12-Day Heart of the Empire: Capitals and Sacred Mountains Tour
Dynastic Heart of China: Beijing Imperial Glory + Xi’an First Emperor + Huangshan Sacred Mountain
Day-by-Day Itinerary
1
Arrive in Beijing, China's majestic capital. Settle into your hotel.
2
Explore the vast complex of the Forbidden City, former home to China's emperors. Later, visit the Temple of Heaven, a masterpiece of Ming architecture.
Palace Museum
The Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City in Beijing, is a large national comprehensive museum located within the Forbidden City in the core area of Beijing, China. It covers an area of 720,000 square meters. The museum inherited the royal palaces of the Ming and Qing dynasties in China and opened to the public in 1925. It consists of 980 buildings and houses more than 1.8 million works of art, mainly from the royal collections of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is the most visited museum in the world.
Temple of Heaven Park
The Temple of Heaven Park is a royal sacrificial building complex located in the southeast of Beijing. It was first built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty and was used by emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties to worship heaven and pray for good harvests. In 1998, it was listed as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO and is praised as a "masterpiece of architecture and landscape design, vividly interpreting the cosmology of great significance to the development of important civilizations in the world." Its symbolic layout and design have had a profound impact on the architecture and planning of the Far East. The park covers an area of 2.73 square kilometers, and its main buildings include the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, and the Circular Mound Altar. All buildings are built in accordance with strict philosophical requirements and are a testimony to the long history and culture of the Chinese nation and an important carrier.
3
Take a day trip to the beautifully restored Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. Walk or take a cable car up and enjoy the stunning views.
Mutianyu Great Wall
The Mutianyu Great Wall is located in Huairou District, Beijing, 70 kilometers from the city center. It is the best-preserved section of the Ming Great Wall and a famous tourist attraction. It connects Juyongguan Pass in the west and Gubeikou in the east, and has been a vital military stronghold guarding Beijing since ancient times. The Mutianyu Great Wall is famous for its steep terrain, unique structure, and magnificent scenery. The wall is mainly built of granite, 7 to 8.5 meters high and 4 to 5 meters wide at the top. Compared with other sections of the Great Wall, the Mutianyu Great Wall has unique construction features, with dense watchtowers, 22 watchtowers on the 2250-meter-long wall. Parapets are set up on both the inner and outer sides of the wall, which is very rare in other sections of the Great Wall, allowing archers to cover shooting on both sides. The Mutianyu Pass consists of three watchtowers, a large building in the middle and two smaller buildings on each side. The three watchtowers are connected on the same platform, forming a rare structure in various sections of the Great Wall. In addition, this section of the Great Wall is surrounded by forests and streams, with a forest coverage rate of over 90%. Visitors can choose to take a cable car or toboggan up and down, or climb more than 4,000 steps on foot.
4
Visit the Summer Palace, a sprawling imperial garden. In the afternoon, take a rickshaw ride through the old Hutong alleyways around Shichahai.
Summer Palace
The Summer Palace, the royal garden of the Qing Dynasty in China, formerly known as Qingyi Garden, is located in the western suburbs of Beijing, 15 kilometers away from the city. It is the largest and most well-preserved royal garden in China. It is modeled after the West Lake in Hangzhou, absorbing some design techniques and artistic conceptions of Jiangnan gardens, while retaining the grandeur of the northern royal gardens. The Summer Palace concentrates the essence of Chinese garden art and is evaluated by UNESCO as a "masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design" and was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1998.
Shichahai
Shichahai is a scenic area with a long history, located in the northern part of Beijing's central city, consisting of three lakes: Qianhai, Xihai, and Houhai. It is located northwest of the Forbidden City and north of Beihai Park. During the Yuan Dynasty, Shichahai was an important commercial district at the northernmost end of the Grand Canal, surrounded by many temples and royal residences, among which Prince Gong's Mansion and Prince Chun's Mansion are the most famous. The name Shichahai means "Sea of Ten Temples". The lake area has beautiful scenery, with boating in summer and ice skating in winter. It is a famous historical and cultural scenic spot in Beijing, and was listed as a "Historical and Cultural Scenic Area" by the Beijing Municipal Government in 1992.
5
Take the high-speed train to Xi'an, the ancient capital of 13 dynasties.
6
Visit the world-famous Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, an army built to protect the First Emperor in the afterlife.
Terracotta Army Museum of Qin Shi Huang
The Terracotta Army Museum of Qin Shi Huang is located in Lintong District, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province. It is the burial pit of the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, the first feudal emperor of China, and is known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World." The terracotta warriors unearthed here are in various forms and lifelike, and are important physical materials for studying the military, culture, and art of the Qin Dynasty.
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is the mausoleum complex of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, located in Lintong District, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. It was built from 246 to 208 BC, lasting 38 years. The layout of the mausoleum is modeled after Xianyang, the capital of the Qin Dynasty, and is divided into inner and outer cities. The tomb chamber has not yet been excavated. Archaeological excavations have mainly focused on the burial pits around the mausoleum, including the famous Terracotta Army.
7
Cycle on top of the remarkably preserved Ancient City Wall. Visit the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, a landmark of Buddhist history in China.
Xi'an City Wall
Xi'an City Wall, also known as Xi'an Ming City Wall, is the largest and most complete ancient city wall existing in China. It was built in the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, based on the imperial city of the Tang Dynasty, and fully embodies the style of ancient Chinese city construction. The total circumference of the city wall is 13.74 kilometers, including a moat, drawbridge, gate tower, arrow tower, main tower, corner tower, watchtower, parapet, and crenellations, forming a complete set of military facilities. Since 1961, the Xi'an City Wall has been listed as a national key cultural relics protection unit and is also a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction, demonstrating the complete characteristics of city wall architecture in Chinese feudal society and serving as an important physical material for studying Chinese history and ancient architectural art. Visitors can cycle and stroll on the city wall, feeling the weight of history and the modern vitality of Xi'an.
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is located in the southern part of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. It is a magnificent Buddhist pagoda, originally built in 652 AD during the Tang Dynasty. It initially had five stories, and was rebuilt to seven stories in 704 AD during the reign of Wu Zetian. The existing brick exterior walls were added during the Ming Dynasty. The pagoda was mainly used to preserve the Buddhist scriptures and statues brought back from India by the Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang. The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is 64 meters high, and you can overlook the panoramic view of Xi'an from the top. It is located in the Da Ci'en Temple and was listed as a World Heritage Site in 2014 as part of the "Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor".
8
Fly from Xi'an to Tunxi, the city at the base of Huangshan. Stroll down the historic Tunxi Old Street in the evening.
Tunxi Old Street
Tunxi Old Street is located in Tunxi District, Huangshan City, Anhui Province, and is a historic commercial street in the central urban area of Huangshan City. Originating in the Song Dynasty, it is a well-preserved ancient street featuring architectural styles from the Southern Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties, earning it the reputation of a 'moving Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival'. The old street is 1272 meters long and is a tourist attraction that integrates Huizhou architectural features, cultural heritage, and commercial activities. It is famous for selling crafts such as Huizhou inksticks, She inkstones, Huizhou bamboo carvings, wood carvings, and local specialties. Additionally, it is an excellent place to taste Huizhou cuisine and experience Huizhou culture.
9
Travel to the Huangshan scenic area. Take a cable car up the mountain and check into your hotel on the summit. Hike to key viewpoints like Bright Top Peak for sunset.
Huangshan Scenic Area
Huangshan Mountain, located in the southern part of Anhui Province, China, is renowned for its unique natural scenery, including sunrises, oddly-shaped granite peaks, Huangshan pines, hot springs, winter snowscapes, and sea of clouds. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of China's major tourist destinations. Huangshan has many peaks over 1000 meters above sea level, with the most famous being Lotus Peak, Bright Summit, and Celestial Capital Peak. Huangshan pines are named for their vigorous vitality, growing straight out of rocks. Many of these pines are over a hundred years old and have unique names, with Wolong Pine (Crouching Dragon Pine) being one of them.
Mount Huangshan - Yungu Temple
Yungu Temple is located within the Mount Huangshan Scenic Area in Anhui Province, serving as a connecting point between the front and back mountains of Huangshan, and the starting point for taking the Yungu cable car up the mountain. The temple has a long history, surrounded by numerous peaks and beautiful scenery, making it one of the important gateways for tourists entering the Mount Huangshan Scenic Area.
Huangshan Scenic Area - Bright Summit
Bright Summit is the second highest peak in Huangshan, with an elevation of 1860 meters. It serves as the dividing line between the front and back mountains of Huangshan, and is one of the best places to watch sunrises, sunsets, and the sea of clouds. This area is open and flat, forming the central hub of Huangshan, offering panoramic views of major Huangshan peaks such as Lotus Peak and Celestial Capital Peak.
10
Wake up early for the famous sunrise over the sea of clouds. Explore more of the mountain's sights, such as the Flying Rock and the Welcoming Guest Pine, before taking the cable car down.
Huangshan - Flying Stone
The Flying Stone is a famous attraction within the Huangshan Scenic Area, located between Bright Summit and Cloud-Dispelling Pavilion. It is a massive rock weighing 360 tons, with a very small contact surface at its base with the mountain peak, appearing as if it descended from the sky, hence its name. The Flying Stone is one of Huangshan's iconic landscapes and a filming location for many movies and TV series. Here, visitors can admire unique rock formations and a magnificent sea of clouds.
Huangshan - Welcoming Pine
The Welcoming Pine is an iconic attraction in the Huangshan Scenic Area, located next to the Green Lion Stone near Yuping Tower. This ancient pine tree has a history of over 1500 years and is famous for its unique shape and tenacious vitality. Its two branches extending sideways resemble two hosts bowing in welcome, hence its name 'Welcoming Pine'. It is a typical representative of Huangshan pines and also one of the symbols of Chinese tourism. Huangshan is renowned for its 'Four Wonders': peculiar pines, grotesque rocks, sea of clouds, and hot springs, and the Welcoming Pine is the representative of the 'peculiar pines' among them.
11
Take a day trip to Hongcun, a picturesque ancient village and UNESCO site, famous for its unique water system and well-preserved Anhui-style architecture.
Hongcun
Hongcun, historically known as Hongcun (弘村) and also Qixia Town, is located at the southern foot of Mount Huangshan and is a typical representative of Huizhou-style architecture. It was first built in the first year of Shaoxi in the Southern Song Dynasty (1190 AD). Nestled against mountains and beside water, with a high terrain, it is often shrouded in mist and clouds, hence also known as 'Ox-shaped Village'. Hongcun's planning and layout are unique, with water as its soul, forming a distinctive water system that channels water to every household's doorstep within the village. The village's streets, alleys, and houses are all built around water systems such as South Lake and Moon Pond, forming a unique landscape painting. In 2000, Hongcun, along with Xidi Village, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, earning the reputation of 'a village in a Chinese painting'. The film 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' was once filmed here.
12
Depart from Huangshan (Tunxi) airport, concluding your journey through China's imperial and natural heart.
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