Your first UNESCO World Heritage Site of the tour—the Summer Palace—is on top of today’s agenda. Its traditional garden design and stunning architecture will transport you back in time. At the heart of the complex, on the shores of Kunming Lake, lies a famous marble boat. The 700-meter-long covered walkway, adorned with intricate carvings, provides excellent photo opportunities. In the afternoon, you will travel to one of the highlights of almost any China tour: the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. Located north of Beijing, Mutianyu is less crowded than other parts of the Great Wall. You will take a cable car to the top of the wall, where you can stroll at your leisure and admire this magnificent structure, which winds like a dragon across the mountains. In the evening, you will return to Beijing.

Your first stop today is Tiananmen Square. It was here that Chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Today, his mausoleum stands in the center of the square, along with the Monument to the People’s Heroes. Important buildings surround the square, which is regarded as the heart of China. At the northern end of the square stands Tiananmen (the Gate of Heavenly Peace), behind which lies the Forbidden City—enclosed by a red wall. You will visit the official halls in the Outer Court as well as smaller buildings in the former imperial private quarters. The vast, densely built complex is sure to impress. In the afternoon, you will visit the Temple of Heaven, located in the southern part of the city. Once an exclusive site for emperors to pray for good harvests, its buildings are now open to tourists, and the park is a popular meeting place for locals—who gather here to play cards, sing, or exercise.

The Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huangdi, China’s first emperor, is a highlight of many China tours and one of the first sites in China to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. You will visit the three excavated pits and the exhibition hall displaying the bronze chariots discovered nearby and be amazed by how well this clay army has been preserved, even after 2,200 years. In the afternoon, you will visit Xi’an’s iconic Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, located within the Buddhist “Temple of Great Mercy.” Built during the Tang Dynasty in the 7th century, it is one of China’s oldest surviving structures. The afternoon ends with a visit to the Great Mosque in the city center.

Xi’an has a large ethnic Muslim population, as the city has welcomed diverse foreign cultures since the Han Dynasty—when it served as the eastern endpoint of the ancient Silk Road.

A discovery tour through Shanghai’s old town will give you a glimpse of how the city looked at the end of the Qing Dynasty. Today, this area is home to many souvenir shops and well-known restaurants—and the famous Yu Garden, a wonderful example of southern Chinese private garden art. Though crowded with tourists, the garden remains a green oasis in the middle of the old town. Next, you will visit the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center at People’s Square, where you can learn about Shanghai’s history and its planned future development. If this visit is not possible, the Shanghai Museum (featuring selected artifacts from Chinese history) will be offered as an alternative. You will end the day with a bird’s-eye view of Shanghai from the observation deck of the Shanghai Tower.