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Sunday, May 13, 2012
Nile Travel International is a South African based tour operator specialising in travel to all the above destinations. You can choose to join one of our scheduled tours listed below or we can customise a package for you.
Tour to China
TOUR TO CHINA IN THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON
30 August to 17 September 2012
“Walking ten thousand miles of the world is better than reading ten thousand scrolls”. Proverb (Chinese)
TOUR LEADER
Kim Lings will be accompanying the group to China. Kim is the owner of Nile Travel International, a founding, corporate and honorary life member of the Ancient Egyptian Society as well as a member of the Egyptian Exploration Society in London. She has led over thirty tours to Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and India over the past ten years. Please note this will be Kim’s first trip to China.
ITINERARY
DAY 1 – 30 August 2012
Depart Johannesburg for our flight to Beijing.
DAY 2 – 31 August 2012 - BEIJING
On arrival in Beijing we will be met at the airport and transfer to our hotel.
Beijing, the capital of China, lies just south of the rim of the Central Asian Steppes and is separated from the Gobi Desert by a green chain of mountains, over which The Great Wall runs. Modern Beijing lies on the site of countless human settlements that date back half a million years. It is China's second largest city in terms of population and the largest in administrative territory.
The name Beijing - or Northern Capital - is a modern term by Chinese standards. It first became a capital in the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), but it experienced its first phase of grandiose city planning in the Yuan Dynasty under the rule of the Mongol emperor, Kublai Khan, who made the city his winter capital in the late 13th century. Little of it remains in today's Beijing. Most of what the visitor sees today dates from either the Ming or later Qing dynasties. Modern city tower blocks are rising as the city rapidly develops. Bicycles are still the main mode of transportation but taxis, cars, and buses also proliferate in this busy international city.
Arrive in Beijing (flight information to be advised). After clearing the customs, please proceed to the luggage area to claim your check-in bags. You are greeted by Destination Asia representatives with specially designed welcome signage at Beijing International airport and transferred to your hotel in Beijing The Regent Hotel ~5* The rest of time is at leisure. Overnight in hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.
DAY 3 – 01 September 2012 - BEIJING
Breakfast at hotel. This morning, as the vast Tian’anmen Square and glamorous Forbidden City unfolds in front of you, your luxury China highlight experience really begins. Tian’anmen Square is the largest public square in the world. It has long been a gathering place for locals and visitors alike. On the north side of the square is Tiananmen Gate (the Rostrum). It was from the balcony of the Rostrum on October 1, 1949 where Mao Zedong, chairman of the Communist Party, proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China. Mao gazes south from a huge portrait on the south side of the gate onto Tiananmen Square. Behind the Rostrum lies the Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace.
The Forbidden City (Imperial Palace), directly behind the Rostrum, was home to 24 emperors beginning with its creation by Emperor Yongle in 1420 until the last Qing emperor, Puyi, left in 1924. The entire complex consists of 8,706 rooms in which an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 people lived including 3,000 eunuchs, as well as maids and concubines, all within 170 acres. Behind walls more than 30 feet high and within the 160-foot moat, complex rules and rituals dictated life in the Imperial Palace. Strictly off-limits to Chinese ordinary people (hence the name) the gates today lead to a fascinating display of Chinese history in what is probably the best-preserved site of Classical Chinese architecture.
Today, the group is to have a special Chinese cooking class at a local family, where we will learn how to make Chinese dishes and Chinese dumplings, enjoying the fruits of our labor for lunch. Jiaozi (Chinese Dumpling) is a traditional Chinese Food, which is essential during holidays in Northern China. Chinese dumpling became one of the most widely loved foods in China. Since the shape of Chinese dumplings is similar to ancient Chinese gold or silver ingots, they symbolize wealth. Traditionally, the members of a family get together to make dumplings during the New Year's Eve. They may hide a coin in one of the dumplings. The person who finds the coin will likely have a good fortune in the New Year.
After lunch we will visit Hutong on a traditional rickshaw. Beijing‟s Hutongs are alleyways and houses of traditional Beijing. Riding in a pedicab through this area is like taking a step back in time. In Imperial days, everyone lived around the Imperial City in low-rise courtyard style houses, often with the whole extended family living in one courtyard compound. Although many have been torn down to make way for high-rise office and apartment buildings, those remaining offer a glimpse of old Beijing. Family homes, markets, shops, schools and all manners of city life can be seen here at street level.
We will return to our hotel for a short break and then meet again in the lobby to go for our welcome dinner at Peking Duck Restaurant. Peking Roast Duck is thought to be one of the most delicious dishes all over the world.
The recipe of roasted duck was introduced from the southern China to Dadu, capital of the Yuan Dynasty(1206-1368), and then roasted duck was in the royal menu for the royal family. In the periods of Ming and Qing Dynasty, roasted duck was one of the favorable dishes of royal families. It is said that the roasted duck was named Peking Roasted Duck for it was the favor of Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi. Peking Duck is always served in well-cut slices. The whole duck must be sliced into 120 pieces. Normally there are many dishes served with the duck, including a dish of fine-cut shallot bars, a dish of cucumber bars and finally a dish of paste-like soy of fermented wheat flour.
Overnight in hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.
DAY 4 - 02 September 2012 - BEIJING
Breakfast at hotel. Morning tour to the Temple of Heaven with special invitation to practice Tai Chi. Firstly we will see local residents do morning exercise there, you would be surprised by the number of people and the variety of exercises they do. Elder people might be practicing their slow-motion Tai Qi. Young ones might be practicing their kung fu fighting or sword fighting. Ladies could be doing some traditional dances.
The Temple of Heaven is a sequence of temples and altars set in a park. Twice a year during imperial times, the emperor and a magnificent procession of some 1,000 eunuchs, courtiers, and ministers would leave the Forbidden City for the temple. At the winter solstice, he expressed thanks for the previous harvest, and on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar year, he begged the gods of sun and moon, clouds and rain, and thunder and lightning to bless the coming harvest. Chinese philosophers considered heaven the source of harmony and spiritual authority. The architecture reflects that sense of order; the northern wall of the complex is curved in a half circle to symbolize heaven, and the southern wall of the complex is built as a square to symbolize earth. Whereas most imperial buildings have yellow roof tiles, the blue tiles here echo the color of the sky. The main buildings and altars are also built in tiers of three to create nine dimensions of surface. Nine is the mystical number in Chinese tradition and it also symbolizes heaven. The dominant feature of the whole complex is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. Amazingly, the wooden pillars ingeniously support the ceiling without nails or cement.
Tai Chi movements are performed slowly and deliberately to achieve a sense of liquidity similar to meditation. These slow graceful movements help to develop balance, improve muscle tone, breathing and help digestion. Guests will have the opportunity to experience this gentle form of exercise and learn simple breathing and relaxation exercises under the guidance of Tai Chi Masters.
Buffet lunch at Red Wall Cafe at Grand Hotel. Red Wall Café is one of the finest restaurants inside The Grand Hotel in Beijing which is located within the red wall to the east of the Forbidden City and neighboring Tian’anmen Square and Wang Fu Jing Shopping Street. Red Wall Café gets its name from its location next to the red wall of the Imperial City. An exquisite setting, tranquil and comfortable atmosphere and elegant decoration reveal its fine design. View of Chang Pu He and the traffic of Chang An Avenue add to the beauty of life in Grand Hotel. The mixture of European style and metropolitan ambience is a feature of the Red Wall Café. Here you can enjoy finely-served continental delicacies and Oriental food.
After lunch, we continue to visit Summer Palace with a boat ride on Kunming Lake. The Summer Palace is one of the finest landmarks in Beijing. It has long been a royal garden and was considerably enlarged and embellished by Emperor Qianglong in the 18th century. It was later abandoned. Empress Dowager Cixi began rebuilding in 1888 using money that was supposedly reserved for the construction of a modern navy.
We return to our hotel for a rest. We will meet again in the evening to see an amazing show called “The Legend of Kung Fu” (regular seats). The show focuses on a young boy found wondering outside an ancient temple somewhere in China, who dreams of becoming a Kung Fu master. As with all stories, things don’t go exactly according to plan. After being taken into the temple the young novice monk called Chun Yi (the pure one) has many temptations to overcome, but through hard work and over time he conquers and finally reaches his sacred goal of enlightenment.
During the 70 minute performance, a demonstration of “Hard Qi Gong‟ and combat with different kinds of weapons are two of the highlights which gain the most applause. Meanwhile the free style “Contortion‟ and “Drunken Boxing‟ bring uncommonly known Kung Fu styles to the audience. Mixing traditional choreographed Kung Fu movements with acrobatics, the production is a groundbreaking experiment in pushing the boundary of forms. Overnight in hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.
DAY 5 - 03 September 2012 - BEIJING
Breakfast at hotel. Morning excursion to the Great Wall - Mutinayu section (using a cable car up and down). Everybody who visits Peking wants to see the Great Wall and for good reason: it is one of the wonders of the world. As you stand on the top tower and look at the wall snaking its way across the tops of the mountains, close your eyes for a moment and see in your mind's eye the ancient armies locked in combat, and hear the whistle of arrows and the clang of striking swords. It is a place to reflect upon the past the wonder about the future.
The Chinese name for the Great Wall is Wan Li Chang Cheng, or "the Long Wall of Ten Thousand Li." The first sections were built as early as the fifth century B.C. when a number of Chinese states in the north were fighting against each other and occasionally against the northern "barbarian". It was not until the unification of the empire under Qin Shi Huang Di in B.C. 221 that the various sections of the Wall were linked up. It is said that more than 300,000 men worked for ten years to complete it. The wall has a pounded earth interior with stone facing walls and a stone roadway along the top. It was built wide enough to allow a brace of five horses to gallop between the battlements and was thus used to convey soldiers, arms and food with great speed to various parts of the northern frontier.
Lunch at School House. The School House at Mutianyu Great Wall has grown up around the site of an abandoned elementary school in Mutianyu Village. It offers guests and visitors a park like campus, with clean fresh air and wonderful views of the Great Wall from the dining terrace. The School House is a sustainable tourism project, incorporating the use of existing buildings, hiring and training local staff, sourcing food products locally and making handicrafts on site.
After lunch we transfer to Olympic Village. The National Stadium, affectionately known as Bird's Nest, is situated in Olympic Green Village, Chaoyang District, Beijing. It was designed as the main stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The Olympic events of track and field, football, weight throw and discus were held there. Since October, 2008, after the Olympics ended, the National Stadium has been opened as a tourist attraction. Now, it's the center of international or domestic sports competitions and recreation activities.
A delightful and very refreshing foot massage is arranged on the way back, in order to help you to relax after the long hours of hiking. Foot Reflexology originated from China some 5,000 years ago. It is a method of achieving therapeutic effects by stimulating the acupuncture points according to the principle of reflexology. In 1913, US doctor William Fitzgerald researched and categorized foot reflex zones according to the scientific methods of modern western medicine. After he had published his findings, this ancient Chinese therapy gradually gained the respect and recognition of scholars from the western medical world. Overnight in hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.
DAY 6 - 04 September 2012 - XIAN
Breakfast at hotel before we transfer to the airport for our flight to Xian. Xian, the eternal city, records the great changes of the Chinese nation just like a living history book. Called Chang'an in ancient times, Xian is one of the birthplaces of the ancient civilization in the Yellow River Basin area of the country. During Xian's 3,100 year development, 13 dynasties such as Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang placed their capitals here. So far, Xian enjoys equal fame with Athens, Cairo, and Rome as one of the four major ancient civilization capitals. Xian is the capital of Shaanxi province, located in the southern part of the GuanZhong Plain.
We will immediately visit the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum followed by lunch at a local Chinese restaurant. The magnificent and grandiose Xian city Wall was constructed in the early Ming Dynasty on the basis of the Imperial City of Chang An (Everlasting Peace) of the Tang Dynasty. One of the features of the Xian Wall lies in the fact that it has been preserved intact, which is rarely seen in the world.
Uncovered in 1974 by peasants digging a well, the terra cotta warriors is Xian‟s important attraction. The first emperor of the Qin Dynast, Qin Shi Huangdi, ordered the making of the warriors. During his reign, he undertook military programs to the far corners of the known world. The estimated 8,000 terra cotta soldiers are a testament to his power and megalomania.
We will transfer to our hotel. We will have a Dumplings dinner at De Fa Chang, restaurant. Ingredients for the dumpling fillings include various meats, vegetables, and seasonings. Cooking methods include steaming, boiling, pan-frying, deep frying, and roasting. Many flavors, including salty, sweet, hot, and sour are offered. Other house specialties include Peking dumplings, steamed sweet bean paste buns, steamed shrimp paste buns, and various uniquely spiced dishes. While guests sample various delicacies, traditionally waiters will explain the cuisine culture of each dumpling. Overnight in hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.
DAY 7 - 05 September 2012 - XIAN
Breakfast at hotel. Morning visit to the Xian City Wall. When Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), captured Huizhou, a hermit named Zhu Sheng cautioned him that he should "build high walls, store abundant food supplies and take time to be an Emperor" so that he could fortify the city and unify the other states. After the establishment of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang followed his advice and began to enlarge the wall built initially during the old Tang dynasty (618 -907), creating the modern Xian City Wall. It's the most complete city wall that has survived in China, as well as being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. After the extension, the wall now stands 12 meters tall, 12-14 meters wide at the top and 15-18 meters thick at the bottom. It covers 13.7 kilometers in length with a deep moat surrounding it. Every 120 meters, there is a rampart which extends out from the main wall. Altogether, there are 98 ramparts on the wall, which were built to defend against the enemy. Each rampart has a sentry building, in which the soldiers could protect the entire wall without exposing themselves to the enemy.
We will then visit Shaanxi Provincial Museum (not open for Mondays). Situated in Xian's southern suburb, the Shaanxi Provincial History Museum - a striking Tang-Dynasty style pavilion, houses a large collection of 113 000 historic and cultural artifacts unearthed in Shaanxi. It is an absolute must for every visitor to the city. The main complex is a mixture of ancient palaces and courtyard buildings, harmonious and graceful in hue, in simple and elegant style.
Lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, followed by a walk through the Muslim Quarter and Great Mosque. For over 1,300 years, Muslims have been an integral part of daily life in Xi'an at the eastern end of the Silk Road, with the city's Hui community tracing their roots back to Persian and Arabic traders. After dinner, we go for a stroll with our guide through the Muslim Quarter, where the way of life derives as much from the ancient cultures of Central Asia as it does from mainland China. The Great Mosque in Xian is one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved Islamic mosques in China. According to historical records engraved on a stone tablet inside, this mosque was built in 742 during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). This was a result of Islam being introduced into Northwest China by Arab merchants and travelers from Persia and Afghanistan during the mid-7th century when some of them settled down in China and married women of Han Nationality. The Muslim played an important role in the unifications of China during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Occupying an area of over 12,000 square meters, the Great Mosque is divided into four courtyards, 250 meters long and 47 meters wide with a well-arranged layout. Landscaped with gardens, the further one strolls into its interior, the more serene one feels.
We will return to our hotel. We meet again in the evening to attend the Tang Dynasty Dinner and Show, which is one of the best shows in China. The Tang Dynasty Dinner Show, a performance of Chang'an music and dance originated in China's Tang Dynasty over a thousand years ago. It has been recreated in accordance with various historical records as well as ancient art and relics discovered in Xian, the capital of the empire during the Tang Dynasty.
The Tang Dynasty Dinner Show is performed by the "Tang Dynasty Song & Dance Troupe", a branch of the "Shaanxi Provincial Song & Dance Troupe". This type of performance has been treasured as a national art that reflects the glory and richness of the Tang Dynasty era. Overnight in hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.
DAY 8 - 06 September 2012 - CHONGQING
Breakfast at hotel before we transfer to the airport for our flight to Chongqing. Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Its abbreviated name is derived from the old name of a part of the Jialing River that runs through Chongqing and feeds the Yangtze River.
On arrival at Chongqing Airport we will be met at the airport and immediately visit Chongqing Zoo to see the Pandas. The zoo receives more than 1 million visitors every year and is dedicated to providing giant pandas and their offspring a comfortable environment in order to preserve the survival of the species. The panda house is about 2 hectares in size. In the Panda Ground at the foot of a hill and by a little stream, visitors can see charmingly native giant and lesser pandas and their offspring. The zoo has been the site of one of the few successful breeding programs for the Pandas in the world. Lunch at local Chinese restaurant. We will then embark on MS. Yangtze Explorer for our cruise to Chongqing. The ship will set sail on its downstream course through the Three Gorges region. The total length of this cruise is 660 kilometers (402 miles) and is considered by most Chinese to represent the single most scenic area in all of China. Dinner and overnight on board.
DAY 9 - 07 September 2012 – YANGTZE CRUISE
Breakfast on board. Fengdu or Wanzhou Shore Excursion – Fengdu, a charming river village noted for its elaborate Daoist temple and bustling markets or Wanzhou, the village that will provide a unique glimpse into one of China's remote communities. Gain insight, mingle with the locals and see how school children receive their early education. Dinner and overnight on board.
DAY 10 – 08 September 2012 - YANGTZE CRUISE
Breakfast on board. Early this morning our ship will enter the Qutang Gorge through the majestic Kui Men two imposing cliffs, which resemble a towering door into some otherworldly destination. Just 8 kilometers in length, the Qutang Gorge is the narrowest stretch of the river on your cruise itinerary, only 150 meters at its widest point. The banks are guarded by sheer cliffs soaring 1,200 meters in height while the river water gushes forward channeled along by the great force built up at the Kui Men which marks the western extremity of the gorge. Wu Gorge Viewing – the Wu Gorge, noted for the sheer, looming appearance of the numerous peaks, which mark this portion of the river. The cliff faces rise so sharply that legend says that the “sun rarely penetrates to the river”. The most famous of the peaks is the Shennu Peak (Goddess Peak) (also called the “Observing the Clouds Peak”), which is believed to represent the figure of the maiden Yao Ji, the 23rd daughter of the Queen Mother of the West. According to Chinese folklore, Yao Ji descended to earth when she was 18 and so loved the region of the Wu Gorge that she built a palace there. She also promised to guard travelers through the treacherous rapids and dangerous rock faces of the gorge by turning into the protective peak while her 12 handmaidens became the 12 sentinel peaks found throughout the gorge.
Cruising Shennong Stream – disembark from the ship at Badong and get onboard a ferryboat and then transfer on to a local longboats (Sampan) poled by Tujia boatmen. The scenery is un-rivaled anywhere along the middle course of the River, crystalline waters, rich forest and towering rock formations (the original landscape little altered for thousands of years). The Shennong region is home to several species of endangered flora and fauna including the elusive Golden Hair Monkey and many varieties of medicinal plants.
Xiling Gorge Viewing – (the Three Gorges Dam sits in the first part of the Xiling Gorge) is the longest of the Gorges, measuring some 76 kilometers in length. One of the most memorable passages in the Xiling Gorge is through the Yellow Ox Gorge (Huangniu Xia) where the river widens and sweeps under the Huangling Temple that stands amid groves of orange and pommel trees. Dinner and overnight on board.
DAY 11- 09 September 2012 - SHANGHAI
Breakfast on board. Three Gorges Project Dam Site and Exhibition Centre – arrive at the Three Gorges Dam Project site and embark on a tour of the area (this tour will serve as a general introduction to the project site, which, currently, is the world’s largest engineering project). The Three Gorges Dam Project was started in 1992 and completed and operational in 2009. The dam is the largest dam on earth, generating 18,200 megawatts of electricity. The dam is 1.2 miles in length and measure 185 meters in height. The dam has 26 generators that, generates enough clean energy to reduce China’s reliance of highly polluting coal by up to 50 million tons annually. Disembarkation in Yichang. Lunch at local Chinese restaurant before we transfer to the Yichang airport for our fligt to Shanghai.
Shanghai, Hu for short, is situated on the estuary of the Yangtze River. It is the largest industrial city in China, covering an area of 5,800 square kilometers and has a population of 18.7 million.
Originally, Shanghai was a seaside fishing village and in time its gradual development led to it being granted County status on August 19th, 1291 during the time of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). Hence this day became the anniversary of the founding of Shanghai. Today's Shanghai is a multi-cultural metropolis with both modern and traditional Chinese features. Bubbling Shanghai shows off every aspect of her unique glamour.
Modern Shanghai has three key areas of interest to the visitor. These comprise Sightseeing, Business and Shopping centered upon People's Square and along the Huangpu River; the city's Cultural Centre with its public activities and community facilities; and finally the main Entertainment and Holiday Tourism area located at Mt. Sheshan, Chongming Island, Dingshan Lake and Shenshuigang Area We will transfer for our hotel for overnight on a bed and breakfast basis.
DAY 12 - 10 September 2012 - SHANGHAI
Breakfast at hotel. This morning we will explore the Yu Garden and Old Bazaar. Yuyuan Garden is a place of peace and comfort in the heart of bustling Shanghai and dates back to the fabled Ming Dynasty. Now a popular tourist destination, Yuyuan began as a private garden created by Pan Yunduan, who spent almost 20 years - and all of his savings - to build a garden in order to please his parents in their old age.
Easy Walking at the Bund The Bund: (“wai tan” in Chinese) is arguably the most impressive street in Shanghai, with a wide range of colonial architecture across a waterfront esplanade. Lunch at local Chinese restaurant, followed by a walk to the French Concession and International Settlement to see the European influence on this port city. Most of the old style houses in this area have remained intact, providing a charming surrounding for strolling, browsing of shops, and imagining what life for Shanghai's wealthy community prior to World War II must have been like.
Dinner will be for your own account in the trendy district of Xin Tian Di to get an idea of the night life in Shanghai. Overnight in hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.
DAY 13 - 11 September 2012 - GUILIN
After breakfast you will have the morning at your leisure. We will then check out of our hotel and transfer to the airport for our afternoon flight to Guilin which is located in the northeast of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Guilin is considered to be the pearl of China's thriving tourist industry on account of the natural beauty and historic treasures. Covering an area of about 27,800 square kilometers (10,734 square miles), the city is rather compact when compared with other leading cities in the country. However, situated within this area one may find green mountains, crystal clear waters, unique caves and beautiful stones. We will transfer to our hotel for overnight on a bed and breakfast basis.
DAY 14 - 12 September 2012 - GUILIN
Breakfast at hotel. Morning visit to Elephant Trunk Hill and Reed Flute Cave. As the symbol of Guilin, Elephant Trunk Hill is located on the western bank of Li River Scenery. The shape of the hill is just like a huge elephant drinking water from the river with its trunkl. Shui Yue Cave (Water Moon Cave) is between the trunk and the legs, which is a semi-round cave penetrated by water. The inverted reflection of the cave in water plus the part above forms a full moon. This phenomenon is unique and many laudatory inscriptions were found on the wall inside the cave. Visitors can boat through the cave to the river.
Reed Flute Cave is a brilliant cave marked on almost all travel itineraries. The cave got its name from the verdant reeds growing outside it, with which people make flutes. Inside this water-eroded cave is a spectacular world of various stalactites, stone pillars and rock formations created by carbonate deposition. Illuminated by colored lighting, the fantastic spectacle is found in many variations along this 240-meter-long cave. Walking through the serried stone pillars, tourists feast their eyes on changing spots, feeling they are in a paradise where the Gods live.
Lunch at local Chinese restaurant, followed by an afternoon visit to Jing Prince Mansion completed in the year 1392. During the 257 years from the founding of the mansion to the end of Ming Dynasty, 14 kings of 12 generations lived here. Overnight in hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.
DAY 15 – 13 September 2012 - YANGSHUO
After breakfast, we will experience the famous Li River Cruise. A day to enjoy an upstream cruise on the Lijiang River and be exposed to the indescribable beauty and scenery surrounding it. Disembark at a small village, where you will have chance to visit a local family. Continue to Yangshuo, a small town with a relaxing pace of life, friendly people, good food, scenic beauty, rice fields and clear streams and country roads for cycling. We will have free time to shop at the “Biggest Market of the World”. Our boat will dock in the village of Xinping (may vary depending on water levels), a small town on the Li River famous for its harmonious setting amidst the karst pinnacles. Our guide will point out the bend located close to Xinping that is featured on the 20 RMB currency note. Afterwards, we walk to explore Fuli Town and its fan-craft shops.
Surrounded by mountains on three sides, Fuli is a lovely village with stone houses and cobbled lanes, and a history that dates back 1000 years. Renowned as the hometown of the hand-painted fan, nearly a quarter of Fuli‟s residents earn their income from making traditional painted fans and umbrellas whose designs are inspired by the stunning scenery of Yangshuo County. We explore Fuli’s ancient narrow stone streets and visit the local market, rice wine factory and fan-craft workshops. Lunch at Chinese local restaurant. Late afternoon arrival at Yangshuo which lies in the northeast of Guangxi Province and to the southeast of Guilin City. The special geography gives it breath-taking beauty while over 1,400 years of history bless it with a deep traditional culture. The diverse ethnic minority groups including Hui, Zhuang, Yao and others, enrich it with special folk cultures represented by their various festivals; while many foreign residents add exotic flavors to its fascination.
We will transfer to our hotel and have free time to wander around West Street which is the oldest street in Yangshuo with a history of more than 1,400 years. Situated at the centre of Yangshuo County, West Street has become, since the 1980's, a window of eastern and western culture and the biggest 'foreign language center' in China. West Street is the most prosperous district in Yangshuo, and, each year, approximately 100,000 foreigners come here on their travels or to attend advanced studies.
We will have dinner at our hotel then attend the Folk dancing show “Impression Liu Sanjie”, created and directed by the famous movie director in China Mr. Yimo Zhang, who is also the chief director of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Opening and Closing ceremony. This is a performance like you have never seen or experienced before. An area of 2 km along Lijiang River and 12 peaks as a stage setting make the Shanshui Theatre with mountains and rivers the largest natural theatre in the world. Overnight in hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.
DAY 16 - 14 September 2012 - YANGSHUO
Breakfast at hotel followed by cycling in the Beautiful Yangshuo. When you escape into the country roads, lanes and tracks of the distinctive and beautiful Yangshou countryside, you will see rice paddies, farm houses and green limestone hills. Cycling through the paddy field and orchards that surround the famous mountains will give a fascinating insight into life in rural China. Centuries old farming methods sit side by side with mobile phones and satellite dishes. After half an hour of cycling we will take a bamboo raft on the Yulong River through Limestone Mountains and trails for around 45 minutes. Our bikes will be transferred to the place where we disembark.
We will then cycle for a further 30 minutes to Moon Hill (Yueliang Shan). The fantastic views from the top have made this hill one of Yangshuo's best attractions. Moon Hill has a natural round cave at the peak and from a distance, the cave (a hole in the peak) resembles the moon, hence the name. Lunch at local Chinese restaurant followed by a free afternoon at your leisure. Overnight in hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.
DAY 17 - 15 September 2012
Breakfast at hotel. Private departure transfer in early morning, from Yangshuo to Guilin Airport for morning flight to Hong Kong for connection with flight home .
DAY 18 - 16 September 2012
Arrive home.
THE ABOVE ITINERARY INCLUDES:
- Economy class domestic flights in China on the routing Beijing/Xian/Chongquing and Yichan/Shanghai/Guilin,
- 4 night’s accommodation at 5 star Beijing Regent Hotel (or similar) in a standard room bb basis
- 3 night’s accommodation at 5 star Xian Hilton Hotel (or similar) in a standard room bb basis
- 3 night’s accommodation on 5 star Deluxe Yangtze Explorer Cruise including all meals
- 2 night’s accommodation at 5 star Shanghai Le Royal Meridian Hotel (or similar) in a standard room bb basis
- 2 night’s accommodation at 5 star Guilin Shangri-La Hotel (or similar) in a standard room on a bb basis
- 2 night’s accommodation at 5 star Yangshu Green Lotus Hotel (or similar) in a river view room bb basis
- General tipping during the tour
- Meals as per the above itinerary
- Entrance fees as per the above itinerary
THE ABOVE ITINERARY EXCLUDES:
- Economy class airfares on SAA – routing Johannesburg/Beijing/- Hong Kong/Johannesburg. Please budget around R12 000 per person.
- Visa application for China. Nile Travel will assist with the visa process.
- Medical and/or baggage insurance (compulsory, plus supply proof to Kim).
- Meals not mentioned in the above itinerary.
- Items of a personal nature such as, but not limited to, telephone calls, laundry and postage.
- Optional excursions and items not specified in the attached itinerary.
NB: Please note the standard of accommodation in China can vary considerably to the same star accommodation in South Africa. Therefore a 5 star hotel in China is not necessarily representative of a 5 star hotel in South Africa.
Nile Travel reserves the right to change the order of the itinerary, guide, hotels and cruise should the need arise. Nile Travel shall not be liable for any loss or harm, delay, damage or injury to property or person however caused. For a list of our full terms and conditions please visit www.nile.co.za.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
While we will strive to include all the sites mentioned in the above itinerary Nile Travel International cannot be held responsible for any sites being closed at the time of visiting. The order of the above itinerary may also vary in order to accommodate the weather and energy levels of the group. Please ensure that you wear comfortable shoes and dress accordingly for the weather. If you have any strict dietary requirements or need to eat at regular intervals please ensure that you have enough food and drinks with you prior to departure each morning as we may not get back to the hotel exactly at lunch time every day.
TOUR PRICE
The above itinerary will cost R44 930 per person sharing for the above5 star land arrangements (based on $1 = R8 rate of exchange). The price excludes flights into Beijing and out of Hong Kong – please budget around R12 000 per person on SAA. A deposit of R10 000 per person is require to confirm your booking. The balance is due by 1 June 2012.
Kim will accompany the tour to China if there is a minimum of 6 booked passengers.
Please contact Kim for further details – kim@nile.co.za, 011 788 3823, 083 630 7926,
www.nile.co.za