12 Days Beijing Xian Zhangjiajie Shanghai Tour

Upon arrival in Beijing, you will be greeted by our local guide and then be transferred to your hotel by a private air-conditioned car. At  the rest time today, it is free for you to recover from the jet lag or explore the city by yourself.

After breakfast at hotel, we start today's highlights with a visit of the Temple of Heaven, The temple of Heaven was where the Emperor came every winter solstice to worship heaven and to solemnly pray for a good harvest. With the three blue-tiled cone-shaped roofs, a unique wooden and blue-tiled structure built without a nail, it has become a worldwide symbol of Beijing.

After lunch, we go on our city tours to visit Tiananmen Square, the symbolical heart of China and gathering place for the masses. It is the biggest public square in the world, which can hold one million people.

From here we walk across the Golden River Bridge to visit the Forbidden City and experience ancient Emperor's daily life. Forbidden City was the largest palace in the world, and it was indeed a forbidden place limited to commoners for 500 year in the past. Your tour here will include private access to the Emperor's palace.

After bereakfast today, we will spend about 1.5 hours to be transferred outside the city to the surrounding countryside for a visit to the Badaling Great Wall, the pride of China and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Whereas Genghis Khan contemplated it as a military obstacle, Richard Nixon saw it as one of humankind's greatest achievements. You will be able to climb and walk the 2,000 years old ancient wall, admiring the splendid mountain views.

After lunch, we will visit the legendary Ming Tombs, The Ming Tombs are situated at the foot of Heavenly Longevity Mountain, northwest of Beijing. Since there are 13Ming emperors buried there, there are also called the 13 Ming Tombs. Passing though the Sacred Way, a road guarded on both sides with stone statues by which the ancient emperors went to hold a memorial ceremony for the ancestors, you will encounter the marble tombs of the Ming Dynasty emperors.

After breakfast,you will experience a unique Hutong tour by taking rickshaw this morning. Hutongs are a kind of ancient city alley or lane that is typical in Beijing. Most of them are found around the Forbidden City, and many were built during the three dynasties of Yuan, Ming and Qing. Today, the Hutong is a living museum of Beijing history showing the traditional lifestyle of Beijing people.

You continue to visit the Summer Palace. Equally famous as the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace is called 'Yiheyuan' (Garden of Nurtured Harmony) in Chinese. It is up to now the best preserved and the largest imperial gardens in China. You may regret it if you come to Beijing without visiting this grand imperial garden.

Also, you will have a visit to Yonghe Lamasery. The YongHe Palace (Yonghe Gong) is Beijing's biggest Lama temple and is globally renowned.

In the evening, you will be transferred to airport to take flight to Xi'an. 

Upon arrival in Xian, you will be met local guide and transferred to your hotel in Xian City.

After breakfast, you will visit the amazing 2000-year-old Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses. Regarded as the 8th Wonder of the World, the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Over 2,200 years ago, the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang in search of immortality, ordered the construction of a vast army of Terra-cotta warriors and buried with him to protect his empire after his early death.

Another highlight today is the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Situated at south of the Xi'an city, as one of the main constructions in the famous Buddhist temple-Da-Ci-En Temple, where Famous Buddhist Master Xuanzang (Monk Tripitaka) stored his well-preserved collection of classic Buddhist artifacts brought from India in Tang Dynasty. Now it is the Landmark of the Xi'an.

Then we go on to visit the Bell Tower, which is the most well-preserved and best-known one among many ancient cities of China. The Bell Tower was built in 1384. In early morning of ancient times it had the mission of ringing the bell and giving the correct time to the whole city, so it is called "The Bell Tower". With magnificent carved beams and painted rafters, this classical building is truly elegant.

After breakfast, you will explore the downtown area. The Bell Tower, the Drum Tower, the Islamic Flavor Street. Thereafter, you will be transferred to Xian Xianyang Aiport to take flight to Zhangjiajie.Upon arrival in Zhangjiajie, you will meet local guide and be transferred to your hotel in Zhangjaijie.

After breakast at hotel, pick up to transfer to the entrance gate of Wulingyuan Scenic Aarea, After 20 minutes driving bu shuttle bus inside the park, you will get to the spot of Shuiraosimen where four streams meet here to form the four outdoors. And it is the center of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Take Bailong Elevator up to Yuanjiajie Scenic Spot.,which is also called AVATAR Mountain for the movie AVATAR is filmed here. Located in the northwest part of the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Yuanjiajie is a naturally formed platform mountain, surrounded by higher summits which are divided by deep valleys. You will enjoy Hallelujah Mountain, NO.1 Bridge in the world and so on.

After lunch, take bus about 40 minutes driving to He Long Park, and visit Tianzi Mountain.Tianzi Mountain is known for 4 natural spectacles, the clouds of mist that circle the peaks of the mountain, the amazing views of the rising sun, the moonlit nights and snowcapped winter peaks. They include more than 80 natural platforms to take in the magnificent scenery. Then take Tianzi Mountain cable car down and continue to visit Ten-mile Gallery by tram in Suoxiyu Scenic Spot. 

Optional Night Events: Enjoy the famous show --Charm Western Hunan (CNY 228/P..P Optional)

After breakfast, you are transferred to visit Zhangjiajie National Forest Park . Take round-trip cable car to explore the unique landmark and enjoy the six wonders of the Yellow-Stone Village. After lunch, you will hike along the Golden Whip Stream,with a total length of 7.5 km,which is praised as the most beautiful canyon in the world. 

After breakfast, you are transferred to visit the Glass Bridge which crosses  Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon,which is over 430 meters and also the longest bottom glass bridge in the worl.  

After lunch. you will wisit the Yellow Dragon Cave which is the most six biggest caves in the world, and it was also listed as the World's Heritage as a part of Wulingyuan Scenic Area in 1992. Threrafter, you will head to visit Baofeng Lake which is praised as the Jade Pool in the world. Here, you can see the waterfalls hanged on the mountain, the crystal water surrounded by the unique mountains, and you can also learn the folk songs of the Tujia Ethnic Group while you ride a boat on the lake. 

After breakfast at hotel, you will visit Tianmen Mountain by round trip cable car. Tianmen Mountain is praised as "the Soul of Zhangjiajie". With 1518 meters above sea level, it is standing at the site of 8 km south away from Zhangjiajie Downtown.Today you can explore the six wonders of Tianmen Mountain,including Tianmen Cave, Tongtian Avenue, The Ghost Plank Road, Glass Sky-walk, Tianmen Temple, etc. After lunch visit Tujia Folk Customs Park, also named Tusi Town. Here, you can realize and understand the folk culture and architecture feature of Tujia Ethnic Group of China Thereafter, visit Dayong Ancient City. Thereafter, you are transferred to Zhangjiajie  airport or railway station for departure to your next city___Shanghai, Uopon arrival in Shanghai, meel local guide and transfer to hotel in the city.

After breakfast, you will go to visit the Yu Garden which is a typical private garden in China with nearly 500 years history,located in Shanghai old town. Then, continue sightseeinf of the Bund, it shows off Shanghai's outstanding foreign buildings, most of which were erected before 1937.it is the emblem of Shanghai, the area used to be British concession.

Enjoy lunch at the local restaurant, In the afternoon, we will visit the Jade Buddha Temple where two rare jade statues of Sakyamuni Buddha are displayed, afterwards,drive to the Lujiazui financial area. Then you will visit the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, which is the third tallest Tv Tower in the world,get a bird view of the city and learn the history of Shanghai from Historical Development Museum at 0 meter of the TV tower.(If don't want to queue there in the long line,we can go to visit the 100th Floor of World financial center building without extra fee.); then Taking the cruise on the Huangpu River where the best view of the Bund and Lujiazui area are for your appreciation.  Drop-off service at your hotel and end today's trip.

After breakfast at hotel, you area free leisure before you are transferred Shanghai airport or railway station for your departure to your next city.