Charming China Tour | Shanghai + Tibet + Xi'an + Beijing 13-Day 12-Night Group Tour

Welcome to Shanghai, the "Magic City." Our driver will greet you at the airport/train station exit and escort you to your hotel in downtown Shanghai for check-in. You are free to arrange the rest of your time as you wish. If you are tired, you can rest at the hotel to recharge; if it is still early, you can also take a stroll around the neighborhood. Suggested ways to arrive 1. By plane: Shanghai has two airports — Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) — with many direct domestic routes, such as Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Kunming, Harbin, Hong Kong, etc., as well as direct international routes, such as Malaysia, Singapore, Los Angeles, Japan, etc. Transportation is very convenient. 2. By train: Shanghai has a total of 5 railway stations. You can take the high-speed rail to Shanghai from places such as Beijing (4.5-6 hours), Xi'an (6-7.5 hours), Huangshan (2.5-3 hours), Guangzhou (7-8.5 hours), Suzhou (0.5 hours), Hangzhou (about 45 minutes), and Wuhan (3.5-4.5 hours).

After breakfast, you will head to the Lujiazui business district in Pudong, Shanghai, to visit [Shanghai Tower], the tallest building in Shanghai and even in China. Here, you will take the world's fastest sightseeing elevator (73.8 km/h) directly to the "Top of Shanghai Observatory" on the 118th floor, 546 meters above ground, and enjoy a 360° unobstructed view of Shanghai's magnificent skyline and city panorama, overlooking famous buildings around you. If interested, you can also send a special blessing from above the clouds to family and friends at the Top of Shanghai Air Post Office, currently the world's highest post office. Then, visit the [Shanghai Museum East], admire various exquisite precious cultural relics, and gain a deeper understanding of China's long and profound history and culture. The Shanghai Museum East has many cultural relics on display, especially notable are the famous treasures of the museum: • Da Ke Ding: This bronze vessel from about 3,000 years ago is majestic and solemn in appearance and is an outstanding representative of China's Western Zhou bronze culture. • Shang Yang Fang Sheng: As a relic of Shang Yang's reforms, it is not only a physical standard of weights and measures in the Qin Dynasty, but also carries the ultimate code of the rise of Great Qin's economy. • Zi Zhong Jiang Pan: This bronze water basin vessel from the Spring and Autumn period is carved with more than 30 lifelike aquatic animals. When clear water flows into the basin, these animals all rotate 360°, full of fun and showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship of the ancients. Afterward, head to [Yu Garden], known as the "Crown of Southeast Famous Gardens," to enjoy the classical garden scenery of Jiangnan, China. Yu Garden was first built in the 38th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1559 AD) and has a history of more than 460 years. It was originally a private garden built by Pan Yunduan, the Sichuan provincial administration commissioner of the Ming Dynasty, for his father to spend his later years in comfort. Strolling along the winding paths of Yu Garden, you can appreciate China's exquisite garden layout, beautiful classical architecture, and superb brick carvings, stone carvings, clay sculptures, and wood carvings. The Yuyuan Bazaar near Yu Garden is a very lively district where you can taste the most authentic Shanghai cuisine or browse various traditional Chinese handicraft shops. Afterward, you can walk along [Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street], known as "China's No. 1 Commercial Street," to the Bund, about 2 kilometers in total. Along the way, you can appreciate Shanghai's architectural style from the 1930s and 1940s and browse various century-old brand stores. [The Bund] is located on the west bank of the Huangpu River and is one of Shanghai's iconic attractions, known as the "Exhibition of World Architecture." It gathers 52 exotic buildings of different styles, such as the Shanghai Club, Peace Hotel, HSBC Building, etc. Stepping into it feels like entering the golden age of the former Wall Street of the East. Standing by the river, you can also gaze at landmark buildings such as Shanghai Tower, Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Tower, and Shanghai World Financial Center. Tips: 1) Yu Garden is closed on Mondays, so it will be replaced with a visit to Shanghai City God Temple; 2) Shanghai Museum East is closed on Tuesdays, so priority will be given to arranging the People's Square branch. If the People's Square branch cannot be booked, other downtown attractions will be arranged as substitutes.

After breakfast, you will have some free time in Shanghai until the driver takes you to the airport to catch your flight to Lhasa. Upon arrival in Lhasa, our driver will greet you at the airport exit. Having just arrived on the plateau, what you need most is to slow down and relax. We will take you to the hotel for a thorough rest, letting your body gradually adapt to the plateau environment. Tashi Delek!! Warm tips: On the day of arrival in Lhasa, do not do strenuous exercise, and do not take a shower that night to avoid catching a cold. Do not drink alcohol. Drink more water and eat fruit; do not overeat. Rest more. You may bring American ginseng lozenges or health supplements such as rhodiola and Gao Yuan An to relieve altitude sickness. Follow the guide's arrangements, try not to go out for activities, and maintaining a calm mindset and adequate rest is the best way to prevent altitude sickness. If you feel unwell, go to the hospital promptly for treatment.

After breakfast, visit the Potala Palace, the world's highest ancient palace-castle architectural complex. The Potala Palace is located on Maburi Hill in the northwest of Lhasa's urban area. It is a magnificent building integrating palace, castle, and monastery, and is also the largest and most complete ancient palace-castle complex in Tibet. The Potala Palace was built against the mountain, with 13 stories in total, 117.19 meters high and more than 400 meters long from east to west. You will climb up along its long staircases, overlooking Lhasa as you go and taking in the vastness of the city. While taking photos and resting, you will then enter the Potala Palace to explore this mysterious ancient palace for which very few images are shown online. Then visit the Jokhang Temple, the holy site in the hearts of Tibetan Buddhist believers. The Jokhang Temple was first built in 647 AD and has a history of 1,350 years. It is the most glorious surviving Tubo-period building in Tibet, with 5 golden roofs and 108 Buddhist halls. Here, you can see the world's rare 12-year-old life-size statue of Shakyamuni and devout pilgrims worshipping in front of the Jokhang Temple. After leaving the Jokhang Temple, you can walk one clockwise circle around the Jokhang Temple as its center, imagining yourself as a Tibetan doing a pilgrimage circuit, or shop at the handicraft market on Barkhor Street, or simply stroll slowly along the streets, feel the warmth of the Sunshine City, or find a sweet tea house and learn the tranquility and contentment of Tibetan friends. In the evening, enjoy a specially complimentary delicious Tibetan-style group dinner.

After breakfast, you will drive to Shigatse, the capital of Tsang. Along the way, you will cross the 4,600-meter-high Gambala Pass, where you can gaze at the Gambala Radar Station in the distance. Then continue onward to visit the world's highest freshwater lake — Yamdrok Lake. 【Yamdrok Lake】, or Yamdrok Tso for short, means "Lake of the Swan" in Tibetan. At an elevation of 4,441 meters, it is one of the three great sacred lakes of Tibet, and its beauty surpasses all of southern Tibet. The crystal-clear water, towering snow-capped mountains, and spotless blue sky merge into one, and the picturesque scenery is so enchanting that one cannot bear to leave. After visiting Yamdrok Lake, you will drive via Nagarze to visit the Karola Glacier at an elevation of over 5,000 meters. 【Karola Glacier】 lies beside the road, like a giant thangka hanging on the mountain wall — crystal clear and pure white, so close it seems you could touch it. Finally, you will pass through the ancient town of Gyantse and stay overnight in Shigatse, the capital of Tsang, at an elevation of 3,750 meters.

After breakfast, you will drive to Everest Base Camp. On the way, you will cross [Gyawu La Pass] at an altitude of 5,100 meters, where you can see the spectacular sight of four snow-capped mountains over 8,000 meters arranged in a row. From left to right, these four snow mountains are: Makalu (8,463 meters); Lhotse (8,516 meters); Mount Everest (8,848 meters); Cho Oyu (8,201 meters). Then arrive at the world's highest Everest Nature Reserve. At the world's highest temple - [Rongbuk Monastery] at an altitude of 4,900 meters, look south at Mount Everest. This is also recognized as the best place to admire Mount Everest. Afterward, you will take an eco-friendly bus to [Everest Base Camp] at an altitude of 5,200 meters for accommodation. At dusk, as night gradually shrouds the mountains, only the summit of Mount Everest shines in the sunset like a goddess's golden crown in the sky, allowing you to enjoy the honor of standing atop the world. [Warm Reminder] 1. Accommodation is in tents at Everest Base Camp (8-15 people/tent, multi-person dormitory beds, shared bathroom, limited conditions): generally clean and tidy, but quite different from city hotels. Please understand. From October to April each year, due to cold weather, tents are withdrawn from Everest Base Camp, so accommodation will be changed to guesthouses in villages near Mount Everest. 2. Food and accommodation that day are poor, the altitude is high, and the temperature is low. Please keep warm. Pay attention to safety and prevent altitude sickness. In summer, nighttime temperatures are around 0-8°C. Please bring warm clothing, and you can also rent down jackets at Base Camp for warmth.

In the early morning, while the peaks still slumber in the dawn, you will face the rising sun and look up at Mount Everest, receiving a spiritual baptism from the world's highest peak, [Mount Everest] (8,844.43 meters above sea level). The summit of Everest is covered in snow that never melts year-round, with hanging glaciers and towering silver peaks—a scene of pure sanctity. Afterward, carrying your lingering fondness for the beauty of Everest, you will return to Shigatse while admiring a corner of the majestic, magnificent, and endlessly winding Himalayas and the surging Yarlung Valley. Along the way, you will also pass the Gyatso La Pass at 5,220 meters above sea level. At [Gyatso La Pass], the upper half of your view is pure tile-blue, while the lower half is monotonous ochre-red and gray-yellow. Apart from the gray mountain road, there are almost no traces of life here. Tibetans have strung up prayer flags where people often pass. The prayer flags are mostly red, blue, yellow, and green, and their bold, intense colors strike a balance with the monotony of heaven and earth.

This morning, you will take a flight to Xi'an. Welcome to Xi'an. Our driver will meet you at the airport exit and take you to a hotel in downtown Xi'an for check-in. You can arrange the remaining time freely. If you are tired, you can rest at the hotel to recharge. If it is still early, you can also stroll around the surrounding area. Note: Due to adjustments in flight/train schedules in different seasons, possible arrangements for departure from Lhasa are: A. On the morning of Day 8, take a train from Shigatse to Lhasa, and in the afternoon fly from Lhasa to Xi'an; B. On the evening of Day 7, take a train from Shigatse back to Lhasa, and on Day 8 fly from Lhasa to Xi'an; C. On Day 8, fly directly from Shigatse to Xi'an (involving a transfer).

After breakfast, you will drive about 40 kilometers (1 hour) to visit the Terracotta Army, one of the "Eighth Wonders of the World." The 【Museum of the Terracotta Army】 is a site museum built on the original location of the terracotta pits and is also China's largest ancient military museum. With the vivid commentary of a professional guide, you will visit Pits No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 in turn, learning about the historical background and craftsmanship of the Terracotta Army, as well as the little-known stories behind these thousand-year-old clay figures buried in the long river of history. In the afternoon, you will visit the time-honored Xi'an Ancient City Wall. 【Xi'an Ancient City Wall】 was first built in the Ming Dynasty, also known as the Xi'an Ming City Wall. It is one of the largest and best-preserved ancient city walls in China. You can climb onto the wall and walk along the historic blue bricks to feel its charm, or ride a bicycle around it and enjoy the superb scenery formed by the ancient wall and the modern city together. In addition, near the Xi'an Ancient City Wall, you can also visit the amazing Bell Tower and Drum Tower. The Bell Tower and Drum Tower were first built during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, about 600 years ago. The two buildings echo each other from afar and are magnificent in momentum. When night falls, the lights of the Bell Tower and Drum Tower come on together, creating a spectacular scene.

After breakfast, you will visit Xi'an's famous cultural landmark - the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. [Big Wild Goose Pagoda] is located inside Daci'en Temple and is the earliest and largest existing square pavilion-style brick pagoda of the Tang Dynasty. The pagoda body has 7 stories and is about 64 meters high. Here you can appreciate the ancient architectural style, view the scriptures and Buddha statues brought back from Tianzhu by Master Xuanzang housed in the pagoda, and also climb this thousand-year-old pagoda to overlook Xi'an's city scenery. Then you will visit Xi'an's famous food and culture street - [Muslim Quarter], experiencing the local living atmosphere while tasting local specialty snacks. After the tour, our driver will take you to Xi'an Railway Station to take a high-speed train to Beijing. After arriving in Beijing, our driver will greet you at the railway station exit and take you to a downtown Beijing hotel to check in. You can arrange the remaining time freely. If you are tired, you can rest at the hotel to recharge. If it is still early, you can also stroll around the neighborhood.

After breakfast, you will visit the world-renowned Tiananmen Square. [Tiananmen Square] is located on Beijing's central axis and is the largest city-center square in the world. It holds an important place in Chinese history and has witnessed countless major historical events. Here you can see the towering, solemn Tiananmen Gate Tower and learn about China's long-standing culture. Then, cross the square to visit the Beijing Palace Museum. [The Forbidden City], also known as the Purple Forbidden City, is located at the center of Beijing's central axis. It was the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties and is the world's largest and best-preserved wooden-structure palace complex of a forbidden city. Here you can visit the important halls along the central axis in sequence, admiring the splendid and exquisite ancient palace architecture while following the guide's commentary to learn more about the historical stories of the Forbidden City. Afterward, you can also go to the nearby [Jingshan Park] (about a 15-minute walk) to overlook the panoramic view of the Forbidden City and the magnificent scenery of Beijing. In the afternoon, you will drive to visit the famous imperial garden, the Summer Palace. [The Summer Palace] is the largest and best-preserved imperial garden existing in China, one of China's four great gardens, and is known as the Museum of Imperial Gardens. The scenery in the garden is beautiful, with pavilions, towers, lakes, bridges, and more offering endless beauty. Tip: The Palace Museum in Beijing is closed on Mondays; the visiting order will be adjusted according to actual circumstances.

After breakfast, you will drive 73 kilometers (about 1.5-2 hours) to visit the Mutianyu Great Wall, part of the Great Wall, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Mutianyu Great Wall is the longest and best-restored section of the Great Wall in China, and has the reputation of being "the most outstanding section of the Great Wall at Mutianyu." You can first take the cable car to Watchtower No. 14, then hike westward, enjoying the magnificent surrounding mountain scenery and the winding, majestic views of the Great Wall along the way, before reaching the highest point at Watchtower No. 20 to complete your Great Wall journey. After touring the Great Wall, return to downtown Beijing and, along the way, view the exterior of the Bird's Nest (Beijing National Stadium) and the Water Cube (Beijing National Aquatics Center) and take photos with them. Then return to the hotel and rest well.

After breakfast, we will bring this wonderful journey to an end. Our driver will take you to the airport or train station for your next destination. If you would like to extend this trip and explore more destinations in China, such as Chengdu, Yunnan, Zhangjiajie, Harbin, etc., you can also contact our customer service to arrange it for you. We look forward to welcoming you again someday in the future.