Know Before You Go
• This tour starts in Beijing, ends in Shanghai.
• Xian Museum is closed on Tuesday tours.
• Tibet Museum & Shanghai Museum are closed on Monday tours.
• There is no tour guide for arrival & departure transfers.
• Keep your passport on you constantly. It might be needed to buy entrance tickets.
• Meals (lunch & dinner) are not included. Please feel free to ask your guide for recommendations.
• Add us on WeChat (+86-18309280878) or WhatsApp (+86-18309280878) to reach GGC service staff at anytime.
• Before getting to Beijing you will receive driver's name & contact information by WhatsApp, Wechat or email.
• You will be greeted by driver holding GGC welcome sign with your name at the airport or train station arrival hall
• Independent travel is prohibited in Tibet. Foreigners need Tibet Travel Permit to enter Tibet.
• The only way to get Tibet Travel Permit is to join an organized group or have a private tour arranged by a travel agency.
• Tibet Travel Permit is issued by the Tourism Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, two weeks prior to the entry of Tibet.
• A valid China Visa is required to apply for Tibet Travel Permit, Get your China Visa at least a month before your trip.
• GoGrandChina will apply for your Tibet Travel Permit once you book Tibet tours with us.
Altitude Sickness
• With an average elevation over 4,000 meters, a mild Altitude Sickness on the first day(s) in Tibet is quite common.
• Try to avoid catching a cold before enter into Tibet.
• Make sure to get a good night's sleep the night before flying to Lhasa.
• Avoid strenuous activity during your first day in Tibet.
• Better drink more water.
• When arriving in Lhasa, walk slowly, take deep breaths. Take time to acclimatize.
• Ascend to higher altitudes gradually. DO NOT ASCEND ANY HIGHER if you begin feeling ill.
• Prepare AMS medication, in accordance with a doctor's advice.
Day 1 Arrival in Beijing, Beijing Airport or Train Stations Pick-up
Meet your driver at Beijing airports or train stations and transfer to your hotel in a comfortable private vehicle. After getting settled at the hotel, you may explore the downtown area on your own or relax during the remainder of the day.
Meals Included: No meals
Hotel: 4-star Pentahotel Beijing or similar
Day 2 Beijing, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Temple of Heaven
Explore Beijing from the world’s largest public square, Tiananmen Square. No visit to Beijing would be complete without a walk through the square, whose historical legacy includes Mao Zedong’s announcement of the founding of the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949. Walk to the Forbidden City from Tiananmen Square. Home to 24 Ming & Qing Dynasty emperors, the Forbidden City is the world’s largest palace complex located in the center of Beijing. Then walk to Jingshan Park behind the Forbidden City which affords excellent views of the Forbidden City and surrounding neighborhoods of Beijing. Visit the Temple of Heaven in the afternoon. The Temple of Heaven, built between 1406 and 1420 by the same emperor who was responsible for building the Forbidden City, is where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would worship the god of heaven and pray for good harvest.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Pentahotel Beijing or similar
Day 3 Beijing, Mutianyu Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Photo Stop at Bird Nest & Water Cube
Drive out of Beijing to Mutianyu Great Wall of China (approximately 80 km), one of China's most iconic sights. Mutianyu Great Wall is the longest fully resorted section of the Great Wall measuring 2.2km with 23 watchtowers. Considered to be the most family-friendly portion of the Wall and the best part of Great Wall for photography, Mutianyu Great Wall is less crowded and has better architecture than other sections with more watchtowers. Visit the only excavated Ming Tomb, Dingling Tomb in the afternoon. Constructed for the 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming tombs follow the precepts of traditional Chinese geomancy and fengshui theory. They feature rich decoration of stone statues and carvings and tiles with dragon motifs, illustrating the development of the funerary architecture of the Ming Dynasty. On the way back to your hotel, make a photo stop at two architectural icons from the 2008 Olympic that are still standing: Bird’s Nest and Water Cube.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Pentahotel Beijing or similar
Friendly Tips
• Round-trip cable car to Mutianyu Great Wall is included in this tour package.
• If you want to descend by toboggan, please inform your guide before purchasing ticket.
Day 4 Beijing, Summer Palace, Bullet Train to Xian (approximately 5 hours)
Morning visit to the Summer Palace, the largest and best preserved royal garden in China. Commissioned by Emperor Qianlong in 1750, using Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill as the basic framework, the Summer Palace combined political and administrative, residential, spiritual, and recreational functions within a landscape of lakes and mountains, in accordance with the Chinese philosophy of balancing the works of man with nature. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value. The Summer Palace offers a glimpse at how the imperial family once spent their leisure time Take second class bullet train to Xian in the afternoon. Xian is the ancient capital city of China and the starting point of the ancient Silk Road.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Grand Dynasty Culture Hotel Xian or similar
Friendly Tips
• Second class bullet train is included. Please contact us if you want to upgrade to first class or business class.
• Please contact us for discount airfare if you want to fly from Beijing to Xian (approximately 2 hours).
Day 5 Xian, Terracotta Warriors, Bell & Drum Tower Square, Great Mosque, Muslim Quarter
Drive out of Xian to the Terracotta Warriors and Horses (1 hour) in the morning. Considered one of the foremost archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, the 2,000-year-old Terracotta Army was discovered by accident in 1974 by local farmers digging a well. The 8,000-plus life-sized figures are arranged in vaults to guard the tomb of Qin Shihuang, the first emperor of China, a major architect of the Great Wall and unifier of China. Visit the Bell & Drum Tower Square, the Great Mosque and Xian Muslim Quarter in the afternoon. The area north of the Drum Tower is the Muslim Quarter of Xian which covers several blocks with an estimated 60,000 Muslims in the region. There are about seven ancient mosques in the area, among which the Great Mosque is most famous and popular among all. Experience a seemingly endless labyrinth of street food, restaurants and bustling local life at Xian's Muslim Quarter.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Grand Dynasty Culture Hotel Xian or similar
Day 6 Xian, Little Wild Goose Pagoda, Xian Museum, City Wall, Bullet Train to Chengdu
Visit Small Wild Goose Pagoda and Xian Museum in the morning. With a history of more than 1,300 years, Small Wild Goose Pagoda was built to store the Buddhist scriptures delivered from ancient India. It is a perfect example of the multi-eaved square brick pagodas built in ancient China. Currently there are 13 storeys left as the top two storeys were destroyed in earthquakes. Continue visiting Xian Museum. Xian Museum boasts nearly 130,000 relics that all relate to the history of Ancient China and Xian specifically. Afterwards, visit Xian City Wall. The City Wall of Xian is one of the oldest and best-preserved city walls in the world. Walking atop the Wall you can get the panorama of Xian skyline. Take second class bullet train to Chengdu (approximately 3 hours) in the afternoon. Chengdu is known for being the home of China's most famous creatures, the cute giant pandas.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Yinhe Dynasty Hotel or similar
Friendly Tip: Second class bullet train is included. Please contact us if you want to upgrade to first class or business class.
Day 7 Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Leshan Giant Buddha
Morning visit to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, or simply Chengdu Panda Base, is a non-profit research and breeding facility for giant pandas and other rare animals founded in 1987. Here you can find rivers, lakes, brooks, ornamental green lawns and greens, wild bamboo forests which form the panda’s natural ecological environment. You can closely observe the giant pandas of different ages resting, eating and drinking, playing with each other, using enrichment toys, or watch female pandas nursing their cubs in the nursery rooms. Continue with a visit to Leshan Giant Buddha. Carved into the side of Mt. Lingyun, the colossal statue of Leshan Giant Buddha is over 1,300-years-old and is considered to be the largest stone Buddha in the world, and by far the tallest pre-modern statue. In 1996, the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO inscribed the Leshan Giant Buddha on their World Heritage List as a mixed cultural and natural property of the world.
Meals Included: Buffet breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Yinhe Dynasty Hotel Chengdu or similar
Day 8 Fly to Lhasa, Rest at Hotel
Fly to Lhasa (airfare at your own expense). Upon arrival at this 3700 meters (12000 feet) elevated city, you will be transferred to hotel for rest and adjust your body to high elevation. You may feel the effects of high altitude therefore it is strongly recommended that you take an afternoon nap for 2-3 hours to help you acclimatize, and be sure to drink plenty of water during your time in Tibet. Meaning "Land of the Gods" in Tibetan language, Lhasa has been the capital of Tibet for over 1,300 years.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Four Points by Sheraton Lhasa or similar
Friendly Tip: Airfare from Chengdu to Lhasa is not included in this tour package. Please contact us for discount airfare.
Day 9 Lhasa, Tibet Museum, Potala Palace, Jokhang Monastery & Barkhor Street
Explore Lhasa from Tibet Museum to know the history, culture and the development of Tibet. Tibet Museum houses a large amount of valuable treasures found in Tibet: ancient religious books written in gold, silver or coral powders, Buddha statues made from diverse materials, colorful Thangkas and many handicrafts with distinctive Tibetan characteristics. Next, visit the highest palace in the world, the Potala Palace. Built on the red hill in the center of Lhasa, the Potala Palace boasts more than 1000 rooms including the Red Palace where Dalai Lama once lived. Continue with a visit to the 1300-year-old Jokhang Monastery. Constructed by King Songtsen Gampo in the year 647, Jokhang Monastery is the most famous Buddhist temple in Lhasa and has remained the center of Buddhist pilgrimage for centuries. Afterwards, follow local Tibetans for a Kora of Jokhang Monastery, walking around the Barkor Bazaar.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Four Points by Sheraton Lhasa or similar
Day 10 Lhasa, Drepung Monastery, Norbulingka & Sera Monastery
Morning visit to Drepung Monastery, the largest of all Tibetan monasteries & one of Tibet's top Gelug university monasteries founded in 1416. The Ganden Phodrang in Drepung was the residence of the Dalai Lamas until the Great Fifth Dalai Lama constructed the Potala. Drepung was known for the high standards of its academic study. Followed with a visit to Norbulingka, the summer residence of the successive Dalai Lamas. Constructed in the 18th century, Norbulingka comprises a large garden with four palace complexes and a monastery as well as other halls, and pavilions all integrated into the garden layout to create an exceptional work of art. Afterwards, witness monks debate Buddhist philosophy in the courtyard of Sera Monastery.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Four Points by Sheraton Lhasa or similar
Day 11 Fly to Chongqing, Ciqikou Old Town, Board Cruise Ship
Fly to Chongqing in the morning. Visit the Old Town of Ciqikou upon arrival. The name of Ciqikou can be traced back to porcelain production during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. As a busy port located at the lower reaches of the Jialing River, Ciqikou still remains a symbol and microcosm of old Chongqing where shops sell porcelain, other handicrafts and gifts, while restaurants and tea shops give visitors a look at the daily life of Chongqing. Board Victoria Cruises in the evening. Victoria Cruise Ship departs Chongqing at 21:00.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 5-star Victoria Cruises or similar
Friendly Tip: Airfare from Lhasa to Chongqing is not included in this tour package. Please contact us for discount airfare.
Day 12 Yangtze River Cruise, Excursion to Jade Emperor Scenic Area
Navigate the magnificent Yangtze Gorges. Enter the Three Gorges, one of nature’s most extraordinary sculptures. Today you will pass through the first two - Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge. Qutang Gorge is the shortest (5 miles), narrowest (500 feet), and most dramatic. The 25-mile long Wu Gorge is known for its quiet beauty, forest-covered mountains, and cliffs so sheer that the sun barely penetrates the precipices. Transfer to another vessel for a relaxing excursion through the attractive gorges of Goddess Stream. Depending on river conditions, an alternate excursion may be substituted to the gorges of Shennong Stream. Enter Xiling Gorge, the longest (41 miles), and deepest of the Three Gorges. Additional optional shore excursion (available in the morning, river conditions permitting) to White Emperor City, an ancient city overlooking the western end of Qutang Gorge.
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch & dinner on board
Accommodations: 5-star Victoria Cruises or similar
Day 13 Yangtze River Cruise, Excursion to Goddess Stream or Shennong Stream
Navigate the magnificent Yangtze Gorges. Enter the Three Gorges, one of nature’s most extraordinary sculptures. Today you will pass through the first two - Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge. Qutang Gorge is the shortest (5 miles), narrowest (500 feet), and most dramatic. The 25-mile long Wu Gorge is known for its quiet beauty, forest-covered mountains, and cliffs so sheer that the sun barely penetrates the precipices. Transfer to another vessel for a relaxing excursion through the attractive gorges of Goddess Stream. Depending on river conditions, an alternate excursion may be substituted to the gorges of Shennong Stream. Enter Xiling Gorge, the longest (41 miles), and deepest of the Three Gorges. Additional optional shore excursion (available in the morning, river conditions permitting) to White Emperor City, an ancient city overlooking the western end of Qutang Gorge.
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch & dinner on board
Accommodations: 5-star Victoria Cruises or similar
Day 14 Yangtze River Cruise, Three Gorges Dam, Fly to Shanghai
Disembark this morning and take a tour of the Three Gorges Dam. This dam is one of the biggest hydropower-complex projects in the world, ranks one of mankind greatest engineering feats to date. There is a viewing platform on Tanzi Mountain where you can overlook the entire Three Gorges Dam which brings in great benefits in flood control and power generation. Leave the cruise ship behind and fly to the glass and steel towers of cosmopolitan Shanghai in the afternoon.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Ambassador Hotel Shanghai or similar
Friendly Tip: Airfare from Yichang to Shanghai is not included in this tour package. Please contact us for discount airfare.
Day 16 Shanghai, Yuyuan Garden, the Bund & Nanjing Road, People's Square, Shanghai Museum, the French Concession & Tianzifang
Morning visit to Yuyuan Garden. This garden is a maze of Ming Dynasty pavilions, elaborate rockeries, arched bridges, and goldfish ponds, all encircled by an undulating dragon wall. Then spend some time shopping at the Chenghuangmiao market located outside the garden. Afterwards, stroll along the Bund and nearby Nanjing Road. The Bund refers to Shanghai's famous waterfront stretching for 1.6km along the west shore of the Huangpu River. Nanjing Road is the main shopping street of Shanghai and one of the busiest shopping streets in the world. Continue with a visit to the People's Square and Shanghai Museum. The People’s Square was once the finest racecourse in Asia before 1949; it is now a large open space in which locals hang out all day, every day, practicing Tai Chi and flying kites. Shanghai Museum is specially celebrated in the world for its rich and high-quality collection of 120,000 precious works of art including ancient Chinese bronze, ceramics, painting and calligraphy. Afterwards, explore the tree-lined avenues of the French Concession where many fine old houses in the area still retain an air of the "Paris of the East". Explore the arts and crafts enclave in the trendy area of Tianzifang that has constructed from a refurbished domestic location in the French Concession area of Shanghai.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
Hotel: 4-star Ambassador Hotel Shanghai or similar
Day 16 Departure from Shanghai, Transfer to Shanghai Airports or Train Stations
Private transfer (without guide) to the airports or railway stations in Shanghai for your departure flight/train. Wish you a pleasant journey and thank you for traveling with GoGrandChina.
Meals Included: Breakfast at hotel
