Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Welcome to incredible People’s Republic of China - the name alone makes you want to get packing. It's going places, so jump aboard, go along for the ride and see where it is headed.

Arrive in Beijing, the capital city, one of the most cosmopolitan cities today. Constantly reimagining itself as it races towards the future, yet inextricably linked to its glorious, notorious past, Beijing is as compelling as it is complex.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Beijing Capital International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel, help you settle in & provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next day.

Arrive at the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

Stop–start capital since the Mongol Yuan dynasty, Beijing is one of China’s true ancient citadels. It is also an aspiring, confident and modern city that seems assured of its destiny to rule over China ad infinitum.

Ancient Civilisations| Imperial Delights | Acrobats & Artists | Food Heaven

Few places on earth can match the extraordinary historical panorama on display in Beijing. There are 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in this city alone (just one less than the whole of Egypt). At its heart is the magnificent Forbidden City, a royal palace on a scale like no other. Beijing is also home to sublime temples that aspire to cosmological perfection, while the city centre is criss-crossed by enchanting hútòng: ancient alleyways that teem with life today, as they did hundreds of years ago. And, to cap it all, the awe-inspiring Great Wall snakes its way across the hills north of town.

A vast and symmetrical metropolis, Beijing is the orderly seat of the communist political power in China, so its architecture traces each & every mood swing from 1949 to the present, from felled hutong (narrow alleys) to huge underground bomb shelters scooped out during the paranoid 1970s. One moment you are sizing up a blank Soviet-style monument, the next you spot a vast, shimmering tower rising up from the footprint of a vanished temple.

It is not just the ancient architecture that wows tourists. Beijing is also home to some of the world's most innovative modern buildings. The world's leading architects clamber for the chance to make their mark on this global powerhouse & jaw-dropping structures such as the CCTV Building, Galaxy Soho, the NCPA concert hall & the Olympic Stadium are clear signs that Beijing is not shy about proclaiming its status as China’s capital. Like the temples & palaces of the ancient past, and the imposing socialist realist monuments of the 1950s, these latest additions are built on a scale that screams, ‘Look at me!’

History may have been trampled in Beijing over the past half century, but there is still much more substance here than in China’s other dynastic capitals. You just need to do a bit of hunting & patient exploration to find the historical narrative. It is also essential to sift the genuine from the fake: some of Beijing once illustrious past has been fitfully resurrected in the trompe-l’oeil of rebuilt monuments. Colossal flyovers & multilane boulevards heave with more than three million cars but ample pockets of historical charm survive. It is the city’s epic imperial grandeur, however, that is truly awe-inspiring. And for all its diligence & gusto, Beijing dispenses with the persistent pace of Shanghai or Hong Kong & locals instead find time to sit out front, play chess & watch the world go by.

Beijing isn’t just the political centre of China - it is the cultural heart of the country too. The nation’s top artists, writers, movie-makers & musicians converge here, making this the place to take the pulse of China’s ever-evolving cultural scene. With top-class museums, galleries galore & an increasing number of music venues, there is enough to keep you busy day & night. Beijing is also the centre for the traditional Chinese performing arts. Whether it is the mystique of Peking opera, tumbling acrobats or the graceful lines of Chinese classical dance that entrances you, the capital has it & more.

Food is an obsession for the Chinese & the dazzling array of different dishes you will encounter in Beijing reflects the sheer joy locals take in eating. Dining out is the main social activity; it is in restaurants that Beijingers party with friends, romance each other, hold family reunions & do business, and the sheer variety of places to eat here is mind-boggling. Menus will have you salivating over succulent Peking duck, delicious dumplings & chewy noodles, but there is food from every corner of China (& beyond) to be sampled too. From fiery Sìchuanese to Turkic-inspired Uyghur cuisine, Beijing's 60,000-plus restaurants cover every base.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Overnight.     

Morning, meet the Tour-guide in the Lobby at 09:00 am & embark on an exciting full day8 hour sightseeing of the city.

Start with a visit to the Forbidden City & its Imperial Palace complex, once the home of China’s great emperors. Nearby is the ‘famous’ 100-acre Tian-an men Square, the largest public square in the world.

Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant in the vicinity.

Continue to the former Summer Palace, a complex of pavilions, temples & galleries set among beautifully landscaped grounds, situated besides Kunming Lake. Enjoy a cruise on shimmering waters of the lake.

Move on to see the iconic Pandas Garden in the Beijing Zoo. It has been breeding the largest numbers of Pandas as an institution away from the normal habitat areas & along with other Panda Sanctuaries, has been designated as a UNESCO site.

Come back to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, meet the Tour-guide in the Lobby at 08:00 am & continue on another full day 8 hour tour.

Today’s sightseeing commences with a visit to the iconic “Beijing 2008 Olympic Centre” – the Bird’s Nest & the Water Cube, which played host to many spectacular events. Enjoy the architecture from the outside & stroll around the complex to click photos.

Continue on to the Great Wall of China, that once stretched 4,000 miles across China’s barren northern terrain from the Bohai Sea to the Gobi Desert. Many dynasties in Chinese history actively built the Wall. Among many historical ruins of the Great Wall in Beijing, the section  built during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) is the most often seen & best preserved, running over 373 miles & containing about 827 city wall platforms, 71 passes & countless towers. The famous Great Wall sections include the Badaling, Huanghuacheng, Mutianyu, Jiankou, Gubeikou, Jinshanling & Simatai. The strong, primitive walls enhance the beauty of the wilderness.

Reach a village in the Badaling section where the Great Wall is well preserved & walk along the ramparts to enjoy a breathtaking view of the sweeping vistas of this mammoth fortress. It is famous for its deep-rooted culture, magnificent sights & complete military facilities - the essence of the Great Wall. You may find many pictures of it in magazines & guide books and printed on stamps. Badaling, being one of the more popular section of the Great Wall, it is crowded with visitors especially during holidays.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

Take a leisurely walk down the Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs and marvel at the impressive hand-carved stone statues. Ming Tombs - the general name given to the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). The mausoleums have been perfectly preserved, as has the necropolis of each of the many emperors. Because of its long history, palatial & integrated architecture, the site has a high cultural & historic value. The layout & arrangement of all thirteen mausoleums are very similar but vary in size as well as in the complexity of their structures. Only the Changling & Dingling tombs are open to the public.

The complex was originally built as Changling, the tomb of Emperor Zhu Di & his empresses. This is the most magnificent of the tombs. The succeeding twelve emperors had their tombs built around Changling. The chief of the Ming Tombs, it is the largest & most well preserved. The total internal area of the main building is 1956 square meters. There are 32 huge posts, the largest of which measures about 14 meters in height. It entombs Emperor Zhudi, the fourth son of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang.

A must see site within the complex is the Ling'en Palace.   It is unique as the only palace, covering about 2086 square meters, made of camphor wood. The ceiling is colorfully painted & supported by sixteen solid camphor posts. The floor was decorated with gold bricks.

Unlike Changling, Dingling is under ground & about 27 meters deep. It is the mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Yijun, the 13^th emperor who occupied the throne for the longest period during the Ming Dynasty & his two empresses. The main features are the Stone Bridge, Soul Tower, Baocheng & the Underground Palace, which was unearthed between 1956 & 1958. The entire palace is made of stone. The Soul Tower is symbolic of the whole of Dingling & it forms the entrance to the underground chambers. The yellow glazed tiles; eaves, archway, rafters & columns are all sculptured from stone & colorfully painted. The entire construction is stable & beautiful!

Return to the hotel to relax.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Early morning at 06:00 am, meet the Tour-guide again & return to the Forbidden City complex to visit another renowned imperial site.

Marvel at the Temple of Heaven, the Imperial Hall of Pray Harvest, the Imperial Vault & the Imperial Sacrificial Altar.

You will also see the echo wall & stones in the vault and on the altar where the emperors supposedly conversed with celestial beings by means of the phenomenon that utilizes the theory of sound wave. You will see local people doing Taiji & morning exercises there.

Next stop will be Beijing City Planning Museum where you will watch a 3D film which tells the glory history & fast evolution of Beijing. Many visiting Presidents find time to come here even with their limited schedules.

You will also gain the unique experience of riding a cycle rickshaw, like the locals do, ride through one of Beijing’s Hutongs, the city’s ancient alleys and historical sites, behind the main streets. If time permits, you will also visit a Pearl Workshop where again you will observe the artisans turning the pearls into pieces of art.

Come back to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, you would be met by a Journeys Rep who would transfer to Terminal? - Beijing Capital International Airport, for your flight to Xian.

On exiting in the arrival Hall at Terminal? - Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, you would be welcomed  by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel, help you settle in & provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next day.

Check-in at the hotel & relax for a while.

Xi’an is a large city and capital of Shaanxi Province in central China. Once known as Chang’an (Eternal Peace), it marks the Silk Road’s eastern end & was home to the Zhou, Qin, Han & Tang dynasties' ruling houses. A melting pot of cultures & religions, it was also home for courtesans, poets, monks, merchants & warriors in the glory days of Xi’an, which may have ended in the early 10^th century, but a considerable amount of ancient Chang’an, the former city, survives behind the often roaring, modern city.

One of the largest & wealthiest cities in the world when China dominated the silk trade, Xi’an today is an archaeological treasure trove. Xi’an’s Ming-era city walls remain intact, vendors of all descriptions still crowd the narrow lanes of the warren-like Muslim Quarter & there are enough places of interest to keep even the most amateur historian riveted. In Xi’an’s surrounding plains are the famed Bingmayong (Terracotta Warriors), thousands of life-size, hand-molded figures buried with China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.

Later in the afternoon, meet the Tour-guide at 02:00 pm & proceed for a 4 hour tour of the city.

You would be visiting the Big Wild Goose Pagoda & Provincial Museum.

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda Temple was regarded the landmark of Xian. Dynasties expanded their territories enormously to the west.  When Monks & the envoys came to China with many Buddhism Scriptures, the temple was built & a large team of scholars was organized for translation of the Buddhism Scriptures into Chinese and it gradually became a holy pilgrimage place. Behind the pagoda is the courtyard, which tells story of the great Buddhism envoys.

Continue on to the Provincial Museum which showcases Chinese archaeology’s excavation at Xian Areas from very beginning of Chinese primogenitors of Neolithic Age 20000 - 8000 years ago to the glorious dynasties 980AD. It has numerous collections and treasures on display. 

Depending on the available time, you may also see Xī’an City Walls & the Muslim Quarter.

Return to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, meet the Tour-guide again at 09:00 am & continue the sightseeing.

Start with a visit to one of the most famous sites where in 1974, the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, was accidentally discovered by local farmers.

Marvel at the legion of the Terracotta Warriors, over 6 ft. tall, that has been guarding the burial site for 2,000 years. You will see the excavated Exhibition Area 1, 2, 3, 4 & watch the archaeologists as they continue to work in the fields to explore further. You will also enjoy watching the Circle Vision Movie of the historical story.

During lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy a Noodle - making demo by a master chef and learn how Chinese noodles are made by hand.

On the way back to the hotel, you will visit the Ceramics & Pottery Center where you can observe the traditional artisans at work.

Return to the hotel to freshen up before embarking on another great Xian experience.

At 06.00 pm, you will be transferred to the Shaanxi Grand Opera House, which is one of the most well-known of the traditional dumpling banquet halls hosting the “Tang Dynasty” Dinner Show, featuring a colorful assemblage of classical performances.

The Tang Dynasty was a highpoint in Xian’s long & illustrious history. Their reign was known as the golden age - a period of most prosperous & glorious society in the Chinese history.

The 3 hour Show illustrates this prosperity of the empire in the field of the imperial life, art, religion, music & so on, by means of graceful dancing & singing. Traditional instruments set the musical scene, with choreography & costumes reflecting Xian’s openness to outside influence, situated as it was at the end of the Silk Road. Set pieces include the sensual Rainbow Costume Dance & the stirring Warriors’ Triumphal Dance.

All of this is dished up with fine Chinese cuisine. An interesting & cultural eating experience, the dinner will be the most traditional dumplings & this dumpling banquet contains some 16 courses of the different shaped dumplings with very different fillings inside, some will be made in the shape of a chicken, which indicates the fillings inside will be chicken meat, some will be made like a duck, meaning the filling is duck, with leeks, carrots, lotus roots & more.

Come back to the hotel.

Morning, you would be transferred to Terminal? - Xi'an Xianyang International Airport for your short flight to Shanghai.

On arrival, as you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Shanghai Pudong International Airport, you would be met by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel, help you settle in and provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next day.

Shanghai - few world cities evoke so much history, excess, glamour, mystique & exotic promise in name alone.

Beijing often hogs the limelight as China’s cultural nexus, but for what is essentially a town of wheelers & dealers, Shanghai is surprisingly creative with many .exciting Art Galleries offering a window onto contemporary Chinese concerns, while nightlife options have exploded. Acrobatics shows are always a favourite & you might grab the chance to catch some Chinese opera. One of the main highlights that will linger in visitors' mind is the Shanghai's gorgeous night scene. As night descends the entire city is lit up by colorful lights. In addition to its modernization, the city's multicultural flair endows it with a unique glamour.

As China's largest & richest city, Shanghai oozes an atmosphere of vitality that rivals New York & Paris in terms of modernity.

The city is home to the world's second-tallest tower & a host of other neck-craning modern architectural wonders. But Beyond the crisply cool veneer of the modern city typified by Pudong, there is a treasure trove of architectural styles. The city's period of greatest cosmopolitan excess - the 1920s & 1930s - left the city with pristine examples of art deco buildings. And there is more: from Jesuit cathedrals, Jewish synagogues & Buddhist temples to home-grown longtang laneway & shíkumen housing, Shanghai’s architectural heritage is like nowhere else.

Note that Chinese shoppers constitute up to 47% of the global luxury-goods market, so shopping is rarely done in half-measures here. Retail therapy is one way of spending ‘new’ money & the Shanghainese aren't called 'little capitalists' by the rest of China for nothing, especially at the luxury end of things. But it is not all Prada, Gucci & Burberry. There are pop-up boutiques, bustling markets, cool vintage shops & young designer outlets. Beyond clothing, you have a wide choice, whether you are in the market for antiques, ceramics, art, Tibetan jewellery…whatever is on your shopping list.

Food is the hub of Chinese social life. It is over a meal that people catch up with friends, celebrate & clinch business deals, and spend hard-earned cash. In previous years, international food was confined to the dining rooms of 'exclusive' hotels. Today, the mouth-watering restaurant scene is varied, exciting & up-to-the-minute, and Shanghai now has its own Michelin dining guide - proving just how far the city has come. Some of your best memories of the city could be culinary, so do as the Shanghainese do & make a meal of it.

Shanghai's rollercoaster back story is as decadent as it is debauched, but these days there is a palpable energy & confidence that this is a city on the rise…yet again. Here, one finds the perfect blend of cultures, modern & traditional and western & oriental.

Check-in at the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, meet the Tour-guide in the Lobby at 09:00 am & embark on a full day 8 hour tour of this magical city.

Enormous Shanghai, on China’s central coast, is the country's biggest city & a global financial hub. Its heart is the Bund, a famed waterfront promenade lined with colonial-era buildings. Across the Huangpu River rises Pudong’s futuristic skyline, including 632m Shanghai Tower & the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, with distinctive pink spheres. Sprawling Yuyuan Garden has traditional pavilions, towers & ponds.

Start with a visit to Old Downtown & classical Yu Garden.

Old Downtown has many narrow zigzag lanes, small squares, fish pond & pavilion linked by stone bridges. A draw for the locals & visitors alike, it has many popular bars, restaurants, tea houses & souvenir shops.

The UNESCO world Heritage listed site - Yu Garden, built 400 years ago, is a famous ancient private garden built in the Ming & Qing dynasties. Owing to its ingenious design, zigzag layout of pavilions, chambers & towers, opera stage, elegant rocks and bridges on the mirroring lakes and moats, it has become a real museum of Chinese ancient architecture. The vivid brick-carving figures of warlords & warriors, unique animals standing on the roofs of ancient buildings and the huge dragons decorating the range of walls makes it very unique.

Visit the Shanghai Museum, located in the center of Shanghai in People's Square.

It is a large depository of ancient Chinese art. The attractions here include enormous finest stone sculptures, bronze-ware, porcelain, calligraphic works, Chinese paintings & ancient furniture. The museum style & presentation surround visitors with artifacts demonstrating ancient wisdom & philosophy. The exterior design of the round dome & the square base symbolizes the ancient idea of a round heaven & a square land.

The Museum is divided into eleven Galleries & three Exhibition Halls. The eleven Galleries cover most of the major categories of Chinese art: Ancient Bronze, Ancient Ceramics, Paintings, Calligraphy, Ancient Sculpture, Ancient Jade, Coins, Ming & Qing Furniture, Seals & Minority Nationalities.

The bronze ware of the Shang & Zhou dynasties contribute to our understanding of ancient civilization. The over 400 pieces of exquisite bronze wares cover the history of ancient Chinese bronze art.

The ancient ceramics collection is a special Shanghai Museum treasure. Among the more than 500 pieces are artwork from various dynasties, such as painted & gray pottery from the Neolithic age, primitive celadon from the Shang, Zhou & Warring States, mature celadon from the East Han Dynasty, the well-known tri-colored glazed pottery from the Tang Dynasty, blue, white & black glazed as well as painted porcelain from the Song, Jin & Liao & the brilliant works from Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, the center of the industry during the Yuan, Ming & Qing dynasties.

Chinese paintings & calligraphy have profound traditions and unique national styles. Masterpieces from different periods & genres are featured.

The Gallery of Chinese Ancient Sculpture focuses mainly on Buddhist sculptures. Jade in ancient China was both decoration and the symbol of wealth & power. It was further personified to symbolize perfect morality. The elegance of jade wares glows through its crystal colors & vivid patterns.

The Ming & Qing dynasties witnessed the heyday of Chinese furniture. The Gallery shows a refined garden-like residence of that time. Even a simple chair demonstrates Chinese culture & etiquette.

First of its kind, the Gallery of Chinese Seals, reflects the importance of seals in history from the Western Zhou to the end of the Qing Dynasty.

After the Museum tour, stroll around in the People Square before driving back to the hotel.

If time permits, you will also visit a Carpet Factory enroute.

Come back to the hotel.

Evening at 06.00 pm, you will be met by a Journeys Rep & transferred to a venue to enjoy the famous Shanghai Acrobatic Show & dinner afterwards.

A tradition dating back to the Qin Dynasty, acrobatic shows are the Chinese equivalent of Cirque du Soleil, with dangerous stunts, magic, comedy, theater & Chinese acrobatic arts - one of the oldest performing arts with the basic skills of handsprings, somersaults, waist & leg flexibility, and headstands.

The evening begins with an astounding performance by the Shanghai Acrobatics School & Troupe, one of the oldest acrobatic troupes in China.  You will enjoy juggling (one of the traditional elements of Chinese acrobatics, as well as of western circus arts), diabolo or Chinese yo-yo. You will see the plates spinning, leg & foot juggle, rolling cups & contortion, poles climb, bungee jump, rolling hoops dives, trapeze, bicycle feats & much more.

The core members of the troupe have been professionally trained in China from as young as six years old & each had a minimum of twenty-year experience. They have performed for many foreigners from all over the world & have gained international acclaim.  While maintaining a traditional flavor, the performance is modern with ‘extreme’ feats guaranteed to keep you at the edge of your seat.

After the 70 minute show, drive through the city for fabulous views of Shanghai at night.

See how this busy metropolis mixes ancient and modern at attractions like People’s Square, the city lights along the Bund & the former French Concession District.

You will be transferred back to the hotel.

Or, if you want to explore independently, you can be dropped off at Xin Tian Di, a trendy neighborhood boasting boutiques, pubs & restaurants where you can relax & enjoy the Shanghai nightlife (you will have to reach the hotel on your own).

Overnight.  B L

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 08:00 am & embark on a full day 8 hour excursion to China’s Venice, another unchanged face of Shanghai just outside the city.

Drive to Suzhou, a city west of Shanghai, is known for its canals, bridges & classical gardens.

The city is divided by the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal from north to south. Since 42% area of the city is covered by water, including a vast number of ponds & streams, it is praised as the 'Venice of the Orient'. Built in 514 BC, this is an ancient city with over 2,500 years of history & the unique characteristics of the past are still retained today. The double-chessboard layout of the city, with 'the streets & rivers going side by side while the water & land routes running in parallel', is preserved intact.

Touring the wonderful ancient water towns in the vicinity or lingering in the exquisite classical gardens in the downtown area, you will truly know the charm of a 'paradise on earth'. These gardens attain their high reputation not only for their vast numbers, but also for their charming natural beauty & harmonious construction. At present more than 60 gardens are kept intact in the city & some of them have been listed in the World Heritage List. As the saying goes - 'Gardens to the south of the Yangtze River are the best in the world, and Suzhou gardens are the best among them'.

Visit the Humble Administrator’s Garden, dating to 1513, contains zigzag bridges over connected pools & islands covering about 52,000 sq. meters (12.85 acres), is the largest & most renowned garden in the city. The Lingering Garden features ornate viewing pavilions & the Crown of Clouds Peak, a striking limestone formation. It is recognized with other classical Suzhou gardens as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The garden also stores two UNESCO Intangible World Heritage Arts; Pingtan & Guqin music.

Next is Master of the Nets Garden - the smallest classic garden among Suzhou gardens, yet it is the most impressive one because of its use of space which creates the illusion of an area that is much greater than its actual size. Even more impressive than the architectural achievement is the mood of tranquility & harmony that this delicate garden embodies.

The Master of the Nets garden was first constructed in 1140 AD during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 - 1279). Then named the Fisherman's Retreat (Yuyin), it was inspired by the simple & solitary life of a Chinese fisherman. The garden subsequently fell into disarray until six centuries later it was restored by a retired government official of the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period (1735 - 1796). He drastically redesigned the garden & added multiple buildings, but retained the humble spirit of the site when renaming it the Master of the Nets.

Climb the Tiger Hill & you will find a number of historical sites some of which can be traced back over 2500 years to the founding of Suzhou. Tiger Hill offers attractions including the 7-story, leaning Cloud Rock Pagoda at its summit.

Then, walk to the Grand Canal.

The Grand Canal is the oldest & longest canal in the world, flowing from the northern Beijing to the southern Hangzhou with hundreds of thousands of ferries for over 2,500 years. The 1,794 km long water conservancy project, is regarded as one of the two greatest ancient project in China (together with the Great Wall). So far, it is still the artery of China's economy & culture between the northern part & the southern part of China.

The majority of Suzhou attractions are linked by the Grand Canal.

Enjoy an amazing cruise along the canal. You can traverse in a delicate water lane or move out to an open lake. Scenic spots within the canal web are Pamen Gate, Changmen Gate, Pingjiang Old Street, Hanshan Temple, Shantang Canal section, Old Site of Soochow University, No.1 Silk Factory, etc.

Get off at the Silk Factory.

China is known for its silk & Suzhou is the most famous place for silk producing. What is so amazing about the silk-making process is that the silkworm creates its cocoon out of a single silk thread that is continuous for approximately 3,600 feet. Among the processes, making cocoons to skeins is especially important. The workers operate machines that spin the silk filaments into skeins. One cocoon is attached to each spindle. This makes it better understood why the filament of each cocoon must be unbroken.

Visit the No.1 Silk Factory in Suzhou founded in 1926 as a state-owned factory. Here, you can gain the knowledge of the whole life cycle of a silkworm. You will see how the people produce silk with the old style machine & the making process of hand- made silk quilt. You can testify that these quilts are light as a feather & very warm. You can buy one if you like.

Finally, ready to go back to Shanghai hotel, by late afternoon.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Full day at leisure for independent explorations or perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Finally, the mystical experience comes to an end and it is time to say good-bye.

Check-out of the hotel by 12:00 noon (if the departure time is later in the evening, you are allowed to use the hotel facilities and leave the luggage at the Bell Desk). 

In time, you will be met by a Journeys Rep, who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to Terminal? - Shanghai Pudong International Airport, for the flight back home.  B

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