CHINA HIGHLIGHTS 2017, Full itinerary

 

September 4 Depart NZ 11:15 pm (to be confirmed)

Day 1 Arrive Shanghai, check in, relax, light activity, the Bund at night; stay in Shanghai .

Day 2 Continue Shanghai sites, the old and the new: Fuxing Park, Jinmao Tower, Pudong new area; historical sites; Yuyuan gardens; evening acrobat show, Shanghai.

Day 3 Further activity in Shanghai, Shanghai Museum, afternoon fly to Guilin.

Day 4 Li River cruise to Yangshuo, free afternoon in idyllic Yangshuo, evening performance on water:“Impressions of Liu Sanjie”. Yangshuo

Day 5 A free day in Yangshuo. There is a range of activities we can select from to organise when there, including cycling, rafting, bus trip, free time. Yangshuo

Day 6 Bus to Longsheng (4 hours), stay in a Yao minority village in Longji (Dragon Back Terraces).

Day 7 Wander the villages, enjoy the terraced hill landscape, travel back to Guilin.

Day 8 Spend a day in the beautiful city of

Guilin, visiting Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill, Jinjiang Ming Dynasty Palace, “Solitary Beauty Peak” , Guilin.

Day 9 Fly to Xi’an, city wall, moslem bazaar, meet Shaanxi Provincial Women’s Federation, Big Goose Pagoda, evening fountain to music display, stay in Xi’an.

Day 10 Have a free day, or join us to the countryside, learn about rural society, economy and livelihoods, eat in a farmers restaurant . Xi’an

Day 11 Visit Terracotta Warriors on the way to Huashan.

Day 12 Cable car up to the 5 peaks of Huashan (lotus flower peak). Spectacular and dramatic scenery, walk the trails according to ability, descend by cable car. Huashan

Day 13 Bullet train to Beijing (5 hours) relax , stay in Beijing.

Day 14 –16 Visit Great Wall , Bird’s Nest, Temple of Heaven, Song Qingling residence museum, Bell and Drum towers, Hutongs, Summer Palace, Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, Yonghegong temple, city parks. Beijing

Day 17 Fly to Shanghai, transfer by bus (2 hours) to the garden city, the “Venice of the East” , Suzhou

Day 18 Visits to Lingering Gardens and Lion Grove Garden, Grand Canal, Silk museum and workshop, stay in Suzhou

Day 19 Travel to the water village of Zhouzhuang. Walk the cobbled streets and glide along the canals on a punt, stay overnight in Zhouzhuang

Day 20 Bus (2 hours) to Pudong airport for 2:30pm departure.

September 25 Arrive Auckland airport 6:45 am