Highlight cities for a first trip to China: Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai are featured on all Dragon Tours.

BEIJING, The capital, is China's fastest changing city. The site of the 2008 Olympics, it is the city in China with the most to see and do. The Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Mao's Tomb, Lama Temple, Ancient Observatory, Liulichang, traditional "hutong" areas and the Laoshe Teahouse are all worth visiting.

Xi'an, was the largest city in the world during Europe's dark ages. As capital of China at one time Christians, Buddhists, Moslems, and Jews influenced China's history. Its archeological treasures at the on-site Museum of Terra Cotta Soldiers and Horses, the Ban Po Village Museum and Provincial Museum can never be forgotten.

Shanghai, is the most European city in China and with over 13 million people worth seeing to give perspective to the concept of teeming masses! The Shanghai Museum, Yu Garden (with its Dragon Wall), Jade Buddha Temple and craft factories are among the tour inclusions.

 

Scheduled Group Departures - March to October

DAY 1 Sunday depart USA
Connect on a flight across the Pacific and the International Dateline to Asia .

DAY 2 Monday arrive BEIJING
Arrive in Beijing late afternoon. Clear customs and immigration. Transfers to the Jianguo Gardens Hotel.

DAY 3 Tuesday BEIJING (B, L)
Visit Tiananmen Square , the Forbidden City ’s Palace Museum , and tour the Summer Palace . Tonight see a performance of Beijing Opera highlights.

DAY 4 Wednesday BEIJING (B, L, D)
Take an excursion outside the city to the Great Wall at Badaling and the 13 Tombs of the Ming Emperors. On return to the city, stop at the Olympic Park to see the Bird’s Nest Stadium and the Water Cube. Tonight features a Peking Duck Dinner.

DAY 5 Thursday BEIJING/XI’AN (B, L, D)
Tour this morning to the Temple of Heaven and then to a ‘hutong’ area of traditional Northern Chinese courtyard homes. After lunch fly to one of the ancient capitals of China . Xi’an is famous for its archeological discoveries. Transfer to the Grand New World Hotel.

DAY 6 Friday XI’AN/GUILIN (B, L)
The highlight of a tour to Xi’an is the on-site excavation Museum of Terra Cotta Warriors. Also visit Huaqing Hot Springs, the Ban Po Museum, remains of a neolithic village and Big Wild Goose Pagoda. After lunch fly to Guilin , one of China 's most scenic cities. Stay at the Guilin Sheraton .

DAY 7 Saturday GUILIN/SHANGHAI (B, L)
Spend most of the day on a cruise along the Li River and experience the beauty of the karst rock formations. Shop in Yangshuo before returning to Guilin for a flight to Shanghai . Stay at the Ramada Plaza Hotel.

DAY 8 Sunday SHANGHAI (B, L, D)
Sightseeing highlights in Shanghai include visits to the Bund, the Pudong area including the TV tower, Jade Buddha Temple , Yu Garden, and crafts exhibitions. Enjoy an early dinner tonight before a performance of the Shanghai Acrobats.

DAY 9 Monday SUZHOU (B, L, D)
Drive to Suzhou , called “the Venice of the East” for its many canals. Known for traditional Chinese garden homes as described in the contemporary novel, “Spring Moon”, the tour include the Garden of Fisherman ’s Nets, Humble Administrator’s Garden, Tiger Hill Pagoda and the Silk Embroidery Research Institute. Return to Shanghai this evening.

DAY 10 Tuesday SHANGHAI/USA (B)
Morning tour the Shanghai Museum and the Urban Planning Exhibition for the future plans of Shanghai . Then transfer for a flight back to the States, arriving the same day you depart.

 

2009 Schedule

Code Depart/Return

BDT-1 • March 8-17
BDT-2 • March 29-April 7
BDT-3 • April 19-28
BDT-4 • May 17-26
BDT-5 • June 14-23
BDT-6 • July 12-21
BDT-7 • August 16-September 1
BDT-8 • September 13-22
BDT-9 • October 11-20