17 Days China Helicopter tour: Xiamen-Guilin-Shanghai-Chengdu-Xi’an-Beijing

Nihao! Welcome to our beautiful country. After your flight lands at Xiamen airport, you will be met by your tour guide at the arrival hall and transferred to your hotel by private vehicle and driver. They will assist you with your luggage, hotel check-in, and ensure your trip in Xiamen will go smoothly and worry-free.

Meals: No meal, advice freely available

• Hotels: Hyatt Regency Xiamen Wuyuanwan, Jingmin Central Hotel

Xiamen

After breakfast, take the ferry from Xiamen city to Gulangyu Island, where you could see the delicate natural beauty, ancient relics, and varied architecture. Gulangyu Island has other sights worth seeing including the Bright Moon Garden, the Seasight Watch Garden, Yu Park, and Xiamen Museum.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Gulangyu Island

After a sound sleep, feel and immerse yourself in the Buddhism culture in South Putuo Temple and feel the academic atmosphere as well as pretty natural and social sights at Jimei Study Village, which was founded by Mr. Tan Kah Kee in 1913.

Followed by is the helicopter tour at Xiamen Island Ring Road, which allows you to see Xiamen City from a different angle.

Go for lunch at a local restaurant before going to the airport for the flight to Guilin.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Guilin Shangri La Hotel, Jolie Vue Boutique Hotel Guilin, Aroma Tea House

Jimei Study Village

Today, start the tour with the visit of the highest hill within Guilin city area, the Folded Brocaded Hill. It is also the best place for the bird-view of the Guilin city and the Li River. Come down from the hill to Reed Flute Cave, which is a very impressive cave in Guilin and was visited by many national leaders from both home and abroad. Therefore, it has another name, National Guest Cave.

Continue your exploration of Guilin city to Daxu Ancient Town after finishing the lunch. This ancient fishing town is still of primitive simplicity. Stroll on the narrow paths, you will find that many residents still live here with a very simple life.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch at Guilin Rice Noodles Cultural Center

Feature Dinner option: Xiaonan Guo, Gold Dragon Village Restaurant, Yilu Restaurant, The Taste-Made Restaurant

Optional evening activity: Night cruise in Two Rivers and Four Lakes Scenic Area

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Reed Flute Cave

After an hour private transfer from the hotel to Yangdi Pier, you will take the private bamboo raft combined with some hiking along the Li River to Xingping. It offers you a great chance to get close to the water.

Stroll in Xingping Ancient Town and buy some souvenirs if you like. Wait till the sunset to have a photo taking of the cormorant fishing in Li River. After that, go to Yangshuo for overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch in the local restaurant with a la carte menu

Optional evening activity: Impression Show of Sanjie Liu

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Yangshuo Banyan Tree Hotel, Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

Li River

Wake up naturally and be ready to immerse yourself into nature. Instead of walking, bamboo rafting and private transfer, today you will enjoy the Yulong scenery by a helicopter. Looking from the sky, Yulong River is lying like a dragon on the ground. To get close to nature, you will ride a bike in the countryside to thoroughly enjoy the beauty of this small town.

In addition to the natural scenery, what you should not miss is the local cuisine. Instead of eating in the restaurant, you will learn to cook some local cuisines, like the famous beer fish or other dishes with the guidance of the teacher. Enjoy your work after the lesson.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Yulong River

Enjoy some relaxing time before meeting the guide at the hotel lobby. The guide will escort you to the airport in Guilin, where you will take the flight to Shanghai.

• Meals: Breakfast,
• Hotels: Shanghai Fairmont Peace Hotel, Les Suites Orient, Bund Shanghai, Grand Central Hotel Shanghai, Central Hotel Shanghai

Li River

Yuyuan Garden is a famous classical private garden in south China. It was once the largest and most prestigious of its era in Shanghai. Nearby is the City God Temple, a main Taoism Temple in the city that enjoys a high reputation both at home and abroad by its long history and magnificent architecture.

Admire the charm of Old Shanghai at French Concession. You may be tired of the regular sightseeing. Different from other skyscrapers, Shanghai Tower is not just an office block, but also a comprehensive building of hotels, offices, retail shopping districts and restaurants. Go to the top of it, you will enjoy a bird-view of the city.

Have a leisure walk on the Bund. The night view is even more charming.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch at Din Tai Fung with a la carte menu

Feature Dinner Option: Nan Xiang Mantou Dian, Green Wave Gallery, Lost Heaven-Yunnan Restaurant Bund Branch

Optional evening activity: Era Time or Shangcheng Acrobatic Show

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

City God Temple

Today feel the atmosphere of Jiangnan water town in Tongli. It still maintains its originality and vitality. A boat cruise is arranged here for you. You will be transferred to the airport in Shanghai after the tour. Take the flight to Chengdu, where the Chengdu guide will wait for you at the airport arrival hall with your name sign.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: The Ritz-Carlton, Chengdu, JW Marriott Hotel Chengdu, Chengdu Xijinge All Suites Apartment

Tongli Water Town

Get up earlier today to have a one-day date with the giant pandas. Prepare food, like panda breads with the teachers’ instruction; feed them with bamboo and apples. Besides, you may also need to do some cleaning duties in the enclosure, or collect and weigh the panda poop.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch in the panda base

Feature Dinner option: Lao Ma Tou Hotpot, Huang Cheng Lao Ma

Optional evening activity: face changing show and taste the local tea in Shufengyayun Theater

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Giant Pandas

Do some morning exercises or drink a morning tea in Chengdu People’s Park. It is a comprehensive park which integrates heritage preservation with entertainment. Do not drink too much and save some space of your stomach for the local snacks in Jinli Ancient Street, which consists of large antique buildings with architectural styles of the late Qing Dynasty, and has a large number of bars and restaurants. Explore the Chinese history during the ‘Three Kingdoms’ Period in Wuhou Ancestral Hall.

After the tour, the guide and driver will take you to the train station in Chengdu, where you will take the bullet train to Xi’an.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Sofitel Legend Peoples Grand Hotel Xian, Wyndham Grand Xian South

People’s Park

You kind of know what to expect, but this still takes your breath away when you see the large scale of pottery figures in the Terracotta Warriors. Touring it with the guide will make it more interesting as the guide will tell you some interesting stories.

After lunch, drive back to the city area. Take a culinary exploration tour in Muslim Street. There is also a hidden gem – the Great Mosque in the bustling street. Shadow play is one of the quintessence of Chinese culture. At the end of the tour, you will watch a shadow play in Gao’s Family Courtyard.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch at Real Love Qin Culture Themed Restaurant (Provide experiential dinning environment and unique Qin-Dynasty style dishes by using Imitated imperial cuisine and Individual serving)

Feature Dinner option: Defachang Dumpling Restaurant, Lao Sun Jia Muslim Restaurant, First Noodle under the Sun

Optional evening activity: Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show with Dumpling Banquet

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Shadow Play

As the guardian of the inner city of Xi’an, Xi’an City Wall plays a very important role in the past. Go on a non-traffic bike riding on the City Wall is a unique experience for your tour.

The dumpling making in the local family is unmissable. Learn the variety of ways to make dumplings with the guidance of the hosts.

Drive to the train station in Xi’an for the bullet train to Beijing after lunch, capital of China.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Hilton Beijing Wangfujing, Regent Beijing, Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing, Beijing Double Happiness Courtyard Hotel

Xi’an Ancient City Wall

After a sound sleep, your 15-day tour starts from the Tian’anmen Square, where many historical and significant events happened. Walk through the square; you will step in the Forbidden City, where many emperors in Ming and Qing dynasty live and work.

After lunch, take a leisure walk in Hutong and visit a local family to gain a better understanding of people’s life. Learn the art of Chinese paper cutting in the Hutong area.

End the first day Beijing tour with the climbing to the Jingshan Park. Here you will gain a panorama of the Forbidden City.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch at Jindingxuan Dim Sum Restaurant with a la carte menu

Feature Dinner option: Peking Roast Duck(Dadong Peking Duck, Qianmen Quanjude Peking Duck), Fangshan Restaurant, Mei Family Restaurant, Bai Family Restaurant)

Optional evening activity: Peking Opera, Kungfu Show

Note: It takes about 3 hours walking in the Forbidden City. You can ask the guide to stop for some rest if you are tired.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Forbidden City

Considered the supreme achievement of traditional Chinese architecture, Temple of Heaven is a large religious complex for emperors in Ming and Qing Dynasty to pray for harvest. Now it is a popular park for locals doing morning exercises. You will have an hour Taichi lesson here with the guidance of the master.

Afterwards, drive about 1.5 hours to Mutianyu Great Wall, a marvelous masterpiece of mankind. It is one of the most famous and developed existing part of the Great Wall.Instead of the regular tour, you will see the Great Wall from a bird-eye view on a helicopter. Getting off from the helicopter, you will enjoy a special Champagne or Lafite Toast at the Mutianyu Great Wall.

After the Great Wall tour, drive back to the city area and visit Olympic Green for Exterior View of the Bird Nest and Water Cube on the way.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Mutianyu Great Wall

After breakfast, drive to the outskirts of Beijing to spend an enjoyable time in the Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China. A boat cruise will be included if not during the winter time.

Yonghegong Lama Temple is a Tibetan Buddhist temple in the northeast, corner of Beijing, which was first built in 1694 as the residence of Prince Yong of the Qing dynasty.

Go for treasure hunting at Panjiayuan Antique Market before ending today’s tour.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch in Dayali Restaurant with a la carte menu

Notes:

• Boat cruise on Kunming Lake is usually not available from December to March as the water will freeze.
• If you wish to buy something at Panjiayuan Antique Market, remember to bargain with the sellers.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Yonghe Lama Temple

This is the end of your 17-day China tour. Your private guide will pick you up from the hotel and escort you to the airport so that you can board the flight back home smoothly.

• Meals: Breakfast,

Beijing