SOUTHWEST CHINA AND TIBET
Day 1 - September 21st - Sunday
USA/International Date Line
Depart from the U.S.
Day 2 - September 22nd - Monday
Arrive in Shanghai
Arrival and overnight in Shanghai.
Rainbow Hotel
Day 3 - September 23rd - Tuesday (B, L, D)
Shanghai/Kunming
Early morning flight to Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province and known as the "City of Eternal Spring" because of its year- around mild weather and flower blossoms. Visit the Western Hills and view Huating Temple with its fine statues and excellent gardens. Continue up to the summit and visit two famous Taoist Temples before reaching the Dragon Gate Grotto overlooking Lake Diane below.
Harbour Plaza Hotel
Day 4 - September 24th - Wednesday (B, L, D)
Kunming
Excursion to the legendary Shilin Stone Forest, a geologic wonder consisting of 30 million year old karst formations that are the highest single-body limestone structures in the world. When seen from a distance, the vast area of jagged stones dotted with green trees and colorful flowers presents the look of a unique forest. Viewed up close, the oddly shaped rocks seem to take on a life of its own and you get a sense of "Time" as the world's greatest sculptor. Tour Sani Minority Village and explore the "Yi" ethnic minority's colorful customs and unique life styles. Enjoy a specially arranged dinner of special local dishes including fabled Cross-bridge Noodles and Steam-pot Chicken.
Harbour Plaza Hotel
Day 5 - September 25th - Thursday (B, L, D)
Kunming/Dali
Early morning flight to Dali, a small city with cobble stone streets and traditional stone architecture on the western edge of Erhai Lake at an altitude of 6,000 ft with mountains rising over 12,000 ft behind the town. Learn about the main inhabitants of Dali at the Bai Ethnic Minority State Museum and stroll through the bustling local bazaar. Visit the South Gate in the Old Town and make a photographic stop at the legendary Three Pagodas. Enjoy a boat cruise on scenic Erhai Lake and visit a functioning Catholic Church complete with Chinese decorations.
Asia Star Hotel.
Day 6 - September 26th - Friday (B, L, D)
Dali/Lijiang
Explore the Xizhou Ethnic Minority Village and a "Bai" minority's bazaar. Observe a "Three Course Tea" show and "Bai" people's song and dance. Shop on your own for the famous wax print articles and other ethnic handicrafts. Take a scenic ride through lush grassland, dense forest, and mountains to Lijiang, the "Venice of the Orient." With a history of more than 800 years, Lijiang Old Town lies on the high plateau in Northwestern Yunnan Province. To the north of town is Jade Dragon Snow Mountain which remains snow-capped all year round and provides the constant flow of water through the arteries of crystal clear canals running in front of and through the compounds of black-tiled and white-walled houses with square courtyards throughout this first World Heritage City of China.
Grand Hotel (Ideally located at the entrance to the Old Town)
Day 7 - September 27th - Saturday (B, L, D)
Lijiang
Visit the spectacular snowcapped Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Take a cable car to the yak meadow of Yunshanping and visit Yufeng Temple which commands a magnificent view of green grasslands, tall firs, and the glittering snows of the mountain. Visit the home of Joseph Rock, an Austro-American who lived a good part of his life in Lijiang devoted to researching Naxi culture and collecting the flora of the region He also wrote for National Geographic Magazine in the early 1900's. Explore the Baisha Naxi Village and learn how the Naxi people used written records and pictographs to preserve their culture from generation to generation. Also view the Baisha Murals that are a reflection of various religious influences.
Enjoy a home visit with the Naxi and a meal at one of Lijiang's small Naxi family restaurants. Dinner is followed by a rare chance to hear Chinese music, as it must have sounded in classical China. Listen to faithful renditions of music from the Song and Tang Dynasties played on original instruments by the traditional Naxi Folk Music Orchestra.
Grand Hotel
Day 8 - September 28th - Sunday (B, L, D)
Lijiang
A free day to explore Lijiang on your own. The streets and lanes of the Old Town are paved with cobble stones and together with streams and bridges provide hours of leisurely walking to enjoy the simplicity of architecture and the customs and life of the people. You will marvel at the great variety of national costumes, ornaments, and languages of the people walking in the streets and in the varied shops including numerous Teahouses and coffee shops. This ancient town has always been noted for its numerous handicraftsmen and the arts and crafts stores of the town attract tourists with their glistening displays of paintings, batik garments, wood and stone carvings and ceramics.
Grand Hotel
Day 9 - September 29 - Monday (B, L, D)
Lijiang/Shangri La (Zhongdian)
A scenic coach ride takes you through beautiful highlands and mountains on the great Yunnan/Tibet Highway. View the upper reaches of the mighty Yangtze River (here called Jinsha Jiang) and stop at the giant bend of the river at Shigu town or "Town of Stone" which channeled the river to the northeast and ultimately to its mouth near Shanghai. Also visit Tiger Leaping Gorge and experience the "thundering might" of the river as it drops nearly 1,000 ft over a 12 mile stretch in a series of 34 rapids through a narrow cleft with near vertical cliffs soaring directly up from either side of the stream for 7,000 ft. Travel to the grasslands of Shangri-la (Zhongdian). This is the exact place commonly believed to have been depicted as the mythical Shangri-la in James Hilton's novel "The Lost Horizon" (The Presidential hideaway Camp David in Maryland was once named Shangri-La by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.)
Paradise Hotel.
Day 10 - September 30th - Tuesday (B, L, D)
Shangri La (Zhongdian)/Lhasa, Tibet
A late morning flight to Lhasa (in Tibetan, "The Land of the Gods"), the heart and soul of Tibet and capital since 1642..Check in at the VIP section of the centrally located superior first-class Tibet Hotel. Time to relax and acclimate to
local topography and the weather.
Tibet Hotel (VIP Section of hotel).
Day 11 - October 1st - Wednesday (B, L, D)
Lhasa/Yamdrok/Gyantze/Shigatze
Travel to beautiful Yamdrok Yumtso Lake, one of three holy lakes in Tibet.
Enjoy a picnic lunch on the side of this tranquil lake at the south foot of the Himilaya mountains and then continue on to Gyantze to visit Baiju Monastery famous for its Wanfo Tower (10,000 Buddhas). It is a monastery that embraces all sects of Buddhism, which is rare in Tibet. Built in 1414, its walls are filled with tens of thousands of strikingly beautiful murals and scriptures combining Tibetan, Indian and other traditional art. Continue to Shigatze, (in Tibetan, "The Estate that Fulfills One's Wishes") the biggest city in southern Tibet and the seat of the Panchen Lama, a reincarnation of Amitabha (Buddha of Infinite Light), who ranks close to the Dalai Lama.
Shigatze Hotel
Day 12 - October 2nd - Thursday (B, L, D)
Shigatze/Lhasa
Visit the well-known Tashilunpo Monastery, located on the slopes of Neseri Mountains. It is once the home of Panchan Lama, one of the three most powerful Living Buddhas in Tibet. Built in 1444 by a nephew of Tsong Khapa, the monastery once housed over 4000 monks, but now there are only about 600. In the Grand Scripture Hall, a sitting Buddha statue is enshrined with 6,700 ounces of gold and 115,000 kilograms of copper. It is the biggest copper statue in the world. The monastery is also famed for its Great Hall with the opulent tomb (containing 85 kg of gold and masses of jewels) of the 4th Panchen Lama. Travel through vast and scenic mountain terrain on your way back to Lhasa.
Tibet Hotel
Day 13 - October 3rd - Friday (B, L, D)
Lhasa
Explore the magnificent Potala Palace, once the center of Tibetan government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lama. One of the architectural wonders of the world, this immense construction has thousands of rooms, shrines, and statues, holding relics of previous generations of Dalai Lama. Visit the Red Palace where religious functions were held and also the White Palace, which were the living quarters of the Dalai Lama. Visit the holy Jokhang Temple and take in the magnificent interior carvings & paintings. Stroll the bustling Bakhor Street, where the traditional way of life still endures. You
will find pilgrims dressed in colorful traditional Tibetan robes, chanting and circling the holy site with their prayer wheel in hand. You can also view the striking variety of Tibetan arts and crafts in the local stores.
Tibet Hotel
Day 14 - October 4th - Saturday (B, L, D)
Lhasa
Take an excursion to Deprung Temple and Sara Monastery, two of the most sacred grounds in Tibet - both were once home to over ten thousand Lamas and were regarded as the senior religious education body. Observe the rarely seen ritual of Monk debate - hundreds of monks debate on Buddhist articles and philosophy, using unique forms of body and arm movements to present their points. Also explore the famed Norbulinka - Dalai Lama's exquisite summer palace with its beautiful architecture and serene garden settings. Take in the amazing wall paintings in his living quarter, where all furniture was kept exactly the same from the very moment his holiness left Tibet. The clock on the wall was stopped. The radio was set at the last station his holiness listened the night before he left. Also visit a local Tibetan family and learn firsthand about Tibetan local life.
Tibet Hotel
Day 15 - October 5th - Sunday (B, L, D)
Lhasa/Chengdu
Morning flight to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province and the largest and most populated province of China. Visit China's biggest Panda Propagation Center, which houses quite a number of giant pandas. Over the years, dozens of pandas were born through artificial breeding. Here you will have chance to take pictures with the pandas or even the cubs at your own cost. Enjoy a special Sichuan Cuisine Banquet Farewell Dinner.
Yinhe Dynasty Hotel.
Day 16 - October 6th - Monday (B, L)
Chengdu/Shanghai
Visit the Bamboo Garden where you can mingle with the locals and enjoy a cup of tea while watching people passing by before taking a flight back to Shanghai.
Rainbow Hotel
Day 17 - October 7th - Tuesday (B)
Shanghai/USA
Transfer to the airport for your flight back to the USA..
Optional Hong Kong Extension
Day 16 - October 6th - Monday (B)
Chengdu/Hong Kong
Visit the Bamboo Garden where you can mingle with the locals and enjoy a cup of tea while watching people passing by before taking a flight to Hong Kong and transfer to your hotel.
Grand Metropark Hotel on Hong Kong Island
Day 17 - October 7th - Tuesday (B)
Hong Kong
A comprehensive half-day tour of the major sites in Hong Kong, including Victoria Peak, Aberdeen floating village, Stanley Market and Repulse Bay. Enjoy rest of the day at leisure to explore on your own.
Grand Metropark Hotel on Hong Kong Island
Day 18 - October 8 - Wednesday (B)
Hong Kong/USA
Enjoy free morning at leisure to further explore Hong Kong and transfer to the airport for a flight back home.
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