( Pingyao : Old City )

Day 1/Arrive in Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. Pick up from the airport and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Heaven. (D)

Day 2/Beijing
Begin the day's activity with a visit to Tian'anmen Square, the largest urban square in the world. Then, visit Forbidden City and Summer Palace. Enjoy Peking Duck for dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 3/Beijing 
Climb Mutianyu Great Wall (excluded Cable Car) to avoid the crowds. Then, drive to visit the statue-lined Shenlu (Spirit Road) leading to the Ming Tombs, inside visit of Changling Tomb. (B,L)

Day 4/Beijing-Lhasa 
Walk through some old "Hutongs" and Nanluogu Lane. Then, visit Yonghe Lama Temple. Pay a visit Pearl Factory and Silk Factory. Transfer to Beijing West Railway Station, and take train to Lhasa. (B,L)
Accommodation: on the train

Day 5/on the train
On the train. (no meal)
Accommodation: on the train

Day 6/Arrrive in Lhasa
Arrive in Lhasa in evening, and transfer to the Hotel on arrival for rest and acclimatize yourself. (No meal)

                   
Day 7/Lhasa
Visit Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and Barkhor Market. (B,L)

Day 8/Lhasa
Sightsee of the Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery and Norbulingka in Lhasa. (B,L)

Day 9/Lhasa
Day is at leisure. (B)
Lhasa Destination guide Namtso Lake, located 200km in the north of Lhasa, lying at the foot of Nyainqentanglha Mountain, is the highest lake in the world, considered as the holy lake in Tibet. Yabajing Thermal Spring is on its way, enjoying the hot spring and greeting with the beautiful scenery of Tibetan northern grassland.
Or walk around the hive of Barkhor to shop rare Tibetan items.

Day10/Lhasa-Xi'an
Transfer to the airport, and fly to Xi'an. Pick up on arrival and transfer to the hotel. (B)

Day11/Xi'an
Visit Terracotta Warriors and Horses, a mountain village, and Big Wild Goose Pagoda. (B,L,D)

Day12/Xi'an-Pingyao 
Climb the ancient City Wall in the morning. The afternoon is free. Take overnight train to Pingyao. (B,L,D)
Accommodation: on the train
Attention: About this train, since Apr. 2007, the train Xi'an-Pingyao starts not from Xi'an Railway Station but from Baoji (about 200km east of Xi'an). The train ticket must be bought in Baoji and from Baoji to Pingyao, not from Xi'an. At Xi'an Railway Station, they could only get about 2-3 tickets for soft sleeper, not enough. So our colleague in Xi'an must go to Baoji to buy the tickets (better in Soft sleeper, if not possible, all in hard sleepers.) in advance of several days.

Day13/Pingyao
Arrive in Pingyao, boasting the famous Pingyao Old City which was included in the United Nations World Cultural Heritage in 1997. Transfer to the historic hotel/guesthouse opon arrival. Day is at leisure. (B)
Pingyao Destination Guide Pingyao Old City is like a huge historical museum. In the center of the Old City, the nearly 200 years old Rishengchang Exchange Shop is the first 'bank' in Chinese history. The well-preserved County Government Office shows a complete picture of the solemn law court and prison of the Qing Dynasty while in Chenghuangmiao Street. The Temple of the City God and the Confucius Temple reveal a glimpse of local folk life. Along the Ancient Ming and Qing Street, the old buildings in antique architecture styles may bring you back to the old China of that time.
Outside the Old City, there are two temples worth visiting: Shuanglin Monastery and Zhenguo Temple. Shuanglin Monastery, 7km from Pingyao, is renowned not for its architecture, but for its painted statues executed during Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, spanning a period of over 1,000 years. Zhenguo Temple, 12km from Pingyao, was first built in the period of Five Dynasties and was renovated in Ming and Qing Dynasties, but still keeps its original styles.
What's more, most of the famous residences of Shanxi Merchants are clustered around Pingyao: Qiao Family Residence, Wang Family Residence, Qu Family Residence, and etc.
Information Link The culture of the Shanxi Merchants
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, many merchants from Taigu, Qixian and Pingyao of the Jinzhong area began to develop their businesses in China's big cities and overseas. Their piaohao (firms for the exchange and transfer of money) once monopolized money exchanged and the monetary lifelines of the whole country, accruing them great fortunes. They came back to heir home villages to build homes to honor their ancestors and show their social status. Now these residences have become historic buildings. These rich merchants and their residences comprise the "Culture of the Shanxi Merchants". Among the homes, the Qiao Family Residence has become the Museum of Folk Customs, and the Qu Family Residence is the Museum of Culture of the Shanxi Merchants.  

Day14/Pingyao-Beijing
Day is at leisure for you to explore the city. Transfer to Taiyuan Railway Station, and take the D train to Beijing. Transfer to the hotel on arrival.  (B)

Day15/Beijing 
Day is at leisure. Enjoy Beijing Opera after dinner. (B,D)

Day16/Depart from Beijing
Transfer to the airport or the railway station. TOUR ENDS! (B)

Hotels (or the same standard):
Beijing: *** Ping An Fu Beijing (Low Season, overnight in Dong Fang Hotel)
Pingyao: ***(*) Yi De Guesthouse Pingyao
Xi'an: **** Bell Tower Hotel Xi'an
Tibet: *** Gorka Hotel (or Dungu Gu Hotel, Shangbala Hotel)