15 Days China Panorama Tour with Panda, Tibet & Beautiful Guilin

Nihao! Welcome to Shanghai, China’s most internationalized and vibrant city! Shanghai's long-term fusion of Eastern and Western cultures has contributed to Shanghai's unique culture. Upon your arrival at the airport/train station in Shanghai, the tour guide and driver will meet and greet you at the exit, and then escort you to the well-selected hotel in downtown Shanghai. The rest of the day is free on your own so you can have a good rest for the jet lag or explore by yourself around your hotel.

Arrival Ideas: Travelers can go to Shanghai easily by air or high speed train. There are two airports - Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport operating numerous international and domestic airlines. Travelers can go to Shanghai by air from most cities in China, like Beijing, Xian, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Guilin, Kunming, Lijiang, Lhasa, and more. In addition, travelers can take high speed train to Shanghai from Beijing (4.5-6 hours), Xian (6-7.5 hours), Huangshan (2.5-3 hours), Guangzhou (7-8.5 hours), Suzhou (0.5 hour), Hangzhou (about 45 mins), Wuhan (3.5-4.5 hours), etc.

Free Time Ideas: You are welcome to ask your tour guide for some useful tips to spend your free time based on your time and interest.

Today you will spend the whole day feeling the perfect blend of the West and East in this “Paris of the East” by visiting brilliant museums, traditional Chinese-style gardens, modern skyscrapers, and exotic architecture.

First, head to Shanghai Museum for an awe-inspiring visit to view the finest collection of art and learn about profound Chinese history. Built in the shape of an ancient bronze cooking vessel called a ding, Shanghai Museum has a round top and a square base, symbolizing “round sky, square earth”. It contains 120,000 cultural relics which showcase incredible artifacts of Chinese art throughout 5000 years’ history. Immerse yourselves in the Exhibition Hall of Bronze and Ceramic to appreciate the elaborate bronzes and exquisite artifacts. You won’t miss the chance to enjoy the top treasures - Da Ke Ding (bronze food vessel over 3000 years ago), and Bianzhong of Marquis Su of Jin (ancient musical instruments). Next, move to Yu Garden, the most celebrated classical Chinese garden hidden in the bustling Shanghai downtown area. Enjoy a leisure walk and visit the Chinese architecture, and feast your years with exquisite sculptures and carvings. Yuyuan Bazaar outside the garden is a fun place to taste some local snacks as well as buy some traditional Chinese handicrafts and artworks.

After that, you will take a stroll along Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, where lots of well-known brands, restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops, and towering buildings stand on both sides. Continue your walk to the Bund, the top 1 place to visit on the Shanghai bucket list. Reputed as “An Exhibition of International Buildings”, the Bund is a collection of 52 buildings in various international architectural styles. Overlook the amazing skyline and skyscrapers of the Pudong Area from the Bund. The last stop today is the Shanghai Tower, the tallest building in China and the second in the world, at a height of 362 meters. Ascents up to 546 meters over the 118th floor for a breathtaking panoramic view of modern Shanghai.

This morning, your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby and escort you to a peaceful walk in the Jade Buddha Temple in bustling Shanghai, among the modern blocks and mansions. It is one of Shanghai's few active Buddhist temples with about 70 resident monks. In this Shanghai must-see attraction, you will see the largest Jade Buddha in the world and local people throng to pray for prosperity. If there is still some time, you can transfer to Tianzifang in the former French Concession area of Shanghai. It is a place to find tourist arts and crafts， appreciate the preservation of local Shikumen architecture, and watch the daily life of local Shanghai people. Then you will head to the airport for your flight to Guilin (about 3 hours).

Welcome to Guilin, the most picturesque paradise in China! Upon your arrival at the airport in Guilin, the tour guide and driver will meet and greet you at the exit, and then escort you to the well-selected hotel in downtown Guilin. Your guide will help you check in your hotel. Taking a walk along the Binjiang Road and tasting the rice noodles are recommended activities for your leisure time.

“East or west, Guilin landscape is the best”. After breakfast, you will go to explore the most stunning natural scenery along the Li River, which is renowned as one of the “the world’s top 10 watery wonders” by National Geographic. Drive about 1 hour from your hotel to the pier and start a 4.5-hour relaxing sightseeing Li River cruise trip to Yangshuo. Along the 84-kilometer scenic cruise, you will feast your eyes with endless Chinese paintings of winding rivers, numerous green limestone karst peaks, grazing water buffalo, farmers working in the fertile fields, and idyllic villages nestled at the bases of the hills. (Note: Lunch is served on the cruise with simple local Chinese cuisine.)

After arriving in Yangshuo, the driver will pick you up from the dock and drive to your hotel in Yangshuo town for a short rest. Then it's a relaxing moment for an impressive exploration of the Yangshuo countryside with its beautiful rural landscape. You can either hop on a bike or rent an electric scooter to explore the postcard-like karst hills and rice paddies and pass by some tranquil villages. Let all the picturesque scenes please your eyes and your souls to the maximum for total relaxation.

Later, you will stroll leisurely along the West Street, which is the most prosperous area in Yangshuo. Restaurants, bars and souvenir shops along the street are always full of guests. It is a fusion of western culture and Chinese culture and it is the best place to spend your nightlife here. Whether you want to enjoy a cup of coffee, taste some local food or just throw yourself into the vivid atmosphere... all you can get.

After breakfast, transfer back to Guilin for further exploration. Start your visit to the Symbol of Guilin - Elephant Trunk Hill. Located on the intersection of Li River and Peach Blossom River, the Elephant Trunk Hill looks like a huge elephant drinking water in the river. And then you will pay a visit to the Reed Flute Cave, which is a classic scenic spot of karst landform. The amazing stalactites and stalagmites in the cave look like animals or plants. When the colorful neon lights are on, you will feel like walking in a crystal palace. After the tour, you will be escorted to airport for your flight to Chengdu (about 3 hours).

Welcome to Chengdu, the panda hometown! Upon your arrival in Chengdu, your guide will meet you at the exit of the airport and escort you to your hotel in Chengdu downtown area. The rest of today is free on your own to explore this laid-back city well known for Giant Pandas and Sichuan cuisine. The Sichuan hotpot and Sichuan Opera are highly recommended evening activities.

After breakfast, you are going to fulfill your panda dream with a 17-kilometer drive to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Also called Chengdu Panda Base, accommodated over 100 pandas, it is the base with the largest population of captive giant pandas in the world. You will see giant pandas of different ages there. It’s great fun to watch them playing, eating, climbing, sleeping… If you come in autumn, you will have the chance to see the pink newborn giant panda cubs in the Sunshine Nursery House and the Moonlight Nursery House. Besides giant pandas, you can also meet the cute red pandas walking by your side in the Red Panda Playgrounds. Then follow your guide to discover more about panda’s secrets through the Panda Museum. (Note: Pandas like cool weather, so we advise you to arrive there early as pandas are more active in the morning.)

Later, be transferred to the best preserved Buddhist monastery in Chengdu - Wenshu Monastery to feel the peaceful atmosphere. Pay a visit to Chengdu’s Renmin Park (People’s Park) to witness the city’s leisurely lifestyle and how the local people are doing. Order a cup of fragrant green tea while sitting in the time-honored tea-house, chat with your friends and see local playing mahjong and having fun. After that, return to Chengdu downtown for a relaxing stroll at Jinli Old Street. With a history over 1,800 years, it showcases the profound cultures of Ancient Shu Kingdom. Take a nice walk on the traditional stone-paved street full of delicious local snacks, delicate artifacts, interesting folk shows, etc.

After breakfast, you will have some free time in Chengdu and explore more on your own till your guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to Lhasa (about 2.5 hous).

Tashi Delek! Welcome to Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region! Upon your arrival at the airport/train station in Lhasa, the tour guide and driver will meet you at the exit, and then escort you to the well-selected hotel in downtown Lhasa. You can have a good rest to get used to the altitude (3,650m) in your hotel and get ready to explore Lhasa with your guide the next day.

Kind Reminds:

1. It is good to avoid the highland sickness by slow down, keep warm, drink some water frequently, no shower for the first one or two days, take it easy, and sleep well.

2. You should always follow your doctor’s advice on altitude according to your health condition.

3. Be sure to let your guide or the hotel staff know whenever you feel unwell or need help. The people there are always willing to help and good at dealing with altitude sickness.

Today you will explore Lhasa for its brilliant architectures, culture, and history, then stroll through the famous Barkhor Street with locals and experience the daily kora life of Tibetans.

In the morning, you can walk into Potala Palace, the traditional residence and winter palace of the Dalai Lama (1649-1959). It takes 365 steps from potala gate to reach the Red Palace which is the highest palace in the world at an altitude of 3,700m. Through the principal halls, chapels, and shrines of past Dalai Lamas in the Red Palace, you will be astonished and touched by its remarkable paintings, gorgeous jeweled works, skilled carving, colorful ornamentation, and the mystery stories behind the treasures. Inside the Potala Palace you will meet lots of Tibetan pilgrims who come all the way from afar to this sacred site to pray as their life time destination. You can also ask your guide to share more information about Songtsen Gampo, the 33rd king of Tibet, who first build the Potala Palace in the 7th century for his marriage to Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty. (Note: We may adjust the visit order due to the visiting time of your Potala Palace ticket. All visitors must visit the Potala Palace with a tour group while staying inside for an hour. No photo inside.)

After exploring the Potala Palace Museum, the picture behind the 50 RMB, you can move to the 1300-year-old Jokhang Temple, the spiritual center of Tibet and a world cultural heritage site. It is said that the Jokhang Monastery is built for King Songtsen Gampo's two brides: Chinese Princess Wencheng and Nepal Princess Bhrikuti. "Jokhang" means "House of Buddha", it houses the statue of the life-size 12-year-old Sakyamuni which is the treasure of the Buddhism world. That is why Buddhist pilgrims take it as the holiest destination. The time seems to stand still when you watch them pray in front of the temple during the day and night.

Later, you can take a walk back to the busy Barkhor Street, it was a place for Buddhists to do a kora (pilgrim circuit) around the Jokhang Monastery in ancient times. Nowadays, it become a thriving local market where you can try local snacks, dress in Tibetan clothes for photos, and pick up some local Tibetan, Nepalese, and Indian handicrafts and souvenirs.

Today you will enjoy the culture tour of Lhasa via a visit to two of the "great three" Gelug university monasteries of Tibet, the Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery.

In the morning, drive about 35min (12km) to visit Drepung Monastery which was the largest Tibetan monastery (Gelug Sect, Yellow Hat) in Lhasa. It used to be Dalai Lama’s palace before he moved to the Potala Palace in the 17th century. Now it is famous for Drepung Shoton Festival held each August, people come to offer yogurt to the monks who finished the 100 days’ meditation while enjoying the grandest Buddha (thangka) unfolding ceremony. Besides the unique architecture and amazing buildings, you can watch monks debating in Tibetan Buddhism vibrant and active with expansive gestures, clapping, and stamping.

After Drepung Temple, you will have about a 2-hour Tibetan culture tour at Tibet Handicraft Art Center. It is a great chance for you to learn about how to make Thangka, Tibet carvings, food, pottery, incense, jewelry…

In the afternoon, drive another 40min (14km) to visit Sera Monastery. Step on one of the most beautiful monastery compounds, and its white stone roads and walkways makes you feel almost Mediterranean. The highlight of Sera Monastery is watching the monks’ debate at around 15:00 - 17:00 (except Sundays). It is an interesting form of debate, you can see one monk, the questioner, standing while the answerer or group of answerers, sitting. The standing monk will ask question and slap his palms and stomp, each action has its special meaning, such as activating wisdom, and are not meant to be aggressive. After that, head back to your hotel.

You tour guide will escort you to airport for your flight to Xian (About 3 hours, Economy Class Flight Ticket arranged by AOT)

Welcome to Xian, the capital of 13 ancient China dynasties! Upon your arrival at the train station in Xian, the tour guide and driver will meet and greet you at the exit, and then escort you to the well-selected hotel in Xian. The rest of the day is free on your own to explore by yourselves around your hotel.

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel. Drive about 40km (about 1 hour) to uncover one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in the world - the Terracotta Army Museum, which was built by the first emperor of China - Qin Shihuang to protect him in his afterlife. There are about 8,000 vivid life-size Terracotta Warriors found so far. First, pay a visit to the largest and most imposing pit which is believed to contain over 6,000 terracotta figures of soldiers and horses. You will be amazed by the subterranean life-size army of thousands silently standing and guarding the emperor and also be awed by the fabulous artistic skills of ancient Chinese artisans. Next, move to another pit where you can feast your eyes with around 1300 warriors and horses. You can get to examine the ancient army array by visiting the kneeling and standing archers, the chariot war array and numerous troopers holding weapons, etc.

After lunch, drive back to downtown to visit the Ancient City Wall (also known as the Fortification of Xian). The city wall is a kind of defensive structure in Ancient Times and represents one of the oldest, largest, and best-preserved Chinese city walls. Spend some time leisurely walking on the wall and enjoy its inner and outer walls, watchtowers, and moat, and have panoramic views of modern Xian.

Late in the afternoon, go to explore the vivid local life when you go to wander happily around the bustling and lively Muslim Quarter. It is a paradise mixed with different local snacks and Muslim culture.

This morning, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel and take you to visit Giant Wild Goose Pagoda (Big Wild Goose Pagoda). Standing in the Da Ci’en Temple complex, the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda (World Heritage) was originally built in Tang Dynasty which is about 1,370 years ago, it is functioned to collect Buddhist materials that were taken from India by the hierarch Xuanzang. You can learn more from your guide about Xuanzang who set off from Chang'an (the ancient Xi'an) along the Silk Road, using 17 years to traversing 100 countries, finally arriving in India, the cradle of Buddhism.

After that transfer to Shaanxi History Museum. Regarded as “the Pearl of ancient dynasties and house of Chinese treasures”, it has collections of 130,000 historical artifacts, showing visitors a miniature overview of thousand years of Chinese history and the splendid ancient cultures of old times. Enjoy the educational visit while exploring historical relics ranging from bronze ware from the Western Zhou Dynasty, and terracotta figures, to gold and silverware and murals discovered in Tang tombs.

After the tour, you will be transferred to the train station for your bullet train to next destination – Beijing (4.5 - 5.5 hours). Upon arrival in Beijing, your guide will meet you at the train station and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free on your own so you can explore by yourself around your hotel.

Today you will spend the whole day exploring the ancient citadel Beijing through China’s famous landmarks, epic imperial grandeur and royal gardens.

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up at your hotel and then head to Tian’anmen Square, which is the world’s largest public square and also the symbol of China. It has witnessed many big events in China over the past decades and from here you can take good pictures of Tiananmen Gate showing on CCTV News every day.

Walk across the square and you will visit the might and splendor of the awe-inspiring Forbidden City, the world’s largest palace complex and one-time home to 24 emperors of China. Listed as a world heritage site, Forbidden City has about 500 years’ history, and served as the political and ritual center of China during the Ming (1368-1644) and the Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. With over 8,728 rooms, the Forbidden City is not only China’s largest and best-preserved collection of ancient buildings, but also a city within the city, like the Vatican in Rome. Enter through Meridian Gate and visit along the central axis to ensure you won’t miss any highlighted palaces. You can admire its brilliant architecture and numerous ancient art treasures while listening to your guide and learning more about the emperors’ stories hidden inside the Imperial Palace. Later, take another 15-minute walk up to Jingshan Park, where you can have a magnificent panorama of modern Beijing and princely views over the russet roofs of the Forbidden City.

In this afternoon, drive to the “Museum of Royal Garden” - Summer Palace, which used to be the resort for royal families to flee summer heat. The grounds, temples, gardens, pavilions, lakes, bridges, gate-towers, and corridors are a marvel of landscaping. Enjoy the leisure walk and take your time to appreciate the imperial architectures, hilltop views, and beautiful lakes, which offer a pastoral escape into the landscapes of traditional Chinese painting.

Recommended Optional Activity: You can try the famous Peking Roasted Duck at Quanjude this evening.

In this morning, you will head northwest of Beijing (about 1.5-2 hours’ drive, 73km) to the Great Wall at Mutianyu. The Great Wall boasts a history over 2,000 years and stretches more than 3,000 miles across several provinces of northern China, making it one of the most impressive ancient masterpieces on the planet. Mutianyu Great Wall is connected with the Jiankou Great Wall in the west and the Gubeikou Great Wall in the east. Mutianyu is the longest and best fully-restored Great Wall with fewer tourists and is also famed for its 23 Ming-era watchtowers and stunning views. Take the cable car up to the 14th watchtower and then enjoy the memorable hiking time on the wall while visiting its western route. With the green pines and cypresses covering the surrounding area, and the winding wall standing majestically on the vast land, you will capture the most stunning natural scenery in this section. Challenge yourselves while climbing up to the 20th watchtower where you could fulfill your Great Wall dream. Cherish the chance and take photos as many as you like!

After the once-in-lifetime experience, head back to downtown Beijing and have the chance to take photos with the exterior of the Bird's Nest (Beijing National Stadium) and Water Cube (Beijing National Aquatics Center). They were both designed for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and used for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

After that, transfer back to your hotel and have a good rest tonight.

This morning you will head to Temple of Heaven. Located in Beijing's Tiantan Park, the Temple of Heaven is much bigger than the Forbidden City and smaller than the Summer Palace. As a World Heritage, the Temple of Heaven (Taoist temple) is also known for its rigorous symbolic layout, peculiar structure, and magnificent decoration. The Temple of Heaven used to be a place to offer sacrifice to Heaven by 22 Chinese emperors twice a year for good harvests. You can learn more about the grand praying ceremony there, as well as observe the amazing designs such as the Echo Wall and the Triple Sound Stones. Nowadays, it is also a park for local people to do morning exercise and you are welcome to join them.

If there is more time, you can also enjoy the relaxing time exploring the ordinary local life through the old Hutongs. Take a rickshaw tour to travel through the narrow alleys with many featured shops standing on both sides.

Then, it is time to end your 15-day China tour. Your guide will escort you to the airport/train station for your flight or high speed train to your next destination. Thank you for choosing Asia Odyssey Travel for your China tour, and we are always here working for you and hope to see you again for your next trip to China/Asia.