10 Days China Family Tour with Chengdu Panda Reserve

After breakfast, drive about 70km to witness one of the Seven Wonders of the World - the Great Wall. Visit the Mutianyu, a less crowded yet well-preserved segment of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty. It will more than live up to all of your expectations! This great wall, linking Gubeikou in the east and Juyongguan in the west, was served as the vital military strategic point in the ancient time. Moreover, Mutianyu section is the longest great wall in China so far and since protection work is well done here, tourists can now see its original appearance and enjoy the real ancient culture of great wall. Also, spectacular natural scenery in Mutianyu Great Wall always impresses visitors here for its abundant vegetation. You will take a cable car to ascend the Great Wall, then hike the most beautiful and interesting part of Mutianyu. It's a wonderful experience to climb up its rising towers to enjoy scenic views and take brag-worthy photos of the wall wriggling along mountain ridges. After the exciting time, descend Mutianyu Great Wall by cable car. (Note: If energy permits, you can hike up or down which takes about 40 minutes to climb steps. Please tell your likes to your travel consultant.)

Continue your trip to Sacred Way, a 7-kilometer-long passage leading to the Imperial Tombs of 13 Emperors of Ming Dynasty. The Emperor, known as the Son of the Heaven, who came from Heaven to his country through the Sacred Way, also would return to Heaven through this road. Take a walk through the largest archway in China and Great Palace Gate and you’ll see the magnificent stone guard of 12 sets of mythical animals and 12 officials. Then drive back to Beijing city and take a short stop at the Beijing Olympic Village to view its famous Bird’s Nest and Water Cube from the outside.

Optional activity: 1. Enjoy an exciting and safe toboggan ride (about 2~3mins) down Mutianyu Great Wall; 2. After the whole day's tour, treat yourself a great dinner to taste the famous Peking Roasted Duck.

After breakfast, drive to the imperial site of the Temple of Heaven. Originally a site used to pay homage to Heaven and pray for good harvests, it is now a bustling place where locals take part in traditional activities such as Tai Chi, dancing, kite flying, water calligraphy, and others.

Then get back to the central city to hop on a rickshaw to experience the Beijing Hutongs - small alleys made by neighboring quadrangle dwellings. Shuttle among different Hutongs to get a feel of the old Beijing lifestyle, visit various antique shops and small boutiques, and truly feel the historical changes of Beijing, also pay a visit to a local family's home in the traditional Hutongs.

Your Beijing tour is now about to end. Your tour guide will see you off at the Beijing West Railway Station for a high speed train trip to Xian (about 5 hours). You will be picked up by your tour guide at Xian North Railway Station and escorted to your hotel in Xian. The rest of the day is on your own to explore this ancient capital of China.

After breakfast, drive about 40 km to discover one of the greatest man-made wonders in the world - the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, built by the first emperor of China Qin Shihuang to protect him in his afterlife. Over 8,000 life-size warriors, horses and chariots, buried in 3 pits for more than 2,000 years until uncovered by a local farmer in 1974, form an ancient military army with complete battle units of infantry, cavalry, etc. Standing in front of these figures, one can't help being amazed not only by the ambition of Emperor Qin Shihuang but also by the fabulous artistic skills of ancient Chinese artisans. (Before the Terracotta Warriors Museum visit, you will have a rare opportunity to make a miniature Terracotta Warrior on your own under the instruction of a local potter.)

In the afternoon, you will go to enjoy some leisure time around Zhonggulou Square where the famous landmarks of Bell Tower and Drum Towers stand on. There is a Chinese saying, “morning bell and evening drum”, which describes the ancient Chinese stroke the bell in the bell tower and beat the drum at the drum tower to announce the time of the day. With grand side and superb decoration, the Bell Tower and Drum Towers in Xian are the most grandiose architectures of their kinds. You will climb up to one of the towers to enjoy the panoramic view of Xian. The rest time of this afternoon is to spend some leisure time at the bustling and lively Muslim Quarter, a place where you can try different local snacks and explore Muslim culture. Don't miss the Great Mosque of Xian which is a fusion of Chinese culture and Islamic culture, a sacred religious site with huge ancient architectural complex, also a surprisingly quiet land away from bust Muslim Street. After the Great Mosque visit, you will be escorted back to your hotel. (If you want to stay more time at the Muslim Quarter for dinner and relaxing, or want to explore the nearby Bell & Drum Towers on your own, please let your tour guide know.)

After breakfast, go to take a wonderful stroll on the Ancient City Wall, the largest and best-preserved ancient city wall in China. Enjoy panoramic views of modern Xian while you leisurely examine this well-maintained city wall which is 12 meters high and 18 meters wide with a total circuit of nearly 14 kilometers. (Optional experience: rent a bike to enjoy a relaxing cycling on the Ancient City Wall) Then you will visit a local family to check out what is the daily living of a traditional Chinese Family. You will also be taught to make Chinese dumplings under the friendly instruction of the host. Enjoy lunch with the local family.

In the afternoon, head to Da Cien Temple, a famous Buddhist sutra translation site during the Tang Dynasty. Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is the most famous building in the temple. The pagoda, rising to a height of 64.5 meters, was built by the famous Buddhist master Xuanzang to preserve classic scriptures he bought back from India during the early Tang Dynasty. Xuanzang was the prototype character for Tang Seng in the famous Chinese novel “Journey to the West”. (Note: It costs an extra 30 RMB if you want to climb up the Big Wild Goose Pagoda) After (or before) visiting the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, you will be provided a free experience of trying on the Hanfu which is the solemn costume of the emperors and their families, the ministers and the noble in the ancient dynasties of China. Seize this rare opportunity to take some photos to record this unique memory!

Following is an educational visiting to Shaanxi History Museum. Ramble in the modern exhibition halls to appreciate relics, such as porcelains, paintings, currencies from Zhou to the Tang periods (1100 BC to 907 AD). (Note: Shaanxi History Museum may be replaced with other activity or attraction because of crowding tourists during July ~ early September and China’s National Day during Oct.1-Oct.7. You may check details with your travel consultant.)

After the tour, you’ll be escorted to Xian North Railway Station for a high speed train to Chengdu (about 3.5~4 hours). Welcome to Chengdu, the Hometown of Giant Pandas! Upon your arrival at Chengdu East Railway Station, you will be met by local guide and then transferred to your hotel in Chengdu downtown. The rest of today is free on your own to explore this laid-back city.

This morning you will make a memorable visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. This facility is not only the most important panda scientific research center in the world, but also the home for more than 100 Giant Pandas. You will walk at leisure through the bamboo-framed paths and closely observe giant pandas of different ages eating bamboos, playing with each other, tumbling, and climbing trees. Be sure to not miss the chance to watch female pandas nursing their cubs in the nursery rooms! There is also a very informative Panda Museum where you can learn more scientific facts about Giant Pandas. Next, you will be taken to a hidden spiritual Buddhist temple in hustling downtown Chengdu, Wenshu Temple, where you will marvel at the exquisite Buddhist architecture, soak in the reverent atmosphere, and wander on the temple’s peaceful paths.

Chengdu is famous throughout China for its relaxing and leisurely pace and lifestyle, which will be demonstrated by a visit to the City’s Renmin Park. Sit down, order a pot of Chinese tea, have a casual chat with your friends and watch locals indulging themselves in different kinds of folk entertainment - napping, playing mahjong, disco dancing, and giving neck massages! Next will be an impressive visit to the famous Jinli Old Street. Time will steal away as you quietly walk on the lively streets full of delicious local snacks, delicate artifacts, interesting folk shows, and other activities.

Optional Activity: In the evening, watch a wonderful performance of Sichuan Opera which includes folk opera, face changing, fire spitting, rolling lights, and other delightful entertainment (usually performs at 20:00~21:30).

Today is free until you get escorted to catch your flight to Shanghai (about 2hrs), the most flourishing metropolis in China. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by local tour guide, then transferred to your downtown hotel in Shanghai.The rest time is your own to relax.

After breakfast, you will visit Shanghai Museum, one of the best museums in China. Conveniently located near the People’s Square, this large museum is designed and built with a round top and a square base which symbolize the ancient Chinese perception of the world as “round sky, square earth”, and mainly focus on Chinese ancient history and art. Over one billion cultural relics are exhibited inside, including precious bronzes, paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, jade, sculptures, traditional furniture, seals and old coins from more than 5,000 years ago to the Qing Dynasty. Da Ke Ding(bronze food vessel in over 3000 years ago), Bianzhong of Marquis Su of Jin (ancient musical instruments) are top treasures to visit. An Audio Explanation Device will help you better learn the facts and knowledge of the exhibitions.

Then, transfer to Shanghai old town to visit Yu Garden (Yuyuan), a famous Southern China classical garden which was originally built about 450 years ago. Walk around to view the ancient pavilions, halls, towers with jagged carved cornices and decorations, grotesque rockeries, glittering ponds filled with swimming kois and many old plants. These buildings, laid out in an asymmetry, fully embody impressive Chinese architectural style, art and skills, from which you can imagine an ancient living scene and find a magic harmony between human and nature. Yuyuan Bazaar outside the garden is an interesting place for shopping traditional Chinese handicrafts and artworks and tasting a variety of local snacks.

Next, visit the Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC), “the Eye of Shanghai”, one of the most incredible skyscrapers in Lujiazui. With a height of 492 meters (1,614 ft), the tower is the second tallest building after the nearby Shanghai Tower (632 meter/2,073 ft). Ascend up to the 474 meter-high 100th floor observation deck, try a thrilling skywalk on the transparent glass walkway and enjoy a breathtaking bird’s eye view of the entire city, including the Bund, neighboring Shanghai Tower, Jinmao Tower and many surrounding attractions. Feel Shanghai lying under your feet and blue sky hanging above your head.

Later, get to Nanjing Road, Shanghai’s earliest commercial street and one of the most popular current landmarks. Lots of big name brands, restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops and towering buildings can be seen when you stroll around this busy pedestrian mall. Continue your walk to the Bund, the most iconic place of Shanghai. Stretching along the west bank of the Huangpu River, this 1.5km-long road was a simple towpath for transporting good but developed to the early “East Wall Street” in late 19th century. Most known as a perfect blend of the East meeting the West, the Bund mainly features 52 various European-style architectures praised to the Exhibition of World’s Architecture. Make a pleasant walk to see those western classical and modern style buildings and amazing skyscrapers of Lujiazui across the river.

After the tour, drive back to your hotel. (If you want to spend free time at the Bund, Nanjing Road or take a relaxing Huangpu River cruise to see the city’s most significant edifices and streets ablaze with colorful lights (about 50 minutes), or explore somewhere else, please let your tour guide know.)

After breakfast, your tour guide and driver will pick you up in your hotel, and take you to Jade Buddha Temple, one of the top three sacred Buddhist temples in Shanghai which famed for precious jade Buddhist statues. The temple was built by a Buddhist monk from Mount Wutai to enshrine two jade Buddhas invited from Burma in Qing Dynasty (1882 AD). Now it has been renovated to a Song Dynasty style temple worshiping a sitting Buddha (1.95 meters tall) originally imported from Burma, a reclining Buddha (4.05 meters, 6 tons) donated from Singapore and two smaller reclining Buddhas, Giant Golden Buddha statues, massive valuable Buddhist scriptures and ancient Buddhist sculptures. It’s a wonderful spiritual visit to see real monks chanting and endless pilgrims praying with serene and pure ambience hidden among modern blocks and bustling metropolis.

Finally, drive to Tianzifang, a unique popular tourist enclave remolded from a traditional residential block in the French Concession area of Shanghai. Intertwined narrow alleys are filled with small creative shops selling lovely souvenirs and plenty of cafés, bars and restaurants. It’s great fun to ramble through the maze-like area to appreciate the well-preserved traditional Shanghainese Shikumen (Stone Warehouse Gate) houses, see interesting novel art and handicrafts, savor a lazy open-air coffee time and try some local street food and feel the original Shanghai life vibe.

In the afternoon, your guide and driver take you to the airport/train station/cruise port for your next destination or home. Tour ends.