Mrs. Irma

Tour itinerary for TCT-LL-FIT-131013

Day 01 Oct13,2013 (Sun) -Arrival Shanghai

Flight No.: AM0098 /0600 (your arrangement)

Hotel : Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao (your arrangement)

Detail Program: Be greeted at Pudong airport

Description:

Be greeted at Pudong airport -- Shanghai is a city unlike any other in China. It is the bustling economic heartbeat of China that enjoys all of the comforts and amenities of a fully modern metropolis. Shanghai today looks to regain its former position at the turn of 20th of being one of the largest financial centers in the world behind New York and London. It is a city that seamlessly blends East and West.

Day 02 Oct14—17 ,2013 Shanghai

Detail Program: free by own arrangement

Day 06 Oct18,2013 (Fri) Shanghai--Beijing

Train No.: G116(0945/1521) (TCT arrangement)

Detail Program: Before go to train station, drive to Hotel Ecuatorial to store your luggage. Be transferred to Shanghai railway station。 Be transferred from Beijing railway station to the hotel upon arrival

Description:

Be transferred to the railway station --Be transferred to the Beijing railway station. --

Day 07 Oct19,2013 (Sat) Beijing (B,L)

Detail Program: The Temple of Heaven, Tian'anmen Square, The Forbidden City

Description:

The Temple of Heaven -- Temple of Heaven is located in the south-east of the Forbidden City. It covers an area of 273 hectares which is four times larger than the Forbidden City. It was used to hold a memorial ceremony for the God in Winter Solstice Festival and to pray for harvest in the first month of the lunar year by the emperors in Ming and Qing dynasties. It is China's existing largest structure for sacrifice to heaven

Tian'anmen Square -- Tian'anmen Square is the biggest city center square in the world, covering 44 hectares in the heart of Beijing. It is the place where history-changing events and ceremonies occurred. The north entrance gate is the magnificent Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tian'anmen), the symbol of the People's Republic China.

The Forbidden City -- The Forbidden City is the best preserved imperial palace in China, and in fact the largest ancient palatial structure in the entire world. With its many historical and cultural relics, the Forbidden City is internationally recognized as one of the five most important palace complexes in the world.

Day 08 Oct20,2013 (Sun) Beijing (B,L)

Detail Program: The Great Wall Badaling Section with round way cable car, Outside Viewing of the Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest), Outside Viewing of the Beijing National Aquatics Center(Water Cube)

Description:

The Great Wall Badaling Section with round way cable car -- The Badaling section of the Great Wall is the best preserved and the most popular one amongst all the sections. It is more than 1,000 meters (3281 ft) high above sea level, and commands a strategic position for transportation and defense in ancient times. Badaling, literally meaning "reach eight directions", got its name because the maze of its ridges stretches in all directions. It is easily accessible and has easy walking conditions. About 370 state leaders and VIPs have climbed Badaling and admired the magnificence and beauty of its scenery.

Outside Viewing of the Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest) -- China's National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, as it has become known, is the world's largest steel structure and the most complex stadium ever constructed. It is saddle-shaped, but the interlocking steel parts resembling a lattice of twigs, make the name Bird's Nest an obvious alias. Beijing National Stadium hosted the spectacular Opening and Closing Ceremonies, athletic events, and football final of the 2008 Summer Olympics. You can see the Bird Nest from the outside to appreciate the unique and creative design.

Outside Viewing of the Beijing National Aquatics Center(Water Cube) -- It is recommended to appreciate this magnificent architecture from the outside. The National Aquatics Center, also known as the Water Cube, is located on Olympic Green, with the Bird's Nest Stadium, on Beijing's north-south axis. It was built as the main natatorium for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and became known as one of the Games' iconic structures. The external appearance was inspired by the natural formation of soap bubbles!

Day 09 Oct21,2013 (Mon) Beijing--Xian (B,L)

Flight No.: MU2114(1505/1655) (TCT arrangement)

Hotel: Days Hotel & Suites Xin Xing

Detail Program: Rickshaw Hutong Tour, The Summer Palace, Be transferred to the Beijing airport. Be met at the airport.

Description:

Rickshaw Hutong Tour -- If exploring the Forbidden City has improved your understanding of the lifestyles of China 's ancient Imperial Court , then this half-day Hutong Tour will give you an insight into the lives of ordinary Chinese people and reveal their social culture in today's Beijing City. The narrow streets of old Beijing are known as Hutongs. You'll take a rickshaw tour along the Hutongs and see the 100-year-old houses, courtyards and a vanishing way of life in today's Beijing.

The Summer Palace -- Originally known as the "Garden of Clear Ripples", the Summer Palace is a magnificent imperial garden located 15 km north of Beijing City. This is the largest ancient preserved garden in China and a former summer retreat for Emperors and the chosen few! The site includes more than 100 ancient style pavilions, mansions, towers, halls, temples, bridges and an enormous clear water lake. During the hot Beijing summers, the Imperial Family preferred the beautiful gardens and airy pavilions of the Summer Palace to the walled-in Forbidden City.

Be transferred to the Beijing airport. --Be met at the airport. -- Xi'an, steeped in history and still giving up secrets, is your gateway to ancient Chinese civilization. In its 3,100 recorded years of evolution, it has been home to 13 dynasties. Xi'an was also the end of civilization for those setting out on the famous Silk Road. Today's Xi'an is a vibrant, modern city, but surrounded by history, even underfoot! So there can be no underground railways due to the obligation to preserve the wealth of ancient treasure still awaiting discovery.

Day 10 Oct22,2013 (Tue) Xian (B,L)

Hotel: Days Hotel & Suites Xin Xing

Detail Program: Qin Terracotta Army Museum, The Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Xi'an Ancient City Wall

Description:

Qin Terracotta Army Museum -- The Terracotta Army or the "Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses", is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. It is a form of funerary artburied with the emperor in 210-209 BC and whose purpose was to protect the emperor in his afterlife. The Terracotta Army was discovered in March 1974 by a farmer. So far, 1,868 terracotta warriors and chariots have been unearthed. in 1987 the Terracotta Army was listed by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage and known as the eighth wonder of the world

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda -- The Big Wild Goose Pagoda was built in 652 during the Tang Dynasty and originally had five stories, although the structure was rebuilt in 704 during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian and its exterior brick facade renovated during the Ming Dynasty. One of the pagoda's many functions was to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and travelers Xuanzang. Now this well-preserved holy place for Buddhist has been the symbol of Xi'an.

Xi'an Ancient City Wall -- Xian was always a walled city, and today's wall represents one of the oldest and best preserved Chinese city walls, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. The first city wall of Chang'an was begun in 194 BCE. The existing wall was started during the Ming Dynasty in 1370, measuring 13.7 km in circumference, 12 m in height, and 15-18 m in thickness at the base. The South Gate and North Gate are the two main entrances to the inner city. The city itself is neatly arranged along the city wall. This impressive structure is just a precursor to the remarkable discoveries awaiting visitors to Xian

Day 11 Oct23,2013 (Wed) Xian--Guilin (B,L)

Flight No.: HU7667(1705/2020) (TCT arrangement)

Hotel: Guilin Park Hotel

Detail Program: Muslim Street, Shaanxi History Museum, Great Mosque, Be transferred to the airport.Be greeted at the airport.

Description:

Muslim Street -- Located in the center of Xi'an City, the Muslim Street is a fantastic place to wander. All shops and restaurants in the street are operated by Muslims. The stalls flanking the narrow alleys sell almost everything you can imagine. There are even a number of stalls selling parts of aircraft. If you are prepared to bargain you will be amazed at the final prices. A variety of Muslim food and snacks can be tried here, tasty and very cheap, including the locals' favorites, roasted beef, roasted fish, and pancakes.

Shaanxi History Museum -- As the regional capital and doorway to the Silk Road, Xi'an was one of the richest, most well-protected cities in all of China. The famous Shaanxi History Museum introduces the visitor to area's rich culture, from Emperor Qin Shihuang to the present day in this walled city. The museum is house in a striking Tang Dynasty-style pavilion and features an enormous collection of 113,000 historic and cultural relics. This is where you experience history, with chronological dynasties exhibits that take you through the Han, Wei, Jin, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.

Great Mosque -- The Great Mosque of Xi'an, located near the Drum Tower, is one of the oldest and most renowned mosques in the country. The mosque was built in the Tang Dynasty, it still used by Chinese Muslims today as a place of worship. Unlike most mosques in Middle East or Arab countries, the Great Mosque of Xi'an is completely Chinese in its construction and architectural style, except for some Arabic lettering and decorations, for the mosque has neither domes nor traditional-style minarets. This fact alone makes it an intriguing place to visit and an attractive subject for photographers.

Be transfered to the airport. --Be greeted at the airport. -- Guilin is world-famous for its serene landscape, Karst limestone formations, mist-covered hills and bamboo groves. It is home to more than ten ethnic groups, including Han, Zhuang, Miao, Yao, Hui and Dong. On the way from the airport to your hotel, you will see dozens of pretty hills everywhere in the city of Guilin. It is a city of hills and green trees and boasts one of the most photographed areas of China.

Day 12 Oct24,2013 (Thu) Guilin--Yangshuo (B,L)

Hotel: Green Lotus Hotel

Detail Program: Li River Cruise, Yangshuo West Street

Description:

Li River Cruise -- In the morning be driven to Pier for your Li River Cruise. A double-decker river boat is waiting for you. The landscape from Guilin to Yangshuo is truly a masterpiece of nature. The hills with their reflections in the crystal water are like fairy land. No matter what the weather goes on by the time you are doing the cruise, sun, mist or rain all lead to beautiful sceneries that will give you impressive photo. The highlight section of Li River from Yangdi to Xingping, travelers can admire the famous site such as the Nine Horses Mural Cliff and the scenery on the RMB banknotes of 20 Yuan etc.

Yangshuo West Street -- Yangshuo is a small oriental but Western-influenced town with a history of 1000 years. The West Street in the town earns its name since almost every one in West Street can speak fluent English and every restaurant or bar offers menus in several languages. You'll feel no borders or distance here and will soon fall under the spell of this charismatic, welcoming small-town atmosphere. Moreover, West Street is flanked by fascinating little shops and vendor stands selling a broad variety of superior quality souvenirs, perfect gifts for friends and relatives. West Streets charms increase when night comes; countless bars, cafés and bistros open till midnight with dynamic music and live bands to ensure you can have a really memorable night with your new-found friends.

Day 13 Oct25,2013 (Fri) Yangshuo--Guilin (B,L)

Hotel: Guilin Park Hotel

Detail Program: Yangshuo biking tour（about 2hours）, The Moon Hill, The Big Banyan Tree, Be transferred to Guilin(about 1.5hours).

Description:

Yangshuo biking tour（about 2hours） -- Yangshuo has beautiful and peaceful farmland. It is always one of the best places to enjoy both the unique shaped limestone hills and Chinese agriculture. It is also a good place to go close to Chinese farmers and know real China. Cycling around the countryside, passing though villages and touring with the picturesque landscape, travelers will experience an impressive tour left in your mind for a long time.

The Moon Hill -- Moon Hill, located eight kilometers south of Yangshuo town. A strange geological formation at the top is a massive arch with a hole in its peak through which the sky can be seen like a full moon, hence the name. 800 steps winds its way up to the moon-shaped hole

The Big Banyan Tree -- The Big Banyan Tree is located on the west bank of Jinbao River approximately 7.5km south of Yangshuo. It is said to have a history of nearly 1,400 years and has survived centuries of wind and rain. The Big Banyan Tree is now 17 meters high, 7.1 meters around the main trunk, and spans an area of 1000 square meters. As a major tourist attraction, the enormous Banyan is famous for its age and towering beauty. It is also noted because the Chinese film 'The legend of Liu Sanjie' was partly shot here. The beautiful love story adds to the magic of this centuries-old tree.

Be transferred to Guilin(about 1.5hours). --

Day 14 Oct26,2013 (Sat) Guilin--Hangzhou (B,L )

Flight No.: CA1798(1945/2140) (TCT arrangement)

Hotel: Ramada Hangzhou hotel

Detail Program: Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill, Be transferred to the Guilin airport.Be met at Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport and transferred to your hotel

Description:

Reed Flute Cave -- The cave got its name from the type of reed growing outside, which can be made into melodious flutes. Reed Flute Cave is filled with a large number of stalactites, stalagmites and rock formations in weird and wonderful shapes. It is a landmark and tourist attraction in Guilin and commonly praised as Nature's Grand Art Palace.

Elephant Trunk Hill -- Guilin Elephant Trunk Hill, also called the elephant hill, lies on the conjunction of the Li River and the peach blossom river. It is the badge of Guilin city. The whole hill looks exactly like a huge elephant stretching its trunk drinking water of the Li River.

Be transferred to the Guilin airport. --Be met at Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport and transferred to your hotel -- Hangzhou is one of China's big tourist attractions. It has many historical relics and scenic spots, including West Lake, and the scenic area near the Fuchun River and the Xinan River. The special local-made products are silk, Xihu silk umbrellas, color-glazed porcelain, Longjing tea, and white chrysanthemum. Hangzhou is one of China's major textile industry centers, and the largest producer of gunnysacks in China. Now the Hangzhou High-Technical Development Zone and the Qiantang River Investment Zone are being established.

Day 15 Oct27,2013 (Sun) Hangzhou (B,L)

Hotel: Ramada Hangzhou hotel

Detail Program: West Lake Cruise, Lingyin Temple, Six Harmonies Pagoda, Huqingyu’s Traditional Pharmacy, China Tea Museum

Description:

West Lake Cruise -- West Lake is located in the south-west of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. With its beautiful lakes, mountains and many attractions, it has become the world-famous tourist destination and is known as the "paradise on earth" in the world. It was elected as the first batch of China's key national 5A-level scenic spot opened to the public and it is one of Top 10 China Attractions. With its accumulation of years of history, its unique southern charm and a large number of outstanding cultural landscape help itself to be selected into world cultural heritage list, and it is the only China's world cultural heritage in the class of lakes. The Santanyinyue landscape printed on the back of the paper currency for CNY 1 yuan embodies a special status of the West Lake among numerous China's scenic spots.

The West Lake is a like a shining pearl inlaid on the vast land of China, reputed for beautiful scenery, a multitude of historical sites, brilliant cultural relics, and a profusion of native products. Legend has it that the West Lake was a heavenly jewel fallen to earth. Pragmatists insist that it is a mere lagoon on Hangzhou's western fringe. In any case, West Lake has inspired painters for centuries.

Lingyin Temple -- Lingyin Temple is one of the ten most famous ancient Buddhist monasteries in China. In front of it are the Peak That Flew Here and the Cold Spring. According to historic record, during the period of Eastern Jin dynasty (317 - 420 AD) Huili, an Indian Monk, came here and built the temple called "Lingyin"(326 AD) after the name of the mountain. And Emperor Kangxi (1662 - 1723 AD) of the Qing Dynasty, when he came here in a tour of inspection, gave it another name "Yunlin Buddhist Temple".

Six Harmonies Pagoda -- The Six Harmonies Pagoda, under protection as a key national cultural relic today，was constructed first in 970 during the Northern Song Dynasty to suppress the tidewaters. Today the brick-and-wood structure of the Six Harmonies Pagoda remains largely intact. The pagoda stands 59.89 meters high. From here you can have a good view of the Qiantang River meandering far into the distance. In the pagoda there are more than two hundred sites of brick carvings, which feature a wide range of motifs, including megranate, lotus, phoenix, peacock, parrot, lion, kylin and so on. These brick carvings are rare material proofs of Chinese ancient architectures. With a view of Qiantang River, the pagoda presents a quiet image of age-old majesty. Looking out from the top of the pagoda, sightseers can see as far as the misty horizon, enjoying the unforgettable, breathtaking scenery.

Huqingyu’s Traditional Pharmacy -- Nicknamed " Medicine King" in the South of the Yangtze River, Hu Qingyu's Drugstore was founded on today's Qinghe Street of Hangzhou in 1874 by Hu Xueyan, a "red-top official merchant". It is worth mentioning that Huqingyu Drugstore fully carried out the medicine-making techniques and industry standards stated in the Prescriptions of the Bureau of Taiping People's Welfare Pharmacy drafted by the authorities of the Southern Song Dynasty. It is also fair to say that Hangzhou is the origin of "ancient Chinese pharmacopoeia" and Hu Qingyu Drugstore is an inheritor of the great tradition.

China Tea Museum -- Established in 1991, China Tea Museum is the only national museum in China that takes tea as its theme. It is situated at the idyllic Longjing Tea Village in the beautiful West Lake Scenic Area. The museum displays tea's history, the various tea, tea events, tea sets and tea customs in China.

Day 16 Oct28,2013 (Mon) Hangzhou--Suzhou (B,L)

Train No.: G7382(1014/1152) (TCT arrangement)

Hotel: Marco Polo Suzhou

Detail Program: Be transferred to the railway station。 Be met at the railway station., Humble Administrator's Garden, Panmen Gate, Silk Factory

Description:

Be transferred to the railway station -- Be met at the railway station. -- Founded in 514 BC, Suzhou is one of the oldest towns in the Yangtze Basin. And Suzhou remains one of the most beautiful cities in China with its blue web of interlocking canals and classical gardens that inspired the Chinese to name it "paradise on earth" and Marco Polo to call the city the "Venice of the East" during his visit.

Humble Administrator's Garden -- Humble Administrator's Garden (Zhuozheng yuan) is the best representation of Chinese classical gardens of the Ming Dynasty. Its design is duplicated in many gardens throughout China, and there's even a replica in the New York Metropolitan Museum. In total, the garden contains 48 different buildings with 101 tablets, 40 stelae, 21 precious old trees, and over 700 Suzhou-style penza. In 1997, Zhuozheng Yuan, along with other classical gardens of Suzhou was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Panmen Gate -- Panmen Gate is the oldest city gate of Suzhou and the only existing water and land gate in China. The gate is located on the south-west corner of the Main Canal Suzhou. Originally built during the Warring States Period in the state of Wu, historians estimate it to be around 2,500 years old.

It is composed of two water passages, three land passages and the outside gate. The canal outside the gate is the oldest section of the Grand Canal that was also built 2,500 years ago. In its vicinity, there is a 1,000-year-old pagoda named Ruiguang Pagoda, the earliest pagoda in Suzhou; and the Wu Bridge, the entrance to the gate at that time over the water passage and the highest bridge in Suzhou at the time.

Silk Factory -- Silk has a history of some 4,500 years in China, so they have become adept at producing many different types of silk, as well as dyeing it and weaving different patterns into the fabric. Suzhou is famous for its silk production. In the Silk Factory you can see a display of the life-cycle of the silk worm and demonstrations of how the silk is harvested from the cocoons and eventually woven into fabric. It is quite astonishing to learn that one cocoon can produce about 2 km of silk strand, and that several of these strands are twined together to make a single thread. The process is so slow and painstaking; it comes as no surprise that genuine hand-made silk articles are so expensive.

Day 17 Oct29,2013 (Tue) Suzhou--Shanghai (B,L)

Hotel: Equatorial Hotel

Detail Program: Tongli Water Town (Xingluozhou), Be transferred to Shanghai(about 2hours)

Description:

Tongli Water Town (Xingluozhou) -- Originally named Fushi, Tongli is an old but very well preserved water township with a history of more than 1,000 years. Built in the Ming and Qing dynasties, it encloses 5 lakes and 15 canals dividing the town into 7 islands which are connected by 20 ancient bridges of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Tongli is famous for its one garden, two halls and three bridges. One garden refers to Tuisi Garden. Two halls are Chongben Hall and Jiayin Hall. Three bridges are Taiping Bridge ("Safety" in English), Jili Bridge ("Good luck" in English) and Changqing Bridge ("Longevity" in English). Local tradition calls for those celebrating a Wedding or Birthday to pass over all three bridges.

Be transferred to Shanghai(about 2hours) --

Day 18 Oct30,2013 (Wed) Shanghai (B)

Hotel: Equatorial Hotel

Detail Program: Free day at leisure

Description:

Free day at leisure --

Day 19 Oct31,2013 (Thu) Shanghai--Qingchengshan (B)

Flight No.: (/) (your arrangement)

Detail Program: Be transferred to Pudong Airport

Description:

Be transferred to Pudong Airport --

Service Ends