Terra Cotta Army, Xian Summer Palace, Beijing
in daily life. Later, enjoy a special dinner in the village of Lujiacun. Meals: B, L, D | Guilin Bravo Hotel or similar
DAY 11 • Fly to Chengdu • Optional Face-changing Performance tour This morning, we fly to Chengdu. This evening, you can join our optional tour to a traditional Sichuan opera featuring face changing, or bian lian, an ancient performance art. Meals: B, D | Tianfu Sunshine Hotel or similar
DAY 12 • Chengdu • Panda Sanctuary • Home-Hosted Dinner Visit the Panda Sanctuary, located just outside of Chengdu. This facility houses the largest number of free-roaming pandas in the world. Meals: B, L, D | Tianfu Sunshine Hotel
DAY 13 • Sichuan cooking experience Enjoy a hands-on cooking experience at the Sichuan Cooking Museum. Then, we’ ll have a chance to put our knowledge to the test when we head to the kitchen to prepare a Sichuan meal of our own. Meals: B, L, D | Tianfu Sunshine Hotel or similar
DAY 14 • Shu Brocade & Embroidery Museum • Bullet train to Xian Discover the delicate art of handwoven Shu Brocade during a visit to the Shu Brocade & Embroidery Museum. Then, board a bullet train to Xian this afternoon. Meals: B | Ramada Xian Bell Tower Hotel
DAY 15 • Terra Cotta Army • Grand Circle Foundation site: Xiahe Primary School Today behold Xian’ s famous Terra Cotta Army, one of the foremost archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. Later, visit the community-founded Xiahe Primary School, supported in part by Grand Circle Foundation. Meals: B, L, D | Ramada Xian Bell Tower Hotel
DAY 16 • Temple of the Eight Immortals • Optional Tang Dynasty cultural show & dinner Visit the seventh-century Small Wild Goose Pagoda, which houses Buddhist scriptures, statues of Chinese Buddhist figures, and Tang Dynasty artworks. Later, enjoy a tai chi demonstration in a local park. Tonight, you can join an optional Tang Dynasty cultural show with dinner.
Meals: B | Ramada Xian Bell Tower Hotel or similar
DAY 17 • Fly to Beijing This afternoon, we’ ll fly to Beijing.
Meals: B, D | Holiday Inn Express Beijing Dongzhimen or similar
DAY 18 • Beijing • Forbidden City • Controversial Topic: The Tiananmen Square incident and democracy in China Before we visit Tiananmen Square, we’ ll meet with a local expert for a conversation about a Controversial Topic: the Tiananmen Square incident of 1989, and the current state of Chinese democracy. Then, we’ ll
spend time in the largest public square in the world, capable of holding more than a million people.
Meals: B, L, D | Holiday Inn Express Beijing Dongzhimen or similar
DAY 19 • The Great Wall • Jade factory visit We explore the most authentic sections of the Great Wall, which haven’ t been rebuilt for tourism, and discover a jade factory.
Meals: B, L | Holiday Inn Express Beijing Dongzhimen or similar
DAY 20 • Beijing • Explore Summer Palace • Visit Kung Fu School Visit the Summer Palace, which has the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China. Then, visit a local opera school, where we’ ll interact with the students and teachers.
Meals: B, L, D | Holiday Inn Express Beijing Dongzhimen or similar
DAY 21 • Return to U. S. Transfer to the airport for your return flights home, or begin your Lhasa: Tibet’ s Spiritual Heart post-trip extension.
Meals: B
Want to know more? Find the full itinerary and dates & pricing at www. oattravel. com / chn
40 China’ s Imperial Cities, Natural Splendor & Modern Marvels