Trafalgar Tours: Classic China
Day 1 - Say Ni Hao to China
Transfer to your Beijing hotel where you’ll meet your Travel Director for a Welcome Reception drink and appetizers at a local restaurant.
Accommodations: Novotel Peace
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 - Discover the Icons of Beijing
Delve into Beijing’s rich imperial heritage, beginning your encounter with the remnants of centuries-old dynasties in the world’s largest public space, Tiananmen Square. Tread in the footsteps of emperors, passing through the south gate to the UNESCO-listed Forbidden City, the imperial palace for emperors and their households for over five centuries. Immerse yourself in the ancient rituals, traditions and history of this palace complex before lunch. Continue to the tranquil Temple of Heaven, another UNESCO Heritage Site, once visited by the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to pray for good harvests and divine guidance. This evening, the salty, sweet flavors of succulent Peking Duck take center stage during a Regional Dinner.
Accommodations: Novotel Peace
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 - Journey to the Great Wall
We leave the city behind, bound for the iconic Great Wall of China at Juyongguan. Standing on its ramparts, we look down on the Chinese countryside which its walls successfully defended against marauding nomadic invaders. Watch it snake thousands of miles into the distance as you imagine how these man-made fortifications were built and rebuilt from the 5th century B.C. to the 16th century. Then, walk the Sacred Way past the imposing stone statues that guard the Ming Tombs and remains of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty.
Accommodations: Novotel Peace
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4 - Explore Beijing Connect with Locals Dive Into Culture
A leisurely start to our morning sees us embark on a rickshaw tour around the ancient narrow alleyways of the courtyard Hutong residences. Connect with the local culture as you join a family for a delicious meal of traditional Chinese cuisine at a Be My Guest lunch, followed by a visit to a tea house, where a Local Specialist prepares and serves tea, explaining the historic tea-making ritual. This afternoon, you’ll indulge in a relaxing foot massage at the Foot Reflexology Center.
Accommodations: Novotel Peace
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5 - Travel to Xi'an
We fly to Xi’an, which reveals its role as the ancient departure point of the Silk Road. Visit the Great Mosque, one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved mosques in China. According to historical records it was built in 742 during the Tang Dynasty and is a combination of Islamic art and traditional Chinese architecture.
Accommodations: Wyndham Grand Xi'an South
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 - Uncover Xi'an's Treasures Make Travel Matter
Descend into Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s subterranean tomb to see his terracotta army for the afterlife, another UNESCO-listed site. For lunch, enjoy a traditional meal of Chinese noodles, then continue with a visit to a Jade factory, the favored stone of emperors and more precious to the Chinese people than gold.
Accommodations: Wyndham Grand Xi'an South
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 7 - Onwards to Shanghai Dive Into Culture Stays With Stories
This morning, your choice of activities gives you an opportunity to mimic the graceful movements of a skilled T’ai Chi Local Specialist, or consider joining a cycle tour around part of the ancient City Wall of Xi'an. We Dive into Culture at a local restaurant, watching a demonstration in the art of making dumplings, with an opportunity to sample these for lunch. Savor the juicy flavors of these boiled, steamed and fried treats, transporting you back to ancient China, before transferring to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. Ascend to the 88-storey Jinmao Tower for panoramic views of the skyscrapers that loom over the most populous city on earth.
Accommodations: The Kunlun Jing An
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 8 - Experience Shanghai Dive Into Culture
Stroll down Shanghai’s famous ‘Bund’ with a Local Specialist, admiring the neoclassical colonial buildings that have lined this city’s renowned waterfront since the early 1900s. Learn how this marshland was transformed into one of the world’s most important trading hubs. Then, continue to the winding streets and vibrant markets of Old Shanghai to discover the how the customs and traditional lifestyle of this area have remained relatively unaltered. Enjoy some free time for lunch and shopping in the Old Town before we Dive into Culture during a visit to a silk museum. This evening, indulge in a performance by the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe.
Accommodations: The Kunlun Jing An
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9 - Shanghai Your Way
Spend a day exploring the Paris of the East on your terms – shop for delicate Chinese ceramics, or consider joining an Optional Experience to Zhujiajiao, an ancient water town founded more than 1,700 years ago. In its heyday, Zhujiajiao was a bustling market town. Today, old historical buildings such as rice shops, banks, spice stores and even a Qing Dynasty post office can still be found as you stroll down its ancient streets and wander across the many stone bridges that crisscross its canals. This afternoon, you’ll have some free time to explore the city or simply relax before joining your travel companions for dinner.
Accommodations: The Kunlun Jing An
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10 - Farewell Shanghai
Our mystical encounter with China at its end, take a transfer to Shanghai Airport for your onward flight.
Meals: Breakfast
Xi'an
Xi'an - with five million inhabitants and capital of Shaanxi Province - is one of the more pleasant of Chinese cities, more prosperous than any other city in inland China except Chengdu, with streets full of Japanese cars, stores flooded with temptations, and stylish locals in new discos. It's far richer than the surrounding area, a fact which becomes clear after a bus ride into surrounding plains. The city is also a primer in Chinese history, as between 1000 BC and 1000 AD it served as imperial capital for eleven dynasties. Find a wealth of important sites and relics hereabouts: Neolithic Banpo, the Terracotta Army of the Qin emperor, the Han and Tang imperial tombs, and in the city itself, the Goose Pagodas of the Tang, the Bell and Drum towers and Ming city walls, as well as two museums holding a treasury of relics from the most glamorous parts of Chinese history. The city is very popular with foreign residents, and many come to study, as the colleges are regarded as some of the best places to learn Chinese.
Shanghai
Shanghai is a teeming metropolis of 11 million, bustling with energy, towering skyscrapers, art deco buildings, honking traffic, and shopping crowds. Once here, visitors will find Eastern ways abound: Tai Chi along the Bund, the serenity of exquisite ponds and gardens, and an endless flotilla of sampans edging along the Huangpu River. Explore Shanghai old and new: the busy bazaars and alleyways of the Old Town, Yu Garden, Wuxingting Tea House, Long Hua Temple and more.
Excursions
Shanghai: Yu Garden & Old Town Tour (4 hours)
Shanghai: Yu Garden & Old Town Tour (4 hours)
Half day tour to Yu Garden and Old Town in Shanghai
Highlights
- Yu Garden (closed on Mondays)
- Old Town in Shanghai
Tour Duration: 4 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water and entrance fee during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier
Shanghai: French Concession & The Bund (4 hours)
Shanghai: French Concession & The Bund (4 hours)
Half day tour to French Concession and The Bund in Shanghai
Added Value
- French Concession
- The Bund
- Observatory Deck on the 100th Floor of Shanghai World Financial Center
Tour Duration: 4 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water and entrance fee during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier
Shanghai: Jewish Quarter Tour (4 hours)
Shanghai: Jewish Quarter Tour (4 hours)
Half day tour to Jewish Quarter in Shanghai
Background
Shanghai was the only city in the world that provided a safe home for World War II refugees without papers. As a result, approximately 32,000 Jews, known among themselves as "Shanghailanders," settled in this fascinating Chinese city. Like the names Schindler, Wallenberg and Sugihara, Shanghai has become synonymous with rescue and refuge during the fascist-dictated times when 6 million Jews perished and at least 35 million Chinese were killed and wounded. At one point, there were at least seven synagogues in Shanghai, but today very little evidence of this once vital community remains.
Highlights
Ohel Moishe Synagogue. The Ohel Moishe Synagogue is a European style temple that was once the centerpiece of the Hongkou District. The original synagogue was founded in 1907 by a Russian Jew, and was moved to this site twenty years later. Once a synagogue for Orthodox Russian and German Jews, it was also at various times, the headquarters of the Zionist youth organization Brith Trumpeldor (Betar) and the isolation ward of the Shanghai Mental Hospital. The synagogue is now a recognized historical site and a Jewish Refugees Memorial has been built next to it.
Tour Duration: 4 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water and entrance fee during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier
Shanghai: Museum Tour (4 hours)
Shanghai: Museum Tour (4 hours)
Half day tour to Shanghai Museums in Shanghai
Highlights
- Shanghai Museum
- Shanghai History Museum (closed on Mondays)
Tour Duration: 4 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water and entrance fee during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier
Shanghai: Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour (4 hours)
Shanghai: Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour (4 hours)
Half day tour to Zhujiajiao Water Town in Shanghai
Highlights
- Visit Zhujiajiao Water Town
- Private Boat Ride on Canal
For your reference - Transfer from downtown pier to Zhujiajiao Water Town takes approximately 45-minute drive per way
Tour Duration: 4 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water and entrance fee during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier
Shanghai: Disposal Tour (4 hours)
Shanghai: Disposal Tour (4 hours)
Commence a vehicle / driver / guide at disposal for 4 consecutive hours in Shanghai
Tour Duration: 4 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals and entrance fee
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier
Shanghai City Tour (8 hours)
Shanghai City Tour (8 hours)
Full day city tour in Shanghai
Highlights
- Yu Garden (close on Mondays)
- Old Town
- French Concession
- The Bund
- Observatory Deck on the 100th Floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center
- Lunch reservation at Lu Bo Lang Restaurant (on client's own account)
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Moderate
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water and entrance fee during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier
Shanghai: Disposal Tour (8 hours)
Shanghai: Disposal Tour (8 hours)
Commence a vehicle / driver / guide at disposal for 8 consecutive hours within city proper in Shanghai
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals and entrance fee
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier