Wendy Wu Ancient China

– Take a rickshaw ride through Beijing’s network of Hutongs
– Explore, Wutaishan, one of China’s sacred Buddhist mountains
– Visit the hanging temples in Datong
– See the 1920s shikumen architecture of Xintiandi

Days 1-2: Fly to Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, China’s fascinating capital. Depending on your time of arrival the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 3: Forbidden City & Hutongs
Heading to Beijing’s symbolic heart, stroll across Tiananmen Square and into the sprawling magnificence of the Forbidden City where you will find a complex full of imperial treasures. Take a rickshaw ride through the charming hutong’s and in the evening sit down to enjoy the local delicacy, Peking Duck.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 4: Great Wall of China
This morning is dedicated to China’s most iconic sight – the Great Wall. Taking a walk on this incredible structure is the best way to appreciate its sheer magnificence. Jade has been long cherished by the Chinese –at the Jade Museum you can understand and appreciate the delicate process of carving the stone and buy a piece if you wish. Savour the idyll of the Summer Palace as you wander through traditional Chinese gardens and see the exquisite architecture.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 5: Temple of Heaven
Soak up the harmonious ambience of the Temple of Heaven, an orderly oasis in a bustling urban landscape. Drift your way through Panjiayuan, Beijing’s most extensive arts, crafts and antiques market.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 6: Historical Datong
Travel by bullet train to Datong, watching the rural splendour of China pass by your window. Upon arrival, visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Yungang Caves, one of China’s most famous Buddhist sites.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 7: Hanging Temple, Datong
Grottoes carved from sandstone cliffs in the 5th and 6th centuries, Yungang Caves are replete with intricate Buddhist imagery. The 1400 year old, gravity-defying Hanging Temple seemingly floats 50 metres up the face of Jinxia Gorge. Travel on to Wutaishan.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 8: Alpine Wutaishan
One of China’s four sacred Buddhist mountains, Wutai (Five Terraced Mountain), is a place of scenic magnificence. In Wutaishan’s shadow an alpine valley shelters many important monasteries, temples and sculptures, some stretching back over 1000 years. Continue to Taiyuan and visit the Twin Pagoda Temple dating from the Ming Dynasty.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Days 9-10: Taiyuan and Pingyao
Visit Jinci Temple before travelling to the town of Pingyao, home to China’s best preserved ancient city walls. Take part in a paper-cutting workshop. On the second day here, explore the town and see the Yamen, a government building dating from the Qing Dynasty. Later, take a bullet train to Xian
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 11: Terracotta Warriors
After their fortuitous discovery in the 1970s, the Terracotta Army of China’s first Emperor Qin Shi Huang has intrigued visitors ever since. Spend the morning viewing the enigmatic ranks of these life-size warriors. This evening enjoy a delicious feast of Shui Jiao dumplings and a performance of Tang Dynasty dancing.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 12: Discover Xian
Visit the Xian Museum before viewing the Little Wild Goose Pagoda. Head to Shuyuanmen Ancient Culture Street to see a calligraphy demonstration before exploring the Muslim Quarter.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 13: Train to Imperial Luoyang
Board a bullet train from Xian to Luoyang, a city that was the capital for more than 13 dynasties. This afternoon visit the Longmen Grottos which house tens of thousands of age-old statues and sculptures depicting Buddha and his disciples carved from the limestone cliffs of Xiangshan and Longmenshan.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 14: Shaolin Temple
Travel to the famous Shaolin Temple, best known for its association with martial arts, and walk through the Pagoda Forest, a collection of 228 pagodas of various styles built from the Tang through to Qing Dynasties. Witness a Kung Fu demonstration by the famous Shaolin Monks. Continue to Zhengzhou.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 15: Huangpu River Cruise
Board the bullet train to Shanghi, where you’ll enjoy an evening cruise along the river, taking in the night time views of the city
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Days 16: Discover Shanghai
Visit the peaceful Yu Gardens, the atmospheric old town and the excellent collections of the Shanghai Museum before admiring the colonial architecture on the Bund. In the evening take your seats for a fascinating Chinese acrobatic show.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 17: Explore Shanghai
Wander through the Xintiandi area to admire the 1920s architectural styling. Then, visit the Shanghai Museum and the Silk Factory before enjoying delicious, traditional Shanghai cuisine for dinner.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 18: Fly Shanghai to UK
Fly to the UK, arriving home the same or following day.
(Breakfast)

Your accommodation is selected for convenience of location, comfort or character, and can range from a business hotel in one city to a family run guesthouse in a smaller town. In more remote areas, accommodation may be of a lower standard and may not have all western amenities.

– Return international flights
– All Accommodation
– All meals: 16 breakfasts, 15 lunches, and 16 dinners
– All transportation & transfers
– All sightseeing & entrance fees
– English speaking National Escort & local guides
– Visa fees for UK & EU passport holders

Classic

These tours are designed for those who wish to see the iconic sites and magnificent treasures of Japan on an excellent value group tour whilst travelling with like-minded people. The tours are on a fully-inclusive basis so you’ll travel with the assurance that all your arrangements are taken care of. You will be accompanied by our dedicated  and  professional  National  Escorts  and  local  guides,  whose  unparalleled  knowledge  will  turn  your holiday into an unforgettable experience.

Most Wendy Wu groups consist of 10 travellers or more and will be accompanied by both a National Escort and local guides. There will usually be no more than 28 travellers in each group although you may encounter other Wendy Wu tour groups while you are travelling.

This tour has a Level 1 fitness rating. This means that a reasonable level of fitness is required but it’s more about spending time on your feet rather than covering large distances. You’ll be getting on and off coaches and boats, walking around the sights and climbing some steps.

If you want to explore more of China or simply want more time in your destination, then you can add an extension or stop over.*

Choose from the following Extensions and Stopovers
Macao Special (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong Glimpses (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong in Focus (Hong Kong)
Macau (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong and Macau (Hong Kong)
Kunming & Lijiang (Kunming)
Nine Villages Valley (Chengdu)
Zhangjiajie (Zhangjiajie)
Chongqing, Dazu and Wulong (Chongqing)
Guilin and Yangshou (Guilin)
Mount Huang (Shanghai)
Lhasa (Lhasa)
Chengdu (Chengdu)
Beijing and Xi’an (Beijing)
Suzhou and Hangzhou (Shanghai)
Shanghai (Shanghai)
Guilin (Guilin)

*Available extensions and stopovers depend on your chosen airline