Discover the program of our tour “Luxury Tour – China Classic (12 days)“.
Daily program: Luxury Tour – China Classic (12 days)
Day 1: Departure from Paris
Flight reservation Air China (direct flight) departing at 20:20, direction Beijing. Night on board.
Day 2: Arrival in Beijing ~ 1:00 transfer
Arrival at Beijing Airport. Welcome by your driver with a sign in your name, then transfer to your hotel. Lunch and then walk to a typical hutong area along Lake Houhai then discovered the park of Beihai, also known as the Winter Palace. Late afternoon free in Beijing’s shopping street, Wangfujing Street, and night market discovery. Overnight at Sandalwood Hotel 5 * charm
Day 3: Beijing ~ 1h drive
Breakfast. Visit the summer palace outside of Beijing, as well as its great Kunming Lake. You can go for a boat ride on the pond in the huge park of Empress Cixi. Walk on the Tian An Men Square, the “Gate of Heavenly Peace” then visit the Forbidden City, once residence of the Chinese emperors and center of political power. At the exit of the Forbidden City, walk on the coal hill (108m high), from where you can enjoy a 360 degree view of Beijing. Suggestion: Beijing specialty dinner, Peking duck. Overnight at Sandalwood Hotel 5 * charm
Day 4: Beijing & China Wall ~ 3:00 drive.
Departure for the Great Wall at Mutianyu: built over 6700 km long to protect the Middle Kingdom from the invasions of the Barbarians of the North, listed as World Heritage of Humanity. Ascent in gondola, descent on foot (possibility to go down toboggan, payable locally). In the afternoon, visit the site of the Thirteen tombs of the Ming emperors: you will reach the site by following the path of the spirits, lined with 36 animal statues, then mandarins, military and civilians. Return to Beijing, passing through the Olympic Stadium to see the bird’s nest and water cube designed by Herzoge and John Pauline. Overnight at Sandalwood Hotel 5 * charm
Day 5: Beijing - Xi'an ~ 2h drive
Visit the Temple of Heaven nestled in the huge park of Tiantan Gongyuan, whose majestic triple-roofed rotunda is one of the most beautiful achievements of Ming architecture. Transfer to Beijing Airport to catch a flight to Xian. Arrival in Xi’an, by private driver then transfer to your hotel. Night at Eastern House 5 *Day 6: Xi’an ~ 2h drive.
Day 6: Xi'an ~ 2h drive.
Breakfast, then bike ride (or walk, if you choose) on the oldest ramparts of China measuring 14km. Then departure for the famous Terracotta Army Historic Site, protective of the tomb of the first Chinese emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi. Reminiscent discovery of 6,000 warriors and clay horses, life-size, aligned in battle formation. Walk in the vicinity of the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower and discover the Muslim neighborhood including the visit of the Great Mosque. Suggestion: Dinner “banquet of ravioli” followed by a Tang dances show at the Grand Tang Theater. Night at Eastern House 5 *
Day 7: Xi'an - Guilin - Yangshuo ~ 2h drive
This morning, you will have the opportunity to visit the park of the Little Wild Goose Pagoda, built to house the sutras brought back from India by the monk Yijing, and to attend a play of shadow puppets. In the afternoon, visit the Shaanxi Provincial Museum. Known as the cradle of Chinese civilization, Shaanxi Province has many protected archaeological sites. There are more than 300,000 objects testifying to the richness of this civilization and tracing the history of China. Road to the airport and flight to Guilin at 18:40, arrival at destination at 20:50. Welcome your guide and driver at Guilin airport and transfer by private vehicle with your guide to your hotel. Night at Banyan Tree 5 * charm
Day 8: Yangshuo - Xianggong - Xingping - Yangshuo ~ 1h drive.
After breakfast departure by vehicle to the beautiful Xianggong Viewpoint or from there the seven-star tea farm with a clear view of a range of karst peaks listed as UNESCO World Heritage. Climb to the top of the scenic point for a bird’s eye view of the Li River. Find the vehicle that will drop you 5km away from a trail that you will walk through the orchards of citrus and small hamlets to the village of Xingping (1h30 to 2h00 easy hiking). The path offers a beautiful perspective on the river. You will also visit a small temple nestled on the banks at the entrance of the cave of the Snail where still live some monks. Cross the river with the local ferry and discover the old Xingping Street where you can have lunch. In the afternoon take a raft ride on one of the most beautiful portions of the Li River between Xingping and the hill of the 9 horses, through small fishing villages, rice fields and bamboo groves (1h30 cruising about). It is a landscape of this portion that inspired the illustration of the Chinese 20RMB Note. Return to Xingping Village and drive to Yangshuo and your hotel. Night at Banyan Tree 5 * charm
In the evening, you can enjoy the sound and light show “Liu San Jie”, based on a very popular Chinese musical, directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou. It takes place on the Li River in a beautiful natural setting surrounded by karstic mountains (not included in the quote: 280RMB / pers B2 comfort spot with transport)
Day 9: Yangshuo - Yulong River - Guilin - Shanghai ~ 3h drive.
After your breakfast, bike ride (or electric scooter with supplement of + 80RMB / scooter) to the perched wild cave remained away from the tourist circuits. The climb is made in a fault of the mountain on steps carved into the rock (20 minutes). Superb view from one side of the cave. Continuation of the bike ride along the Yulong River, through sleepy hamlets, rice paddies and fish ponds to the village of Jiuxian. Lunch in a beautiful inn in an old house in the village (at your expense). Return to Yangshuo after lunch. Transfer to Guilin airport and flight to 21:00 for Shanghai. Welcome by your English speaking guide, then transfer to your hotel. Overnight at Indigo on the Bund 5 * – river view room
Day 10: Shanghai ~ 1h drive.
Morning visit of Fuxing Park, then Yu Garden, the most beautiful Chinese garden in Shanghai. Built in the 16th century, it symbolizes the world in miniature: rivers here are streams and mountains of rocks, and place man in harmony with this world. Continuation to visit the old city of Shanghai, retracing the daily life of China before modernization, and thus relive the past of Shanghai. Visit the Shanghai Museum, then free time in the Tianzifang district. Overnight at Indigo on the Bund 5 * – river view room
Day 11: Departure from Shanghai ~ 1h drive.
Visit this morning of the Temple of Jade Buddha. Pass through the Bund District, stretching over 1.6km along the Huangpu River, which is an incredible vestige of the old Shanghai, formerly called “Boulevard of the Revolution”. Discovery in the afternoon of the new district of Pudong and the financial district. Hot pot dinner at the Dollar Shop, before transfer to Shanghai airport for the return flight to Paris.
Day 12: Arrival in Paris
Arrival at 6:40 am Paris CDG.