Great Wall China Tour
"China + Tibet" Itinerary
"China + Tibet " - 16 Nights (featuring Beijing 9n/ train/ Tibet/ Shanghai)
Friday 7 May - Monday 24 May
Early morning flight on United Airlines or United Express from your hometown to one of the following gateway cities. Change planes.
Fri 7May 1114 Leave San Francisco SFO
on UNITED AIRLINES UA/889, Boeing 747-400, non-stop! Dinner served aloft. En route over Alaska, crossing the International Dateline.
Sat 8May 1425 Arrive BEIJING, China
OR:
Fri 7May 1246 Leave Chicago ORD
on UNITED AIRLINES UA/851, Boeing 777, non-stop. Lunch and dinner served aloft. En route over Alaska, then crossing the International Dateline.
Sat 8May 1500 Arrive BEIJING, China
Beijing
On arrival in Beijing
Meet&Greet by our Chinese local hosts and transfer to your
a fine 5-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.
Sun 9May In Beijing
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.
Forbidden City
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Breakfast at the hotel.
0830 Morning Forbidden City Tour visiting Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City's Imperial Palace. Lunch at a local Restaurant. 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.
Eve: Acrobatic Show at the famous Chao Yang Theatre. Includes transfers.
Dinner on own.
Mon 10May In Beijing
Breakfast at the hotel. Day at leisure.
OR JOIN THE OPTIONAL 2-NIGHT AIR EXCURSION TO XIAN
TO SEE THE FASCINATING TERRA COTTA WARRIOR EXCAVATIONS PLUS SPECTACULAR TANG DYNASTY DINNER-SHOW.
Dinner on own.
Tue 11May In Beijing
Breakfast at the hotel. Day at leisure for shopping, or join an optional morning tour to the Summer Palace with lunch.
Dinner on own.
Wed 12May In Beijing
Breakfast at the hotel. Day at leisure for shopping.
Dinner on own. Optional Dinner outing to one of the leading Sichuan Restaurants in the Hutong area, or optional Peking Duck Dinner at the Bianyi Fang Roast Duck Restaurant.
Thu 13May 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 15May. This visit is mandatory for all runners 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. Sandwich 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 14May In Beijing
Breakfast at the hotel.
0830 Morning Hutong Tour A visit to the Old Beijing section where a lot of the local Beijing people still live, and are known as a window into Beijing folk life. Includes a pedicab ride, a visit to a kindergarten, and lunch with local families.
Afternoon at leisure. Optional free shuttle service to/from the Beijing Silk Exhibition Hall with stop at the "Bird's Nest". 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 15May 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 several times, or to some of the over 1400 people who went with us in the last eight 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 16May 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. Includes a visit to a carpet factory, to see how carpet is woven by hand.
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 17May ~ Beijing - Xining.
Coffee and rolls breakfast at the hotel.
0530 Transfer to airport by CITS coach with local guide.
0715 Leave Beijing on CHINA SOUTHEN AIRLINES CZ6994 Boeing 737, snack served, non-stop.
0955 Arrive Xining, the capital city of Qinghai province.
Meet-&-Greet and transfer directly to the Tu Village which is approximately 50 km away from Xining. Tu village people are one of 56 nationalities in China. They have a very small village with about 100 families and over 500 people.
They are known for their singing and dancing.
Lunch arranged at restaurant enroute.
Transfer back to city in afternoon. Shopping at local grocery to purchase some food items for the train.
A Gala Chinese dinner arranged at a local restaurant. Proceed to train station to board your 24 hours’ express train to Lhasa .
2028 Train leaves in the evening. Take soft sleeper with 4 pax sharing one compartment. Each person has an oxygen mask overhead. You may use the complimentary oxygen if you feel you need it.
Tue 18May ~ On board the Express Tibetan train
Meals on own in the Dining car during the train trip.
Enjoy the snow-covered mountain views with the world's highest rail bridge and glaciers.
2150 Arrive in Lhasa, met by the Tibetan bilingual guide. Transfer to the "5-star"...
Located at the foot of the Potala Palace, only one minute to the Lhasa Square in the middle of the city.
Dinner on your own.
Wed 19 May ~ Lhasa
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 local restaurant.
1400 Afternoon visit to Jokhang Temple and explore local shopping experiences along the famous Bharkiluo Street.
1800 Dinner at local restaurant.
young monks in training
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Thu 20 May ~ Lhasa
Breakfast at the hotel.
0900 Full day tour includes a morning trip to Norbulangka Palace which used to be the private palace garden for Dalai Lama, followed by a visit to the Drepung Monastery.
1200 Lunch at local restaurant.
1400 Afternoon visit to the famous Sera Monastery, followed by a visit to the Tibetan hospital, to see how local people receive traditional Tibetan medical treatment.
1800 Dinner at local restaurant.
Fri 21 May ~ Lhasa - Shanghai
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning at leisure.
1200 Transfer to airport and fly from Lhasa/Shanghai via a stop at Chengdu.
Lunch and Dinner on own.
1610 Fly from Lhasa to Shanghai via MU2336 Boeing 737
2240 Upon arrival in Shanghai, transfer to ...
"5-star" hotel wiith all suite rooms, centrally located near the famous Nanjing Road and the Bund.
Sat 22 May ~ Shanghai
Breakfast at hotel.
0830 Full day city tour of the Bund, Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple Museum. Includes
lunch at a local restaurant.
1800 Dinner at local restaurant.
Sun 23 May ~ Shanghai
Breakfast at hotel.
0800 Morning visit to Zhu Jia Joao, one of the well preserved traditional Chinese architecture water towns near Shanghai. Mingle with native people in the village and experience a small boat ride through the town's canals. Return to Shanghai for lunch on your own and a free afternoon
Dinner on own at one of the fine French concession restaurants.
Mon 24 May ~ Shanghai - USA
Breakfast at hotel.
Morning transfer to the airport for one of the following flights home:
1245 Leave Shanghai on UNITED AIRLINES UA/858, Boeing 747-400, non-stop. Dinner and breakfast served, Cross the International Dateline, gain one calendar day.
Mon 24 May 0825 Arrive San Francisco SFO.
OR
Mon 24 May 1555 Leave Shanghai Pudong Airport on UNITED AIRLINES UA/836, Boeing 777, non-stop. dinner and breakfast served aloft.
Cross the International Dateline, gain one day.
Mon 24 May 1614 Arrive Chicago ORD.
Mon 24 May On arrival at your above US gateway city, clear Immigration and Customs.
Connect to your hometown on United Airlines or United Express.
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