Day01 Arrive in Beijing                                            
Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. Meet your guide at the airport and transfer to the hotel. (D)

Day02 Beijing                                                           
Begin the day's activity with a visit to Tian'anmen Square, the largest urban square in the world. Tian'anmen was built in 1417 and served as the entrance gate to the Imperial Palace. Move on to visit the Imperial Palace, well-known as Forbidden City which is the large scale construction of the palace extended from 1406 to 1420. It was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. 24 emperors lived and ruled China from here.  You will take a rickshaw through some old "Hutongs", lanes or alleys formed by lines of Siheyuan (a compound with houses around a courtyard). Then, visit Temple of Heaven, built in 1420 A.D., which was originally the platform to offer sacrifices to Heaven during Ming and Qing Dynasties. The buildings and parklands reflect an ancient Chinese thought of "the Heaven is round and the earth is square". Enjoy Peking Duck for Dinner. (B,L,D)

Day03 Beijing                                                           
Today's highlight is the visit to the Great Wall, one of the "Seven Wonders of the World" and a symbol of Chinese civilization. Then, drive to visit the statue-lined Shenlu (Spirit Road) leading to the Ming Tombs, here you can see some marvelous stone sculptures. The Ming Tombs area is for 13 deceased emperors of the Ming Dynasty. Visit the Changling Tomb which is the largest of the 13 as you can imagine it is quite impressive.  On the way back to the hotel, stop at Olympic Park and outside view the National Stadium (Bird's Nest, no entry) and the National Aquatics Center (Water Cube, no entry), which are the main stadium of the 29th Olympiad in 2008. (B,L,D)

Day04 Beijing-Xi'an                                                 
Visit the enchanting Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China. As a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design, it integrates the natural landscape of hills and open water with manmade features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges into a harmonious and aesthetically exceptional whole. In the afternoon, you will visit the Yonghe Lama Temple, the largest and most perfectly preserved Tibetan Buddhist Lama Temple outside Tibet. It was built in 1649 as the residence of Prince Yong of Qing Dynasty, and was converted to a temple after he became Emperor moving to Forbidden City. Take overnight train to Xi'an with soft sleeper (the 1st class in China, 4 persons sharing one cabin). (B,L,D)

Day05 Xi'an                                                              
Arrive in Xi'an in the morning, pick up from the railway station and transfer to the hotel for breakfast. Today's highlight is to visit once-in-a-lifetime viewing of the extraordinary Terracotta Warriors and Horses, 2,200-year-old underground army of he first feudal Emperor, Qin Shihuang. Life size terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations are the star features at the museum. Enjoy a characteristic Dumpling Dinner in local restaurant. (B,L,D)

Day06 Xi'an                                                              
After breakfast, visit Shaanxi History Museum, the first huge state museum with modern facilities in China, and given the reputation of "bright pearl of ancient city, treasure house of China". Visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda, originally built in 652 A.D. in Tang Dynasty (618-907A.D.), it functioned to collect large volume of Buddhist scriptures that were taken from India by the eminent monk of Xuanzang. Then, pay a visit to the Great Mosque, built primarily in the Ming Dynasty when Chinese architectural elements were synthesized into mosque architecture, and it is the largest and best-preserved one of the early mosques of China. (B,L,D)

Day07 Xi'an-Lhasa                                                  
Fly to Lhasa, rightly one of the most featured and dreamt-about cities in the world, not only limited accessibility for its remoteness and its high altitude at 3,650 meters, but also the mysterious Tibetan religion. In Tibetan, Lhasa means the Holy Land or the Buddha Land. The guide will meet you at Konggar Airport, and transfer you to Lhasa city with about 1.5 hours' driving (100km). On arrival at the hotel, rest and acclimatize yourself to the local time and altitude. (B,D)

Day08 Lhasa                                                            
The first day of sightseeing starts from Lhasa's cardinal landmark - Potala Palace, a structure of massive portions. Its towering image has already appeared on various occasions, but your first sight of the Potala will still be an awe-inspiring moment. It takes at least a good 2-hour to visit those rooms, halls and chapels. Some 2km to the east of the Potala is the most revered religious structure and the holiest temple in Tibet - Jokhang Temple. Bustling with worshippers and redolent with mystery, the Jokhang is an unrivalled experience. The quadrangle of streets surrounding the Jokhang is the Barkhor Market - Lhasa's most interesting pilgrimage circuit. This area of the Old Town is both the spiritual heart of Lhasa and the main commercial district for Tibetans. The rest of day is free. (B,L,D)

Day09 Lhasa                                                            
Sightsee of the Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery and Norbulingka in Lhasa. Drepung Monastery, the largest and richest monastery in Tibet, was founded in 1416 by a disciple of Tsong Khapa under the patronage of a noble family and later enlarged by the Fifth Dalai Lama. Nowadays it stands as Tibet's most important and largest monastic university in Tibet. Norbulingka Park (Treasure Garden) was built in the 1740s during the reign of the seventh Dalai Lama. Later it was renovated and enlarged and became the Dalai Lama's Summer Palace. Sera Monastery is located a few miles to the north of Lhasa, is one of the three largest monasteries. (B,L,D)

Day10 Lhasa-Gyantse                                            
Drive from Lhasa to Gyantse (at 4,040 meters above sea level), and pass by Yamdroktso Lake for sightseeing. Yamdroktso Lake is one of the four holy lakes of Tibet, and legend has it that if the lake ever disappears, it will mark the end of Tibet. In Gyantse, visit Palkor Monastery, the symbolic architecture of Gyantse. On one side of the Palkor Monasteery stands a white tower - Kumbum Stupa. It is said that there are altogether more than 100,000 Buddha statues engraved on the tower; hence the name "One Hundred-Thousand-Buddha Tower". (B,L,D)

Day11 Gyantse-Shigatse-Lhasa                           
Proceed to Shigatse and visit Tashihunpo Monastery, the new Palace of Panchen Lama. Tashihunpo's magnificent outside may make you gaps in admiration, its inside just offers you more religious tranquility and sincerity. Then, drive back to Lhasa. Miles away from Shigatse, you can already see the gold tops of Tashihunpo Monastery shinning under the sun. (B,L,D)

Day12 Lhasa-Chengdu                                          
Take a morning flight to Chengdu, the regional capital of Sichuan Province. It is the habitat of Giant Panda, as well as known as "wonderful world of nature". Pay a visit to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, a non-profit organization for the study and protection of the giant panda, situated on the Axe Hill 10km from the north suburb of Chengdu City. Walk around Jinli Old Street, at the east side of Wuhou Shrine, it called "The First Street of the Shu Kingdom". (B,D)

Day13 Chengdu-Shanghai                                    
Take a morning flight to Shanghai, know as "Paris in the East". Visit the Bund, at the west shore of the Huangpu River, the splendid row of early 20th century Europe buildings remains the quintessential Shanghai sight. Pay a visit to Yuyuan Garden, a well-restored Suzhou-style garden, which was specially built for Pan's parents as a place to enjoy themselves a tranquil and happy time in their old age. The pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters are unique characteristic. And also take a walk through Chenghuangmiao (known as Yuyuan Garden Market) built in the fifteenth century during the Ming Dynasty. It filled with antique markets and specialty stores. Enjoy a fabulous Acrobatic Show in the evening. (B,L,D)

Day14 Shanghai                                                    
This morning, you will visit Shanghai Museum, a leading attraction of the city since it opened in 1994, containing some priceless collections of paintings, porcelains and bronzes. Proceed to visit Jade Buddha Temple, built in 1882 to keep two jade Buddha statues which had been brought from Burma by a monk named Huigen. The two precious jade Buddha statues, one sitting Buddha and one Recumbent Buddha, are carved with whole white jade. Take some free shopping on Nanjing Road, a must-see metropolitan destination attracting thousands of fashion-seeking shoppers from all over the world today. (B,L,D)

Day15 Depart from Shanghai                               
Transfer to the hotel and prepare for boarding your homebound flight. (B)

Note: B-Breakfast  L-Lunch  D-Dinner

Hotel list (or the same standard):
Beijing: ***Dong Fang Hotel Beijing
Xi'an: ***Wan Nian Hotel Xi'an (3-star building)
Lhasa: ***Dhod Gu Hotel Lhasa
Gyantse: ***Gyantse Hotel
Chengdu: ***Xiyu Business Hotel Chengdu 
Shanghai: ****Dorure International Hotel Shanghai

Price Included:
- Twin sharing accommodation with buffet breakfast
- Domestic fights in economic class with airport tax: Xi'an-Lhasa, Lhasa-Chengdu, Chengdu-Shanghai
- Train tickets: Beijing-Xi'an
- Lunch and Dinner as mentioned in the itinerary in local good restaurant
- (first) Entrance fee mentioned in the itinerary
- English speaking guide
- All Transfers specified in the itinerary by air-conditioned van
- Travel Permit to Tibet 

Price Excluded:
- International flight and airport tax
- China Entry Visa
- Tips, personal expenses
- Single room supplement
- Transfer, guide service for "day at leisure"
- Guide service during the plane, train or cruise

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