Welcome to China! Upon your arrival, your friendly tour guide holding your name sign will greet you at the arrival hall, then transfer you to the hotel for a good rest to recover from jetlag or explore Beijing a bit by your own.

Begin your Beijing explorations from a leisure stroll at Tiananmen Square, and then head to the grand Forbidden City, the largest and best-preserved imperial palace complex witnessing the rises and falls of Ming and Qing dynasties from 1420 to 1912. Known as Palace Museum, over a million incomparable treasures enable you to trace back to the gorgeous life and appealing anecdotes of royal families.

Then discover the local Beijingers' daily life as you take a rickshaw ride into the intricate and old Hutongs, where traditional residential areas have been well preserved from Ming and Qing dynasties. At last, learn to paint a facial mask in the famous Peking Opera at a traditional courtyard to experience the traditional art of Beijing. Then sit back and return to your hotel.

Magnificent white marble railings in Forbidden City

Today, you will first visit the less-crowded and best-preserved Mutianyu Great Wall. Over 2,000 years, the Great Wall stretching over 13,000 miles from west to east perfectly resisted nomadic groups and protected central Chinese states and empire, where you are expected not only to soak up the wild sceneries but to feel awe for the grandeur wonder built by ancient Chinese without the help of any machinery. Mutianyu section is the best preserved and quieter section of the great defensive system. Round-trip Cable Car is included to make your exploration easier and to save more time for hiking on the wall.

Afterwards, on the way back to the downtown, drop by the 2008 Beijing Olympic' landmarks - the iconic Bird's Nest and Water Cube followed by a visit to the imperial garden Summer Palace, which offers year-round picturesque sceneries of gardens, halls, pavilions, archaic Long Corridor, peaceful Kunming Lake and verdant Longevity Hill.

The Marble boat in Summer Palace

In the morning, get immersed into the local's enjoyable lifestyle as you head to the Temple of Heaven, the magnificent blue-tiled golden halls where ceremonies used to be held for good harvest and luck for the next year by emperors. You are more than welcome to join these friendly locals for morning exercises like group dancing, Taichi and shuttlecock.

Afterwards, you will be taken to the railway station to catch a 4.5-hour high-speed train to China's another ancient capital Xian. Upon arrival, meet your friendly Xian guide and get back to hotel.

Drive about 1 hour to explore the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum, the largest underground military troops that unveil themselves by accidental discovery and shocked the whole world in 1974. Over 2,000 years, nearly 8,000 life-sized clay figures owning distinctive facial expressions, hair styles, and uniforms have protected the first emperor Qinshihuang in his afterlife.

Then set foot on the 600-year-old City Wall, the most complete and best-preserved military fortification in China that encircles the central downtown with a total length of about 14km (about 8.75 miles).

Afterwards, stroll down the bustling Muslim Quarter to feast your appetite with various tasty local snacks and tour around the Great Mosque to soak up the well-preserved Islamic structure built in traditional Chinese style.

Full-sized Terracotta Army with unique faces uncovered after being buried for over 2,000 years

Catch a morning flight to Lhasa, which will take 3.5 hours. Please take a break in the hotel upon arrival and adapt yourself to the high altitude gradually. Lhasa enjoys an average altitude of around 3658 meters (12,000 ft), and the spots like Potala Palace and Drepung Monastery get higher altitude of 3800 meters (around 12,500ft). 

Note: Please do not take a shower, drink alcohol or smoke in the first two days upon arrival. Please keep warm.

Unveil the mysterious Tibet from a glimpse of the sacred Potala Palace, the world-famous landmark of Tibet built by Songtsen Gampo to marry his bride, Princess Wencheng from Chang'an (ancient capital of Xi'an) during 7th century. Known as a museum of Buddhist art, Potala Palace treasures the profound Tibetan cultures like scripture shrines, eye-catching murals and Tibetan temples that will make your Lhasa explorations worthwhile.

Afterwards, explore the Jokang Temple built in 647AD by order of Songtsen Gampo, the holiest and most divine Buddhist temple dedicated to the 12-year-old Shakyamuni statue brought from ancient capital Xi'an by Chinese Princess Wencheng, receiving thousands of faithful pilgrims to worship every day. Mural paintings, sphinx and religious sculptures takes you to be impressed by the profound Tibetan Buddhism.

Delve into the bustling Berkhor Street located at the old block of Lhasa where devout pilgrims, boutique Tibetan souvenirs as well as delicious local snacks will amaze you.

The spectacular and holy Potala Palace

Set out for a relaxing exploration to Norblingka, the largest Tibetan garden built as a summer palace for Dalai Lamas. Stroll in the verdant gardens and appreciate various plants and grand Tibetan architectures.

Then proceed to the imposing Drepung Monastery with a history of over 500 years, teemed with snowy-white architecture complexes like rice piling up the majestic mountains seen from the distance, thus named Drepung associated with the prosperity.

At last, end your day with a visit to the Sera Monastery dating back to 600 years old, highlighted in its famous fierce debate over Buddhism scriptures to admire their pursuit of the Buddhism belief.

Your exploration at this holy land ends today, and you will fly to Shanghai to immerse into its intersection of past and future.

Begin your Shanghai explorations from the Yu Garden, a classic private garden dating back to the Ming dynasties. Setting in Shanghai's old center, it would delight you with its exquisite layout and artistic style where pavilions, rockeries, pools are integrated with the natural settings in perfect harmony.

Then drive back to the world-famous shopping center Nanjing Road and the Bund where you will be amazed by the grandeur of architecture varied in styles presenting Shanghai's dramatic changes over hundreds of years.

Afterwards, ascend to the top of the world's 9th tallest skyscraper-Shanghai World Financial Center to enjoy a marvelous bird's eye view of the cosmopolis.

Continue the sightseeing to Xintiandi (New World of Shanghai) to discover the traditional Shikumen constructions.

After lingering for a while, visit the Jade Buddha Temple housing the largest Reclining Jade Buddha statue imported from Burma to conclude your wonderful day.

Bird view of gorgeous night view of the Bund

Your 11-day wonderful China exploration ends here and you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight.