2020 Travel dates:
- 7, 14, 21 March
- 4*, 18*, 25 April
- 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 May
- 13, 27** June
- 4**, 25 July
- 1, 22 August
- 5, 12 September
- 10, 17 October
*Peak Season Surcharge NZD$350 per person
**School Holiday Surcharge NZD$450 per person
Inclusions:
- Economy airfares, taxes & fuel surcharges from Auckland with a full service Chinese or Asian carrier (e.g. China Southern/ Eastern Airlines, Air China, Malaysia Airlines or similar)
- 9 nights 4 to 5-star (local rating) hotel accommodation
- Daily meals as indicated (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
- High-speed train – Beijing to Wuxi
- Round trip airport and hotel transfers
- Coach transportation
- Baggage limit: 1 piece 20kg per person
- Entrance fees to scenic attractions (except optional)
- English speaking tour guide(s)
- Tipping
Exclusions:
- China visa
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses
- Optional programs
Optional programs:
Get to know China better with this list of in-depth excursions recommended to add another dimension to your total experience! They can be prepaid more than 60 days prior to departure. English speaking guide, admissions and round trip transfers are included in the prices. Please note, optional programs are subject to availability and minimum numbers.Alternative activities and attractions may not be available in the vicinity and cannot be arranged. Non-participants must wait for the group to finish the activities should they wish to take the transfer. Transportation is not included and is self-arranged for those not joining optional programs.
- Beijing: The Golden Mask Dynasty NZD$85 per person
- Beijing: Hutong Life Tour NZD$80 per person
- Beijing: Chinese Kung Fu Show NZD$85 per person
- Wuxi: Grand Canal Cruise NZD$40 per person
- Hangzhou: Impression West Lake or similar NZD$90 per person
- Shanghai: Chinese Acrobatic Show NZD$85 per person
- Shanghai: Huangpu River Cruise NZD$45 per person
Itinerary:
Day 1: Auckland – Beijing
Fly to Beijing, the capital city of China, via a connecting city. Upon arrival, you will be warmly greeted at the airport by your tour guide and transferred to your hotel.
Please note: Some flights may depart the day before.
Day 2: Beijing (B,L,D)
Beijing served as the capital of five dynasties over a period of 800 years. Today, visit Tiananmen Square, the second-largest public square in the world, and the Forbidden City, the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming to Qing dynasty. Your welcome banquet includes the local delicacy, Peking Roast Duck.
Day 3: Beijing (B,L)
Today’s highlight is an excursion to the majestic Great Wall at Juyong Pass, the most famous image of China, and a chance to climb a portion of this 3,700-mile marvel. You will also visit one of the largest jade exhibitions in Asia en-route. After lunch, see skilled artisans at work at a cloisonné factory. Tonight, you can choose to attend an optional large scale dramatic musical, The Golden Mask Dynasty (at your own expense).
Day 4: Beijing (B,L)
Today, tour the exquisite Summer Palace, the largest preserved ancient garden in China and a former summer resort for emperors, followed by the Panda House at Beijing Zoo to see China’s adorable national treasure – the Giant Panda. Then visit a Chinese herbal institute to learn about traditional Chinese medicine which has existed for thousands of years, as you enjoy a rejuvenating foot massage. Then, go on a tour of Beijing’s ancient Hutong neighbourhoods (at your own expense), and visit a local family where you will learn about tai chi, Chinese calligraphy, and cricket fighting. Alternatively, climb up Bell Tower to enjoy a bird’s eye view of old Beijing. Afterwards, take a stroll in Wangfujing, one of the Chinese capital’s most famous shopping streets. Cap off the day by attending a thrilling Chinese Kung Fu Show (at your own expense).
Note: There is only time available for one option (Hutong Life Tour or Bell Tower). Your tour guide will advise which one is available and suitable based on the day’s schedule. Bell Tower requires climbing stairs.
Note: Based on government policy, the number of rickshaws have been significantly reduced and adjustments to the Hutong Life Tour optional have been made to accommodate this change.
Day 5: Beijing: Bullet train – Wuxi (B,D)
Take a high speed train to Wuxi, an ancient city richly endowed with natural attractions due to its pleasantly warm and moist climate. Wuxi boasts a reputation of being the ‘Land of Fish and Rice’. Enjoy the scenery as you pass by Lake Tai, the third-largest freshwater lake in China. This evening, go sightseeing around Nanchang Street and take a cruise along the Grand Canal (at your own expense) to view life along what was known as ‘China’s golden waterway’ in its heyday. Then, take a stroll along the trendy pedestrian streets composed of both ancient and modern architecture.
Day 6: Wuxi – Suzhou (B,L)
This morning visit one of the largest freshwater pearl exhibitions in the country. After lunch, travel by coach to Suzhou, an extraordinarily elegant city with its canals, stone bridges, and meticulously designed gardens. Suzhou has been referred to as ‘Paradise on Earth’ by Chinese poets and writers since ancient times. As a large area of the city is covered by water, including a vast number of ponds and streams, Suzhou is also known as ‘Venice of the East’. It is also known as the ‘Garden City’ due to its many classical gardens, renowned for their charming natural beauty and harmonious construction. Visit the Lingering Garden, which is among the finest in China.
Day 7: Suzhou – Hangzhou (B,L,D)
This morning visit a silk spinning mill, and learn how silk is created from mulberry-munching silkworms to produce the finest thread and cloth. After lunch, travel by coach to Hangzhou, described by Marco Polo as “the most beautiful and magnificent city in the world”. Upon arrival, take a boat ride on the serene West Lake, the most renowned feature of Hangzhou, and noted for its scenic beauty which blends naturally with many famous historical and cultural sites. This evening, you can enjoy an optional open-air performance, Impression West Lake, a masterpiece created by Zhang Yimou, the director of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Games Opening Ceremony (at your own expense).
Day 8: Hangzhou – Shanghai (B,L)
Experience tea-tasting at the Dragon Well Tea Plantation. Then travel by coach to Shanghai, a vibrant metropolis and the commercial centre of China. Upon arrival, walk along the famous Bund, a mile-long stretch along the Huangpu River. Lined with colonial architecture of European design, it is the best place to capture the Western influences of the old days. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure strolling along the bustling shopping district, Nanjing Road. Tonight you can watch a superb and thrilling Chinese Acrobatic Show (at your own expense).
Day 9: Shanghai (B,D)
After breakfast, visit Jin Mao Tower Observation Deck (88th floor) for a panoramic view of Huangpu River and the Bund. After lunch, head to the Old Street in the City God Temple area, symbolic of the large temple complex and surrounding traditional district of commerce in the city. After tonight’s farewell celebration dinner, you can cap off the celebrations by joining an optional Huangpu River Cruise for a glimpse of the dazzling and charming view of Shanghai (at your own expense).
Day 10: Shanghai – Auckland (B)
After breakfast, transfer to Shanghai airport to board your overnight connecting flight via an intermediate city to Auckland. The trip may be over, but the experiences and memories will certainly last a lifetime.
Day 11: Auckland
Arrive home today.
Hotel Accommodation (4-5 star local rating):
Beijing - Wyndham Beijing North or similar
Suzhou - Suzhou QingShan Hotel or similar
Wuxi - Days Hotel Baile Wuxi or similar
Hangzhou - Merchant Marco Garden Hotel or similar
Shanghai - Howard Johnson Hongqiao Hotel or similar
Note: The hotels listed are not guaranteed and are based on local ratings. Nexus Holidays reserves the right to substitute other hotels than those listed above. Hotel locations can be within or outside itinerary cities and may not be centrally located. If a change becomes necessary for any reason, the hotel substituted will be of equivalent to 4-5-star local rating. Double-bedded rooms may be requested but are never guaranteed. We endeavour to always book non-smoking rooms however these cannot be guaranteed.
