12-Nights Iconic China: Beijing to Shanghai - Tailormade Journeys — CALL

Abercrombie & Kent

OFFER ID 1721569

Soaring skylines and ancient palaces, street food markets and time-honored tea ceremonies: China’s cities are unforgettable experiences, a series of supersized duels between the historic and modern. Explore some of China’s most iconic, emblematic cities on this adventure from Beijing to Shanghai, with nights spent in luxurious urban hotels. A&K’s experts will tailor your journey to your tastes, pairing you with English-speaking guides to make the most of this fascinating country, with experiences ranging from tours of iconic ancient monuments to a behind-the-scenes look at an innovative panda conservation centre.

12 nights | Call for pricing

Itinerary

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Itinerary Details

1 Arrive Beijing, China
Big, bold, bewildering: no adjective is too grand for the Chinese capital. It is a living, breathing timeline, where red lanterns flicker in the narrow alleys of hutong districts, the scents of Pekinese cuisine waft over busy markets and each skyscraper looms larger than the last, while grand imperial palaces sprawl with an almost haunting majesty below.

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2 Beijing | The Great Wall & Summer Palace

Explore the well-preserved Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China, walking remote battlements and absorbing commanding views of the surrounding countryside. Also visit the Summer Palace on a guided tour of the largest imperial garden in the world. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a veritable museum of classical Chinese garden architecture, complete with pavilions, temples and pagodas.

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3 Beijing | From Ming Dynasty To Modern Day

Unfurl the grand tapestry of China’s past on a private guided tour of the Forbidden City, the former home of 24 emperors. Delve into the history of the Ming dynasty at the vast Temple of Heaven, before discovering the tangled lanes of a traditional hutong neighborhood.

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4 Xi’an | Artifacts Of A Lost Empire

Stashed away like plundered gold, Xi’an is the China of your imagination. It was once the final knot at the end of the Silk Route, its streets a raucous mix of faiths and fortunes, and even today Xi’an bristles with mystique. The Han Yangling Museum catalogues much of its rich history, with a collection of recovered imperial artifacts that whets your appetite for tomorrow’s visit with the Terracotta Warriors.

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5 Xi’an | The Terracotta Warriors

Visit the astonishing Terracotta Warriors, built in the second century BCE to guide the first Chinese emperor to the afterlife, as well as the Great Mosque, which more closely resembles a grand Buddhist temple. The Wild Goose Pagodas, a pair of towering historic landmarks, afford panoramic views of the city.

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6 Chengdu | A Taste Of Sichuan Province

Sichuan’s capital, Chengdu, is a city of ornate bridges and rambling old teahouses, where afternoons can be spent playing chess beneath the trees of the People’s Park, and evenings browsing the night markets for a fiery introduction to Sichuanese cuisine. Step off your high-speed rail car and immerse yourself in local life at the People’s Park and Jinli Street to watch area residents play traditional Chinese instruments, practice calligraphy and engage in tai chi.

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7 Chengdu | Close Encounters With Giant Pandas

At the Chengdu Panda Breeding Center, meet some China’s adorable mascots, among the 100-plus giant and red pandas currently in the center’s care.

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8 Yangshuo | Dreamlike Landscapes

The iconic scenery of Yangshuo feels like the charming illustrations on traditional Chinese scrollwork, with jade-green rock outcrops towering over glassy rivers.

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9 Guilin | Cruising The Li River

On a day that begins with a bicycle or golf cart ride through farm villages near Yangshuo, visit the city’s charming Old Street before embarking by bamboo raft along a tributary of the Li River. Take in the reflections of the trees and peaks drifting by and, downstream from Xingping, explore the surrounding countryside on foot.

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10 Shanghai | Evolution Of An Eastern Icon

Once a quiet, mysterious trading post on the East China Sea, global Shanghai glitters with sky-high ambitions. Yet, beyond the gleaming malls and five-star towers, old Shanghai still flaunts her jewels: the Bund waterfront, wooden teahouses, curved-roof pavilions and beautiful gardens with lotus-strewn ponds.

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11 Shanghai | Markets, Gardens And Tea Houses

Delve into the culture of Shanghai as you stroll through the lovely Yu Yuan Garden, an oasis of tranquility amid the bustle of the modern cityscape. Browse the Shanghai Museum’s exceptional collection of historically significant art, including bronzes, ceramics, calligraphy, paintings and jade. In Zhang Yuan, admire restored buildings before continuing to the elegant French Concession, a place of distinctive character.

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12 Shanghai | Private River Excursion

Stroll through Zhujiajiao, a water town in the countryside west of Shanghai, where bridges span bubbling streams flowing from Dianshan Lake. Embark by private boat along the winding river, passing beneath the eaves of historic houses. Back in Shanghai, visit the observation deck of the Shanghai Tower for a birds-eye view of the city and ride the spectacularly illuminated Bund Sightseeing Tunnel.

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13 Depart Shanghai

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Featured Destinations

Guilin

Yangshuo

Yangshuo has become a mecca for travelers in recent years.

Ironically, amid magnificent natural beauty, Yangshuo's main pedestrian street, West Street, has the feel of the Las Vegas Strip, with hawkers trying to coax tipsy travelers into noisy clubs. Unless they have state-of-the-art earplugs, guests at hotels within a block of West Street will likely have difficulty sleeping before 2 am.

The highlight in Yangshuo for many, though, is an evening performance of Impression Liu Sanjie, co-directed by Zhang Yimou (known internationally for creating the opening ceremony production at the Beijing Olympics), Wang Chaoge and Fan Yue. The 70-minute, open-air musical on the Li River runs March-December and features a cast of more than 600 performers wearing traditional Zhuang, Miao and Yao dress.

Daylight activities include river cruises on and hikes along the Li River and its tributaries. The stunning landscape will look familiar to those who saw Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith since much of the movie was filmed there. In fact, the route from Yangdi to Xingping has a view that is so breathtaking that the scene has been engraved on the 20-yuan banknote.

One of the most popular hikes is on Moon Hill, starting approximately 5 mi/8 km south of Yangshuo, on the road to Wuzhou. Spectacular views of the entire Guilin and Yangshuo area reward intrepid hikers who make it to the top.

For those who are not content to walk along or hike in the mountains but want to hang on their dramatic facades, Yangshuo has more than 400 climbing routes, and there are many well-supplied climbing shops in the area. The annual Yangshuo Climbing Festival takes place there in December. http://www.ysclimbfest.com.

After a day of hiking, climbing or floating along the river, a variety of restaurants and regional dishes await. Both Yangshuo and Guilin cuisine are known for their use of spices, especially chili. Beer fish (pijiu yu) is a local specialty cooked with several species of fish. Whichever fish is used is cooked whole, so diners need to be aware of bones. For those who want to delve deeper into the local cuisine, a number of cooking schools in Yangshuo and Guilin offer classes.

Chengdu

Xi'an

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: French Concession & The Bund (4 hours)

Shanghai: Jewish Quarter Tour (4 hours)

Shanghai: Museum Tour (4 hours)

Shanghai: Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour (4 hours)

Shanghai: Disposal Tour (4 hours)

Shanghai City Tour (8 hours)

Shanghai: Disposal Tour (8 hours)

Beijing

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

09/01/2025 - 09/01/2027

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* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

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Length

12 Nights

Air City

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Vacation Rating

Luxury

Remarks

Prices are per person, double occupancy and include internal air where applicable. Holiday surcharge may apply. Departure dates, prices and availability may change at any time. Some restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1721569

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