Oriental Elites Appreciation

E-104: 12 Days Tour of Hong Kong - Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin - Xi'an - Shanghai - Beijing
Tour Type: Independent Travel
Accommodation: 3-star decent hotels, also be open to your own choice

Highlights:
  • Must-see sights in China - Mutianyu Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Army
  • View the soaring city skylines and feel the pulse of modern Shanghai
  • Take a Li River cruise down to Yangshuo & admire the essence of Guilin landscape
Day 1 Arrival in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is very easy to get around as English is widely used and the street signs are clear and follow a standard layout. Therefore, to save the high cost of the private tour in Hong Kong, we only provide the hotel accommodation with breakfast for you.

Upon arrival in Hong Kong, please go to counter B16 at Exit B on Arrival Hall of Hong Kong International Airport for the hotel's shuttle bus. The transfer takes about 40-50 minutes. The charge is HK$110 per person per trip. The hotel we have chosen for you is very well located and its services as well as facilities are recommended by previous clients. It also has very convenient transport connections, only 5 minutes' walk distance to the Jordan MTR Station and only 1 minute walk distance to the Austin Road Cross Boundary Coach Terminus. 

Meals: No meals
Accommodation: B P International House
Day 2 Hong Kong
Victoria Harbor, Hongkong
Your China tours from Hong Kong officially begins. No matter wherever you are from, you will not feel like a stranger in the city as Hong Kong combines Eastern and Western culture very well. The architecture styles, historical sites and foods all make it a cosmopolitan city. Hong Kong is also recognized as a shopping paradise. The quality, service and variety of the merchandises here are acknowledged world class, but the prices are cheaper. The largest shopping center in Hong Kong is the Harbor City, which is just 10 minutes' walk distance from your hotel. To the south of Harbor City, you will find Star Ferry Wharf. It is said that the most classical experience in Hong Kong is to take the Star Ferry and enjoy the magnificent views across the Victoria Harbor. In addition there are many famous places to visit, such as Victoria Peak, Repulse Bay, Stanley Market, Ocean Park, Disney Land and Lantau Island.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Day 3 Hong Kong - Guilin
Li River cruise, Guilin
After a free morning continuing your self-exploration of Hong Kong, you will take about 10 minutes' walk from your hotel to Hong Kong West Kowloon Railway Station for a high-speed train to Guilin by yourself. The train ticket of Hong Kong to Guilin will be reserved by us in advance. After 3.5 hours journey, you will arrive at Guilin West Railway Station. Please find your own way to the hotel we booked for you. It is about half an hour by taxi.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Universal
Day 4 Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin
Local people playing Tai-chi in Yangshuo
Today you will experience the essential part of Guilin travel, cruising down the Li River. But before that, we would like to inform you that the simple Chinese box lunch served on the cruise today is less satisfactory, it is advisable that you have a hearty breakfast at the hotel in the morning. Please take a taxi to the Zhujiang pier to board the cruise ship before 8:30. The cruise starts at about 09:00 and arrives at Yangshuo at around 13:30. In Yangshuo, you can choose to take an electric car to the villages and farmland and see the real life of the local people. The karst landform provides magical enchanting scenery. Many travelers stay in Yangshuo for months just to appreciate the unique scenery and enjoy the peaceful rural life. It will become one of your most beautiful and unforgettable memories. After that, take a bus back to Guilin by yourself. You can purchase the bus ticket at the bus station very easily. The fare is CNY15.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Day 5 Guilin - Xi'an
Elephant Trunk Hill, Guilin
You will have some time to explore Guilin City on your own today. As it is not a big city, taking a taxi is a good way for sightseeing. First we suggest you visit Reed Flute Cave. The Karst cave is 240 meters deep and the length is about 500 meters. It is amazing how the shape of the stones take many forms - animals, plants and even human. It is impossible not to marvel at the extraordinary workmanship of nature. One of the best spots for taking a picture is the glowing Crystal Palace. Then you can turn to the famous Elephant Trunk Hill. This vivid elephant-shaped hill is the landmark of the city, and a picture taken in front of it is that one has indeed been to Guilin. At last, you can also pay a visit to the Seven Star Park if your schedule allows. After collecting your luggage at the hotel, we suggest you take a taxi to the airport. The journey takes about 50 minutes and the taxi fee costs around CNY100. We will arrange an afternoon flight leaving from picturesque Guilin and arriving at ancient Xi'an. Upon arrival, please take a taxi to the hotel we booked for you in the city center.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Days Inn City Centre Xi'an
Day 6 Xi'an
Today we suggest you take our Xian Mini Group Day Tour to know better about the ancient city. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Day 7 Xi'an - Shanghai
Cycling on the Xian City Wall
In the morning, we suggest you start your self-exploration with the ancient City Wall. The south entrance of the City Wall is at the end of South Street. Leave your hotel and turn left. After walking for about 20 minutes, you will see the grand old wall. Encircled by a deep moat and dense woods, the City Wall of Xian has become a beautiful relic of the ancient city. If time permits, you may rent a bicycle to cycle on the wall. Before heading to the railway station, we also suggest you spent a short time at the Muslim Bazaar. The market is very popular for both locals and tourists. You may buy ethnic souvenirs for your friends here and also some food for your dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow as the food sold on the train are more highly priced and in any case, generally tasteless. From your hotel, you can take a taxi to the railway station, but as it is very hard to find a taxi during the rush hour, we suggest you take public bus instead. Please leave your hotel and walk southwards along North Street to the underpass. Turn left at the underpass and leave at the fourth Exit (East Exit of South Street), then you will see the bus station, where you can take bus No. 603 or No. 6 to the terminal. The last stop of No. 603 is just across the road from the railway station. However, bus No. 6 stops at the west of the railway station. You need to walk eastwards about 300 meters and turn right at the first crossing. Go through Shangdemen Gate of the wall and turn left, then you will arrive at the railway station area. The whole journey takes around 40 to 50 minutes. Please prepare in good time to arrive at the railway station at least 1.5 hours before your train departs.

The compartment on the train has four berths in it, two upper and two lower. The space is very limited, so we suggest you board the train early to settle your luggage. The conductor will sell snacks and drinks on a strolling cart and hot water is provided at the end of each carriage. Your journey to Xi'an comes to an end when your train leaves the city at around 17:00.  

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight soft sleeper train
Day 8 Shanghai
The train will arrive in Shanghai at about 08:00 if there is no delay. Please follow the signposts in the passenger tunnel to the south square of Shanghai Railway Station. Then take subway line 1 to Hanzhong Rd. stop and walk for about 5 minutes to the Golden River-view Hotel. If you have heavy luggage, we suggest you take a short ride by taxi to the hotel directly at cost of CNY15. If early check-in is available, you can have a short rest and refresh yourself at the hotel. Afterwards, start your Shanghai self-exploration by visiting Shanghai Museum and Yu Garden. As a big metropolis, Shanghai has a convenient public transportation network. Taking taxi from your hotel to Shanghai Museum only takes 20 minutes and costs around CNY20. But you can also choose the more economical way, subway. Take the subway line 1 at Hanzhong Rd. and arrive at Renmin Square. The journey takes about 20 minutes. After finishing the museum visit, we suggest you take a taxi to Yuyuan Garden, where various local snack restaurants and shops are scattered around. Take a rest and have lunch here before you enter the beautiful Yuyuan Garden. Then you can walk to the renowned Bund area and the nearby Nanjing Road. It you still have time, a cruise on the Huangpu River is a good idea. During the cruise, you will see Yangpu Bridge, Nanpu Bridge and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, which forms a splendid scroll painting of “Two Dragons Playing with the Pearl”.

Meals: No meals
Accommodation: Golden River-view Hotel
Day 9 Shanghai - Beijing
Please go to the Shanghai Railway Station by yourself and take a morning high speed train to Beijing. We will deliver the train ticket to your hotel beforehand, so you can collect it from the reception desk or concierge at any time. The train takes 5-6 hours and will reach Beijing in the early afternoon. For the safety of your personal belongings and luggage, we do not suggest you go to the dining car for lunch or walk around on the train. You can bring some food with you before boarding. Upon arrival, take a taxi at a cost of CNY120 to the hotel we booked for you.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Yoo Beijing
Day 10 Beijing
Our clients on the Great Wall
Today you are suggested to take our Beijing Mini Group Day Tour to visit the Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall, Bird’s Nest and old Hutongs.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Day 11 Beijing
Today you can choose our One Day Beijing Mini Group Tour to travel around the city downtown.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Day 12 Departure from Beijing
On the last day, please go to Capital Airport to board your homeward flight by yourself. It costs around CNY80 and takes 50 minutes by taxi from your hotel to the airport. In case of traffic jam, you may also take subway instead. First, you can take Subway Line 1 at Wangfujing station near your hotel, after two stops, change to Subway Line 2 at Jianguomen station. Then get off at Dongzhimen station, where you can transfer to the Airport Express Train. You need to return the subway ticket and purchase the ticket of the Airport Express train. The fare is CNY25. The Airport Express Train will take you from Dongzhimen to Terminal 3 first and then on at Terminal 2. The whole journey takes around one hour. We hope you have had a great time traveling with us in China!

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
This trip can be customized to meet your individual needs!
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