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The Treasures of With Caroline Courtauld 16th – 29th September 2016

The Ultimate Travel Company Escorted Tours

The Great Wall at Mutianyu The Treasures of China With Caroline Courtauld 16th – 29th September 2016

Contact Emily Pontifex Direct Line 020 7386 4664 Telephone 020 7386 4646 Fax 020 7386 8652 Email [email protected]

Caroline Courtauld MBE Caroline Courtauld is a writer, photographer, and documentary film producer and researcher. Her latest documentary for PSB (USA) Building China Modern, about celebrity architect IM Pei building Suzhou Museum, has received wide acclaim. Publications include books on Burma, and China in particular Forbidden City; the Great Within, with accompanying documentary for the Discovery Channel, and Jiangsu Province. Caroline resides in Hong Kong and London and in 2014 led a very successful tour to Myanmar for The Ultimate Travel Company. Detailed Itinerary

A unique tour from Beijing via to Xian, Suzhou and Shanghai led by Caroline Courtauld, China expert, author and film producer. The tour features unparalleled access to off-limits areas of the main sights, meals in top restaurants, and specialist guided tours and visits with local experts.

Begin in the capital, Beijing, with a few days to explore remarkable Imperial landmarks such as the and the Great Wall. A highlight will be special private access to the inner court of the Forbidden City (subject of Caroline’s book The Forbidden City: The Great Within). In the company of local experts, visit the National History Museum and discover the city’s modern architecture and thriving scene. Journey south to the ancient city of Pingyao and walk through the ancient city with an expert from The Global Heritage Fund. Continue to the former Tang Dynasty capital city of Xi’an where a highlight will be special access to the floor of Pit 1 at the archaeological site of the 2000-year-old Army. Also meet the Imam at the Great Mosque and the Museum Director at the Provincial Museum. Travel on to Suzhou in Jiangu Province to visit some of the classical Chinese style gardens for which the city is renowned, including artist Yeh Fang’s private garden, and the Suzhou Museum built by IM Pei (subject of the documentary Building China Modern for which Caroline was an Executive Producer). This remarkable journey ends in the vibrant city of Shanghai, where the Old Quarter and the grand 1920s and 30s architecture of the Bund sit alongside today’s glass towers. Here discover the city’s historic areas and art with a local historian and an art expert. Have dinner at artist Pearl Lam’s apartment and visit the Shanghai Museum with a former curator.

Forbidden City, Beijing The Temple of Heaven, Beijing

Day 1: Friday, 16th September London / Beijing Depart London Heathrow on a British Airways overnight flight to Beijing.

Day 2: Saturday, 17th September Beijing On arrival in Beijing transfer to the 5-star St. Regis Hotel where four nights are spent. The hotel is centrally located, a short drive away from the mystical Forbidden City and Square.

Lunch under own arrangements. Afternoon at leisure. Evening briefing and welcome dinner at the hotel. Day 3: Sunday, 18th September Beijing Early morning optional visit to the Panjiayuan weekend market in Jingsong to shop for Chinese curios such as ceramics, , wood carvings, paintings and textiles.

Meet a local historian for architectural orientation tour of Beijing including visits to some of Beijing’s iconic structures including: The National Centre for the Performing , The CCTV Building (Rem Koolhaas), Galaxy SoHO and Urban Planning Exhibition Hall.

Lunch at Xiao Wang Fu ( Park). Afternoon visit to the Forbidden City, former home of China’s Imperial Dynasties and the best preserved collection of ancient buildings in China with its pavilions, courtyards, gates, treasure halls and gardens. Special entrée to see Juan Qin Zhai (Qian Long’s Retirement Lodge currently under World Monument Fund restoration), Lijingxuan Palace and Chong Hua Gong all in the Inner Court. Late afternoon tea at the home of a local author and journalist who lives in a traditional courtyard compound. Dinner under own arrangements.

Day 4: Monday, 19th September Beijing Walk around the vast , which is home to China’s Parliament, The Great Hall of the People, followed by a tour with a local expert of the National History Museum which reopened in 2011 and is the largest museum in China. Visit the magnificent Temple of Heaven, where the emperors once came to pray for good harvests and today where the local residents come to do their morning exercises such as and Ballroom Dancing.

Lunch at ‘Capital M’ restaurant. Afternoon visits to Factory 798 and Caochangdi art districts with long time gallery owner and curator who will organize visits to Artist Studios including Ai Wei Wei and others. Dinner at Duck de Chine restaurant to sample Peking Duck.

Day 5: Tuesday, 20th September Beijing Morning visit to the Great Wall at Mutianyu. Built in stages between the 5th century BC and the 16th century AD, the wall is 3,333 miles long and is one of the world’s few landmarks visible from space.

Lunch at Xiaolongpu local farm restaurant near the Great Wall. Return to Beijing and return to the hotel for a late afternoon panel discussion with two or three Beijing based journalists. Dinner under own arrangements.

Pingyao Pingyao Day 6: Wednesday, 21st September Beijing / Pingyao Morning transfer to the Beijing Train Station and board the high-speed train from Beijing to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Pingyao Ancient City.

Lunch served on the train. Arrive into Pingyao and transfer to Jing’s Residence hotel where one night is spent. Jing’s Residence is a beautifully restored Ming period merchant’s compound, with contemporary style rooms and featuring a number of works by contemporary Chinese artists. Afternoon walk through the ancient city with an expert from The Global Heritage Fund. Sunset on the ramparts of the north gate of the Ming period city wall. Dinner at the hotel followed by a short performance of local opera.

Day 7: Thursday, 22nd September Pingyao / Xi’an Morning in Pingyao to include visits to: The , an original Chinese bank; Biaofang, a 19th century security firm; the Ancient Weapons Museum; the Daoist Temple; the Confucian Temple; and ’s Compound.

Lunch at Jing’s Residence. Lunch transfer to the Pingyao Ancient City Train Station and board a high speed train from Pingyao to Xi’an North Station. Transfer to the old city and the centrally located Westin Hotel where two nights are spent. Dinner at Hai Yun restaurant.

Old City Wall, Xi’an Terracotta Warriors, Xi’an

Day 8: Friday, 23rd September Xi’an Morning breakfast briefing on the Terra-Cotta Warriors & Horses Excavation and Archaeology in Shaanxi province by a former director at both The Terra-Cotta Warriors & Horses Excavation and the Han Yangling Excavation. Depart by coach to visit the famous 2,000-year old Terracotta Warriors, one of China’s greatest historical sites – three underground vaults containing thousands of life-size terracotta soldiers and their horses in battle formation. Spend the balance of the morning on site to include: Pits 1, 2, and 3 with special access to go down onto the floor of Pit 1 (restoration area), the Bronze Chariot Museum and a film presentation on the history of the site.

Return to Xi’an for lunch at the Defachang Dumpling House. Afternoon visit to the Great Mosque and old city quarter. Meet with the Imam of the mosque (or his son) and have a special tour of the 14th century prayer hall (closed to the public). Time to explore the old city food markets. Visit the Shaanxi Provincial Museum, which houses fascinating relics and artefacts from pre-history to the Tang, Ming and Qing dynasties, including the Tang Murals and the Tang Gold & Silver exhibition and meet with the Museum Director. Optional Tang Dynasty show with dinner. Day 9: Saturday, 24th September Xi’an / Suzhou Morning transfer to Xi’an Airport for a flight to Shanghai Hong Qiao Airport. Transfer to the Hong Qiao Railway Station (located next to the airport terminal).

Lunch at the Jade Garden restaurant. Board the high-speed train from Shanghai to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Suzhou famous for its remarkable classical Chinese style gardens. On arrival in Suzhou transfer to the Renaissance Hotel, close to the city’s business district and five minutes from Jinji Lake, where two nights are spent. Dinner at Songhelou restaurant followed by a private Ping Tan performance in the Master of The Nets Garden.

Day 10: Sunday, 25th September Suzhou Visit Zhuo Zheng Yuan (Garden of the Humble Administrator) followed by the Suzhou Museum designed by IM Pei.

Lunch at Wumenren Jia (near the Museum and IM Pei’s favourite restaurant in Suzhou). Afternoon visits to Cang Lang Ting (Green Wave Pavilion) and Liu Yuan (Lingering Garden). Private boat trip on the followed by a visit to painter Yeh Fang’s private garden for tea (subject to confirmation). Dinner under own arrangments.

Humble Administrator’s Garden, Suzhou Lingering Garden, Suzhou

Day 11: Monday, 26th September Suzhou / Shanghai Morning transfer to the Suzhou Train Station and board the high-speed train from Suzhou to Shanghai. Transfer to the Portman Ritz Carlton Hotel, located on the renowned Nanjing Road in the heart of the historic Puxi district, where three nights are spent.

Lunch Ye Shanghai restaurant. Afternoon walking tour of the Bund often called Shanghai’s ‘Wall Street’ and the symbol of foreign trade with its assortment of 1920s and 30s grand architecture. Visit to the Jewish Memorial Museum and the Shanghai Ghetto in the Hong Kou District. Dinner at Lost Heaven restaurant followed by the option to see ERA by the Shanghai Acrobatics Troupe.

Day 12: Tuesday, 27th September Shanghai Morning talk by Shanghai historian followed by morning orientation tour to include the traditional Li Long neighbourhood, the former French Concession and the Xintiandi Area. Lunch at Ding Tai Feng restaurant in Xintiandi. Special tour lead by a former curator of the stunning Shanghai Museum, which houses an impressive collection including bronzes, sculpture exquisite ceramics and jade, and countless other fascinating exhibits. Dinner at Pearl Lam’s apartment (subject to confirmation).

Day 13: Wednesday, 28th September Shanghai Morning visit to the Old Town and Yu Gardens which originally date from the 1550s and are laid out in traditional Ming style.

Shanghai style dim sum lunch at Lu Buo Lang. Afternoon art tour led by a local expert to include the M 50 Area (Moganshan Road), Shanghai MOCA and selected galleries and artist studios. Evening drinks on the rooftop of the Peninsula Hotel followed by farewell dinner in private room off Sir Elly’s Kadoorie’s (Peninsula Hotel).

Sky line,, Shanghai The Bund, Shanghai

Day 14: Thursday, 29th September Shanghai / London Morning transfer by the MAGLEV, the high-speed rail link from the Long Yang Road Maglev Station (Pudong) to the Shanghai Pudong International Airport, for a British Airways flight to London Heathrow, arriving late afternoon.

Tour Price

COST PER PERSON: £6,875 Single supplement: £1,250 Visa fees: TBA Optional Shanghai Aerobatic ERA Show VIP ticket: £105 per person Optional Tang Dynasty Show with Set Dinner: £72 per person Club Class upgrade: £2,805 A fee of £95 per person will be charged for those who would like to travel out or back separately from the main group.

The tour cost includes:  economy class scheduled flights  air passenger duty, passenger service charge, airline security charges, airport taxes and fuel surcharges where applicable – currently £X (liable to change without notice)  accommodation throughout as shown in the itinerary  breakfast daily; 11 lunches; 8 dinners  all visits and excursions as per the itinerary  all transportation as detailed in the itinerary  all entrance fees  local English-speaking guide/s  gratuities to driver/s  gratuities to guide/s  gratuities in restaurants;  porterage  the services of your tour leader throughout

The tour cost does NOT include:  travel insurance  visa  excess baggage  items of personal expenditure (e.g. telephone calls / laundry etc.)  government levies or taxes introduced after costing and publication of this programme on 01/08/15

Changes to the Itinerary Please note, that certain elements of this itinerary, and/or the order of events, may well be subject to alteration due to circumstances beyond our control. Fitness to travel Whilst we do not impose any age limitations on joining a tour, participants must be reasonably fit. The very nature of the sightseeing involved in our tours (and the difficulties of direct access by coach in various places) means that a considerable amount of walking and standing is unavoidable on almost all tours. We regret that our tours are not suitable for people who have difficulty in walking, may require wheelchair assistance at any time, or are unable to keep pace with the group. If you are in any doubt as to the suitability of a tour, please make this known to us before you book and we will advise you accordingly. The Ultimate Travel Company reserves the right to decline a reservation without necessarily giving a reason.

Airline Tickets As a tour operator we have access to special airfares. While these offer good value, they do carry certain restrictions applied by the airline. Please ask us for details.

Note: If you are thinking about using air miles to upgrade to a premium cabin on the flights, please check with us first as fare restrictions might not permit this.

Accommodation Hotels are chosen on the basis of category, character and location. The majority will be at least 4 star, otherwise the best available. The projected size of the group will often rule out the use of luxury boutique hotels. Sometimes the style of hotel will mean that not all rooms are of the same size or have the same outlook.

Health Requirements No vaccinations are required for entry into China but the following are recommended:

Typhoid, Hepatitis A & B You should also check your Polio and Tetanus immunisations are up-to-date. If you have travelled within a yellow fever infected area during the past two years you will require proof of inoculation. Detailed advice can be found on: http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations.aspx

Please check recommended practice with your GP, practice nurse or travel health clinic.

Passport and Visa Information British passport holders require a visa for China which should be applied for through CIBT Visa Service Company. An application pack will be provided two months before travel. The visa fee is currently £123 per person including CIBT service charges. See http://cibtvisas.co.uk/tourkits.php?bookmark=1&login=ultimate

Please ensure that you have six months validity on your passport. Holders of foreign passports must check entry and visa requirements with us or the relevant embassies.

FCO Advice Travel advice issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office can be viewed at www.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo.