Peregrine Travel Group - PT7D

HARBIN INDEPENDENT TRAVEL
5-DAYS/4 NIGHTS
01 Nov, 2009-01 Apr, 2010

Harbin (Ha'erbin) is the capital of Heilongjiang Province and probably the most northernmost location that most tourists visit. A city of distinctive character, Harbin is a good place to visit for its winter atmosphere. Boulevards are lined with European-style buildings and white doves flutter their wings in the skyline of the St. Sofia church. Even though the weather can be very cold, the annual ice lantern festival brings many tourists each year, and the outside influence on this city make it a fascinating place to visit. Harbin has lots to offer for anyone interested in history, since both Russia and Japan have had a big influence over this city's history and architecture, helping it to become the thriving city that it is today. Also wishing to travel on the Trans-Siberian Railway will probably pass though here.

	Schedule:
	Day 1	Arrive Harbin . (Flight not release in low season next year) Transfer from Airport to Shangri-La Hotel Harbin for 2 nights stay
	Day 2	Harbin After breakfast clients will visit St. Sofia Orthodox Church (will cost 40mins) , The Central Street (will cost 1-2hrs) , The Northeast Tiger Park (will cost 1.5 hrs) , and night visit Harbin Ice Lantern (will cost 1-2hrs) . After that will transfer back to Shangri-La Hotel. (B, L)
	Day 3	Harbin After breakfast clients will take van to the Yabuli International Ski Resort. Transfer to Windmill Hotel for 1 night stay (B)
	Day 4	Harbin After breakfast clients will to the Yabuli International Ski Resort, and after that will transfer back to Windmill Hotel. Transfer from Yabuli International Ski Resort to Shangri-La Hotel Harbin for 1 night stay. (B, L)
	Day 5	Transfer from Shangri-La Hotel Harbin to Airport. See off flight *. (B) (Flight not release in low season next year) (B)**
		Denote (B) – Breakfast (L) - Lunch

The price includes:
Hotels: (Double Occupancy)

Shangri-La Hotel Harbin standard room for 3 nights, with ABF daily
Windmill Hotel standard room for 1 night, with ABF daily

All airport transfers
All entrance fees to all sightseeing
Private English Speaking tour Guide, and Driver

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

Saint Sofia Church
FSaint Sofia, the largest Russian Orthodox Church in Far East Asia. It occupies a floor space of 721 square meters and measures 53.35 meters in height. It is a typical Russian Orthodox Church in the Byzantine style. The huge dome stands 48.55 meters high and is 10 meters in diameter. If you look at it from inside, it looks high into sky and leaves room for your imagination. Apart from the central dome, there are four smaller domes of different sizes. Below the roofs, there are arched windows in the roman style.

On top of the church, there are six crosses. However, the cross of the Orthodox Church is quite different from that of other Christian churches. There is a slanting beam under the normal cross. All the crosses have a golden color. Together with green domes, they offer a distinct contrast to the blue sky, making the church august and elegant. At the front gate, you can find a bell tower with seven bells. The biggest bell is 1.42 meters in diameter and weighs 1.8 tons. Each bell has a special tune. During special holidays, they struck beautiful tunes and its sound could be heard more than 50 kilometers away.

This church was closed down after liberation. Afterwards, it was used as a warehouse. Then two apartment buildings were erected by its sides. It was not until May 1997 that the municipal government of Harbin decided to renovate the church. Two apartment buildings were torn down and a market was moved. It took 80 days to restore the church. A square of 6648 Square meters was constructed. Benches, rails and lamps were all designed in European style in conformity with the church. Now concerts are often held in the square and people can enjoy musical art and architectural art at the same time.

Ice lantern garden party

Making ice lanterns and sculptures in winter is a folk art long enjoyed by the local people. In the early 20th century, when Harbin was a developing city, electricity was available only to a few Russian-controlled establishments. In the middle of the winter, some Chinese workshops and local people would fill iron sheet buckets with water and leave them out until they were half-frozen. The hunks of ice were then taken out, carved into lamp shades, lit with a candle, and hung outside of shops as signs to attract customers. This was the beginning of the ice lantern.

This annual event starts on January 5th at Zhao Lin Park, which is named after an anti-Japanese general buried in the park. The festival runs for two months. Scattered in the park are sculptures of various motifs, which ingeniously combine ice and snow with the illuminating effects of lighting to create a winter fantasyland at night. One can see lively human and animal figures, imposing buildings and ancient castles, awe-inspiring icebergs and caves, plus various kinds of ice lanterns and lights hanging high and low, making the whole park look like a crystal palace. On average, there are 1,000-plus ice works organized in groupings with such themes as Ice Architecture, Early Harbin, Ice City Tour and Children's Garden. Over the past few years, new themes have regularly been added and the standard for more clever and ingenious designs has been elevated, making the annual event a popular occasion for locals and tourists alike.

Centre Street

Literally meaning "central avenue". This cobblestone lined street is a pedestrian only street that could serve as a perfect remnant of the bustling international business activities at the turn of the 20th century. The 1.4-km long street is a veritable museum of European architectural style, including Baroque and Byzantine facades, Jewish architectural wonders, little Russian bakeries, French fashion houses, American snack food outlets, and Japanese restaurants. It runs from Jingwei St. to Stalin Park at the river. In winter, one can walk out onto the ice or take a dog sledge or horse sledge ride.

Siberian Tiger Park

A short distance from town, this expansive zoo allows visitors to take a guided tour of many large open pens, each housing small groups of tigers. For those with the stomach for it, visitors may purchase live animals and raw meat to be fed to the tigers while the visitors watch.

Yabuli International Ski Resort

The Yabuli International Ski Resort, the biggest and best ski resort in China , is 200 kilometers (124 Miles) east of Harbin and 120 kilometers (75 miles) west of Mudanjiang in Shangzhi City , Heilongjiang Province. The resort provides great skiing with high mountains and good snow. The lowest temperature is -47.2 F. Because of the high elevation, snow falls for a long period of about 170 days.

The ski resort includes two distinctive areas: the competitive section and the leisure skiing section. The alpine competitive skiing section reaches an altitude of 1,374 meters (approx. 4,508 feet). Built according to international standard, this section provides an excellent environment for professional skiers. In the leisure skiing section, the highest altitude is only about 1,000 meters (approx. 3,281 feet), and the area provides a comparatively safe environment for leisure skiing. There is also a German built slide where tourists can enjoy sliding down from the top of the snowy mountain. Doing skiing on the slide is easy and safe, bringing visitors a thrilling experience.Yabuli Ski Resort is the biggest training centre for alpine skiers and the mountain hosts of many professional skiing competitions.

Besides skiing, visitors can also take advantage of the other entertainment facilities at the resort, such as the mini golf course, tennis court, turf courts, hot-air balloons, Para-gliders among others. All year round the resort offers beautiful scenery.

Shangri-la Hotel, Harbin
555 You Yi Road Harbin 150018, China

Spectacular landscapes surround the Shangri-La Hotel, Harbin , the city's first international luxury hotel. Sitting alongside the scenic Songhua River overlooking the city's Central Business District, the hotel brings world-class facilities and Shangri-La service to one of China 's most unique cities.

Hotel Amenities:
Conference room(s)
Bar/lounge
Shopping Center
Beauty Salon
Swimming Pool
Steam Room
Business Centre
Health Club

Hotel Description

Guest Rooms: The Shangri-La Hotel, Harbin has 404 beautifully appointed guestrooms and suites, each with a spacious atmosphere, contemporary decor and dramatic views of the city or the Song Hua River . For comfort, indulgent beds and luxurious goose down pillows ensure a quality night's sleep.

Location: Situated on the southern bank of the Songhua River and just 30 minutes from the airport, the hotel is perfectly positioned in the city's commercial and shopping district.

Restaurant: The Shangri-La Hotel, Harbin offers some of the finest dining in the city. The Coffee Garden serves up international dishes buffet-style or a la carte throughout the day, while the more formal Shang Palace is renowned for its authentic Cantonese and local Heilongjiangian dishes.

Windmill Hotel, Harbin
Yabuli ski tourism resort, Shangzhi , Harbin , China 150631

Windmill Village Hotel is a comfortable and inviting hotel of Harbin offering an ideal accommodation for both businessmen and tourists. This 3 star hotel is generally well-liked among budget travelers and its basic in-house facilities are geared accordingly. Fully equipped with essential services and amenities, Windmill Village Hotel will ensure guests a satisfying stay.

Hotel Amenities:

Business Center
Laundry Sauna
Swimming Pool
Health Club
Night Club
Massage (Foot/Traditional/etc.)
Table Tennis

Hotel Description

Guest Rooms: Windmill Village Hotel Harbin features well-appointed guestrooms each bedroom is fully furnished with up-to-date technology and functional bathroom amenities. For further comfort, a selection of well-equipped room facilities comprise in-room minibar, bathroom toiletries, hair dryer, personal safe, coffee/tea making facility and satellite/cable TV. For a complete list of room amenities, check below;

Location: Windmill Village Hotel sets a standard for being a reputable 3 star Harbin hotels with its central location. This value for money accommodation occupies a superb spot in Harbin where all the prime areas and landmarks are within a close proximity. Whether your visit is for conference or vacation, you will have an easy access to an array of local eateries and boutiques nearby. Outside Windmill Village Hotel, guests can hop onto various public transports to roam around or reach other parts of the city.

Restaurant: Windmill Village Hotel in Harbin offers an extensive variety of in-house dining options. The delightfully decorated restaurants. Guests will discover that the casual dining venue has genuinely welcoming feel with neat seating arrangements. You can enjoy the delicious breakfast buffet, a quick bite of Club Sandwich in the lobby and bar areas or opt for a proper sit down dinner in one of the signature restaurants. A team of experienced hotel chefs puts strong emphasis on preparing authentic recipes and ingredients on every dish.