D1

Chengdu Arrival

D2

Chengdu

D3

Chengdu

D4

Flight: Chengdu - Lhasa (eg. 13:05-15:35, 2.5hrs)

D5

Lhasa

D6

Lhasa → Drak Yerpa → Lhasa

D7

Lhasa → Gyantse → Shigatse

D8

Gyantse → Shigatse

D9

Flight: Lhasa - Xi’an (eg. 12:10-14:55, 2.5hrs)

D10

Xi’an

D11

Flight: Xi’an - Beijing (eg. 15:30-18:00, 2.5hrs)

D12

Beijing

D13

Beijing

D14

Bullet Train: Beijing - Shanghai (eg. 10:00-14:35, 4.5hrs)

D15

Shanghai

D16

Shanghai Departure

    D1

Chengdu Arrival

- / - / D

Highlights: ✔Private Pick-up ✔Wide & Narrow Alleys

DIST. 50km/1.5hrs

Hello, the Curious! Your China Cultural Tour starts in Chengdu City. Your private guide and driver will greet you at Chengdu Airport, then transfer to hotel to fresh up. Later, pick you up to sightseeing and dinner at Wide & Narrow Alleys, built in the late Qing Dynasty, with ancient architecture style that is elegant and exquisite.

    D2

Chengdu

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Chengdu Panda Base ✔Sanxingdui Museum

DIST. 65km/1.5hrs

You haven’t seen Chengdu unless you’ve visited Chengdu Panda Base! While there are several panda bases scattered in Sichuan Province, Chengdu Panda Base is the most sought-after. Officially named The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, which means you get to see baby pandas here! Follow the sounds of ooohs & awwws others make, you will know where these cuties are.

Next, we head to Sanxingdui Museum, a thematic museum built on Sanxingdui site which exhibits thousands artifacts of bronze, jade and gold in ancient Sichuan. Chinese archaeologists already refuted the alien theory, but... Well, if the experts say so.

    D3

Chengdu

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Leshan Giant Buddha ✔Tianfu Square with Chairman Mao’s Statue ✔Jinli Ancient Street ✔Sichuan Face-changing Opera

DIST. 310km/4hrs

A relaxing 2-hour drive takes you from Chengdu to Leshan Giant Buddha, a 71 metre (233 ft) tall stone statue, built between 713 and 803 during the Tang dynasty. With fingernails larger than the average human, the world’s largest ancient Buddha, the 1200-year-old Leshan Giant Buddha, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Late afternoon, have a stopover at Tianfu Square with Chairman Mao’s Statue at the city center for you to take photos. Afterwards, take a stroll along the old cobbled streets of Jinli Ancient Street.

Evening, watch the thrilling Sichuan Face-changing Opera at Shufengyayun Sichuan Opera House (20:00-21:30) while sipping on Chinese tea.

    D4

Flight: Chengdu - Lhasa (eg. 13:05-15:35, 2.5hrs)

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Land in Tibet ✔Potala Palace Square Night View

DIST. 50km/1.5hrs

Fly 1,261 kilometers in 2.5 hours to land in Lhasa (3,656 m), literally the ‘Place of the Gods’. Tibetan guide and driver will be there to greet you with a warm welcome and present you with a Khata scarf which represents purity, respect, auspiciousness and good wishes. Transfer to your hotel and rest and nap to allow your body to adapt to high altitude.

Evening, we will go and have a light dinner on your first night in Tibet, then have a stroll at Potala Palace Square to see the night view of Potala Palace, the music fountain, and local Tibetans and travellers alike enjoying themselves.

    D5

Lhasa

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Potala Palace ✔Jokhang Temple & Barkhor Street in Lhasa Old Town ✔Yak butter tea at a local Tibetan tea houses

DIST. 50km/1.5hrs

Get ready to be blown away by the unique Tibetan cultural today! First, we visit the magnificent Potala Palace, the symbol of Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism. Built in 631 AD, it used to be the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas, and was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1994 by UNESCO.

Next, we move along to Jokhang Temple, built in 647 AD. This four-storey timber complex with golden roofs is the most sacred and important temple in Tibet, with devoted Tibetan pilgrims performing full body prostration here all year around. It was a sight to rock you to your core.

Then we go and enjoy some yak butter tea at a local Tibetan tea houses in Barkhor Street, before we go on exploring this 1,300 year old ancient street in Lhasa Old Town.

    D6

Lhasa → Drak Yerpa → Lhasa

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Drak Yerpa ✔Sera Monastery

DIST. 60km/2hrs

Morning, we head out of town to Drak Yerpa (4,000 m), a peaceful relaxing less-visited site not far outside Lhasa City, and incredible complex of monastery, temples, and meditation caves dotted a hillside.

Afternoon, we visit Sera Monastery, founded in 1419 and one of the best preserved monasteries in Lhasa, withstanding the changes in the wheel of time. What makes Sera special is that you get to watch Tibetan monks debating here. The crushed stone paved courtyard, the dramatic hand slapping, the flying red robes, the language... It’s a sight to behold!

    D7

Lhasa → Gyantse → Shigatse

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Holy Lake Yamdrotso ✔Karola Glacier ✔Arrive in Shigatse

DIST. 360km/7hrs

We head out of Lhasa today along Yarlung Tsangpo River by Southern Friendship Hwy via Kamba-la Pass (4,794m). Holy Lake Yamdrotso (4,441 m) is soon to come to view. It is the largest freshwater lake at the south foot of the Himalayas with an area of about 638 sq kilometres. Far in the distance is the huge massif of Mt Nojin Kangtsang (7,191m).

Further along the road, the beautiful Karola Glacier (5,560 m) contrasts itself with the blue sky, soft clouds and colourful prayer flags. Many Tibetan films had been shot here, the most famous one called Red River Valley.

Arrive in Shigatse (3,836 m) in the late afternoon. After checking in, freshened up, and fed, have a scroll around to get the vibe of the second largest city in Tibet with 600 years of history.

    D8

Gyantse → Shigatse

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Tashilhunpo Monastery ✔Visit a Tibetan farmer’s house

DIST. 95km/2hrs

Covering 70,000 sq metres, Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, the traditional monastic seat of the Panchen Lamas, is now the largest functioning religious institution in Tibet, It is a pleasure to explore the cobbled lanes twisting around the aged building. The huge golden statue of the Future Buddha is the largest gilded statue in the world. And endless murals depicting various Tibetan monk masters, Buddhas, deities, etc.

Heading back to Lhasa along the Southern Friendship Hwy. En route, visit a Tibetan farmer’s house to see local life up close and share in our love of the land, its plants and animals.

    D9

Flight: Lhasa - Xi’an (eg. 12:10-14:55, 2.5hrs)

B / - / D

Highlights: ✔Land in Xi’an ✔Hanyang Tomb and Museum

DIST. 55km/1.5hrs

Goodbye Tibet, and hello Xi’an, the oldest surviving capital of ancient China, spanning a millennium housing the thrones of 11 dynasties before the rest of China came into the scene. After landing go straight to Hanyang Tomb and Museum which is nearby. The museum has an underground exhibition hall to show you the archaeological digs in the big mausoleum complex of the Emperor Liu Qi (188~141 BC) of the Han Dynasty.

   D10

Xi’an

B / L / -

Highlights: ✔Terracotta Army ✔Xi’an Great Mosque ✔Muslim Quarter

DIST. 85km/1.5hrs

Rise and shine, we head to another historical heavyweight today. The first stop is the world-renowned Terracotta Army, which was constructed to accompany the tomb of China's First Emperor as an afterlife guard. There are thousands of detailed life-size terracotta soldier models that represent the guard troops of the first emperor, Qin Shihuang.

Afternoon, visit Xi’an Great Mosque, the largest mosque in China and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Covering an area of over 6,000 sq metres, the Great Mosque has mainly Chinese architectural features combined with Arabic influence. Today it is still an active place of worship.

The bustling Muslim Quarter is just nearby for you to delve deeper into this mixture of cultural fixes through your stomach. Endless tasty local snacks for you to choose from, pita bread soaked in lamp soup, soup dumplings, lamp dumplings, Chinese hamburgers... No dinner is scheduled tonight. We don't believe you will have any room left in your stomach.

   D11

Flight: Xi’an - Beijing (eg. 15:30-18:00, 2.5hrs)

B / L / -

Highlights: ✔Big Wild Goose Pagoda ✔Shaanxi History Museum ✔Land in Beijing

DIST. 50km/1.5hrs

Today, we first visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda, built in the Tang Dynasty for keeping the Buddhist Sutra and the Buddha figurines that Master Xuanzang brought back to China from ancient India. Now the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is surrounded by a big amusement garden and you can stroll around the North Square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

Then move on to Shaanxi History Museum. Regarded as ‘the pearl of the ancient city and treasury of the Huaxia civilization’, the Shaanxi History Museum is the art pavilion to curate and exhibit Shaanxi’s historical culture and ancient Chinese civilization.

After lunch transfer to Xi’an Airport to fly to Beijing. Beijing guide and driver will be there to greet you and drive you to your hotel.

   D12

Beijing

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Tiananmen Square ✔Forbidden City ✔Summer Palace ✔Peking Duck

DIST. 30km/1hrs

Morning, have a scroll at Tiananmen Square, the biggest city center square in the world. Then walk to Forbidden City, constructed from 1406~1420, home to 24 emperors, and the world’s largest palace complex covering 720,000 sq metres. Afternoon, we visit Summer Palace, the royal garden in Qing dynasty for imperial families. A masterpiece of Chinese landscape design, combining natural landscape of hills and open water with artificial pavilions, palaces, temples...

For dinner, we try out the most famous Peking Duck, one of the most symbolic dishes of Chinese cuisine.

   D13

Beijing

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔Dingling Tomb of Ming Tombs ✔Mutianyu Great Wall

DIST. 180km/3.5hrs

Morning, visit Dingling Tomb, one of the thirteen tombs of Ming Tombs. Dingling Tomb is the mausoleum of the Wanli Emperor (r. 1573-1620), the 13th emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and his two empresses. The site is listed in World Cultural Heritages by UNESCO .

After lunch head to Mutianyu Great Wall. Your experience Beijing guide will lead you to a less crowded section to hike around 2hrs, and immerse yourself in the glorious culture of China.

   D14

Bullet Train: Beijing - Shanghai (eg. 10:00-14:35, 4.5hrs)

B / - / D

Highlights: ✔China High Speed Bullet Train Experience

DIST. 50km/1.5hrs

Between Beijing and Shanghai, the bullet train is the way to go! Running at a average speed of 350km/hr, it’s a unique Chinese experience you cannot miss. Shanghai guide and driver will greet you and transfer you to your hotel in Shanghai.

   D15

Shanghai

B / L / D

Highlights: ✔The Bund ✔Yu Garden ✔Shanghai’s Former French Concession ✔Oriental Pearl Tower ✔Jade Buddha Temple

DIST. 50km/1.5hrs

A day to explore Shanghai City, the Paris of the East! First, we take walk around The Bund, the colonial-era promenade along Huangpu River. Then, we visit the 500-year old classic Chinese Yu Garden, and view the traditional Qing-Dynasty architecture of the Old Town Bazaar. Afterwards, have a scroll around Shanghai’s Former French Concession, once the center of colonial life and now a hip area.

After lunch, we visit the Oriental Pearl Tower, the iconic symbol of Shanghai. It consists of three main full-scope sightseeing spheres. Each of these spheres offers an observation deck, where you can enjoy the breathtaking view of Shanghai at different heights.

Last, visit Jade Buddha Temple, the most venerable and famous Buddhist temple in Shanghai. It was founded in 1882 with two jade Buddha statues imported to Shanghai from Myanmar by sea.

   D16

Shanghai Departure

B / - / -

Highlights: ✔Homeward Bound

DIST. 50km/1hrs

We delved deep. We experienced MORE. And now it's time to say goodbye. Guide & driver will escort you to Shanghai Airport. Bon Voyage and get home safe. Come back again for round two next year. China is the third largest country in the world with 5000 years of written history, and 56 ethnic groups of its own different cultures. You won't get bored.