China: Cultural Treasures and Country Routes

Accommodations offer comfort and excellent amenities in ideal settings—a courtyard-style hotel in Old Beijing, a set of contemporary villas near the Great Wall, modern downtown hotels, and charming countryside retreats. Meals draw on time-honored culinary traditions and feature such signature Chinese dishes as Peking Duck, noodles prepared in the traditional Xi’an fashion, and steamed dumplings—all complemented by ever-present tea.

• Experienced, friendly and knowledgeable guides
• All accommodations while on tour including modern city hotels and charming lodges, all private baths
• Admission to museums and cultural activities
• All transportation while on tour
• All meals included; alcoholic beverages not included

DAY 1
Arrival in Beijing. Transfer to Juyongguan. Great Wall exploration; 2-3 hours, easy to moderate
Following a brief introductory meeting, you begin your China journey with a drive north from Beijing to Juyongguan, where you explore a section of the famous Great Wall. Walking the wall is an exhilarating experience given the phenomenal length of this construction extending in serpentine manner across the horizon for thousands of miles. You take in this manmade wonder on a leisurely exploration before transferring to your first delightful home—a set of contemporary villas located in the mountains near a section of the “wild wall,” referring to sections that are not restored. Here we gather for a welcome dinner in the restaurants’ dining room. Commune By The Great Wall, Shuiguan

DAY 2
Great Wall from Jinshanling to Simatai; 4-5 hours, moderate with challenging sections
After breakfast in this peaceful setting, you drive 2½ hours to reach the Wall section at Jinshanling and begin the day’s walk. Slowly ascending and descending the many hills that form this wild landscape, you pass 35 watchtowers, each offering an increasingly better perspective of this world wonder. The views of the Wall lacing over the precipitous mountain ridges into the distance are breathtaking. Reaching the Simatai section, you meet the bus to return to downtown Beijing, where you are once again immersed in the vibrant city life.

A sumptuous dinner of Cantonese specialties awaits at a restaurant overlooking Hou Hai Lake. Bamboo Garden Hotel, Beijing

DAY 3
Beijing Old City and Hou Hai neighborhood; 3 hours, easy city walk
Following breakfast, you set off to explore charming Old Beijing on foot. Strolling through the city’s traditional neighborhoods and narrow alleyways called hutongs, you gain a sense of old-fashioned Beijing life. Among the hutongs, you pass elders playing Chinese chess or mahjong, ball dancing, stretching, or practicing Tai Chi. You also find shopkeepers selling such traditional snacks as jian bing (pancakes) and baozi (steamed buns), and hear calls announcing the arrival of the knife sharpener or cardboard collector.

Dinner this evening features the city’s signature delicacy, a delicious banquet of Peking Duck. Bamboo Garden Hotel, Beijing

DAY 4
Transfer flight from Beijing to Xi’an (2 hours). Terracotta Warriors Museum; 2 hours, easy guided visit
Today you transfer to Xi’an, China’s former capital famed for the Terracotta Warriors Museum. It was near the tumulus (or burial mound) of Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di where, in 1974, well-digging peasants unearthed one of the century’s greatest archaeological finds: literally thousands of life-sized warrior figures dating back some 2,000 years. Equally remarkable as the sheer number of figures is the fact that each seems to be a rendering of a live model, complete with its own personality. Your encounter with this fascinating site includes an opportunity to view figures up close, sensing the scale and detail of individual warriors (and, in some cases, their horses).

After visiting the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum, you transfer to your hotel located near the bustling city square and the magnificent Bell Tower. For more than 1,300 years, and due to its strategic location on the Silk Road, Xi’an has also been home to a thriving Muslim culture. There is time to walk the Muslim quarter and open-air market featuring displays of colorful and sweetsmelling dried fruit.

Dinner this evening is at a hundred-year-old restaurant well-known amongst the locals for their nineteen varieties of dumplings—all available to sample! Bell Tower Hotel, Xi’an

DAY 5
Xi’an city wall; 4 miles, easy. Transfer flight from Xi’an to Guilin (2 hours). Transfer to Longsheng
On your last morning in Xi’an, you stroll the Ming Dynasty Wall that still encircles the Old City, the heart of which was China’s ancient capital city for 1,000 years. The wall is dotted with watchtowers displaying intricately carved and painted architecture where details do not cease to amaze. The walk leads to the Forest of Stone Tablets Museum that you are free to explore on your own.

After a lunch of traditional noodles for which Xi’an is famous, you bid farewell to this historic destination and fly to Guilin and a dramatically different scenery. Your hotel lies amongst bamboo-covered hills and terraced rice paddies in a village accessible only by foot. Porters will carry your necessities for the next two days up a narrow path to the village, leaving the rest of your belongings securely on the bus. Li’an Lodge, Longsheng

DAY 6
Longsheng countryside; 8 miles, easy to moderate
Today you awake to magnificent views of the terraced rice fields of Longsheng while enjoying a breakfast of fresh eggs, noodles, and sweet local fruit. Carved into the hillside over hundreds of years by the local Zhuang and Yao people, the rice paddies, when filled with water, resemble dragon’s scales, hence the name of one of the nearby mountains—Dragon’s Back. The entire day is spent walking across this gorgeous landscape, appreciating the picturesque scenery of rural China. The trail traverses terraced slopes and bamboo forests and connects several Zhuang and Yao minority villages. Li’an Lodge, Longsheng

DAY 7
Longsheng countryside, 3 miles, easy to moderate. Transfer to Guilin
There are a few more hours to deepen your appreciation of local life and the area’s spectacular scenery. Another easy walk follows the trails used by the locals to reach their fields. Such solitude and calm embrace the path that, at times, the only sounds you hear are your footsteps, a babbling brook, or chirping birds.

Stepping back into bustling reality, you reach the access road and travel by bus back to Guilin, a city dotted with intriguing limestone karst peaks and shaped by the Li River. Your hotel is in the city center, overlooking a park that invites a stroll in the company of elders performing their ritual evening exercise and dances. Sheraton Guilin Hotel, Guilin

DAY 8
Yangdi Town to Xinping; 8 miles, easy. Fuli village exploration
The day’s adventure begins with a short transfer to your walk along the Li River. The passing landscape may resemble a continuous scroll of masterful artwork—the same imagery that has inspired Chinese artists for thousands of years. Along the way, you may see villagers navigating the river in traditional bamboo rafts and employing cormorants in an unusual, traditional fishing technique, or you can observe water buffalo taking a swim.

Arriving in the ancient fishing town of Xinping, you see streets lined with traditional houses and locals going about their daily tasks. This afternoon you travel to Fuli, a small town of 4,000 people with a proud craft tradition. In fact, one out of every four residents in Fuli earns a living by making painted fans and umbrellas. Your short walk in Fuli follows ancient, narrow stone streets to the local market.

Later this afternoon, you drive to your home for the next three nights, a comfortable riverside retreat. Dragon River Retreat, Yangshuo

DAY 9
Yangshuo countryside; 6-8 miles, easy
Beginning the morning on foot, you head toward Aishan village via an old country road. The route passes by picturesque hamlets tucked among subtropical plants and surrounded by rice paddies. You may spot more water buffaloes, rice farmers, and cormorant fisherman. As you walk, you are surrounded by the region’s signature landscape— Karst limestone formations of irregular shape dotting the skyline.

In the evening, you drive to downtown Yangshuo for dinner and a short boat ride on the Li River that includes a show featuring the age-old craft of cormorant fishing. Dragon River Retreat, Yangshuo

DAY 10
Yangshuo countryside; 4 miles, easy. Moon Hill; 1½ hours including a 30-minute steep ascent on steps
Following breakfast, you explore the local community in greater depth by walking along the Li River. As you walk, the famous Moon Hill beckons in the distance. Ascending to the summit by climbing 819 steps you are treated to a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding hills and a close look at the “Moon,” which used to be the underground river canal.

You return to Yangshuo in the late afternoon. Tonight you celebrate and toast your adventure over your final dinner and recount the week’s exotic experiences. Dragon River Retreat, Yangshuo
DAY 11
Transfer flight from Guilin to Beijing (2½ hours). Farewell
After breakfast, you transfer to Guilin, to catch a connecting flight to Beijing, where you bid farewell. You are free to continue your exploration of this remarkable city or depart at your leisure for your next destination.



Itinerary Changes:
Please bear in mind that this is a typical itinerary, and the actual walks and sites may vary due to season, special events, or weather. We reserve the right to alter the itinerary since tour arrangements are made up to a year in advance, and unforeseen circumstances that mandate change may arise. Itinerary changes are made to improve the tour and your experience.

A Note about Transfers:
Due to the fact that we visit a number of different regions on this tour, our transfers, especially on Days 1, 2, 4, 5, and 11, are long. The approximate driving time between Beijing and the Great Wall is 2-3 hours. Transfers from Beijing to the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum, from Xi’an to Longsheng, and from Yangshuo to Shanghai are approximately 4 hours, each including a 2-hour flight. Please understand that our itinerary has been designed to separate the transfer days as much as possible, and to provide ample time to relax and enjoy the exciting walks unique to each region. Also be assured that our destinations are well worth the travel! All of our coaches are very comfortable and airconditioned.

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
10/11/2010 - 10/21/2010	$4,998
11/1/2010 - 11/11/2010	$4,998
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

Tour Highlights:
• Beijing - old city hutong neighborhoods
• Two days walking on the Great Wall, a UNESCO site
• Terra cotta warriors archaeological sites
• Guilin, Longsheng, and Yangshuo - karst formations and terraced rice fields
• Authentic country lodges and comfortable hotels
• Distinctive regional cuisine

Walk Ratings
• Easy to moderate terrain
• 3 to 7 miles per day with limited options

All tour prices are per person, in US dollars, based on double occupancy.

Single Supplement $625

As arrangements are confirmed at least a year in advance, the tour price is subject to change. Reserve early to guarantee the best available price.

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