Harbin City Highlights, Ice and Snow World Private Day Tour

Tour Highlights
• Wander through the Sun Island, known for many square miles of giant snow sculptures.
• Marvel at Harbin Ice and Snow World, one of the largest ice and snow theme parks in the world.
• Admire Saint Sophia Cathedral, a red-brick former Russian Orthodox Church being Harbin’s most famous landmark.
• Wander through the cobblestone avenue of Central Street, the most obvious legacy of Russia's involvement with Harbin.

About This Tour
• Departure: Daily departing from Harbin
• Tour Duration: Approximately 8 hours.
• Guide Languages: Chinese & English.
• Pickup Time: Between 07:00 and 10:00, choose a departure time most suitable for you.
• Pickup & Drop-off Place: Your accommodation in Harbin
• Advice on Meals: Lunch is not included in this tour. We recommend having a substantial breakfast and bringing snacks in case you get hungry while sightseeing. If you'd like to experience authentic local cuisine for lunch, feel free to inform your guide, who will be happy to assist.

Tour Itinerary at a Glance
• Pickup from your accommodation in Harbin
• Visit the Sun Island
• Visit Harbin Ice and Snow World
• Lunch on your own
• Visit Saint Sophia Cathedral
• Visit the Central Street
• Transfer back to your accommodation in Harbin

Tailor This Tour to Meet Your Needs
• If you want to customize this itinerary, contact us via WhatsApp (+86 139 1083 0737) or email (info@GrandChinaTravel.com). We'll create a tailor-made tour package just for you.

Price Remark
• Prices are not valid during National Day (Oct 1-7), Chinese New Year, and Labor Day (May 1-5).

Price Inclusions
• Professional English language speaking tour guide.
• Air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver.
• Admission tickets to sightseeing places.
• All government taxes.

Price Exclusions
• Hotel accommodation.
• Your personal expenses.
• Meals are excluded allowing you flexibility on menu.
• Travel insurance is not included. Please purchase before your trip to provide for any unforeseen circumstances.
• Gratuities to guide & driver. They are customary and would be of great encouragement and reward for quality service.

Additional Info
• This tour is valid during Harbin International Ice Snow Sculpture Festival 2020 from Jan 5 to Feb 20, 2020
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking.
• Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
• The itinerary is subject to change due to traffic conditions or bad weather.
• The itinerary is flexible; changes can be made upon written request from travelers.
• IMPORTANT: It is required by the government regulations that travelers must provide their name, gender, nationality, passport number and date of birth to their tour operator upon booking a tour. Failure to do so could result in being denied access or admittance to sites and attractions during sightseeing. When you book this tour, please complete all required fields at checkout. Please bring your passport with you on the tour.

Cancellation Policy
• Cancellations made 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure time will receive a 100% refund.
• Cancellations made within 24 hours of the tour's start time or after the tour begins are non-refundable.
• Cancellation request will be confirmed within 2-5 business days, with refunds issued within 14 working days.

Know Before You Go
• Keep your passport with you throughout the tour; it may be needed to buy entrance tickets.
• Pickup time, guide's name, and contact information will be confirmed via WhatsApp or email.
• Your guide will be at the meeting point, holding a GoGrandChina sign with your name.
• Meals are not included; please feel free to ask your guide for recommendations.
• If you book an Airbnb, please note that door-to-door pickup and drop-off might not be provided.
• There's a 20-minute grace period for waiting. Failure to show up will result in tour cancellation & no refund.

Hotel Pickup, Transfer to the Sun Island
Your private guide will be holding GoGrandChina pick-up sign and waiting for you in your hotel lobby (or other appointed meeting place) at the appointed time. You will be transferred to the Sund Island in a comfortable private vehicle.

Visit the Sun Island
The Sun Island is a small island located on the north bank of the Songhua River. In the early years, the Manchu people fished and hunted here. The Songhua River is rich in squid. The pronunciation of squid in Manchurian language is similar to the pronunciation of "Sun" in Chinese. Hence the name, Sun Island. Covering 38 quare kilometers, the Sun Island is known for landscaped gardens, a water world, a Russian-style town, and various small galleries and museums. During the Ice & Snow Festival, Sun Island hosts a spectacular snow sculpture display called the Harbin International Snow Sculpture Art Expo.

Visit Harbin Ice and Snow World
Harbin Ice and Snow World offers a variety of ice sculptures, snow entertainment projects and theme performances. The attraction holds an annual ice and snow theme carnival, which is opened from Christmas to early March. Harbin Ice and Snow World features illuminated full size buildings made from blocks of 2–3' thick ice taken directly from the Songhua River. Each year the park has to be rebuild with newly designed ice buildings and snow and ice sculptures. You can enjoy a variety of snow-themed entertainment rides that gives you added thrill to the already stunning views you have there.

Lunch at Your Own Expense
Please feel free to ask your guide for suggestions and recommendation

Visit Saint Sophia Cathedral
With its distinctive green onion dome and roosting pigeons, this red-brick Russian Orthodox Church is Harbin’s most famous landmark. Built in 1907 after the completion of the Trans-Siberian Railway and expanded in 1932, it was the largest Orthodox church in the Far East and the centre of spiritual life for 100,000 Russian settlers. Although this magnificent Byzantine-style building no longer serves as a church, it still attracts many visitors with its beautiful exotic architecture. Saint Sophia Cathedral is a fully-preserved Byzantine-style building in China. Although it was renamed Harbin Architecture Art Gallery in 1997, locals and tourists still prefer to call it Sophia Cathedral.

Visit the Central Street
The Central Street was built in 1898 when China Eastern Railway, a railway crossing Manchuria, was under construction, making Harbin a major railway hub and prospering the city. In 1925, cobblestone was paved on the street with great costs in order to prevent erosion from the nearby Songhua River. By 1920s, the street has become an international street with more than one hundred shops. Its main inhabitants then were Russians, Jews, Chinese, Japanese and various other ethnic groups. Measuring 1450 meters long, the cobblestone avenue of Zhongyang Dajie is the most obvious legacy of Russia's involvement with Harbin. Now a pedestrian-only zone running from Jingwei Jie up to the Songhua River, the street, and those nearby, are lined with buildings that date back to the early 20th century. Some are imposing, others distinctly dilapidated, but the mix of architectural styles is fascinating.

Transfer Back to Your Hotel
Your guide and driver will transfer you back to your hotel in Harbin.