14 Days Budget China Historical Tour by Bullet Train From New Delhi India

Summary

Day 1 New Delhi-Beijing: Make your own flight arrangement to Beijing,transfer to your hotel
Day 2 Beijing: Forbidden City, Summer Palace,Temple of heaven
Day 3 Beijing-Datong: Mutiantu Great Wall,take bullet train to Datong
Day 4 Datong: Huayuan Monastery,Nine-Dragon Screen,Yungang Caves
Day 5 Datong-Pingyao: Xuankong Temple,Yingxian Wood Pagoda,Datong to Pingyao by car
Day 6 Pingyao-Xian: Wang's Courtyard,Pingtao to Xian by train
Day 7 Xian: Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum,Big Goose Pagoda,Tang Dynasty Show & Dumpling Banquet
Day 8 Xian-Luoyang: Xian Ancient City Wall,Muslim Quarter,Xian to Luoyang by train
Day 9 Luoyang: White Horse Temple,Shaolin Temple
Day 10 Luoyang-Zhengzhou: Longmen Grottoes,Luoyang to Zhengzhou by train
Day 11 Zhengzhou:  Yellow River Scenic Area,Zhengzhou Dahecun Ruins,Henan Museum
Day 12 Zhengzhou-Shanghai: Erqi Memorial Tower,Zhengzhou to Shanghai by train
Day 13 Shanghai: Yuyuan Garden,Jade Buddha Temple,Old French Concession,The Bund,Huangpu River Night Cruise
Day 14 Shanghai-New Delhi: Oriental Pearl Tower,New Delhi

Day 1 New Delhi-Beijing

Make your own flight from New Delhi to Beijing. There are many direct flight from New Delhi to Beijing since Beijing is the capital city of China and one of the entry port. Flying time from New Delhi to Beijing is around 10 hours. Once you arrive, our Beijing local guide and driver will meet you at the Beijing airport holding a sign "China Private Tour", transfer you to your Beijing hotel. The rest day is free on your own to have a rest.

Day 2 Beijing

After breakfast, you will visit Forbidden City. Also known as the Palace Museum, this famed attraction is situated in the heart of Beijing. Dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the former imperial palace was the primary residence of the 24 emperors who reigned over the country during specific time periods in history.

Next, you will visit Jingshan Park, it is a beautiful loyal garden and facing the Forbidden City. And it is the highest poit of Beijing city where you can get a full and clear view of the Forbidden City.

 

In the afternoon, our guide will take you to visit the Temple of Heaven, is one of China’s best tourism sites for anyone interested in ancient Chinese religious culture. It was where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties (from 1420 to 1900) worshiped the god of heaven and prayed for good harvests. It has been described as "a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design". Temple of Heaven.

After the tour, drive you back to your hotel.

Day 3 Beijing-Datong

After breakfast, drive you to visit Mutianyu Great Wall. The Great Wall at Mutianyu is not as crowded as the nearby Badaling or Juyongguan sections of the Wall. Mutianyu’s 2.5 kilometer stretch of the Wall allows you to walk for more than an hour as you explore 22 watchtowers and the valley on both sides of the Wall. In late afternoon, or in poor weather, you often might find yourself alone with only the sound of the wind to keep you company. Travel back in time and see the Wall as it was when it was built hundreds of years ago.

After the tour, drop off at Beijing train station to catch your train to Datong. Once you arrive, our Datong local guide will meet you at the exit of Datong train station with a sign "China Private Tour", transfer to your Datong hotel.

Day 4 Datong

The first stop for the tour is Yungang Grottoes, with their 252 caves and 51,000 statues, represent the outstanding achievement of Buddhist cave art in China in the 5th and 6th centuries. The Five Caves created by Tan Yao, with their strict unity of layout and design, constitute a classical masterpiece of the first peak of Chinese Buddhist art.

After lunch, you will visit Huayan Monastery, positioned at the heart of Datong old town and it is one of the most prestigious Buddhism temples across the country. The Huayan Monastery was erected during the Liao Dynasty and is an excellent example of architectures combining both Khitan and Han characteristics. The Monastery consists of two main structures, the Upper and Lower Huayan Monastery.

Continue your tour to Nine Dragon Screen, built over 600 years ago, is presently the oldest and largest glazed screen in China today. It is three times larger than that in Beihai Park , Beijing City. The screen, built for the thirteenth son of Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), has been well preserved and remains intact to this day.

After dinner, you will be taken back to your hotel in Datong.

Day 5 Datong-Pingyao

Today, you will visit Xuankong Temple, it is a temple built into a cliff near Mount Heng in Hunyuan County, Datong City. The temple was built more than 1500 years. Along with the Yungang Grottoes, the Hanging Temple is one of the main tourist attractions and historical sites in the Datong area.

Afterwards, drive about another 1 hour to Yingxian County, you will have lunch at a restaurant in this county.  After lunch, you will pay a visit for Yingxian Wood Pagoda, was built in 1056 during the Liao Dynasty (916–1125), 75km from Datong. It is the oldest all-wood pagoda in China, as well as the only Buddhist temple that was totally built with wood. It is also called Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple. It is the tallest all-wood pagoda in the world

You will be driven to Pingyao Ancient City when you done the places along the road. Upon you arrival, our guide will take you to have dinner and then check-in your Pingyao hotel.

Day 6 Pingyao-Xian

In the morning, our guide and driver will meet you at your hotel lobby. Drive you to Lishi County to visit the Wang's Courtyard, is a rare example of vintage Chinese civilization handed down through the ages. Built by the Wang family of Jingsheng in Lingshi County, descendants of the Wang family of the city of Taiyuan some 150 kilometers to the north and one of the four prominant merchant families of Shanxi Province during the Qing (CE 1644-1911) Dynasty, the compound is an unsurpassed masterpiece of Chinese residential architecture from the Qing Dynasty period.

After lunch, transfer to Pingyao train station to catch the train to Xian. Upon arrival, our Xian local guide will meet you at the exit of train station with a welcome sign "China Private Tour". Transfer to your hotel in Xian.

Day 7 Xian

After breakfast, our guide will take you to visit Terracotta Warriors. Chinese workers digging a well in 1974 made a startling discovery: thousands of life-size terracotta figures of an army prepared for battle. Now called the Terracotta Army or Terracotta Warriors, the figures are located in three pits near the city of Xi'an in China's Shaanxi province.

In the afternoon, you will visit famous Big Wild Goose Pagoda. It's pne of famous ancient pagodas in China built for more than 1,300 years. It is the bright pearl on the Silk Road with excellent architectural beauty, precious Buddhist relics, rich religious culture, stories of the famous ancient monk - Xuan Zang, etc.

After finished sightseeing, your dinner will be arranged at the Tang Palace and enjoy Dumpling Banquet for dinner. After dinner, you will enjoy a show named "The Tang Dynasty Show", also known as " Music & Dance Dinner Show in Xian " is the pride of the city. Hosted at the "Tang Dynasty Palace", which is a leading entertainment theatre in China. This legendary venue offers visitors a unique opportunity to indulge themselves in exotic Chinese entertainment.

After the show is finished, drive you back to your hotel.

Day 8 Xian-Luoyang

After breakfast, you will visit Xian Ancient City Wall. It is the most complete city wall that has survived China’s long history. It was built originally to protect the city in the old Tang dynasty and has now been completely restored.

Next, continue your Xian tour to Muslim Quarter. The main street through the Muslim Quarter is all about the food--food that is both exotic and different than the typical fare in China. The streets in the area are clean and colorful with the whole area being very inviting for people to just walk down "main street" to see. It is said there are over 300 Muslim local snacks on the streets in Xian Muslim Quarter that attract a consistent flow of visitors everyday coming here to savor or just have a glimpse.

After your Xian tour ends, drop off at Xian railway station to catch your train to Luoyang. You will be picked up from Luoyang railway station by your Luoyang guide holding a sign "China Private Tour" once you arrive, transfer to your Luoyang hotel.

Day 9 Luoyang

In the morning, our guide will meet you at your hotel lobby and drive you to visit White Horse Temple. White Horse Temple is the first Buddhist temple in China, established in 68 AD under the patronage of Emperor Ming in the Eastern Han dynasty capital Luoyang. The site is just outside the walls of the ancient Eastern Han capital, east of Luoyang in Henan Province. It is considered by most believers as "the cradle of Chinese Buddhism". The geographical landmarks to the south are Manghan Mountain and Lucoche River.

Your lunch is arranged at Shaolin Temple, to learn the temple diet and try some food in temple. Lunch at the Shaolin temple is served at 11:30, and consists of tofu and rice paired with a mixture of five or six different types of raw or cooked vegetables.

Next, you will visit Shaolin Temple, also known as the Shaolin Monastery, which is a Buddhist temple in Dengfeng County, Luoyang. Dating back 1,500 years when founded by Fang Lu-Hao, Shaolin Temple is the main temple of the Shaolin school of Buddhism to this day. Shaolin Monastery and its Pagoda Forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the "Historic Monuments of Dengfeng".

Drive back to your hotel in Luoyang.

Day 10 Luoyang-Zhengzhou

Today you will start your tour with Longmen Grotto, the Longmen Grottoes are some of the finest examples of Chinese Buddhist art. Housing tens of thousands of statues of Buddha and his disciples. There are as many as 100,000 statues within the 2,345 caves, ranging from an 1 inch (25 mm) to 57 feet (17 m) in height. The area also contains nearly 2,500 stelae and inscriptions, whence the name “Forest of Ancient Stelae", as well as over sixty Buddhist pagodas. Situated in a scenic natural environment, the caves were dug from a 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) stretch of cliff running along both banks of the river. 

After lunch, transfer to Luoyang train station to catch the train to Zhengzhou. Upon arrival, our Zhengzhou local guide will meet you at the exit of train station with a welcome sign "China Private Tour". Drive you to your hotel and the rest day is free on your own.

Day 11 Zhengzhou

Today you will first visit the Yellow River Scenic Area. Situates in the northwest part of Zhengzhou City. The scenic area is surprisingly beautiful. As seen from a high point in this scenic area, the mighty Yellow River rushes by and demonstrates tremendous force with rolling and falling of the river's torrents.

Then move on to Zhengzhou Dahecun Ruins. 12km north of Zhengzhou, the large scale Zhengzhou Dahecun Ruins offers a good model of Yangshao culture with many well preserved building foundations in a unique "Wood & Bone" architectural style. It also offers an important resource for further research into ancient Chinese constructions methods.

In the afternoon, pay a visit to the Henan Museum. As one of museums built earlier in China, Henan Museum has developed from Henan Province Museum. Henan Museum Preparatory Committee was established in July,1927, deciding that the museum was located in the Three Saints Temple Street, Kaifeng city. It regained its name as Henan Museum on December 1,1930.

Drive back to your hotel in Zhengzhou.

Day 12 Zhengzhou-Shanghai

In the morning you will visit the Erqi Memorial Tower, it's the memorial of the Erqi Strike, which occurred on February 7, 1923. The Erqi Memorial Tower has altogether 14 storeys, totaling 63 meters in height, and is also called Twin Tower, because its body is made up of two connected quinquangular parts.

After lunch, transfer to Zhengzhou train station to catch the train to Shanghai. Upon arrival, our Shanghai local guide will meet you at the exit of train station with a welcome sign "China Private Tour". Drive you to your hotel and the rest day is free on your own.

Day 13 Shanghai

After breakfast, starts your Shanghai tour with Yuyuan Garden. It was a private garden of the Pan family in the Ming Dynasty. It was the largest and most prestigious of its era in Shanghai after it was completed. The garden is unique in its design. It perfectly blends decorative halls, elaborate pavilions, glittering pools, zigzag bridges, pagodas, archways, and impressive rockeries.

Next, you will visit Jade Buddha Temple, it is an active buddhist temple in the city of Shanghai. The temple houses two jade Buddha statues – one, a 1.95 m tall, sitting Buddha and the other a smaller reclining Buddha depicting Buddha's death. If you interested in the architecture and the custom of temple, do not miss Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.

After lunch, drive you to visit Old French Concession, a residential area of Shanghai once designated for the French, the French Concession is popular with tourists and expats, and appreciated for its cafes, tree-lined avenues, and tudor houses. If you want to get away from busy street in Shanghai, here is an ideal place to explore.

In the afternoon, visit The Bund Area, it is a nice place to appreciate the skyline of the city. You see some of the famous landmarks of shanghai such as the pearl tower, jinmao tower and the shanghai tower. For a century, the Bund has been one of the most recognizable symbols and the pride of Shanghai. The architecture along the Bund is a living museum of the colonial history of the 1800s.

At night, it's a good time to have a cruise to experience and enjoy the scenery along Huangpu River. A Huangpu River cruise has now become a must-have activity when visiting Shanghai. If you have time to join a Huangpu River night cruise, you can enjoy the most extraordinary night view.

After the cruise, drive you back to your hotel.

Day 14 Shanghai-New Delhi

After breakfast, you will visit Oriental Pearl Tower in the morning. It is one of famous landmarks in Shanghai city and one of the world's highest transmission towers. Since its completion in 1994, the tower has become Shanghai’s most recognizable landmark. More than just a TV tower, this multifunction marvel offers unique shopping, an informative museum, a revolving restaurant and some of the best views in Shanghai.

After lunch, transfer to Shanghai airport to catch your flight back to New Delhi.

Price Per Person in US Dollars

Price Includes 1. All transfer and city transportation 2. Air-conditioned car or van 3. Hotels specified in the itinerary, all based     on two persons sharingone standard room; 4. Meals specified in the itinerary: Western     breakfast in hotels Chinese lunch and     dinner in local restaurants 5. Sightseeing: All arrangements mentioned     in the itinerary will be covered All first     admission/entrance fees in the itinerary 6. Tour guide: Conducted by a professional     tour guide

Price Excludes 1. International air-tickets 2. Airport departure tax. 3. International or domestic air tickets which     are not listed in the itinerary. 4. Insurance coverage of personal loss, illness     or damages incurred during your trip 5. Tips to the tour guide and driver 6. Meals not specified in the itinerary. 7. Personal expenses: phone bills, laundry,     optional tours, postage, excess baggage     charge, entertainment fees out of the     itinerary. 8. Single Room Supplement.