China Bullet Train Tour
“Time stands still for no one ”. This classic phrase is one that parents often feel the twinge of the brevity of time with growing kids. It seems a fitting thought for this itinerary which takes advantage of China leveraging the latest technology to significantly expand high speed rail. This new itinerary has been created to allow spending maximum time for families to attend
It is highly popular with Chinese travelers for so many reasons. It is efficient, practical, economical and consistently on time. In each segment there are 5 seats (2 x 3) on each row in bullet train coach class. For a quick comparison, it provides more space than airline coach class. Uncle Louie has stated, “I would prefer taking a 7-hour bullet train from Changsha to Beijing over the 2.5-hour air flight”. Since airline travel is subject to cancellation often, the high speed rail is extremely reliable in delivering you to your destination.
On this route you will enjoy the key spots in Beijing – all the “must revisit” spots included in Beijing, followed by a bullet train ride to Xian, where you can see the Terra Cotta Horses and Warrior Museum and get some biking exercise on the largest intact city wall in all of China. What a treat to be living and experiencing one’s birth country that is! On to the historically significant Chengdu to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of this beautiful metropolis, also home to giant pandas.
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 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. Explore the fascinating Hutong neighborhoods in afternoon. Beijing’s oldest Hutongs were constructed during Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Your tour will take you through some of the best-preserved Hutong neighborhoods that represent the history, culture and lifestyle of old Beijing. Enjoy a special homemade lunch at a local family residence in the Hutong Lane area.
Begin your day with a tour of the Great Wall. Constructed more than 2,000 years ago by China’s first emperor, the ancient wall is about 4,000 miles in length. Visit the Peking Duck Restaurant and see how the professional chef roasts Peking duck - Beijing's most famous dish, is traditionally served with Mandarin pancakes, and green onions for brushing on the hoisin sauce. Enjoy your Peking Duck dinner there.
Beijing/Xian Bullet Train G661(4:15P/9:57P) (Your tour guide has tickets)
Arrive at the Xian Bei (North) Train Station. Meet your local English-speaking tour guide and private van driver at the station exit for transfer to the hotel.
Enjoy a rare glimpse into China’s countryside living through a visit to the workshops and galleries where you can learn about the artist’s special techniques, purchase artwork or paper cutouts and even try your hand at creating your own magnificent work of art. Visit the farmer’s old village and you will be surprised by the huge difference between the old village and new village where you are staying.
You will be transferred to the Xian Bei (North) Train Station for the trip to Chengdu by bullet train.
Xian/Chengdu Bullet Train D1937(2:00P/5:43P) (Your local guide has tickets)
Arrive at the Chengdu Dong (East) Train Station. Please meet your local guide and driver at the station exit for transfer to the hotel.
Chengdu/Guilin Bullet Train G3705(8:18A/1:32P)(Your local tour guide has train fare)
Arrive at the Guilin Xi (West) Train Station. Meet your local English-speaking tour guide and private van driver at the station exit for transfer to the hotel.
You will have Guilin Rice noodle for your lunch in one of the local famous rice noodle restaurants. More than 700 years ago, the Italian traveler, Marco Polo, introduced spaghetti to Italy, then to all western countries. After your Guilin Rice noodle lunch, you won’t be surprised why local people can have noodles every day, every meal. Explore the Reed Flute Caves in afternoon. Enjoy the gorgeous 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).
Please give us your traveling information including orphanage city and your preferred international gateway city (Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing, etc.). We will create the remainder of the trip as a private family tour. You may choose timing for your visit to the orphanage, your child’s hometown city visit and more. This customized portion of the trip is determined according to your specifications and is not included in the base tour cost.
REMARKS:
-
B = Breakfast L = Chinese Lunch D = Chinese Dinner
CA= Air China CZ=China Southern Airline MU=China Eastern Airlines
USD2,499.00/per adult & USD1,999.00/per child
| City | Hotel |
| Beijing . | Beijing Peace Hotel |
| Xian . | Xian Grand Noble Hotel |
| Hu County. | Donghan Village |
| Chengdu . | Tibet Hotel, Chengdu |
| Guilin . | Guilin Exhibition Int’l Hotel |
| Hotel | Indoor Pool | Outdoor Pool | Gym | Safe Box | Refrigerator | Hair Dryer | Kitchen |
| Beijing Peace Hotel | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||
| Xian Grand Noble Hotel | √ | √ | √ | √ | |||
| Donghan Village | √ | √ | |||||
Tibet Hotel, Chengdu |
√ | √ | √ | √ | |||
| Guilin Exhibition Int’l Hotel | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Inclusions
- Bullet train fare of Beijing/Xian/Chengdu/Guilin;
- 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
- N. America/China/N. America int’l airfare. Please contact us for discount international airfare starting from your city.
- Passport and/or China Visa Fees
- Some meals
- Tips to guides and drivers
- Expenses of a personal nature;
- Extending trip to orphanage city or other destination cities after Guilin which can be arranged with extra cost by us;
Notes:
- For different scheduled tour, please contact us for a price quote
- A child has to be less than 12 years old to receive a discount.
- Twin beds in China hotels, about 40 – 50 inches wide, are closer in width to the 54" double size beds in the U.S., and much wider than the 39 inches wide twin beds found in U.S. homes.
- If your itinerary states "free time" or "free day", no activities would be planned for you and your English-speaking tour guide and driver would not be present.
- Lotus Travel highly recommends clients to purchase travel insurance. The Travel Plus Plan offered by the Travelex Insurance Company has excellent travel benefits and children 15 and under are free of charge when traveling with an adult.
- You need to apply for your Chinese visa 3 months before the trip. Please visit our website at http://www.lotustours.net/visas/china.shtml for detailed visa information and contact our visa agent – Vicky at vickyzwjin@aliyun.com for any visa questions
- Balance is due 60 days before departure.