Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. Pick up from the airport and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Heaven, built in 1420 A.D., which was originally the platform to offer sacrifices to Heaven during Ming and Qing Dynasties. The buildings and parklands reflect an ancient Chinese thought of “the Heaven is round and the earth is square”. (D)
Accommodation: ***Ping An Fu Hotel

Begin the day’s activity with a visit to Tian’anmen Square, the largest urban square in the world. Tian’anmen
was built in 1417 and served as the entrance gate to the Imperial Palace. Move on to visit the Imperial Palace, well-known as Forbidden City which is the large scale construction of the palace extended from 1406 to 1420. It was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. 24 emperors lived and ruled China from here. In the afternoon, visit the enchanting Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China. As a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design, it integrates the natural landscape of hills and open water with manmade features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges into a harmonious and aesthetically exceptional whole. Enjoy a Peking Duck for dinner. (B,L,D)
Accommodation: ***Ping An Fu Hotel

Today’s highlight is your visit to the Great Wall, one of the “Seven Wonders of the World” and a symbol of Chinese civilization. Climb Mutianyu Great Wall (excluded Cable Car) to avoid the crowds. Then, drive to visit the statue-lined Shenlu (Spirit Road) leading to the Ming Tombs, here you can see some marvelous stone sculptures. The Ming Tombs area is for 13 deceased emperors of Ming Dynasty. Visit the Changling Tomb which is the largest of the 13 as you can imagine it is quite impressive. (B,L)
Accommodation: ***Ping An Fu Hotel

After a relaxed breakfast at hotel this morning, you will walk through some old “Hutongs”, lanes or alleys formed by lines of Siheyuan (a compound with houses around a courtyard).  Then, you will visit the Yonghe Lama Temple, the largest and most perfectly preserved Tibetan Buddhist Lama Temple outside Tibet. It was built in 1649 as the residence of Prince Yong of Qing Dynasty, and was converted to a temple after he became Emperor moving to Forbidden City. Pay a visit Pearl Factory and Silk Factory. Transfer to Beijing West Railway Station, and take train to Lhasa. (B,L)
Accommodation: on the train

On the train. (no meal)
Accommodation: on the train

Arrive in Lhasa in evening, and transfer to the Hotel on arrival. Rest and acclimatize yourself to the local time and altitude. (No meal)
Accommodation: ***Gorka Hotel 

The first day of sightseeing starts from Lhasa’s cardinal landmark- Potala Palace, a structure of massive portions. Its towering image has already appeared on various occasions, but your first sight of the Potala will still be an awe-inspiring moment. It takes at least a good 2-hour to visit those rooms, halls and chapels. Some 2km to the east of the Potala is the most revered religious structure and the holiest temple in Tibet - Jokhang Temple. Bustling with worshippers and redolent with mystery, the Jokhang is an unrivalled experience. The quadrangle of streets surrounding the Jokhang is the Barkhor Market - Lhasa’s most interesting pilgrimage circuit. This area of the Old Town is both the spiritual heart of Lhasa and the main commercial district for Tibetans. The rest of day is free. (B,L)
Accommodation: ***Gorka Hotel

Sightsee of the Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery and Norbulingka in Lhasa. Drepung Monastery, the largest and richest monastery in Tibet, was founded in 1416 by a disciple of Tsong Khapa under the patronage of a noble family and later enlarged by the Fifth Dalai Lama. Nowadays it stands as Tibet’s most important and largest monastic university in Tibet. Norbulingka Park (Treasure Garden) was built in the 1740s during the reign of the seventh Dalai Lama. Later it was renovated and enlarged and became the Dalai Lama’s Summer Palace. Sera Monastery is located a few miles to the north of Lhasa, is one of the three largest monasteries. (B,L)
Accommodation: ***Gorka Hotel

Day is at leisure. (B)
Accommodation: ***Gorka Hotel

Lhasa Destination guide： Namtso Lake, located 200km in the north of Lhasa, lying at the foot of Nyainqentanglha Mountain, is the highest lake in the world, considered as the holy lake in Tibet. Yabajing Thermal Spring is on its way, enjoying the hot spring and greeting with the beautiful scenery of Tibetan northern grassland.
Or walk around the hive of Barkhor to shop rare Tibetan items.

Transfer to the airport, and fly to Xi’an. Xi’an, with a history of 3100 years, is just like living history book. Moving around this old city is like going through thousands of years back in time. Pick up on arrival and transfer to the hotel. (B)

Begin the day’s activity with an once-in-a-lifetime viewing of the extraordinary Terracotta Warriors and Horses, 2,200-year-old underground army of he first feudal Emperor, Qin Shihuang. Life size terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations are the star features at the museum. Stop to visit a mountain village on the back way. Then, visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda (not climb up) which was built in 652 A.D. It contains a large volume of Buddhist scriptures which were obtained from India by the eminent monk of Xuanzang. (B,L)
Accommodation: ****Bell Tower Hotel

After breakfast, climb the ancient City Wall, actually built on the fortifications of Tang Forbidden City, standing 12 meters high, 12-14 meters across the top, 15-18 meters thick at the bottom, 13.7 meter in length with a deep moat surrounding it. It is the most complete city wall that has survived in China, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. The afternoon is free. Transfer to railway station and take overnight train to Pingyao. (B,L)
Accommodation: on the train

Attention: About this train, since Apr. 2007, the train Xi’an-Pingyao starts not from Xi’an Railway Station but from Baoji (about 200km east of Xi’an). The train ticket must be bought in Baoji and from Baoji to Pingyao, not from Xi’an. At Xi’an Railway Station, they could only get about 2-3 tickets for soft sleeper, not enough. So our colleague in Xi’an must go to Baoji to buy the tickets (better in Soft sleeper, if not possible, all in hard sleepers.) in advance of several days. And the colleague also need to get on the train in Baoji to bring the ticket from Baoji to Xi’an, so that the trainman will not sell out the ticket when they see the passengers not get on the train. The clients still get on the train from Xi’an, as the itinerary planned.

Day13 Pingyao

Arrive in Pingyao, boasting the famous Pingyao Old City which was enlisted in the United Nations World Cultural
Heritage in 1997. Transfer to historic hotel/guesthouse on arrival. The whole day is at leisure. (B)
Accommodation: **(*)Yi De Hotel


Pingyao Destination Guide
Pingyao Old City is like a huge historical museum. In the center of the Old City, the nearly 200 years old
Rishengchang Exchange Shop is the first 'bank' in Chinese history. The well-preserved County Government Office
shows a complete picture of the solemn law court and prison of the Qing Dynasty while in Chenghuangmiao Street
. The Temple of the City God and the Confucius Temple reveal a glimpse of local folk life. Along the Ancient Ming
and Qing Street, the old buildings in antique architecture styles may bring you back to the old China of that time.
Outside the Old City, there are two temples worth visiting: Shuanglin Monastery and Zhenguo Temple. Shuanglin
Monastery, 7km from Pingyao, is renowned not for its architecture, but for its painted statues executed during Song
, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, spanning a period of over 1,000 years. Zhenguo Temple, 12km from Pingyao,
was first built in the period of Five Dynasties and was renovated in Ming and Qing Dynasties, but still keeps its
original styles.
What's more, most of the famous residences of Shanxi Merchants are clustered around Pingyao: Qiao Family
Residence, Wang Family Residence, Qu Family Residence, and etc.


Information Link
The culture of the Shanxi Merchants
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, many merchants from Taigu, Qixian and Pingyao of the Jinzhong area began
to develop their businesses in China’s big cities and overseas. Their piaohao (firms for the exchange and transfer
of money) once monopolized money exchanged and the monetary lifelines of the whole country, accruing them
great fortunes. They came back to heir home villages to build homes to honor their ancestors and show their
social status. Now these residences have become historic buildings. These rich merchants and their residences
comprise the “Culture of the Shanxi Merchants”. Among the homes, the Qiao Family Residence has become the
Museum of Folk Customs, and the Qu Family Residence is the Museum of Culture of the Shanxi Merchants.

Day14 Pingyao-Beijing

Day is at leisure for you to explore the city. Transfer to Taiyuan Railway Station in evening and take overnight night train to Beijing. (B)
Accommodation: on the train

Attention: Train of Taiyuan-Beijing, there are only 2 trains K602(Taiyuan-Beijing: 21:30-08:05+1), K610(Taiyuan-Beijing West: 21:20-05:28+1), both only 14 soft sleepers for Taiyuan, so the group is not possible keep in 1 train. Probably some clients will be with other train, without guide and tour leader. End station is one in Beijing Station, one in Beijing West Station.

Day15 Beijing

Arrive in Beijing, and transfer to the Hotel on arrival. The morning time is at leisure. In the afternoon, transfer to Silk Market (no guide service, just one-way transfer, group will go back to hotel by yourselves). Enjoy Beijing Opera after dinner. (B,D)
Accommodation: ***Ping An Fu Hotel

Attention: if not possible to check in hotel in the morning, transfer to the market in the morning.

Day16 Depart from Beijing