China Sampler

Day 1 – Welcome to Beijing

Check in to your city central accommodations at the 5-star Fairmont Beijing where a luxury room awaits.

Day 2 – In and around Beijing with your Trip Leader

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Start your day with the Sofitel’s Bistro Buffet breakfast, featuring a tempting selection of Asian and Western cuisine, and then tour Tiananmen Square and the magnificent Forbidden City. Explore by rickshaw through the narrow lanes of a hutong and sit down to lunch with a local family in their home here in this traditional city neighborhood. This congenial encounter promises genuine insight into the challenges and rewards of balancing ancient traditions with modern city life. This evening, savor a bountiful Peking Duck banquet.

Day 3 – Great Wall & Summer Palace

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Journey into the mountains north of the capital and ascend by cable car to walk with your guide atop the Great Wall - an unforgettable experience! Then tour the lovely Summer Palace, erstwhile seasonal retreat of China’s mighty emperors.

Day 4 – Fly to Xian, ancient capital of thirteen dynasties

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel: Hilton

Fly to Xian where you’ll be met and escorted to the Hilton Hotel, perfectly situated within the ancient walls of the city. Join an in-the-know city resident to explore a colorful local market, popularly known as the Muslim market. He’ll be at your side guiding your discovery as you peruse the wide variety of products and sample exotic fare from the many vendors. Tonight’s dinner features savory dumplings.

Day 5 – The Terra Cotta Warriors 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Tour the excavation site of the Terra Cotta Army, China’s greatest archaeological discovery, and visit the ancient defensive walls of the city.

Day 6 – Above there is Heaven. Below there is Hangzhou

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Hotel: JW Marriot

Fly to Hangzhou and transfer to the stylish JW Marriott. Cruise on beautiful West Lake and then spend time with tea farmers in their fields outside of the city. From preparing the soil to picking the tea leaves, this hands-on experience is a fun way to learn about the generations-old techniques that ensure the esteemed quality of the region’s fine teas.

Day 7 – On to Wuzhen and the Garden City of Suzhou

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hotel: Renaissance

It’s off the beaten path but this morning’s visit to Wuzhen, a 2,000-year-old town, reveals some of China’s most finely preserved Ming Dynasty homes. Continue on to Suzhou and check in to the first class Renaissance Hotel.

Day 8 – Discover Suzhou

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Hotel: Fairmont Peace 

Tour the exquisite Garden of the Master of the Nets c and stroll with your guide along historic Pingjiang Road, graced with splendidly-preserved Song Dynasty architecture. Learn about traditional Chinese pastimes as you browse the exotic Bird & Flower Market and join city residents to fly your own kite at the historic Panmen City Gate. Learn how silk is made at a local factory before continue on to cosmopolitan Shanghai where you check in to the city central Fairmont Peace Hotel.

Day 9 – Out and about in Shanghai

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Tour the vast collection of the Shanghai Museum and enjoy a guided stroll along the historic waterfront Bund. Marvel at the iconic 21st-century skyscrapers of the dynamic Pudong district and explore the ancient lanes of Tianzifang, now home to some of the city’s most popular boutiques and studios. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner of fine regional cuisine.

Day 10 – Depart Shanghai

Meals: Breakfast

Your program with us finishes after breakfast.