Alexander+Roberts
China In-Style
Day 1: Our VIP Arrival Service in Beijing
With our VIP Welcome, you'll be warmly greeted at your flight and assisted with entry formalities and baggage claim. Then proceed to your chauffeured vehicle for your private transfer to your 5-star hotel.
Day 2: Imperial Splendors
Follow in the footsteps of Ming Dynasty emperors as you join your private guide to explore the magnificent palaces, courtyards and pavilions of the sprawling Forbidden Cit. It is said that there are 9,999 rooms within these imposing walls and although you won't see everyone, your guided tour offers a fascinating look into the splendor of Imperial life centuries ago. Then stand in Tiananmen Square. Covering more than 100 acres in the heart of the city with a scale reminiscent of Moscow's Red Square or the Piazza San Marco in Venice, it ranks as one of the grandest public plazas in the world. Continue to the resplendent Summer Palace, erstwhile seasonal retreat of China's mighty Imperial families and visit the Panda Hall at the Beijing Zoo. Meals B+L
Day 3: The Great Wall
With smaller crowds, the remote Mutianyu section of the Great Wall affords a more enthralling and authentic experience. Ascend by cable car to walk atop this ancient defensive structure and take in the sweeping views as your expert personal guide shares dramatic tales of China's ancient history. For lunch, you'll dine at the celebrated Brickyard Restaurant, where the splendid setting in a restored village residence is matched only by the outstanding cuisine. Back in the city, the rest of this day is yours to enjoy as you wish. Our in-the-know resident guide will be happy to offer personalized suggestions for sightseeing and dining on your own. Meals B+L
Day 4: Temple of Heaven + Fly to Xian
The tranquil grounds of the Temple of Heaven, a masterpiece of Ming Dynasty architecture and design, is a wonderful place for this morning's specially arranged Tai Chi class with a local master. Then explore by rickshaw through an old Beijing Hutong - one of the city's few remaining enclaves of traditional courtyard homes. Sitting down to lunch with a resident family here offers fascinating insight into daily life in China's bustling capital. Then transfer to the airport for your included flight to Xian where you'll be chauffeured to the 5-star hotel. Meals B+L
Day 5: Terra Cotta Warriors
In 1974, local villagers digging a well stumbled upon what would ultimately become China's greatest archaeological discovery... Thousands of life-sized terra cotta soldiers and horses that had been buried in perfect infantry formation to guard the tomb of an Emperor! This morning, you'll gaze upon this extraordinary site as our expert guide sheds light on its history and discovery. Afterewards, explore the mighty Ancient City Wall, the largest, best-preserved, and most complete ancient city wall in ChinaToday's lunch features savory dumplings, a local specialty. Meals B+L
Day 6: Fly to Guilin
After breakfast, your private car and driver will take you to the airport for your flight to Guilin. Behold scenic Yaoshan Mountain and visit the nearby Tea Institute to learn about the cultivation of the region's esteemed teas. This evening's dinner showcases the culinary specialties of the region. Meals B+D
Day 7: Li River Cruise
The ethereal landscapes of Guilin have enthralled and inspired artists and poets for centuries, and this morning's cruise on the Li River is the best way to experience the region's captivating beauty. Exploring a local market with your private guide and joining a skilled chef for a hands-on cooking class this afternoon are terrific ways to experience Guilin's cultural traditions. Enjoy a delightful dinner of the dishes you've prepared before returning to your luxury hotel. Meals B+L+D
Day 8: Fly to Shanghai
Delve into Guilin's cultural and natural treasure chest during a private tour of the Yao Mountain and a verdant tea plantation. Gain fascinating insight into Chinese tea production during a tour of a plantation and sample freshly brewed green tea during an indigenous tea ceremony. After lunch, fly to Shanghai where you'll be met and chauffeured to your luxury hotel overlooking the historic waterfront Bund. Meals B+L
Day 9: Shanghai Sightseeing with your Private Guide
Begin your sightseeing along the elegant waterfront Bund, home to impressive landmarks built more than a century ago by Japanese and European trading companies. Then delight in the beauty of the Yu Yuan Garden, originally crated by a Ming Dynasty court official as a retreat for his aging parents. Then visit the Shanghai Museum, highly regarded for its expansive collection encompassing thousands of years of Chinese arts and culture - including ancient bronzes, celadon pottery, precious jade and exquisite antique furniture. Then explore the changing face of the city in Xintiandi where turn-of-the-century dwellings are now home to cafes, boutiques and galleries. For lunch, you'll savor delicious Dim Sum at Ding Tai Fung, one of Shanghai's finest restaurants. Meals B+L
Day 10: Farewell to Shanghai
After breakfast, you'll be experience China's incredible Maglev train as it whisk your to the airport for your onward flight. Meals B
Xi'an
Xi'an - with five million inhabitants and capital of Shaanxi Province - is one of the more pleasant of Chinese cities, more prosperous than any other city in inland China except Chengdu, with streets full of Japanese cars, stores flooded with temptations, and stylish locals in new discos. It's far richer than the surrounding area, a fact which becomes clear after a bus ride into surrounding plains. The city is also a primer in Chinese history, as between 1000 BC and 1000 AD it served as imperial capital for eleven dynasties. Find a wealth of important sites and relics hereabouts: Neolithic Banpo, the Terracotta Army of the Qin emperor, the Han and Tang imperial tombs, and in the city itself, the Goose Pagodas of the Tang, the Bell and Drum towers and Ming city walls, as well as two museums holding a treasury of relics from the most glamorous parts of Chinese history. The city is very popular with foreign residents, and many come to study, as the colleges are regarded as some of the best places to learn Chinese.
Shanghai
Shanghai is a teeming metropolis of 11 million, bustling with energy, towering skyscrapers, art deco buildings, honking traffic, and shopping crowds. Once here, visitors will find Eastern ways abound: Tai Chi along the Bund, the serenity of exquisite ponds and gardens, and an endless flotilla of sampans edging along the Huangpu River. Explore Shanghai old and new: the busy bazaars and alleyways of the Old Town, Yu Garden, Wuxingting Tea House, Long Hua Temple and more.
Excursions
Shanghai: Yu Garden & Old Town Tour (4 hours)
Shanghai: Yu Garden & Old Town Tour (4 hours)
Half day tour to Yu Garden and Old Town in Shanghai
Highlights
- Yu Garden (closed on Mondays)
- Old Town in Shanghai
Tour Duration: 4 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water and entrance fee during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier
Shanghai: French Concession & The Bund (4 hours)
Shanghai: French Concession & The Bund (4 hours)
Half day tour to French Concession and The Bund in Shanghai
Added Value
- French Concession
- The Bund
- Observatory Deck on the 100th Floor of Shanghai World Financial Center
Tour Duration: 4 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water and entrance fee during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier
Shanghai: Jewish Quarter Tour (4 hours)
Shanghai: Jewish Quarter Tour (4 hours)
Half day tour to Jewish Quarter in Shanghai
Background
Shanghai was the only city in the world that provided a safe home for World War II refugees without papers. As a result, approximately 32,000 Jews, known among themselves as "Shanghailanders," settled in this fascinating Chinese city. Like the names Schindler, Wallenberg and Sugihara, Shanghai has become synonymous with rescue and refuge during the fascist-dictated times when 6 million Jews perished and at least 35 million Chinese were killed and wounded. At one point, there were at least seven synagogues in Shanghai, but today very little evidence of this once vital community remains.
Highlights
Ohel Moishe Synagogue. The Ohel Moishe Synagogue is a European style temple that was once the centerpiece of the Hongkou District. The original synagogue was founded in 1907 by a Russian Jew, and was moved to this site twenty years later. Once a synagogue for Orthodox Russian and German Jews, it was also at various times, the headquarters of the Zionist youth organization Brith Trumpeldor (Betar) and the isolation ward of the Shanghai Mental Hospital. The synagogue is now a recognized historical site and a Jewish Refugees Memorial has been built next to it.
Tour Duration: 4 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water and entrance fee during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier
Shanghai: Museum Tour (4 hours)
Shanghai: Museum Tour (4 hours)
Half day tour to Shanghai Museums in Shanghai
Highlights
- Shanghai Museum
- Shanghai History Museum (closed on Mondays)
Tour Duration: 4 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water and entrance fee during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier
Shanghai: Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour (4 hours)
Shanghai: Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour (4 hours)
Half day tour to Zhujiajiao Water Town in Shanghai
Highlights
- Visit Zhujiajiao Water Town
- Private Boat Ride on Canal
For your reference - Transfer from downtown pier to Zhujiajiao Water Town takes approximately 45-minute drive per way
Tour Duration: 4 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water and entrance fee during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier
Shanghai: Disposal Tour (4 hours)
Shanghai: Disposal Tour (4 hours)
Commence a vehicle / driver / guide at disposal for 4 consecutive hours in Shanghai
Tour Duration: 4 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals and entrance fee
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier
Shanghai City Tour (8 hours)
Shanghai City Tour (8 hours)
Full day city tour in Shanghai
Highlights
- Yu Garden (close on Mondays)
- Old Town
- French Concession
- The Bund
- Observatory Deck on the 100th Floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center
- Lunch reservation at Lu Bo Lang Restaurant (on client's own account)
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Moderate
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water and entrance fee during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier
Shanghai: Disposal Tour (8 hours)
Shanghai: Disposal Tour (8 hours)
Commence a vehicle / driver / guide at disposal for 8 consecutive hours within city proper in Shanghai
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Transportation is by private vehicle (Buick Van) with services of a driver and an English-speaking guide
- Local bottled water during sightseeing
- Gratuity to the guide & driver
- Service voucher
Not Included:
- Any cruise arrangements
- Any meals and entrance fee
- Travel insurance
- Any visa
- Over mileage supplement at USD 55.00 net in total will be applied if the ship docks at Wusong Pier
