Information

Beijing Olympics & Orphanage Reunion Tour A

Itinerary

Aug 6, 08: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.

Aug 7, 08:Beijing

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: n/a

Arrive at the Beijing International Airport. Your private English-speaking guide and driver will transfer you to the hotel upon your arrival. Have a good rest tonight to adjust to your new time zone and surroundings.

Aug 8, 08:Beijing

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: L

Begin your day with a tour 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.

Aug 9, 08:Beijing

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: 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 in length and the only visible man-made structure that could be seen from space. Stop at the Beijing's Cloisonne (Jingtailan) Factory to learn about the intricate cloisonné making process after your Great Wall experience. Cloisonne 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.

Aug 10, 08:Beijing

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: L

Competitions on athletics, artistic gymnastics, swimming, diving, fencing, water polo, volleyball, weightlifting and Beach Volleyball will be held today. Select any of these event programs and travel to the appropriate venue by taxi, bus or subway.

Aug 11, 08:Beijing/Xian

accommodations: Overnight Express Train

meals: 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, you and your children 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. In the early evening, get onboard a luxury express train for your overnight journey to Xian.

Aug 12, 08: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), 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.

Aug 13, 08: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 (dumplings) in a local restaurant and have JiaoZi lunch there. Visit the HuaQing Hot Springs Palace constructed during the Tang Dynasty.

Aug 14, 08:Xian/Province

accommodations: n/a

meals: B

Depart Xian and travel to the capital city of the designated province for an orphanage visit.

Aug 15, 08:Province

accommodations: n/a

meals: n/a

With the assistance of your local English-speaking tour guide and driver, visit the orphanage and have lunch with the orphanage staff (4 of them). Visit your child's finding site after lunch if necessary.

Aug 16, 08:Province/Chengdu

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: n/a

Depart the province for Chengdu this morning. 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.

Aug 17, 08: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 researches 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.

Aug 18, 08:Chengdu/Guilin

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: B/L/D

Your local English-speaking tour guide and driver will pick you up at the hotel lobby and transfer you to the airport for your flight to Guilin. Please meet your English-speaking tour guide and driver at the Guilin airport exit for a transfer to the hotel. After lunch, you will tour the Reed Flute Caves. Enjoy the gorgeous views of beautiful backdrops created by the cool atmosphere and colorful lighting displays inside the caves as you pass by many fanciful shapes (don't forget to look for the Monkey King).

Aug 19, 08:Guilin

accommodations: Deluxe Hotel

meals: B/L/D

After breakfast, embark on a Li River scenic cruise along the Li River and enjoy a delicious lunch onboard. The landscape of Guilin is noted as the most gorgeous in China, with sparkling clear waters and magnificent green hills; you will see fishermen fishing with their trained cormorant birds occasionally as well. Your children will be excited to watch water buffalos either grazing along the riverbanks or taking lazy afternoon swims. Visit the ShiWaiTaoYuan water garden on the way back to Guilin from Yangshuo.

Aug 20, 08:Guilin/Guangzhou

accommodations: Overnight Express Train

meals: B/L/D

You will visit the Diecai Hill and Duxiu Peak today. After dinner, get onboard an express train to Guangzhou.

Aug 21, 08:Guangzhou

accommodations: Guangzhou White Swan Hotel

meals: L

Arrive at Guangzhou at 8:42 a.m. Your local English-speaking tour guide and driver will pick you up at the Guangzhou train station and transfer you to the hotel. Today you will tour around Shamian Island: stopping at the medical clinic where adoption medical exams are conducted and visiting the photo shop where your child's visa photo was taken. In the afternoon, take another trip down memory lane when you visit the American Consulate. Your guide will then escort you to a local park where you can linger and relax while enjoying a story-time of traditional Chinese folktales to deepen your understanding of the rich cultural heritage of your child. Bring closure to the lifelong memories from the past two weeks this evening. Enjoy journaling, some last minute shopping or sightseeing before you embark on a return trip.

Aug 22, 08:Guangzhou/US

accommodations: n/a

meals: B

Please meet your private English-speaking tour guide and driver at the hotel lobby and travel to the Guangzhou New Bai Yun Airport for your international flight back to the United States. Cross the International Dateline and arrive home on the same day.

Important Notes

Olympic event admission tickets will go on sale live at www.cosport.com in October 2007, please be sure not to purchase any tickets that are scheduled for your first day in Beijing to avoid the inconvenience that might be caused by unforseen complications.

Inclusions

Prices listed above include Super Deluxe hotels.
Prices listed above are based on group size of 10 or more passengers.
Tour price includes sightseeing and meals as noted on the itinerary, intra-China airfare, private transfers and ground transportation, hotel accommodations, and the services of an English- speaking guide and driver.
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.