See China’s ancient and modern capitals of culture and commerce Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Lijiang, Guilin, Hangzhou, and Shanghai

This tour gets its name from the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.). It was founded by the Li clan, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the previous Sui Empire. With its capital at Chang’an (present-day Xian), the most populous city in the world at the time, Tang is regarded by most historians as a high point in Chinese civilization as well as a golden age of cosmopolitan culture. This tour combines the sights of the city, along with beautiful tranquility, punctuated by a ride on the speedy bullet train.

18 Days – Download 4 page pdf Tang – Golden Passage



At Access China Tours, all of our China tour packages include all land prices, private accommodation, transportation, expert guides and most meals in China.

Included meals follow the day’s description and accommodation (B – Breakfast, L – Lunch, D – Dinner).

Scroll down for the tour’s price and dates. For more information, please see What is Included in ACT’s tours.




Day 1 Depart North America

Fly to China from your nearest airport and via the best routing. We can book your international air individually for your convenience.


Day 2 Beijing

Arrive at Beijing Capital Airport. You are met by ACT service staff and transferred by vehicle to your fine hotel. Meet your fellow travelers at the Evening Reception and learn more about upcoming activities.
The Peninsula Beijing (Evening Reception)


Day 3 Beijing

Your exploration of Beijing starts in Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest. Observe the ultra-modern “Egg” National Performing Arts Center. Next, visit the Forbidden City, the magnificent imperial palaces of the Ming and Qing dynasties which were built almost 600 years ago. After lunch, explore by a pedicab ride some of Beijing’s old Hutongs (alleyways) and traditional courtyards. Climb up the nearby Drum and Bell Towers for a great aerial view of the traditional neighborhood below. Visit a local home then return to the hotel for relaxation. Enjoy a welcome banquet featuring Peking Duck this evening.
The Peninsula Beijing (B-L-D)


Day 4 Beijing

Visit the Temple of Heaven early this morning. Observe Beijing residents doing traditional Taichi and other exercises in the tranquil parklands. Behold the beautiful Hall of Prayers, one of four UNESCO World Heritage sites you will visit in Beijing.

Stop by the lively Silk Market, a bustling place where buyers and vendors bargain hard over clothes, accessories, beddings, and traditional arts and crafts. After lunch, go to visit the enchanting Summer Palace, a renowned imperial retreat of the Qing dynasty. Enjoy a boat ride on tranquil Kunming Lake. For tonight’s dinner, savor the famous Imperial Cuisine in a courtyard restaurant that was favored by the Ming and Qing Emperors.
The Peninsula Beijing (B-L-D)


Day 5 Beijing

Put on your hiking shoes for an excursion to the extraordinary Great Wall of China. The rugged and scenic Mutianyu section is a fine example of the Ming era construction. Stop by a small mountain village for lunch and meet local rural residents. Return to the hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to discover more of Beijing’s treasures or to just relax.
The Peninsula Beijing (B-L)


Day 6 Beijing – Xian

After breakfast visit the trendy 798 Art Complex on the way to view some Chinese modern art created by Beijing’s newest artists. Go to the airport and fly to Xi’an, the ancient capital of the Qin and many of the following dynasties. After refreshing in the hotel, go to visit the massive ancient City Walls and a nearby street market. Tonight, enjoy a special Xi’an Cuisine Dinner in an elite local restaurant.
Sofitel on Renmin Square (B-L-D)


Day 7 Xian

A morning excursion takes you to the magnificent 2,200-year-old Terracotta Warriors of China’s first Emperor, Qin Shihuang, one of the first UNESCO World Heritage sites. This archaeological excavation site is a stunning exhibit of over 7000 individually unique ancient terracotta life-size statues. Upon returning to the city, visit the elegant Big Goose Pagoda which has survived over a millennium of war and earthquakes. Tour the fine Xi’an History Museum for its wonderful collection of ancient relics spanning almost 3,000 years. In the evening, you will enjoy a Special Dumpling Dinner in a local restaurant followed by an elaborate Tang Dynasty-Style Stage Show.
Sofitel on Renmin Square (B-L-D)


Day 8 Xian – Chengdu

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Chengdu. Upon arrival, check into your hotel. After lunch, visit Wenshu Buddhist Temple and take a walking tour in Kuanzhai Alley at the city centre followed by a Sichuan Face Changing show in a local teahouse.
Sheraton Chengdu Lido Hotel (B-L-D)


Day 9 Chengdu – Lijiang

Excursion to the Giant Panda Breeding & Research Center in the morning. Here you can observe the current scientific work under way to preserve the dwindling population of iconic Giant Pandas indigenous to the western Sichuan mountains.  After lunch, visit Jinsha Museum, which holds astonishing artifacts of the mysterious 3000-year-old Shu Culture.

Transfer to airport and fly to Lijiang. Met by guide and transfer to your hotel in the old town. Evening is on your own.
Crowne Plaza Hotel Lijiang (B-L)


Day 10 Lijiang

Lijiang has long been the center of the Naxi people, a Tibetan-Qiang related ethnic group. The Naxis, originally from northwestern China, have lived in the region for over a thousand years. They have created a unique pictographic writing system that is still in use today by some village elders. The city’s Old Town area maintains its traditional layout and atmosphere with hundreds of ancient houses and bridges built around rushing creeks. Our visit begins with a walking tour of the old town and the lively produce market. This afternoon explore the Black Dragon Pool Park and Naxi Dongba Culture Center. We may witness a demonstration of some traditional crafts. Later on, take a stroll in Shuhe Village, a charming community with many traditional Naxi houses and ethnic shops. Enjoy a Local Cuisine Dinner.
Crowne Plaza Hotel Lijiang (B-L-D)


Day 11 Lijiang

After breakfast, visit the Baisha Village on the outskirts of the city to see the ancient murals. Next, visit Yufeng Tibetan Monastery and the hundreds-year-old magnolia tree in the courtyard. Continue travel uphill and head into the sky on a cable car up the Yulong Snow Mountain to enjoy the gorgeous views and to take a short hike on the Yak Meadow. The altitude of Yak Meadow is 4,500 meters (14,750 feet), probably the highest you have ever been. Spend the rest of the day exploring Lijiang on your own. The city is a great place to get lost among the ancient houses, back lanes, narrow bridges, bustling local markets, and multinational crowds.
Crowne Plaza Hotel Lijiang (B-L)



Day 12 Lijiang – Guilin

Transfer to the airport and fly via Kunming to Guilin, perhaps China’s most scenic city. You are met and transfer to hotel. After some rest and your own lunch in the hotel, go out with your guide to visit Ludi Cave – a fantastic display of geological processes. Climb up the Fubo Hill for a bird’s-eye view of the city. To conclude the day, you will enjoy an evening Lake Cruise through the city waterways of lights and bridges.
Shangri-La Hotel Guilin (B-D)


Day 13 Guilin – Yangshuo

Guilin is home to some of China’s most beautiful landscapes. Its lush limestone peaks and tranquil rivers create endless panoramas. Today, you will board a cruise boat for a beautiful four-hour Li River Cruise. The cruise will give you a chance to savour the unique and charming views of the area’s extraordinary landscape of sheer limestone peaks and rice paddies that have inspired thousands of famous Chinese scroll paintings. Get off the boat in Yangshuo, a lovely and tourist-friendly small town with streets lined with small hotels, countless souvenir shops selling traditional ornaments, jewelry and paintings, and restaurants serving international foods. Explore the lively street market and also visit a farmer’s village home nestled in the panoramic landscape.
Shangril-La Hotel Guilin (B-L-D)


Day 14 Guilin – Longsheng – Hangzhou

After breakfast, travel to the mountainous Longsheng area by vehicle for a full-day excursion to see beautiful Rice Terraces and to visit villages of ethnic Dong and Yao peoples, two of China’s fifty-five ethnic minorities. Some moderate climbing is involved, so you will need comfortable walking shoes. Those who cannot hike can still enjoy all of the scenery as sedan-chair service is available. Return to Guilin and take an afternoon flight to Hangzhou. Transfer to your hotel upon arrival.
Shangri-La Hangzhou Hotel (B-L)



Day 15 Hangzhou

For centuries, Hangzhou has been known for the beauty and tranquility of West Lake, nestled in the city center. Its blue mists and soft hills have been the inspiration for countless poets and artists throughout the centuries. Enjoy a relaxing boat ride on the lake and pleasant strolls in the gardens and bamboo groves along the lakeshore. Next, visit the Lingyin Monastery in the suburban hills to witness the active practice of praying and worshiping. This spectacular temple is one of the most celebrated Buddhist monasteries in China. The city is flanked to the west by hills cultivated with lush tea bushes that produce the highly regarded Longjing Tea. Visit a Tea Plantation and the China Tea Museum to learn about the ancient art of tea cultivation. The evening is free and dinner is on your own.
Shangri-La Hangzhou Hotel (B-L)



Day 16 Hangzhou- Shanghai

Transfer to the train station and take bullet train to Shanghai, financial center of China. Met by guide and transfer to hotel.  after refreshing, you will visit the exquisite Yuyuan Garden and the European Art-Deco architecture of the Bund. Gaze across the river at the towering structures of the modern Pudong district. In the afternoon, visit the marvelous Shanghai Museum, whose galleries contain fine collections of art and artifacts dating back millennia. Wander around the former French Concession, represented by the leafy Fuxing Park and colonial era architecture. Stop by Xintiandi, a redeveloped neighborhood with trendy pubs, coffee shops, chic restaurants, and fashion stores frequented by Shanghai’s new yuppies. After a fine dinner, go to a Shanghai theater to enjoy an amazing Acrobatic Show.
Four Seasons Shanghai (B-D)



Day 17 Shanghai

After breakfast, visit Shanghai World Financial Center in Pudong District with the world’s tallest Observation Deck, offering views from 474m (1,555ft) above ground level. Then go to Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center for an awe-inspiring perspective on the city’s future development. The afternoon is free for you to explore on your own. Tonight, you and your fellow travelers are invited to enjoy a genuine Shanghai Cuisine Dinner in a fine local restaurant.

Four Seasons Shanghai (B-D)



Day 18 Return Home

Enjoy breakfast in your hotel. Transfer to the airport and board your home-bound flight. Arrive in North America on the same day.


18 Days (Tour Code-HGP)
This tour departs on Thursdays and returns on Sundays. There are six departures during the year and the dates fall in March, April, May, August, September, and October.




 

If you have any questions or would like to make a reservation, please give us a call at 1 (800) 788-1399, email us at info@accesschinatours.com or use our contact form.

Please view what is included in our tours, along with testimonials from previous ACT travel clients. Feel free to browse through our other luxury and adventure tours. If you don’t see exactly what you like, we are happy to arrange a private or custom tour for you.

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