10 Day Essential China (New York Special) 2017 Itinerary

Full Day Great Wall & Ming Tombs with lunch 8:00 AM Enjoy a full-day excursion to the Great Wall of China, which remains the longest man-made structure on earth. The Great Wall, constructed during the 7th century, spans nearly 4,000 miles of China's northern frontier and served as a defensive fortification. You will have the opportunity to walk along a portion of the Wall's well-preserved promenades and enjoy the unrivaled views of beautiful mountain passes, plateaus and grasslands. The Ming Tombs are another must-see attraction that remains from the ancient dynasties and are comprised of over a dozen individual tombs of famous emperors and empresses. The day also includes a stop at a local Jade shop and lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Beijing. Pick-up and drop-off at the hotel. Approximate tour duration is 8.5 hours. OnDay : 3 Price : $69 Full Day Great Wall & Ming Tombs with lunch 8:00 AM Enjoy a full-day excursion to the Great Wall of China, which remains the longest man-made structure on earth. The Great Wall, constructed during the 7th century, spans nearly 4,000 miles of China's northern frontier and served as a defensive fortification. You will have the opportunity to walk along a portion of the Wall's well-preserved promenades and enjoy the unrivaled views of beautiful mountain passes, plateaus and grasslands. The Ming Tombs are another must-see attraction that remains from the ancient dynasties and are comprised of over a dozen individual tombs of famous emperors and empresses. The day also includes a stop at a local Jade shop and lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Beijing. Pick-up and drop-off at the hotel. Approximate tour duration is 8.5 hours. OnDay : 3 Price : $69 Peking Duck Dinner 5:30 PM The Peking Duck Dinner has the reputation of being the most culturally famous meal in China. It is a must to experience during your visit to the country. Enjoy the culinary presentation as the chef roasts the duck directly over the fire and then slices the meat tableside. The duck is served with very thin pancakes, Chinese onions and special sauce. Pick-up and drop-off at the hotel. Approximate tour duration is 3.5 hours. OnDay : 3 Price : $49 Peking Duck Dinner 5:30 PM The Peking Duck Dinner has the reputation of being the most culturally famous meal in China. It is a must to experience during your visit to the country. Enjoy the culinary presentation as the chef roasts the duck directly over the fire and then slices the meat tableside. The duck is served with very thin pancakes, Chinese onions and special sauce. Pick-up and drop-off at the hotel. Approximate tour duration is 3.5 hours. OnDay : 3 Price : $49 Full Day Forbidden City & Summer Palace with lunch Begin the day at Tiananmen Square, the largest public plaza in the world, in the heart of the city. The Square was erected in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty and later underwent renovations during the Qing Dynasty two centuries later. The perimeter of the Square is dotted with impressive monuments such as the Great Hall of People, the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong and the famed ceremonial gateway. From here, venture north for a visit to the Forbidden City, a visit to the Forbidden City, a construction comparable, in scope, to the Great Pyramids of Egypt. Known today as the Palace Museum, the entire site is comprised of 800 buildings with more than 9,000 rooms in total. Following the tour enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and a stop at a local pearl shop. The excursion continues with a tour of the Summer Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a site of cultural and aesthetic significance in Beijing. Pick-up and drop-off at the hotel. Approximate tour duration is 8 hours. Due to local restrictions on the number of visitors allowed to visit the Forbidden City daily, this tour is only available for pre-purchase 2 weeks prior your departure and will not be able to be purchased locally. OnDay : 4 Price : $55 Full Day Forbidden City & Summer Palace with lunch Begin the day at Tiananmen Square, the largest public plaza in the world, in the heart of the city. The Square was erected in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty and later underwent renovations during the Qing Dynasty two centuries later. The perimeter of the Square is dotted with impressive monuments such as the Great Hall of People, the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong and the famed ceremonial gateway. From here, venture north for a visit to the Forbidden City, a visit to the Forbidden City, a construction comparable, in scope, to the Great Pyramids of Egypt. Known today as the Palace Museum, the entire site is comprised of 800 buildings with more than 9,000 rooms in total. Following the tour enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and a stop at a local pearl shop. The excursion continues with a tour of the Summer Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a site of cultural and aesthetic significance in Beijing. Pick-up and drop-off at the hotel. Approximate tour duration is 8 hours. Due to local restrictions on the number of visitors allowed to visit the Forbidden City daily, this tour is only available for pre-purchase 2 weeks prior your departure and will not be able to be purchased locally. OnDay : 4 Price : $55 Tang Dynasty Dinner & Show Dine on Imperial set menu of 6 courses. All while you enjoy the beat of Chang' an music. After dinner, enjoy the celebrated Tang Dynasty show, a one-thousand-year-old dance performed by the passionate Tang Dynasty Troupe. This historical performance is a national art, reflective of the glory and richness of China's Tang Dynasty. Transfers to and from your hotel included. Pickup details to be advised locally. Approximate tour duration is 4 hours. OnDay : 5 Price : $59 Tang Dynasty Dinner & Show Dine on Imperial set menu of 6 courses. All while you enjoy the beat of Chang' an music. After dinner, enjoy the celebrated Tang Dynasty show, a one-thousand-year-old dance performed by the passionate Tang Dynasty Troupe. This historical performance is a national art, reflective of the glory and richness of China's Tang Dynasty. Transfers to and from your hotel included. Pickup details to be advised locally. Approximate tour duration is 4 hours. OnDay : 5 Price : $59 Dumpling Dinner This evening, enjoy a delicious dumpling banquet featuring nearly 20 varieties of jiaozi, or dumplings, stuffed with an assortment of vegetables, meats, and seafood. The traditional banquet also includes rice wine and bronze hot pot soup. Transfers to and from your hotel included. Pickup details to be advised locally. Approximate tour duration is 3 hours. OnDay : 6 Price : $15 Dumpling Dinner This evening, enjoy a delicious dumpling banquet featuring nearly 20 varieties of jiaozi, or dumplings, stuffed with an assortment of vegetables, meats, and seafood. The traditional banquet also includes rice wine and bronze hot pot soup. Transfers to and from your hotel included. Pickup details to be advised locally. Approximate tour duration is 3 hours. OnDay : 6 Price : $15 Terra Cotta Warriors Morning visit to Xingqing park, center of the city's lively activities, where you may have the chance to join the residents in their morning exercise, singing and dancing. Afterward, stop at a lacquer furniture shop to learn more about this ancient technique that is still used today. Lunch at a local restaurant. Then, an unforgettable experience! Visit the archaeological site of the magnificent Terracotta Warriors, the life-size clay army was unearthed from the mausoleum of China’s First Emperor Qin Shi Huang. This world-famous site, discovered by local farmers in 1974, is still being excavated today. Pickup details to be advised locally. Approximate tour duration is 8 hours. OnDay : 6 Price : $51 Terra Cotta Warriors Morning visit to Xingqing park, center of the city's lively activities, where you may have the chance to join the residents in their morning exercise, singing and dancing. Afterward, stop at a lacquer furniture shop to learn more about this ancient technique that is still used today. Lunch at a local restaurant. Then, an unforgettable experience! Visit the archaeological site of the magnificent Terracotta Warriors, the life-size clay army was unearthed from the mausoleum of China’s First Emperor Qin Shi Huang. This world-famous site, discovered by local farmers in 1974, is still being excavated today. Pickup details to be advised locally. Approximate tour duration is 8 hours. OnDay : 6 Price : $51 Shanghai by Night with dinner Depart for dinner in a local restaurant. After the dinner, drive to the pier near the Bund waterfront to board a ship for a 40 minute cruise on the Huangpu River, the mother river of Shanghai. Witness the 200 years of Colonial history. You will see European style buildings on one side of the river and the futuristic skyline of Shanghai on the other side. After the cruise, experience an exciting drive through the city's wall of buildings to witness this thriving capital of the Far East. Transfers to and from your hotel included. Pickup details to be advised locally. Approximate tour duration is 2.5 hours. OnDay : 7 Price : $35 Shanghai by Night with dinner Depart for dinner in a local restaurant. After the dinner, drive to the pier near the Bund waterfront to board a ship for a 40 minute cruise on the Huangpu River, the mother river of Shanghai. Witness the 200 years of Colonial history. You will see European style buildings on one side of the river and the futuristic skyline of Shanghai on the other side. After the cruise, experience an exciting drive through the city's wall of buildings to witness this thriving capital of the Far East. Transfers to and from your hotel included. Pickup details to be advised locally. Approximate tour duration is 2.5 hours. OnDay : 7 Price : $35 Full Day Yu Yuan Garden & Jade Buddha with lunch 8:30 AM The morning begins with a visit to one of Shanghai's main attractions, the classical Yuyuan Gardens, built roughly 400 years ago during the Ming Dynasty by Pan Yunduan, a high-ranking government official. The total area covers 20,000 square meters, or about five acres, and features pavilions, ponds, rockeries, cloisters and streams all within six distinct scenic zones including the Sansui Hall and Wanhua Chamber. Depart Yuyuan Gardens for a visit to the Jade Buddha Temple, the most famous and active Buddhist Temple in the city. The Temple's name derives from its two white-jade Buddhas, one recumbent on a redwood bed, the other seated on a lotus flower. It was built during the Guangzu Period of the Qing Dynasty to enshrine the two beautifully crafted Buddha statues that were brought from Myanmar. Conclude the day with a stop at a local carpet shop and embroidery shop. Pick-up and drop-off at the hotel. Approximate tour duration is 8 hours. OnDay : 8 Price : $49 Full Day Yu Yuan Garden & Jade Buddha with lunch 8:30 AM The morning begins with a visit to one of Shanghai's main attractions, the classical Yuyuan Gardens, built roughly 400 years ago during the Ming Dynasty by Pan Yunduan, a high-ranking government official. The total area covers 20,000 square meters, or about five acres, and features pavilions, ponds, rockeries, cloisters and streams all within six distinct scenic zones including the Sansui Hall and Wanhua Chamber. Depart Yuyuan Gardens for a visit to the Jade Buddha Temple, the most famous and active Buddhist Temple in the city. The Temple's name derives from its two white-jade Buddhas, one recumbent on a redwood bed, the other seated on a lotus flower. It was built during the Guangzu Period of the Qing Dynasty to enshrine the two beautifully crafted Buddha statues that were brought from Myanmar. Conclude the day with a stop at a local carpet shop and embroidery shop. Pick-up and drop-off at the hotel. Approximate tour duration is 8 hours. OnDay : 8 Price : $49 Acrobatic Show with dinner Having undergone thousands of years of evolution, the Shanghai acrobatic arts has now blossomed into a unique style. The Shanghai Circus death-deifiers will amaze and astound you with their high-flying versatility, fearlessness, and flexibility. This evening, enjoy a world-class performance that includes dance, magic, acrobatics and beautiful music after dinner at a local restaurant. Transfers to and from your hotel included. Pickup details to be advised locally. Approximate tour duration is 4 hours. Please note: This tour may be canceled locally by the theater and refunded upon your return. OnDay : 8 Price : $29 Acrobatic Show with dinner Having undergone thousands of years of evolution, the Shanghai acrobatic arts has now blossomed into a unique style. The Shanghai Circus death-deifiers will amaze and astound you with their high-flying versatility, fearlessness, and flexibility. This evening, enjoy a world-class performance that includes dance, magic, acrobatics and beautiful music after dinner at a local restaurant. Transfers to and from your hotel included. Pickup details to be advised locally. Approximate tour duration is 4 hours. Please note: This tour may be canceled locally by the theater and refunded upon your return. OnDay : 8 Price : $29 Full Day Suzhou with lunch This morning, depart your hotel for a 2.5 hour drive from Shanghai to Suzhou. Located in Jiangsu Province, this ancient city enjoys the name of "Venice of the East". Your day begins on the famous Grand Canal, the longest man made Canal in the world. Travel leisurely down the narrow waterways and under the stone bridges. From your boat you will see the daily life of the people who inhabit the banks of the canal in this ancient city. Later, enjoy free time along Pingjiang Road, a famous street in Suzhou among locals for gathering, entertainment and food, and a favorite among visitors for its rich culture and sightseeing opportunities Stop for lunch at a local restaurant followed by a visit to the Garden of the Master of the Nets. This privately owned garden is one of the most perfectly proportioned in Suzhou.The garden demonstrates Chinese garden designers' adept skills for synthesizing art, nature, and architecture to create unique metaphysical masterpieces. Return to Shanghai late this evening. Pickup details to be advised locally. Approximate tour duration is 11 hours. OnDay : 9 Price : $59 Full Day Suzhou with lunch This morning, depart your hotel for a 2.5 hour drive from Shanghai to Suzhou. Located in Jiangsu Province, this ancient city enjoys the name of "Venice of the East". Your day begins on the famous Grand Canal, the longest man made Canal in the world. Travel leisurely down the narrow waterways and under the stone bridges. From your boat you will see the daily life of the people who inhabit the banks of the canal in this ancient city. Later, enjoy free time along Pingjiang Road, a famous street in Suzhou among locals for gathering, entertainment and food, and a favorite among visitors for its rich culture and sightseeing opportunities Stop for lunch at a local restaurant followed by a visit to the Garden of the Master of the Nets. This privately owned garden is one of the most perfectly proportioned in Suzhou.The garden demonstrates Chinese garden designers' adept skills for synthesizing art, nature, and architecture to create unique metaphysical masterpieces. Return to Shanghai late this evening. Pickup details to be advised locally. Approximate tour duration is 11 hours. OnDay : 9 Price : $59

Additional Information: This package is based on pre-confirmed flights from JFK via Air China and may only be purchased with these flights.