the China Silk Museum. |
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DAY 19 WEDNESDAY 23 Apr |
Hangzhou, Guilin, Longsheng Fly out of Hangzhou - destination Guilin and from there drive on to Longsheng for a change of pace out in the mountains. Stay overnight in Londi Village on the fabulous Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces. This is a real highlight to tour where we have chance to meet some of the local tribal groups of Miao and Dong ethnic groups. Breakfast |
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DAY 20 THURSDAY 24 Apr |
Longsheng, Yangshuo Stretch your legs this morning on a half-day trekking tour in the rice terraces and visit the Dong and Yao villages. In the afternoon you are driven to Yangshuo. |
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DAY 21 FRIDAY 25 Apr |
Yangshuo You can sit back and relax here Yangshuo is a favourite laid back place for travellers no rush, no worries. Take some walks around the nearby villages or have an optional small boat cruise to Liugong. If you like, you can also hire a bike and cycle around and view the amazing limestone cast hills and rice paddies. Breakfast |
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DAY 22 SATURDAY 26 Apr |
Yangshuo, Guilin, Hong Kong Chill out some more or go native with a cycling tour round town. Late afternoon takes you back by road to Guilin with a stop-off the astonishing Reed Flute Caves underground grottoes with stalactites and stalagmites and an eerie atmosphere. From Guilin fly on to Hong Kong in the evening. |
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DAY 23 SUNDAY 27 Apr |
Hong Kong Tour ends Hong Kong after breakfast |