Shanghai
(The trip days are numbered below to match the days with the Dutch participants. Departing from the U.S., the trip with air is 18 days. )
+ 1 Day - Depart US
Day 1 Arrive Shanghai (independent night)
Day 2 Shanghai - Land begins (join Dutch travelers arrive 10:55 AM)
Day 3 Shanghai
Day 4 Shanghai, night train to Beijing
This trip starts in the harbor city, Shanghai where you can go for endless walks in the interesting neighborhoods. If you book the package with air, you will arrive in Shanghai the night before the participants from Holland, giving you a chance to rest up. You will meet the group and guide about lunch time the following day when the land program begins. You will find impressive modern buildings and old temples. The famous boulevard, the Bund, gives you a good impression of the characteristic architecture dating back to the thirties. The Bund is also a spot where you’ll be a very early witness to the many Chinese that practice the immensely popular Tai Chi. With the new Pearl Tower Shanghai now harbors one of the tallest buildings in the world with a fantastic view over this gigantic city. A boat trip over the Huangpu River shows you the vast harbor area of Shanghai. At nighttime, you have a large choice of restaurants, bars and theaters that have a feel of the past. Also, you may choose to go to an acrobatic performance. The sleeper train will take you in a comfortable way to Beijing.
Beijing
Day 5 Arrival Beijing
Day 6 Beijing, excursion to the Great Wall
Day 7 Beijing
Day 8 Beijing, night train to Xian
Beijing is the capital, the government center of China and has approximately ten million inhabitants. It is still expanding on a daily basis because of the steady stream of Chinese entering the cities from the rural areas of China. Beijing is a huge city; the simplest way to get around is by subway, taxi, or taxi-bus. For example, to travel from one sightseeing activity to the next will usually take you at least half an hour by cab. The center of the city is located around the Tiananmen Square. Here you will find the famous, Forbidden City, the mausoleum of Mao and the large hall of the people. One of the most beautiful parks of Beijing, the Beihai Park, is located right behind the Forbidden City. Here, you can rent a boat and row on the lake together with the locals. Also the Hutongs, the famous old neighborhoods of Beijing should not be missed. Some of these neighborhoods are zoned to protect them against the massive amount of new construction. Take time to visit some of the countless temples. The “Temple of the Heaven” completely constructed of wood, is located in the southeast of the city. It consists of several buildings and a large alter that are all built in complete symmetry. In the northeast of the city, you find the so-called Lama temple where these days, Lamish Buddhism is practiced again. From Beijing, the tour leader organizes an excursion to the Great Wall. Here, you have time to explore a small part of the world’s largest construction project in the world. Travel is included in the price of your trip for this excursion but the entry fee is not. Most of the time, the tour leader will try to combine this with a visit to the summer palace that is located just outside of Beijing and situated on a special man made lake. At nighttime, you have the possibility for example, to pay a visit to the Chinese opera and taste the specialty of Beijing; the Peking duck.
Xian
Day 9 Arrival Xian
Day 10 Xian. Excursion to the Terracotta Army.
We travel by sleeper train with hard sleepers in approximately 16 hours from Beijing to Xian, which in the past was the capital of China. For private trips only, you may upgrade to a flight from Beijing to Xian. In ancient days, Xian was the origination point of the Silk Route, which gave the city a very cosmopolitan character. In the center of the city, right behind the drum tower, you still find the old Islamic neighborhood and vast mosque complex with side buildings and gardens. This neighborhood is great for fun walks and good food. You also find many art and antique shops. A thick wall has always surrounded the old center of Xiang and most of it has been restored and allows the opportunity to walk on top of the wall. You will have a beautiful view over the city from the old clock tower where in the past the clock was rung every morning. Near the south wall, you find the provincial museum, which holds some of the largest collections of Chinese treasures, including lots of pottery and calligraphy. Outside of the walls, you can visit the large and the small Wild Goose Pagoda; both typical old Chinese buildings. We allocate half a day in Xian to visit the world famous Terracotta Army created by the first (Yellow Emperor) of China; Qin Shihing. This ancient army is located about 18 miles outside of the city and was only discovered in 1974 by farmers working the fields. The tour leader organizes this excursion. We travel by bus, which is included, however the entry fee is not included.
During the 29-day trip, we fly from Xian to Lhasa in Tibet. The travel description of the Tibet part (from Day 8 – Day 15.) You can find a description further along in this booklet. During the 17-day trip, you fly from Xian to Guilin to continue your trip to Yangshuo. You will find the continuation of this trip described later on in this literature.
Yangshuo
Day 11 Flight to Guilin, bus to Yangshuo
Day 12 Yangshuo
Day 13 Yangshuo
The village, Yangshuo is located in the middle of a landscape that consists of mist-covered rice patties. Rivers and steep rising peaks are very well known from Chinese prints. When you wake up in the morning, you will see those mountain giants through the curtains. In spite of the growing number of souvenir shops and tourist cafes, Yangshuo still breeds a very rural atmosphere. It is an ideal place to rent a bike so you can explore the neighborhood with or without local guides. Close by Yangshuo, you find the Moon Hill where you have a spectacular view over the surroundings. It is also fun to randomly pick a little road and see where you end up. In Yangshuo, you can rent a small boat at night and go up the river to watch the local fisherman catch their fish with the help of specially trained cormorant birds. A boat trip over the Li River in combination with a bike trip will leave an unforgettable impression. At the conclusion of the river trip, you can visit one of the many terraces for a glass of wine or a beer and a local snack. You can spend your last night or purchase your final souvenirs in this relaxing little town.
Guangzhou
Day 14 Bus to Guilin, night train to Guangzhou
Day 15 Arrival in Guangzhou, boat to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Day 15 Arrival Hong Kong
Day 16 Hong Kong
Day 17 Via Amsterdam – arrival USA
On the trip from Guangzhou to Hong Kong, we travel by the Turbo Cat ferry service which takes about two hours. Since July 1997, Hong Kong became part of China after a long history of British rule. The atmosphere is therefore totally different here. Not only is the city extremely large and modern but you will see business men in suits everywhere and you will hear the constant ringing of cell phones. Our hotel is centrally located on the mainland (Kowloon) where most of the inhabitants of Hong Kong live. From the mainland, you can take a ferry out of town for an entire day to Hong Kong Island. The business district of Hong Kong with it’s famous skyline. With a cable car, you can visit mount Victoria where you have a magnificent view over the city and her surroundings. In the event you want to explore some one of the of the over two hundred islands of Hong Kong, it is easy to take a boat from Hong Kong Island. Make sure you check the return times of the boat to avoid getting stranded on one of the little islands. On many of the small islands, such as Lamma and Cheung Chau, you will find the perfect atmosphere to relax. In addition to cozy little villages, you also find pristine beaches and wonderful seafood restaurants. Because Hong Kong is so spread out, distances are sometimes difficult to conquer by foot. You find taxis, bus, and double-decker trams that cross Hong Kong Island. However, the ideal mode for transportation for long distances is the subway, which is cheap and easily maneuverable. From Hong Kong, we fly via Tokyo back to the USA.
