Cosmos China Experience (2180)
9 Day Tour from Shanghai to Beijing
On this tour through China, you'll explore some of China's most famous sites and learn about its ancient and current culture. You'll start with three nights in Shanghai, end with three nights in Beijing, and spend two nights also in Xi'an. A highlight of this China tour includes a visit to Xi’an, where you'll discover the Terracotta Warriors. These well-preserved, life-size figures of thousands of warriors, horses, and chariots were created in the 3rd century BC to accompany China's first emperor into the afterlife. They are nothing short of spectacular! Of course, no tour to China is complete without a visit to the Great Wall of China, the longest man-made structure in the world. Imagine how you'll feel when you're standing on this famous site, taking in the fascinating history and surrounding mountainous views! Other highlights of this China tour include visits to the Shanghai Museum, with its collection of 140,000 relics, some dating back 6,000 years, and Beijing’s Forbidden City, the home of China's emperors from 1420 to 1912. You'll enjoy a Peking duck dinner in Beijing, a walking tour of the Muslim quarter in Xi'an, a visit to a silk factory in Shanghai, and more. For the value-minded traveler, this China tour has it all!
Itinerary (2023)
Day 1 | SHANGHAI, CHINA |
| Welcome to Shanghai, China’s largest city and center of trade. Hotel rooms are available for a mid-afternoon check-in. |
Day 2 | SHANGHAI |
| Sightseeing today includes a stroll through the Old Town and the beautiful Yu Yuan Gardens, a place of peace and tranquility in this bustling city. Visit the Shanghai Museum, where superb antiquities and fine arts dating back 6,000 years are on display. Walk along the famous Bund with its colonial architecture, and explore the restored Xintiandi area with its unique 1920s-style Shikumen buildings. You will also visit a silk factory to learn about the silk-making process. Tonight, join your traveling companions for dinner at your hotel. (B,L,D) |
Day 3 | SHANGHAI |
| Explore Shanghai at leisure. You may opt to join an optional excursion to the historic water town of Wuzhen, renowned for its Old World charm and picturesque setting. (B) |
Day 4 | SHANGHAI–XI’AN |
| Today, fly to Xi’an, the former ancient capital. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. (B) |
Day 5 | XI’AN |
| One of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world when China dominated the silk trade, Xi’an today is an archaeological treasure trove. Sightseeing begins with the enormous tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, accidentally discovered by local farmers in 1974. Marvel at the legion of Terracotta Warriors that has been guarding the burial site for 2,000 years. Later, walk along the ancient city wall of Xi’an. The balance of the day is at your leisure. (B,L) |
Day 6 | XI’AN–BEIJING |
| This morning, take a walking tour through the lively Muslim Quarter to explore the Islamic food markets before your flight to Beijing, capital of China. (B) |
Day 7 | BEIJING |
| Start your day with a walk through Tian’anmen Square past Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum and to the treasure-filled Forbidden City, the largest and best-preserved collection of ancient buildings in China. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was home to emperors as well as the center of politics. (B,L) |
Day 8 | BEIJING |
| The Great Wall of China once stretched 4,000 miles across China’s barren northern terrain from the Bohai Sea to the Gobi Desert. Head north to a village where the Great Wall is well preserved and walk along the wall to enjoy sweeping vistas of this mammoth fortress. This evening your dinner features the local delicacy, Peking duck. (B,L,D) |
Day 9 | BEIJING |
| Your tour ends with breakfast this morning. (B) |
Included Cosmos Meals
8 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 2 dinners
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Cosmos Pricing Details
Gratuities for Tour Director, Driver and Local Guides are available for pre-purchase.