12 Days China and Nepal Highlights

Meals: No Meals
Overnight: In Beijing

Arrive in Beijing, the capital city of China, you will be greeted by our local guide at the airport with TCT signboard. Then our guide will transfer you to check in hotel. Free at leisure for the rest of the day for you to get over the jet lag.
 

Beijing City View
 

Meals: Breakfast, A la carte Chinese lunch
Overnight: In Beijing

TCT local guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at the appointed time. It will be an exciting day as we will explore the world well-known wonders today. The 1st stop is Temple of Heaven, the existing largest structure for sacrifice to heaven and a place where the emperors prayed for a year of abundance. In the visit of Temple of Heaven, you will be astonished by the exquisite ancient Chinese architectures. Besides, you will see local seniors doing morning exercises in the square and full of vigor. You will have chance to watch Chinese Kongfu, Taichi, square dancing, playing cards, playing chess etc.

Then our group will move to a less commercial Hutong nearby. A short walking along the authentic Beijing Hutong will give you a deep impression of the local residents’ live. A la carte lunch is served at a local restaurant to have a taste of the authentic Chinese food at noon time and have a break at the restaurant.

Then continue this Beijing city treasure city by a visit to Tian'anmen Square, the world's largest city center square, the locality of numerous major political and historical events. It is the witness of Chinese development. It is only a walking distance from Tian'anmen Square to Forbidden City, the world's existing largest and most complete ancient wooden structure buildings. You will explore the glorious palace halls and gardens for more than 2 hours in Forbidden City, learning the legendary story of the emperors and how the royal family lived there. You will be stunned by the numerous old art treasures exhibited in halls. Drive back to hotel, we will have a stop at pearl store en route. Please feel free to consult with your local guide about the evening activities in Beijing, such as the night shows of Beijing.


Forbidden City

Meals: Breakfast, A la carte Chinese lunch
Overnight: In Beijing

It will be an exciting day today. In the early morning, guide will pick you up from your hotel lobby. Today we will visit the must-visit spot in Beijing--- Mutianyu Great Wall, one of the famous sections of China Great Wall. It takes about 2 hours driving from the downtown of Beijing to Mutianyu Great Wall. Mutianyu Great Wall was first built in the mid-6th century during the Northern Qi, making it older than the Badaling section. (***Cable car and slideway are available at Mutianyu Great Wall. It is optional and excluded from our price***)

A la carte lunch is arranged at a good restaurant at the foot of Mutianyu. Drive back to downtown of Beijing. We will have a stop at a tea store en route. When we reach Beijing, we will have a photo stop outside the Bird Nest and Water Cube, which were the famous sites constructed for 2008 Beijing Olympic. The tour finishes by dropping off at your hotel. If you would like to try local specialty tonight, you could ask for some suggestion about Peking Roast Duck Restaurant.


Mutianyu Great Wall

Meals: Breakfast, A La Carte Lunch
Overnight: In Beijing

In the morning, check out from hotel and start to visit the last spots in Beijing --- Summer Palace, the existing largest, best-preserved imperial garden in China. The Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake are regarded as the representative of Summer Palace. In the park, you could choose to take a boating trip on the lake, enjoying the beautiful royal garden view. Walk along the Long Corridor--- the longest corridor in the world, admiring the extremely rich and prestigious paintings on the beams of the corridor.

A la carte lunch will be arranged at a local restaurant on the way to Beijing West Railway Station to take high speed train (2nd class seat, duration: about 5-5.5 hours) from Beijing to Xi'an. TCT guide will wait at the exit of Xi'an train station with our signboard and transfer you to check in hotel. Free at leisure for the rest of the time.
 

Summer Palace

Meals: Breakfast, A La Carte Lunch
Overnight: In Xi'an

Today we will have a full day to explore this historical and cultural city in China. Pick up from hotel in the morning, and then have a visit to the landmark of Xi'an---Xian City Wall. You could choose to have a bicycle riding on the city wall (***Bicycle riding is optional and excluded from our price***). An impressive Tai Chi Chuan course is arranged at the City Wall for you. Originating from the roots of classical Chinese culture, Tai Chi Chuan absorbed a variety of sources including the Book of Changes, Taoism and Buddhism. With a professional Tai Chi Master's teaching, you will understand Chinese culture better.

After that, we will drive to the highlights in Xi’an ---the Terracotta Warriors. On the way to Terracotta Warriors, we will have a stop at a pottery workshop, where you will have chance to learn how to make a pottery figure.  A la carte lunch is arranged at a local restaurant nearby Terracotta Warriors. In the afternoon, we will have enough time to visit this world wonder --- Terracotta Warriors, one of the world’s most important archaeological finds, with troops, horses and carriages in battle formation.

The tour finishes by dropping-off at the hotel lobby. You could ask your local guide for some information about evening entertainment or night show, such as Tang Dynasty Show.


Qin Terracotta Warriors
 

Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: In Lhasa

After breakfast, be transferred to the airport for morning flight to Lhasa. Your Tibet tour guide will wait for you at the airport and help you to transfer to the hotel.Relax and have a good rest at your hotel to acclimatize when you arrive. In the afternoon, you might walk around to get first impression of Tibet. Have a good rest at night and get ready for tomorrow's tour.


Lhasa City View

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Overnight: In Lhasa

A full day to explore this holy city. We will visit Potala Palace, the largest monastery of its type in the world and official home to Dalai Lama. Walk around the Potala PalaceClockwise to appreciate those who worship every day and also experience the life of local residents. After that, we will arrange a visit to the opposite hill in order to get a panoramic picture of Potala Palace, which is the best photo spot. In the afternoon, take a tour to Jokhang Monastery, where monks receive their official training and education. Shopping time at Barkhor Street, a window into Tibetan culture and an opportunity to buy colorful ethnic handicrafts rarely seen outside of Tibet. If you are interested in any night show, such as Tibetan singing and dancing show, you could discuss with the local guide.

Tips: When you enter into a temple or monastery in Tibet, please take off your hats at the entrance to show your respects and follow the clockwise direction for visiting. No smoking, do not touch the Buddha statues, turn the Buddhism scriptures or toll the bell.


Potala Palace

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Overnight: In Chengdu

Today, we will visit two important monasteries in Lhasa. The first stop in the morning is the Drepung Monastery, one of the ‘Greatest Three’ Gelug monasteries of Tibet and it is found in 1416. The Ganden palace in Drepung Monastery is used as Dalai Lama’s palace before moving to the Potala Palace.

In the afternoon, we will drive to the edge of the town to explore Sera Monastery, another one of the ‘Great Three’ Gelug monasteries in Tibet. If we are very lucky, we may come across Sera Monastery's Monks debating which was held in the courtyard at around 3:00-5:30 in the afternoon. The famous debate sessions of the monks in Sera monastery was created in 1419 and has been an important Buddhist seminary.

Then we will take a night flight to Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, where you will take the hotel shuttle bus to stay in a hotel near the airport to connect the morning flight to Kathmandu. 


Sera Monastery

Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: In Kathmandu

You have to say goodbye to China, take the hotel free shuttle bus to the airport and take the morning flight to Nepal on the southern foot of the Himalayas. Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal. It takes about 1.5 hours to fly from Lhasa to Kathmandu. The local guide will pick you up at airport and transfer to check in hotel. After check in, you could have a rest. In the afternoon, our local guide will show you to visit  Boudhanath Temple, the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside Tibet, where you could see the largest stupa in Nepal. Then have a leisure time shopping around Thamel, a tourist district of Kathmandu. Thamel bustles with activity late into the late evening. It is a mere 10-minute walk from the center of Kathmandu, yet completely different from the rest of the city


Boudhanath Temple

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: In Nagarkot

After hotel breakfast, drive for 5 km southeast ward from Kathmandu to Patan, known as the city of fine arts. Patan is full of Hindu temples and Buddhist monuments. The diversity of the medieval culture that allowed both Hinduism and Buddhism to flourish has left a rich legacy of impressive sightseeing here for today's visitors, such as Patan Durbar Square-The old palace of the medieval rulers of Patan, Krishna Mandir, Hiranya Varna Mahavihar, Mahaboudha, Patan Industrial Estate, known for handicrafts such as wood carvings, metalcraft, handwoven woolen carpets and thanka paintings. There is a shopping arcade where handicrafts are on exhibition.

In the afternoon, drive to Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the plaza in front of the royal palace of the old Bhaktapur Kingdom, one of three Durbar Squares in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Then visit the best places in Bhaktapur, like The Lion Gate-Dating ,The Golden Gate, The Palace of Fifty-five Windows, The Statue of King Bhupatindra Malla, Batsala Devi Temple,ect.

In the late afternoon, take a short drive of about 20 minutes to Nagarkot, one of the nearest and most famous Mountain View point from Kathmandu. Enjoy the sunset over the Himalayas. The panorama of the major peaks of eastern Nepal Himalayas including Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest-if weather permits), can be seen from here). The Himalayan peaks Like Manaslu (8463 in). Ganesh Hinial (7111 in), Langtang(7246 in), Choba Bhanre(60l6 in), Gaurishanker (7134 m) and number (6957 in), are also clearly seen from Nagarkot). After check in enjoy sunset and walking around hotel.


Nagarkot Mountain View

Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: In Kathmandu

Early morning enjoy sunrise and Mountain View. You can choose to go to View tower which is just in 30 minutes walking distance one way [3km]. From here you can see more area including Mountains [altitude 2175m].

After breakfast drive to Kathmandu. In the afternoon, Have a visit to Pashupatinath Temple, the most sacred of the Hindu temples in Nepal. Guheswari Temple, a historic and holy temple of Guheswari. Only Hindus are allowed to enter the temple courtyard, as well as Swayambhunath temple, the oldest Buddhist shrine. Looking east from here, one can see the almost entire Kathmandu valley spread out below. Kathmandu Durbar Square or Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square is the plaza in front of the old royal palace of the then Kathmandu Kingdom. The Square teems with life as vendor’s children tourists and other crowed around the temple of the Living Goddess Kumari.

Finally, visit Kasthamandup, a temple built from a single tree from which the Kathmandu derives its name. And then transfer to Hotel. If you would like to explore Kathmandu more, you could choose to visit the nearby local markets on your own or visit Thamel. a tourist district of Kathmandu. Thamel bustles with activity late into the late evening. It is a mere 10-minute walk from the center of Kathmandu, yet completely different from the rest of the city.


Kathmandu Burbar Square

Meal: Breakfast

Free at leisure before transfer to airport to catch your homebound flight or flight to your next destination

Service Ends