China & Treasures of Tibet

When you arrive in Beijing, China, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel where the rest of the day is spent at leisure. In the evening enjoy a welcome dinner to meet your fellow tour members and your Big Journey Company Tour Director.

In the morning we will visit the Temple of Heaven, where past emperors performed rituals to ensure good harvests. We also visit the famous Tiananmen Square and lunch will be served in a nearby restaurant. After lunch we continue on to the Forbidden City - this beautiful complex was the imperial palace of China's emperors for 500 years.
This evening we enjoy Peking Duck Dinner in a courtyard restaurant.

Today is one of the highlights of your China tour, a full day excursion to see the Great Wall. The wall stretches for 3915 miles across China and it was built in sections to protect the people against attacks from the north.
Tonight is your evening at leisure to explore Beijing.

This morning, we visit the gardens and pavilions of the Summer Palace on the outskirts of Beijing. This UNESCO world heritage site is a feast for the senses with open water and natural landscapes interspersed with palaces and pavilions.
After lunch we will transfer to Beijing West Station for the high speed train to take our 1st class seats to Xi'an (4hrs 23mins). Upon arrival, transfer to our hotel, passing by the famous bell tower and drum tower.

Today we will enjoy an excursion to the famous Terracotta Warriors. They were created by China's first emperor in the 3rd century BC to guard his tomb for eternity. Afterwards we will visit the old city wall of Xi'an.
In the evening, the group will enjoy a "Tang Dynasty" song and dance show evoking the sights and sounds of the Tang Dynasty when Xi'an was capital of China. There is an opportunity to go for a bicycle ride on the City Walls for those who would like to do this.

We will enjoy a morning visit to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda before we transfer you to the airport for your flight to Chongqing.
Upon arrival in Chongqing, we will take you on a brief city tour that includes visiting the endangered and much loved pandas at the zoo. Sichuan Cuisine will be served for dinner before travelling to the pier to join our luxury 5-star boat. We will departure this evening along the famous Chinese Yangtze River.

The next few days are on board our luxury boat on the Yangtze River cruise. As we sail downstream through the Three Gorges, there will be shore excursions to enjoy together. The rest of the days will be at leisure to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery as it drifts past.

Today we continue onboard our luxury boat on the Yangtze River cruise. As we sail downstream through the Three Gorges, there will be shore excursions to enjoy together. The rest of the days will be at leisure to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery as it drifts past.

Wake up on the last morning of our Yangtze River cruise to enjoy a shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam together.
The boat will arrive in the city of Yichang around lunchtime where we disembark and transfer to the airport for flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival you will be transferred to our hotel where the rest of the evening is at your leisure.

Today we enjoy an amazing full day city tour around Shanghai. This includes the Yu Garden and Shanghai old bazaar - a classic Chinese house and garden in the old town district.
This evening we will cruise along the Huangpu River that flows through Shanghai, giving you the best view of the city's modern skyline; we will visit the Oriental TV tower- a famous symbol of Shanghai.

After breakfast, we travel out to the small 'water town' of Zhujiajiao, now situated on the outskirts of Shanghai. The visit here makes for a very interesting contrast with the yesterday’s exploration of Shanghai city. Old buildings line the alleys and a maze of canals are criss-crossed by elegant bridges.
Then return to Shanghai to explore Xintiandi. This is the former French Concession, where old tenements have been transformed into a lively area of upmarket bars and boutiques.
Tonight you will need to prepare a smaller bag/suitcase for our two day tour in the Yellow Mountains. Larger luggage will be left securely at the hotel in Shanghai.

We have an early breakfast today before we transfer to Shanghai HongQiao Station for our train to Huangshan North Station.
After lunch in a local restaurant, we continue on to the foothills and take the gondola up the Yellow Mountains, also called Huangshan. Here you will have some time at leisure to walk as much or little as you'd like to, enjoying the sights and soaking up the atmosphere as we watch the sunset.
We have dinner together and some time at leisure at the hotel this evening.

Rise early to enjoy the beautiful sunrise today. We'll have breakfast at the hotel before a day exploring some of the peaks on the mountain.
Mid-afternoon, we head back down the mountain by gondola. We transfer to Huangshan Town and visit the ancient street of Laojie before enjoying our dinner in the town.
Our flight back to Shanghai and departs this evening. On arrival in Shanghai we will transfer to the hotel where we will be reunited with our large suitcases.

This morning we will meet in hotel lobby. Your Big Journey Tour Director will give you your travel permits to Tibet and we will transfer to the airport for our flights to Lhasa.
Upon arrival in Gongar Airport, we will be met and transferred to Lhasa, capital of Tibet. Lhasa is at 11,000ft. We will spend the rest of the day gently acclimatising to the altitude. Do be sure to drink plenty of water and talk to you Big Journey Tour Director if you need any other advice.
We check into the hotel before taking a slow stroll along Barkhor Street, which is on the middle pilgrim circuit. This holy place for the pilgrims has also become a focus for market stalls and traders from other parts of Tibet.

We venture up to the Potala Palace today to explore the grandest of its myriad rooms. See the jewelled burial chortens of the past Dalai Lamas as well as the statues and frescos.
In the afternoon we will visit Jokhang Temple, the holiest temple in the Tibetan Buddhist world. After sightseeing, its tea time with a visit to one of the favourite tea houses for local Tibetans in their leisure time.

Our morning will be spent in Norbulingka, the Dalai Lama's traditional summer palace. These are the largest gardens in Tibet, stretching across 89 acres.
We have lunch and then visit Sera Monastery on the northern outskirts of Lhasa, one of Lhasa’s two great Gelugpa Monasteries. We will watch unobtrusively as monks debate passionately in the courtyard, using different gestures accompanied by foot stamping and piercing claps. They are here to learn about Tibetan Buddhist religion and philosophy.

We say farewell to the gentle majesty of Tibet today. After breakfast in the hotel we are transferred to Gongar Airport [LXA] for flights home.