China Study Tour

Tour Features: China study tour is a fantastic educational and cultural opportunity for youths from around the world. China Study Tour gives the students the opportunity to know China from different perspectives. Enjoying the breath-taking sightseeing, learning different folk culture, tasting exquisite Chinese cuisine and appreciating the amazing shows, all of this enriches your China tour and makes a lifetime experience when you are in childhood. China Study Tour will expand the students’ horizons, meet new friends and acquire deeper knowledge of China. Most of all, students will find this experience among the most joyful period of their lives.

Tour Code: CCT-CTT10

Destinations: Beijing, Xian, Shanghai

Itinerary:

Day 1 Arrive in Beijing

After hours of international flight, you finally arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. Our experienced local guide will meet you at the luggage area and escort you to hotel. Have a good rest for the jetlag.

Day 2 Beijing (B, L,SD)

The highlight today is to visit the Tian'an Men Square and the Forbidden City, the residence of Chinese emperors for more than 500 years. In the afternoon, you will go to the professional Peking Opera School to learn how to make up yourself as a role in the Peking Opera. Peking Opera Painted Faces, or Lian Pu, refers to facial designs for Jing and Chou roles. It originated from daily life experience, describing such changes of expression as white for fear, red for shyness, dark for suntan, and sallow for illness. In the evening, you will have Peking Roast Duck as your welcome dinner. Peking Roast Duck is a famous duck dish that has been prepared since the imperial era, and is now considered one of China's national foods.

Day 3 Beijing (B, L, D)

Be a early bird to join the local people for the morning exercise at the park of Temple of Heaven. Some play Taiji and dance; some do gym exercises and play Jianzi; others fly kites or play cards and many more activities -- a real picture showcasing early morning life in Beijing. You will join them and make your own Chinese friends. Then you will visit the Temple of Heaven, where the emperor made an annual pilgrimage to pray for good harvests. In the afternoon, you will explore Beijing Hutongs and have a glimpse of traditional Beijing life in a rickshaw. You will learn Chinese Kong Fu from a real Kong Fu Master. In the evening, you will have an visual feast---Chinese Kong Fu Show. Chinese Kung Fu is one of best-known martial arts in the world. In ancient times, hand-to-hand combat and weapons practice were important components in the training of Chinese soldiers. From this beginning, Chinese martial arts proceeded to incorporate different philosophies and ideas into its practice - expanding its purpose from self-defense to health and finally as method of self cultivation.

Day 4 Beijing  (B, L, D)

Enjoy a full day to visit the MutianyuGreat Wall. It offers beautiful views of the snaking Wall as it undulates over mountains into the distance and is fortified by a number of watchtowers that visitors can climb up into for views of the surrounding area. On the way back to the city, you will visit the Olympic Park and take pictures in front of Bird Nest and Water Cube.

Day 5 Beijing / Xi'an (B, L, D)

Take a morning flight to Xi’an. Upon arrival, the local guide will meet you at the airport. Then you will visit the Xi’an City Wall, the best preserved, oldest and largest ancient city defense system in China. You will have a chance to ride a bicycle on the ancient city wall. Then you will walk at the Moslem Street, which is well known for serving Muslim food for centuries, with a wide diversity of tastes and strong ethnic delicacies. Later you will watch a traditional shadow play at the Gao Family Mansion. Shadow play, or shadow puppetry, is an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment using opaque, often articulated figures in front of an illuminated backdrop to create the illusion of moving images. Shadow play will win your heart by its lingering music, exquisite sculpture, brisk color and lively performance.

Day 6. Xi'an (B, L, D)

Morning tour takes you to visit to Big Wild Goose Pagoda, one of the famous Buddhist pagodas in China. As an architectural marvel, it was built with layers of bricks but without any cement in between. The grand body of the pagoda with its solemn appearance, simple style and high structure, is indeed a good example of ancient people's wisdom and talent. At noon, you will enjoy the musical fountain on the square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda. After lunch, you will visit the Terra Cotta Army Museum, buried underground to protect the afterlife of Emperor Qinshihuang from 2200 years ago. There are more than 8,000 life-size terra cotta figures of soldiers and horses excavated from this area. They are all displayed in the practical battle formation in 3 pits respectively. The Terra Cotta Army is now regarded as the Eighth Wonder of the World. And you will have the chance to make your own cottas in the factory.

Day 7 Xi'an (B, L, D)

In the morning, you will drive to the Huxian County, which is famous for its Farmers' Painting. Today a local farmer painter will introduce the Farmers’ Painting to you and you will have a chance to draw your own famers’ painting. Lunch will be arranged at a local farmer’s house. In the afternoon, you will transfer back to the city and learn to make the dumpling at the Defachang Restaurant. You will enjoy the Dumpling Banquet and Tang Dynasty Show this evening.

Day 8 Xi'an / Shanghai (B, L, D)

In the morning, you will fly to Shanghai. Upon arrival, you will meet the local guide and transfer to the hotel. After a short rest, you will go to visit the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. Oriental Pearl TV Tower stands a staggering 468 meters (1535ft),  making it the tallest tower in Asia and third tallest one in the world. Surrounded by the Yangpu Bridge in the northeast and the Nanpu Bridge in the southwest, it creates a picture of "twin dragons playing with pearls". Then you will continue to visit the Shanghai History Museum and have a brief understanding of the old Shanghai life.

Day 9 Shanghai / Suzhou (B, L, D)

Today you will drive to Suzhou. En route, you will visit the Tongli Water Town and take a boat ride on the beautiful water town. Upon arrival, you will learn to make the traditional Suzhou Folding Fan. Suzhou fans are one of the fine handcrafts available in Suzhou. The traditional folding fans can be made of sandalwood or mandarin silk, while the newer style round fans are made of paper.

Day 10 Suzhou / Hangzhou (B, L, D)

In the morning, you will visit the representative of famous Suzhou Garden --- Lion Grove Garden. The Lion Grove Garden is famous for the large and labyrinthine grotto of taihu lake rock at the garden's center. The name of the garden derives from the shape of these rocks which are said to resemble lions. It is recognized with other classical Suzhou gardens as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch, you will drive to Hangzhou. Upon arrival, you will visit the West Lake and take a West Lake Cruise.

Day 11 Hangzhou / Shanghai (B, L, SD)

In the morning, you will visit the Tea Plantation. Hangzhou is the hometown of Longjing Tea. You will experience the beauty and charm of the Tea Plantation and the making process of local famous green tea. You will pick tea in the Tea Plantation just like the local tea-picking girls and you will have a chance to appreciate the Chinese Tea Ceremony. After lunch, you will drive back to Shanghai. Upon arrival, you will walk at the Old Town Market to experience the local Shanghai life. Then you will visit the Bund and Xin Tiandi (New Heaven and Earth) to get acquaintance with the modern Shanghai. In the evening, you will watch the Acrobatic Show. In this show, you can enjoy gravity-defying contortionism, juggling, chair-stacking, and plate-spinning acts. You will have a dim sum dinner as your farewell dinner.

Day 12 Shanghai Departure (B)

Today you will take the first commercial high-speed maglev train to the airport for your homeward flight. Service ends.