China Travel Tour 302

1. Red eye flight to Beijing. || 40.080021454200725, 116.60305845233027

1. Arrival in Beijing. || 39.926485583348004, 116.40136189628032

Beijing, China’s sprawling capital, has history stretching back 3 millennia. Yet it’s known as much for modern architecture as its ancient sites such as the grand Forbidden City complex, the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Nearby, the massive Tiananmen Square pedestrian plaza is the site of Mao Zedong’s mausoleum and the National Museum of China, displaying a vast collection of cultural relics.

2. Hotel check in. || 39.8921206064332, 116.47454337807402

3. Free time

4. Night in Beijing

1. Breakfast at hotel. || 39.8921206064332, 116.47454337807402

2. 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM - Tian'anmen Square. || 39.90562115347326, 116.39758878120722

Tiananmen Square or Tian'anmen Square is a city square in the city center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen located to its north, which separates it from the Forbidden City.

3. 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM - Forbidden City. || 39.99909371449795, 116.38204428482145

Tiananmen Square or Tian'anmen Square is a city square in the city center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen located to its north, which separates it from the Forbidden City.

4. 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM - Temple of Heaven. || 39.88232846409199, 116.40659486771312

The Temple of Heaven is a complex of imperial religious buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for a good harvest.

5. Free time

6. Night in Beijing

1. Breakfast at hotel. || 39.8921206064332, 116.47454337807402

2. 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM - Mutianyu Great Wall. || 40.434027985779466, 116.56376569084362

Built in 1368 AD by General Xu Da, the Mutianyu Great Wall connects Gubeikou and Juyongguan, serving as a key military hub. Known for stunning scenery, iconic watchtowers, and 98% forest coverage, it’s a Ming Dynasty treasure. Modern facilities, added in 2014, offer visitors an enriched experience at this 5A national scenic spot.

3. 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM - Bird Nest and Water Cube

4. Free time

5. Night in Beijing

1. Breakfast at hotel. || 39.8921206064332, 116.47454337807402

2. Summer Palace. || 41.201109091060346, 116.36335059414134

The Summer Palace is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces in Beijing. It was an imperial garden during the Qing dynasty. Inside includes Longevity Hill Kunming Lake and Seventeen Hole Bridge. It covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometres, three-quarters of which is water.

3. High speed train to Xi’an

4. Arrival in Xi’an. || 34.271234255974754, 108.94774459998209

Xi’an is a large city and capital of Shaanxi Province in central China. Once known as Chang’an (Eternal Peace), it marks the Silk Road’s eastern end and was home to the Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang dynasties' ruling houses. At archaeological sites in Xi’an’s surrounding plains are the famed Bingmayong (Terra Cotta Army), thousands of life-size, hand-molded figures buried with China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.

5. Transfer to hotel. || 34.29325284036757, 108.94767163179152

6. Free time

7. Night in Xi’an

1. Breakfast at hotel. || 34.29325284036757, 108.94767163179152

2. Terracotta Warriors. || 34.38431009189657, 109.27850252875905

The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BCE with the purpose of protecting him in his afterlife.

3. Xian City Wall. || 34.27736239142377, 108.94749849174987

The fortifications of Xi'an, also known as Xi'an City Wall, in Xi'an, represent one of the oldest, largest and best preserved Chinese city walls. It was built under the rule of the Hongwu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang as a military defense system.

4. Small Wild Goose Pagoda. || 34.239399970976216, 108.94192289443885

The Small Wild Goose Pagoda, sometimes Little Wild Goose Pagoda, is one of two significant pagodas in Xi'an, Shaanxi, China, the site of the old Han and Tang capital Chang'an. The other notable pagoda is the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, originally built in 652 and restored in 704.

5. Muslim Street. || 34.26337371112662, 108.94005753861829

6. Free time

7. Night in Xi'an. || 34.29325284036757, 108.94767163179152

1. Breakfast at hotel. || 34.29325284036757, 108.94767163179152

2. Transfer to airport for flight. || 34.43726139872856, 108.75736158280425

3. Flight from Xi'an to Lhasa

4. Arrival in Lhasa. || 29.639417392382686, 91.11799385121925

Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, lies on the Lhasa River's north bank in a valley of the Himalayas. Rising atop Red Mountain at an altitude of 3,700m, the red-and-white Potala Palace once served as the winter home of the Dalai Lama. The palace’s rooms, numbering around 1,000, include the Dalai Lama’s living quarters, as well as murals, chapels and tombs.

5. Transfer to hotel. || 29.652260965797076, 91.16156068927424

6. Free time

7. Night in Lhasa

1. Breakfast at hotel. || 29.652260965797076, 91.16156068927424

2. Potala Palace. || 29.655792527678287, 91.11856846726738

The Potala Palace is a dzong fortress in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in China. It was the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas from 1649 to 1959, has been a museum since then, and a World Heritage Site since 1994.

3. Jokhang Temple. || 29.65039548330981, 91.13380735192443

The Jokhang, or the Ra sa 'phrul snang gtsug lag khang, or Qoikang Monastery, or Zuglagkang, is considered the "heart of Lhasa". The Jokhang consists of a Tibetan Buddhist temple, its temple complex, and a Gelug school monastery.

4. Barkhor Street. || 29.650287997743163, 91.13353958620603

The Barkhor is a terrific place to visit. It is an ancient and holy pilgrimage path in the heart of the Tibetan Quarter. There are a number of temples and monasteries, and even a mosque, in or near the Barkhor. Watch devout Tibetans prostrating their way around the sacred path.

5. Free time

6. Night in Lhasa

1. Breakfast at hotel. || 29.652260965797076, 91.16156068927424

2. Drepung Monastery. || 29.673586599868965, 91.04915472493943

Drepung Monastery, located at the foot of Mount Gephel, is one of the "great three" Gelug university gompas of Tibet. The other two are Ganden Monastery and Sera Monastery. Drepung is the largest of all Tibetan monasteries and is located on the Gambo Utse mountain, five kilometers from the western suburb of Lhasa.

3. Norbulingka. || 32.19736243691937, 76.35837820784617

Norbulingka Institute, founded in 1995 by Kelsang and Kim Yeshi at Sidhpur, near Dharamshala, India, is dedicated to the preservation of the Tibetan culture in its literary and artistic forms.

4. Sera Monastery. || 29.693920694639544, 91.13412926726883

Sera Monastery is one of the "great three" Gelug university monasteries of Tibet, located 1.25 miles north of Lhasa and about 5 km north of the Jokhang. The origin of its name is attributed to a fact that during construction, the hill behind the monastery was covered with blooming wild roses.

5. Free time

6. Night in Lhasa

1. Breakfast at hotel. || 29.652260965797076, 91.16156068927424

2. Transfer to the airport. || 29.29363441471026, 90.89864568074668

3. Flight from Lhasa to Chengdu

4. Arrival in Chengdu. || 30.570653927671867, 104.06175122021776

Chengdu is the capital of southwestern China's Sichuan province. Chengdu's history dates back to at least the 4th century B.C., when it served as capital for the Shu Kingdom. Artifacts from that dynasty are the focus of the Jinsha Site Museum. The city is also home to the famous Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, a conservation center where visitors can view endangered giant pandas in a natural habitat.

5. Transfer to hotel. || 30.66773408410572, 104.06752736047791

6. Free time

7. Night in Chengdu

1. Breakfast at hotel. || 30.66773408410572, 104.06752736047791

2. Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. || 30.733125749484923, 104.14582072498024

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a government-funded non-profit breeding and research institute for giant pandas, red pandas, and other rare animals, located in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Chengdu Panda Base was founded in 1987 by the Chengdu Municipal People's Government.

3. People's Park. || 30.657381165656673, 104.05723526730588

People's Park is an urban public park in central Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, China. Built in 1911 as Shaocheng Park, it is the first public park in the city. The Railway Protection Movement Monument in the park is designated a Major Historical and Cultural Site of China.

4. Jinli Old Street. || 30.651070652947965, 103.95417118264838

5. Free time

6. Night in Chengdu

1. Breakfast at hotel. || 30.66773408410572, 104.06752736047791

2. Sichuan Cuisine Museum. || 30.8950518984191, 103.93073780964382

Spacious museum of Sichuan cuisine & culture, featuring exhibits, cooking classes & more.

3. Transfer to airport

4. Flight from Chengdu to Shanghai

5. Arrival in Shanghai. || 31.273971315563482, 121.70645953500488

Shanghai, on China’s central coast, is the country's biggest city and a global financial hub. Its heart is the Bund, a famed waterfront promenade lined with colonial-era buildings. Across the Huangpu River rises the Pudong district’s futuristic skyline, including 632m Shanghai Tower and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, with distinctive pink spheres. Sprawling Yu Garden has traditional pavilions, towers and ponds.

6. Transfer to hotel. || 31.239682858437185, 121.52477068748834

7. Free time

8. Night in Shanghai

1. Breakfast at hotel. || 31.239682858437185, 121.52477068748834

2. Yuyuan Garden. || 31.228136896562514, 121.49213712441974

Yu Garden or Yuyuan Garden is an extensive Chinese garden located beside the City God Temple in the northeast of the Old City of Shanghai at Huangpu District, Shanghai. It abuts the Yuyuan Tourist Mart, the Huxinting Teahouse and the Yu Garden Bazaar.

3. Confucius Temple. || 31.228753073769173, 121.48938688606297

The temple, cemetery and family mansion of Confucius, the great philosopher, politician and educator of the 6th–5th centuries B.C., are located at Qufu, in Shandong Province.

4. The Bund. || 31.240826320731383, 121.49037405613817

The Bund is a waterfront area and a protected historical district in central Shanghai. The area centers on a section of Zhongshan Road within the former Shanghai International Settlement, which runs along the western bank of the Huangpu River in the eastern part of Huangpu.

5. Jade Buddha Temple. || 31.241566627277873, 121.44506695198628

The Jade Buddha Temple is a Buddhist temple in Shanghai. It was founded in 1882 with two jade Buddha statues imported to Shanghai from Myanmar by sea. These were a sitting Buddha, and a smaller reclining Buddha representing the Buddha's death.

6. Xintiandi. || 31.230316389230296, 121.4714447676766

Xintiandi has been a Shanghai icon for over a decade. An upmarket entertainment and shopping complex modelled on traditional alleyway (lòngtáng) homes, this was the first development in the city to prove that historical architecture makes big commercial sense.

7. Shanghai Museum. || 31.233381697303816, 121.47609534290687

The Shanghai Museum is a municipal public museum of ancient Chinese art, situated on the People's Square in the Huangpu District of Shanghai, China. It is funded by the Shanghai Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau. Rebuilt at its current location in 1996, it is famous for its large collection of rare cultural pieces.

8. Free time

9. Night in Shanghai

1. Breakfast at hotel. || 31.239682858437185, 121.52477068748834

2. Transfer to airport. || 31.14457343553998, 121.80819789431084