10D9N CHINA ANCIENT CAPITALS

10D9N China Ancient Capitals – Beijing Zhengzhou Kaifeng Luoyang & Xian Private Tour

Day 01 – ARRIVE BEIJING
Upon arrival at Beijing airport, transfer to a hotel in the city and enjoy the rest of the day at own leisure.

Day 02 – BEIJING  [B]
Today’s attractions are the Jinshanling Great Wall and Gubei Water Town.  The former is one of the best preserved and most scenic sections of the Great Wall of China, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the ancient wonders of the world.  The latter, Gubei Water Town, well known for its traditional Chinese architecture and network of canals and waterways winding through the old town, is located at the foot of the Simatai section of the Great Wall of China.  Highlights include stone-paved streets, traditional wooden houses with intricate carvings, arched bridges and ancient-style shops.  (Gubei Water Town is well known for its night illumination when the town’s buildings and bridges are beautifully lit up after sunset, creating a magical atmosphere.)   

Day 03 – BEIJING – ZHENGZHOU  [B]
Today we will visit the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace – both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites – and Prince Gong’s Residence.  The Forbidden City, the world’s largest palace complex, was the imperial palace of China for over 500 years from the Ming to the Qing Dynasty (1368-1912) and home to 24 emperors and their families.  The Summer Palace, a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and ancient architecture including palaces, pavilions, temples and bridges is a masterpiece of Chinese construction blending nature with beautiful architecture. Prince Gong’s/Kung’s Residence is one of the most exquisite and well-preserved residential mansion from the Qing Dynasty that was built for a powerful and influential official.  In the evening, head to Zhengzhou on a high speed rail. 

Day 04 – ZHENGZHOU  [B]
Today’s highlight is Mount Yuntai, a UNESCO World Geopark, renowned for its stunning  natural  scenery and  rich  cultural heritage.  Its virgin forest landscape and unique geological formations including towering peaks, deep canyons and scenic waterscapes are highly picturesque and iconic sights include Yuntai Waterfall (tallest waterfall in China at 314m), Cornel Peak (highest peak of Mount Yuntai at 1,308m), Red Rock Gorge (steep cliffs of red rocks standing straight up on both sides) and Pool Waterfall Gorge (impressive landscape of stunning waterfalls, flowing springs and colourful pools).  The mountain is also home to a number of ancient temples and Buddhist monasteries.

Day 05 – ZHENGZHOU  [B]
Today, we will visit Kaifeng, a major cultural centre in China with a history dating back more than 4 millennia that was once the capital city of 8 dynasties and kingdoms.  Its 14.4km long ancient city wall built during the Northern Song dynasty is one of the longest and best preserved city walls in China.  Travel back in time by visiting the Millennium City Park, a grand historical theme park that is a replica of the bustling city of Kaifeng during the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127 AD) with its ancient city gates, shops, restaurants, teahouses, mansions, bridges and canals.  Enjoy its scenic spots and key attractions including the Rainbow Bridge (a timber arch bridge that is considered one of China’s most famous ancient bridges), the famous wall painting of the Qingming Festival by the Riverside, and the Kissing Cloud Pavilion (tallest building in the park).

Thereafter, we will continue on to the Daxiangguo Temple, a royal temple built in 555 AD that is one of the most famous Buddhist temples from the Han Dynasty and home to a number of important cultural relics including the 6.6m tall 1,000-armed and 1,000-eyed 4-faced Goddess of Mercy wooden statue and 500 Luohan (Buddhist sage) statues in different poses and with different facial expressions. 
Return to Zhengzhou in the evening.  Free time to explore the popular Erqi Memorial Square or Dehua Pedestrian Street for local specialties and shopping.

Day 06 – ZHENGZHOU – DENGFENG – LUOYANG  [B]
Depart Zhengzhou and travel to the world-renowned Shaolin Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located at the foot of the Song Mountains in Dengfeng.  With a history of over 1,500 years, it is the birthplace of Shaolin Kungfu and Zen Buddhism.  If available, enjoy a 30-minute Kungfu performance by the monks during the temple visit.  Thereafter, visit the Pagoda Forest, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Comprising some 240 ancient pagodas from different dynasties (Tang, Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing), they were built to commemorate and house the ashes of monks and abbots.  From there, we will continue on to visit yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the White Horse Monastery that is purportedly the oldest Buddhist temple in China with a history dating back nearly two millennia.  End the day in Luoyang, one of the oldest cities in China and once the capital of 13 dynasties.

Day 07 – LUOYANG – XIAN  [B]
Known for its rich cultural heritage and scenic beauty, Luoyang is the earliest of the 4 Great Ancient Capitals of China (the others being Beijing, Nanjing and Xi’an).  One of the most important historical sites is the famous Longmen Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is home to over 100,000 Buddhist statues, reliefs and wall inscriptions which took over 400 years to complete.  Apart from its historical and cultural importance, the carvings are an artistic treasure with intricate creations ranging from tiny figures to enormous statues reaching up to 17m in height.

Thereafter, head on to the Luoyang Museum to learn about the history and remarkable achievements of this ancient capital.  Boasting a massive collection of over 400,000 cultural relics, including bronze vessels, pottery, jade, calligraphy and paintings with more than 11,000 pieces of them on display, it is certainly worth a visit.  In the evening, travel to Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province and formerly known as “Chang An”.

Day 08 – XIAN  [B]
With a history dating back more than 3 millennia and as the oldest surviving capital of ancient China, Xi’an is rich with Chinese history and heritage.  Today, we will visit the site of the Terracotta Army, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a vast collection of the world-famous terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China.  The sculptures include warriors, horses and chariots and quite remarkably, the warriors all have unique facial features. 

Thereafter, head to the famous Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is a symbol of Xi’an’s long and rich history.  Constructed with brick and wood and decorated with a variety of sculptures, it is also home to a number of Buddhist relics, including sutras that were brought from India by the 7th century Buddhist monk, scholar, traveller, and translator Xuanzang of “The Monkey Goes West” fame.  In the evening, at your own leisure, you may wish to either visit the Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City or watch a cultural performance.

Day 09 – XIAN  [B]
Today, we will visit Mount Tayun, a scenic mountain resort located in Zhen’an County in Shaanxi Province that is known for its stunning scenery of towering peaks, lush forests and cascading waterfalls.  The mountain is home to a number of Taoist temples and shrines and is often seen as a cradle of Taoism.  Located on the summit of the mountain is the famous tiny Jinding Guanyin Temple that sits on an area of less than 65sf with its four stone pillars rooted in the gaps of mountain rocks.  Given its location and the construction difficulties due to the challenging surrounding terrain, it is no wonder that this unique temple perched on a summit with cliffs on 3 sides beckons visitors from far and wide.

Day 10 – XIAN – DEPART XIAN  [B]
Free time on your own until your transfer to Xi’an airport for your departure flight.

Whether you prefer the above itinerary “as-is” or have it customised, if you will indicate the start/end dates of your intended travel and provide your contact details, we will get in touch with you to discuss the itinerary on a no-obligations basis on your part.