Peregrine Travel Group - PT7D

Peregrine Travel Tour 12-day Package
12 days 11 nights Shanghai/Chengdu/Jiuzhaigou/Xi'an/Beijing
(PT12D-5)
USD:$4,585 Double Occupancy
USD:$5,440 Single Occupancy

Shanghai is China's most comprehensive industrial and commercial city, ranking the first in population and population density. As a tourist city, it attracts travelers from both home and abroad by its commercial activity rather than scenic beauty. Shanghai is situated on the bank of the Yangtze River Delta, with East China Sea in the east and Hangzhou delta in the south. Housing a population of over 16 million at present, it was once a small town supported by fishing and weaving before the first Opium War. Late in 1990, the central government started developing the area, and has since become the well-known booming metropolis city.

The history of Chengdu as well as its name can be traced back 2,400 years. Praised as 'the best place for living', Chengdu is a city brimming with a strong leisurely ambience. The handcrafts of the city have been famous for thousands of years and include brocades and embroideries. Sichuan Cuisine with hot flavor is welcomed all over the country. Few people do not know about the Giant Panda. Their symbolic black and white fur-colour distinguishes them well from any other animals. Giant Panda, with only about one thousand left in the wild, is also the most well known endangered animal in the world. The rare animal is endemic to China, though some of the habitats were found in northern Vietnam and other nearby areas over half a million years ago. Since the very beginning, most of the research works on Giant Panda have been carrying out on-site at the Giant Panda's natural habitats. Wolong is a part of the Sichuan Province of China. From Chengdu, it is about 3.5 hours' drive. Further drive from Wolong through the Balang Shan (Balang Mountain) will take you to Jiusaigou. Wolong is a highland with almost one thousand meters above sea level. The altitude brings it high contrast of weather among the four seasons of a year.

Jiuzhaigou is located in the north of Sichuan Province and is well known as "a fairyland." The name Jiuzhaigou came from "nine Tibetan villages scattered throughout the valley". Its attraction lies in its simple, idyllic beauty; a fairyland, primitive and natural and still in its pristine state. With majestic and unrivalled emerald lakes, layered waterfalls, colorful forests, snow peaks and Tibetan folk villages, all blending in harmony with each other - it is nature's jewel set into the mountains. Jiuzhaigou lies in a transitional area where northern and southern flora and fauna meet. A natural botanical and zoological garden, it is a home of densely growing conifers and broadleaf trees, and of rare and endangered animal species such as the giant panda, golden monkey, and white-lip deer. Recently, UNESCO has recognized the Dujiangyan Dam as a world cultural heritage site. Jiuzhaigou is truly a place that gives inspiration for her admirers to create beautiful poetry.

Xi'an is a city with incredible history, as well as a prosperous modern city. As the capital city of Shannxi province, it holds a key position in the fertile plain between the highland plateau of the north and the Qinling Mountains to the south. Xi'an has been the capital of eleven dynasties for more than 2000 years. Along with Rome and Constantinople, this city played a vital role in bridging the gap between east and west. There are important sites and relics in this city. The Terracotta Army of Qin Emperor, is regarded as the eighth wonder of the world.

As the capital of China, Beijing is one of the world's truly imposing cities, with a 3,000-year history and 11 million people. Covering 16,808 square kilometers in area, it is the political, cultural and economic center of the People's Republic of China. Situated in northeast China, Beijing adjoins the Inner Mongolian Highland to the northwest and the Great Northern Plain to the south. Five rivers run through the city, connecting it to the eastern Bohai Sea. Administratively, the Beijing municipality equals the status of a province, reporting directly to the central government. Rich in history, Beijing has been China's primary capital for more than seven centuries. China's imperial past and political present meet at Tiananmen square, where the Forbidden City palace of the emperors gives way to the Great Hall of the People congress building and the mausoleum of Chairman Mao Zedong. The old city walls have been replaced by ring roads, and many of the old residential districts of alleys and courtyard houses have been turned into high-rise hotels, office buildings, and department stores. Beijing, a dynamic city where the old and new intermingle, remains a magnet for visitors from inside and outside China.

	Schedule:
	Day 1	Arrive at Shanghai. Transfer to Shanghai Hotel for 3 nights stay. (D)
	Day 2	Full Day City Tour (Yu Yuan Garden, The Jade Buddha Monastery & Shanghai Museum) (B,L,D)
	Day 3	One Day Zhouzhuang Water Town Tour (B,L,D)
	Day 4	Fly to Chengdu, Transfer to Chengdu Holiday Inn Crown Plaza Hotel for 2 nights stay. (B,L,D)
	Day 5	Panda Hug Tour (B,L,D)
	Day 6	Fly to Jiuzhaigou, Half day tour then transfer to Jiuzhaigou Sheraton Hotel (B,L,D)
	Day 7	Full day Jiuzhaigou, fly to Xi'an in the evening then Transfer to Xi'an Sheraton Hotel for 2 nights stay. (B,L,D)
	Day 8	Full Day Terra cotta Tour (Terracotta Museum & Big Wild Goose Pagoda & Banpo Museum) (B,L,D)
	Day 9	Full Day City Tour (City Wall & Shaanxi History Museum & Forest of Stone Steles Museum) Fly to Beijing in the evening then Transfer to Days & Suites Beijing Hotel for 3 nights stay. (B,L,D)
	Day 10	Full Day City Tour (Forbidden City & Temple of Heaven) (B,L,D)
	Day 11	Badaling Great Wall & Summer Palace (B,L,D)
	Day 12	Departure from Beijing. (B)

The price includes:

Hote ls:

Shanghai Hotel Standard room for 3 nights, with ABF daily
Chengdu Holiday Inn Crown Plaza Hotel Standard room for 2 nights, with ABF daily
Jiuzhaigou Sheraton Hotel Standard room for 1 night, with ABF daily
Xi'an Sheraton Hotel Standard room for 2 nights, with ABF daily
Days & Suites Beijing Hotel Standard room for 3 nights, with ABF daily

All airport transfers

All entrance fees to all sightseeing

Private English Speaking tour Guide, and Driver

All domestic airfare (Economy Class)

Shanghai to Chengdu
Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou
Jiuzhaigou to Xi'an
Xi'an to Beijing

This price excludes:

Gratuities for the Guides and Drivers
Incidentals in hotel such as dry cleaning, phone, mini bar
Inbound and outbound international air

Note:

Hotels used may be changed prior to tour but will be replaced with similar category of hotels
Price and availability subject to change without notice until deposit is received

The Jade Buddha Monastery

The Jade Buddha Monastery is famous for the Jade Buddhas in it. During the rule of Emperor Guang Xu of the Qing dynasty, Hui Gen, an abbot from Putuo Mountain, went on a pilgrimage to Tibet traveling through China and finally arriving in Burma. He found Burma to be rich in jade and superb in craftsmanship. He wanted to bring carved jade Buddha back to China. He obtained donation of over 20,000 taels of silver and got special permission from the Burmese king to dig and select jade in the mountains. He hired excellent jade carvers to carve five jade Buddhas in various sizes, all decorated with treasured stones and big pearls. On his way back from Burma, he left two Buddha carvings in Shanghai for the Buddhist disciples there to worship.

Shanghai Museum

As a museum of ancient Chinese art, Shanghai Museum houses a collection of 120,000 precious works of art. Its rich and high-quality collection of ancient Chinese bronze, ceramics, painting and calligraphy is specially celebrated in the world. Its unique architectural form of a round top with a square base, symbolizing the ancient Chinese philosophy that the square earth is under the round sky, is a distinguished architectural combination of traditional feature and modern spirit. The present Shanghai Museum has eleven galleries and three special temporary exhibition halls. It extends warm welcome to the visitors from all over the world.

Yu Yuan Garden

Yu Yuan is a 400 year old classical Chinese garden in the Old Town of Shanghai, not far from the Bund. Pan Yunduan spent twenty years and all his savings building it to please his parents in their old age. In the garden you can feel the harmonies between the construction, plants and human.

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang, situated between Shanghai and Suzhou, is an ancient town of Kunshan City, Jiangsu Province, abounds with rivers and lakes. Thus it is thought by many to be the best waterside town in China. This ancient town has a history of more than 900 years old with many houses built in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. There are about 100 houses with courtyards, and 60 of them have arch gateways made by carved bricks. With lakes on four sides, the beauty of Zhouzhuang is found, especially, along the waterside lanes and around a number of the stone bridges. A different vista at every turn can be found here. All these make the visit most enjoyable. Also, one can enjoy the fairyland atmosphere of the evenings here when the myriad stars twinkle as though in communication with the glittering lights.

Giant Panda Wolong Research Center

The Wolong Giant Panda Reserve Center was one of the earliest research bases established in the early 1980s by the Government of the People's Republic of China (PRC). In 1989, the Ministry of Forestry of PRC and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) formulated the long-term Giant Panda Management Plan. Today, the Wolong Giant Panda Reserve Center has been turned into the Giant Panda Breeding Center focusing on research works on breeding and bamboo ecology. Many other research works are being carried out at other Reserves such as the one in Qinling Mountains of Shaanxi Province.

The Center basically takes care of giant pandas under three situations:

* when the giant pandas are brought up from captive breeding,
* when the giant pandas are somehow dispersed from the group, or are rescued from injury, and have lost the ability to survive if released back to the wild,
* when the giant panda are ready to be released back to the wild.

The Center has two types of 'accommodations' for giant pandas - the captive cages and the semi-nature enclosures.

Most of the giant pandas in the Centre stay individually in the captive cages, which are in fact large enclosures, each consists of an in-door room and an out-door courtyard. The semi-nature enclosures are very large wild areas but protected by border fences. Those giant pandas that will soon be released back to the wild will be put in the semi-nature enclosures for a long enough period of time for them to adapt to the natural environment. Although food has to be provided, the giant pandas will sleep there, eat there and recover their natural survival skills there until they can be released back to the wild.

Shuzheng Group of Lakes

The scenic spot of Shuzheng Qun Hai ( Shuzheng Lakes ) is the entrance to the beautiful and splendid Jiuzhaigou. With a total length of 13.8 kilometers, Shuzheng contains over 40 various lakes, big and small, which extend for about 5 kilometers, occupying 40% of the total area in Jiuzhaigou. With an elevation difference of over 100 meters, the lakes form a stair-like lake group. The water is bright blue and clear. The clay-colored calcium dykes are elegant and refined, with a lot of weeping willows, pines, cypresses and China firs grown on it. Waters of upper lake leap over bushes and trees of the dyke, arousing a lot of white spray and forming many charming water screens. The whole lake group is clearly leveled with blue water and green trees, making visitors wonder whether they have stepped into a world of fairy tales.

Wuhua Hai (Five Flower Lake)

Wuhua Hai (Five Flower Lake) is elevated 2472 meters and is 5 meters deep. It is the pride of the whole Jiuzhaigou. Due to different water depths and silts on the bottom, the Lake's waters assume a variety of colors, such as light yellow, dark green, deep blue, jadeite, under the sun light, they are as colorful and beautiful as a peacock's feathers. Looking down at the lake, you can even see water bubbling out of a well in the bottom of the lake.

Zhenzhu Tan (Pearl Shoal)

A stream rushes down a 20 degree slope into the Shoal splashing water about like millions of bouncing silver pearls and then goes on down to form fantastic waterfalls of various shape with thunderous roars echoed by the deep valley.

Xiongmao Hai (Panda Lake)

With an altitude of 2587 meters, Xiongmao Hai (Panda Lake) is 14 meters deep, with an area of 90,000 square meters. This is also the haunting place of giant pandas. The rocks on the bank have special veins. Down in the water, there is a white rock with several black veins, looking exactly like a giant panda.

Tiane Hai (Swan Lake)

Tiane Hai (Swan Lake) is a semi-marsh lake with an altitude of 2905 meters. There are different kinds of plants: green grasses, wild flowers etc. growing in the broad lake. A flow of clear water winds through the swamp. Swans and wild ducks pay their frequent calls here.

Luwei Hai (Reed Marshes)

Luwei Hai is elevated about 2140 meters. It is actually a semi-marsh lake, where reeds abound and birds fly freely. When the reeds come into bloom, layers of the down-like flowers undulate, seducing lots of wild ducks and egrets to come here. Reed Lake suffuses a thriving and flourishing vitality. When the season turns, the green meandering brook presents a striking contrast with the yellow spread of reeds.

Nuorilang Waterfall

Nuorilang Waterfall is elevated about 2365 meters. Being 32 meters wide and 25 meters high, it is the widest waterfall in Jiuzhaigou Valley and one of China's largest calcium falls. The name of Nuorilang means magnificent and splendid in Tibetan language. It is famed for its broadness and grandeur. When the sun is shining, you will be enchanted by the magic and gorgeous rainbows above.The top of the waterfall is very flat. Legend has it that originally there was no waterfall but a platform here long ago. Then a monk brought a spinning wheel when he came to this place. A Tibetan girl learned the skill of spinning very soon, so she carried the wheel to the platform and showed her sisters how to spin. Roza, a cruel man and his accomplices thought that she was doing something evil. They kicked her, as well as the spinning wheel, off the cliff. In no time, torrents rushed Roza and his accomplices down the mountain, so the platform had turned into the waterfall.

Chang Hai (Long Lake)

Chang Hai (Long Lake) has an average altitude of 3060 meters, with a maximum of 4457 meters. It originates from the deep rounding ranges of mountains. Extending about 8 kilometers from north to south and 4.4 kilometers from east to west, it covers an area of about 2 million square meters. It has a maximum depth of 103 meters. It is the largest and highest lake in Jiuzhaigou Valley. Opposite to the lake, snow-capped mountains are all elevated about 4000 to 5000 meters, with typical glacier landscapes of cirques and u-shaped valley. In spring and autumn, Long Lake is more fantastic: the reflection of flowers clustering around the ice-covered peaks in the water and the scenery of yellow leaves and red maples grown round the lake. Another spectacle is that water neither brims over the bank in the rainy summer and fall nor never runs dry in the winter and spring. Local Tibetan people praise it as "a precious gourd that will never be poured full or dried up." At the time of bitter winters, the lake is frozen over with a depth of 60 cm.

Museum of Terracotta Warriors and
Horses of Emperor Qin Shi Huang

The Terracotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC), Qin Shi Huang, had work begun on his mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish. It is speculated that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects had accompanied the emperor in his after life. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. This attraction can be divided into three parts: the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Da Ci'en Temple, and the North Square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda. it attracts numerous visitors for its fame in the Buddhist religion, its simple but appealing style of construction, and its new square in front of the temple.

Banpo Museum

The Banpo Museumis located in the eastern outskirt of Xi'an City. As the first museum at the prehistoric site, It was built at the base of the excavations of the Banpo site. The Banpo site is a typical Neolithic matriarchal community of the Yangshao Culture dating back about 6,000 years. Here a lot of relic exhibited to show how ancient people.

Xi'an City Wall

Xi'an City Wall initially built during the old Tang dynasty (618-907) and Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of Ming dynasty, rebuilt the wall, creating the modern Xi'an City Wall. The wall now stands 12 meters tall, 12-14 meters wide at the top and 15-18 meters thick at the bottom. It covers13.7 kilometers in length with a deep moat surrounding it. It's the most complete city wall that has survived in China, as well as being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world.

Shaanxi History Museum

Shaanxi Province is the birthplace of the ancient Chinese civilization. Xi'an City was the capital city in thirteen dynasties which in total lasted over 1100 years. The Shaanxi History Museum considers it an obligation to be a showcase of ancient civilizations. It was opened to the public in 1991. Over 700,000 people visit this national treasure each year.

Forest of Stone Steles Museum

Once the site of the Temple of Confucius during the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127), the Forest of Stone Steles Museum is being included in UNESCO's list of world heritage site. With 900 years of history, this treasure house holds the world's largest collection of stone steles of different periods, from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. Carved on each of these 3,000 steles are original calligraphies of China's most famous scholars.

The Forbidden City

Forbidden City was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties which is the largest palace complex in the world. It surrounded by 10-meter high walls and a 52-meter wide moat. It covers 74 hectares and has 9,999 rooms. In the forbidden city, you can get more knowledge about the eastern architecture, splendid painted and beautiful craftwork.

Temple of Heaven

Temple of Heaven was built in 1,420 in the Ming Dynasty, which is the most holy of all Beijing's imperial temples. This is where the Emperor came every winter solstice to worship heaven and to solemnly pray for a good harvest. True to the Chinese saying, "Round Heaven, Square Earth." The park is in a square shape and the temple in a round shape which symbolizes that the emperor had to leave the Earth (represented by the square) for Heaven (represented by the round-roofed building).

The Great Wall

The Great Wall is perhaps China's most famous and most mythologized site. Several sections are conveniently visited from Beijing, including at Badaling, the most popular site, about 70 km (43 mi.) northwest of Beijing and at Mutianyu, 90 km (56 mi.) northeast of Beijing. These impressive brick and earth structures date from the Ming dynasty, when the wall was fortified against Mongol forces to the north. The Ming wall is about 26 feet tall and 23 feet wide at the base, and could accommodate up to six horsemen riding abreast. Watch towers, built on high points every 200-300 meters or so with small garrison forces, used fire signals or fireworks as a means of communication. These stretches of the wall are part of a system that extends from the Shanhaiguan fortress on the Bohai Gulf in the east to the Jiayuguan fortress in the west, altogether some 6000 km (3700 mi).

The Summer Palace

The Summer Palace landscape, dominated mainly by Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, covers an area of 2.9 square kilometers, three quarters of which is under water. Its 70,000 square meters of building space features a variety of palaces, gardens and other ancient-style architectural structures. The Summer Palace is a monument to classical Chinese architecture, in terms of both garden design and construction. Borrowing scenes from surrounding landscapes, it radiates not only the grandeur of an imperial garden but also the beauty of nature in a seamless combination that best illustrates the guiding principle of traditional Chinese garden design, which is:"The works of men should match the works of Heaven".

Shanghai Hotel
505 Wulumuqi Road North, Shanghai

The hotel offers well-appointed meeting rooms for organizing your business as well as social events. After an exhausting day, you can workout in the state-of-the-art gymnasium, have a bracing dip in the swimming pool, pamper yourself at the sauna or avail the massage service. The hotel has 527 rooms.

Hotel Amenities:

Baby sitting service
Banquet facilities
Business center
Cocktail bar
Disabled facilities
Laundry facilities
Gymnasium
Lobby
Reception
Restaurant
Room service
Sauna
Swimming pool

Hotel Description

Guest Rooms: The property boasts 527 pleasantly decorated guestrooms, which provides its guests with modern and comfortable amenities. Attentive room service is also provided for your convenience.

Location: Situated in the heart of the city, Shanghai Hotel is close to the ancient Jing'an Temple and the Bund. This property is 5 kilometers from the Shanghai Railway Station and 30 minutes drive from the Hongqiao International Airport.

Restaurant: Guests can dine at the on-site Bauhinia Restaurant that serves delicious cuisine for breakfast, lunch as well as dinner. The Kawakyu Restaurant serves delectable Japanese cuisine for you to feast on. Sip your favorite cocktail while listening to the melodious music at the cozy bar.

Chengdu Holiday Inn Crown Plaza
31 Zong Fu Street, Chengdu, China

The Hotel is strategically located in the commercial part of the city. It is within the main shopping expanse of Zong Fu Street, close to the Sichuan Provincial Exhibition centre and the major government offices. The hotel has 402 rooms.

Hotel Amenities

24 Hour Room Service
Baby-Sitting
Beauty Salon
Concierge Services
Dry Cleaning/Laundry
Foreign Currency Exchange
Free Local Phone Calls
Gift Shop
Safety Deposit Box
Secretarial Services
Shoe Shine
Turndown Service
Wake Up Calls

Hotel Description

Guest Rooms: This is one of the few western 5 star luxurious hotels in Chengdu. The rooms and suites are furnished with luxuries of international standard, including marble bathrooms, individually controlled air-conditioning systems, color television with satellite TV, a private bar and coffee-making facilities. The hotel is also well fitted for or disabled guests.

Location: With both the major shopping area of Zong Fu Street and Chengdu's commercial center within walking distance, the hotel is ideally situated in the heart of the city. The hotel also has easy access to the airport (18 km) and the central railway station (less than 5 km).

Restaurant: There is a lobby bar and restaurants, serving French, regional and Japanese, available onsite. Hotel restaurants include the Sphere Cafe, Golden Century Chinese Restaurant, Spice Market and Fresh Deli Counter.

Jiuzhaigou Sheraton Hotel

The magnificent structure group has been composed by the hotel's east and west buildings, the Art Plaza, the Animals year-symbol art square, and the Grand Theater, the four parts are in a harmonious position.

Hotel Amenities:

Baby sitting service
Banquet facilities
Business centre
Cocktail bar
Conference facilities
Currency exchange
Disabled facilities
Gymnasium
Indoor swimming pool
Laundry facilities
Lounge
Parking facilities Photocopying facilities Reception
Restaurant
Room service

Hotel Description

Guest Rooms: The resort boasts 482 spacious guestrooms whose modern furnishings retain a strong Tibetan and Qiang cultural theme.

Location: Sheraton Jiuzhaigou Resort, the first five-star resort in China, is situated in North Sichuan Plateau, with altitudes of 1,800 meters above sea level. Nestled amidst the green mountains and blue waters of this unique world heritage site, the resort is near the White River Golden Monkey National Reserve, only 1.5 kilometers away from the Jiuzhaigou National Park entrance, and just 90 minutes from the newly built Jiu Huang Airport.

Restaurant: Enjoy exquisite dining and a wide variety of tempting cuisine in any of the onsite dining options. Guests also have the option of entertainment or relaxation at the property.

Xi'an Sheraton Hotel
No. 262 Fenghao Road, Xi'an, China

It is close to the Xi'an West Wall and only a few minutes from the center of the city.

Hotel Amenities:

Baby sitting service
Banquet facilities
Beauty salon
Business center
Cocktail bar
Concierge
Conference facilities
Currency exchange
Disabled facilities
Photocopying facilities Reception facilities
Restaurants
Room service
Safe deposit box
Sauna
Shopping arcade
Spa
Swimming pool
Table tennis
Tour desk

Hotel Description

Guest Rooms: The guestrooms are very large and in good condition. They are all tastefully decorated and equipped with a wide range of deluxe amenities to make your stay as comfortable and convenient as possible.

Location: The hotel is adjacent to the West Second Ring Road, only minutes away from the new Xi'an Developing Zone of High Technology Industries. It is also near the Xi'an West Wall. The major scenic spots can all be accessed easily from this hotel.

Restaurant: The hotel restaurants serve authentic Cantonese seasonal specialties and an array of regional gourmet dishes. The American cuisine is served in the western restaurant.

Days & Suites Beijing Hotel (Chang An Grand Hotel)
27 Hua Wei Li, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China

Offering comfortable accommodation and various facilities, the Chang An Grand Hotel is an ideal travel destination for both business and leisure travelers visiting Beijing. The hotel has 373 rooms.

Hotel Amenities:

Airline reservation desk
Beauty shop
Car Rental
Babysitting
Bar & Lounge
Concierge desk
Foreign exchange
Restaurants
Housekeeping service daily
Laundry on-site

Hotel Description

Guest Rooms: Guests are provided with the comfort of tastefully decorated rooms that are spacious and facilitated with numerous in-room amenities. The hotel also offers 24-hour room service for your convenience.

Location: The Chang An Grand Hotel is located in the southeast corner of Beijing City, adjacent to Beijing Curio City, China's largest curio and folk artwork market. It is also close to the Central Business District and downtown.

Restaurant: Guests can enjoy delicious western cuisine in the relaxed atmosphere of the onsite restaurant and later chill out with a refreshing drink at the cocktail bar.