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6 Days Small Group Tour of Beijing – Shanghai
$1800
per person
Trip Highlights
- Must-sees – Mutianyu Great Wall, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, the Bund
- Cruise on the Huangpu River to take in the impressive skylines of Shanghai
- Experience China’s most developed high speed train from Beijing to Shanghai
- Enjoy an a la carte meal & taste authentic Chinese cuisine at superb restaurants
Travel highlights
Tiananmen Square is a representative building of China, and many people cross thousands of miles just to watch a 10 minute flag raising ceremony and feel the Chinese people’s reverence for the country.
The Forbidden City in Beijing, where several generations of Chinese emperors lived, houses many precious cultural relics. Tour guides will explain the stories behind each cultural relic to you.
Stepping onto the Great Wall and climbing up the spine of the giant dragon, one can see towering mountains on both sides, and a sense of excitement arises.
Through the Moon Cave Gate of Yu Garden, each angle is a different picture. The unique garden buildings in Shanghai have a unique charm.
Entering the Shanghai Museum, there is a rich variety of collections, including bronze tripods from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, Ru kiln porcelain from the Tang and Song dynasties, Jiangnan calligraphy and painting, and a dialogue with history.
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Destination
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DepartureBeijing
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Departure TimePlease arrive by 6:00 pM for a prompt departure at 6:00 pM.
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Return TimeApproximately 9:00 AM.
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Dress CodeCasual and comfortable sportswear, hiking shoes, hats, and lightweight jackets corresponding to the season.
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Included6 Days Small Group Tour of Beijing – ShanghaiChina’s Smooth NetworkMeals specified in the itineraryFive star hotelFree admission to all attractionsAll round-trip transportationPrivate English tour guideone-on-one travel consultation and planning services
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Not IncludedSurprise little giftOther additional expensesInternational travel insurance
1
Day 1 Arrival in Beijing
Your enjoyable escorted China tour starts with our helpful pick-up service. Upon landing at Beijing Airport, your guide will greet you outside the customs area, and then your driver will transfer you to the hotel in a clean and comfortable vehicle. The remainder of the day is free for you to refresh from fatigue after a long journey. You can get the first impression of the city on your own. As the capital city of China for hundreds of years since 1261, the Yuan Dynasty, Beijing leaves so many surprises for visitors, from imperial palaces, summer retreats, old narrow alleys, and ancient temples with giant Buddha statues. Here is also the best place for aliens to experience the traditional culture and folk art of China, like Peking Opera. We have tried to include all those elements in your incredible Beijing trip and just be ready for it!
Accommodation: Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong
2
Day 2 Beijing
After breakfast, you will meet with your fellow group members in the hotel lobby and then set off for today's visit. The first destination will be Tiananmen Square, where you can see a lot of monumental buildings like the National Museum, Monument to the People's Heroes, and Great Hall of the People. Then follow your guide, walking across the vast square, to enter the Forbidden City built in 1406. The halls with flying golden roofs and red walls, carved dragons, and lion statues in the palace reveal the past glory of the fallen imperial family. You will also have a special visit to the palace’s Treasure Gallery, where a lot of extant royal accoutrements are exhibited in 6 rooms. The 600-year-old palace complex has more than 9,000 rooms, including the Front Court for emperors dealing with government, the Back Palace for emperors’ and their concubines’ daily lives, as well as a beautiful imperial garden at the northernmost point. During the visit, you may find some water channels in the garden. Though looking like a part of the drainage system, they are actually troughs used by animals. The imperial garden used to be a playground for royals to spend their time and some wild animals were also fed here to entertain them, such as red-crowned cranes and deer.
Finish the visit to the ancient royal palace, and we’ll especially serve you an a la carte welcome lunch (valued at CNY150 per person and included in our price) at a famous restaurant to taste authentic Chinese cuisine. Don't forget to order the yummy Peking Duck.
In the afternoon, continue your visit to the Temple of Heaven, the imperial altar for the emperors of the Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing (1644 - 1911) Dynasties to worship the God of Heaven. This is the most solemn site for ancient Chinese people, representing their understanding of the relationship between earth and heaven. This evening, you will be entertained by a lively Chinese Acrobatic Show at the Red Theatre.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte welcome lunch
Accommodation: Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong
3
Day 3 Beijing
The morning's excursion takes you to Mutianyu Great Wall, one of the world's wonders. Constructed in the Ming Dynasty, Mutianyu is one of the best preserved sections of the Great Wall, with spectacular surrounding natural scenery. The wall, dotted with beacon towers, stretches along mountain ridges for miles, resembling a huge flying dragon. We arrange for you to take the round-trip cable car to reach and descend the wall to save you energy and time. Free time will be left for you to tour along the Great Wall to explore the watchtowers and appreciate the majestic views. By the way, we also arrange you a good wine toast on the new world wonder.
As the Great Wall is far away from the urban area, without so many lunch options, we suggest that you have a big breakfast and take some fast food for lunch by yourself. Your guide will also be glad to provide you with advice.
We will then escort you back to the city. Have a stopover for nice photo shots at the Olympic National Stadium (Bird's Nest), where the 2008 Olympic Games was held. Then you will have a Hutong tour by rickshaw. Hutong means narrow alleys in Beijing's old blocks. Experiencing the traditional courtyards, local culture and history, all of which make your tour in Beijing more charming and special. There is also a chance to visit a local family to have an insight into the old way of life of Beijing locals.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong
4
Day 4 Beijing to Shanghai by High-speed Train
Today's visit starts with the Summer Palace, the largest and best preserved imperial garden in China. Constructed on the natural scenery of Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill in the Qing Dynasty, the garden is a perfect combination of landscape and imperial palaces.
After lunch, you will take an afternoon high-speed train for around 4.5 hours to reach Shanghai. Take a nap on the train or view the countryside scenery along the way. Snacks, fruits, music or books are always good company for the train journey, so you may prepare some in advance. Your local guide in Shanghai will meet you at the train station and escort you to the hotel.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: The Sunrise on the Bund
5
Day 5 Shanghai
Known as the most modern city in China, Shanghai offers more than skyscrapers and gorgeous night views. It also boasts a historical and traditional side, waiting for your exploration. After breakfast at the hotel, we will visit the Shanghai Museum first, which features an ancient Chinese bronze vessel-shaped outer appearance and houses over 120,000 pieces of cultural relics including bronze wares, jades, ceramics, Chinese Calligraphies, and coins. Then we will head to the Yu Garden, a typical Chinese-style garden which can be dated back to 400 years ago. The classic garden boasts its exquisite layout, with landscaped ponds, pavilions, old bridges and strange rockeries. Among a lot of rockeries, the Exquisite Jade Rock (aka Yulinglong Stone) is the most famous one, with a height of 3 meters and weight of 3 tons, featuring elegant edges and interesting shapes. It is said the famous stone once served as a dowry to be sent to the son of the garden’s owner to show the large wealth of the two powerful families. Another iconic sight in the garden is several imposing Dragon Walls, stretching over 20 meters. The black dragon’s body is made of tiles winding on top of the white wall, and there is a feeling of flying out. Chinese dragon with five claws on each foot is always considered the symbol of emperors and normal people who used related objects would be put to death. It is said the garden’s owner cut all the claws of the dragon in the garden into three claws, arguing that they were three-clawed pythons, not dragons. Then the Dragon Walls could be saved from the wrath of emperors. We will continue to explore the Yuyuan Old Street surrounding the garden, where there are many traditional Chinese buildings, which nowadays are used as commercial stores to sell local products, arts and crafts, antiques, snacks and so on. You will enjoy some free time there.
Afterward, we proceed to the Bund area, where you will also take a one-hour cruise tour along the Huangpu River to take in 19th-century colonial buildings on the west bank and high-rise buildings on its east bank. Upon returning to the hotel, your guide will see you into the lobby and bid you bon voyage.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: The Sunrise on the Bund
6
Day 6 Departure from Shanghai
Your 6-day China group tour of Beijing Shanghai ends today and please check out before noon. You need to make your own way to the airport for your homebound flight. We wish you a nice trip home!
► To Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
You can take Metro Line 2 directly from People’s Square in about 80 minutes, or take Metro Line 2 to Longyang Road metro station and then experience the maglev train, taking only 50 minutes. A direct taxi is also available, taking about 1 hour and costing CNY 200 or so.
► To Shanghai Hongqiao Airport (SHA)
Walk south about 160 meters to take Metro Line 2 from People’s Square to Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 Station, taking about 40 minutes. If by taxi, it costs around CNY 60-80 at different times but the travel time is nearly the same as that of metro.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Comments:
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Necessary documents:
- Passport (including Chinese visa)+copy of visa (recommended to be opened separately from the original)
- PS: Carry the original passport with you, the police may randomly inspect it
Clothing and equipment:
- Sunscreen hat+sunglasses+sunscreen, cool towel, comfortable walking shoes (on steep slopes), windproof jacket in winter, shawl or thin jacket (strong air conditioning in shopping malls and subways), folding umbrella to cope with showers
Mobile App:
- WeChat:Contact merchants/tour guides and scan QR codes that can be seen everywhere
- Alipay: China's most basic payment software, which can be bound to Visa/Mastercard to purchase gifts
- Translation: Google Translate, Baidu Translate
- Popular review: Ranking of all nearby food reviews
- Meituan: Deliver the necessary daily necessities to your hotel doorstep within half an hour
Electronic devices and networks：
- Network Solutions：
- Must install VPN, local SIM card, and portable Wi Fi
- Electrical adaptation：
- The voltage in China is 220V, and the socket is a two pin flat type (compatible with American standards). The three pin socket requires a conversion plug
- It is recommended to carry a power bank (boarding is allowed within 20000mA), and Alipay scanning code is required to rent the power bank shared on the street
Emergency response
- General alarm: 110 (English service can be requested, some police provide third-party translation)
- Medical emergency: 120
- Fire alarm: 119
- Consular Protection:+86-10-12308 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs Global Consular Protection 24-hour Hotline, English service)
William
This trip has satisfied my taste buds and soul! The Quanjude roast duck in Beijing has crispy skin and tender meat, and private hutong dishes taste court snacks; Shanghai restaurants offer a blend of Chinese and Western cuisine. Tour guides are not only cultural experts but also foodies, explaining the historical stories behind the dishes
David
Traveling with parents and 10-year-old children, this itinerary is suitable for all ages. Mutianyu Great Wall offers cable cars and slides for children to choose from. The tour guide of the Forbidden City attracts children’s attention with stories, and restaurants inquire about food taboos in advance to adjust the spiciness level for children. The tour guide takes care of us like family, arranges rest spots for the elderly, and teaches children interesting historical knowledge.
Joseph
Although 6 days may seem short, this Beijing Shanghai small group tour is ingeniously designed! Mutianyu is a beautiful city with few people, and the in-depth explanation of the Forbidden City allows us to avoid crowds and see precious exhibits. The acoustic architecture of the Temple of Heaven is stunning. The high-speed rail experience from Beijing to Shanghai is beyond imagination – smooth and fast, with endless scenery along the way. The arranged specialty restaurants allowed us to taste authentic flavors. The tour guide was professional and humorous throughout the entire process, telling vivid stories of ancient and modern China.
Richard
This trip fulfilled all my imaginations about China. Mutianyu Cableway saves energy and has excellent scenery. The VIP channel of the Forbidden City avoids queuing troubles, and the morning exercise atmosphere of the Temple of Heaven makes people feel the old Beijing life. The high-speed rail crossing 1300 kilometers in just over 4 hours is considered an engineering miracle, creating a stunning contrast between the retro buildings on the Bund in Shanghai and the skyscrapers in Lujiazui. The dining arrangements are particularly outstanding, with the live performance of sliced duck at the Beijing roast duck restaurant and the exquisite arrangement of private dishes in Shanghai being unforgettable. The experience is excellent.