Departure Dates: Daily

Additional Costs

Package Price

12/01/2006 to 03/31/2007*

04/01/2007 to 05/31/2007

06/01/2006 to 11/30/2006

Land Price  (year round)

Single Room Supplement

Airport Tax

Adult

$1899.00

$1999.00

$2049.00

$1399.00

$549.00

$100

Child**

$1499.00

$1599.00

$1699.00

$1099.00

N / A

$100

*12/01 to 12/24: High Season Surcharge may apply    **Child: 2-11 years old, stay with adults without bed

Day

Itinerary

1

USA - Beijing

We start our vacation by boarding an international flight bound for Beijing, the bustling capital of modern day China.  Spend the night onboard as we cross the international date line.

2

Arrive Beijing

Evening arrival.  As Beijing was recently selected as the site of the 2008 Summer Olympics, we can see that the city is in the midst of much change in preparation for its many visitors.  With no sightseeing slated this evening, we are free to catch up on rest in our luxury accommodations.

3

Beijing

On your tour, visit the Forbidden City, a huge complex of palaces, pavillions, courtyards and gardens.  Walk through nearby Tian'anmen Square, site of many history-making events.  Enjoy a famous Quanjude Peking Duck Lunch, then to visit Beijing's famous Temple of Heaven.  You could also take the chance to watch the Acrobatic Show in the evening.

4

Beijing

A full-day excursion takes you 40 miles north of Beijing to the Great Wall, a not-to-be-missed experience.  This afternoon, a visit to the emperors' Summer Palace, a place of rest and recreation for the royal families as far back as a thousand years ago.

5

Beijing - Xian

Your journey continues with a flight to Xian, the ancient capital city for 11 dynasties in Chinese history.  Get a feel for this medieval metropolis as you take in the view from the old city walls, with a tour of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a seven-story structure offering spectacular views of the ancient walled city and the Four City Gates.  Enjoy a dumpling dinner banquet, followed by an on-stage show of Tang Dynasty dance and music.

6

Xian

After breakfast, visit the Tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang and see the awesome Terra-Cotta Warriors and Horses, widely regarded as the eighth wonder of the world.  After lunch, visit Hua Qing Spring Pool, the favorite resort of the famous Lady Yang, one of the four great beauties in Chinese history, and the Neolithic Banpo Village.

Xian - Guilin

Transfer to the airport for a flight to the city of Guilin, famous for its picturesque limestone peaks and rivers.  Visit the Reed Flute Cave, a fairyland of limestone and light known as the "art gallery of nature."  Attend a "Garden Night" folk dance and music performance in the evening.

Guilin

Today you will take a relaxing cruise on the Li River to Yangshuo.  Enjoy the haunting beauty of the mist-wrapped monolithic peaks along the riverbanks en route.  Return to Guilin by bus.  Take a tour of Elephant Trunk Hill, and attend a farewell dinner with your tour group in the evening.

Guilin - Kunming

You will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province, often referred to as the "city of eternal spring" due to its temperate climate.  Kunming is especially well known for its numerous minority populations and stunning cultural diversity.  We take a city tour, then retire to our hotel for the rest of the day.

10

Kunming - Dali

Early morning transfer takes us to the airport to board a short flight to Dali, home of the Bai Minority Group.  Take a cruise of Erhai Lake.  Get first-hand experience of local daily life as we visit a Bai Minority Village, tasting the famous "Three Courses Tea."  On the way back into town, we stop at the famous "Three Elegant Pagodas."

Dali - Lijiang

Take the coach to Lijiang, sight of the minority Naxi people.  The highlights today begin with a tour of the Old Town of Lijiang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site - also a center of the matriarchal Naxi culture where the women control the property and the men are relegated to menial work.  The tour will also include Black Dragon Pond Park.  Tonight you will attend a concert of traditional Naxi music.

Lijiang

The highlight of the day must be Jade Dragon Mountain, the mythical mountain worshipped by the Naxi people.  The bus drops us off at the base where we board chair lifts to access higher regions that afford a beautiful view of the famed Thirteen Peaks.  Back to the ancient old city, gaze in wonder at the sights and sounds of this ancient city as you walk down the cobblestone streets preserved for over 700 years.

Lijiang - Kunming

Today's excursion takes you to the geological wonders of the Stone Forest - the woods-like karst formation of 270-million-year-old rocky gray outcroppings.  You will also visit a Sani tribal village to experience the lifestyle and unique culture of this minority population.

14

Kunming - Guangzhou or Shanghai - U.S.A.

Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the USA.