Your Journey Map
Classics China 13 days Beijing-Xian-Shanghai
Day 1 | Itinerary: (D)
PM: Arrive in Beijing and meet your local guide at the arrivals gate. Transfer to hotel and check-in (Holiday In Dongzhimen Hotel or equivalent).
Icebreakers, opening ceremony, and welcome dinner
Day 2 | Itinerary: (B, L, D)
AM:The group will kick off proceedings with a visit to see the Temple of Heaven. Here, they will experience imperial Chinese architecture and get a taste of Chinese park life with a unique Kung Fu Experience.
PM: Take a Pedi-cab tour of Beijing’s hutongs (Alternative participate in Gulou Amazing Race)
Visit a traditional Siheyuan and partake in traditional Chinese activities such as calligraphy, paper cutting,
and knot making (Other potential activities: playing ping pong with locals, learn about stories of old objects etc.)
Visit Nan Luo Gu Xiang Shopping Street
Day 3 | Itinerary: (B, L, D)
AM: Bilingual School Visit
PM: Gaze across Tiananmen Square and take in the full weight of its historical and cultural significance
Enter the Forbidden City, where emperors ruled, concubines fluttered their fans, and eunuchs schemed for five hundred years. Here, our academic team will prepare a historical scavenger hunt for the group.
Enjoy Peking Duck Dinner
Day 4 | Itinerary:(B, L, D)
AM: Transfer to Anhui Guild Hall. Peking Opera Fun: students will learn the history behind Peking Opera, learn basic movements & wear costume, and decorate their own Peking Opera Face Masks
PM: Visit the Summer Palace which rulers of China and their families used as their retreats. Take part in an educational photo challenge in your groups!
Day 5 | Itinerary: (B, L, D)
AM: Transfer to Mutianyu, and hike along this incredible section of The Great Wall of China.
(optional) Take a fun toboggan ride down to the bottom.
PM: For lunch we visit the School House Restaurant, we will learn how to make Chinese noodles (School House) before enjoying an authentic noodle lunch
Visit the home of a local doctor. While there, we will come to understand medical practices in a small village and hear stories about lives in a local village
Day 6 | Itinerary:(B, L, D)
AM: Visit The Dandelion School, the first and the only middle school established for children from
low-income migrant families in Greater Beijing.
PM: Transfer to 798 Contemporary Art District and partake in a scavenger hunt that will provide students will educational takeaways that will give them an insight into contemporary Chinese art culture.
Day 7 | Itinerary: (B, L, D)
AM: Transfer to Xi’an by bullet train.
PM: Meet your local guide at the train station and transfer to hotel check in (Xi’an Bell Tower Holiday Inn Express or equivalent).
The Xi’an City Wall was erected in the 14th century during the Ming Dynasty. Students will have the unique opportunity to explore it as they embark on a cycling adventure on the wall itself
Explore the incredible Muslim Quarter and the Great Mosque, experiencing the very heart of Silk Road culture and Chinese street food cuisine
Day 8 | Itinerary: (B, L, D)
AM: Visit and experience the Terracotta Army, one of the most significant discoveries in modern history to learn about the secrets of China’s first emperor. Participate in the Miniterracotta pottery making workshop.
PM: Visit and climb to the top of the Big Goose Pagoda and take in a cityscape view of Xi’an.
After this, the group will participate in a local Shaanxi cuisine MasterChef competition.
Day 9 | Itinerary:(B, L, D)
AM/PM: Transfer to the Qinling Mountain. Regarded as the geographical dividing line between Northern China and Southern China, your students will spend the day hiking, taking in the exquisite mountain scenery.
The day will culminate with a bonfire and BBQ party before transferring back to the hotel
Day 10 | Itinerary:(B, L, D)
AM: Family visits to the cave dwellings, or “yaodongs, explore the different rooms and see how the locals live.
PM: Community exchange program at Huiling Center, a center for the mentally handicapped; students will provide moral support by interacting with residents and financial support by helping with arts and crafts that the center then sells.
Day 11 | Itinerary: (B, L, D)
AM: Transfer to Shanghai by flight or train
PM: Arrive in Shanghai and meet your local guide at the airport.
Transfer to your hotel for check-in (Holiday Inn Express Shanghai or equivalent)
Experience the amazing sights of Shanghai from the tallest building in China, the Shanghai Tower
Enjoy the incredible nighttime views of Shanghai as you embark on a Huangpu River Cruise
Day 12 | Itinerary:(B, L, D)
AM: Walk along the French Concession and soak in the foreign architecture while learning about the different international influences that have had a profound impact on Shanghai over the years.
PM: Visit Yu Garden and Chenghuangmiao Bazaar to experience the architecture style and enjoy the beautiful gardens inside.
Enjoy a stupendous acrobatic performance followed by farewell dinner.
Day 13 | Itinerary: (B)
AM: Easy check out of the hotel and take your flight back home
