Chinese New Year 2010 Tour (14 days)

Please note that this itinerary is our suggestion only- all our tours are custom made to your requirements!

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Forbidden City

Great Wall

Harbin Ice Festival

St.Sofia, Harbin

Xi'an City Walls

Terracotta Army at Xi'an

The water gardens of Suzhou

Shanghai Skyline

Your tour price includes:
International and internal flights
Hotel accommodation with meals as indicated in the program.
Transfers, tours with English speaking guide.
All entrance fees and boat fees.
Service charges, rooms tax and handling fees.

Your tour price does not include:
Visa Fees
Tips
Personal expenses and other services not mentioned in the program.

Departing London (Heathrow) on 1st February 2010 to Beijing...

To celebrate Chinese New Year 2010 we are offering this exciting new 14 day tour which sees Chinese New Year in the exciting city of Shanghai, and before that, we visit the capital, Beijing, the famous Harbin Ice Festival, the unique Terracotta Warriors Museum in the ancient city of Xian and the beautiful gardens of Suzhou.

Day 1: 02-02-10 Beijing
Arriving Beijing our China representative will be at the airport to welcome you and transfer you to your hotel. Afternoon we will visit the favourite haunt of the Empress Dowager, the Summer Palace. Walking in this veritable museum of classical Chinese garden architecture, where the royal family could relax away from the formal ceremony of the court, is a pleasant experience. There are a number of pavilions as well as the Long Corridor, now a popular place for people to spend the day.

Day 2: 03-02-10 Beijing
Today we will visit some of the contrasting sights of Beijing, our capital city. Our first stop will be at Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world. Dominating the north side of the square is the massive red Tiananmen Gate through which we will pass into the fabled Forbidden City and another age, where we will see the home of the members of the royal family and their court during China's Ming and Qing Dynasties. After lunch we will visit the imposing Temple of Heaven where the Emperor came each year to intercede with the Gods for a good and plentiful harvest. To round off a memorable start to your tour, we will enjoy a Beijing Duck Dinner at the famous, century-old Quan Ju restaurant. (B/L/D)

Day 3: 04-02-10 Beijing
Today we will visit the Great Wall where you will have the opportunity to not only see one of the most impressive sections of the Great Wall of China but also take a walk along it. After lunch you will travel some 50 km northwest of Beijing to the Sacred Way with its fabulous stone animals. The way leads to the Ming Tombs in the shadow of Longevity Mountain. A visit to the Underground Palace of Dingling will allow you to see imperial coffins, burial artifacts and treasures. Dinner at local restaurant & Peking Opera. (B/L/D)

Day 4: 05-02-10 Beijing - Harbin
Transfer to airport for your flight to Harbin, pick up & transfer to your hotel. Rest of day at leisure. Evening dinner at local restaurant. (B/D)

Day 5: 06-02-10 Harbin Ice Festival
Today we will visit Sunisland snow sculture, ice activities, St. Sofia Orthodox church, the Centre street & the Ice Lantern. (B/L)

Day 6: 07-02-10 Harbin
Today's city tour includes the Provincial Museum, Dragon Tower, Siberian Tiger Park & the Grand World of Snow. (B/L)

Day 7: 08-02-10 Harbin - Xian
Transfer to airport for your flight to Xian, where our representative will meet you & transfer you to your hotel. Today's tour includes the ancient Xian City Walls (14th century) one of the most important city walls in China, the Great Mosque built in 742 during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) whose traditional Chinese-style architecture makes this mosque quite distinct from its Arabic counterparts, the Forest of Stone Steles Museum, which is housed in the Temple of Confucius, has the largest collection of its kind in China with over 3,000 inscribed stones steles (tablets). To celebrate your arrival in Xian you will enjoy a local speciality, the Dumpling Dinner, a popular meal often taken to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year. (B/L/D)

Day 8: 09-02-10 Xian
This morning we will set out for the highlight of your stay in Xian, the Terracotta Warriors Museum. The thousands of life size soldiers and horses were created to guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi, the first Emperor to unite China. The royal tomb itself has yet to be opened but the rank upon rank of Warriors is a sight that is unrivalled anywhere in the world. After lunch, we will visit the Provincial History Museum which has the richest collection of artifacts in China. For the last visit of the afternoon we will go to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. The square, seven-storey pagoda was built in 652 AD and is a fine example of Tang Dynasty Buddhist architecture. Tonight, dinner will be at the famous Tang Dynasty Palace for the deluxe Tang Dynasty Dinner Show where fine food and spectacular entertainment bring another outstanding day to a close. (B/L/D)

Day 9: 10-02-10 Xian
Today we drive 70 miles west of Xi'an to visit Qianling, the joint mausoleum of Emperor Gaozong and Wu Zetian, the only woman to rule China in her own right and Qianling Museum. While the main tomb has never been excavated, the tomb of Princess Yongtai, granddaughter of Empress Wu, has been opened. As a contrast you will visit the farmers' caves before moving on to Xianyang Terracotta Museum. Situated on the site of the capital of the Qin Dynasty that unified China in 221 BC, the exhibits include a model of the first emperor's palace as well as other artifacts from the site. (B/L)

Day 10: 11-02-10 Xian - Shanghai
Transfer to airport for your flight to Shanghai. Pick up & transfer to your hotel. Shanghai is a city that must be seen to be appreciated. You will see something of its history at the Shanghai Museum on People’s Square with its fine collection of cultural relics. Then we will visit the Yuyuan Garden. Laid out in the 16th century by a Ming official, this small (2 hectares) garden is a delight of pools, pavilions and rock gardens.Strolling through the bazaar surrounding the garden, you will find lines of stores that sell traditional Chinese arts and crafts. Next comes The Bund, one of the most famous thoroughfares in China and here you will see a collection of buildings dating from the 1930’s displaying their western influence and fulfilling the role of the commercial heart of Shanghai. Leaving the ancient for the modern you visit the TV Tower of the Oriental Pearl situated in the thriving Pudong area of the city dominated by the 88-storey Jin Mao building. This evening you will mark the end of your tour with a Farewell Dinner at the famous Seagull Palace, which allows you to enjoy gourmet food while appreciating the fascinating view of both the old Bund and the new Shanghai. (B/L/D)

Day 11: 12-02-10 Shanghai - Suzhou
This morning drive to Suzhou & transfer to your hotel. Suzhou is famous as the city of beautiful gardens and today our tour includes the Humble Administrator’s Garden, the Garden of the Master of the Nets and the Lingering Garden. (B/L)

Day 12: 13-02-10 Suzhou - Shanghai
Todays tour includes the Coiled Gate, the Couples Garden & Blue Wave Pavilion. After lunch we drive back to Shanghai & transfer to your hotel. (B/L)

Day 13: 14-02-10 Shanghai
Free day at leisure in Shanghai. Today is the first day of Chinese New Year. (B)

Day 14: 15-02-10 Departure
Transfer to airport for your return flight to UK. (B)

Please note that, whilst every effort will be made to carry out the programme shown above, small changes may sometimes be necessary.