Great Wall China Tour
"China + Tibet" 16N Itinerary
"China + Tibet " - 16 Nights (featuring Beijing/ Xian/ Tibet/ Shanghai)
Sunday 13 May - Wednesday 30 May
Early morning flight on United Airlines from your hometown to San Francisco. Change planes.
Sun 13May 1207 Noon Leave San Francisco SFO
on UNITED AIRLINES UA/889, Boeing 747-400, non-stop! Lunch and dinner served aloft. En route over Alaska, crossing the International Dateline. Flying Time: 12hrs08min.
Mon 14May 1515 Arrive BEIJING, China
On arrival in Beijing...
Meet & Greet by our Chinese local hosts and transfer to your...
a fine 41/2-star hotel centrally located only 10 minutes walk from the famous Tiananmen Square. Settle in at the hotel and relax this evening from your journey.
Dinner on own.
Tue 15May In Beijing
Forbidden City
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Flag raising - Tiananmen Square
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Early risers enjoy an optional, easy jog from the hotel to the Tiananmen Square to watch the traditional flag raising ceremony at dawn, witnessed every day by several thousand local Chinese. Continue jog during sunrise around the Forbidden City complex and back to the hotel. Guided personally by Kathy and Kurt.
Breakfast at the hotel.
0830 Morning Forbidden City Tour visiting Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City's Imperial Palace. Lunch included. Afternoon at leisure. Start exploring the city on your own for the greatest shopping opportunities you can imagine. Visit the silk alley, the pearl market, the Friendship Store, or any of the many other exciting shopping areas. Your US dollar is strong in China, making everything look like a bargain...
1700 Welcome to China "Happy Hour" at our hotel and race bib number distribution.
Dinner on own.
Wed 16May In Beijing
Breakfast at the hotel.
Optional Summer Palace tour with lunch.
Lunch on own. Day at leisure for shopping.
1715 Acrobatic Show at the famous Chao Yang Theatre. Includes transfers,
followed by Peking Duck Dinner at Bianyi Fang Roast Duck Restaurant.
Thu 17May In Beijing
Great Wall - Inspection Day
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Early morning light breakfast at the hotel. Every traveler to China wants to climb the Great Wall, and today your dreams come true on this "mandatory" site inspection. Full day trip by motorcoach to the isolated section of the Great Wall of China where the runs will take place on Sat 19May. This visit is mandatory for everyone in order to familiarize yourself with the Great Wall and the run route. You will be walking the actual 4-km, incredibly spectacular section of the Wall which is included on the run. Lunch is included. Return directly to your hotel in the mid-afternoon.
Eve: A special, exclusive carbo-loading Pasta Dinner is included this evening for our group at our hotel.
Fri 18May In Beijing
Breakfast at the hotel.
0830 Morning Hutong Tour a visit to the Old Beijing section. Includes a pedicab ride, a visit to a kindergarten, and lunch with local families.
Also includes visit to the famous "Birdnest" ($20 fee additional to visit inside).
Balance of afternoon at leisure. Free shuttle service available this afternoon to/from the Beijing Silk Exhibition Hall. Or treat yourself to a traditional Chinese massage or a foot reflexology, all available at your hotel. Or just take advantage of the hotel's indoor swimming pool (swim cap required!), the gym, the 4-lane bowling alley or the billiard room for your enjoyment.
Dinner on own. Plan to tuck in early!
Sat 19May RACE DAY!
Great Wall Marathon start
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This is surely going to be one of the most exciting and memorable days of your life...
Coffee and juices and light breakfast items at the hotel. THIS IS YOUR DAY! Very early morning wake-up call for 2-hour, 130 km drive by motorcoach (yes, you can sleep on the bus) to "our" piece of the Great Wall at Huangyaguan for THE event, the Great Wall Marathon or Half Marathon or 10k, whichever you have chosen. It takes place on a part of the 6,000 km long Great Wall which is not generally visited by tourists.
This is an official international event with chip timing, medals, and certificates for all participants. The primary objective is not time, but fun and the experience of having "done" the Great Wall Marathon or Half Marathon or 10k. What a thrill it is - just talk to Kathy Loper or Kurt Bodmer who have done it ten times, or to some of the over 1500 people who went with us in the last nine years. For the accompanying "spectators", non-runners, lunch will be
provided at the Wall and the bus will take them to various places along the village route to cheer on the runners. Perfect for family members of participating runners.
All KLE participants (including spectators) will be treated to a special 20-minute cool-down massage at our own "exclusive KLE massage tent" at the finish line. Afternoon bus back to your hotel, feeling exhausted and yet, triumphant!
Dinner on own.
Sun 20May In Beijing
Breakfast at the hotel. Sleep in and recover! No particular plans today, although adventurous souls may wish to explore the city further and do some more shopping. For those interested, we will offer an optional morning tour to the Lama Temple, one of the most interesting religious buildings in Beijing, originally built in 1694. Foot massage.
Eve: Gala Dinner for all participating runners and non-runners. A very special, elaborate Chinese Banquet to celebrate the runners' triumph over the Great Wall. A fun evening, sharing the experience with others. Includes transfers.
Mon 21May ~ in Beijing
Early breakfast at the hotel.
Optional Temple of Heaven Tour. Free afternoon. Last minute shopping or relaxing.
Dinner on own.
Tue 22May Beijing - Xian
Early breakfast at the hotel.
0545 Transfer to the airport for flight to Xian.
0755 Leave Beijing on CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES MU2102, Boeing 757, non-stop.
0945 Arrive XIAN, the east end of the legendary Silk Road.
Upon arrival at Xian airport, met by local guide for the 2 hour bus ride to Mt. Huashan.
You will need your backpacks as you will challenge yourselves to hike the most beautiful mountain in Northern China today.
Your guide will prepare some snack food boxes with soft pack drinks for you to bring up the mountain, a picnic lunch on the mountain after the cable car ride. You are free to choose to climb up either the Eastern or Western slope of the Mount after lunch and ride down the mountain by cable car together. Transfer back to the city & check into your hotel. (Your luggage will remain on the bus for transfer with you to your hotel.)
A fine 5-star hotel located at the western city gate.
1900 Transfer to Han Tian Xia Restaurant for a delicious 20-course Dumpling Dinner.
Transfer back to hotel.
Wed 23May In Xian.
terra cotta warriors
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Breakfast at the hotel.
0730 Meet you local guide in the hotel lobby.
Morning visit to the Terra Cotta Warriors Digs, one of the most fascinating archaeological sites in the world and a highlight of any China itinerary.
Just discovered in 1974 by local farmers (one of them is usually at the gift shop signing autographs), these clay figures resemble actual army soldiers of the Qin dynasty which were buried over two thousand years ago.
An awesome site, and they are still excavating burial pits that are expected to eventually unveil a total of 6,000 terra-cotta clay figures.
Recent excavations also revealed a formation of infantry, cavalry and soldiers on chariots. Early lunch at a local restaurant inside the Digs compound, including a noodle-making demonstration.
1500 Optional bike ride.
1900 Transfer to Shaanxi Grand Opera House for a Chinese Dinner and Tang Dynasty Show.
Transfer back to hotel.
Thu 24May ~ Xian - Lhasa
Early breakfast at the hotel.
0600 Pick up & transfer to the airport by coach with guide, who has the group air ticket .
0745 Leave Xian on CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES MU2333, Airbus320, non-stop.
1055 Arrive Lhasa, met by the Tibetan bilingual guide.
Transfer to
centrally located 5 star hotel. Remainder of day at leisure.
1800 Dinner on own.
Fri 25May ~ in Lhasa
young monks in training
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Breakfast at the hotel.
0900 Full day city tour includes a morning visit to Potala Palace - the major palace used to be the combination of the residence of Dalai Lama and highest regime of lama religion.
1200 Lunch at Huipai Restaurant.
1400 Afternoon visit to the famous Sera Monastery followed by a visit to the Tibetan hosital
1800 Dinner at Zendung Hotel.
Sat 26May ~ in Lhasa
Breakfast at the hotel.
0900 Full day tour includes a morning trip to Norbulangka Palace where used to be private palace garden for Dalai lama, followed by visiting the Drempung Monastery.
1200 Lunch at Hiupai Restaurant.
1400 Afternoon visit to the famous Sera Monastery followed by a visit to the Tibetan hosital
1800 Dinner at Xueyu Restaurant.
Sun 27May ~ Lhasa - Shanghai
Breakfast at hotel. Morning at leisure.
1200 Transfer to airport.
Lunch on own.
1540 Fly from Lhasa to Shanghai, via a stop in Chengdu on Chinese Eastern Airlines MU2336, Boeing 737. Dinner on plane.
2100 Upon arrival in Shanghai, transfer to ...
"5-star" hotel wiith all suite rooms, centrally located near the famous Nanjing Road and the Bund.
Mon 28 May ~ in Shanghai
Buffet breakfast at hotel.
0830 City tour of the Bund, Yu Garden, a visit to the Shanghai Museum, World Financial Center, (second tallest building in the world), enjoy the lift up to the viewer deck for a bird's view of Shanghai.
Lunch at local restaurant (Mongolian BBQ).
Afternoon cruise on Huangpu River.
Dinner on own.
Suggest dinner at the old French Concession area!
Tue 29 May ~ in Shanghai
Breakfast at hotel.
0830 Drive to Zhu Jiaz Jiao the famous old water town, one of well preserved traditional Chinese architecture cities for one full day sightseeing. Experience the boat ride along the canal with special local lunch at local restaurant.
1400 Return to Shanghai and explore the Bund and shopping district. Free time to walk in Xintiandi dining and shopping district.
Farewell dinner at New Heights (great food and wine!). Budget CNY100/pp. Walking distance from your hotel.
Wed 30 May ~ Shanghai - USA
Breakfast at Hotel.
0900 Transfer to airport.
1225 Leave Shanghai on UNITED AIRLINES UA/858, Boeing 747-400, non-stop.
Dinner and breakfast served, cross the International Dateline, gain one calendar day. Flying Time: 11hrs09min.
Wed 30 May ~ USA
0834 Arrive San Francisco SFO.
On arrival clear Immigration and Customs.
Connect to your hometown. |
