China Culinary Tour

Day 01 Beijing

Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. You are greeted by your guide at the airport outside the luggage claim area with your name displayed and then transferred to the hotel for rest.

Day 02 Beijing (B, D)

Get up early today and meet our guide at your hotel lobby. Your first visit is the Temple of Heaven Park, which is the largest ancient imperial worship architecture group in the world where most Emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties prayed for peace and harvest. Then stroll the Tian'anmen Square, the largest public square in the world, and then enter the Forbidden City, which is the residence of Chinese emperors for more than 500 years. At night enjoy the famous Peking Duck Dinner.

Day 03 Beijing (B, D)

Meet your guide at your hotel and then take private tour to Badaling Section of the Great Wall.  Upon arriving at the Badaling Great Wall, you can either take cable car (optional cost) uphill or hike along the stairs on the wall. You may spend 2-3 hours on the symbol of the Chinese ancient civilization. Then you will visit the Summer Palace, one of the China's largest and best-preserved imperial gardens. It is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design, integrating the natural landscape of hills and open water with man-made features into a harmonious and aesthetically exceptional whole. Top off the day is Peking Hotpot Dinner, a must-try culinary experience in Beijing.

Day 04 Beijing (B)

Today you will first visit Yonghe Lama Temple, the largest lamasery in Beijing built in Qing Dynasty. Walk along the 700-year-old east-west Chengxian Streetwhere you will see the Temple of Confucius. Initially built in 1302, it is the second largest temple constructed for Confucius, who is considered the greatest thinker and educator in ancient China. Then you will walk through the famous Yandai Xiejie (Tobacco Pipe Lean Street), which used to be well-known for sellers of long-stemmed pipes and whose shape is very much like a traditional Chinese tobacco pipe.  Then continue to walk across the Silver Ingot Bridge (Yin ding Bridge), which was originally built in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) and is above a narrow channel connecting Qianhai Lake and the Houhai Lake. Later you will explore some typical hutongs in the Shichahai area like Da Jinsi Hutong that is rarely seen to remain the original layout of Hutong Area. At the end of the tour, attend a workshop to learn some skills of Chinese cookings. After that, transfer back to hotel.

Day 5 Beijing / Qufu (B)

Today you will board the highspeed train to Qufu, the hometown of Confucius (551-479 B.C.), Meet and transfer to the hotel. The balance of the day is free.

Day 6 Qufu (B, D)

Enjoy a full day visit to the Temple of Confucius, Confucius Mansion and Forest of Confucius. Confucian Temple, the former residence of Confucius, is the place for ancient emperors to offer sacrificial services to Confucius. Now the Confucian temple, mansion and Forest of Confucius are on the UNESCO'S list of world cultural heritage site. Enjoy Qufu Family Banquet. It is a traditional banquet cuisine with a history of over 2,500 years, originating from the Confucius Family.

Day 7 Qufu / Jinan (B, D)

Travel to Jinan by the high-speed train. Upon arrival, visit Daming Lake. With some weeping willows standing along the shores, the lake is planted with lotuses. Emerald-green lotus leaves, lotus flowers with delicate fragrance, fish swimming in the lake and birds hovering in the sky, all make a superb fascinating picture, attracting countless tourists. Then visit Baotu Spring. It enjoys the fame of the "Number One Spring. In the afternoon, visit the Shandong Provincial Museum houses a collection of more than 210 000 historical artifacts natural history collection specimens. Highlights of the historical collection include relics from the neolithic Dawenkou and Longshan cultures, bronze artifacts from the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, stone carvings from the Han Dynasty, and paintings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. At night enjoy Shandong cuisine, one of China’s eight culinary traditions.

Day 8 Jinan / Shanghai (B, D)

Transfer to the train station and take the high-speed train to Shanghai. Upon arrival, start the city tour to Yu Garden, the best preserved ancient Chinese garden. There are many small-commodities like handicrafts and clothes, and you can explore the sale market around all by yourself and enjoy the fun of shopping. Then travel to the Bund, appreciating the splendid Bund western buildings and the Lujiazui skylines on the other side of the Huangpu River. At the end of the tour, spend some time on the No. 1 shopping street in the country-East Nanjing Road. At night enjoy Shanghai Cuisine, known for its sweet-savory balance, delicate presentation, and seafood expertise.

Day 9 Shanghai / Hangzhou (B, D)

Drive to Hangzhou and visit the beautiful West Lake. You are going to taking a boat tour to enjoy the breath-taking view. West Lake is symbol of Hangzhou as well as one of the most beautiful sights in China. The beauty of the West Lake lies in the lingering charm that survives the change of season in a year, of hours in a day, and of different weathers. After a boat ride, spend your leisure time walk along the lake bank and you will see many Chinese people doing exercise there. In the afternoon, you will visit the Lingyin Temple, the most influential temple in South China. At night have a Hangzhou Cuisine dinner. Hangzhou Cuisine is famous for its seasonal freshness, subtle elegance, and artistic presentation.

Day 10 Hangzhou / Xian (B)

Transferr to the airport and fly onto Xian. Upon arrival, visit the City Wall built in the Ming dynasty, one of the oldest and best preserved ancient Chinese city walls. The wall is 14 kilometers long. Walk on the top of it, you can have an idea of medieval defense system composed of by watchtowers, ramparts and a moat. Contrasting the old from its inside are the modern high-rises and bustling traffic of Xian. Cross the street and walk to the Muslim quarter. You will visit the mosque at Daxuexixiang. After that, enjoy your shopping time at the Muslim Street which is lined with shops selling souvenirs and local snacks.

Day 11 Xian (B, D)

After breakfast, you will take an express bus to Lintong, the place where The Terracotta Army and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor was discovered. The Terracotta Warriors are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. There are more than 8,000 life-size Terra-cotta soldiers and horses excavated from this area which all displayed in the practical battle formation in 3 pits respectively. Enjoy a local Dumpling Banquet. With over 200 varieties of shapes, fillings, and flavors, this banquet showcases the arts of Shaanxi local cuisine.

Day 12 Xian / Chengdu (B)

In the morning, you will take the high-speed train to Chengdu. Upon arrival, visit visit People’s Park where you can see the local people dancing, doing exercises there. You can also rest in a local teahouse and enjoy a relax time there. Then spend some time in Kuanzhai Alley, composed of by three parallel lanes with traditional Chinese architecture, stroll along the small lanes, do some shopping and try some local snacks. 

Day 13 Chengdu (B, D)

in the morning and drive to Dujiangyan. The Dujiangyan irrigation system, built around 2000 years ago, is one of the oldest water infrastructures in the world. Taking advantage of natural topography, it solves the water problems like flood by diverting flood water for irrigation, draining sediment, flood control without the dams. As a hydraulic engineering project, it is composed of by four parts: the weir works controlling the water from the Minjiang River: the Yuzui Bypass Dike, the Feishayan floodgate, and the Baopingkou Diversion Passage. Thanks to its historical importance, it is inscribed as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Then visit the Giant Panda base, which creates a perfect ecological environment for the living and breeding of pandas and other precious and rare wild animals. Travel back to the city and enjoy the famous Sichuan cuisine. It is world-renowned for its bold flavors, tongue-numbing spices, and ingenious use of chili peppers.

Day 14 Chengdu / Guilin (B)

In this morning, you will be transferred to the airport and fly to the most scenic city of Guilin, arrival and followed by an afternoon tour to Reed Flute Cave. Reed Flute Cave got its name because people believed that the reed by the cave's mouth could be made into flutes. Check into the local hotel tonight.

Day 15 Guilin (B, D)

Spend the day aboard a scenic Li River Cruise through the mist-shrouded limestone mountains, passing picturesque farms and fishing villages. Disembark at Yangshuo, a unique & incredible laid-back town in China Here you can experience the rural China you have come to expect. Enjoy your time relax in Yangshuo and then drive back to Guilin. Taste the famous Guilin Beer-brewed Fish. It is a signature dish from Guilin, where fresh river fish is fried until golden, then simmered in local beer, chili, and tomatoes for a rich, slightly tangy flavor.

Day 16 Guilin / Guangzhou (B, L)

Travel to Guangzhou by the high-speed train. Upon arrival, transfer to a famous local restaurant to sample Cantonese Dim Sum. Then visit the Chen Clan Academy. The Chen Clan Academy was built in 1890 by the people surnamed Chen in the 72 counties of Guangdong to worship ancestors. It is not only an important heritage site, but also a local Guangdong handicraft museum. Continue to visit the Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Memorial Hall, a landmark of Guangzhou. It is an octagonal palatial structure facing the south and occupying 60,000 sq. ft. At present, the memorial hall is not only a large-scale theatre with modern acoustics; it is also a landmark of Guangzhou, attracting millions of visitors annually. At end, transfer back to the hotel.

Day 17 Guangzhou / Hong Kong (B)

Board the high-speed train to Hong Kong, arrival and check in the hotel. In this afternoon, you will attend a cooking class at one of the most well-known local cooking schools.

Day 18 Hong Kong (B)

Today you will be transferred to the airport for your homeward flight. The China food tour completes.