Giant panda, Chengdu
ASIA
Terra Cotta Army, Xian French Concession, Shanghai
ITINERARY
DAY 1 • Depart U. S. Depart this evening on an overnight flight to Shanghai.
DAY 2 • Fly to Shanghai, China Continue making your way to Shanghai today, losing one day en route as you cross the International Date Line. You regain this day when you fly back to the U. S. at the end of the trip.
DAY 3 • Arrive Shanghai Upon arrival in Shanghai, an O. A. T. representative will greet you at the airport and assist you to your hotel, where you’ ll meet your Trip Experience Leader and fellow travelers from our optional Taipei: Modern Capital of Taiwan pre-trip extension.
Fairfield by Marriott Shanghai Jingan or similar
DAY 4 • Explore Yu Garden • Visit the Bund Discover Yu Garden, a 16th-century botanical oasis featuring all the elements of a classical Chinese garden, including pavilions, rock formations, and ponds. Following lunch, embark on a walking tour of the Bund, a historic section of Shanghai featuring Art Deco buildings and European influence.
Meals: B, L, D | Fairfield by Marriott Shanghai Jingan or similar
DAY 5 • French Concession • M50 art district This morning, we’ ll walk over to the historic Former French Concession and stroll through the trendy area of Tinazigang. After lunch at a local restaurant, we’ ll
drive to the M50 district to explore its more than 100 artists’ studios.
Meals: B, L | Fairfield by Marriott Shanghai Jingan or similar
DAY 6 • Suzhou Today we’ ll discover Suzhou, celebrated for its classical gardens, romantic latticework of canals, and wellpreserved traditions.
Meals: B, L, D | Fairfield by Marriott Shanghai Jingan or similar
DAY 7 • Fly to Guilin Enjoy a leisurely start to the morning before heading to the airport for our flight to Guilin.
Meals: B, D | Guilin Bravo Hotel or similar
DAY 8 • Cruise the Li River • Fan painting workshop
Cruise the Li River— flanked on both sides by thousands of sky-piercing karst mountains— on a half-day tour, which includes lunch. After disembarking, we’ ll visit the old town of Fuli, famous for its traditional ink-painted fans. At a local workshop, we’ ll see how the fans are made and have the opportunity to paint our own.
Meals: B, L | Guilin Bravo Hotel or similar
DAY 9 • A Day in the Life of a Dong village Experience A Day in the Life of a local Dong minority group. During our visit to the Dong village, we’ ll be treated to a traditional welcome ceremony and meet the village leader, who will by our guide throughout today’ s activities. As we make our way to the home of one of the villagers, we’ ll witness characteristics common among Dong villages, including wooden
houses supported by stilts, a drum tower, and covered bridges.
During our visit we’ ll learn how to make traditional oil tea and sit down to lunch we helped to prepare with members of the Dong community. Then, we’ ll visit a family run workshop for a hands-on experience with traditional sheng instruments— vertical flutes made of bamboo— before beginning the journey back to Guilin.
Meals: B, L | Guilin Bravo Hotel or similar
DAY 10 • Tea garden experience • Lujiacun village dinner
Visit a local tea garden, where we’ ll learn about tea culture from a tea master, collect tea leaves, and enjoy
ADVENTURE HIGHLIGHT
On Day 9, experience A Day in the Life of a local Chinese minority group known as the Dong during a visit to one of their traditional villages.
Information & Reservations 1-800-955-1925 www. oattravel. com / chn 79