Below is my itinerary.....I actually depart for Los Angelos, California on 9/23 from Northwest Arkansas Airport. I arrive at LAX at 9:50PM and then leave back out for my non-stop flight to Beijing at 1:50AM.
DAY 1, Monday - Depart the USA
Depart the USA to China.
DAY 2, Tuesday - Arrive in Beijing
Arrive in Beijing and transfer to your hotel. Balance of the day at leisure. I plan on taking a quick shower and heading off to the Temple of Heaven, the Hard Rock Cafe and the Panjiayuan Market.
DAY 3, Wednesday - Forbidden City & Summer Palace Tour
Full day tour of the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. Begin at Tiananmen Square, the largest public plaza in the world. Erected in 1417 at the height of the Ming Dynasty, the square was renovated and renamed two centuries later at the onset of the Great Qing Dynasty. View several impressive monuments outlining the Square's perimeter, including the Great Hall of the People, the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong and the Square's famed ceremonial gateway. From here, venture north for a visit to the Forbidden City (Imperial Palace), a construction comparable to the Pyramids in Egypt. Known today as the Palace Museum, the entire site is comprised of 800 buildings with more than 9,000 rooms. Visit a local Pearl Shop before a visit to the Summer Palace.
DAY 4, Thursday - Great Wall of China & Panda Visit
Full-day excursion to the Great Wall of China, the longest man-made structure on Earth, spanning nearly 4,000 miles of China's northern frontier. Stop at a local Jade Shop before arriving to the Great Wall. Walk along the promenades and enjoy the unrivaled scenic views of beautiful mountain passes, plateaus and grasslands from this 7th-century defensive fortification. Afterwards, depart for lunch at a local Chinese restaurant. Following lunch, a brief photo stop at the Beijing Olympic village and then a visit with the famous Pandas at the Beijing Zoo before returning to Beijing.
DAY 5, Friday - Flight to Xian
This morning, transfer to the airport for your flight to Xian. Upon arrival, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Later this afternoon, trace the beginnings of Chinese civilization at the Shaanxi Provincial History Museum. Opened to the public in 1991, the museum is in southern Xian, and is home to a wealth of historical artifacts and treasures from the Han and Tang dynasties.
DAY 6, Saturday - Xian Antiquities Tour with Terracotta Army
This morning, after breakfast you will have the opportunity to visit Xingqing Park. Filled with culture, this local park is a hub of activity in the morning. You may witness and have the chance to participate in morning exercise, singing, and dancing. Later this morning visit to a local Lacquer Furniture Shop. Stop for lunch at a local restaurant before a tour of Xian's antiquities. Your tour includes the archaeological site at the tomb of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang (259-210 B.C.), where more than 8,000 finely sculpted, life-size terracotta soldiers and horses were discovered by local farmers in 1974. The archaeological excavation of the three pits where the Terracotta Army was found continues today, more than thirty years since the time of its unearthing.
DAY 7, Sunday - Flight to Shanghai
This morning, transfer to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel. I'm doing a tour in the evening called "Shanghai at Night".
DAY 8, Monday - Shanghai City Tour
This morning enjoy a tour of the major attractions of Shanghai. Wander the classical Yuyuan Garden, built during the Ming Dynasty by the high-ranking government official Pan Yunduan. The Gardens' total area occupies approximately five acres, and features pavilions, ponds, rockeries, cloisters, and streams all within six scenic zones, including the Sansui Hall and Wanhua Chamber. In existence for 400 years, the Gardens were specifically constructed for Pan's aging parents as a sanctuary in which to live out their lives. Next, experience the old world charm of the Bund, the former "Wall Street" of the foreign powers. Walk along its park-like waterfront promenade between the Wusong River and Old Town. Later today, enjoy lunch in a local restaurant before stopping at a local silk carpet and embroidery shop. Continue to visit the Jade Buddha Temple which is the most famous and one of the most active Buddhist temples in Shanghai. It was built during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty to enshrine two beautiful jade Buddha statues that were brought from Burma. I plan to see Fuxing Park and visit the Vue Bar at the Hyatt on the Bund to see the city at night. Will try to fit in a ride on the Shanghai Maglev Train (operational speed of 268mph, record top speed 311mph).
DAY 9, Tuesday - Full Day Suzhou Tour
This morning, depart your hotel for a 2.5 hour drive from Shanghai to Suzhou. Located in Jiangsu Province, this ancient city enjoys the name of "Paradise on the earth" or Venice of the East. Your day begins on the famous Grand Canal, the longest man made Canal in the world. Travel leisurely down the narrow waterways and under the elegant bridges. From your boat you will see the sites of this ancient city and the daily life of the people who inhabit the banks of the canal. Stop for lunch at a local restaurant, visit the local Silk Factory, which Suzhou is famous for. After lunch, visit the Garden of the Master of the Nets. This privately owned garden is one of the most beautiful and most perfectly proportioned in Suzhou. The garden demonstrates Chinese garden designers' adept skills for synthesizing art, nature, and architecture to create unique metaphysical masterpieces.
DAY 10, Wednesday - Depart for the USA
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
I will be staying one night in Los Angelos before catching my flight back to Northwest Arkansas Airport.
