Itinerary
Day 1: Fly to Beijing
Overnight flight from London (regional
connections available) direct to Beijing with
British Airways. (N)
Day 2: Beijing
Arrive and transfer to the Novotel Peace Hotel (or similar) for 3 nights. In the afternoon, walk in the Summer Palace gardens. Welcome dinner at a Peking duck restaurant. (D)
Day 3: Beijing
Morning with a local chef and a lesson in
Chinese cooking. After lunch, visit Tiananmen
Square and the Forbidden City. (B, L, D)
Day 4: Great Wall
Full-day excursion to the Great Wall at
Mutianyu. Lunch is taken at the Brickyard Eco
Retreat near the wall. Evening at leisure to
choose a restaurant or browse the food stalls
near the pedestrianised Wangfujing shopping
street, which is close to the hotel. (B, L)
Day 5: Xian
High-speed train to Xian and stay at the Grand
Noble Xian hotel for 2 nights. Afternoon visit to
the city walls and then transfer to Yongxingfang,
a street selling all sorts of food and where you
can sample some local Shaanxi cuisine. (B)
Day 6: Terracotta Warriors Xian
Morning excursion to the Terracotta Warriors.
Afternoon visit to the Muslim quarter, followed
by a visit to the Tang Bo Art Museum for a
lesson in Chinese calligraphy. (B, L, D)
Day 7: Train to Chengdu
Morning high-speed train journey to Chengdu,
then stay 2 nights at the Dorsett Grand
Chengdu. Afternoon visit to the Qingyanggong
Buddhist temple to sample some local tea.
Afterwards, stroll down the Jinli street, lined with
traditional architecture and old shops selling
goods including Shu embroidery, paintings and
local snacks, before stopping for dinner. (B, D)
Day 8: Chengdu
Morning excursion to the Giant Panda
Research Base. Afternoon at leisure. (B, D)
Day 9: Fly to Shanghai
Morning flight to Shanghai for a 2-night stay at the Central Hotel. Afternoon sightseeing cruise
on the Huangpu river, followed by dinner. (B, D)
Day 10: Shanghai
Morning visit to Jade Buddha temple and Yu
garden. Afternoon at leisure, or join the guide
for a walk on Nanjing Road, Shanghais main
shopping street. Farewell dinner at a restaurant
followed by a walk along the Bund. (B, D)
Day 11: Fly to London
Transfer to the airport then fly back to London,
arriving the same day. (B)
