Great Wall China Tour
8 - 19 May, 10 Night Tour |
 Canal at Summer Palace |
"Golden Triangle" Beijing/Xian/Shanghai (14 nights)
Friday 9 May - Saturday 24 May
Early morning flight on United Airlines or United Express from your hometown to one of the following gateway cities. Change planes.
Fri 9May 1114 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.Sat 10May 1425 Arrive BEIJING, China
OR:
Fri 9May 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 10May 1500 Arrive BEIJING, China
Beijing
On arrival in Beijing
Meet&Greet by our Chinese local hosts and transfer to yourCAPITAL HOTEL
a fine 4 1/2-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.
Sun 11May In Beijing
Breakfast at the hotel."Free day" - optional run and shopping.
Mon 12May In Beijing
Get the "kinks" out with an optional early morning guided run, watch the traditional daily flag raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square.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 very strong in China, making everything look like a bargain...
1700 Welcome to China "Happy Hour" at our hotel's top floor Bologna Bar with spectacular views over the city. Meet other travelers in your group.
Dinner on own.
Tue 13May In Beijing
Breakfast at the hotel.0830 Morning Old Beijing "Hutong" Tour by coach and pedicab with lunch at a local family home. Visit a kindergarten and meet a neighborhood committee to learn the way of life in a Hutong. Enjoy being involved in preparing your own lunch family style with courtyard families.
Balance of afternoon at leisure for massage, self-guided touring, and more shopping.
1815 Leave for Acrobatic Show at the famous Chao Yang Theatre. VIP front rows seats. Includes transfers.
Dinner on own.
Wed 14May In Beijing
Breakfast at the hotel.Day at leisure for self-guided touring (Temple of Heaven, Beihai Park, Lama Temple, Beijing Zoo, museums), have a massage, or continue your shopping adventure.
Optional morning half day Summer Palace Tour includes a Beijing Canal boat ride to the Summer Palace with a walk along the lake and lunch inside the compounds "Oriole" Restaurant.
Free shuttle service available this afternoon to/from the Silk Exhibition Hall.
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 15May In Beijing
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 17May. 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. 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 at our hotel for our group.
Fri 16May In Beijing
Breakfast at the hotel. Day at leisure to rest up for the next day.Free shuttle service available this afternoon to/from the Silk Exhibition Hall.
Or visit the Museum of History (open 9AM to 4PM), and/or the Chairman Mao's Mausoleum (open 8.30AM to 11AM), both located at the nearby Tiananmen Square.
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 17May RACE DAY!
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 3-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 nearly 1200 people who went with us in the last six 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 18May 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 famous Tibetan 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 19May Beijing-Xian
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to airport.0755 Leave Beijing on CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES MU/2106, snack served, non-stop.
0950 Arrive Xian, the east end of the legendary Silk Road.
Xian
Meet&Greet and transfer directly to the famous City Wall for 30 minutes walk on the Wall.Then proceed to check-in at your
HYATT REGENCY XIAN HOTEL
a fine 5-star hotel located inside Xian city wall.1730 Leave your hotel for transfer to the new Shaanxi Grand Opera House for a Tang Dynasty Dinner/Show, a great evening of wonderful local entertainment and fine dining.
Return to your hotel.
Xian - Chariot with Horses
Tue 20May In Xian
Breakfast at the hotel.0730 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, 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 the restaurant inside the Digs compound, including a noodle-making demonstration.
On return to your hotel, stop for 45 minutes at a Jade Factory to see how fine jade is made, and at the fasciniating Great Mosque.
You may wish to be dropped off at the South City Gate to rent a bike, riding on the wall at your own cost and return back to hotel on your own.
1900 Leave for special Dumpling Dinner at Han Tang Tian Xia Restaurant.
Return to your hotel.
Wed 21May Xian-Shanghai.
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning at leisure. Transfer to the airport.1440 Leave Xian on CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES MU/291, snack served, non-stop.
1640 Arrive Shanghai Hongqiao Airport
Shanghai
Meet&Greet and transfer to yourSALVO HOTEL SHANGHAI
a 4 1/2-star hotel centrally located near famous Nanjing Road and the Bund. Balance of afternoon at leisure.This evening, guided stroll along the famous Bund by the river and observe the splendid integration of the old and the new.
Dinner on own.
Thu 22May In Shanghai
Breakfast at the hotel.0800 Morning tour of the city including sit-down "tea-tasting" at the Jade Buddha Temple, YuYuan Garden, the Shanghai Museum.
Lunch on own.
Afternoon at leisure for touring or shopping on your own in this exciting city.
Dinner on own.
Fri 23May in Shanghai
Breakfast at the hotel. Day at leisure to explore this exciting city on your own, and for last minute shopping.Or consider an optional full day excursion to the canal city of Suzhou.
Dinner on own.
Sat 24May Shanghai - USA
Breakfast at the hotel.Transfer to the airport for one of the following flights home:
Sat 24May 1245 Leave Shanghai Pudong Airport on UNITED AIRLINES UA/858, Boeing 747-400, non-stop!, Dinner and breakfast served aloft. Cross the International Dateline, gain one day.
Sat 24May 0852 Arrive San Francisco SFO
OR:
Sat 24May 1540 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.Sat 24May 1554 Arrive Chicago ORD
On arrival at your above US gateway city, clear Immigration & customs.Connect to your hometown on United Airlines or United Express.