Day 1-4 Beijing, Great Wall
We will tour the famous sites of Beijing, including the Palace Museum, Summer Palace, and other renowned parks and temples. This is the heart of Chinese history and culture and an excellent introduction to this country. We will take a look at the rapid development that is transforming Beijing for the upcoming 2008 Olympics.
Day 5 Lanzhou
Flight to Lanzhou to tour this Western provincial capital. Take a ride by gondola to the top of a peak overlooking the city. View the city as you sip tea at an open air tea house. Later you may wander in this typical Western provincial capital, and shop.
Day 6 Linxia
Take a local bus to Linxia, the Muslim heart of Gansu. This small city, located on a fairly dry plain, is heavily populated by Chinese Muslims. There are several active mosques, and the markets are full of Central Asian crafts and implements, including carpets and brassware. You will have plenty of time to wander and shop. You may eat Muslim food for dinner, which includes lamb and flat bread.
Day 7 Xiahe, Labrung Monastery
We will take a local coach to Xiahe, the Little Tibet, on the remote Tibetan Grasslands, home to the Labrang monastery, one of the largest Tibetan working monasteries outside of Lhasa, and set in a beautiful mountain valley. It is a stunning place to just sit and watch Tibetan nomads come into town on horse and cart, others on pilgrimage dressed in their finest traditional attire, and monks dressed in their saffron robes who drive around on motorbikes. The prayer circuit forms a complete circle around the entire Labrang Monastery and we can accompany the monks tuning the prayer wheels and sending our prayers to heaven.
Day 8 Xiahe
We will spend the day on a tour of Labrang monastery and the surrounding countryside, with its pastoral farmlands and local Tibetan folk. Xiahe is a marvelous place to wander around and really gives you a feel for the Tibetan way of life.
Day 9 Xiahe grasslands
Tour of Xiahe, and grasslands. We make a day excursion by car out to the grasslands surrounding Xiahe allowing us to experience the traditional ways of life in the nomadic communities and remote villages and meet friendly hospitable people.
Day 10 Lanzhou, Xian
We will return by local bus to our train connection at Lanzhou in time to catch an overnight train to Xian.
Day 11-12 Xian
Xian offers some of the major attractions in China, with its many markets and Muslim influences; it is still enclosed by a massive city wall. It's home to the famous army of Terra Cotta warriors discovered in 1974. Tour of Terra Cotta warriers, over 2000 years old. This army of statues, complete with chariots and horses is a spectacular sight, and probably the second most famous site in China.
Day 13 Hua Shan
We will take a side trip to HuaShan, one of the lesser known sacred Buddhist mountains of China, where we will do some hiking among the four peaks before settling down for the evening in simple accommodations.
Day 14-15 Xian, Beijing
We will spent time wandering and viewing more of the natural scenery of HuaShan before returning to Xian to board our late afternoon train to Beijing. Arrive in Beijing for your connecting flight home.
Additional Info
Category
Culture Tours
Fitness Required
n/a
INCLUDED IN PRICE
- Breakfast
- Tour Guide
- Entry Fees
- Meals
- Hotel / Hostel Pickup
- Accommodation
PICKUP POINTS
1. Free Pick Up
We will pick you up from your hotel or Beijing International Airport on the first day of your tour. We will contact you to arrange times.
Select the tour in Beijing and combining other cities.
