The numbering reflects the days as numbered by our Dutch travelers (so all travelers will be on the same schedule. +1 indicates the extra travel day allotted from the U.S.. If you book this trip with air, you will arrive prior to the group and will have an independent hotel night before you meet the group who will arrive from Holland the following morning).
+1. Depart US
1. Arrive Beijing - Independent night
2. Arrive Beijing (NL group arrives at 9:50 AM) Land begins
3. Beijing, excursion to the Great Wall
4. Beijing
5. Beijing, night train to Xian
6. Arrive Xian, excursion to Terracotta Army
7. Xian, flight to Xining, night train to Lhasa
8. Arrive Lhasa
9. Lhasa
10. Lhasa
11. Lhasa - Shigatse
12. Shigatse
13. Shigatse - Gyantse
14. Gyantse - Lhasa
15. Lhasa, flight to Zhongdian
16. Zhongdian
17. Zhongdian - Lijiang
18. Lijiang
19. Lijiang
20. Lijiang - Dali
21. Dali
22. Dali - Kunming
23. Kunming, flight to Guilin - Yangshuo
24. Yangshuo
25. Yangshuo
26. Yangshuo - Guangzhou
27. Guangzhou, boat to Hong Kong
28. Hong Kong
29. Hong Kong depart - Arrive US (NL group departs at 10:15 AM)
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day +1 Depart USA
Day 1 In Transit
Day 2 Arrive Beijing (NL group arrives at 9:50 AM)
Day 3 Beijing, excursion to the Great Wall
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 Arrival Xian, excursion to 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.
During the 30-day trip, we fly from Xian to Xining, then take a night train to Lhasa in Tibet.
Tibet
Lhasa
Day 7 Xian, flight to Xining, night train to Lhasa
Day 8 Arrive Lhasa
Day 9 Lhasa
Day 10 Lhasa
We fly to the city of Xining, capital of the Qinghai province. We will then travel by the brand-new railroad (completed in 2006) to Lhasa. On the aptly named 'heaven train', we travel for a day and a half over grassy plains and snow-covered mountains to the capital of Tibet: Lhasa. This extremely fascinating train journey over the Tibetan plateau will acquaint you with the spectacular and unique landscape. Because the ground has been permanently frozen at such high altitudes, the building of the railroad required special techniques. We travel over heights of 5000+ meters. Along the way, you will witness nomads' tents, yaks, and children waving cheerfully in the desolate mountains. We will sleep in hard sleepers for this trip.
Due to the altitude difference in Tibet, though you will have gradually climbed higher and higher on the train, take it easy the first day in Lhasa (3650 meters). Upon approaching Lhasa, you immediately see the Potala palace located on top of a hill, towering high above the city. Even though the Potala palace was the residence of the Dalai Lama, the most important religious structure still is the Jokhang Temple, which is considered the oldest holy place of Tibetan Buddhism. It is almost unimaginable that after the Cultural Revolution, for a period, this holy shrine was used as a bed-and-breakfast and movie theater. Fortunately the temple itself suffered no damage during this period.
The square is the gathering place for pilgrims and visitors in front of the Jokhang. It is fascinating to see the pilgrims prepare for their prayers. The most important pilgrim route of Tibet runs around the Jokhang. Throughout the entire day, religious Tibetans walk their rounds. Many pilgrims travel from all over the world and often spend many days completing the circuit, prostrating their bodies full length on the ground, touching the holy ground with their foreheads. In this manner they cover the entire pilgrim’s trip around the Jokhang.
It is also rewarding to visit the former palace of the Dalai Lama, the Norbulinigk. We spend several days in Lhasa and it is also possible to pay a visit to some other cloister towns located a short distance outside of Lhasa, such as the Drepung and the Sera. Drepung is the richest and largest cloister complex with the largest number of monks. Just outside the Sara cloister, you find the burial grounds where a new corpse is being fed to the wild animals. There is very little wood in the country, which makes it very difficult to bury the dead. The Sara cloister’s gardens are the setting for many afternoon debates. During the trip through Tibet, a local guide will offer to accompany you on tours of the most important cloisters and palaces in Tibet.
Shigatse
Day 11 Lhasa - Shigatse
Day 12 Shigatse
Shigatse is the second city of Tibet; the name means beautiful spot. Here you can sample a cup of yak butter tea. This tea has a very special smell and taste. Tibetans drink tens of cups a day. It really isn’t tea, but ground hops with yak butter, hot water and salt. It is definitely worth a try even though most western visitors don’t appreciate the flavor. In Shigatse, you have time to visit the impressive Tashilhunpo cloister the residence of the Panchen Lama. It is one of the fully operational cloisters in Tibet. This cloister was built in 1447 under the supervision of the first Dalai lama and was in the old days the most important place in Tibet. Spiritual and political leaders met here to discuss the political and economic future of Tibet. At the time, over 300 monks lived in the cloister. Now, there are only 600 left. The cloister suffered little over the Cultural Revolution and is definitely worth a visit. With some luck, you are allowed to participate in one of the many celebrations. Dressed in their traditional red togas, the monks concentrate on their prayers. The pilgrims’ route around the cloister will definitely incur surprising meetings. In addition, Shigatse has an authentic Tibetan neighborhood.
Gyantse
Day 13 Shigatse - Gyantse
Day 14 Gyantse - Lhasa
Day 15 Lhasa, flight to Zhongdian
Day 16 Zhongdian
Day 17 Zhongdian - Lijiang
In the center of the pleasant Gyantse, you will soak in the true Tibetan ambiance. In the past Gyantse was an important meeting place for wool traders en route to India. In this city you can view the imposing Dzong Fort where you have a gorgeous view over the cloister and the city itself. Make sure you visit the one hundred and five foot high Kumbum Stupa inside the cloister’s walls. It is one of the most beautiful structures in Tibet. Inside you will find one hundred and twelve enclaves filled with statues and wall paintings. The eyes of Buddha look out in all directions.
Back in Lhasa you can take a walk in the high altitude, enjoy a last chat in the market, or snack on delicious momos or noodle soup before you depart to Zongdian.
Lijiang
Day 18 Lijiang
Day 19 Lijiang
Day 20 Lijiang - Dali
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 center, 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 planted with its many trees is one of the most important attractions of Lijiang. In the modern part of Lijiang, you find the heavily visited park; in the middle you will see a typical Chinese pond with pagodas and little bridges. The snowcapped, jade, dragon mountain makes a beautiful picture. Here you find a small museum dedicated to the famous art style of the Dongbede Naxi-Sjamanen. The art is also for sale. Lijiang is the home of the famous orchestra Xian Ke who offer performances of authentic Chinese music on a regular basis unless they are on tour. In the surroundings of Lijiang, you find some authentic little 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 20 Lijiang - Dali
Day 21 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 to a magnificent mountainous landscape. In Dali, it is easy to rent a bike and visit various temples and pagodas in the neighborhood. It is also a great surrounding for a great 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 little villages on the shore and pay a visit to temples and admire the colorful population on the local markets. 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 little cafes, restaurants and little shops.
Kunming
Day 22 Dali - Kunming
Day 23 Kunming, flight to Guilin - Yangshuo
From Dali, we drive by bus to Kunming, the capital of the province Yunnan. Here we spend one night before we continue our trip to Yangshuo. From Kunming, we fly approximately one hour and a half to Guilin where a bus awaits us to take us to Yangshuo. If there is enough interest, on the day of departure to Guilin, you can make an optional excursion to the stone forest of Lunan. This is a large area with a landscape with sharp rising, towering rocks and peaks. It is very popular among the Chinese folks for a day trip. However, the trip to the stone forest takes about two to three hours and there is not always time available for this optional excursion - you don’t want to miss your flight to Guilin.
Yangshuo
Day 24 Yangshuo
Day 25 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 26 Yangshuo – Guangzhou
From Yangshuo, we drive back to Guilin and board our final sleeper train that will take us in one night to Guangzhou or for the 29-day program, to Hong Kong. The participants of the 17-day trip depart in the afternoon to Hong Kong. During the 24-day trip we spend one more night in Guangzhou before we depart for Hong Kong. If there is any place in China where you notice the economic expansion of modern China, it has to be the bush harbor town Guangzhou. In addition, the city is world famous for it’s cuisine. In Guangzhou, literally everything that moves is worked into a meal. In addition to many fish dishes, you can also be served cats and dogs so be careful what you order. There are even special snake restaurants where you can pick your own from a bucket full of live snakes. In addition to the many temples and parks you find in the city, you can also visit the Qingping market where they sell many different types of animals and also about every spice and herb you can imagine.
Hong Kong
Day 27 Guangzho, boat to Hong Kong
Day 28 Hong Kong
Day 29 Depart Hong Kong (NL departs at 10:15 AM) – Arrive USA
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.
