Chinese Brilliant Culture and Art Tour

- Guide delivers your CH cell phone(one for each group). Pay no rental, call time only: A Free CH cell phone package includes free rental for the cell phone and SIM card and at least 30 free minutes, delivery and collection in China. Return the phone to your guide when you depart. A recharge at standard rate is available if the free minutes are used. Note: Our rental phones do not work in Hong Kong. You must return the phone to your guide before leaving for Hong Kong. * Free minutes vary from 30-60 mins depending on the destination of the calls. Ask the travel advisor for details. For more about the cell phone rental service, please click:http://www.chinahighlights.com/deals/free-cellphone-tour/

Note: You may receive text messages in Chinese on your cell phone. These messages are advertisements or possibly weather information. We cannot block or turn these off. If anyone in China needs to contact you, the message will be in English. If you are concerned, please ask your guide to read the message.

- The Mutianyu Great Wall(with round way cable car) (2 hours): This less-crowded section of the Great Wall is a about 2.5 hours' drive from downtown Beijing. A cable car takes you to a good section (avoiding a very steep climb), where you can walk along the wall, through the watch towers and enjoy superb views as it snakes across the hills and mountains. You can return by cable car, walk down or walk along the wall for about an hour to descend by chairlift. Wear good walking shoes and protection from the weather.
- Temple of Heaven (1.5 hours): The Temple of Heaven, literally the Altar of Heaven is a complex of Taoist buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing, Chongwen District. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest. It is regarded as a Taoist temple, although Chinese Heaven worship, especially by the reigning monarch of the day, pre-dates Taoism.
- Xin Shuang Quan Restaurant: Xin Shuang Quan Restaurant is near Great Wall of Mutianyu section. This garden style restaurant serves farmhouse dishes, specializing in rainbow trout, sturgeon and salmon. The fabulous taste will leave you with great memories.
- Shahe Cloisonne Factory : Sha He Cloisonne Factory manufactures and sells high quality Cloisonne ware. High quality Cloisonne also called "Copper - body and wire inlaid Enamel" requires an elaborate and complicated manufacturing process including hammering, filigree welding, enamel filling, surface polishing and gilding. This is a popular place for those looking for special, quality souvenirs. China Highlights customers have the opportunity to see the manufacturing process. This is an exclusive offer for our customers! There is no pressure to buy!
Tel: 010-69737417
Address: Dingfu huang zhuang North District Beijing

- Tiananmen Square (50 minutes): Tian'anmen Square is the largest city square in the centre of Beijing, named after the Tiananmen (literally, Gate of Heavenly Peace) which sits to its north, separating it from the Forbidden City. It has great cultural significance as it was the site of several key events in Chinese history. As the world's largest city square and enduring symbol of China's national pride, it is surrounded by many imposing buildings including the Heavenly Gate (entry to the Forbidden City), Museums, government buildings and Chairman Mao's Mausoleum.
- The Forbidden City (2 hours): The Imperial Palace, home to 24 Emperors between 1420 and 1911. Great squares, halls and gates contrast with the intricate networks of side halls, gardens, courtyards and quarters for those who lived in this 'city within a city'. The exhibitions, both permanent and temporary, are also absolutely fascinating.
- Treasure Houses (30 minutes): Treasure house has undergone 4 time renovations, the present one takes up almost 220 square metres, more than 440 treasures on display belonged to Qing dynasty royalty, half of which have not never been on display in the old one. It's worthy of visiting.
- Hutong Tour in Xicheng District (1 hour): Hutong is a maze of historic alleyways with old single storey traditional courtyard houses, which are now fast disappearing. In this one hour tour, you can hop on a rickshaw to ride through the narrow alleys as well as visit a local family then walk on the Silver Ingot Bridge (Yinding Bridge) and find out about the different thresholds of the courtyards.
- Lizexiang Pearl Store: China's freshwater pearls are celebrated throughout the world. See how they are produced including some of the latest technology, and learn how to spot a fake. The outlet also offers a range of items produced from pearls and pearl oysters which goes far wider than jewellery. China Highlights customers will see the seeds being planted in the live mussel and also how learn how to differentiate real pearls from fake. This is a great opportunity to buy genuine pearls, that come with a guarantee, for your family and friends but there is absolutely no pressure to buy.
Tel: 13801387486
Address: No.7.Changqing Yuan,Congwen district,Beijign City.
- Traditional Mongolian Restaurant: Traditional Mongolian Restaurant is located near the Forbidden City. It serves northern Chinese food based on Mongolia cuisine. It brings Mongolia's long and distinguished cultural and literary history. A traditional Mongolian yurt (tent) is available on the third floor but a reservation is needed and a surcharge applies. Live performances of Mongolian music are sometimes preformed in the restaurant.

- Summer Palace (1.5 hours): Much-loved summer retreat of the Imperial families, the lovely landscaped gardens, halls, pavilions and corridors are set around the lake and rivers in natural harmony. You can expect to spend 2-3 hours here. Wear good walking shoes and protection from the weather.
- Beijing Ba guo bu yi Restaurant: Ba Guo Bu Yi is located in Xizhimen next to the Beijing Youth Palace at No. 68 Nanxiao Road. It serves some of the heartiest and most authentic Sichuan fare in town with its traditional Chinese style decorations. Favorite dishes include dandan noodles in spicy peanut-sesame-garlic sauce, lazi jiding (chicken smothered by chilies), steamed fish served with chili-oil sauce and huiguorou (twice-cooked pork).

- Mount Tai Tourist Attraction: Mount Tai lies in the territory of Tai'an of Shandong province. Mount Tai is the first mountain of the Five most famous Mountains in China. The best time for touring around Mount Tai is April to November. If you want to enjoy the sunrise, the best time is autumn.
- Cable Car(round trip): Here you have the option of taking the Cable car to the peak, Nantianmen Scenic Spot, while you can have a bird view of the mountain or continue to head for Yuhuang Peak.
- Dai Temple: First built in Han Dynasty, it is the largest and most completed ancient building complex of Mount Taishan.Emperors of the past dynasties held celebrations in the temple to worship heaven and earth, and sacrificed to the God of the mountain.Besides, it was also the first stop for the pilgrims on their way to the Tai Mountain.
- Vehicle to the Top of the Mountain: It is a chanllenging climb up to the Tai Mountain.Here you have the option of taking the vehicle to the highest point or down to the foot in a few minutes instead of climbing more than 1,605 steps, while you can also have a bird view of the wall.
- Taishan Hotel: Located at the foot of Mt.Taishan, it serves Lu cuisine food and is famous for its tofu dishes.

- Confucius Temple (1 hour): Among many preserved Confucian temples of different dynasties all over China, the Confucian Temple in Qufu is the largest and earliest one. It represents the culture and history of Confucianism. The Confucian Temple, Confucian Mansion and Confucian Woods are called Three Confucians, which are now one of the four extant great architectural complexes in China.
- Confucian Mansion (40 minutes): It is also called Yanshenggong Mansion, a large house consisting of 463 halls, rooms, towers and houses, covering an area of 13.3 hectares-the largest landlord manor in China's history. The courtyard is divided into three family temples. The main building in the center was first used as a government office then changed to dwelling house later. A typical feudal aristocrat manor.
- Confucian family graveyard (1 hour): It is the graveyard of the Confucian family and has a history of more than 2340 years. There are about ten thousand tombs inside the graveyard .Also many stone steles, lanes and pavilions can be found here. The tomb passage is 1266 meters long with dense forest on both sides which were planted in Song and Yuan Dynasties.
- Queli Restaurant: Queli Restaurant located in Queli Hotel and near the Confucius Temple and the Kong Mansions serves Lu cuisine. Each dish has its culture and story.

- Daming Lake (1.3 hours): Daming Lake is located at No.217 Minghu Rd., downtown of northern part of Jinan City. With weeping willows, scattered flowers and trees all over the banks, Daming Lake has been full of lotuses ever since ancient times. The beauty of the lake is best manifested in the following verse, "With four sides of lotus with three willows, the lake landscape represents half beauty of the city".
- Baotu Spring Park (40 minutes): Baotu Spring Park is located at the middle part of Luoyuan Rd.and S.Baotu R., the downtown of Jinan City.Baotu Spring, the best one among the famous 72 springs in Jinan enjoys the reputation of" the first spring under the heaven". With clear and crystal spring pools and resplendent and magnificent pavilions, the Baotu Spring Park is an earthly fairyland which makes tourists hardly tear themselves away.
- Xibei Restaurant: Located near the Baotu Spring Park, Xibei Restaurant is one of the best Lu cuisine restaurants in Jinnan serving many kinds of dumplings.

- Yin Xu Museum: Covering a area of about 5000 square meters, Yin Xu Museum is situated on the site of the former ancient city of Yin. The former ancient city of Yin was once the thriving capital of the Shang (BCE 1700-1027) Dynasty. The first round of excavations at Yinxu took place during 1928-1937. More than a hundred thousand antiques have been found, which plays a key role to discover the history of the second dynasty of China.
- Anyang Hotel: Anyang hotel restaurant has a very good reputation and provides Henan style food.

- Shaolin Temple and Pagoda Forest (including Shaolin Kungfu Show) (3 hours): This temple is shrouded in legend and mystery. The origin of martial arts and kung fu is part of the mystique of Shaolin Temple and the Shaolin monks. This is probably the most famous temple in China, not only because of its long history and its role in Chinese Buddhism, but also because of its martial arts or Wushu. There is a theatre here which presents the famous Kungfu Show at 0930, 1030, 1130, 1400, 1500, and1600. It's best to get there early, as it is only a small theatre with about 200 seats.
- Jades store : The store showcases chinese jade products.It has become a popular spot for foreign tourists looking for authentic, quality products.
Tel: 0371-62812168
Address: The BeiHuan Road , dengfeng
- Yongtaisi shaolin Vegetarian : Located close to the Shaoling Temple, the Yongtai Nunnery serves Vegetarian food.

- One day Kungfu Training: Learning basic techniques of Kungfu in Shaolin Temple.

- Longmen Grottoes (2.5 hours): 13 kilometers to the west of Luoyang, Longmen Grottoes is one of the four largest grottoes in China. Live cultural relics lie amid green mountains and serpentine rivers. As early as 1961, Longmen Grottoes had been authorized by the central government of PRC as a key national cultural relic protection unit. It was authorized in 1982 by central government as one of the 44 National Parks of China. In 2000, it was enlisted into the List of World Heritage.
- White Horse Temple (30 minutes): Backed by Mangshan Mountain and facing the Luohe River, White Horse Temple lies about 20 kilometers to the east of Luoyang city, Henan province. Since White Horse Temple, Buddhism monasteries in China traditionally began to be called as 'temple'. White Horse Temple as a result was ever since regarded as the cradle land of Buddhism in China. In history, highly accomplished Buddhist monks from China, even world renowned Buddhist monks from abroad used to pay visits to White Horse Temple in pursuit of Buddhism inspirations and wisdom; it was thereby also called the 'Home of Sakyamuni' or the 'Court for Ancestors'.
- Guanlin Wholesale Market (2 hours): A Chinese traditional market on the way to the Longmen Grottoes. Its main business is wholesale and most of its clients are villagers, who buy to re-sell back in the villages. At prices this low, some of the goods are fake, although it's possible to find a bargain. There's no parking, because it is on the main street, so your driver has to drive slowly and wait for you along the street.
- Zhenbutong Water Banquet : The restaurant was first built in late Qing Dynasty more than one hundred years ago. The building comprises five floors. The famous Luoyang Water Banquet fried dishes are served at the second floor.

- Xian City Wall with Bicycle (1 hour): The walls, ramparts, gates and watchtowers form one of the oldest and most complete city defenses still around. Built in the 13th century on the foundations of the original Tang Forbidden City surrounding the city centre, it is a major landmark, and the best preserved, as well as the oldest and largest of the city defense systems in China. We operate this with bicycle. If the weather is not good for biking on the city wall, we will substitute a visit to the Bell Tower. Your guide will be very glad to take you the Bell Tower after you have been to look at the city wall.
- Shaanxi History Museum (1.5 hours): The history of Shaanxi is said to be the history of China, and this museum is quite simply one of the nation's best. Four major galleries in large, Tang-style buildings house a vast and impressive collection, beautifully displayed. Most of the item labels are in English, although some other information on the exhibitions is not, but your guide can help here. Wear comfortable walking shoes.
- Qianzhou Restaurant(Xiao Yanta Branch): Qianzhou Restaurant is well-known for its local flavors and ingredients originating from Qian County. The style, Qianzhou Four Treasures is considered to be famous nationally. The specialties are of ancient origin from the Tang Dynasty and leave customers with great culinary memories.

- The Terracotta Warriors and Horses (2 hours): Discovered accidentally in 1974, this incredible army of over 7000 soldiers, archers, horses and chariots in full battle array has guarded Emperor Qin's tomb since 210BC. Each figure is unique, and the painstaking repair and excavation continues in 3 pits which are protected inside huge hangars. 1.5 hours from Xian, there is also an excellent museum and film about the history of the vaults. Photos (no flash) are allowed. Wear comfortable walking shoes.
- Big Wild Goose Pagoda (1 hour): A major Buddhist site, the simple, elegant brick Pagoda stands in the grounds of the attractive Da Ci'en Temple. The Pagoda was built in the 7th century to house the Buddhist materials that Xuanzang (Tripitaka) brought back from his epic journey to India. The Temple complex has several large halls with some great Buddhist statues and murals.
- A Wa Shan Zhai Restaurant(Qinling Branch): A Wa Shan Zhai Restaurant was established in 2004, mainly specializes in Hunan and Sichuan cuisine. It provides delicacy by using the material from Shanxi, obtaining a nationwide reputation from customers. It would be a nice choice to dine while traveling the nearby Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses.
- Xian Imperial Fine Arts center: Xian Imperial Fine Arts mainly manufactures jade carvings and lacquer ware.Tourists can learn how the fine Chinese jade carved and the function of jade.
Tel: 029-85515419

- Nanjing Road (40 minutes): One of the most famous shopping streets in the world. Giant shopping centers, specialist boutiques, international brands, local upmarket goods - it's all here; it's very busy, and at night it really glitters. It's a fascinating glimpse of modern, commercial China.
- The Bund (40 minutes): Once the home of the foreign traders and major banks, the embankment has taken on a new vitality; lovely old European-style buildings mix with futuristic developments, chic restaurants, top end shops and bars offer plenty to see and do – and by night it's magic!
- Jiangnan Silk Shop and Workshop: See how silk is produced from the cocoons of silk worms, and turned into the beautiful fabric we all know and love. Silk filled duvets are excellent value, and the showroom offers everything from small souvenirs to larger items. The beauty of real silk is that it's so light, and packs really easily.
Tel: 021-62660378
Address: 289, Ao'men Road, Putuo District, Shanghai
- Old Shanghai Restaurant: Old Shanghai Restaurant is an old and famous local restaurant which serves typical Shanghai Food as well as different flavors from other parts of China.

- Yuyuan Garden (1 hour): Located at a very busy marketplace in a complex of traditional-style buildings, backing onto Yu Gardens, you can find everything there from popular local snacks and food, crafts, antiques and souvenirs to Starbucks, teahouses and some great restaurants. There is a small (reconstructed) Temple (Chenghuang: Temple of the City Gods) in there as well.
- Jade Buddha Temple (40 minutes): An active Buddhist temple, and one of the richest in Shanghai. The main treasures are two statues of Buddha, carved from rare single blocks of white jade adorned with precious stones. The temple is a hive of activity with monks, worshippers and visitors, and photos of the Buddhas are forbidden.
- Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall (1 hour): A short walk across Renmin Square from the Shanghai Museum, this is a fascinating insight into Shanghai's future. The 2nd floor has a giant walkaround model of the city, and other floors have great displays, interactive exhibitions and walkthroughs of aspects such as the ports, greening, leisure etc.
- The Shanghai World Financial Center (40 minutes): The Shanghai World Financial Center is a super tall skyscraper. It is a mixed use skyscraper, which will consist of offices, hotels, conference rooms, observation decks, and shopping malls on the lower floors. The hotel component has 175 rooms and suites and goes by the name: The Park Hyatt, Shanghai. On September 14, 2007, the skyscraper reached 492.3 meters (1,615.2 ft) and became the tallest structure on mainland China, including Hong Kong, as well as the world's third tallest building (including unfinished ones), after the Burj Dubai and Taipei 101.

- Home's Restaurant: Home's Restaurant is located near the Nanjing Road. It specializes in Shanghai cuisine using the best local ingredients. Smoked fish and red jujube with sticky rice are well known in Shanghai. The restaurant enjoys a great reputation with diners from many parts of China and abroad.