DAY 1 Beijing Arrival

Whenever your international flight lands in Beijing, your tour guide will be ready to welcome you at the arrival hall, to transfer you to your hotel with a private car and driver. They will help you with luggage and hotel check-in, and ensure your arrival in Beijing is worry-free.

DAY 2 Take an In-depth View of the Forbidden City with a Local Expert

After a sound sleep, start the tour from the mysterious Forbidden City. The expert will escort you for 5 hours in the emperors' home, show you some interesting places you would never find by yourself in the Forbidden City and guide you away from the noise and crush of other tour groups. No longer do you only see empty rooms in the Forbidden City but also pictures of emperors, concubines and eunuchs on the expert's ipad, along with stories that bring the ancient City to life.

In the afternoon, the expert will accompany you to visit Tian'anmen Square, very close to the Forbidden City and from there to have an easy climb to Jinshan Hill in Jinshan Park and take a birds' eye view of the golden roofs, seeing things from a new angle.

DAY 3 The Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall

Morning Exercises at the Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven was the place where emperors went to worship heaven and to pray for good harvests. Nowadays it has become an ideal place for local people to do their morning exercises. A visit there helps one gain for the pace of life of citizens of Beijing.

Mutianyu

This less-crowded section of the Great Wall is about a 2.5 hours' drive from downtown Beijing. A cable-car takes you to a good section (avoiding a steep climb) where you can walk along the wall and through the watch towers, enjoying superb views as it snakes across the hills and mountains. You can either return by cable car, walk down or walk along the wall for about an hour to descend by chairlift or toboggan. Wear good walking shoes and clothes to provide protection from possible extremes of the weather.

DAY 4 Visit the Summer Palace and hutongs in Beijing – Flight to Xi'an

Enjoy a full day visiting classic highlights of Beijing – the Summer Palace and hutongs (i.e. alleys formed by lines of traditional courtyard residences). Have a pleasant stroll at the luxury gardens of the royal family. Different kinds of pavilions and long corridors give you the full flavor of China. Then hop on a rickshaw and ride through the maze of hutongs to see old Beijing neighborhoods, and chat with a local family. To make your hutong experience special, we stop at an old private Chinese baijiu (white liquor made from grain) Museum in a small alley. Thousands of bottles of baijiu are displayed to help clarify Chinese baijiu history and culture. Try a small cup of baijiu. Wow, strong！For lunch, order dishes with the help of your guide at a small restaurant hidden in the hutong alley.

Evening Flight to Xi'an

Transfer to Beijing airport for late afternoon or evening flight to Xi'an. Your Xi'an guide will be waiting for you at arrivals, and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.

DAY 5 Xi'an – the Iconic Terracotta Warriors

In the morning, uncover the mystery of the underground army dated thousands of years ago at the Terracotta Warriors Museum and site. People are surprised by the magnificent man-made statues. Stand there and have a silent conversation with these soldiers. After lunch at a popular Chinese restaurant, return to the city area and visit the ancient City Wall that has been guarding the inner city for 600 years.

DAY 6 Other Highlights of Xi'an and Flight to Hangzhou

Discover more of Xi'an and China's ancient history at the Shaanxi History Museum and Big Wild Goose Pagoda, then head to the Muslim Quarter and wander through the alley ways to explore and taste the local Muslim Cuisine, like Pita Bread Soaked in Lamb Soup, or Jiasan Steamed Soup Dumplings.

Flight to Hangzhou

Transfer to the airport for flight to Guilin. Upon arrival at the airport, your Hangzhou guide will greet you at the arrival hall and transfer you to your hotel via private car and driver.

DAY 7-8-9

DAY 10 Shanghai – Metropolis of East and West

China's most prosperous city oozes vibes of both tradition and modernity. See the typical Shanghainese life at Shikumen, visit South China's classical landscape garden at Yuyuan Garden, enjoy a bird's eye view over Shanghai on the sightseeing deck of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, and finally have a walk around the Bund to learn about Shanghai history.

DAY 11 Shanghai Departure

Meal: Breakfast

As your China trip comes to end, your tour guide, driver and car will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to Shanghai Pudong International Airport for your departure flight home. The guide will assist you with flight check-in and luggage, and see you off at the security check-point.