China Bespoke

Itinerary

• China

  China is an ancient land on a breathtaking scale. The sheer sweep of geography, history, cultures, cuisine, is enough to tempt even the most accomplished traveler to return. Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, and Hong Kong are on the main tourist trail. But venture further afield and you will be rewarded.  Tibet's monasteries, Chengdu pandas, Guilin's Li River cruise through karst peaks, Yunnan's alpine kingdoms, cave buddhas of Datong, preserved city of Pingyao, Yangtze river, the western desert cities of the Silk Road - all have unique appeal. A land that is particularly suited to private guide and vehicle. 

• Beijing

  Beijing is China's foremost city and capital for twenty four successive emperors. Some of the major sights include: Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, Great Wall and Summer Palace. The complete range of Chinese cuisine can be found in the capital, and evening entertainment is superb.

• Lijiang

  The cool mountain climate in Lijiang makes the intimate town of stone, tile and swift canals, a great place to unwind. Home of the Naxi people, it has a history of more than 800 years as a nexus of trading activities among Yunnan, Tibet and India. The streets of the Old Town reflect this prosperity with flourishing traditional houses and shops with fancy and superb collections of handicrafts. Another attraction in the area is the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. About 100km northwest of Lijiang is Tiger Leaping Gorge. From the top of the gorge you can look down the sheer mountain sides to the rushing Golden Sands River 700 feet below.

• Shanghai

  Shanghai is the symbol of "New China", bustling and busy with excellent shopping. With an eclectic architectural mix from Asian infused Victorian and Art Deco to 21st Century avant-garde, Shanghai is an exciting, ever-changing metropolis. Popular attractions range from the Jade Buddha Temple, Yuyuan Garden and Shanghai Museum to modern wonders like the Oriental Pearl Tower. Landmarks of the city include the French Concession and historic waterfront known as the Bund. Shanghai is an excellent base from which to explore the canal towns of the Yangtze delta as well as nearby Suzhou or Hangzhou. Shanghai will host the 2010 World's Fair.

• Xi'an

  Xi'an was the capital of China's first emperor whose tomb is guarded by the world famous terracotta warriors.

• • Beijing
  • Pangu 7 Star Hotel

  Day 1: Beijing

  Take an airport transfer by private car with an English-speaking guide.

  Accommodation: Pangu 7 Star Hotel

  Pangu 7 Star Hotel is China’s newest icon and the latest masterpiece of world-renowned architect C.Y. Lee, the man behind Taipei 101, the world’s second tallest building. The hotel is the pinnacle of Pangu Plaza, featuring breathtaking views of Beijing’s Olympic theatre of dreams as well as world class office space, restaurants, lavish residences and the breathtakingly opulent Sky Courtyards.

• • Tiananmen Square
  • Forbidden City

  Day 2: Beijing

  Private full day tour to Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and the hutong areas with lunch (is in the price included). Tiananmen square is the biggest square in the world, its south is the Forbidden City, called Gu Gong in Chinese, was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Now known as the Palace Museum, it is to the north of Tiananmen Square. Rectangular in shape, it is the world's largest palace complex and covers 74 hectares. Surrounded by a six meter deep moat and a ten meter high wall are 9,999 rooms. The word "hutong" originates from "hottog" which means "well" in Mongolian, and means a lane or alley - or in fact the passage formed by lines of siheyuan (a compound with houses around a courtyard) where old Beijing residents live. Beijing's hutongs are inequable ranging from a few feet to over 30 feet wide. The longest has more than 20 turns, though most have a slant, half turn, or are cul-de-sacs "blind hutongs". The gray-tiled houses and identical criss-crossing deep alleys give you the impression of being in a maze - fun to walk through, but be careful not to get lost.

  Enjoy a dinner designed by Chairman Mao Zedong's chef - Mr. Cheng Ruming, and prepared by his students. Mr. Cheng Ruming has been selected as the National culinary master consultant for the Palace Museum and Imperial Kitchen. His guests have included Mao Zedong, state leaders, heads of state along with many important foreign guests. This restaurant is located in a private courtyard near the Forbidden City, and is not opened to public.

  Accommodation: Pangu 7 Star Hotel
• • Kunming Lake
  • Peking Opera

  Day 3: Beijing

  You will be picked up by private car and English speaking Guide for a half day private guided tour of the Summer Palace and Temple of heaven. The Summer Palace occupies an area of 294 hectares (726.5 acres), three quarters of which is water. Classically designed as an archetypal Chinese garden, it is ranked amongst the most noted gardens of the world and was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1998. Enjoy a private Dragon Boat Ride on Kunming Lake within the Summer Palace. The Temple of Heaven was built in 1420 AD during the Ming Dynasty to offer sacrifice to Heaven. The most magnificent buildings are The Circular Mound Altar (Yuanqiutan), Imperial Vault of Heaven (Huangqiongyu) and Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest (Qiniandian) - which are connected by a wide bridge called the Sacred Way.

  The China World Hotel houses some of Beijing's finest restaurants. Enjoy a buffet lunch here.

  Enjoy a deluxe Peking Duck dinner at DaDong restaurant. Voted by locals as the best Peking Duck in Beijing. Next visit the Huguanghuiguan Peking Opera House where you will have VIP seating for the performance.

  Accommodation: Pangu 7 Star Hotel
• • Great Wall Badaling
  • Aman at Summer Palace

  Day 4: Beijing

  Full day guided tour by Audi A6 of the Great Wall at Badaling, about 50 miles north of Beijing at the highest point of Guan'gou gorge. The wall of Badaling has a total length of 3,741 meters with an average height of 8 meters. The top of the wall can permit five horses to be ridden abreast. Includes a lunch box prepared by the kitchen staff at your hotel in Beijing. Drive to the Ming Tombs - the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). The mausoleums and necropolis are notable for their palatial architecture. Originally built as the tomb of Emperor Zhu Di and his empresses. The succeeding twelve emperors had their tombs built closely nearby in a grand complex. Lunch is included,

  Accommodation: Aman at Summer Palace

  Aman at Summer Palace, offers a variety of accommodation which pays homage to the traditional architecture of the Summer Palace, celebrating its courtyard architectural style. The hotel is located near major attractions such as the National Stadium, Beihai Park, The National Grand Theatre and Tian’anmen Square and approximately 35km from Beijing Capital International Airport. Suites surround an internal courtyard featuring an intricate latticework of pathways, separating formal gardens and trees. The aesthetic architectural references draw upon traditional materials and the architecture and design of the Ming Dynasty period.

• • Xi'an
  • Shangri La Xian

  Day 5: Beijing - Xi'an

  Take an airport transfer by private car with an English-speaking guide.

  Direct flight from Beijing to Xi'an.

  Take an airport transfer by private car with an English-speaking guide.

  Enjoy a dinner buffet at the beautiful Shangri La hotel.

  Accommodation: Shangri La

  Shangri-La Hotel Xian has the very best of the city right on its doorstep such as the finest in shopping and entertainment. The hotel is just a 30-minute drive from Xian International Airport, and is within easy reach of many top tourist attractions. The hotel’s 386 guest rooms and suites set a new standard for deluxe accommodation in Xian and offer four trendsetting designer restaurants. With luxurious spa treatments and a fully equipped health club with heated pool, it's the perfect place to soothe mind, body and soul. Whether you're traveling for pleasure, Shangri-La Hotel, Xian offers exceptional levels of hospitality to further enhance your enjoyment of this magnificent city.

• • Terra Cotta Warriors
  • 

  Day 6: Xi'an

  Enjoy a full day private guided tour, your first stop is the Terra Cotta Army. Discovered accidentally in 1974, this incredible army of over 7000 soldiers, archers, horses and chariots in full battle array has guarded Emperor Qin's tomb since 210BC. Each figure is unique, and the painstaking repair and excavation continues in 3 pits which are protected inside huge hangars. Enjoy special access to the Terra Cotta Warriors Pit # 1. This is the restoration area, where you will be allowed to stand side by side with the Warriors. Listen to an expert lecture at the museum. Have a basic lunch in the area, before continuing the tour you will visit the Ancient City Wall. The walls, ramparts, gates and watchtowers from one of the oldest and most complete city defences are still around. Built in the 13th century on the foundations of the original Tang Forbidden City surrounding the city centre you can ride a bicycle around the full 14km circuit, with great views of the city on either side.

  Enjoy your VIP seats at the Tang Dynasty Dinner Show with private car transfers. At each performance there are over 100 artists who entertain with a colorful spectacle of dance and music symbolizing the splendor of the Tang Dynasty, regarded as the most progressive and prosperous era of Imperial China.

  Accommodation: Shangri La
• • Lijiang
  • Banyan Tree Lijiang

  Day 7: Xi'an - Lijiang

  Take an airport transfer by private car with an English-speaking guide.

  Fly from Xi'an to Lijiang via Kunming or Chengdu.

  Take an airport transfer by private car with an English-speaking guide.

  Enjoy an authentic Chinese dinner at the luxurious Banyan Tree hotel.

  Accommodation: Banyan Tree Lijiang (5*)

  Set amidst the majestic Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, The Banyan Tree Lijiang (5*) is the first luxury resort in Lijiang, with its stunning architecture and luxurious villas reflecting the rich fabric of its surroundings through its design and furnishings. Enjoy a delightful array of international cuisine at the indoor and outdoor café, offering buffet-style dining, following a nightcap at the hotel bar. Rejuvenate at the Banyan Tree Spa, gym, and sauna and take a dip in the outdoor swimming pool, enveloped in the beauty of the surrounding region.

• • ZhiYuan Monastery

  Day 8: Lijiang

  Experience a full day private guided tour of Black Dragon Pool, ZhiYuan Monastery and Naxi Museum with a deluxe lunch at Trianon Restaurant in the Old Town. The Old Town was built in the late Song Dynasty and the early Yuan Dynasty and has a history of more than 800 years. Since Kubla Khan set his reign here, the first Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, Lijiang has been the nexus of trading activities among Yunnan, Tibet and India. The streets of Old Town reflect this prosperity with flourishing traditional houses and shops with fancy and superb collections of handicrafts. Naxi people are famed for their artists and poets. Great talents in the areas of poetry, calligraphy, painting, and music have all come from this rich and captivating culture, featured in the Naxi Museum.

  Accommodation: Banyan Tree Lijiang (5*)
• • Shanghai
  • Four Season's Hotel lounge area

  Day 9: Lijiang - Shanghai

  Take an airport transfer by private car with an English-speaking guide.

  Direct flight from Lijiang to Shanghai.

  Enjoy an airport transfer in Shanghai with a private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking Guide.

  Accommodation: Four Seasons (5*)

  Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai is ideally located in Shanghai’s downtown. The 37-storey hotel is a tranquil sanctuary in the heart of the bustling metropolis, with 439 guest rooms and suites. Si Ji Xuan serves traditional Cantonese cuisine combined with Shanghainese favourites in an elegant atmosphere. At lunch, guests can choose from a wide selection of dim sum delicacies. For dinner, Chinese specialties and fresh seafood are the focus. Offering discreet, personalized service in a casual yet professional atmosphere, the spa is a tranquil retreat, away from the activity of this busy city. Also enjoy the healing effects of authentic Balinese massages, and experience the luxury of the Four Seasons Shanghai.

• • Shanghai

  Day 10: Shanghai

  Shanghai Museum is a veritable treasure house of ancient Chinese art and houses 120,000 precious relics. Bronzes, pottery, paintings and calligraphies are distinctive features of the Museum's collection. Visit the historic Bund. Enjoy a cruise on the Huangpu river that divides old Shanghai from the futuristic Pudong before venturing to the old quarter and Yuyuan gardens. Yuyuan Garden is the largest of Shanghai's ancient gardens with architectural styles of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The garden has six areas, each with its own style, the most popular being the Grand Rockery in the center.

  Enjoy lunch at 6 on the Bund restaurant.

  Accommodation: Four Seasons (5*)
• • MOCA Shanghai

  Day 11: Shanghai

  Visit two of Shanghai's most interesting and progressive art museums: the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Modern Art. With rotating exhibitions by renowned international and local artists, both have a huge collection of work from all mediums.

  Enjoy a luxurious dinner at the Park Hyatt's famous restaurant 100 Century Avenue. This is the highest restaurant in Shanghai, with fantastic panoramic views of the city.

  Accommodation: Four Seasons (5*)

• Day 12: Shanghai

  Transfer from central Shanghai with a driver, and English-speaking Guide to the Maglev station in Pudong from where you can complete your airport transfer in about 8 minutes at speeds of over 400 km/h. (Warning - involves a little walking).

  Accommodation: Depart

  Depart from Shanghai international airport - end of itinerary.

Accommodation

• Cultural Moments

  Throughout Asia, rice paddies are somewhat of a constant landscape element. Rice is grown in paddies, or shallow puddles carefully controlled to ensure the appropriate water depth (typically 15 cm).  The farmers take advantage of the rice plant's tolerance to water: the water in the paddies prevents weeds from outgrowing the crop. Once the rice has established dominance of the field, the water can be drained in preparation for harvest.

• Culinary Moments

  There are a vast array of fruits native to Asia that we are sure to see along the way - keep your eyes peeled for jackfruit, lychee, rambutan, mangosteen, durian, and starfruit  - all fruits somewhat unknown to the North American

• • Pangu 7 Star Hotel

  Pangu 7 Star Hotel

  Pangu 7 Star Hotel is China’s newest icon and the latest masterpiece of world-renowned architect C.Y. Lee, the man behind Taipei 101, the world’s second tallest building. The hotel is the pinnacle of Pangu Plaza, featuring breathtaking views of Beijing’s Olympic theatre of dreams as well as world class office space, restaurants, lavish residences and the breathtakingly opulent Sky Courtyards.

  • More information
• • Aman at Summer Palace

  Aman at Summer Palace

  Aman at Summer Palace, offers a variety of accommodation which pays homage to the traditional architecture of the Summer Palace, celebrating its courtyard architectural style. The hotel is located near major attractions such as the National Stadium, Beihai Park, The National Grand Theatre and Tian’anmen Square and approximately 35km from Beijing Capital International Airport. Suites surround an internal courtyard featuring an intricate latticework of pathways, separating formal gardens and trees. The aesthetic architectural references draw upon traditional materials and the architecture and design of the Ming Dynasty period.

  • More information
• • Shangri La Xian

  Shangri La

  Shangri-La Hotel Xian has the very best of the city right on its doorstep such as the finest in shopping and entertainment. The hotel is just a 30-minute drive from Xian International Airport, and is within easy reach of many top tourist attractions. The hotel’s 386 guest rooms and suites set a new standard for deluxe accommodation in Xian and offer four trendsetting designer restaurants. With luxurious spa treatments and a fully equipped health club with heated pool, it's the perfect place to soothe mind, body and soul. Whether you're traveling for pleasure, Shangri-La Hotel, Xian offers exceptional levels of hospitality to further enhance your enjoyment of this magnificent city.

  • More information
• • Banyan Tree Lijiang

  Banyan Tree Lijiang (5*)

  Set amidst the majestic Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, The Banyan Tree Lijiang (5*) is the first luxury resort in Lijiang, with its stunning architecture and luxurious villas reflecting the rich fabric of its surroundings through its design and furnishings. Enjoy a delightful array of international cuisine at the indoor and outdoor café, offering buffet-style dining, following a nightcap at the hotel bar. Rejuvenate at the Banyan Tree Spa, gym, and sauna and take a dip in the outdoor swimming pool, enveloped in the beauty of the surrounding region.

  • More information
• • Four Season's Hotel lounge area

  Four Seasons (5*)

  Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai is ideally located in Shanghai’s downtown. The 37-storey hotel is a tranquil sanctuary in the heart of the bustling metropolis, with 439 guest rooms and suites. Si Ji Xuan serves traditional Cantonese cuisine combined with Shanghainese favourites in an elegant atmosphere. At lunch, guests can choose from a wide selection of dim sum delicacies. For dinner, Chinese specialties and fresh seafood are the focus. Offering discreet, personalized service in a casual yet professional atmosphere, the spa is a tranquil retreat, away from the activity of this busy city. Also enjoy the healing effects of authentic Balinese massages, and experience the luxury of the Four Seasons Shanghai.

  • More information

The Fine Print

• Trip Operator

  Horizon & Co. (founded in 1963), is a privately-owned leading boutique travel company. Horizon designs and stages authentic and deeply personal travel experiences that are carefully choreographed to induce a life-long memory. In addition to offering published trips on seven continents, Horizon builds private custom trips for discerning individuals and small groups.

• Contact Information

  Horizon & Co.
  Tel: 1-800-387-2977
  Email: admin@horizon-co.com
  Web: www.horizon-co.com

• What's Included:

  • Guaranteed departure - Accommodation, Activities, Transfers, Meals, Fees where indicated as per the itinerary - Local and international traveler assistance during your tour - Specialised and personalised services

• What's not Included:

  • Tips - Laundry - Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages unless explicitly noted - Optional activities/extras – Visas (unless noted) - Vacation insurance

• Trip Terms & Conditions

  • Your deposit is due immediately on booking (30% of program price, minimum $250). The balance is due 90 days prior to departure. We accept payment via credit card, certified check, wire transfer or money order.
  • Tour quotes do not include airfare to/from the trip start point unless noted on the itinerary
  • Cost increases in currency exchange, government fees, taxes, surcharges or hotel/lodge tariff increases between quote date and start date are payable by the client.
  • Availability cannot be guaranteed until booked. We will exercise best efforts to book hotels per the itinerary, however, in busy seasons and with client bookings made within 90 days of tour date we may be forced to offer substitutes.
  • Cancellations of confirmed bookings 90 days or more prior to departure will receive full refund minus a $350 (per person) administrative fee and any non-refundable paid fees (e.g. non-refundable airfare, cruise or hotel deposits). 60-89 days will be subject to loss of deposit. 30-59 days will be subject to loss of 50% of program price. 29 days or less will be subject to 100% of program price.
  • Payment of the program price constitutes your acceptance of the terms and conditions set out at www.horizon-co.com/terms-and-conditions
  • Living Standards and practices at destination may differ from those in North America with respect to provisions of utilities, services and accommodation.

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