Day 1. DEPART NORTH AMERICA Enjoy your jumbo jet flight to the Orient with complimentary headsets, movies, beverages and meal service. As you cross the International dateline and move your watch ahead 16 hours, you temporarily "lose" this day. You will gain it back on your return.

Day 2. BEIJING, CHINA Arrive in Beijing and transfer to your hotel* for the next 4 nights. Beijing is the capital of the People’s Republic of China. It was established in 1045 B.C. and for 800 years served as the capital of the Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. (IFM)

Day 3. THE FORBIDDEN CITY / TIAN’ANMEN SQUARE / THE SUMMER PALACE This morning we visit Tian’anmen Square to see the raising of the flag at the famous site where Chairman Mao declared the birth of the People’s Republic, occupying more than 100 acres in the heart of Beijing. From there we enter the vast exotic Forbidden City, the largest palace in the world with its 9000 halls and rooms, originally built in 1420 to house the emperor’s family and the royal court. Later we’ll visit the Summer Palace. (B, L, D)

Day 4. THE GREAT WALL / MING DYNASTY TOMBS The highlight of today’s tour is a visit to the Great Wall. This 2,000 year old landmark is the longest man-made object in the world and a symbol of the ancient Chinese civilization. Later we visit Ming Tombs, the impressive burial grounds of 13 Ming Dynasty Emperors. (B, L, D)

Day 5. BEIJING A day at leisure in Beijing to explore on your own, to do some shopping or to pursue your own interests. Your tour director will be available to assist with your plans and to suggest optional sightseeing. (B)

Day 6. FLY TO SHANGHAI / YU-YUAN GARDEN / NANJING ROAD / OLD TOWN / THE BUND / JADE CARVING FACTORY This morning, we fly to Shanghai, China’s largest metropolis, and transfer to your hotel* for the next four nights. After a visit to the Jade Factory and a Mongolian BBQ lunch, you will enjoy a sightseeing tour of Shanghai that includes the waterfront Bund, with its neo-classic colonial business houses and Gothic towers, the pool-sized lakes, the rockery mountain and the meditation pavilions of the Yu- Yuan Garden, Old Town, and Nanjing Road. (B, L, D)

Day 7. TOUR TO HANGZHOU / BOAT CRUISE ON WEST LAKE / SIX HARMONIES PAGODA / TEA VILLAGE This morning we travel to Hangzhou where we take a boat cruise on the West Lake, visit the Six Harmonies pagoda and a Tea Village. (B, L, D)

Day 8. TOUR TO SUZHOU / HUMBLE ADMINISTRATOR’S GARDEN / SILK FACTORY This morning we travel to Suzhou where you will experience the golden age of traditional Chinese gardens. Built around a network of canals, it is home to a variety of unique and picturesque landscapes. We will visit the Humble Administrator’s Garden. Later, we visit a Silk Factory, where the ancient art of Silk embroidery is as thriving as during the time of Marco Polo’s visit. We will also visit Hanshan Temple. (B, L, D)

Day 9. SHANGHAI A day at leisure for some shopping or to pursue your own interests.Your tour director will be on hand to assist you with your plans. (B)

Day 10. JOURNEY HOME Today, we return to Shanghai and transfer to the airport for our flight home arriving in the U.S. the same day ("gaining" back the day we "lost"), filled with wonderful memories of our fascinating exploration of Imperial China. (B, plus 2 IFM)

* ABOUT YOUR HOTELS - You will stay at 4* or 5*-star hotels such as the following or similar: Bejing - Millennium (4*), Hangzhou (4*), Capitol (4*), Swisshotel (5*), Great Wall Sheraton (5*), King Wing (5*), Kunlun (5*), Jade Palace (5*), Shangri-La (5*). Shanghai - Sofitel (4*), Mayfair (4*), JJ Tower (5*), JJ Oriental (5*), JC Mandarin (5*), Huating (5*), Jin Jiang (5*).

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