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14nights/15days Beijing/ Xian/ Chengdu/ Chongqing/ Yangtze River Cruises/ Yichang/ Shanghai

Detailed Itinerary

Day 01 - 05
Day 06 - 10
Day 11 - 16

Day01 Beijing [L+D]
Welcome to Beijing. Upon arrival at Beijing's Capital airport, you will be met by you guide and transported to your hotel. Beijing has been the capital of China for 850 years. Emperors of different dynasties all had the best cooks at their service. Thus, Beijing cuisine is inevitably influenced by the imperial cooking school. With the change of dynasties and diverse population inflow from other parts of the country, many different styles of cooking were introduced into Beijing. For this reason, Beijing cuisine is diverse in nature. All in all, combining variety and quality, Beijing cuisine is among the best in China. Welcome Dinner at the Mongolian Hotpot Restaurant overlooking the Tian'an men Square.

Day02 Beijing [B+L+D]
Our first stop this morning will be Tian'an Men Square, the heart of Beijing and then tour the Forbidden City, the most complete ancient imperial palace in the world and the Summer Palace, one of the China's largest and best-preserved imperial gardens. Tonight we will eat like a Qing Dynasty emperor for his imperial dinner at Fangshan Restaurant inside the Beihai Park. Founded in the park in 1925, the restaurant was the first imperial style restaurant established in Beijing. The name "fang shan" actually means food following the style used for the imperial family. Careful selection of ingredients, elaborate preparation and exquisite decoration are key components of imperial cuisine. One of the features the restaurant is famous for is "Man Han Quan Xi" (the complete Manchu and Han nationality food), a banquet served on the most important occasions. A look at the full menu of this famous banquet gives you an idea of the sheer variety of dishes available to Chinese emperors and empresses. It includes six banquets, each comprising up to 36 dishes. It takes three days to finish them all.

Day03 Beijing [B+L+D]
Visit the Great Wall in Mutianyu section, one of the man-made wonders of world. After lunch, explore the Ming Tombs, home to the burial Chambers of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty. Dinner for the day is the most famous Peking Duck at the Quan Ju De Restaurant which was established 130 years ago. To achieve the prized crisp skin, the duck is air-dried, then coated with a mixture of syrup and soy sauce, immersed in condiments unique to the restaurant and are roasted directly over flames stoked by fruit tree wood. The best roasted duck is date-red, shining with oil, but with a crisp skin and tender meat. The chef cuts the meat into thin slices at table. The slivers of skin are wrapped in thin pancakes with spring onions or leeks, cucumber, turnip and delicious plum sauce. Peking Opera at night.

Day04 Beijing [B+L+D]
In the morning you will visit Hutongs by rickshaw, lunch will be served in one of the local people's home during the tour, where you can learn how to make dumplings, After lunch have a tour for the Temple of Heaven, which is the largest building complex in ancient times dedicated to rituals that pay homage to the glory of heaven. Tanjia Cai (Tan Family Cuisine) is our dinner today. Tanjia Cai is a famous Chinese cuisine with a history of over 100 years. It was named after Tan Zunzun, a talented chef who has a lifelong romance with a single beloved--food. The cuisine successfully combined the flavor of several cuisines and developed its own characteristic. Tanjia Cai has two principles: First, only the finest ingredients may be used; second, the taste should reflect the essence of Tanjia Cai. The dishes taste soft and original, not too sweet and not too salty. Typical dishes include stewed shark's fin and fish maw in jar, stewed abalone in delicious sauce, sauted and fried prawn. After dinner we will visit the local night food-market at Wangfujing.

Day05 Beijing/Qufu [B+L+D]
We leave Beijing in the morning to board our soft seat train to Qufu, the hometown of Confucius (551-479 B.C.), the celebrated thinker, philosopher and educator of the Spring and Autumn Period. For twenty-five centuries, he has exerted profound influence on Chinese society with his ideas right up to the present century. As the para-religious cult which came to embrace his thinking grew, shrines and temples were erected to his memory in Qufu. Among more than three hundred historical sites here, the most famous are Temple of Confucius (Kongmiao), Confucius Mansion (Kongfu), and Forest of Confucius (Konglin).

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Day06 Qufu [B+L+D]
Full day visit to the Temple of Confucius, Confucius Mansion and Forest of Confucius. Tonight's dinner is Confucius' Family's Residence Banquet which was originally the special high-grade banquet for receiving distinguished guests. As many of the ladies in the Confucius' Family's Residence came from the distinguished families of various places in China with their own cookers, Confucius' Family's Residence banquet could be renovated continuously by combining different features of various schools of cooking. One of the most famous examples of Confucian Cuisine was a dish with an impressive sounding name of "The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea Gamboling around the Arhat." This dish typifies the fresh, fragrant, pure taste that made Confucian cuisine so memorable. From the time of the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) until the late Qing Dynasty (161 - 1911 AD) chefs would prepare the dish for celebrations within the Confucian family, and when important dignitaries such as high officials, scholars and even Emperors came to visit. Qian Long of the Qing dynasty was a particularly frequent visitor, giving the Confucian family many opportunities to entertain with traditional family dishes such as this one.

Day07 Qufu/Xian [B+L+D]
Fly to Xian in the morning. Upon arrival we will have a city tour of Xian including the Shaanxi History Museum considering it an obligation to be a showcase of ancient civilizations. Today's special dinner is the Dumplings Banquet at Defachang restaurant. Xi'an Dumpling Banquet is brought forth new ideas in its color, fragrance, taste and style; meanwhile, ancient Chinese culture has been added. Thus, the dumpling is no longer one kind of simple flour food. Pork, beef, mutton and vegetable are used as its filling, chicken, duck, fish, pork, meat, egg, delicacies from land and sea and fresh vegetable are added into the filling as well. They make out various pretty and lovely styles such as flower, bird, grass and fish. Any way this restaurant can prepare more than 200 different styles of Dumplings to challenge your tongue. After dinner we will visit the local night food-market at Beiyuanmen.

Day08 Xian [B+L+D]
Morning visit to the Terra Cotta Warriors of Emperor Qin which is considered to be the greatest archaeological discovery in the 20th in the world. Today's lunch is the specially prepared local noodles. Noodles occupy an important position in Chinese cuisine. Actually, the Chinese were the inventors of noodles, and they were brought to the European noodle country, Italy, by Marco Polo who learnt the technique of making noodles here in Xian only in the 13th century. Unlike the Italians who can't explain why their spaghetti are impractically long the Chinese do have a seemingly very logical reason why the longer the noodles are the better; to the ever superstitious Chinese long noodles mean long life. Making noodles the traditional Chinese way is an acrobatic art. The dough is pulled and whirled through the air in order to stretch it through centrifugal force. After lunch we will visit the 1300 year old Tang Dynasty built pagoda, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Tonight's dinner is at a Las Vegas styled theatre restaurant, the Tang Dynasty where we will sample the Tang Dynasty imperial food while enjoying Tang Dynasty music and dances live on stage.

Day09 Xian/Chengdu [B+L+D]
Fly to Chengdu in the morning. Centrally located in the western Sichuan Plain, Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, is renowned for its fertile land and agricultural wealth, which have earned the city the nickname "Storehouse of Heaven". Besides the local teahouses, snack bars and bazaars (also known as free markets) are still the popular places to experience the local life. Go to a local Sichuan restaurant to have a taste of Sichuan snacks for lunch. In the afternoon, we will visit the Temple of Marquis Wu, a shrine to memorize Zhugeliang, the premier of Shu kingdom during China's Three Kingdom period. Visit Jinli Street, a street features west Sichuan province custom. Tonight we will try the most famous Sichuan Hot Pot. The Sichuan hot pot, like the rest of that humid and populous province's cuisine, tastes very spicy. The broth is flavored with chili peppers and other pungent herbs and spices. The main ingredients include hot pepper, Chinese crystal sugar and wine. Slices of kidney, chicken breast, beef tripe, goose intestines, spring onion, soya bean sprouts, mushrooms eel, duck and sea cucumber form the meat content of the dish. We will try the hot pot that is divided into two sections-one containing a spicy broth, the other a milder, white stock.

Day 10 Chengdu [B+L+D]
In the morning, we leave Chengdu for the Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding just 10 kms north to Chengdu, where you can see the lovely tender pandas. You can also take pictures with a panda in your arms by donating some money. Then drive to Sanxingdui museum in Guanghan. In the afternoon we will have a good look of Sanxingdui Museum to learn about ancient Shu culture which features, its bronze articles, jade articles, potteries etc. You will be shocked by the amazing and mystic culture originated 4,500 years. We will try Sichuan Cuisine tonight at a local restaurant. Bursting with flavor, Sichuan food includes some of the spiciest dishes in China. During the evening, you are strongly recommended to watch the show of Sichuan opera and you can appreciate the unique skills of local arts such as puppet show, hand shadow show and so on (optional).

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Day 11 Chengdu/Guilin [B+L+D]
Fly to Guilin in the morning. Guilin is a cultural city with a history of over 2,000 years, is world famous for its serene landscapes and mysterious limestone formations mist covered hills and bamboo groves. The region boasts some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, and is one of the most photographed areas of China. The city of Guilin is located on the Li River, surrounded by the exotic geographic formations that seem to evoke a mystical feeling in all who travel here. It is the breathtaking beauty, peacefulness, and tranquility in such a magical setting that rewards those who visit Guilin. Visit the Reed Flute Cave upon arrival. We will try local rice noodles for tonight's dinner. The rice noodle is white glistening, thin, smooth, gentle but strong. It's flavorless it self so it needs to be mixed with secretly made gravy and side dishes. The formula is highly confidential for businessman. The noodles can be assorted as Soup Noodle, Gravy & Vegetable Noodle, Sirloin Noodle, Sour and Spicy Noodle.

Day 12 Guilin [B+L+D]
Li River Cruise for the day. The cruise from Guilin to Yangshou, following an 83 km long belt of strange landforms, is like traveling along a traditional Chinese Painting. We may be also in luck and seeing the ospreys catching fish on the river. We will try vegetarian food for tonight's dinner. Vegetarian Food has been an important food in the Chinese culture for a long time. It has been a popular choice of food since the Song Dynasty and was developed further in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The main characteristic of this type of food is that they are uniquely cooked and healthy. The main ingredients are green leafy vegetables, fruits, mushrooms and bean-curd products. Vegetable oil is usually a condiment, as it is not only delicious and nutritious; it also helps the digestion process and prevents cancer. Some of the famous dishes include Vegetarian "Chicken", Braised Vegetarian "Meat" with Bean Sauce, Vegetarian "Pork Tripe", Vegetarian "Ham", Hot-and-sour bean-curd Slices, Vegetarian "Shrimps" and Chinese Toon "Fish". All the dishes are not real "meat", but are generally processed Soya products and cooked to look and taste like the real thing.

Day 13 Guilin/Guangzhou [B+L+D]
Fly to Guangzhou in the morning. Upon arrival visit the local market of Qingping where almost everything good for cooking can be found and purchased. We will try typical Cantonese food tonight in Canton. Cantonese is the best-known style of Chinese cooking worldwide. The fresh, natural flavors of Cantonese cuisine are designed to tantalize the taste buds. Ingredients are purchased and prepared the same day and cooked just before serving, using few spicy seasonings.

Day 14 Guangzhou/Shanghai [B+L+D]
Try Dim Sum for breakfast. Dim sum is more than just a category of dishes; it's an eating habit. Dim sums are small dishes taken for snacks or tea time (in Chinese: yam cha); they are served in restaurants on a trolley. Most of the dim sum dishes are steamed but they may also be fried or braised. Common to all dim sums is that they are small portions, in bite size, and normally strongly flavored. Dim sum is of Cantonese origin and very popular not only in Guangzhou but also in Hong Kong. Visit the Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family in the morning. This temple is now the site of the Guangdong Folk Art Museum. The 100-year-old temple was once the ancestral temple and study of 72 Chen families in Guangdong in the Qing Dynasty. It is now the largest and best preserved and decorated ancient architecture existing in Guangdong Province. Covering an area of 15,000 square meters, the temple, having a rectangular structure as its main building, comprises 19 buildings. It is known for its beautiful decoration, which combines wood- carving, brick carving, stone carving, clay sculpture, ash sculpture, brass and iron foundry, grotto, new year painting and other art forms. The special historical, art and scientific values have made it an important attraction in Guangzhou. Fly to Shanghai in the afternoon. Acrobatic show at night (optional).

Day 15 Shanghai [B+L+D]
You will visit the Jade Buddha Temple which is one of the most famous Buddhist temples to be found in Shanghai and the beautiful Yuyuan Garden, traditional Chinese park decorated by beautiful pavilions, miniature lakes, bridges and rock formations. After lunch, take a relaxing cruise tour on Huangpu River, you will experience the prosperity of modern Shanghai. And then, have a tour to the Oriental Pearl Tower which stands by the bank of Huangpu River. It is in the centre of Lujiazui, opposite to the Bund which is famous for its grand buildings of various architectural styles. Tonight we will experience the sensationally rich, sweet flavors of Shanghai cuisine. Shanghai does not have a definitive cuisine of its own, but refines those of the surrounding provinces. Its flavors are heavier and oilier than Cantonese cuisine, featuring preserved vegetables, pickles and salted meats. Lime-and-ginger-flavored "1,000-year-old" eggs are perhaps Shanghai's best-known culinary creation. Beggar's Chicken is a legendary dish wrapped in lotus leaves, covered in clay and oven-fired to steamy, tasty perfection - in olden times; it was baked in the ground. Other popular dishes include hairy crab, "eight treasure" duck, "drunken" chicken, braised eel and yellow fish.

Day 16 departure [B]
We have already tried most of the famous dishes in China at the original place, from Street food to Imperial food, from hot and spicy Sichuan Hot Pot to delicate and tasteful Xian Dumplings Banquet. Meanwhile we have visited some of the greatest places that China is famous for, such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terra Cotta Warriors, Pandas and the breathtaking scenery of Guilin. We are sure that this Chinese Culinary Tour will leave you a life long memory. Transfer to the airport to board your flight back home.

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