Protected: Luxury China Private Tour

Day 2

Arrive Beijing
Upon arrival in Beijing, you will be privately driven to The Peninsula Beijing.

Meals: —
Accommodation: The Peninsula Beijing

Day 3

Beijing Private Tour
Enjoy a full-day Beijing private tour, beginning with a walk from Tiananmen Square to visit the Forbidden City. Built from 1406, the Forbidden City was the China Imperial Palace from the Qing Dynasty. Taking at least two hours to walk through the sprawling grounds/compounds, the Forbidden City is a taxing walk for all ages and a “challenging” walk with pre-teens! Stop for lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to the Summer Palace (AKA Yi He Yuan). First commissioned as a birthday gift by Emperor Qian Long in 1750, destroyed by foreign troops in 1860, and restored by Empress Dowager Cixi in 1888, this is the largest classical garden of its kind in China, complete with pavilions, pagodas, and temples. Enjoy a shared boat ride in Kunming Lake to complete the day.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: The Peninsula Beijing

Day 4

Beijing Private Tour
Your full-day Beijing private tour begins with a drive to The Great Wall! Notwithstanding the various wall locations, we enthusiastically endorse the Mutianyu section, an approximate two-hour drive from downtown Beijing. Not nearly as jammed with tourists as the closer Badaling site, Mutianyu has a ski-lift service to the Wall itself where one can hike (an earnest work-out!) to varying sections of the Ming Dynasty guard towers, with few tourists and unobstructed views. Following lunch at a local restaurant, continue to old Beijing: the “Hutong” neighborhood of Hou Hai area. When the Mongols swept through China in the 13th century, they built their capital at Beijing (calling it Dadu) and left some residual influences that continue to be felt to this day.  Among the most lasting of the Mongol legacy was the “hutong”, the winding alleyways that linked the city through a network of diverse neighborhoods, each area being spun like a web of interconnecting lanes that became the lifeblood of old Beijing.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: The Peninsula Beijing

Day 5

Beijing Private Tour + Train to Xian
This morning, enjoy a stop at the historic Temple of Heaven. Constructed in 1420, this is an excellent representation of Ming period architecture. Three distinct sections emphasize the symbolic importance this imperial temple once held to the emperor: the Altar of Heaven, the Vault of Heaven and the Hall for Prayer for Good Harvest.

Take the train from Beijing to Xian. Upon arrival, you will be privately driven to Sofitel Legend Peoples Grand Hotel Xian.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Peoples Grand Hotel Xian

Day 6

Xian Private Tour
This morning, enjoy a stop at the infamous Terracotta Warriors and Horses Excavation. The largest of the pits containing 6,000 warriors and horses (of which 1,200 have been fully or partially restored) is believed to present the actual imperial bodyguard in full battle formation. They include the front vanguard, side flanks protecting the infantry and charioteers. It is thought this formation was meant to safeguard the emperor’s passage to the afterlife and additionally protect his kingdom during the Warring States period. Following lunch at a dumpling restaurant, continue to The Great Mosque of Xi’an (AKA Huajuexiangsi), one of the oldest and largest mosques in China, and The Big Wild Goose Pagoda, one of the two most significant Buddhist sites in Xi’an.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Peoples Grand Hotel Xian

Day 7

Xian Private Tour + Train to Chengdu
Your half-day Xian private tour includes the Xi’an Museum and the City Wall. Located at the grounds of Dajianfu Temple and comprising a vast collection of 130,000+ artifacts, Xi’an Museum illustrates the evolution of the area throughout 13 dynastic ruling periods. The City Wall is considered the most complete extant city wall in China – certainly a fun/interesting site worth visiting.

Following private touring, take the train from Xian to Chengdu. Upon arrival, you will be privately driven to The Temple House Chengdu.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: The Temple House Chengdu

Day 8

Chengdu Private Tour
Your full-day Chengdu private tour includes the Wenshu Monastery, a Buddhist temple dating back 1,500 years to the Sui dynasty, and The Wuhouci Temple/Shrine, honoring Shuhan State prime minister Zhuge Liang and comprising 47 statues of Shuhan officials, steles, sculptures, and more. Following lunch visit the cottage of Poet DuFu, who fleed Xi’an during the An Lushan Rebellion. He is said to have written 240 iconic poems here – enjoy the simplicity of his life radiating through the walls. Finally, enjoy perusing handicraft shops and restaurants at Kuan Zhai Xiangzi, a bustling district comprising three lanes and 45 courtyards dating back to the Qing dynasty.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: The Temple House Chengdu

Day 9

Chengdu Panda Base Visit! 
Today, enjoy a special visit to Dujiangyan Giant Panda Base. This 126-acre center includes a veterinary hospital, nursery, a medical research lab, 10 monitoring enclosures, 30 normal enclosures, a kitchen, on-site educational center and staff housing. Along with visiting each enclosure, you’ll have the unique opportunity to hold the Giant Panda and Red Panda. Zen thoroughly enjoyed her private panda holding session during our several Lynch family visits over the years – a memory we will never forget. There is truly no other place in the world that is even comparable to this experience.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: The Temple House Chengdu

Day 10

Train to Chongqing + Embark on Yangzi River Cruise
This morning, take the train from Chengdu to Chongqing. Upon arrival, board the Yangzi Explorer II at Chaotianmen Port.

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation: Yangzi Explorer II

Days 11-12

Yangzi River Cruising
Enjoy two days aboard the Yangzi Explorer II vessel, including private Tai Chai lessons, live performances, and spa treatments. Daily excursion options with expert guides include the Fuling 816 nuclear engineering site, the White Crane Ridge Underwater Museum and local market, the Wushan Goddess Sky Road, hikes at Yangzi Explorer Trail or through mountain villages in Wu Gorge, and a traditional longboat ride along the Shennong Stream.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Yangzi Explorer II

Day 13

Disembark Yangzi River Cruise + Fly to Shanghai
This morning, disembark the Yangzi Explorer II and transfer to the airport for your flight to Shanghai.

Upon arrival, you will be privately driven to The Peninsula Shanghai.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: The Peninsula Shanghai

Day 14

Shanghai Private Tour
Full-day Shanghai private touring begins with the 16th century Ming Dynasty private garden and residence, Yu Garden. Despite Shanghai’s crowded lanes and teeming masses, the garden remains an oasis of tranquility. Its deceptive size, laid out with many corners and breezeways to give one the illusion of size, houses in exquisite harmony, the essential elements of a Chinese garden – pavilions, water, vegetation, rock formations, and bridge. Take a walk through Bund, a waterfront area sweeping along the Huangpu River that has become the center of Shanghai’s foreign business establishment, and the symbol of Shanghai’s identity as a modern city. Following lunch at a local restaurant, continue to The Shanghai Museum, considered one of the five best museums in the world (!) and comprising 120,000+ works illustrating Chinese art history. 

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: The Peninsula Shanghai

Day 15

Shanghai Private Tour
Full-day Shanghai private touring begins with a 45-minute drive to Zhujiajiao, a historic town with over 1,000 structures, gardens, bridges, and temples. A leisurely stroll through the oldest post office and apothecary shop followed by a boat ride along the town’s canal system makes for a peaceful morning. Following lunch, head back to Shanghai for a walking tour in the historic district around the French Concession. We thoroughly enjoyed the tree-lined streets and and eclectic Art-Deco, Spanish revival, and Loire Valley Chateau style houses.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: The Peninsula Shanghai

Day 16

Hangzhou Private Tour Excursion
This morning, take a one-hour bullet train to Hangzhou for a full-day private tour excursion beginning with Ling Yin Temple, founded in 326 (!) and known as the largest Chan (Zen) sect Buddhist temple in China. Then, visit the tea farm Meijiawu to learn about local tea culture and its growing, cultivating, and harvesting process. Following lunch at a local restaurant, embark on a private boat ride through UNESCO World Heritage Site West Lake – extremely picturesque. Final stops in this amazing area include the home and apothecary pharmacy of Hu Xueyan (1824-1885), a highly-ranked government and businessman whose work comprises much of Hangzhou as we know it today. Your day concludes with a bullet train ride back to Shanghai.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: The Peninsula Shanghai

Day 17

Fly Shangai to Home