9-Day Golden Triangle

Meet the driver on arrival for transfer to the hotel. You’ll have the remainder of the day at leisure. The guide will get in touch with you tonight.

Morning: Visit the Forbidden City (officially the Palace Museum), the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It covers 72 hectares, contains 980 buildings, and is the world’s largest collection of ancient wooden structures. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. Afternoon: Explore the Temple of Heaven, where Ming and Qing emperors performed sacrificial rituals to heaven. It covers 2.73 square kilometres—more than twice the area of the Forbidden City—and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Right across from the Temple of Heaven is the Hongqiao Pearl Market, the world’s largest pearl market. If you're interested, ask the guide to drop you off there. You can take a taxi back to the hotel later, costing around 10 US dollars or less. Dinner: Enjoy a meal at a popular Peking Roast Duck restaurant, famous for its thin, crispy skin, which is sliced right at your table.

After breakfast, we head to the Mutianyu Great Wall, 75 km northeast of Beijing. Stretching over 6,000 km across mountains, the Wall was built to protect against northern invaders. However, it famously failed—Kublai Khan's forces broke through and founded the Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368). The earliest sections date back to the 7th century BCE. Major construction under the Ming Dynasty began in 1368 and took 200 years, resulting in the Wall we see today near Beijing.

This morning we visit a traditional hutong neighbourhood—ancient alleyways with courtyard houses. The name comes from Mongolian, meaning "well," where people used to gather. Next, we tour the Summer Palace, a UNESCO site. Originally built in 1750, it was burned down in 1860, rebuilt, and renamed in 1895. It features Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, covering 290 hectares with over 3,000 rooms. In the afternoon, we take the high-speed train to Xi'an. The line is part of the world's longest high-speed railway. China's high-speed rail now rivals France's TGV and Japan's shinkansen.

We spend the morning visiting the Terracotta Army Museum located 30 km east of the city. Designed to follow the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE) into eternity, the Terracotta Army represents one of the greatest archeological discoveries of the 20th century. After lunch we return to the city for a stroll on the ancient city wall. Declared a national treasure by the State Council in 1961, the wall (first built in 1370) encircles an area of 14 square kilometres. It runs 13.7 kilometres long and measures 12 metres in height with a thickness at the base between 15 and 18 metres.

Morning sightseeing begins at Shaanxi Provincial Museum. The modern, well-organized museum was completed in 1992 and traces the history of Xi’an from prehistory to the Qing dynasty (1644-1912). The extensive galleries and exhibitions offer the visitor an excellent introduction to the area that greatly improves understanding of the numerous historical sites in and around the city. We then visit the grand mosque in the old town centre and the adjacent Muslim bazaar. The mosque was established in the 8th century but the majority of the complex was constructed in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It was further expanded in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). Unlike mosques elsewhere, this one is completely Chinese in style. It has neither domes nor traditional minarets. This afternoon we ride the bullet train to Shanghai.

With a population close to 25 million, Shanghai is China’s largest city and a dynamic hub of global trade and cultural exchange. The city delights visitors from around the world with its futuristic skyline and historical landmarks. We begin our day with a visit to Jade Buddha Temple located in an old neighbourhood. We then walk the famous Bund – a waterfront promenade with a riveting history. After lunch, we stroll the historical People’s Park and adjacent People’s Square in the heart of the city. Originally part of the Shanghai Race Club first established in 1850, the park and the square are surrounded by world-class museums and shops, which attract millions of visitors each year. We wrap up the day’s sightseeing with a tour of the exquisite Yu Garden in the old town centre.

If you are interested in art and history, Shanghai Museum would be a great place to spend half a day. This museum houses a huge collection of precious national treasures. Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum and Nanwaitan Fabric Market (high-end tailor shops) are also recommended. Optional Suzhou Day Tour After breakfast we ride the high-speed train (30-40 minutes) to Suzhou, an ancient city most famous for its gardens, ancient canals and silk industry. In the late 13th century a Venetian named Marco Polo visited Suzhou and was very impressed by what he saw. He vividly described the prosperous silk industry and dubbed Suzhou “Venice of the East” due to the small waterways crisscrossing the city. Our full-day schedule takes in the historic Tiger Hill, Humble Administrator’s Garden, a short canal cruise. We return to Shanghai by train in the afternoon. The all-inclusive price with lunch starts from US$250 per person and requires a minimum of 2 participants to operate.

The incredible China tour ends this morning. Transfer to the airport any time for return flight.