China : Beijing & Xian

Sample Itinerary - 6 DAY BEIJING TOUR

Depart London to China.

Arrive in Beijing and transfer to your hotel.

Full day visit to the Great Wall of China and the Ming Tombs.

Visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace.

Visit the Temple of Heaven. Continue to Beijing Zoo. Take a walk through Beijing's old Hutong area. Enjoy a traditional Tea Ceremony at a Beijing Tea House, then visit Wangfujing Street.

Transfer to the airport for the return flight to London, usually arriving in the early evening of the same day.

Sample Itinerary - 8 DAY BEIJING & XIAN TOUR

Depart London to China.

Arrive in Beijing and transfer to your hotel.

The capital of the People's Republic of China, Beijing combines the ultra modern with a rich traditional past.

Morning visit to Tiananmen Square- The largest square in the world, covering some 40 hectares. It was here that Mao Zedong declared a new nation in 1949. Around the square are the Chairman Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, the Great Hall of the People and the Gate of Heavenly Peace leading to the Forbidden City. Continue to the Forbidden City. This was the Imperial Palace where the court lived in luxury isolated from the outside world. There are hundreds of buildings and thousands of rooms. In the afternoon visit the Summer Palace of the Imperial Family just outside Beijing. There are numerous palaces, pavilions and temples set in a large landscaped park around a man-made lake.

Visit the Great Wall of China - Some 6,000 km long, the Great Wall of China was built between the 5th Century BC and the 16th Century AD to keep out invaders. Walk along the steep pathway and see the watch towers. Continue to the Temple of Heaven - a beautiful and harmonious collection of 15th Century buildings set in a large park. Continue to a local Craft Factory. After evening dinner take the first class sleeper train to Xian.

Arrive in Xian. Xian was the capital of China for more than one thousand years and the start of the Silk Road. During the Tang Dynasty from 618 - 906 this important and wealthy capital was a centre for the arts. There are many important archaeological treasures in and around the city which witnessed 11 dynasties. Travellers are lured to the region by its colourful history and also by the truly spectacular Terracotta Army. After breakfast visit the Wild Goose Pagoda - built in the 7th Century to house precious Buddhist texts brought back from India. The Pagoda stands within the Temple of Grace. Continue to the Bell and Drum Tower Square.

Visit the Terracotta Army Museum - Buried in pits over 2000 years ago to guard the tomb of the Emperor Qin, this army of Terracotta soldiers with their armaments, horses and chariots is a truly remarkable sight. Local farmers digging a well in 1974 stumbled upon the Army. There are nearly 7,000 warriors in the three pits here, who are on average 1.8m high, each with individual features. Continue to Banpo Museum - This neolithic village was occupied from 4500BC until around 3750BC by the 'Yangshao culture'. A large hall has been built over part of the residential area of the village, and there are adjacent buildings housing pottery and other artefacts. Visit a local Craft Factory. After evening dinner take the overnight first class sleeper train to Beijing.

Arrive in Beijing. After breakfast take a walking tour through Beijing's old Hutong area. The Hutongs are narrow alleys and lanes lined on both sides with traditional Beijing "siheyuan" courtyard houses, or four-sided enclosed yards. The “hutong” are a major part of the city's tradition, architecture and culture. Enjoy a traditional Tea Ceremony at a Beijing Tea House. Then visit Wangfujing Street.

Transfer to the airport for the return flight to London, usually arriving in the early evening of the same day.