12 Days China Paradise Culture Tour by Train

During this 12 days China tour, we will visit the cultural cities of Beijing, Datong, Pingyao and Xian. Apart from the cultural tour, we will head to Shanghai and Suzhou to experience its modern culture, Suzhou garden and Jiangnan watertown.

Brief Itinerary

• Day 1: Beijing Arrival
• Day 2: Beijing
• Day 3: Beijing
• Day 4: Beijing – Datong
• Day 5: Datong
• Day 6: Datong – Pingyao
• Day 7: Pingyao – Xian
• Day 8: Xian
• Day 9: Xian – Shanghai
• Day 10: Shanghai
• Day 11: Shanghai – Suzhou
• Day 12: Suzhou – Shanghai

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Beijing Arrival

Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: none

Upon arrival, met by tour guide and transferred to your hotel for a rest. The rest of the day is free for you to explore this city.

Day 2 Beijing

Sightseeing and Activities: Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Kung Fu Show(optional)
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

We will start the tour form the center of the city – Tian’anmen Square. Go north through the square and you will reach the Forbidden City. As the largest and best-preserved ancient wooden structure in the world, it has more than 8,000 pavilions and thousands of historic treasures. Then enjoy the lunch.

The last stop is Summer Palace , which used to be the summer resort for royal families and emperors.

You could have a fantastic Chinese Kung Fu Show(optional) at the Red Theater in the evening.

Day 3 Beijing

Sightseeing and Activities: Badaling Great Wall, Bird’s Nest, Water Cube, Temple of Heaven
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Get up early to visit Badaling Great Wall. Great Wall is one of the greatest architecture projects in human history. See the appearance of Bird’s Nest and Water Cube on the way back to Beijing downtown.

Then we will visit the Temple of Heaven – the royal altar of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Day 4 Beijing – Datong

Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Datong
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, transferred to Beijing Railway Station and take the soft-sleeper train to Datong City. A local tour guide will pick you up at train station and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at leisure.

Day 5 Datong

Sightseeing and Activities: Hanging Temple, Nine-Dragon Screen, Yungang Caves
Accommodation: Datong
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast at hotel, drive about 70km to visit Hanging Temple. Built more than 1,500 years ago, this temple is notable for its location on a sheer precipice and the only existing temple with the combination of three Chinese traditional religions: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

After the visit, drive back to Datong city and visit Nine-Dragon Screen and Yungang Caves. Nine Dragon Wall is the oldest and largest glazed-tile Nine Dragon wall still extant in China. And Yungang Grottoes are excellent examples of rock-cut architecture and one of the three most famous ancient Buddhist sculptural sites of China.

Day 7 Pingyao – Xian

Sightseeing and Activities: Ming and Qing Street, Rishengchang Shop, Ancient Government Office, Ancient City Wall, Ancient Security Guard Company
Accommodation: overnight train
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, head to visit one of the earliest exchange shops in China founded during the Qing Dynasty – Rishengchang Exchange Shop, to experience the scene that appeared one hundred years ago. The exchange shop is now a museum.

Then head to the Ancient City Wall to get a bird view of this town and stroll along the ancient Ming and Qing Street, which was the busiest centre of business at that time.

Afterwards continue the tour to Ancient Government Office and Ancient Security Guard Company.

Then take the overnight train to Xian.

Day 8 Xian

Sightseeing and Activities: Terracotta Warriors, Xian Art Ceramics & Lacquer Factory, City Wall
Accommodation: Xian
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Upon your arrival, a local tour guide will pick you up and transfer you to start today’s tour. We will first visit the world famous Terracotta Warriors. The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. After that, visit Xian Art Ceramics & Lacquer Factory to see how terracotta models are made.

Then visit the City Wall. Visitors can rent a bicycle and take a ride on the wall.

Day 9 Xian – Shanghai

Sightseeing and Activities: Shaanxi Historical Museum, Great Mosque, Muslim Quarter
Accommodation: Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Start today’s tour with Shaanxi Provincial History Museum, one of the first huge state museums with modern facilities in China and one of the largest with the large storage of cultural relics from the Shang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. Then continue to visit the Great Mosque. Later taste some local snacks on the Muslim Street.

After the tour, escorted to Xian airport to take the flight to Shanghai. A local tour guide will pick you up at airport and transfer to your hotel.

Day 10 Shanghai

Sightseeing and Activities: Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, Nanjing Road, the Bund, Oriental Pearl TV, Shanghai Municipal History Museum
Accommodation: Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Morning, head to visit Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, the first kind of exhibition center in China showcasing a city’s development. Then move on to Nanjing Road and the Bund. Nanjing Road is China’s premier shopping street with the length of 5.5km. The bund is a famous waterfront and regarded as the symbol of Shanghai.

Afterwards continue our trip to the Oriental Pearl Tower. The ultra-modern Oriental Pearl TV Tower combines ancient concepts with 21st Century technology, where you can get a bird-eye-view of whole Shanghai city. The last stop is Shanghai Municipal History Museum at the pedestal of the tower.

Day 11 Shanghai – Suzhou

Sightseeing and Activities: Ancient Grand Canal, Flower & Bird Market, Suzhou Silk Factory, Lingering Garden
Accommodation: Suzhou
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, take a morning high speed train to Suzhou. A local tour guide will pick you up and transfer you to start today’s tour. We will first boat along the Ancient Grand Canal and then head to Flower & Bird Market to buy some souvenirs for your family and friends. After that, visit the First Silk Factory to learn Chinese silk culture.

The last stop is Lingering Garden, one of the four most famous gardens in China, listed as World Culture Heritage by UNESCO.

Service Included:

• Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
• Meals as listed in the itinerary;
• Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
• Private English-speaking tour guide;
• Private vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with skilled driver;
• Service charge & government taxes;
• Luggage transfers between airports and hotels;
• Domestic train tickets of soft sleeper.

Service Excluded:

• Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
• Chinese visa fees;
• Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
• Single room supplement;
• Tips to guides and drivers;
• Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
• Personal travel accident insurance;
• All optional programs.