Day by Day Program

Day +1  Depart USA
Day 1    Arrive Beijing (independent night)
Day 2    Beijing (NL group arrives at 8:55 AM)
Day 3    Beijing, excursion to the Great Wall and Summer Palace
Day 4    Beijing
Day 5   Beijing, night train to Xian

Beijing, with approximately ten million inhabitants, is the capital and government center of China. It is still expanding on a daily basis due to the steady stream of Chinese migrating to the cities from the rural areas of the country. Beijing is a huge city; the simplest ways to get around are 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 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 will find the so-called Lama temple where these days, Tibetan 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. 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, located just outside of Beijing and situated on a special man made lake. At night, you have the possibility, for example, to pay a visit to the Chinese opera or to taste the specialty of Beijing: the Peking duck.

Xian

Day 6    Arrive Xian
Day 7    Xian - Excursion to the Terracotta Army

We travel by sleeper train (on hard sleepers) in approximately 16 hours from Beijing to Xian, which was once the capital of China. In ancient days, Xian was the starting 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 walks and good food. You will 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, allowing 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 is 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 Pagodas; 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.


Chengdu

Day 8     Xian, flight to Chengdu
Day 9     Chengdu - Leshan - Emeishan
Day 10   Emeishan
Day 11   Emeishan - Chengdu, flight to Lijiang

Chengdu is the capital of the Sichuan province, known for its very spicy kitchen. It is definitely recommended to order the “Hot Pot” while you are here. You will find very few old structures left in the city today. On the site where the royal palace was located in ancient days, you will now find an old statue of Mao. The old city walls that surrounded the center of town were also torn down in the sixties. However, this does not detract from Chengdu's exceptional atmosphere; trees and other greenery line many streets and the population dresses very elegantly. Chengdu is also known for its good restaurants, art shops, and even some cozy English pubs. In the center of the city, you find the popular People’s Park where many families entertain themselves. On stone tables and in the gazebos, groups of older women and men play cards and dice games. The kids play in the large playground and the youth have intellectual discussions in the teahouse. Teahouses have always played an important function in the Chinese culture. After they were shut down during the Cultural Revolution as hotbeds of resistance, many have slowly but progressively made a comeback in Chengdu. We recommend a visit to the cloister of Baoguang Si, about ten miles outside of the city, which houses approximately 500 Buddha statues, and an optional excursion to see the Grand Buddha of Leshan, . The Sichuan province (especially in the surroundings of Chengdu) is known as the only region where the rare giant panda still lives in the wild. You will not be able to see them in the wild but can see them in the zoo and in the research center where they are presently working on a very successful breeding program.

In approximately three hours we travel to Leshan where we will see the Grand Buddha of Leshan, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built out of a cliff wall on the confluence of three rivers and measuring 72 meters, this is the largest stone-carved Buddha in the world. Another short ride then brings us to Emei, where we will spend the night.

The mountain of Emei (Emeishan) is the highest of the four sacred Buddhist mountains in China, with the highest peak at about 3,135 meters. If you join the pilgrims and take the 35 km winding staircase to the top, Buddha will ensure your good health. However, if you prefer, you can take a cable car instead. The surrounding area is rich in flora and fauna, and for pilgrims who aren't just after good health, attractions include the many temples and monasteries in the area. We travel back to Chengdu on Day 11 to catch our flight to Lijiang.

Lijiang

Day 12      Lijiang
Day 13      Lijiang

Lijiang is one of the major cities in the Yunan Province. Our hotel is located in the modern part of Lijiang. It is a short walk from the hotel to the old center that is separated from the Ly River off the modern center of town. In Lijiang, the Naxi minority, known for its matriarchal tradition, is strongly represented. Most of the Naxis live in the old town, distinguished by small canals, manicured little alleys, and houses painted a deep red color. The Naxis still wear the traditional dress; particularly eye-catching are the women’s outfits. The old square, with its many trees, is one of the most popular attractions of Lijiang. In the modern part of Lijiang, you will find the heavily visited park; in the center you will see a typical Chinese pond with pagodas and small bridges. The snow-covered "Jade Dragon" mountain makes a beautiful picture. Here you will also find a small museum dedicated to the famous art style of the Dongbede Naxi-Sjamanen, which is also for sale. Lijiang is the home of the famous orchestra of Xian Ke, who offers performances of authentic Chinese music on a regular basis (unless they are on tour). Outside Lijiang, you will find some authentic villages such as Baisha, where you can go on a bike trip. Walking enthusiasts can make a day trip to gorge known the “Tiger leaping gorge”.

Dali

Day 14     Lijiang - Dali
Day 15     Dali

The village Dali is located between the Cangshan Mountains and the Erhai Lake, and is a perfect place for a day of rest. The short bus trip from Lijiang to Dali takes us across a magnificent mountain landscape. In Dali, it is easy to rent a bike and visit various temples and pagodas in the neighborhood. It is also a great place for a walk. It is possible to take a day trip by boat over the vast Erhai Lake. In combination with the boat trip, you can visit several small villages on the shore, pay a visit to temples, and admire the colorful population in the local markets. The contrast between the developed cities and the traditional countryside is very visible here. In Dali itself there is also a lot to enjoy, such as the three pagodas. The Bai minority, the main occupant of the city, organizes a market almost every day. In addition to the old wooden houses, you will find many cozy cafes, restaurants and shops.

Kunming, Guilin, Yangshuo

Day 16         Dali - Kunming
Day 17         Kunming, night train to Guilin
Day 18         Guilin - Yangshuo
Day 19         Yangshuo
Day 20         Yangshuo

From Dali, we travel by bus to Kunming, the capital of the province Yunnan. Here we spend one night before we continue our trip to Yangshuo. If there is sufficient interest on the morning of departure to Guilin, an optional excursion to the Stone Forest of Lunan can be arranged. This is a dense mass of craggy limestone peaks that over millions of years of erosion and weathering have come to resemble trees. However, the trip to the stone forest takes about two to three hours and there is not always time available for this excursion, as you don’t want to miss your flight to Guilin. From Kunming, we will take a night train to Guilin, then a bus to Yangshuo.

This city is located in the middle of a landscape of mist-covered rice patties, rivers, and steep isolated peaks 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 has a very rural atmosphere. It is an ideal place to rent a bike with which to explore the neighborhood, with or without local guides. Close to Yangshuo, you will find the Moon Hill, where you have a spectacular view over the surrounding area. It is also fun to pick a small road at random 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 even take a calligraphy lesson or a course in Chinese.

Guangzhou, Hong Kong

Day 21         Yangshuo - Guangzhou
Day 22         Guangzhou, boat trip to Hong Kong
Day 23         Hong Kong
Day 24         Hong Kong - USA

From Yangshuo, we will travel by private bus to Guangzhou. The length of the ride depends on the quality of the roads, but is typically between 8 and 9 hours. If any city is indicative of the economic activity of modern China, it is this busy port town where you will spend the evening. The restaurants of Guangzhou are particularly notable for serving "everything that moves". Not for nothing is the Cantonese cuisine among the famous in the world!

The Dutch tour leader who has guided you up until this point will leave the group in Guangzhou with explicit instructions for your onward journey to Hong Kong. On the trip from Guangzhou to Hong Kong, we will travel by the Turbo Cat ferry service, which takes about two hours. Your arrival in Hong Kong may be quite a surprise after mainland China. Since July of 1997, Hong Kong has been 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 businessmen in suits everywhere and 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 a day trip to Hong Kong Island, the business district of Hong Kong with its famous skyline. With a cable car, you can visit Mount Victoria, where you have a magnificent view over the city and her surroundings. If you want to explore some of the other 200+ 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 islands though! 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 can find taxis, buses, 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.