Wonders of China 9 Days/7 Nights

Depart on your overnight flight from the USA to China.

Upon arrival at Beijing Airport you will be met by your Aventura World tour director and be transferred to your hotel. Welcome to China's capital city, a lively mix of neighborhoods and districts and home of ancient treasures such as the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. The Peoples' Republic of China beckons with a storied history dating back more than 5,000 years, revealed in its imperial antiquities and rich culture for you to experience.

After breakfast at your hotel, a full-day tour to explore Beijing awaits. From Tiananmen Square or "Gate of heavenly peace," and the Forbidden City, the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing Dynasties; to the Temple of Heaven, where Dynasties held sacred rituals; and on to the Olympic Village, built for the 2008 Summer Olympics - you will have the opportunity to delve into the past and present of this fascinating city. In the evening, savor an authentic Peking Duck Dinner for a delicious end to your day. (B,L,D)

Start the morning with breakfast at your hotel and then embark on a sightseeing adventure to one of the world's ancient wonders, The Great Wall of China. Extending about 5,500 miles today, the first sections of the wall were built by the Qin Dynasty starting in about 220 BC to keep nomads and invaders out of China. Over the next thousand years sections were added, yet the more modern sections measuring up to 25 feet were constructed starting in 1388 by the Ming Dynasty and feature 71 passageways, 827 platforms, and countless towers. Cultural Discovery Series - finish your day of adventures with a visit to a Jade factory. (B,L)

The day begins with breakfast at your hotel then the choices are yours for the taking! Today you have the full day at leisure to explore Beijing or to enjoy an optional tour to the Summer Palace, the Hutong rickshaw car tour and a visit to a typical Chinese home. Explore the city's amazing history and culture on this tour to the historic Summer Palace, said to be the best-preserved imperial garden in the world, and the largest of its kind still in existence in China. First constructed in 1750, largely destroyed in the war of 1860 and restored in 1886 - is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples, and bridges to form a pleasant collective of outstanding visual value. Afterwards, you visit the Pearl Market and then enjoy a rickshaw ride through the hutongs, the old traditional alleyways, and courtyard homes which once covered all Beijing. The rickshaws are a traditional means of transportation in the old narrow streets. Here you visit a traditional family courtyard home where the family will greet you, serve tea and show you through their home. (B)

Rise and shine with breakfast at your hotel. This morning you will embark on a flight to Xian. Welcome to Xian, the capital of China's central Shaanxi province and a must for history buffs. Once the gateway to the Silk Road and a meeting point for scholars, poets, and monks, today is home to timeworn artifacts from another world. In the afternoon you have the opportunity to partake in an optional tour of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the city wall and the Banpo Museum. At the Banpo Village Museum, your stop will take you 6,000 years in the past. We will tour the village and learn about the matriarchal community of the Yangshao culture through the various relics and exhibitions offered. Cultural Discovery Series - an exciting evening of entertainment and fun follow with an included Tang Style Dancing Show. (B,D)

Power-up with breakfast at your hotel and then board your first-class motorcoach for an excursion to see the acclaimed Terra-Cotta Warriors at the Tomb of the First Emperor of Qin Dynasty. In 1974 discovery of thousands of life-sized Terracotta Warriors was one of the greatest archeological finds of the 20th century. These figures date back to 210 BC and were meant to guard the first emperor of China in the afterlife. See the huge statue of the emperor that now guards the entrance to the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, undeniable high point of any trip to Xian and the three enormous pits are filled with row upon row of these remarkable effigies, with the first pit alone holding some 6,000 examples in excellent condition. Cultural Discovery Series - on route, visit to the Xian Art Ceramic & Terra Cotta Factory gives you time to shop for artistic mementos to share your time in China. (B,L)

After breakfast, fly to Shanghai and transfer to your hotel. In 1841, the city was a small fishing village, but today it has transformed into the most westernized city in China and is at the forefront of China's modernization. The city is changing fast and nearly a quarter of the world's construction cranes are working in this city. This afternoon a panoramic city tour welcomes you to the vibrant sights and sounds of Shanghai. Often referred to as the "Pearl of China" or the "Paris of the Orient," your tour takes you to explore the essence of Shanghai visiting sites including the Bund located on the city's waterfront. The Bund is Shanghai's most famous attraction that ties together the city's old world and new, showcasing pre-1949 architecture in a row of buildings that served as its financial and commercial center in the 1930's. Cultural Discovery Series - en route visit the Shanghai Silk Factory. (B,L)

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before you transfer to the airport for your flight home or opt to stay an extra few days to explore even more of China's allure. (B)