Earth Cubed - Itinerary of From Duck to Dim Sum:

Itinerary - From Duck to Dim Sum: On the Trail of Chinese Cuisine

Price

US $1890

Tour Length

14 nights/15 days

Starting Point

Shanghai

Ending Point

Hong Kong

Departure Date**

6/13/2010, 7/18/2010, 8/22/2010, 6/12/2011, 7/17/2011, 8/21/2011

Highlights

Delicious Chinese cuisine!	Shanghai Bund and Yuyuan Gardens
Hike along Jinshanlin to Simatai portion of the Great Wall	The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, the Terracotta Warriors
The Giant Panda Research Center	Yangshuo
Guangzhou and Hong Kong

** specific dates can be arranged upon request

Itinerary

Day	Location	Description
Day 1	Shanghai	Arrival day. We will have a Shanghai cuisine dinner followed by an acrobat show to rival all others. (D)
Day 2	Shanghai	We will tour the Bund, Yuyuan gardens and other famous sites of Shanghai. Later, we take the overnight train to Beijing. (BL)
Day 3	Beijing	Morning excursion to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. The rest of the day is free to explore the many sites and markets of Beijing, or take a tricycle ride through Beijing’s lively Hutongs (alleys). In the evening we will enjoy a delicious Beijing duck dinner.(BD)
Day 4	Beijing - Great Wall	We take a day trip out to the Great Wall (optional), and hike on one of the more remote, less frequented sections. (BD)
Day 5	Beijing - Xi'an	There is the option to visit the Temple of Heaven or other of the many sites before heading off on the overnight train to Xian. (B)
Day 6	Xi'an	See the Terracotta Warriors in the morning. For dinner sample various dumplings (jiaozi), for which Xi'an is famous. (BD)
Day 7	Xi'an	Today is free for exploring Xi'an. Ride a bicycle on the city wall, visit Tang Dynasty pagodas or wander through the Great Mosque and markets in the Muslim quarter. Here you will have a chance to try Hui minority (Muslim Chinese) snacks such as kebabs. (B)
Day 8	Xi'an - Chengdu	Fly to Chengdu, Sichuan, the home of spicy cuisine. In the evening we will enjoy such Sichuan favorites such as spicy chicken with peanuts, after which you will have the option to go to a Sichuan opera. (BD)
Day 9	Chengdu	We choose the morning to visit the Giant Panda Research Centre because the pandas tend to be the most active and playful then. The afternoon is free for exploring Chendu’s famous temples, tea gardens and parks. In the evening we will dump plates of vegetables and meats into the boiling spices of Sichuan hot pot, one of the most famous cuisines of China. (BD)
Day 10	Chengdu - Longsheng	We fly to Guilin before heading up to the atmospheric mountainous village of Pingan in the Longsheng region, a place known for its spectacular rice terraces. (B)
Day 11	Longsheng - Yangshuo	In the morning explore the rice terraces before we drive to the otherworldly karst mountains of Yangshuo. (B)
Day 12	Yangshuo	We go shopping for fresh ingredients in the local market before heading to our cooking class, where we will learn how to make some of the local specialties. (BL)
Day 13	Yangshuo - Guangzhou	Today we are free to explore the surrounding countryside by bicycle or learn skills such as Kung Fu, Tai Chi or Chinese watercolor. In the evening we drive to Guilin for the overnight train to Guangzhou. (B)
Day 14	Guangzhou - Hong Kong	Wander through a fascinating local market of exotic food such as snakes, scorpions and Chinese medicinal herbs before enjoying a dim sum banquet brunch/lunch. Take a short train ride to Hong Kong (L)
Day 15	Hong Kong	Tour ends (B)

Details

Transport	plane, private and public bus and taxi
Flights	Xian to Chengdu, Chengdu to Guilin
Fully Escorted	by tour leader
Activities	a cooking demonstration/lesson, optional hike on the Great Wall, optional cycling in Yangshuo, hours of walking at sites
Accomodation	11 nights hotels, 3 nights sleeper train
Meals	as mentioned in itinerary: B-breakfast, L-lunch, D-dinner
Entrance Fees	included for sites that are not optional in the itinerary
Physical Rating	basic to moderate activity
Visa	Chinese
Temperature	25°C (77°F) to 35°C (95°F)
Not Included	airfare to and from China