8 Day Seniors China Tour: Highlights of Chinese Culture
Famous for its long history, brilliant and diverse culture, intriguing traditions and amazing natural beauty, it’s no wonder that China has always been on the senior travelers’ bucket list. This 8 days China golden triangle tour to Beijing, Xian and Shanghai is for you to discover the highlights of Chinese culture at your own pace -- definitely the optimal choice for the elderly taking their first China trip. It is a collection of luxurious experience, cultural interactions, sightseeing, relaxation and local life experience. Call us right now and make your long-cherished dream of China come true!
CCT Advantages:
- 1. Immerse in history of ancient China, touring Forbidden City and cruising Summer Palace with an expert;
- 2. Be in awe exploring the Great Wall, the round-way cable car will help to save your energy and time;
- 3. Discover the Old Beijing on a hutong rickshaw tour, interacting with the young and senior locals;
- 4. Practice Tai Chi in front of Temple of Heaven, and witness the local elderly living their life in a healthy and energetic way;
- 5. Visit the archaeological site of Terracotta Warriors and Horses and the best-preserved city wall of ancient China;
- 6. Enjoy making dumpling at a local family in Xian, and taste various kinds of delicious and healthy Chinese foods along the way;
- 7. Meet the New China in Shanghai, travel between the past and future;
8 Days Beijing Xian Shanghai Culture Tour for Seniors
Day 1, Arrive Beijing
Meals: No Meals
Welcome to China! Meet your private guide and driver for a transfer from airport to your hotel. Your vehicle is in a good condition, spacious and comfortable. Your guide will then assist you in hotel check-in procedures and anything else you may need help. After a long air journey, relax and get over the jet lag.
Recommended hotels:
- Beijing luxury hotels: Four Seasons, Peninsula, Hilton Beijing Wangfujing, Regent Beijing or similar
- Beijing boutique hotels: Double Happiness Beijing Courtyard Hotel or similar
Day 2, Majesty of Beijing - Forbidden City & Summer Palace
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Explore the culturally rich Beijing, one of world’s most famous ancient capitals.
Walking Tiananmen Square is like traveling through time. Here, in world’s biggest city square, China experienced great changes in history and began its new era since 1949. Look up to the portrait of Chairman Mao on Tiananmen Rostrum and later enter Forbidden City. The previous imperial palace has become an amazing museum of ancient Chinese culture and art. Have an in-depth visit of Forbidden City to admire the traditional Chinese wooden architectures, see many awe-inspiring treasures and learn history.
In the afternoon, take a dragon boat to cruise China’s royal garden – the Summer Palace. It is a fabulous combination of Chinese imperial architecture and classical garden. Enjoying the mountainous beauty, elegant gardens and river cruise, you will experience part of a Chines emperor’s life.
Watch a performance of Peking Opera or Shaolin Kung Fu with VIP seat (optional).
Day 3, Chinese Heritage - the Great Wall, Hutong Rickshaw Tour
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
The Great Wall is one of the must-sees in China for travelers of all age. For senior travelers, you don’t need to do mountainous hiking or walk a lot to stand on the mountaintop Great Wall, all thanks to the efficient cableway. Ascend Mutianyu Great Wall and be marveled by its grandness. Your guide will explain to you how the Great Wall was built over 2000 years ago by only human hands.
Keep your legs loose on a rickshaw, a public vehicle widely used in Beijing in the early 19th Century, and go through the historical hutong alleys, where the old Beijing, with many disappearing scenes, can still be found. There’re chances that you may have a chat with the senior people living in hutong.
Follow the traditional dinning etiquette to enjoy a Beijing Roasted Duck dinner (optional).
Day 4, Taiji Practice at Temple of Heaven, Beijing to Xian
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Visit Temple of Heaven, a best example of ancient Chinese religious architecture. The once royal altar where emperors worshiped gods is now a public park and a wonderful place for local elderly people start every energetic new day. They dance, practice Kung Fu, play cards… You will take a private Taiji lesson, following the master to practice the soft but powerful moves. You’re suggested to keep practicing Taiji when back home – very good to your health.
Wander the Panjiayuan Weekend Market in a good mood. See antique lovers looking for the old stuffs, valuable or sophisticated counterfeiting, from the local craftsman and vendors. Alternatively, visit Yonghe Lama Temple, the biggest temple in Beijing city, if it is not a weekend.
Board a bullet train from Beijing to Xian, one of China’s premier historic capitals, with many Silk Road sites.
Recommended hotels:
- Xian luxury hotels: Wyndham Grand Xian South, Gran Meliá Xian, Sofitel Legend Peoples Grand Hotel or similar
- Xian boutique hotels: Grand Mercure Xi'an on Renmin Square or similar
Day 5, Museum of Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses, Xian Ancient City Wall
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today, you are going to visit one of world’s most legendary ancient tombs – the tomb of Terracotta Army – grand, mysterious and awe-inspiring. See thousands of life-sized Terracotta warriors, along with their horses and chariots. The entire army was built over 2000 years ago to protect Emperor Qinshihuang after he died.
Later view Xian’s urban landscape, dotted with old structures such as Bell and Drum Towers, on the majestic Ancient City Wall. There’s no other place like Xian that retains its history on every modern aspect.
End the day with a stroll on bustling Muslim Street, a renowned food center in Xian introducing perfectly the local cuisine that blends Muslim flavor.
Day 6, Silk Road Culture, Dumpling Making, Xian to Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Soak up Silk Road history and culture at the site of Big Wild Goose Pagoda. This masterpiece of Buddhist architecture was constructed in 652 to keep the Buddhist classics that were brought back by the legendary Monk Xuanzang from ancient Indian. It witnessed the prosperity of Silk Road and the introduction of Buddhism to China.
Before flying to Shanghai, visit a local family to experience local lifestyle. And help the friendly host to make dumplings for lunch. With a history of over 1800 years, dumpling, or jiaozi, is a famous Chinese specialty food and important part of Chinese cuisine.
Recommended hotels:
- Shanghai luxury hotels: Peace Hotel, Les Suites Orient Bund, Peninsula or similar
- Shanghai boutique hotels: Hotel Indigo on the Bund, The Yangtze Boutique or similar
Day 7, Shanghai Culture Tour – the Bund, Yu Garden
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today, discover both Shanghai’s charming traditional culture and modern spectacles. Visit Fuxing Park, with a garden that mixes classical French style. Local people, especially the elderly, like to do the morning exercise to keep fit in the park.
Continue to explore Shanghai, touring Yu Garden, a traditional Chinese garden in Shanghai city center with outstanding design and refined layout. Then walk the zigzagging bridge of Town God Temple Area and come to Shanghai’s most famous food streets. Steam bun, traditional cakes, noodles… are to make your mouth watering.
Later ascend the observation deck of Shanghai World Financial Center, one of the tallest buildings in Lujiazui, to view the rising skyscrapers. Then ramble on the Bund along Huangpu River. There are over 50 colonial buildings of different classical Western architectural styles, making the Bund a historical landmark in Shanghai.
Enjoy a relaxing cruise on Huangpu River, melting into the beautiful shinning night of Shanghai (optional).
Day 8, Depart Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast
Relax at hotel, until your guide and driver pick you up, and transfer you to Shanghai Pudong International Airport for your flight back home. It is the end of your 8 days highlights of China culture tour.
