Related Information
ShanXi Children Reunion Heritage Tour
Shanxi is the coal capital of China, distributing the coal resources in its more than ninety counties, thus it is a very important province to China. Besides its economic significance, Shanxi is also a place of high cultural and historical value. There are two world heritage sites in Shanxi. The Yun Gang Grottoes contain 51,000 sculptures scattered throughout 53 rock caves. The earliest can be dated back as early as 460 AD. The other site is Pingyao Ancient City, one of the four ancient Chinese cities that remain intact. The city is known as "Turtle City" for its six gates: two each at the east and west gates, and one each at the north and south gates. The Wang Family Courtyard (Wang Jia Da Yuan), is said to be comparable to the Forbidden City in size. While the Forbidden City was designed for the use of the emperor and the royal family, the Wong Family Courtyard served as a residence for a civil official. One special characteristic of the courtyard home is the intricate carved frescoes that decorate many of the building walls. Shanxi is a province of many treasures, just waiting for you to discover them.
Tour Overview
Tour Code: PCRT-SXCRHT
Trip Duration:16 days/15 nights
Guangzhou,
Guilin, ChengDu, Xian, TaiYuan, Beijing
Departure Dates:Every SaturdayItinerary
Day 1: US / Guangzhou
meals: n/a
Depart US for China to begin your ShanXi Children Reunion Heritage Tour. Get your journal ready to record your weeks of 'once- in-a-lifetime' memories!
Day 2: Guangzhou
meals: n/a
Arrive at Guangzhou New BaiYun International Airport. Your private English-speaking guide and driver will bring you to the hotel upon your arrival. Have a good rest tonight to adjust to your new time zone and surroundings.
Day 3: Guangzhou/Guilin
meals: B/L/D
After breakfast, tour around Shamian Island: stop at the medical clinic where adoption medical exams are conducted and visit 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 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. Take the late afternoon flight to Guilin. Tonight you will stay at the Ming Garden Apartment Suites, which is located among local Chinese residents' apartment complexes. Each unit is decorated in the Ming Dynasty Style with beautiful Ming furniture, an air-conditioning/heating unit, a private western-style bath, a kitchen equipped with microwave, refrigerator and cooking utensils; free Internet access, television and telephone. The apartment units are rated above five-stars and guests can also enjoy free late checkouts until 6:00 p.m. (all hotels request checkouts before 12:00 noon). In this authentic cultural experience you will have the rare chance to live among local residents within the same wonderful apartment complex. We can even arrange an assistant to make traditional Chinese meals for your whole family or to assist you with your children.
Day 4: Guilin/Yangshuo/Guilin
meals: B/L/D
After breakfast, embark on a 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.
Day 5: Guilin
meals: B/L/D
Begin your tour with a visit to the Reed Flute Caves (Ludi Yan). Enjoy the spectacular 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). After lunch, Visit the Art Gallery in NanXiShan Park where your family can learn the basic techniques of Chinese calligraphy and landscape painting; certainly a fun activity for both adults and children.
Day 6: Guilin/ChengDu
meals: B/L
After breakfast, your local guide and driver will bring you to the airport and arrange for your flight to Chengdu. After your arrival in Chengdu and a tasty lunch, explore the Silk Embroidery Institute and the People's Park with Tea House and Garden.
Day 7: ChengDu
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 work and everyone will have the rare opportunity to hold and hug a baby panda; something the whole 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 will gain a sense of the culture through intriguing displays of ancient and rare artifacts used in daily life and religious ceremonies.
Day 8: Chengdu/Xian
meals: B/L
Today you will fly from Chengdu to Xian, which is a cultural treasure trove of Chinese history. You may visit the Shaanxi Provincial History Museum, where antiques from the Prehistoric era through the Qing Dynasty are on display. In the afternoon, visit Xian's ancient city wall and enjoy the panoramic views of the city. This is the only intact city wall in China. Enjoy walking, exercising and riding a bike as a family.
Day 9: Xian
meals: B/L
Explore the breathtaking Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum today. Discovered by several local farmers in 1974, the 2,000-year-old lifelike warriors are known as the 8th world wonder. Learn to make Chinese traditional JiaoZi (dumplings) in the local restaurant and have a JiaoZi lunch there.
Day 10: Xian/TaiYuan
meals: B
Depart Xian and travel to TaiYuan 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 around the area and absorbing a sense of the city and locale.
Day 11: ShanXi Province
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: TaiYuan/Beijing
accommodations: Overnight Express Train or Deluxe Hotel
meals: B/L/D
Today take some final glimpses around your child's province to capture your special memories. At late afternoon, depart for Beijing by overnight express train or air.
Day 13: Beijing
meals: B/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. Then visit 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. This afternoon, stop by at the major 2008 Olympic Venues including the National Stadiums - "Bird's Nest", the National Aquatics Center - "Watercube" on the way to the imperial gardens of the Summer Palace. The palace was originally built in 1750 and was 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 14:Beijing
meals: B/L
Visit the UNESCO world heritage site today. Begin your day with a tour at the MuTianYu section of the Great Wall. Constructed more than 2,000 years ago by China's first emperor, the ancient wall is the world's longest man-made structure at approximately 4,000 miles in length.
Day 15: Beijing
meals: B/L
Explore the fascinating Hutong neighborhoods. Beijing's oldest Hutongs were constructed during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Your tour will take you through some of the best-preserved Hutong neighborhoods, which 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 how to make your own kites under professional instructions, and then fly your handmade kites with others at the Temple of Heaven which is China's largest temple and altar. It is often regarded as the most recognizable symbol of China.
Day 16: Beijing/US
meals: B
Please meet your private English-speaking tour guide and driver at the hotel lobby and travel to the Beijing International Airport for your international flight back to the United States. Cross the International Dateline and arrive home on the same day.
 |
2-5 Persons | 6-9 Persons | 10 Persons | Hotel Single Supplement |
Standard Class |
$2359 |
$2099 |
$1950 |
$330 |
Deluxe Class |
$2619 |
$2359 |
$2150 |
$550 |
| City | Standard Class | Deluxe Class |
Guangzhou |
Lido Hotel |
Marriot China Hotel, Guangzhou |
Guilin |
Vienna Hotel |
Guilin Ming Garden Apartment Suite or |
Chengdu |
Civil Aviation Hotel |
|
Xian |
Xian Shengpeng Hotel |
Xian Titan Times Hotel |
Beijing |
Beijing Golden Palace Silver Street Hotel |
Inclusions
- Airfare between Guangzhou/Guilin/Chengdu/Xian
- 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
- US/Guangzhou, Beijing/US international airfare. Please contact us for discount international airfare starting from your hometown.
- 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 on Day 10 -12, the airfare between Xian - TaiYuan and transportation between TaiYuan – Beijing which can be arranged by us for an additional cost.
- The cost of holding the panda and taking a picture is additional to the entry fee. The costs are USD185.00/per person for holding a baby panda. Although the Pandas are cute and adorable, they may inflict accidental injuries in their playful nature.
Important Remarks
- For changes to the scheduled tour, please contact us for a price quote.
- All prices are quoted in US dollars, per person, based on two people sharing a room (double occupancy)
- A child has to be 11 years old or under on the last day of the tour to receive a discount.
- Twin beds in China hotels, about 50 inches wide, are closer in width to the 54" double size beds in the U.S., and much wider than the 39 inches wide twin beds found in U.S. homes.
- A soft sleeper train compartment is equipped with two bunk beds and sleeps four. If there are less than four people in your party, Lotus Travel highly recommends purchasing the extra seats in the compartment to ensure privacy.
- If your itinerary states "free time" or "free day", no activities would be planned for you and your English-speaking tour guide and driver would not be present.
- 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.
- A $500.00 per person non-refundable deposit is due at the time of registration.
- Balance is due 60 days before departure.
Lotus Travel Terms and Conditions
Note: Customer Commitment - Each Lotus agent is committed to respond to each email with an acknowledgement of receipt within 24 hours. If you do not receive email acknowledgement within 1 business day, please check your spam box for our agents'response e-mail or send your notice to iris@lotustours.net or call 1-800-956-8873.