San Francisco to Beijing

From your home town, fly to San Francisco to connect your transpacific air. Cross the International Date Line and you will lose one calendar day.

Arrive BeijingDH

Upon your arrival in Beijing, you will be met and transferred to the Capital Hotel. Take a rest and have a light dinner at hotel.

BeijingAB L BD

This morning, you will visit Juyongguan Great Wall and enjoy painting at the Great Wall. Afternoon, return to town and visit Liulichang, the Arts and Crafts area of Beijing.

Buffet Dinner at hotel.

BeijingAB L D

After breakfast, visit the exquisite Imperial Palace within the Forbidden City. Lunch and dinner at local restaurant.

Beijing to Jinan to Qufu(Ning's Comments)AB L DH

This morning fly to Jinan. Upon arrival, drive to Qufu (about 3 hours) and check in to the Queli Hotel. Visit the World Heritage Confucius Mansion and Confucius Temple (praised as the 'Number One Temple in China').

Lunch at local restaurant and Chinese dinner at hotel.

QufuB L DH

Visit the Confucian Forest (Confucius' tomb) and Yan Zi Temple (built to commemorate the first and most prominent disciple of Confucius - Yan Hui).

Continue on to Mencius Mansion and Mencius Temple, a time-honored and well-preserved ancient building complex for sacrificing. The mansion was first built by Mencius residence of his offspring during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127).

Lunch at a local restaurant and Chinese dinner at hotel.

Qufu / Heze / Qufu(Ning's Comments)B L D

Drive to Heze (about 2.5 hours) to visit the Heze International Peony Festival and Caozhou Institute of Painting. Later afternoon, drive back to Qufu.

Lunch and dinner at a local restaurant.

Qufu to Tai'an to Jinan to Shanghai(Ning's Comments)B L BD

This morning drive about 2 hours to Dai Temple, the largest and most completed ancient building complex of Mount Taishan. It used to be the venue where emperors of the past dynasties held celebrations to worship heaven and earth and bestowed sacrifices to the God of the mountain. It was also the first stop for the pilgrims on their way to the holy Mount Taishan. The original temple was first built during the Qin Dynasty (211BC~206BC). Lying in the northeast corner of the temple, the Bronze Pavilion is reputed to be one of the famous bronze pavilions in China.

After lunch, drive to Jinan (about 2.5 hours) to catch your flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival, check in to the Radisson Plaza Xing Guo Hotel, Shanghai. Buffet Dinner in the hotel.

ShanghaiAB SL BD

Visit the famous Bund, Shanghai Museum's exhibits of dynastic cultural artifacts and Old Town.

Shanghaiese Dim Sum lunch at the New Lvbolang restaurant. Buffet Dinner in the hotel.

Shanghai / Suzhou / Shanghai to HuangshanAB L D

A day tour with lunch to Suzhou, noted for its ancient gardens. Cruise the Grand Canal, and then tour Pan Men City Gate and Humble Administrator's Garden. After lunch, see the new Suzhou Museum, designed by I.M. Pei, and the Embroidery Research Institute.

Drive back to Shanghai for dinner at local restaurant. Tonight, fly to Tunxi and travel by motorcoach to the base of Huangshan Mountain. Check in to Huangshan International Hotel.

Huangshan(Ning's Comments)B L DH

This morning, drive to the foot of Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), where you take the Taiping cable car up to the top of the mountain. Afternoon tour of the Huangshan Scenic Area, where the region's "Four Ultimate Beauties" are on display-the sea of clouds, ancient green pines, fantastically shaped rock, and steaming hot springs.

HuangshanB L DH

Another full day of sightseeing at the top of Huangshan. Enjoy the panoramic vistas, inspiration for centuries of Chinese ink paintings and poetry.

Huangshan to HangzhouB LH BD

Late morning, take the cable car down the mountain. This afternoon, visit the ancient streets of the town of Tunxi, whose architecture is renowned throughout China.

Then drive to Hangzhou, around 4 hours, and check in to the Shangri-la Hotel Hangzhou. Buffet Dinner in the hotel.

Hangzhou(Ning's Comments)AB L DH

Today cruise the lovely West Lake and Inner West Lake by sculling boat. Chinese Dinner in the hotel.

Hangzhou to Shanghai to San FranciscoAB

After breakfast, drive to Shanghai to catch your flight back to the U.S.Fly home today. Cross the International Date Line, and arrive the same day.