16 Day Best Of China & Yangtze Cruise Incl Return Airfares Beijing Suzhou Wuxi Hangzhou Shanghai Yangtze River Xi'an www.inspiringvacations.com.au From pp twin $2,499 share Book Now 15-MAR-19 12-APR-19 26-APR-19 10-MAY-19 24-MAY-19 07-JUN-19 26-JUL-19 16-AUG-19 30-AUG-19 13-SEP-19 11-OCT-19 25-OCT-19 08-NOV-19 22-NOV-19 * Peak Season surcharge +$250pp Day 1 Australia Beijing Today begins your spectacular tour through China! Upon arrival at Beijing Airport, you will be warmly greeted by our professional tour guide and escorted to your hotel. Take the evening to relax and prepare for your first day of touring tomorrow. Hotel: 5★ Shangri-La’s China World or similar “The overdressed traveler betrays more interest in being seen than in seeing, while the true traveler knows that the novel world about her serves as the most appropriate accessory.” Gregory Maguire Day 2 Beijing Today you will set out with your guide to discover the iconic imperial treasures of China’s massive capital, Beijing. Stand in Tiananmen Square, one of the largest and grandest public plazas in the world before progressing on to the Forbidden City. Enter the imposing walls of the Forbidden City, once the domain of the Ming Dynasty, for an exclusive tour through this vast complex of courtyards and lanes. This area was considered by the Emperor to be a divine place, and it was forbidden to ordinary people, hence the name, the Forbidden City. This is certainly not the case today, as it now plays host to over 14 million visitors per year. It also now houses the National Palace Museum, historically and artistically one of the most comprehensive museums in all of China. After our tour, we will return to the hotel where you may relax or choose to enjoy one of our bonus Inspiring Sights options to enhance your experience. Optional Tour - ‘The Golden Mask Dynasty’ show or ‘Kung Fu Legend’ show - The Legend of Kung Fu Show is a mix of traditional martial arts and modern theatre. Presenting stunning Kung Fu skills, exquisite ballet and music, this beautiful story in no doubt has become the most loved Kung Fu show in China. Hotel: 5★ Shangri-La’s China World or similar Meals: Breakfast, lunch Day 3 Optional Tour - Hutong Life Tour - On this Beijing tour you will explore the hutongs of Beijing on the backs of rickshaws, a traditional Today’s highlight is one of the most mode of transport in Beijing. These rapidly anticipated - an excursion to the disappearing traditional neighbourhoods majestic Great Wall of China, one of the offer a glimpse into the Beijing of the past. Seven Wonders of the World! We will be touring the Juyongguan Section, Optional Tour - Peking Duck Banquet Dinner recognized by UNESCO and one of the - Enjoy an authentic Peking Duck Banquet three most famous passes along the served with all the traditional Great Wall. Located 60 km from accompaniments. This iconic dish has been downtown Beijing, it used be a served in Beijing since the imperial era. stronghold that protected the northern access routes to the city. Here you’ll get a Hotel: 5★ Shangri-La’s China World or chance to climb a portion of this 3,700 similar mile marvel. Enroute back to the city we Meals: Breakfast, lunch will visit one of the largest Jade Exhibitions in Asia and learn all about China’s most precious and celebrated Day 4 stone. Upon returning to Beijing, the rest Bejing Suzhou of the day is yours to spend at leisure or to participate in one of our suggested This morning we will begin our day at a optional excursions. Chinese Herbal Institute where we will have the opportunity to learn about traditional Chinese medicine. From here we then board the mind-blowing bullet train to travel the city of Suzhou. China’s bullet train network is now the most expansive in the world and you’ll be rocketing towards Suzhou at speeds up to 300km/h. Upon arrival in Suzhou, our local representative will meet and greet you at the North Suzhou Railway Station. You will then be escorted to your hotel where you may spend the rest of the day resting or spending time with newly made friends. Hotel: 4★ Holiday Inn Taihu Hotel or similar Meals: Breakfast, lunch Day 5 Suzhou Wuxi Welcome to beautiful Suzhou, the city of paradise! Suzhou is also known as the Oriental Venice for its exquisite canals, bridges, pagodas, and stunning gardens. This spectacular city is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the perfect place for those who are interested in learning more about Chinese culture. Following breakfast we will be visiting the Lingering Garden, a classic private garden with 500 years of history. After this we continue our journey to the Suzhou Silk Factory, the largest silk manufacturer in the country where we will discover the mysterious processing silk. We’ll enjoy a brief break for lunch, after which you will have the opportunity to participate in another optional excursion exploring the famous Grand Canal further. In the late afternoon, we will continue our journey to the charming city of Wuxi, sitting on the banks of Taihu, one of China’s largest freshwater lakes. Upon arrival we will visit the Nanchang Street, famous for the way it expertly blends ancient and modern elements, and the peaceful waterside town-life with the passion of a contemporary itinerary. Optional Tour - Grand Canal Cruise - After lunch in Suzhou, you may enjoy a cruise along the ancient canal and enjoy a unique perspective of the city and life of the locals. The Suzhou Grand Canal belongs to the Jiangnan Grand Canal, which starts at Zhenjiang in the north and ends at Hangzhou in the south. Hotel: 5★ Swiss-Bel Liyuan Hotel or similar Meals: Breakfast, lunch “A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” - Lao Tzu Day 6 Wuxi Hangzhou This morning our day begins with a visit to the Brilliance of Lake Lihu, a branch of Lake Taihu. The lake is well known for its gorgeous park and many interesting features, but also due to the fact that scholars have written that notable historical figures Fan Li and Xi Shi boated here. We follow this with a special visit to a Freshwater Pearl Farm. In the afternoon we continue on to Hangzhou, once described by Marco Polo as “the most beautiful and magnificent city in the world”. Upon arrival in Hangzhou you will have the evening free to spend at your leisure. You may relax or choose to appreciate the symbolic performance of Hangzhou as an optional activity. Optional Tour - The Romantic Show of Songcheng - This evening, join the symbolic performance of Hangzhou. It has been performed over 2,000 times, and entertained over 60 million audiences. It is regarded as one of the top three famous shows in the world along with the O Show in Las Vegas and the Moulin Rouge in Paris. Hotel: 4★ Holiday Inn Gongshu Hotel or similar Meals: Breakfast Day 7 Hangzhou Shanghai The magnificent city of Hangzhou is also known as the “Paradise on Earth”, has been immortalized by countless poets and artists. The most renowned feature here is the West Lake Cultural Landscape, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This morning we visit the West Lake, embraced by mountains on three sides and undisputedly the most beautiful lake in the country. During our visit, you may join the optional activity of taking a charming boat ride around the lake. After our visit here, we will continue to China’s no. 1 tea plantation to taste the well-known Dragon Well Tea. It has been scientifically proven that green tea such as this is excellent for maintaining your well-being, and today you will have the opportunity to learn more about the tea culture of the China’s best green tea. Following lunch, we will drive onwards to Shanghai on China’s central coast. This evening, you will have the opportunity to get a glimpse of the dazzling and charming night view of Shanghai by joining the optional Huangpu River Cruise ride. Optional Tour - Boat Ride on the West Lake - During your visit to the beautiful West Lake, you can revel in most renowned feature of Hangzhou by joining the West Lake Boat Ride, noted for how its scenic beauty blends naturally with many famous historical and cultural sites. Optional Tour - Huangpu River Night Cruise - At night, you may enjoy the Huangpu River Night Cruise and get a glimpse of the dazzling and charming night view of Shanghai. Hotel: 4★ Mercure Hotel Royalton or similar Meals: Breakfast Day 8 Shanghai Today we enjoy a full day in Shanghai, the country’s biggest city and an important global financial hub. After breakfast, we will travel as a group to the Bund, a famous site in Shanghai lined by the colonial architecture of European design. Shanghai (Cont.) This area is the best place to capture the Western influences of the old days, and is now called the “Wall Street of the East”. Following our tour here, the rest of the day is free to spend at your leisure. You are encouraged to join our suggested optional tours and activities that further your experience of Shanghai. Optional Tour - Shanghai Insight Tour - This tour takes you to Lujiazui Financial & Trade Zone, where the Jinmao Tower is located. Jinmao is 88 stories high, reaching a height of 420.5 meters and covers a 290,000 square meter construction area.