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zCities and Countryside of China - The Shangri-La Experience

Private Touring Discoveries

  • After days enriched by unhurried sightseeing, retreat to our handpicked luxury hotels every night.
  • The Chinese have long known the health benefits of Tai Chi... Enjoy a private lesson with a master on the landscaped grounds of the Summer Palace.
  • The “old ways” and a calming pace prevail outside of China’s great cities... Gain insight into these rural traditions when you spend time with a farmer’s family in Yangshuo.
  • To complement in-depth sightseeing in Xian, our private car, driver and guide are at your disposal to explore your personal interests.

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Day
1

Welcome to Beijing!

Upon arrival, you’ll be warmly greeted and escorted by private car to the Shangri-La Hotel, a luxury city landmark set amidst beautifully landscaped gardens.

Day
2

Full day sightseeing in Beijing

In the attentive company of your own personal guide, you’ll visit Tiananmen Square, the sprawling Forbidden City c, the Panda Hall at Beijing Zoo, and the Temple of Heaven c, a masterpiece of Ming Dynasty architecture. Meals B,L

Day
3

Excursion to the Great Wall c

Thrill to the experience of walking atop the Great Wall at Badaling, one of the best preserved and most spectacular sections of this ancient structure. Sit down to lunch at The Commune by the Great Wall, with unbeatable views over the Wall as it stretches across the Shuiguan Mountains. Then step aboard a rickshaw to explore one of Beijing’s last hutong neighborhoods. Spend time with a resident family and learn about a rapidly vanishing way of life. Meals B,L 

Day
4

Visit the Summer Palace and fly to Xian

Begin your day with a private Tai Chi class on the landscaped grounds of the lovely Summer Palace c, erstwhile retreat of China’s Imperial families. Fly to Xian and transfer to the exceptional Shangri-La Hotel. Meals B,L 

Day
5

The amazing Terra Cotta Army c

Spend time at the excavation site of China’s greatest archaeological discovery and visit the Terra Cotta Museum. After lunch, our car and driver are at your disposal to explore your personal interests as you wish. You might take in more of Xian’s ancient sites or browse through a colorful local market. Meals B,L 

Day
6

Touch Antiquity and on to Guilin

Touch Antiquity with museum curators, examining and handling priceless ancient artifacts. Savor Xian’s famous dumplings at lunch and then fly to Guilin where you’ll be transferred by private car to the Shangri-La Hotel. Meals B,L 

Day
7

Bamboo rafting in Guilin

Slip into Guilin’s ethereal landscapes on a bamboo rafting expedition down the gentle Yulong, a particularly scenic tributary of the Li River. Experience the timeless rhythms of agrarian life as you stroll along emerald green rice paddies and visit with a farmer and his family. Savor the fine cuisine of southern China at dinner tonight, and then mingle with city residents on a pleasant evening stroll through town. Meals B,L,D 

Day
8

Fly to Shanghai

Transfer by private car to the airport for your included flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival, you’ll be met and chauffeured to the premier Shangri-La Pudong Hotel, wonderfully situated along the Huangpu River with breathtaking views of Shanghai’s historic waterfront. Meals B

Day
9

Sightseeing... Shanghai style!

Your private tour takes you along the historic Bund and through the Shanghai Museum, home to a highly regarded collection showcasing millennia of Chinese history and culture. Stroll in the lovely Yu Yuan Garden, explore the classic architecture and hip boutiques of Xintiandi Street, and sit down to a delightful Dim Sum lunch at the Green Wave Restaurant. Meals B,L 

Day
10

Farewell to Shanghai

Your private car and driver will take you to the airport. Meals B 

Extend Your Trip

The Allure of Hong Kong

4-Day Pre-Tour Extension from $1,199

Enhance your travels through China and Asia with our signature Private Touring in Hong Kong. We include your choice of deluxe or luxury hotel, chauffeured transfers when you come and go, and our exclusive Hong Kong Insider sightseeing tour with your own personal guide.

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Day
1

Welcome to Hong Kong

On arrival in Hong Kong, you’ll be warmly greeted and chauffeured into the heart of this vibrant and cosmopolitan city. Complimentary water and a refreshing towelette will be provided as your guide introduces you to their native city and answers any questions you might have. Upon reaching the city center, you’ll check in to your choice of hotel.

Day
2

Be a Hong Kong Insider

This morning your guide, a savvy city resident, will be waiting to show you the highlights and hidden facets of their hometown. Your exploration begins as you board the iconic Star Ferry! Cross Victoria Harbor and take in the impressive city skyline as your in-the-know guide shares information and insight. Step off on Hong Kong Island for a walking tour through Central, the city’s bustling business and financial center. Marvel at striking architectural landmarks like I.M. Pei’s China Bank Tower and learn how ancient Feng Shui principles still guide Hong Kong’s urban planners and architects.

Hop aboard one of the city’s double-decker trams, an essential part of island life for more than a century, and then explore by foot in Sheung Wan where you’ll see traditional herbal markets and learn about Chinese medicine. Continue along world-famous Hollywood where generations-old shop houses have been transformed into some of the city’s trendiest cafes, galleries and boutiques. Visit Man Mo Temple, one of the oldest in Hong Kong, and then sit down to a traditional Dim Sum lunch in one of your guide’s favorite restaurants. Delve into layers of architectural and cultural history at the unique PMQ Complex, and then join city residents along Graham Street. For nearly 200 years, this is where locals have come to buy their daily staples – everything from fruits and vegetables to preserved tofu, duck eggs and condiments. At one of the many markets, you’ll pause to refresh with a glass of freshly-pressed sugar cane juice. End your sightseeing on a high note as you ride the Peak Tram to the top of Victoria Peak – where you’ll have breathtaking views of the city skyline, Victoria Harbor and distant vistas of green hills and offshore islands. After sightseeing, you’ll be escorted back to your hotel where the rest of the afternoon and your evening are at leisure to enjoy as you wish.  Meals B+L

Day
3

Another Day in Hong Kong

This entire day is yours to enjoy as you wish. Your hotel’s central location, surrounded by shopping, dining and cultural attractions, makes it easy to explore at your own pace. If you prefer additional guided sightseeing, you can choose from a wide variety of available tours including these:

Kowloon Markets: This half-day tour takes you through the back streets of Kowloon to experience facets of daily life glimpsed by few visitors. Venturing through the busy streets of the Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok neighborhoods, you’ll join ordinary citizens and professional florists as they browse and shop in the colorful flower market. Strolling in the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden, you’ll see men and their bird cages – and learn about this popular hobby. Accompanied by our in-the-know guide, you’ll also explore the Goldfish Market and the Ladies’ Market – a great place to shop for fashion and accessories. Finish up at Tin Hua Temple and the Jade Market where hundreds of merchants specialize in jewelry and carvings made from this revered green stone as well as fresh-water pearls.

Treasures of Kowloon: Spend a half-day with our expert guide delving into Hong Kong’s cultural heritage. Focusing on some of the principle landmarks and attractions in the Kowloon district, this guided tour includes Wong Tai Sin, a popular temple known for its fortune tellers. You’ll also explore Walled City Park, set on the site of a 19th-century Chinese garrison, and visit the Chi Lin Nunnery, an impressive Buddhist temple built in Tang Dynasty-style.

Hong Kong Island Foodie Tour: A must for culinary aficionados, this guided tour takes you down colorful side streets in the Hong Kong Island neighborhoods of Central and Sheung Wan. With our expert guide at your side, you’ll stop at a half-dozen places to sample authentic regional specialties like barbecue pork and wonton noodles. Along the way, you’ll learn how the area grew from a tiny fishing village into an international center for finance and trade. Tour begins and ends in Central on Hong Kong Island and lasts about 3.5 hours.

Cheung Chau Island: You’ll be met at your hotel and escorted to the pier to board the ferry to Cheung Chau Island. With no motorized vehicles allowed, Cheung Chau offers a chance to experience traditional village life away from the 21st-century rhythms of Kowloon and the bustling districts on Hong Kong Island. Fishing boats ply the harbor of Cheung Chau and the waterfront promenade is alive with local shops, seafood restaurants and family-run grocery stores. This 6-hour tour includes a tasting of Cheung Chau’s culinary specialties.

Curated Arts of Hong Kong: Accompanied by our specialist guide, this exclusive tour takes you to some of the city’s most highly-regarded galleries and artists’ studios where professional staff and gallery managers will offer insightful introductions to their current exhibitions and artists. This tour also visits Duddell’s, an innovative dining venue that brings in rarely-seen contemporary art work – most on special loan from private collections. This 3-hour tour includes roundtrip private transfers from your hotel.

Heritage Tour: This unique tour explores the legacy of the five great clans that played such an important role in the early days of Hong Kong - with some of the families, like the Tangs, tracing their arrival in the area to the 12th century. Tucked in amongst the modern apartment towers and busy highways of Kowloon and the New Territories, you’ll discover a virtual living museum where historic sites offer a glimpse into the life and culture of these long-ago, once-powerful families. Among the highlights, you’ll visit the walled village of Shan Ha Wai, tour the Tang-styled Buddhist temple at the Chi Lin Nunnery, and see the stately home built in 1865 by a descendent of the Man clan. A final stop at the Hong Kong Museum of History offers a great wrap-up of the history you’ve explored on this fascinating half-day tour.

Day
4

Depart Hong Kong

Your car and driver will take you to the airport or cruise ship terminal for your onward journey.  Meals B

Private Tour Add-Ons

Phuket

Thailand’s most famous resort island is the perfect place to unwind and experience the region’s incredible landscapes. We include private airport transfers, a choice of fine resorts, daily breakfast, and an excursion to Phi Phi Island with lunch in a charming beachside restaurant.

Singapore

Discover the city’s colorful, multi-ethnic heritage and rich Colonial history! Your private city tour takes you through Little India and Chinatown to Mt. Faber and the renowned National Orchid Garden.

Tokyo

Our 4-day FreeStyle Travel package includes a choice of fine hotels, daily breakfast, city sightseeing and airport transfers via the convenient Airport Limousine Bus.

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Family + Friends

Travel is one of  life's most rewarding experiences, perhaps even more so when it's shared with those you love! Take advantage of our Family & Friends offer and Save $100 per person anytime you book 4 or more people on the same A+R program.

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