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Scenic Chinese Route

Trans-Siberian Railway

 

Scenic Chinese Route

 

Pagodas, princes, and a petrified forest

Beijing – Xi’an – Guilin – Guangzhou – Hong Kong (or vice versa)

Itinerary:

DAY 01 Arrive Beijing. Transfer* from Beijing Central Station to your Hotel.

If you are arriving into Beijing Central Station* at the end of your trans-siberian journey our driver will meet you at the end of the platform and will be holding a meeting- board with your name on. Transfer from the station directly to the Red Wall Hotel. The facilities available at this hotel include a Chinese restaurant, coffee shop, and a beauty salon. The extremely convenient central location positions you to get the most of your own exploration of the legendary Imperial city, where the rich traditions of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism meet with the opulence of the Chinese Emperors and the vibrant realism of contemporary China. (Please note your onward train tickets will be delivered to the hotel during your stay.) * Please note for passengers arriving into Beijing International Airport a transfer surcharge of $20.00 per person will apply.

DAY 02 Free day in Beijing.

For day trip options please click here.

If you haven’t pre-booked one of our city excursions, today is your own to explore. During your stay in Beijing you’ll certainly want to visit both the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. These are within walking distance of the Red Wall Hotel, and adjacent to each other, so this couldn’t be more convenient!

DAY 03 Morning check out of Hotel. Own transfer for early evening departure to Xi’an.

You’ll need to check out of your room by 12 noon today but the hotel offers a Left Luggage service for a small fee. Your time is free until your train departs. Hotel Reception can pre-order you a taxi – it’s wise to allow one hour to get through Beijing’s traffic and a second hour to complete security (metal detectors are now in force and there can be queues to use them) and find your train and platform. Own transfer to the station where you will board the Xi’an bound train.

DAY 04 Morning arrival. Check into your Hotel. Free time to explore this historic city.

Early morning arrival in Xi’an. Take a taxi from the station to the 3* Sino-Pearl Hotel. The facilities available at this hotel include Bureaude-Change, restaurants, café, and Business Centre (with internet). Balance of day is your own for independent sightseeing, and there is plenty to see! To avoid duplicating tomorrow’s included activities we suggest heading for the medieval Old City, located within the colossal fortified walls. You can take a walk around the walls themselves (allow about 1.5 hours, they’re very extensive), and then head to the Bell Tower and Drum Tower – the very centre of the Old City. Behind the Drum Tower is the Old Bazaar area, full of market stands offering fake “antiques”, silk and porcelain goods and other fabulous shopping bargains. At the centre of the Bazaar area is the historic City Mosque with its quiet walled gardens. You might also want to try the City Museum? (Please note your onward train tickets will be delivered to the hotel during your stay.)

DAY 05 Full day excursion to Terracotta Army (transport, lunch, tickets and guide included)

Full day excursion programme which includes the Terracotta Army exhibition (you will join an English language trip on which other visitors to Xi’an will also participate, in a minibus-sized small group). The first stop is the archaeological excavation site of Banpo Village, where an ancient settlement has been unearthed. Last stop before lunch is a souvenir store which makes (rather over-priced) replicas of the Terracotta Warriors. A nice Chinese-style lunch is provided in a restaurant along the way (with yet another souvenir shop on the ground floor). Finally you come to the Warriors site –uncovered when farmers were digging a well in the 1970s. There are three separate pits currently visitable, although more pits lie yet unopened. There’s also a 360-degree short movie about the history of the Burial Site and its original occupant, after which there is just time for one more… souvenir shop. You’ll be dropped off back at your hotel after the two hour drive back to the city. All admission tickets and lunch are included on this full day tour, although you may want to tip the guide separately. The operation of the Terracotta Warriors site is geared to a massive throughput of visitors per day, but it’s the only way in which you can visit the centre – so just brace yourself for a bit of jostling in advance. Hint – almost all the “souvenirs” on offer in the shops today can be bargained for at lower prices in the Bazaar in the Old City.

DAY 06 Morning check out of Hotel. Own transfer for evening departure to Guilin.

You’ll need to check out of your room by 12 noon today but the hotel offers a Left Luggage service for a small fee. Your time is free until your train departs. Hotel Reception can pre-order you a taxi to the station, where you will board the Guilin bound train. The food and beverage service on this train is quite basic, and you might prefer to take the example of most Chinese travellers, and bring your own picnic items. Hot water urns (to make tea, coffee, noodles etc) are free to use in all the wagons, but no tea bags, coffee etc are sold on board, and you’d also need your own mug etc.

DAY 07 Late evening arrival. Own transfer. Check into your Hotel. Overnight.

Late evening arrival in Guilin. Take a taxi from the station to 3* Hotel Osmanthus (city centre). The facilities available at this modern hotel include a Chinese Buffet restaurant, business centre, café and a bureau-de-change. Balance of day is your own for independent sightseeing. (Please note your onward train tickets will be delivered to the hotel during your stay.)

DAY 08 Free time to explore, and maybe take a boat trip up the River Li?

Free day in Guilin. The highlight of any visit to this area is a trip down the Li River and its astounding scenery – we offer an optional tour. The cruise includes a light Chinese-style lunch on board. The destination of the Cruise is Yangshuo, a popular destination with foreign visitors – the entire town is turned over to souvenir shops, new-age cafes, bars and restaurants. Although it’s an outrageous fake, it’s quite a pleasant way to spend an hour or two before you return to Guilin by bus.

DAY 09 Morning check out of Hotel. Own transfer for evening departure to Guangzhou.

You’ll need to check out of your room by 12 noon today but the hotel offers a Left Luggage service for a small fee. Your time is free until your train departs. Hotel Reception can pre-order you a taxi to the station. Where you will board the Guanzghou bound train.

DAY 10 Early morning arrival. Own transfer. Check into your Hotel.

Early morning arrival in Guangzhou. Take a taxi from the station to the 3* Landsman hotel in the city centre. The facilities available at this hotel include restaurants, Business Centre and cable-tv. Balance of day is your own for independent sightseeing. (Please note your onward hydrofoil tickets will be delivered to the hotel during your stay.

DAY 11 Morning check out of the Hotel. Afternoon departure by Hydrofoil to Hong Kong.

You’ll need to check out of your room by 12 noon today but the hotel offers a Left Luggage service for a small fee. Your time is free until your Hydrofoil departs. Hotel Reception can pre-order you a taxi to the harbour. The ferry leaves from Nanhaigang Harbour. Arrival in Hong Kong at Canton Road Harbour, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Included in the trip:

BEIJING: Transfer from Beijing Central Station. Two nights room only 3* hotel centrally located within walking distance to all main tourist sights. Soft class sleeper throughout.

XI’AN: Two nights 3* hotel. Room-only. Full day CITS group excursion to Terracotta Army.

GUILIN: Two nights 3* hotel. Room-only.

GUANGZHOU: One night 3* hotel. Room-only. Hydrofoil ticket to Hong Kong.

Trip Price guide (per person Australian dollars):

 Beijing-Hong Kong 1 person
2 people
3-9 people
basic trip
 $tba  $tba  $tba
supplement for airport transfer
 $tba  $tba  $tba
upgrade to 4*hotel (2 nights)
 $tba  $tba  $tba
extra night 4* hotel
 $tba  $tba  $tba
Great Wall, Ming Tombs day trip
 $tba  $tba  $tba
Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven & Summer Palace day trip
 $tba  $tba  $tba
Mutianyu Great Wall Trip
 $tba  $tba  $tba
2-berth “buy out” Beijing-Xi’an-Guilin- Guangzhou
 $tba  $tba  $tba
Extra night Xi’an
 $tba  $tba  $tba
Guilin day trip River Li
$tba  $tba  $tba

VISA REQUIRED FOR: CHINA