Chinese Treasures

As you arrive, your local guide will be waiting to welcome you in the arrival hall. After meeting your new host, take off in your private vehicle to check into your hotel. • Tonight, celebrate your arrival in the Middle Kingdom with a Peking Duck feast for your eyes and stomach.

Explore the imposing Forbidden City, where emperors ruled for five hundred years • Hike up Jingshan and take in a commanding view over the Forbidden City • Weave your way through Beijing’s ancient, interwoven hutong alleys where tradition, street snacks, and quiet alleyway stories await around every corner • Source ingredients from a local market and learn how to make some seasonal dishes at a private cooking class in a courtyard home.

Travel northeast to the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall of China (the drive takes around 2.5 hours) • Let your guide lead the way along a restored section of the wall and enjoy the changing panorama created by the varying, steep gradients and the nearby lake • Enjoy a picnic lunch with 360-degree views of the Wall crowning neighboring mountains as far as the eye can see • Drive back into town and spend the evening at your leisure.

Start the day practicing taiji (tai chi) with a master in the Temple of Heaven. • Discover the grounds of the Temple of Heaven • Transfer to the airport for your flight to Chengdu • Upon arrival in Chengdu, your local guide will meet you in the arrival hall with your private vehicle on standby to take you to your hotel • Have an evening to yourself.

Get up close with giant pandas at Dujiangyan Panda Base and join a volunteer program to care for them • Stroll down the Kuan Zhai Alleyways, where Qing Dynasty buildings house trendy coffee shops, bars, and boutiques • Experience the ancient art of kung fu tea performance in People’s Park • Taste the fiery spirit of Sichuan with a communal hotpot dinner featuring spicy broth and a variety of meats and vegetables • Marvel at the rapid skill of “face-changing” at a Sichuan Opera show.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Lijiang • Check-in to your hotel  • Take a stroll down quieter side lanes of Lijiang Old Town for a more private and authentic experience with Lijiang’s Naxi residents. According to local history, the Naxi ethnic minority descended from Tibetan nomadic tribes, and are famed for their traditional music, shamanistic rituals, and animist Dongba faith.

Begin the day with a 2.5h drive to the legendary Tiger Leaping Gorge • Hike along one of the world’s deepest gorges, surrounded by the regal Yulong and Haba Snow Mountains • Visit Zhiyun Temple, one of Lijiang’s great lamaseries, featuring golden Tibetan prayer wheels and intricate paintings • After a day of hiking, return to the hotel for an evening of leisure. 

Discover Baisha, a quaint Naxi village north of Lijiang • Experience its timeless charm and rural life, unchanged for centuries • Learn the ancient Dongba script from a knowledgeable Dongba priest, delving into its meanings and history through calligraphy and papermaking • Explore the Shuhe Ancient Town, for another snapshot of traditional Naxi life • Savor Pu’er tea at a local workshop, tasting and crafting your own Pu’er tea cake while learning about its significance • Experience Naxi hospitality and culture in a local family’s courtyard home for dinner, featuring traditional dancing and music unique to the region.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Shanghai • Upon arriving in Shanghai, check in to your hotel, take a minute to freshen up before experiencing this modern city • Take the opportunity to unwind and do whatever you like this evening.

Soar to the top of Shanghai Tower, one of the world’s tallest buildings, and experience breathtaking panoramic views of the city • Escape the hustle and bustle of modern Shanghai and feel the serene beauty of Yuyuan Garden by heart • Discover a treasure trove of souvenirs and local crafts at the bustling Yuyuan Bazaar • Witness awe-inspiring feats performed by the death-defying ERA2 acrobats.

Experience a morning snapshot of local life in Fuxing Park, a meeting spot for fitness dancers and tai chi enthusiasts • Travel back to Shanghai’s stylish 1930s as you stroll through the tree-lined avenues of the former French Concession • Visit the chic area of Xintiandi • Experience the grandeur of Shanghai’s iconic Bund • Take a culinary adventure through Shanghai’s vibrant night markets.

Your local guide will escort you to the airport and help you check in for your flight home.