13 Days China Panda Tour with Tibet Discovery from Shanghai

As you arrive in Shanghai, the megacity and financial hub of China, our local guide will be expecting you at the airport. Later, the guide will escort you to your hotel. After you check in, the rest of the day is for you to have a good rest or explore the surroundings.

Stay overnight in Shanghai

Today we are about to visit some of the highlights of highlights of Shanghai Tour. Starting with the fascinating Shanghai Museum, the magnificent 4-story building houses an incredible collection of bronzes, sculptures, ceramics, coins, paintings, calligraphy, costumes and other exhibits in different dynasties. It’s the perfect place for fans of Chinese history and art.

Next comes the Yu Garden. Built in the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty, the Yu Garden used to be the private residence of a senior Government administrator in the Ming Dynasty. For a passionate photographer, never miss the chance to photograph Old Street of Yu Garden.

In the evening, we will visit the most iconic building of Shanghai, i.e. Oriental Pearl TV Tower. You can enjoy the amazing panorama of the skyline of Shanghai at night. And as you stroll along the Bund, you will get amazed at the spectacular Huangpu River and dazzling light from buildings of Pudong.

Stay overnight in Shanghai

Today you will first enjoy a half day tour to Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center and Jade Buddha Temple. In the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, you can see the panoramic model of the city and watch a 360-degree circular-screen animation film, to quickly understand the construction process and future planning of Shanghai.

Then move to the Jade Buddha Temple, which is a tranquil place hidden in the bustling area of the downtown. Here, you can appreciate the two Jade Buddhas that Huigen Master invited from Myanmar, as well as pray for blessings.

After the tour, you will be transferred to the airport and take the flight to Chengdu. After you arrive in Chengdu, the local guide will be meeting you and take you the hotel.

Stay overnight in Chengdu

In the morning, the guide will pick you up to visit Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda. Morning is pandas' feeding time, you will visit both adult and baby pandas houses and watch them eating fresh bamboo.

Then, you will visit the Wenshu Temple. Located in the city center, Wenshu Temple is a central leisure tourism area and is integrated with the CBD of the traditional city business center. After that, we will go to explore the famous Jinli Street and Remin Park. You can enjoy a relaxing walk at the ancient street of Jinli, and have a cup of tea in Remin Park, to experience the local lifestyle of this charming city.

Stay overnight in Chengdu

After the breakfast, you will take your flight to Lhasa at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. Upon arriving in Lhasa Gonggar Airport, you will be transferred to your hotel in Lhasa by your guide. The rest of the day is free for you to acclimatize the high elevation of Lhasa.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

Today's tour will first bring you to the Potala Palace which is the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. It was put to use since the 7th Century by the 33rd great king of Tibet. The most valuable collections of Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of former Dalai Lamas and meditation Cave of the 33rd great king of Tibet.

Then after lunch, tourists head to Jokhang temple which was founded by the 33rd great king of Tibet in the 7th century. Inside you can see the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni at the age of twelve. Outside, you can see pilgrims making prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple. Around the temple is Barkhor Street, where you can do kora (a religious circle of a building or mountain) with pilgrims and locals, and explore the old market.

Besides, we can taste Tibetan tea with locals in tea house; the welcome dinner will also be arranged accordingly.

Optional:
With time permitting, you may go with the tour guide to visit Tibetan handicraft art or Tibetan Traditional Medicine center. You can upgrade your service to enjoy Tibetan Culture Show in the evening (fr. 60USD)

Stay overnight in Lhasa

In the morning, you are going to visit Drepung monastery which is one of the "great three" Gelug monasteries of Tibet, founded in 1416 by Jamyang choge, one of the Tsongkhapa’s main disciples. You can visit the biggest monastery kitchen inside the monastery and enjoy Buddhist Sculpture Carving workshop near Drepung.

In the Afternoon, Tourists will visit Sera Monastery which is another one of the "great three" Gelug monasteries of Tibet. The hot attraction is the Monks debate at around 3 - 5 in the afternoon. In addition, you can tour the Tibetan religious scripture printing house; inside the monastery, you can see three sand Mandalas and colorful Rock Painting of Buddha.

Stay overnight in Lhasa

The guide will transfer you to the airport and help you board the plane bound for Xi’an. After around 3 hours’ flight, you will land in Xi’an. The local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotels. And the rest of the day is for you to have a rest.

Stay overnight in Xi’an

The day tour in Xian is impressive too. The Emperor’s Terracotta Army is also one of the eight wonders in the world. These terracotta warriors and horses are the size of a real army, and were buried alongside the Emperor in a vast underground palace.

In the archeological site of Banpo Village, built more than 6,000 years ago, you will see how the resident matriarchal tribe used to survive in the Neolithic age.

Stay overnight in Xian

In the morning, we will first pay a visit to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Shaanxi History Museum. As a landmark of Xi’an, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda was built for storing Buddhist sutras in AD 652, and is seven-layered with a height of 64.5 meters.

Located to the northwest of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Shaanxi History Museum is China’s first large-scale national museum. There are more than 370,000 pieces of cultural relics collected in the museum, ranging from simple stone tools of ancient humans to various kinds of objects in social life before 1840.

After the tour, you will be transferred to the station to take the high-speed train to Beijing. Upon arrival, your guide will meet you and take you to your hotel in the downtown area.

Stay overnight in Beijing

Today is guided tour to Forbidden City and Summer Palace which are the traditional must-see places in Beijing. The Forbidden City is the best preserved imperial palace in China and the largest ancient palatial structure in the world. The splendid architecture of the Forbidden City represents the essence and culmination of traditional Chinese architectural accomplishment.

The Summer Palace is the largest royal garden in the world built in the Qing Dynasty. The grandeur and beauty of the Palace is overwhelming and is sure to impress anyone.

Stay overnight in Beijing

The Great Wall tour proves that China was one of the strongest countries in its history. Stretching thousands of kilometers, the Great Wall protected the ancient Chinese against the invasion of the enemy from its north side for more than 1000 years; the Great Wall was listed as one of the world's eight wonders. Mutianyu Great Wall, featured “graceful”, enjoy the best quality among all Wall sections, 80km north-east of Beijing with 22 ancient watchtowers, about one every kilometer. (Cable car is optional if you do not want to walk)

Then you will visit the Ming Tombs, the burial site of the emperor Zhuli, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty who ruled for 22 years until his death in 1424.

Stay overnight in Beijing

In the morning, you will first visit the historic Temple of Heaven, which is the largest city square in the world and the spiritual heart of China, and then move on to the famous Hutongs, the traditional courtyard residence in narrows alleys in Beijing. It is a great place to know the folk culture and old quarters of Beijing city.

After that, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to your next destination. The tour ends.