Wonders of China

Day 1 London - In flight Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home, for your journey to London Heathrow for a direct, scheduled overnight British Airways flight to Beijing. Day 2 Beijing This morning we arrive into Beijing and transfer to the Landmark Hotel (4T), where we stay for three nights. You will have time to freshen up and relax before we enjoy the first of Beijing’s many sights this afternoon with an included excursion to the serene Summer Palace. This evening you may choose to dine at the hotel’s Chinese or Western restaurants. Day 3 Beijing - Great Wall After breakfast we depart by coach for a full day visit to the Great Wall of China, perhaps the most famous of China’s many sights and a must for any visit to the country. There are numerous sections of the Wall that can be visited, most dating from the Ming Dynasty. We will visit the Badaling Great Wall, some 70 kilometres from Beijing set at the highest point of the north end of the Guan’gou gorge in which the Juyongguan Pass lies. The purpose of the wall here was primarily the defence of this Pass, and in sections it reaches 15 metres in height; one must see it first hand to truly appreciate the scale of this feat of construction. A set Chinese style lunch is included today, after which we continue to the site of the Ming Tombs where we visit the mausoleum of Changling, the tomb of emperor Zhu Di. It was widely believed that although physically dead, a person’s soul remained and for this reason the deceased emperor tomb complexes appear like a palace, well illustrated as we walk along the Sacred Way, lined with animal and human statues as we approach the tomb. We return to our hotel later today and this evening visit one of the famed Peking Duck restaurants for dinner to try this famous delicacy. Day 4 Beijing - Forbidden City This Forbidden City is a complex of imperial palaces that were home to the Ming and Qing emperors for over 500 years, and today is one of Beijing’s most impressive sights. Also known as the Palace Museum, it sits at the north end of Tian’anmen Square and is the world’s largest palace complex housing numerous rare treasures and intricate architecture. Your included tour here will cover some of the many palaces and gates and you will note the dominance of the colour yellow in the glazed tiles for the roofs, this being the symbol of the royal family. After an included lunch you have free time to explore the area further, perhaps take in some shopping or relax at the hotel. Day 5 Beijing - Xi’an Today, transfer to the airport for our flight to Xi’an and, following our arrival, we will visit the Yangling Han Tomb Museum. Our hotel for the next two nights is the Golden Flower Hotel Xi’an by Shangri-La (4T+) or Grand Noble (4T). This evening we have arranged to see the famous Tang Dynasty Show, a performance of Chang’an music and dance that is treasured as a national art. Day 6 Xi’an - Terracotta Warriors After breakfast we join our guide for a visit to the incredible Terracotta Warriors, one of the most significant and sensational archaeological excavations of the 20th century. It was emperor Qin Shi Huang that commissioned the work for his mausoleum in 246 BC, and as excavation work continues in the area it is speculated that even more treasures are yet to be uncovered. The museum covers an enormous area, the life-size warriors, each with an individual crafted head and face, and horses arranged in battle formations being the star features. Altogether there are more than 7,000 pieces. After an included lunch we return to the city for a visit to the Big Wild Goose pagoda. A simple yet appealing construction and a holy place for Buddhists, the pagoda stands nearly 65 metres in height and affords panoramic views over the city for those energetic enough to climb to the top. Day 7 Xi’an - Nanjing We transfer to the airport this morning for our flight to Nanjing, which has been one of the most important cities in China for the past two thousand years. This afternoon we take a tour of the city, which will include a visit to the Mausoleum of Dr Sun Yat-sen, the ‘father of the nation’ who played an important role in China’s development in the early 20th century. We also view the Zhonghua Gate, built in the mid 14th century during the reign of the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty who made Nanjing the capital. This evening we stay at the Mandarin Garden (4T) or Jin Ling Hotel (4T+). Day 8 Nanjing - Shanghai This morning we take a bullet train, which whisks us to Shanghai in under two hours. Shanghai is a city that showcases the ‘new’ China more than any other; it is literally expanding by the minute and embracing a modern, fresh and innovative lifestyle. After an included lunch we enjoy a city tour covering the old town, the attractive Yuyuan Gardens featuring pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters, Nanjing Road, Shanghai’s bustling main street and The Bund. The Bund has been regarded as the symbol of Shanghai for hundreds of years, a waterfront road lined with buildings in Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque and Renaissance style. Our hotel is the Broadway Mansions (4T+) or Equatorial Hotel (4T), and this evening is yours to do as you wish, perhaps taking a stroll along the river to enjoy the sights and sounds of this historic waterfront. Day 9 Shanghai A final day at leisure to rest up and relax, do some last minute shopping in any of Shanghai’s incredible malls or cross the river to the ultra-modern Pudong area with the Oriental Pearl Tower at its heart. Day 10 Shanghai - London This morning we transfer to the airport for a direct, scheduled British Airways flight to London Heathrow. On arrival you will be met and guided to your Titan vehicle, for the journey home.