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Day 3 Beijing

Day 4 Beijing to Xi'an by High Speed Train

Day 5 Xi'an

In the morning, your guide will escort you to explore the World's Eighth Wonder, Terracotta Army Museum. It is about an hour’s drive away from downtown. En route, the guide will tell you some interesting stories about the grand army. While inside, observe carefully and you will find out that all the figures and horses have distinct facial expressions and positions. Lunch will be on your own and our guide will gladly assist. Believe it or not, you eat better than Qin Shi Huang (259 - 210 BC), the first emperor of China and the owner of the Terracotta Army. The Emperor had two meals a day, at which he couldn’t eat much beef, as bulls were valuable productive forces used for farming. Moreover, cooking methods were limited to only several ones like grilling and boiling at that time. The most popular stir-frying was not invented until Song dynasty (960 – 1279 AD). So, relish your life, as you have more diverse choices for your meals even than the founder of the Qin Empire (221 - 207 BC).

To make the Terracotta Army tour more memorable, we will arrange two special activities thereafter.

► Visit Terracotta Army’s Discoverer
After being buried underground for about 2,200 years, the Terracotta Army was accidentally discovered by Mr. Yang Zhifa, a peasant living nearby, when digging a well in 1974. When the 42nd president of US, Bill Clinton visited the site in 1998, Mr. Yang was invited to tell the great discovery in person. Today, you will have the similar experience with the president while visiting Mr. Yang’s home. The family visit will be even more impressive because you will see the hue digging out the first warrior.

► Make Yourself a Mini Terracotta Figure
Next, go to a local workshop to make a terracotta soldier or a general with the guidance of an artisan. As it takes 10-14 days to make a replica 1:1 to the real terracotta figure, you will make a mini one about 11 cm (4 in) tall, taking around 40 minutes. After being finished, carve your logo or name on it and bring it home as a special souvenir.

After that, drive back to downtown Xi'an and continue to visit Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, a holy Buddhist pagoda. It is about 65 meters (212 feet) high after several renovations, and has been a landmark of the ancient city. Then walk south for a while to the adjacent Great Tang All Day Mall. The architectures there are all in Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) style and there are many interesting performances and entertainment facilities to enjoy. At the end of the day, send you back to the hotel. If you want to stay longer, the guide will kindly tell you the way back to the hotel before leaving.

► Dinner Suggestion:
Biang Biang Noodles carries the soul of Xi’an so you can’t miss it. For authentic taste, drop by Lao Li Jia Biang Biang Noodles without a second thought. Not only each serving offered is generous, but also the noodles are made with attention on chewiness. You can also look on and observe the cook stretching and tossing noodles, which makes a sound like “biang” on the kneading board - this is also where its name came from. Lao Li Jia has many branches and you can find one just at South Square of Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. Afterwards, maybe continue to stroll the Mall to see its spectacular nighttime streetscape. Average cost per person: CNY 20 / USD 3.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

Day 6 Xi'an

After breakfast, explore the core area of ancient Xi’an city. First, go to City Wall Park, where locals, especially elders do morning exercises and have fun like sword dancing, practicing Tai Chi, and playing musical instruments. You can join them to try some basic moves of Tai Chi.

Then ascend the well-preserved ancient City Wall. It is in square, with a perimeter of 13.74 kilometers (8.54 miles) and a height of 12 meters (39.4 feet), well protecting the people living inside from attacks in ancient times. Take a walk on the Wall to see how it worked as a defensive line. Cycling on the ancient wall is also very popular among visitors. If you prefer it, the guide will assist you to rent a bike.

Next, move on to visit Great Mosque, which perfectly compromises the merits of Chinese and Islamic cultures and is said to be the only Islamic mosque adopting Chinese style in the world. It is right located in the lively Muslim Quarter, the best food street to savor local snacks in Xi’an. To satisfy your appetite to the full extent, we will serve today’s lunch in a popular restaurant there, where a variety of local snacks are available.

Today’s last stop will be Shaanxi History Museum, which offers an overview of the thousands of years of Chinese history and the splendid ancient cultures through 1,717,950 pieces of relics.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Local flavor lunch

Day 7 Xi’an to Chongqing by Flight

Day 8 Yangtze River Cruise

Today, it is advised to get up early to join in the Tai Chi master to do some morning exercise. After breakfast, disembark and follow the cruise guide to visit the Ghost City of Fengdu. It is believed that every soul is judged in the “Ghost City” after death before going to the nether world and Fengdu Ghost City was built based on the beliefs, where you can learn a lot about the culture of ghost in China. For travelers who take Victoria Cruise ship, the onshore sightseeing will be arranged at Fengdu ShuangGui Mt. instead.

During the rest time of the day, you will be free to enjoy yourself on the cruise ship, take in the beautiful scenery, relax completely on the sundeck, or participate in various cultural programs onboard.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 Yangtze River Cruise

Day 10 Yichang to Shanghai by High Speed Train

Day 11 Shanghai

Your private Shanghai trip starts from the Shanghai Museum, which houses a large amount of collections, among which the fine art pieces are the most valuable. Then, visit one of the most famous gardens in south China, Yu Garden, which is well known for delicate architecture, exquisite layout and beautiful landscapes. There are also many vivid stone carvings, clay sculptures and wood carvings worth your attention. After the visit, the guide will lead you to explore the neighboring Yuyuan Bazaar for a while.

Next, enjoy an a la carte farewell lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) at a fancy and famous local restaurant well known for Shanghai and Cantonese cuisines.

In the afternoon, spend some time strolling Tianzifang, a cultural street with artsy stores, bars and restaurants. Go on with a one-hour cruise on Huangpu River. The modern skyscrapers on the east bank of the river and the old western buildings on the west bank will show you the past and the present of the city simultaneously. After going ashore, walk around on the Bund to admire the western building clusters closely. They are in various styles and therefore got the name International Architecture Expo.

► Dinner Suggestion:
For dinner, try Sheng Jian Bao (pan-fried pork buns) at Da Hu Chun Restaurant, Sichuan Middle Road. Established in 1932, the restaurant has been near a century old. It’s designated as an intangible cultural heritage and has been recommended on Michelin Guide for seven years straight. Sheng Jian Bao is a drawcard of Shanghai so a trip to the city without getting a taste of it is much incomplete. At Da Hu Chun, the buns are sprinkled sesame seeds and chopped green onions on them before being fried. They will be served the moment they are out of the pan so you get to appreciate its overflowing aroma and crispy bottom skin. Average cost per person: CNY 30 / USD 4.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte farewell lunch

Day 12 Departure from Shanghai