16-day Deluxe China Family Tour

Day 1Arrival/Beijing

When you arrive in Beijing your guide will meet you and your family. You will be driven to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax.

Day 2Beijing

In the morning your guide will meet you and your family and you will be driven to Tiananmen Square, the largest city square in the world. There your children will be taught how to fly traditional Chinese kites. Traditional Chinese kites are built of bamboo and cloth and are shaped like dragons, swallows, and hawks. They are beautiful works of art. Your children will be able to keep their kites as a reminder of this wonderful experience. You will then go to The Forbidden City. Home to China’s Emperors for more than 500 years, the Forbidden City is an amazing palace complex, which was designed to leave visitors in awe. After visiting The Forbidden City, you will be driven to the Temple of Heaven. The temple was where the emperor would annually pay tribute to heaven. Famed for its unique architecture and beautiful landscaping, the Temple of Heaven is a highlight of any trip to Beijing.

Day 3Beijing

In the morning your guide will meet you and your family and you will be driven to the Great Wall (Badaling Section). Although everyone in the world has seen photos of the wall, they are never prepared for an actual visit. Its magnificence and length is astounding. After visiting the wall, you and your family will be driven back to Beijing to visit the Water Cube and Bird's Nest, two of the 2008 Beijing Olympics’Venues.

Day 4Beijing/Xian

In the morning your guide will meet you and your family and you will be driven to the Beijing Zoo. Filled with animals from China and around the globe, this is a favorite spot of children and will introduce them to China’s native animals. You will then visit the Beijing Aquarium. After visiting the aquarium, you and your family will be driven to the airport for your flight to Xian. When you arrive in Xian your local guide will meet you and you and your family will be driven to your hotel.

Day 5Xian

In the morning your guide will meet you and you and your family will be driven to visit the Terracotta Warriors. Discovered in the 1970’s, the warriors are one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century. After visiting the warriors you will then visit a local factory that makes life sized reproductions of the warriors. At the factory your children will get the chance to make their own miniature version to take home. You will then be driven to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. The pagoda is the centerpiece of a beautiful temple complex. The pagoda was built during the Tang Dynasty to hold Buddhist Sutras brought back from India. The temple complex is large and filled with amazing architecture and wonderful garden areas. You and your family will then learn how to paint Chinese Calligraphy with a master calligrapher. In the evening you will enjoy a Jiaozi Banquet. Jiaozi are Chinese dumplings filled with meat, vegetables, and fruit. They are as beautiful as they are delicious. After the banquet you will enjoy the pageantry and color of China’s Tang Dynasty at the Tang Dynasty Show. Fun for all ages this wonderful show will bring the ancient dynasty to life.

Day 6Xian

In the morning your guide will meet you and you and your family will be driven to the Shanxi Provincial Museum. This outstanding museum follows Xian’s history and showcases some truly amazing archeological wonders. You will then take a bicycle ride on Xian's Ancient City Walls. The city walls offer fantastic views into Xian’s ancient city. You will then be driven to the Ancient Bell Tower. Located in the exact center of the ancient city, the Bell and nearby Drum Towers announced the time in ancient times.

Note: If you and your family are not up to, or do not feel like riding a bike on the Ancient City Walls, an electric touring bus is available.

Day 7Xian/Guilin

In the morning your guide will meet you and you and your family will be driven to the airport for your flight to Guilin. When you arrive in Guilin your guide will meet you and you and your family will be driven to Merryland Theme Park. The park has something for everyone and is a wonderful way to spend the day with your family.

Day 8Guilin/Yangshuo

In the morning you will be driven to the docks where you will board your Li River Cruise ship to Yangshuo. The cruise will take you through some of the most beautiful scenery on earth. When you arrive in Yangshuo, you will stroll down the famous West Street, which is known for its shops, cafes, and bars.

Optional: In the evening you and your family will be driven to visit the Impressions of Liu Sanjie Performance. This incredible performance uses the Li River as the stage and the local mountains as the backdrop. The performance uses hundreds of performers to bring the story of Liu Sanjie to life. It is an incredible experience.

Day 9Yangshuo/Guilin

In the morning, your guide will meet you and you and your family will be driven back to Guilin. When you arrive in Guilin, you will be driven to Fubo Hill. Located on the banks of the Li River, the hill is the centerpiece of a small park and offers stunning bird’s eye views of Guilin and the Li River. You will then be driven to Elephant Trunk Hill, the symbol of Guilin. The large hill has the appearance of a huge elephant dipping its trunk into the water of the Li River for a drink. You will then visit Reed Flute Cave. The cave is filled with stalagmites and stalactites which have taken on bizarre shapes. Entering the cave feels like entering another world. It is an incredible place.

Day 10Guilin/Chongqing

In the morning your guide will meet you and you and your family will be driven to the airport for your flight to Chongqing. When you arrive in Chongqing, your guide will meet you and you will be driven to visit the General Stilwell Museum. Chongqing was the base for the famous Flying Tigers of WWII and the museum was General Stilwell's residence during this period. In the evening you and your family will board your Yangtze River Cruise Ship.

Optional: For Dinner you will enjoy Chongqing's famous Hot Pot. Your dinner will consist of many different meats and vegetables that you will cook in the hot pot. It is a wonderful feast. Chongqing Hot Pot is famous for its spiciness, but the hotpot is divided into two sections. One is spicy the other is not.

Note: Non spicy dishes are available for children

Day 11Yangtze River Cruise

This morning you and your family will have an orientation onboard ship, and if you wish you can attend lectures about Chinese culture, history, and traditional medicine. Later in the day you will visit the Fengdu Ghost City. The city is located on a mountain overlooking the Yangtze River. It is the center for China’s ghost culture and is an extremely interesting series of temple complexes. It is not a scary site and will not frighten children.

Day 12Yangtze River Cruise

In the morning your ship will begin to cruise through the first of The Three Gorges. You and your family will visit the Shennong Stream on this day. You will board smaller boats to cruise down the stream. Mountains steeply rise on either side of your boats and the area is filled with exotic flora and fauna. It is a wonderful trip. Your guide will sing local ethnic minority songs to you during your cruise. In the evening your ship with pass through the massive 5 Stage Ship's Lock, part of the Three Gorges Dam. They are an incredible feat of engineering and it is very interesting to watch your ship pass through them.

Day 13Yangtze River Cruise/Yichang/Shanghai

In the morning you and your family will disembark to visit the largest hydroelectric dam in the world. The Three Gorges Dam is incredible. From the observation area of the dam, you can learn about the dam's construction and get great photos of the dam itself. You will then head to Yichang, where your guide will meet you and you will be driven to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. When you and your family arrive in Shanghai, your local guide will meet you and you will be driven to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax.

Day 14Shanghai

In the morning, your guide will meet you and you will be driven to the Shanghai Museum. The museum is arguably the best in China and its amazing displays and artifacts are on par with any museum in the world. You will then be driven to the Yuyuan Garden. The garden is one of the best traditional gardens in China and the only surviving ancient garden in Shanghai. Its incredible design offers surprises around every turn. You will then visit the Yuyuan Market, located outside the garden. The market is a favorite place with locals and visitors alike and is a great way to mingle with the locals and do a bit of shopping. You will then be driven to the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. The tower’s observation orbs offer incredible bird’s eye views of Shanghai, the Huangpu River, and the Bund. You and your family will then learn how to make traditional Dim-sum dishes. A traditional Chinese food, Dim-sum is a favorite with children. For Dinner, you and your family will enjoy your homemade Dim-sum.

Day 15Shanghai/Suzhou/Shanghai

In the morning, your guide will meet you and you will be driven to the train station for your maglev train to Suzhou. When you arrive in Suzhou you will be driven to the dock for your cruise down the Grand Canal. The canal cruises past ancient streets, under stone bridges and past old houses. It is a wonderfully relaxing way to begin your visit of Suzhou. After your cruise you and your family will be driven to the Lingering Garden. One of the most famous of China's traditional gardens, the garden is known for its wonderful architecture, landscaping and rockeries. In many of the pavilions you will find people in traditional costumes playing traditional Chinese musical instruments. This adds to the already wonderful atmosphere of the garden. You will then take the maglev train back to Shanghai.

Day 16Shanghai/Departure

You and your family will be free until your guide meet you and you are driven to the airport for your flight home.