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ShanXi Children Reunion Heritage Tour

Shanxi is the coal capital of China, distributing the coal resources in its more than ninety counties, thus it is a very important province to China. Besides its economic significance, Shanxi is also a place of high cultural and historical value. There are two world heritage sites in Shanxi. The Yun Gang Grottoes contain 51,000 sculptures scattered throughout 53 rock caves. The earliest can be dated back as early as 460 AD. The other site is Pingyao Ancient City, one of the four ancient Chinese cities that remain intact. The city is known as "Turtle City" for its six gates: two each at the east and west gates, and one each at the north and south gates. The Wang Family Courtyard (Wang Jia Da Yuan), is said to be comparable to the Forbidden City in size. While the Forbidden City was designed for the use of the emperor and the royal family, the Wong Family Courtyard served as a residence for a civil official. One special characteristic of the courtyard home is the intricate carved frescoes that decorate many of the building walls. Shanxi is a province of many treasures, just waiting for you to discover them.

Tour Overview
Tour Code: PCRT-SXCRHT
Trip Duration:16 days/15 nights
Guangzhou, Guilin, ChengDu, Xian, TaiYuan, Beijing
Departure Dates:Every Saturday

Itinerary

Day 1: US / Guangzhou
meals: n/a
Depart US for China to begin your ShanXi Children Reunion Heritage Tour. Get your journal ready to record your weeks of 'once- in-a-lifetime' memories!
Day 2: Guangzhou
meals: n/a
Arrive at Guangzhou New BaiYun International Airport. Your private English-speaking guide and driver will bring you to the hotel upon your arrival. Have a good rest tonight to adjust to your new time zone and surroundings.
Day 3: Guangzhou/Guilin
meals: B/L/D
After breakfast, tour around Shamian Island: stop at the medical clinic where adoption medical exams are conducted and visit the photo shop where your child's visa photo was taken. In the afternoon, take another trip down memory lane when you visit the American Consulate. Your guide will escort you to a local park where you can linger and relax while enjoying a story-time of traditional Chinese folktales to deepen your understanding of the rich cultural heritage of your child. Take the late afternoon bullet train to Guilin.
Day 4: Guilin/Yangshuo/Guilin
meals: B/L/D
After breakfast, embark on a scenic cruise along the Li River and enjoy a delicious lunch onboard. The landscape of Guilin is noted as the most gorgeous in China, with sparkling clear waters and magnificent green hills; you will see fishermen fishing with their trained cormorant birds occasionally as well. Your children will be excited to watch water buffalos either grazing along the riverbanks or taking lazy afternoon swims.
Day 5: Guilin
meals: B/L/D
Begin your tour with a visit to the Reed Flute Caves (Ludi Yan). Enjoy the spectacular views of beautiful backdrops created by the cool atmosphere and colorful lighting displays inside the caves as you pass by many fanciful shapes (don't forget to look for the Monkey King).
Day 6: Guilin/ChengDu
meals: B/L
After breakfast, your local guide and driver will bring you to the airport and arrange for your flight to Chengdu. After your arrival in Chengdu and a tasty lunch, explore the Silk Embroidery Institute and the People's Park with Tea House and Garden.
Day 7: ChengDu
meals: B/L
Embark on an extraordinary journey to the Panda Breeding Research Base this morning. After lunch, visit the fascinating SanXingDui Museum. Little is known about the mysterious cultural and religious beliefs of the people of SanXingDui, yet visitors will gain a sense of the culture through intriguing displays of ancient and rare artifacts used in daily life and religious ceremonies.
Day 8: Chengdu/Xian
meals: B/L
Today you will fly from Chengdu to Xian, which is a cultural treasure trove of Chinese history. You may visit the Xi'an Museum, where antiques from the Prehistoric era through the Qing Dynasty are on display. In the afternoon, visit Xian's ancient city wall and enjoy the panoramic views of the city. This is the only intact city wall in China. Enjoy walking, exercising and riding a bike as a family.
Day 9: Xian
meals: B/L
Explore the breathtaking Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum today. Discovered by several local farmers in 1974, the 2,000-year-old lifelike warriors are known as the 8th world wonder. Learn to make Chinese traditional JiaoZi (dumplings) in the local restaurant and have a JiaoZi lunch there.
Day 10: Xian/TaiYuan
meals: B
Depart Xian and travel to TaiYuan for an orphanage visit. Lotus guides will sensitively and carefully assist your family as you embark on this most meaningful portion of your return trip. On this initial day of the city visit, one can spend time strolling around the area and absorbing a sense of the city and locale.
Day 11: ShanXi Province
meals: n/a
Orphanage visitation. If your family wishes to be in touch with the foster family, Lotus can also arrange a time for you to reunite if contact information is available. After lunch, you may explore your child's finding site. Record the day's events in your journal or just relax with your family this evening.
Day 12: TaiYuan/Beijing
accommodations: Overnight Express Train or Deluxe Hotel
meals: B/L/D
Today take some final glimpses around your child's province to capture your special memories. At late afternoon, depart for Beijing by overnight express train or air.
Day 13: Beijing
meals: B/L
Begin your day with a tour at the Forbidden City. Listed as a world heritage site in 1987, the Forbidden City contains the largest group of intact palace structures in the world. The palace is 720,000 square meters in size and contains 9,999 rooms, numerous pavilions, gardens and courtyards. Then visit the Tiananmen Square. Noted as the largest city square in the world, the square was initially designed for political rallies and important gala events. Today the square is flanked by the Forbidden City in the north, the Great Hall of the People in the west, Mao TseTung's Mausoleum in the south and the Museum of Chinese Revolution and the Museum of Chinese History in the east. This afternoon, stop by at the major 2008 Olympic Venues including the National Stadiums - "Bird's Nest", the National Aquatics Center - "Watercube" on the way to the imperial gardens of the Summer Palace. The palace was originally built in 1750 and was rebuilt in 1886. Located in the western outskirts of the city, the Summer Palace is the leading classical garden in China and a UNESCO world heritage site.
Day 14:Beijing
meals: B/L
Visit the UNESCO world heritage site today. Begin your day with a tour at the MuTianYu section of the Great Wall. Constructed more than 2,000 years ago by China's first emperor, the ancient wall is the world's longest man-made structure at approximately 4,000 miles in length.
Day 15: Beijing
meals: B/L
Explore the fascinating Hutong neighborhoods. Beijing's oldest Hutongs were constructed during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Your tour will take you through some of the best-preserved Hutong neighborhoods, which represented the history, culture and lifestyle of old Beijing. After a special homemade lunch at a local family residence in the Hutong Lane area, your family can learn how to make your own kites under professional instructions, and then fly your handmade kites with others at the Temple of Heaven which is China's largest temple and altar. It is often regarded as the most recognizable symbol of China.
Day 16: Beijing/US
meals: B
Please meet your private English-speaking tour guide and driver at the hotel lobby and travel to the Beijing International Airport for your international flight back to the United States. Cross the International Dateline and arrive home on the same day.

Valid: Apr 01, 2023 - Mar 31, 2024
2-5 Persons 6-9 Persons Hotel Single Supplement
Standard Class

$2935

$2240

$490

Deluxe Class

$3090

$2390

$615

Note: child price is 80% of adult price.

Accommodations:
City Standard Class Deluxe Class
Guangzhou

HaiJun Hotel

Hotel Landmark Canton

Guilin

Guilin Days Hotel

Guilin Exhibition International Boutique Hotel

Chengdu

Chengdu Ibis Hotel

Minshan Lhasa Grand Hotel

Xian

Tang City Hotel

Holiday Inn Xi'an Big Goose Pagoda

Beijing

Phoenix Palace Hotel

Beijing Novotel Peace Hotel

Inclusions

  • Airfare between Guilin/Chengdu/Xian.
  • Guangzhou/Guilin soft seat train tickets.
  • Airport/hotel/airport (or train station) transfer as listed on itinerary.
  • All listed sightseeing and tour programs with private English-speaking tour guide and private van or bus with driver.
  • Hotels and meals as stipulated on itinerary.
  • All prices are quoted in US Dollars and are subject to change without notice. Please check at time of booking.
  • All prices are quoted per person based on two people sharing a room (double occupancy). Single supplement applies for single travelers.

Exclusions

  • US/Guangzhou, Beijing/US international airfare. Please contact us for discount international airfare starting from your hometown.
  • Passport and/or China Visa Fees
  • Some meals
  • Tips to guides and drivers
  • Expenses of a personal nature
  • Provincial Civil Affair Bureau orphanage visit filing fee
  • Side trips to the designated provinces on Day 10 -12, the airfare between Xian - TaiYuan and transportation between TaiYuan – Beijing which can be arranged by us for an additional cost.

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