8 Days China Ancient Capitals Tour
Full Exploration of Charming World Heritage Sites
Highlights of this tour:
- Learn about the solemn ancient imperial culture in Beijing, and take a wonderful walking on the Great Wall;
- Take a high speed train to Luoyang to visit the magnificent Longmen Grottoes and Shaolin Temple;
- Finish your trip at Xian which has the world famous site - Terracotta Warriors.
- Use the fast and comfortable high speed train as major transfer.
Basic Trip Information
- Price:
- from
$1120
- 1. This price is for one person, based on a group of 2 adults sharing one double-bed room in a 4-star hotel and traveling in low seasons;
- 2. This price is subject to change according to your traveling season, group size, hotel class, change of activities and possible fluctuation of currency exchange rate.
- Travel Route:
- Beijing / Luoyang / Xian
- Travel Length:
- 8 Days and 7 Nights
- Tour Code:
- CD-BLX-08
- Group Size:
- You, your family, friends or group
- Experience:
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- Departure:
- Any day you want
Your tour - at a glance
Day 1~4 Arrival & Beijing Tour
Day 5~6 Luoyang Tour & High Speed Train to Xian
Day 7~8 Xian Tour & Departure
Full Itinerary Day by Day
Day 1 Beijing Arrival
Ni Hao, welcome to Beijing, the iconic city as well as the capital of China!
You will be met by your local tour guide at the arrival hall of your arrival airport or train station, then be escorted to check in to your hotel in downtown by a private comfortable vehicle. The rest of today is on your own to relax. If you want to explore nearby, feel free to get some practical suggestions from your tour guide.
Arrival Ideas: At present, there are many international and domestic flights to Beijing. Besides, you can take a high speed train to this capital city from Shanghai (4.5-6 hrs), Xian (4-6 hrs), Guangzhou (7.5-8 hrs), Chengdu (7.5-10 hrs), Chongqing (7-9 hrs), Hong Kong (8 hrs), etc.
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Tour guide picked up our clients at Beijing airport
Day 2 Beijing ( B, L )
After breakfast, start to explore the historical face of Beijing with a brief visit to Tiananmen Square, now the largest city plaza in the world. Tiananmen Gate on the northern side of the square was the site where Chairman Mao announced the establishment of the People's Republic of China. Stepping into the Tiananmen, you will see one of the world's five most important palaces - the Forbidden City, a huge palace complex of more than 9,000 rooms where 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties lived. Pass through various doorways in this magnificent structure to admire the beautiful and well-preserved buildings decorated with yellow-glazed tile roofs, white marble bases and splendid colorful paintings.
After lunch, drive to the outskirts of Beijing to spend an enjoyable time in the Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China. Stroll around ancient pavilions, mansions, temples, bridges and corridors while feasting your eyes on the vast lotus in Kunming Lake and the colorful paintings in the Long Corridor.
Optional activities: 1) You can watch a wonderful Kungfu Show in the Red Theater (Hong Ju Chang) which usually starts at 19:30; 2) Enjoy the classic Chinese art performance of Beijing Opera at Liyuan Theater between 19:30-21:00.
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Summer Palace Shot by Our Guest Nguyen
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Tiananmen Gate at Tiananmen Square
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Forbidden City Photographed by Our Customer
Day 3 Beijing ( B, L )
After breakfast, drive about 70km to witness one of the Seven Wonders of the World - the Great Wall. Visit the Mutianyu, a less crowded yet well-preserved segment of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty. It will more than live up to all of your expectations! You’ll take a cable car to ascend the Great Wall, then hike the most beautiful and interesting part of Mutianyu. It's a wonderful experience to climb up its rising towers to enjoy scenic views and take brag-worthy photos of the wall wriggling along mountain ridges. After the exciting time, descend Mutianyu Great Wall by cable car. (Note: If energy permits, you can hike up or down which takes about 40 minutes to climb steps. Please tell your likes to your travel consultant.)
Continue your trip to Sacred Way, a 7-kilometer-long passage leading to the Imperial Tombs of 13 Emperors of Ming Dynasty. The Emperor, known as the Son of the Heaven, who came from Heaven to his country through the Sacred Way, also would return to Heaven through this road. Take a walk through the largest archway in China and Great Palace Gate and you’ll see the magnificent stone guard of 12 sets of mythical animals and 12 officials. Then drive back to Beijing city and take a short stop at the Beijing Olympic Village to view its famous Bird’s Nest and Water Cube from the outside.
Optional activity: After the whole day’s tour, treat yourself a great dinner to taste the famous Peking Roasted Duck in a local restaurant.
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Mutianyu Great Wall Shot by Our Customer Kim
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Our customers visited Bird's Nest in 2019
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Our Guest at the Sacred Way
Day 4 Beijing & High Speed Train to Luoyang ( B, L )
After breakfast, drive to the imperial site of the Temple of Heaven. Originally a site used to pay homage to Heaven and pray for good harvests, it is now a bustling place where locals take part in traditional activities such as Tai Chi, dancing, kite flying, water calligraphy, and others.
Then get back to the central city to hop on a rickshaw to experience the Beijing Hutongs - small alleys made by neighboring quadrangle dwellings. Shuttle among different Hutongs to get a feel of the old Beijing lifestyle, visit various antique shops and small boutiques, and truly feel the historical changes of Beijing, also pay a visit to a local family’s home in the traditional Hutongs.
Your Beijing tour is now about to end. Your tour guide will see you off at the Beijing West Railway Station for a high speed train trip to Luoyang (about 4 hours). You will be picked up by your tour guide at Luoyang Longmen Railway Station and escorted to your hotel in Luoyang. The rest of the day is on your own to explore this ancient capital of China.
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Summer Palace Shot by Our Guest Nguyen
Day 5 Luoyang - Dengfeng - Luoyang ( B, L )
After breakfast, you will be picked up by your tour guide at your hotel, and drive 55km (1.5hrs) to Shaolin Temple. Spending about 2 hours exploring this birthplace of Zen Buddhism and the cradle of Kung Fu. You will visit the grandiose temples and halls, admire stone carving art, learn about Buddhism culture, and observe the daily living and meditation of monks in the temple. Don't miss the famous Pagoda Forest, the existing largest pagoda forest in China. When an important monk passed away, their cremains or skeleton would be put into the underground palace, and a pagoda will be built on it. The pagoda's height, size and number of layers will be decided according to the monk's Buddhism knowledge, reputation and merits and virtues during his lifetime. You will also enjoy a magnificent Kung Fu Show in Shaolin Wushu Hall which is performed by martial monks of Shaolin Temple, and usually last for half hour each day.
Leaving the temples complex, you will take a cable car to reach the starting point of Sanhuang Village trail which is the most beautiful part of Mount Song. There are stone stairs like amazing skyroad over 3 kilometers constructed on the mountain cliff. It is peaceful, mystical, surprising and unique to walk on the stairs, get amazed by vertical rock surfaces in layers that were formed 2 billion years ago, and enjoy panoramic scenery of Mount Song. Without many ups-and-downs, Sanhuang Village hiking is very enjoyable and can be done by most travelers even seniors and kids.
After the hiking, take cable car to descend the mountain and transfer back to Luoyang City.
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Hiking to Sanhuang Village
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Experience the Real Shaolin Kung Fu
Day 6 Luoyang & High Speed Train to Xian ( B, L )
After breakfast, start today's trip with a visit to White Horse Temple, located approximately 50 minutes' drive from downtown. Established in AD 68 during the Eastern Han dynasty, White Horse Temple holds the distinction of being China's first Buddhist temple, boasting a history spanning over 1900 years. Since its establishment, it has played a pivotal role in spreading Buddhism throughout China and is revered as the cradle of Chinese Buddhism. A visit to White Horse Temple offers the opportunity to admire the ancient architecture of the main temple and explore other temples in the International Zone, each featuring distinct exotic styles such as the Indian Temple, Burmese Temple, and Thai Temple.
After sightseeing, drive about 20 minutes' driving to the iconic site of Luoyang - Longmen Grottoes. Densely scattered along the cliffs on both banks of Yi River, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Longmen Grottoes contain the largest and most impressive collection of Chinese art of the late Northern Wei and Tang Dynasties (316-907). You’ll appreciate the Chinese Buddhist art by visiting the major caves (Fengxian Temple, Guyang Cave, Three Bingyang Caves etc.) with notable displays of Buddhist sculptures and calligraphic inscriptions.
After the tour, you will be escorted to the Luoyang Longmen Railway Station and take a high speed train to Xian(less 2hrs). After arrival, be met and transferred to check in to your hotel in Xian downtown.
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Our Client Mr. Pasquale visited Fengxian Temple, Longmen Grottoes
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The Bell Tower in White Horse Temple
Day 7 Xian ( B, L)
After breakfast, drive about 40 km to discover one of the greatest man-made wonders in the world - the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, built by the first emperor of China Qin Shihuang to protect him in his afterlife. Over 8,000 life-size warriors, horses and chariots, buried in 3 pits for more than 2,000 years until uncovered by a local farmer in 1974, form an ancient military army with complete battle units of infantry, cavalry, etc. Standing in front of these figures, one can’t help being amazed not only by the ambition of Emperor Qin Shihuang but also by the fabulous artistic skills of ancient Chinese artisans. (Before the Terracotta Warriors Museum visit, you will have a rare opportunity to make a miniature Terracotta Warrior on your own under the instruction of a local potter.)
After lunch, return to Xian to spend a leisure time on the Ancient City Wall, the largest and best-preserved ancient city wall in China. Just like the merchants and envoys on the Silk Road thousands of years ago, you will enter the interior of the city walls through the Hanguang Gate. There you will visit a mini museum to see the real Tang Dynasty city wall ruins from over 1400 years ago, including gateways, cross-sections of the wall, and the remains of water channels. After the museum visit, get up to the city wall to enjoy a leisure stroll and pleasant panoramic views of Xian city. Rent a bike (extra cost: 45RMB) to enjoy a relaxing cycling on the Wall is strongly recommended. The cycling routes and duration are flexible. Feel free to discuss with your tour guide. Leave the City Wall, then go to wander leisurely around the bustling and lively Muslim Quarter, a place where you can try different local snacks and explore Muslim culture.
This evening you will be offered an interesting visit to Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City which is a great place to walk, enjoy amazing nightscape and most importantly recall the prosperity and glory of the mighty Tang Dynasty. Seeing this area at night is totally different as the lighting is marvelous yet tastefully done.
Optional activity: enjoy a wonderful Tang Palace Dance Show (usually from 8pm to 9pm) after (or without) a hearty dumpling dinner.
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Terracotta Warriors
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Our customers enjoyed biking on Ancient City Wall in 2019
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Muslim Quarter, Picture Shared by Our Guest Anath from India
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Dazzling Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City lovely night views
Day 8 Xian & Xian Departure ( B )
After breakfast, head to Da Cien Temple, a famous Buddhist sutra translation place in Tang Dynasty. Big Wild Goose Pagoda is the most famous building in the temple. With a height of 64.5 meters, the pagoda was built by the famous Buddhist master Xuanzang to reserve classic scriptures he bought from India in early Tang Dynasty. (Xuanzang, the prototype character of Tang Seng in the novel of Journey to the West). (Note: It charges extra 30 RMB to climb up the Big Wild Goose Pagoda)
Following is an educational visiting to Shaanxi History Museum. Ramble in the modern exhibition halls to appreciate relics, such as porcelains, paintings, currencies from Zhou to the Tang periods (1100BC to 907 AD). (Note: Shaanxi History Museum may be replaced with other activity or attraction because of crowding tourists during July ~ early September and China’s National Day during Oct.1-Oct.7. You may check details with your travel consultant.)
After the tour, be escorted to catch your flight/train to next destination.
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Wilfred from Nederlandse visited Big Wild Goose Pagoda in 2018
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Collections in Shaanxi History Museum
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