China 12 Days. Classical China

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1 China 12 Days Classical China This is an extraordinary excursion to a captivating culture. Big bustling cities on breathtaking landscapes; tasty exotic teas and fertile rice paddies; soft silk and exquisitely pleasing pearls, and the marvels of Chinese medicine see them all up close and personal as the greatest transformation of the modern age takes place before our very eyes. Our tour menu includes the charming vistas of Guilin and the enchanting Li River; the cities of Beijing, Xi an, Shanghai, and quaint countryside villages. It's an exciting exploration of both ancient and modern Chinese culture and of the Jewish communities that called China their home. Best time to visit: April-May & September-November ITINERARY DAY 1 THURSDAY: BEIJING Arrival to Beijing airport till 12:00PM. Transfer to the hotel. The tour will start at 2:00PM. We'll begin at Tiananmen Square. Tiananmen Square is the central square of Beijing, capital of China. Its name means The Gate of Heavenly Peace. It is named for the Tiananmen Gate which stands at its northern end, and which is the entrance to the Forbidden City. The square was built in At its center stands the Mausoleum of Mao Ze Dong which contains his mummified body. Tiananmen Square became infamous due to the quelling of the student demonstrations which took place there in Later we shall visit the very heart of Beijing the Forbidden City. Built in the 15th century, as the palace of China s Ming Dynasty Emperors, it s an impressive example of traditional Chinese architecture. We ll traverse the entire length of the Forbidden City as we view the many splendid royal halls and vast courtyards. Used as the set for the film The Last Emperor, it was indeed forbidden to the Chinese masses until the onset of the revolution at the beginning of the 20th century.

2 DAY 2 FRIDAY: BEIJING Today we begin our visit to Beijing with a visit to the Temple of Heaven, a magnificent complex once used by the Emperors of China for prayer. Today it's used as a large, outdoor community center for the residents of Beijing. We will continue to visit a pearl factory where we'll see the entire production process from start to finished product. After a panoramic city tour we shall return to our hotel to prepare for Shabbat. DAY 3 SHABBAT: BEIJING After Shabbat services we ll take a walking tour near the hotel. In the evening we shall stroll along the Wangfujing Food Market. DAY 4 SUNDAY: BEIJING Today we ll depart for the greatest wall in the world. The Great Wall of China is the largest construction project ever undertaken by man measuring over 6,000 kilometers. Large sections of the wall were built between the 7th and 4th centuries BCE, over 2500 years ago. For hundreds of years, according to security needs arising from political conflicts in different ages, some sections of the Great Wall of China were added and strengthened while other sections were neglected. The Great Wall is made up of three primary components: passes, signal and watch towers, and defensive walls. Walking along the Great Wall will enable us to sense the historical dimension of the project. Afterwards, we ll visit a Cloisonné Factory and then we'll head to very best place in all of China to shop! In the evening, we'll go out to the spectacular Golden Mask show. This show gives meaning to the term "unforgettable"! DAY 5 MONDAY: BEIJING XI AN In the morning we'll make our way to Beijing Capital Airport for our flight to Xi an. We will visit one of the city s picturesque quarters to see the Grand Mosque, a building that serves as a center for more than 50,000 Muslims. It bears a striking resemblance to the ancient synagogue of Kaifeng, China. In the evening, we will go out to the colorful Tang Dynasty Show. DAY 6 TUESDAY: XIAN GUILIN Today we will visit one of the wonders of the world: the immense Terra Cotta Army that the great Emperor Qin Xi Huang Di prepared for himself for his eternal life. We ll view the mountains at the foot of which lie the Hua Qin Springs, which became famous as the place where Chiang Kai-shek was captured and from where he escaped. After the tour we will drive to the airport for our flight to Guilin.

3 DAY 7 WEDNESDAY: GUILIN LONGSHENG SANJIANG Today we will get up early for our trip to an area north of Guilin. The trip to Longsheng is picturesque, strewn by rice fields, tea plantations, and filled with villages populated with people of some of China s ethnic minorities. We will stop for some pictures of these villages nestled in the foothills of the rice terraces and bamboo forests. We will see some of the Yao and Dong minority people. At night we ll reach Sanjiang, a central village for the TONG tribe. DAY 8 THURSDAY: SANJIANG GUILIN After breakfast, we shall visit the amazing 2 stories bridge, which was constructed on We shall visit the village and pay a visit to a local family. From there we ll return to Guilin. DAY 9 FRIDAY: GUILIN Today we will have a city tour in Guilin. We will visit the Reed Flute cave and enjoy the magnificent views from the top of Mount Yao which we shall reach by cable car. Before Shabbat we will go back to the hotel. DAY 10 SHABBAT: GUILIN After Shabbat services, we ll take a walking tour near the hotel. DAY 11 SUNDAY: GUILIN, YANGSHUO Today we'll set out on a cruise upon the Li River, one of the most beautiful and famous journeys in China and maybe in the entire world. Along the banks we will see the magnificent green karst mountains and then arrive in the small town of Yangshuo, a charming town with a magical atmosphere. In the evening we will see a spectacular show, the Impression Sanjie Liu that was produced by China s most famous producer, Zhang Yimou, the man who also produced the Beijing Olympics opening and closing ceremonies. DAY 12 MONDAY: GUILIN SHANGHAI Today we'll fly to Shanghai, the second largest city in China, and by all accounts the most modern. Visitors are often amazed at the sheer number and variety of architectural styles of its skyscrapers. Throughout today s tour of Shanghai we ll acquaint ourselves with its varying characteristics.

4 We shall visit the Jewish Quarter a fascinating and unique story in itself. We will see the museum that will acquaint us with the story of the refuge given to the Jews during World War II. We will continue to Yu Yuan gardens. In the evening, we will see Shanghai s famous Bund promenade along the Huang Pu River, where the city s famous 19th Century colonial buildings are located and also enjoy a cruise on the Huang Pu River. DAY 13 TUESDAY: SHANGHAI This morning we ll make our way to the City Planning Museum, one of Shanghai's most important and best loved museums. We will continue to Jin Mao tower for a panoramic view of this megalopolis, and in the evening we will go out to see a spectacular hinese Acrobatic Show. DAY 14 WEDNESDAY: SHANGHAI, ZHOUZHUANG- FLIGHT BACK HOME Today we will visit Zhouzhuang, a beautifully preserved Chinese village that is built on water. We will see and learn about their traditional crafts and enjoy a boat ride through its canals before returning to Shanghai for dinner. After dinner we will make our way to the airport for our home-bound flight. We ve had an unforgettable experience, seen a beautiful and fascinating part of the world, and developed an appetite for more. Departure Return Days Price* Single Room** Flights $4750 $995 Excluding $4750 $995 Excluding $4750 $995 Excluding Notes * Price per person in double/twin room ** Supplement for Single room NEED TO KNOW Price Includes: Air-conditioned tourist coach 4* hotel base on half Board throughout plus supplies to make sandwiches for lunch Professional experienced English-speaking guide Entrance to all sites mentioned in the itinerary Tips for local service providers Price Excludes: International flights Chinese Visa Personal expenses and services

5 Travel Insurance Tip for guide (Recommended: $5 per person per day) Important to Know: There may be changes to the order of places visited. We will make every effort to visit every place mentioned in the itinerary. The tour organizers have no control over airline services such as seating, special meal requests, changes in departure times or delays. These remain the sole responsibility of the airline company. Kashrut on Tours Only strictly kosher food is provided to our travelers on all our tours. On some of our tours we are able to provide glatt meals. Kashrut is of utmost importance to us and we take special measures to ensure that everything served is kosher. The meals: Breakfast is prepared using our utensils. We use local fresh fruits and vegetables, and we use milk products when they are permitted. We use kosher cereals, and bread. We usually serve hard boiled eggs and sometimes scrambled eggs or omelets. At breakfast, we prepare our lunches so that guests have their choice as to what they eat for lunch. We bring food from Israel to supplement what is served in the hotel such as cheeses, peanut butter, tuna, etc. For dinners, we serve either fish or meat (usually chicken) as our main course. In areas where meat is not available nor readily acquired, we will have fish. When possible, we acquire the meat locally from Chabad or other reliable kosher source, and in some cases we fly the meat in from Israel. We try to provide as many meat meals as possible. The main course at dinner is preceded by soup and salad and accompanied by freshly prepared vegetables. Dessert typically consists of fresh fruits. We do not guarantee Pat Israel and Chalav Israel for all destinations. In many destinations we have our own dishes and silverware. Where we don t, we provide disposable flatware. When we cook in hotel kitchens, we use our own knives, cutting boards, pots and pans, cooking implements and disposable metal trays. All food preparation is done on covered surfaces under the strict supervision of our trained staff/guides who also function as our mashgichim. We make great efforts to assure that our travelers will experience local foods first-hand, while maintaining stringent observance of Kashrut laws on all occasions. On most of our tours, you will be accompanied by two of our staff members- one a guide for the tour who is knowledgeable about the places you are visiting and will accompany you throughout the day and the second, a person who will deal with the logistics of the tour and provide kashrut supervision in the kitchen. Hotels: It is our aim to provide the finest hotels in each area we visit. We require our hotels to allow us to work in the kitchen and to supervise the cooking and there are many hotels that are not willing to cooperate. They simply have no desire for us to be meddling in their cooking process nor are they happy about our bringing our equipment into their kitchens. We work very hard to find the best hotel in the area that will meet our requirements. Because we are not ready to compromise on kashrut, we may not always be able to use a five star hotel. Deposit, Cancellation Fees & Policy:

6 Deposit, Cancellation Fees & Policy: A $500 USD Deposit per person must be received at the time of booking in order to confirm your reservation. Payment in full is due 60 days before departure. A minimum number of participants are required to operate tour dates. If a minimum number has not been reached prior to tour departure and the tour is cancelled you will receive a FULL refund. 60 days before departure bookings are refundable less a $100 administration fee working days prior to departure: 25% of total per passenger working days prior to departure5025% of total per passenger Less than 14 working days prior to departure: 100% of total no refund We strongly recommend purchasing Travel Insurance.