Pearl of East Homeland Heritage Tour

This tour starts and ends in two different cities with claims to the title "largest". Beijing has the largest geographical area and Shanghai has the largest population.

Two percent of the standard tour cost would be donated to Lotus Travel's Orphans Improvement Program to improve the quality of life of orphans in China. By joining our China Homeland Heritage Tours, you help improve the lives of Chinese orphans!

Itinerary

Day 1: US/Beijing

accommodations: n/a

meals: n/a

Begin your tour to China's most popular historical sites and cities today when you depart from the US gateway city for Beijing.

Day 2: Beijing

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: n/a

Arrive at the Beijing International Airport. Your private English-speaking guide and driver will take you to your hotel. Soak in your child's birth country while you adjust to your new time zone and surroundings.

Day 3: Beijing

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: B/L

Begin your day at the Forbidden City. Listed as a world heritage site in 1987, the Forbidden City contains the largest group of intact palace structures in the world. The palace is 720,000 square meters in size and contains 9,999 rooms, numerous pavilions, gardens and courtyards. In the afternoon, visit China's largest temple and altar-the Temple of Heaven, which is often depicted as the most recognizable symbol of China.

Day 4: Beijing

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: B/L

Visit two UNESCO world heritage sites today. Begin your day with a tour at the Great Wall. Constructed more than 2,000 years ago by China's first emperor, the ancient wall is 6,350 km or about 4,000 miles in length. Stop at the Beijing's Cloisonné (Jingtailan) Factory to learn about the intricate cloisonné making process after your Great Wall experience. Cloisonné originated in 1426 and became popular during the reign of Ming Emperor Jingtai. In the afternoon, explore the imperial gardens of the Summer Palace originally built in 1750 and later rebuilt in 1886. Located in the western outskirts of the city, the Summer Palace is the leading classical garden in China and a UNESCO world heritage site.

Day 5: Beijing/Xian

accommodations: Overnight Express Train

meals: B/L/D

Explore the fascinating Hutong neighborhoods. Beijing's oldest Hutongs were constructed during Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Your tour will take you through some of the best-preserved Hutong neighborhoods that represented the history, culture and lifestyle of old Beijing. After a special homemade lunch at a local family residence in the Hutong Lane area, your family can learn to make your own kites under professional instructions. Then kick back, relax and fly your handmade kites with the others at the Tiananmen Square. Noted as the largest city square in the world, the square was initially designed for political rallies and important gala events. Today the square is flanked by the Forbidden City in the north, the Great Hall of the People in the west, Mao TseTung's Mausoleum in the south and the Museum of Chinese Revolution and the Museum of Chinese History in the east. Early this evening, get onboard a luxury express train for your overnight journey to Xian.

Day 6: Xian

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: B/L

Arrive early this morning in China's ancient capital city of Xian. Known as ChangAn in ancient times, Xian was the capital city of China for 1,062 years (13 dynasties and under the reign of 73 different emperors); visit the Shaanxi Provincial History Museum for an in-depth look at China's extensive history with more than 2,000 items on exhibit. In the afternoon, get on top the 950-year-old city wall and ride a bike; be sure to enjoy the panoramic view of the city. Built during the early Ming Dynasty with a core of mud covered by three layers of bricks, it is the only city wall to remain intact in China today.

Day 7: Xian

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: B/L

Embark on an amazing historical and cultural adventure today and begin with an exploration at the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, where you will find lifelike terracotta soldiers, horses, chariots and weapons created more than 2,000 years ago to guard the first emperor's tomb. Their vibrant painted details worn away during weathering, thus revealing their original earthy color. Continue your tour at the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum nearby. Historical records noted that 700,000 labors spent 36 years building Qin's Mausoleum at the foot of Lishan Mountain; numerous treasures entombed with the emperor still remain undiscovered. Learn to make JiaoZi (traditional Chinese dumplings) in a local restaurant and have JiaoZi lunch there. Visit the HuaQing Hot Springs Palace constructed during the Tang Dynasty. This evening, relax and unwind. Enjoy recording your experiences of the day in a journal or just lounging in your fine hotel room.

Day 8: Xian/Chengdu

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: B/L

Wrap up your amazing experiences in Xian and be prepared for your new wonderful adventures while you fly to Chengdu; have your cameras ready to capture all the precious moments! After lunch, visit the Chengdu Children's Palace where you could learn the basic techniques of Chinese calligraphy and landscape painting; certainly a fun activity for both adults and children.

Day 9: Chengdu

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: B/L

Embark on an extraordinary journey to the Panda Breeding Research Base this morning. A professional panda caregiver will give you a brief insight of the panda research findings and everyone will have the rare opportunity to hold and hug a baby panda; something everyone in the family is sure to enjoy. After lunch, visit the fascinating SanXingDui Museum. Little is known about the mysterious cultural and religious beliefs of the people of SanXingDui, yet visitors can gain a sense of the culture through intriguing displays of ancient and rare artifacts used in daily life and religious ceremonies.

Day 10: Chengdu/Province

accommodations: n/a

meals: B

Depart Chengdu and travel to the capital city of the designated province for an orphanage visit. Lotus guides will sensitively and carefully assist your family as you embark on this most meaningful portion of your return trip. On this initial day of the city visit, one can spend time strolling the area and absorbing a sense of the city and locale.

Day 11: Province

accommodations: n/a

meals: n/a

Your orphanage visitation typically includes a lunch meeting with the orphanage director and staff. If your family wishes to be in touch with the foster family, Lotus can also arrange a time for you to reunite if contact information is available. After lunch, you may explore your child's finding site. Record the day's events in your journal or just relax with your family this evening.

Day 12: Province/Shanghai

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: n/a

This morning take some final glimpses around your child's province to capture your special memories. After breakfast, depart for Shanghai.

Day 13: Shanghai

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: B/L

Begin your adventure with a relaxing walk along the Bund near the Huang Pu River. Then visit the Yu Yuan Garden and enjoy its intricately designed pathways, pavilions, koi stocked pools and quiet courtyards; then pass by the shops and restaurants in YuYuan Bazaar on your way to lunch. In the afternoon, visit the Jade Buddha (Yufo) Temple. As you enter the temple grounds, you might hear prayers of the monks and glimpse the smoke of incense curling toward the sky.

Day 14: Shanghai/US

accommodations: n/a

meals: B

Meet your private English-speaking tour guide and driver at the hotel lobby and travel to the Shanghai Pudong Airport for your international flight back to the United States. Cross the International Dateline and arrive home on the same day.

Inclusions

Beijing/Xian soft sleeper train tickets.
Intra China airfare.
Airport/hotel/airport (or train station) transfer as listed on itinerary.
All listed sightseeing and tour programs with private English-speaking tour guide and private van or bus with driver.
Hotels and meals as stipulated on itinerary.
All prices are quoted in US Dollars and are subject to change without notice. Please check at time of booking.
All prices are quoted per person based on two people sharing a room (double occupancy). Single supplement applies for single travelers.

Exclusions

International airfare
Passport and/or China Visa Fees
Some meals
Tips to guides and drivers
Expenses of a personal nature
Provincial Civil Affair Bureau orphanage visit filing fee
Side trips to the designated provinces
Costs associated with side-trip to orphanage

Important Remarks

An extra $330.00 will be charged for traveling on dates marked with **
An extra $100.00 will be charged for traveling on dates marked with *
Lotus Travel highly recommends clients to purchase travel insurance. The Travel Plus Plan offered by the Travelex Insurance Company has excellent travel benefits and children 15 and under are free of charge when traveling with an adult.
A Chinese visa issued at the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles is good for 6 months. We recommend applying for travel visas at least two months before your departure. For detailed information, please visit the Web page at http://www.lotustours.net/promo/visas/index.shtml
Lotus Travel offers a very affordable cell phone rental package to help you stay in touch with families while in China. Please contact our cell phone rental specialist Theresa for more details.

Lotus Travel Terms and Conditions

Tour Overview

Tour Code:
PEHHT-08
Trip Duration:
14 days/13 nights
Price:
Adult: $1,699 Oct 2007 - Mar 2008
Adult: $1,850 Apr 2008 - Mar 2009
Single Supplement
$600
Departure Dates:
2007: 9/2, 9/16, 9/30, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18, 11/25, 12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 12/23

2008: 1/6, 1/13, 1/20, 2/3, 2/17, 3/2, 3/16, 4/6, 4/13, 5/11, 5/18, 5/25, 6/1, 6/8, 6/15, 6/22, 7/6**, 7/13**, 7/20**, 7/27**, 9/7, 9/14, 9/21, 9/28, 10/12, 11/2, 11/9, 11/16, 11/23, 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28

2009: 1/4, 1/11, 1/18, 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 3/1, 3/8, 3/15
For more information, please contact our Homeland Heritage Tour expert, Louie.