Beijing Tai'an Qufu Suzhou Shanghai 10 Day Tour

Arrival in Beijing, met and transferred to your hotel ( booked by us ) in Beijing. In the afternoon, visit Temple of Heaven , the place where the emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties worshipped heaven and prayed for peace and harvest. You are at your leisure to take a good rest or explore the city for the remainer of the day.

Meal: No

Sta

rting the day with a visit to Tiananmen Square , the world largest square of this kind. You will be given the details of all the buildings in and around the square including Mao's mausaleum, the National Museum, the Parliament Building. Then go through an underground tunnel to the imperial palace, also known as the " Forbidden City ", the complex of imperial palace, which was home to the Emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties for over 500 years.

Today you have a la carte lunch with an a la carte menu at a nice local Cantonese restaurant, where you could enjoy the authentic Chinese food. After lunch, continue to visit Summer Palace , the largest and most beautiful Chinese imperial garden. It is regarded as a museum of gardens in China. Then visit a Tea market where you can taste the famous Chinese tea and see Chinese tea ceremony in a big Chinese tea market and buy the local Chinese teas.

Tonight you are arranged to see the Kung Fu Show at Red Theatre (middle Seating Area). This is a great show. It tells a story of Chin Yu entering the monastery and making his way through life to finally becoming the Abbott. There are many demonstrations of Kungfu and strength throughout the show. The costumes and the choreography are great. Unfortunately people are not allowed to take photos nor video it. You can however purchase a DVD of the show. The show lasts about one hour and 15 minutes. After the show, transferred back to your hotel.

After breakfast, you are picked up at your hotel around 8:00am. Drive to the Ming Tombs ( Dingling, one of the 13 Ming Dynasty Tombs complex ). From the Yongle Emperor onwards, 13 Ming Dynasty Emperors were buried in this area. You will visit Dingling, the tomb of the Wanli Emperor, which is the only one of the Ming Dynasty Tombs to have been excavated. Visited the Jade Factory where they explained the difference types of jade and how jade can be carved in a great variety of shapes.

After Chinese lunch, head to Mutainyu Great Wall to start your highlight of your Beijing tour, hiking the Great Wall of China, a massive military defense works which was left from the Ming dynasty. It is a very spectacular view. You will take lots of pictures. Back to your hotel.

After breakfast, take 2-hour highspeed train from Beijing to Tai'an. Upon arrival, met by our tour guide and transferre to your hotel in Taian. Dai Temple at the southen foot of Mt.Taishan . The Dai Temple is a Taoist temple, the largest and best-preserved architectural complex on Mt. Taishan. Stay overnight in Taian.

Qufu

After breakfast at your hotel, take a private car or van to the Midway Gate to the Heaven ( on the middle way to Mt, Taishan). Take the cable car from Midway Gate to Heaven to the top - South Gate to the Heaven. A few minuts later, you will be on the top of Mount Tai. and sightseeing at the Mt.Taishan . Mount Taishan is located in central-western part of Shandong Province. Rising 1545 meters above sea level, it is the most significant of the 5 sacred peaks in China. In history, 72 Chinese emperors came here for worshiping or holding ceremonies of handing crowns. In 1987, together with Dai Temple, Mount Tai was listed as world cultrual heritage.

After hiking Mt; Taishan, take the cable car down to the Midway Gate to Heaven and change for your private car or van back to the city of Tai'an. Then drive one hour to Qufu on the Jingfu Highway. Qufu is about 80 km south of Tai'an.

Arriving in Qufu, met by our tour guide in Qufu and stay at Queli Hotel. Free for rest of the day.

Qufu

Suzhou ( Highspeed Train )

First visit Confucius Temple , built in 478 B.C, a place for offering sacrifices to Confucius in various dynasties. Then visit the Confucius Family Mansion , the government office and private mansion of Confucius descendants. Then move on to Confucius Family Graveyard , the largest, the oldest and the best preserved religious tombs and gardens.

Then take high-speed train no.37 (16:18-19:08) for for Suzhou. Upon arrival at Suzhou, met and transfer to your hotel in Suzhou. Free for rest of the day.

First visit Humble Administrator's Garden . The Humble Administrator's Garden is one of the four most famous private gardens in Suzhou, crowned as the World Cultural Heritage Site along with other classical gardens of Suzhou.

Then walk along Pingjiang Road . This 800-year old street is the best preserved ancient "water lane" ( in contrast with "water town") in Suzhou. The 1600-meter cobblestone path runs alongside with a canal with willows dipping their branches in the water, cute little bridges that cross and all flanked by old white-washed local houses.

Finally visit Net Master Garden ,the best and most celebrated as a model Ming Dynasty Garden in all of Suzhou. Then you will be arranged to stop at the Ancient City Gate and Grand Canal for photo taking and exterior viewing ( the admission fees for the two attractions are not included). The Panmen City Gate is the oldest city gate in existence in Suzhou city. Then have a short tour of a silk spinning factory to see how Chinese silk has been produced since the 14th century.

Head to the Ancient City Gate and Grand Canal. The Panmen City Gate is the oldest city gate in existence in Suzhou city. It used to be one of the eight city gates during the Spring & Autumn Annals (770-476 BC) when Suzhou was the capital of the Wu Kindom. The Gand Canal is one of the greatest ancient projects in China and is the longest man-made canal in world.

At the end of the day tour, you are transferred back to your hotel in Suzhou.

After breakfast free till taking the half hour highspeed train from Suzhou to Shanghai. Upon arrival in Shanghai, you are collected by our tour guide and transferred to your hotel in Shanghai.

After Chinese lunch, continue to visit Yu yuan Garden . Yuyuan is the famous gardens in Shanghai where you will see how a large beautiful garden was made by a rich rice merchant 400 years ago. Adjoining these gardens is an old shopping area with narrow streets and buildings that were of a typically old Chinese style. There are many small streets and lanes where vendors sell their products and food stuffs to the tourists and local people. Shopping at a local silk store.

Finally visit the new development zone in Pudong - Lujiazui , which is teeming with the futuristic, avant-garde buildings - Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Building, Bank of China Tower. Taking the elevator to the 88-storey Observation Deck of Jinmao Tower where you will have a spectacular view of the whole city.

First visit Shanghai Museum , the selection of over 112,000 Chinese cultural relics from the Old Stone Age to modern times. You will be amazed to see the pottery that is over 10,000 years old. You have to go quickly though all the 4 floors. Then proceed to visit the pedestrians only Nanjing Pedestrian Road , a walking bustling street that is always packed with people watching other people. Then move on to the Bund , one of the most noted waterfront and architectural symbols of Shanghai. Then visit a Silk Factory, where you can bargain for silk products and China's traditional silk arts.

Today you have a la carte lunch with an a la carte menu at a nice local restaurant, where you could enjoy the authentic Chinese food. After lunch, take one hour cruising on Huang Pu River . You start with the Hangpu River Cruise that will take you along the skyscrapers on the new area known as Pudong. Then you ruise to the west side of the river that has many skyscrapers and the famous Bund that has a row of the early 20th century buildings near the river. Back to your hotel.

Transfer to airport for departure or free on your own and end your pleasant China trip.