Day 01 Arrive in Beijing
Activities: Arrive in Beijing, your gateway city of China tour. Be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Free at leisure for the rest of the day.
Accommodation:Holiday Inn Central Plaza Beijing
Meals: No Meals
Day 02 Beijing
Activities: Leave your hotel in the morning, and visit Tiananmen Square, the largest urban square and Forbidden City, the largest and most complete ancient imperial palace in the world. Then visit Summer Palace in the afternoon. Peking Opera is available for your optional night entertainment,which is exclusive in our quotation. Feel free to contact our travel advisor about the details and cost.
Accommodation:Holiday Inn Central Plaza Beijing
Meals: B/L
Day 03 Beijing
Activities: In the morning drive 75 km to visit the Great Wall (Badaling Section) first and Ming Tombs (Changling Tomb), the once lavish burial chambers of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty. Peking Roasted Duck is available for your optional dinner.
Accommodation:Holiday Inn Central Plaza Beijing
Meals: B/L
Day 04 Beijing - 
- Urumqi
Activities: After half-day's Hutong Tour by rickshaw to visit the ancient lanes and alleyways of Beijing and be transferred to the airport for the flight to Urumqi, then be transferred to the hotel to catch up on some rest.
Accommodation:Orient Dynasty Hotel Urumqi
Meals: B/L
Day 05 Urumqi - 
- Turpan
Activities: In the morning drive to visit the Heavenly Lake (cruise and spots shuttle bus are available in the scenic area). Be transferred to Turpan after visiting.
Accommodation:Tuha Petroleum Hotel Turpan
Meals: B/L
Day 06 Turpan
Activities: Leave the hotel in the morning and have a full-day excursion including Gaochang Ancient City, Astana Tombs, the Flaming Mountain, Grape Valley and Karez Well. Uygur Ethnic Minority Dance Show is available as your optional night show.Feel free to contact our travel advisor about the details and cost.
Accommodation:Tuha Petroleum Hotel Turpan
Meals: B/L
Day 07 Turpan - 
- Dunhuang
Activities: Relax yourselves until be transferred to the railway station for the overnight train to Dunhuang.
Accommodation:On Train
Meals: B/L
Day 08 Dunhuang
Activities: Transfer to the hotel and have a good rest.
Accommodation:Grand Sun Hotel Dunhuang
Meals: B/L
Day 09 Dunhuang - - Xian
Activities: Today's trip is to visit Mogao Grottoes at first. The site is considered as the great treasure house of Buddhist arts in existence. Later to visit the Crescent Spring and Sighing Sand Dune. Then you will be transferred to the airport to board the flight to Xian. Upon arrival, be transferred to the hotel.
Accommodation:Gloria Plaza Hotel Xian(Tian Yu Gloria Plaza Hotel Xian)
Meals: B/L
Day 10 Xian
Activities: You will have ample time to visit Qin Terror-cotta Army Museum, Great Wild Goose Pagoda, and Ancient City Wall.
Accommodation:Gloria Plaza Hotel Xian(Tian Yu Gloria Plaza Hotel Xian)
Meals: B/L
Day 11 Xian - - Lhasa
Activities: Arrange your day freely until be transferred to the airport for the flight to Lhasa, and then be transferred to the hotel to adjust your body to the thin air. No activities will be scheduled today. Please don't hurry to explore outside and just take a rest for tomorrow.
Accommodation:Lhasa Hotel in Lhasa
Meals: B/L
Day 12 Lhasa
Activities: Today's whole-day trip will include Tibet Museum, Tibetan Family Visiting and Sera Monastery after lunch.
Accommodation:Lhasa Hotel in Lhasa
Meals: B/L
Day 13 Lhasa
Activities: After breakfast,you will have the second whole-day trip of Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street in Lhasa.
Accommodation:Lhasa Hotel in Lhasa
Meals: B/L
Day 14 Lhasa - - Kunming
Activities: Depart Lhasa and head to Kunming by plane. Upon arrival, be transferred to the hotel to catch up on some good rest.
Accommodation:Golden Dragon Hotel Kunming
Meals: B/L
Day 15 Kunming - - Lijiang
Activities: Take the flight to Lijiang and then visit Lijiang Ancient Town and Black Dragon Pool where you can gain the insight of Naxi people and their history.
Accommodation:Lijiang Jian Nan Chun Hotel
Meals: B/L
Day 16 Lijiang
Activities: Rise early in the morning as we drive up to visit Jade Dragon Mountain(cable car and green vans available in the scenic area for a charge), Yufeng Temple and Baisha Mural. Be transferred back to Lijiang after visiting.
Accommodation:Lijiang Jian Nan Chun Hotel
Meals: B/L
Day 17 Lijiang - - Kunming
Activities: Fly back to Kunming and take a visit to Dragon Gate on Western Hill and the Village of Ethnic Culture.
Accommodation:Golden Dragon Hotel Kunming
Meals: B/L
Day 18 Depart from Kunming
Activities: Your wonderful and impressive tours in China this time comes to the end!
Accommodation:
Meals: B
Day 01 Arrive in Beijing
Beijing has a long history. According to archeological findings 5,000 years ago, Peking Man lived in Zhoukoudian for a very long time. From the warring states period (473 - 221 B.C.), Beijing was the capital of Yan State and was called Ji. In the Liao Dynasty, it was called Nanjing. In 1153, it was changed to Zhongdu, becoming the capital of the Jin Dynasty. In 1283, Beijing, the capital of the Yuan Dynasty, was called Beiping. From 1421, it was known as Jingshi. In 1911, during the Republic Era, the capital was called Beijing, then Nanjing became the capital of China briefly in 1928, and Beijng reverted to the name Beiping. From 1949, Beijing was set in its current position with its current name as national capital.
Day 02 Beijing
Tiananmen Square: Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) was the main entrance to the Forbidden City during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Built in 1417, it was first named the Cheng Tian men, meaning that emperors obeyed the order of Heaven in ruling the country. Destroyed by fire twice, it was rebuilt in 1651 during the Qing Dynasty and renamed Tiananmen. It is also honored as the "Gate of the Nation". As one of the largest city squares in the world, Tiananmen Square occupies an area of 440, 000 square meters-spacious enough to accommodate half a million people. Many annual and special celebrations and assemblies are held here. On October 1st, 1949, Chairman Mao Ze Dong declared the founding of the People's Republic of China on the Tiananmen Rostrum, thus opening a new chapter in the history of China. In the new period of reforms and opening, Tiananmen, with its long history and rich culture, attracts people from all over the world.
Forbidden City: The Forbidden City also named the Palace Museum, shares the honor of being one of five world-famous palaces with the Palace of Versailles in France, Buckingham Palace in England, and the White House in the U.S. and the Kremlin in Russia. The palace, the most magnificent and splendid palace complex in China, was listed as a World Cultural Heritage Building in 1987. It was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the construction of this group of buildings took fourteen years from 1406 to 1420. In the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it was the imperial palace where twenty-four emperors ascended the throne and exercised their strong power to the nation.
Summer Palace: The Summer Palace, in the Haidian District, northwest of central Beijing, is said to be the best preserved imperial garden in the world, and the largest of its kind still in existence in modern China. It's hardly surprising that, 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. Dowager Empress Cixi took up permanent residence here for a time, giving rise to some wonderful tales of extravagance and excess.
Peking Opera, a synthesis of music, dance, art and acrobatics, is known as China's national opera and widely regarded as the highest expression of the Chinese culture. It is the most refined form of opera in the world and one of the three main theatrical systems in the world. Although it is called Peking Opera, its origins are not in Beijing but in the Chinese provinces of Anhui and Hubei. It then absorbed repertoire, music, arias and performing techniques from other operas and musical arts in China and became the most influential and representative of all operas in China Almost every province of China has more than one Peking Opera troupe. Beijing and Tianjin are respected as the key base cities in the north while Shanghai is the base in the south.
Day 03 Beijing
The Badaling Great Wall: The Great Wall at Badaling is the best representative section of the Great Wall. It is more than 7 meters high and 5 meters wide. It was the strategic point of Juyongguan Pass in ancient times. Many other fortresses and beacon towers were constructed at the strategic points. This section of the Great Wall has drawn great attention from the Chinese government since the foundation of P.R. China. It was designated a major historical site under state protection in 1961. The Great Wall was listed "a World Cultural Heritage" by the UNESCO in 1987. The Great Wall at Badaling is preserved as a historical monument and has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.
The Ming Tombs: Located at the foot of the Tianshou Mountain in Changping District, Beijing, the Ming Mausoleums, occupying an area of 120 square kilometers, is well preserved and have the biggest number of emperors buried in the world.
Beijing Roast duck: Beijing Roast duck is thought to be one of the most delicious dishes all over the world; most visitors coming to Beijing will never forget to have a try. Eating Peking duck is seen to be one of the two things you are absolutely supposed to do while in Beijing.
Day 04 Beijing - - Urumqi
Hutong Tours: The Beijing Hutong (old lane) areas have a very special and important position in the rich history and culture of Beijing. The alleys give a wonderful glimpse into the world of yesterday in Beijing. While visiting the Beijing Hutong, you can appreciate the dramatic changes that the rest of Beijing has undergone. The Beijing Hutong is made up of lanes or alleys formed by lines of pre-modern siheyuan, four-sided compounds with houses around a courtyard.
As an important strategic locale in the ancient Silk Road and the gathering place of historic East-West exchanges, Urumqi is home to numerous cultural relics and historic treasures. Thirteen main ethnic minorities offer souvenirs of their enduring colorful customs. .Urumqi is endowed with an abundance of tourist attractions, boasting of snow apex, glaciers, pine forest, grass land and lakes. There is a maze of ideal destinations for both domestic and overseas tourists such as the Red Hill, the strong natinality colored Erdaoqiao Bazaar, the No.1 Glacier, the Heavenly Lake, etc.
Day 05 Urumqi - - Turpan
Nestling high in the Tianshan Mountains, 115 kilometers west of Urumqi, the superlatively beautiful Heavenly Lake lies 1980 meters above sea level and is hemmed in by the towering snow-capped Bagda Peak. Heavenly Lake is a natural paradise with breath taking scenery. The 4 hours drive from Urumqi through the seemingly endless desert may seem tiring but Tianchi will provide travelers with an experience that makes the drive worthwhile.
Turpan also referred to as Tulu fan or Turfan, lies on the north branch of the Silk Road on the way to Urumqi. Turpan has a rich and ancient past. Many civilizations, cultures and religions put down roots here. Turpan is an old city with a long history. Traces have been found of humans living there, dating as far back as 6,000 years ago. Turpan means "the lowest place" in the Uygur language and 'the fertile land' in Turki. Lying in the Turpan Basin, the elevation of most of the places in the area is below 500 meters (1,640 feet). Turpan is the city with the lowest elevation in China.
Day 06 Turpan
The Ancient City of Gaochang is 47km (29 miles) southeast of Turpan. Originally built as a garrison in the 2nd century BC, it soon became the capital of the Kingdom of Gaochang. By the 9th century A.D. , Gaochang had become the center of the Uighur empire. Buddhism was also a major religion, and numerous monasteries and temples were built. The famous Buddhist monk Xuan Zang taught in the city for several months during his epic 18 year journey to India. Though the ruins have not been as well preserved as the ones in the Ancient City of Jiaohe, it still provides interesting insight into this unique civilization. The city is split into 3 parts, the inner city, outer city and palace grounds, all surrounded by a city wall and in total, covers an expansive area of over 2 million sq meters. Within you can see remnants of "Khan Castle", a 15 meter (49ft) structure, temples, manuscripts and Buddhist paintings.
Astana Tombs is the public tombs of the ancient Gaochang Country people, its shape is like the character of JIA(a Chinese character).
As one of the hottest places on earth, Flaming Mountain has always been a famous tourist attraction, with its harsh yet unique natural conditions, as well as abundant cultural heritage.
Located in the Flaming Mountain 13 km (8 miles) of Turpan, the Grape Valley runs 8km (5miles) from north to south at a width of 0.5km (03.miles). This green paradise of 400 hectares (988 acres) is covered with layer upon layer of grapes.
Karez Well is a kind of underground water works invented and built by laboring people of various ethnic groups in our country to adapt to the natural environment in dry region. Some people hold the view that Karez Wells of Xinjiang, the Great Wall and Canal constitute three Ancient Chinese Works.
Day 07 Turpan - - Dunhuang
Relax yourselves until be transferred to the railway station for the overnight train to Dunhuang.
Day 08 Dunhuang
The national, historical city of Dunhuang is a renowned tourist city famous for the Mogao Grottoes. It is situated in the common boundary of Gansu Province, Qinghai Province and Xinjiang Province. Dunhuang, long ago referred to as 'Sha Zhou' (beautiful desert oasis), was the hub of middle and eastern silk routes in ancient times. The city landmark is an attractive statue, the idea of which comes from the mural in Mogao Grottoes, a shrine to the culture and arts of Dunhuang. The western cities of China, especially those in the desert, are known for their sandstorms, so tourists should protect themselves with glasses, hats and gauze kerchiefs, etc.
Day 09 Dunhuang - - Xian
The Mogao Grottoes measures 1,680 meters from south to north, lying at the foot of Sighing Sands Dune. It has more than 700 caves, of which 492 caves hold more than 2,000 painted sculptures and 45,000 square meters of murals. There are five grottoes with a wooden structure. Mogao is the largest, oldest and the best-preserved Buddhist grottoes with the richest contents in the world today.
Moon Crescent Spring: A general view of the Moon Crescent Spring is a unique tourist attraction in the desert of Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu Province, January 2, 2008. The local government invested 41 million yuan in a project to bring up the lake's water level, which has gone down more than six meters in the past half century due to the dry environment.
The sand storms are said to create almost melodic sounds as millions of minute particles bounce and rub. You're unlikely to hear them, as tours don't head for the dunes during sand storms. But you'll cherish the views of the surrounding Taklamakan Desert. For the energetic, parasailing, tobogganing and now "sand boarding" are fun activities available here.
Xian, the eternal city, records the great changes of the Chinese nation just like a living history book. Called Chang'an in ancient times, Xian is one of the birthplaces of the ancient civilization in the Yellow River Basin area of the country. During Xian's 3,100 year development, 13 dynasties such as Western Zhou (11th century BC - 771 BC), Qin (221 BC - 206 BC), Western Han (206 BC - 24 AD) and Tang (618 - 907) placed their capitals here. So far, Xian enjoys equal fame with Athens, Cairo, and Rome as one of the four major ancient civilization capitals.
Day 10 Xian
The Qin Terror-cotta Army Museum: The Terracotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Work is ongoing at this site, which is around 1.5 kilometers east of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum, Lintong Country, Shaanxi province. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China.
The Great Wild Goose Pagoda, formerly named the Pagoda of the Cien Temple or the Non-Leak Temple, was built in the Sui Dynasty (581-618). In the 21st year (647) of the Zhenguan reign of the Tang Dynasty, Prince Li Zhi expanded the temple in memory of his dead mother, Queen Wende, and then renamed this temple as the Grand Mercy and Favor Temple. In this temple, there are 1,897 pavilions, halls and monastic rooms. Many famous Chinese ancient painters such as Yan Liben, Yuchiyi Monk, Wu Daozi, and Yin Lin, etc., all once stayed there painting.
Xian City Wall was erected in the 14th century Ming Dynasty, under the regime of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. When Zhu Yuanzhang captured Huizhou, long before the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, he was admonished by a hermit named Zhu Sheng, who told him to "build high walls, store abundant provisions and take your time in proclaiming yourself emperor". This advice Zhu Yuanzhang heeded. Once the whole country was unified, he sent orders to the local governments to build city walls on a large scale. Zhu assured that "out of all the mountains and rivers in the world, the area of Central Qin is the most strongly fortified and strategically impregnable". The current city wall is an enhancement of the old Tang Dynasty structure, as a result of the emperor's wall building campaign.
Day 11 Xian - - Lhasa
The altitude of Lhasa is around 3,650 meters. It governs seven couties and one city borough. The area of Lhasa is about 30,000 square kilometers while the city zone is 523 square kilometers. The entire population, in which the people living in the city zone is close to 130,000, consisting of Tibetan, the Han nationality and the Hui Nationality,is around 37,300 while Tibeatn account for 87%(2003).
Lhasa means "holy land" in Tibetan language. The history of city dates back to the 7th century AD, when the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo conquered many tribes, united Tibet, transferred the capital from Yarlung to Lhasa, and established Tubo Regime. In the time of the 7th Dalai Lama, a very famous palace, Norbulingkha, 2 kilometers away from the Potala Palace, was built. From then on, the ancient section of Lhasa city was formed, with Potala Palace as its center, Barkhor Street and Norbulingkha Palace on both sides. The religious and political heart of the Tibetan world, Lhasa sits on the north bank of the Kyi Chu, surrounded by colossal mountain ranges to the north and south. The first hint that you are entering the traditional capital of Tibet is the red and white palaces of the Potala, home to Tibet's spiritual and temporal leaders, the Dalai Lamas, since the 17th century. Most Western visitors, however, are disillusioned to find a Chinese city. The Dalai Lama, the other enduring symbol of Tibetan purity and mystery, fled the grounds of his summer residence, the Norbulingka, more than 40 years ago. All Tibetan Buddhists aim to visit Lhasa at least once in their lives, drawn by the sacred Jokhang Temple, which forms the heart of the Tibetan quarter. It is recommended that you spend most of your time exploring this captivating neighborhood, also known as the Barkhor District.
Day 12 Lhasa
The Tibet Museum is located in the southeast corner of Norbu Lingka, Lhasa city. It covers an area of 23,508 square meters (5.8 acres) including the exhibition area of 10,451 square meters (2.6 acres). The museum is equipped with modern facilities to ensure quality service for visitors and safety and efficient administration of the museum itself. Here exhibits are introduced in Japanese, English, Tibetan, and Chinese, in order to accommodate visitors from all over the world.
The monastery is magnificent and covers an area of 114,946 square meters (28 acres). Its main buildings are the Coqen Hall, Zhacang (college) and Kamcun (dormitory). Scriptures written in gold powder, fine statues, scent cloth and unparalleled murals can be found in these halls. Colorful debates on Buddhist doctrines are held here and these employ a style distinctive from those at Lhasa's other famous monasteries.
Day 13 Lhasa
Potala Palace, the architectural wonder in the center of Lhasa, is the symbol of that sacred land. When the thirty-third King of Tibet, Soongtsan Gampo, was married in 641 to Princess Wen Cheng of the Tang Dynasty, he had 999 houses built on Hongshan Hill for his bride, as well as the red building at the top of the hill. The Buddhists later named it Potala Palace, meaning the sacred land of Buddhism.
Jokhang Temple is the spiritual center of Tibet. Everyday pilgrims from every corner of Tibet trek a long distance to the temple. Some of them even progress prostrate by body length to the threshold of the temple. Pilgrims fuel myriad of flickering butter lamps with yak butter, or honor their deities with white scarves (Kha-btags or Hada) while murmuring sacred mantras to show their pieties to the Buddha.
For tourists, Barkhor Street is a magical place showing the original outlook of Lhasa. The street was paved by hand-polished stone boards. Though it is not broad, it accommodates thousands of tourists every day. Varied shops stand on both sides of the street and thousands of floating stands are on every corner. Most of them offer the prayer wheels, long-sleeve 'chuba' (the Tibetan people's traditional clothes), Tibetan knives and some religious articles for sale. Furthermore, some shops sell 'Thangka' (the Tibetan scroll painting), which is a unique art of Tibet with the themes of religion, history, literature, science and customs. Surprisingly, there are some articles from India and Nepal in this street as well.
Day 14 Lhasa - - Kunming
Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province, with a history of more than 2400 years, owes its importance to the fact that it was the gateway to the celebrated Silk Road that facilitated trade with Tibet, Sichuan, Myanmar and India. Today the city is the political, economical and cultural center of Yunnan and the provincial center for transport, science and technology and consequently has become the most popular center for tourism in Southwest China.
Kunming enjoys a pleasant climate and does its best to live up to its title of 'the City of Eternal Spring'. Whenever you are planning to go, the temperature is always pleasant. With its convenient transport links in and out of the city, Kunming welcomes and sees off tens of thousands of tourists every day.
Day 15 Kunming - - Lijiang
Lijiang Ancient Town: The Ancient town of Lijiang was built in the middle of a flatland at the foot of the Yulong Snow Mountain. It got its name "Dayan Zheng"(the Town of Big Ink Slab) because tree-covered mountains on all sides surround the town with crystal clear water running in the middle of it. It has the appearance of a big jade ink slab. The town covers an area of 3.8 square kilometers at an elevation of 2,400 meters.
The Black Dragon Pool is located 12 kilometers northeast of the city. It first became a popular tourist attraction over 700 years ago during the Ming Dynasty. The area contains many attractions alongside the main tourist draw, the Black Dragon Pool itself. The Black Dragon Pool was named after a legend stating that in ancient times there was a black dragon living in this pool. Two important building complexes in the Black Dragon Pool are the Longquan Temple (Dragon Spring Temple) and Black Dragon Palace. Longquan Temple, the largest structure in the park, was built along the pool during the early Han Dynasty. The temple was enlarged and reconstructed several times throughout subsequent dynasties. Most of the buildings visitors see today were completed during the Qing Dynasty. The Black Dragon Palace is at the bank of the pool, which is where memorial ceremonies were once held. This palace was built during the Ming Dynasty, around 700 years ago. It consists of three halls and two courtyards.
Day 16 Lijiang
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain now is a famous scenic spot for sightseeing, mountaineering, skiing, exploration, scientific research and taking holiday. Besides, widespread legends and myths of the Naxi ethnic minority and the unclimbed Shanzidou are all important attractive spots for those who come to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Yufeng Temple, located at the southern foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, is 9 kilometers from the county seat of Lijiang. Yufeng Lamasery is called "Kalashicongfeilin" in Tibetan language. It lies on the east slope of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain with ancient forests clustering around. There is a small pool in front of the lamasery embraced by big pine trees.
Baisha murals are mostly from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Among the 55 existing murals, the largest one is at the Dabaoji Hall of Baisha. Most Baisha murals depict religious stories, and one characteristic is to combine several legends into one picture. They are an artistic Crystallization combining the Naxi, Tibetan, Bai and Han styles.
Day 17 Lijiang - - Kunming
The Ethnic Culture Village is the window to display the social culture and custom of 26 nationalities in Yunnan and the largest man-made landscape in Yunnan.
Lying 15 km west of Kunming City, the Dragon Gate in the Western Hills is close to the west shore of the Dianchi Lake. It consists of the Sanqing Temple Complex and the Dragon Gate Grotto Complex. The buildings of the Sanqing Taoist Temple are arranged in nine tiers: They are the Lingguan Hall, the Chunyang Pavilion, the Sanqing Hall, the Yuhuang Temple, the Taiqing Palace, the Zhenwu Hall, the Luzu Temple, the Qisheng Temple, Lingxiao Pavilion, the Laojun Pavilion and the Taiji Palace. The Dragon Gate Grotto Complex, on the other hand, includes Lanhaichu, the Ciyun Cave, the Yunhua Cave and the Datian Pavilion.
Day 18 Depart from Kunming
In the past few days you have had a wonderful time in China. You must be fascinated about China. We are sure that you have enjoyed its splendid culture and unique scenery and you can be our best ambassadors to share that experience with your friends and neighbors. We sincerely hope to see you revisit China again with your friends.
