Road Scholar : Return to the Wild: Teaching China’s Giant Pandas - China

Return to the Wild: Teaching China’s Giant Pandas

Program Number:

21031RJ

Start and End Dates:


	8/28/2013 - 9/13/2013;

Duration:

16 nights

Location:

China

Price starting at:

$6,495.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city

Program Type:

Service Learning

Meals:

38; 15 Breakfasts, 11 Lunches, 12 Dinners

Meal Options:

Vegetarian

The giant but gentle panda, an icon of China, is an endangered species threatened by loss of habitat and low birth rates. In the leafy mountains of Sichuan province, help prepare pandas cared for in captivity to return to the wilderness where they will bolster the population. Plus explore Shanghai, Xi’an and Beijing with local experts. Road Scholar is offering this special Service Learning program in cooperation with Earthwatch Institute, a non-profit organization engaging people worldwide in field research and education.

Highlights

• Work up close with charismatic giant pandas, feeding them, monitoring their behaviors and training them to thrive in the wild.
• Walk the Great Wall, enter the Forbidden City, encounter an emperor’s Terracotta Army and consider the mixed marvel of Shanghai’s glittering skyline.
• Immerse yourself in the day-to-day life of Chinese people as you meet and talk with students and neighborhood committee members.

Activity Particulars

Walking up to two miles per day; terrain can be rugged, steep and slippery. Stairs without railings.

Itinerary Summary

Arrival Shanghai, 2 nights; flight to Xi’an, 4 nights; flight to Chengdu, coach to Ya’an, 5 nights; flight to Beijing, 4 nights; departure.

Overnight flight from the U.S.A.	1 night
Arrival Shanghai	2 nights
Flight to Xi’an	4 nights

Examine ancient Chinese art at the Shanghai Museum and take a walk in spectacular Yu Garden, a wonderful example of classic Chinese garden design. Savor a vegetarian dinner prepared by monks at Longhua Buddhist Temple. A lecture at Xi’an International Studies University helps you to understand the Chinese worldview and is followed by a chance to chat with students. Witness one of history’s greatest archaeological finds: the thousands of terracotta warriors in the mausoleum of China’s first emperor.

Flight to Chengdu
Coach to Ya’an	5 nights

Your service project takes place at the nature reserve at Bfengxia Panda Base, a renowned breeding facility where you work with the mother pandas and newborn cubs, feeding them, monitoring behaviors and keeping their living area clean. Enjoy special access to the breeding area and nursery, which are closed to the public. Learn to monitor giant pandas that are being prepared for life in the wilderness. Assist with training activities, help survey the wild panda population and maybe even put on a panda suit to deliver bamboo to the bears.

Flight to Beijing	4 nights
Departure

Stand in awe of the grand Temple of Heaven, signifying the relationship between earth and sky, and explore the Forbidden City. Walk the “Wild Great Wall,” a section that remains as it was centuries ago. Learn about life in the traditional “hutongs” (narrow alleys) of Old Beijing and enjoy a celebratory farewell dinner of Peking Duck.

China

From the opening of the Silk Road in the 1st Century BC, marking the beginning of trade between Central Asia and the burgeoning empires in the West, China has inspired global evolution. Six millennia of calligraphy, music, and dance emerged from the behemoth land during a dozen dynasties marked by conflicts of religion, power, and territory. Ruling emperors gave way to Communism and to Modern China, home to a fifth of the world’s population.

Accommodations
Shanghai: Five-star city center hotel. Xi’an: Four-star hotel located within the old city walls. Ya’an: Modern city center hotel. Beijing: Four-star city hotel.

Meals and Lodgings
	Four Points by Sheraton Daning Hotel Shanghai
		Shanghai	2 nights
	Grand Noble Hotel
		Xi’an, China	4 nights
	IBIS Hotel
		Ya'an Bifengxia Panda Base, China	5 nights
	Qianmen Jianguo Hotel
		Beijing	4 nights

Four Points by Sheraton Daning Hotel Shanghai
	Type:	Five-Star Hotel
	Description:	This five star hotel is in the city center, close to many of Shanghai's highlights and within walking distance of one of Shanghai’s most popular parks where locals gather for traditional exercises and exchange of local news.
	Contact info:	No.1928 Gonghexin Road, Zhabei District Shanghai, 200070 China phone: +86 21 2602 2222
	Room amenities:	Air-conditioning, television, mini-bar, hair dryer, room service, rooms will be no smoking but hotel has smoking areas.
	Facility amenities:	AC, daily laundry, indoor swimming pool, fitness center, cafe, bar, restaurants, business center, currency exchange, free wi-fi in hotel lobby
	Smoking allowed:	Yes
	Elevators available:	Yes
	Additional nights prior:	Contact your Program Provider. contact your Program Provider;

Grand Noble Hotel
	Type:	Four-Star Hotel
	Description:	Located inside the city walls in the heart of 'downtown' Xi'an, this recently renovated hotel (formerly known as the Royal Garden Hotel) is close to the city's main attractions, including the Bell Tower and Muslim Section.
	Contact info:	334 DongDaJie (East) Street Xi'an, NA 710001 China phone: +86 29 8769 0000
	Room amenities:	air-conditioning, television, mini-bar, hair dryer
	Facility amenities:	laundry service, business center, coffee bar, room service
	Smoking allowed:	Yes
	Elevators available:	Yes

IBIS Hotel
	Type:	Hotel
	Description:	Centrally located and one of the best hotels in Ya'an.
	Contact info:	36 Yan Jiang Zhong Road Ya'an, Sichuan Province, NA 625000 China phone: +86 )835/2225555 web: http://www.ibishotel.com
	Room amenities:	internet access, 110/120 V AC, 220/240 V AC, Airconditioning, Telephone, Operator wake up call, Automatic wake up call, Pay per view channel(s), atellite/cable colour TV, High speed transmission line
	Facility amenities:	Dining rooms, meeting rooms, bars, Safe deposit box at reception. Nearby supermarkets, a hospital, restaurants (western and Chinese), and other recreational places, .
	Smoking allowed:	Yes
	Elevators available:	Yes

Qianmen Jianguo Hotel
	Type:	Four-Star Hotel
	Description:	Originally built in the 1950s, this modernized hotel is located in a traditional district south of Beijing's famous Chan An Avenue and short distance from many of Beijing's historic and monumental sites, including Tian'anmen Square, the Temple of Heaven, and the Forbidden City. It also maintains a well-known theater devoted to nightly performances of Beijing Opera.
	Ship Information:	na
	Contact info:	175 Yonggan Road Xuanwu District Beijing, NA 100050 China phone: +86 -10-6301-6688 web: www.qianmenhotel.com
	Room amenities:	Air-conditioning, satellite television, free room non-wifi internet access, international direct-dial telephone, safe-deposit box, mini-bar, laundry service, coffee- and tea-making facilities. All rooms are non-smoking.
	Facility amenities:	Four restaurants with Western and Chinese cuisine, rooftop bar, business center, fitness center, beauty salon, Liyuan Peking Opera theater.
	Smoking allowed:	Yes
	Elevators available:	Yes
	Additional nights after:	Program Provider (CAEE) Additional nights pre-program can be arranged by your Program Provider.Contact Chinese American Educational Exchange: email: toc@ix.netcom.com tel: 212 334 1971

Travel Details
	Start of Program: Meet your Group Leader in the hotel lobby at 6:00 pm on the arrival day and join a welcome meeting. Check-in time for your hotel is 2:00 pm on Day 2. You will be staying at Four Points by Sheraton Daning Hotel Shanghai that night.
	End of Program: Your program ends at 11:30 am. Check-out time from your hotel is 12:00 pm/noon. You will be staying at Qianmen Jianguo Hotel the night before.
	Required documents: The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required. APPLYING FOR YOUR CHINA VISA: U.S. RESIDENTS: Due to the complexities of obtaining a China visa we strongly urge you to use Road Scholar's designated visa service. Whether or not you use GenVisa, you must submit the following for your application: 1. Your completed visa application form with official photo as described. Tip: if you choose Journalist or Religious Worker as your occupation, your visa could be denied. 2. An official Abbreviated Itinerary with Accommodations information on Road Scholar letterhead and which has your name included. That document will be mailed or emailed to you separately. 3. If you have NOT purchased your international air tickets from Road Scholar and/or if you are NOT using GenVisa, you must also submit a copy of your confirmed international flight information. (If you have purchased your international air from Road Scholar and are using GenVisa, your flight information will be submitted to GenVisa for you.) NON US RESIDENTS: If you are not using GenVisa, some of the requirements may differ. You should check with your Chinese Consulate or with a visa agency you have chosen. If an official letter of invitation from China is required, the Chinese American Educational Exchange (CAEE) can email or mail you one. To request such a letter contact CAEE: email: toc@ix.netcom.com phone: 212 334 1971. A passport which must be valid for at least 6 months past trip return date; US passports need a minimum of 2 blank visa pages and Canadian citizens also need a minimum of 2 blank visa pages. A visa is required for travel in China and is not included in the program fee. Earthwatch Participation Form which is included in first Information Mailing. This form should be returned to Chinese American Educational Exchange. Addresses for mailing, emailing, faxing are on the form. Canadians and all others not holding US passports should contact Participant Services at (800) 454-5768.
	Parking availability: n/a

Transportation		(For Independent Travelers)

	Train or bus availability:	n/a

	To Start of Program
	Location:	Shanghai
	Transportation to site:	If independent flights do not coincide with the designated group transfer or if arrivals are a day or more earlier than the program start date, it is the responsibility of participant(s) to make arrangements to get to the program site. Taking a taxi from the airport to your hotel is very easy. Your Final Information Packet includes a sheet with taxi information and your hotel location in English and in Chinese characters. Just show it to a taxi driver and he will know exactly where to go. Many participants have used this sheet and no one has ever had a problem. Taxi cost from Shanghai airport to your hotel is about $40 US (240 yuan). Taxi cost between Beijing airport and your hotel is about $30 US (170 Chinese yuan) per car. Tip is not expected. (You will need to buy Chinese currency at the airport upon arrival. ATM's and Foreign Currency Exchange desks are easy to locate. All signs include English.) Take taxis at designated taxi stands and make sure the driver turns on the meter. Time to the hotel by car takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour (depending on traffic).

	From End of Program
	Location:	Beijing
	Transportation from site:	Program Only Participants (POP) can take the scheduled airport transfer free of charge if there is room in the transfer vehicle. Alternately, your Group Leader can help you arrange a taxi. Cost is about $30 US (240 Chinese yuan) per car. Tip is not expected.

Elevation Note: Panda Base is at 3,900 feet; some field work at 8,200 feet.

Equipment Requirements: for field work: broken-in hiking boots with ankle support; Please also see 'Expedition Packing Checklist' on p. 4 in Earthwatch Briefing Brochure. A hard copy will be mailed to you under separate cover after you receive your first information mailing. It is also available on line at: http://www.earthwatch.org/Briefings/zhang_briefing.pdf

The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Daily Schedule

Day 1:

Depart for China/ Cross International Dateline
(Wednesday, August 28)

Depart From:

Departures from North America. Cross International Dateline.

Day 2:

Arrive Shanghai/ Welcome Meeting
(Thursday, August 29)

Afternoon:	Meet your Group Leader and fellow participants in the hotel lobby at 6 pm. Get together for a welcome meeting.
Dinner:	at a nearby restaurant
Evening:	at your leisure

Accommodations:	Four Points by Sheraton Daning Hotel Shanghai
Meals Included:	Dinner

Day 3:

Fine Arts Museum/ Yu Garden/ the Bund/ Longhua Temple Vegetarian Dinner
(Friday, August 30)

Breakfast:	buffet breakfast in your hotel served from 6:30 am to 8:30 am.
Morning:	Explore Shanghai's fine arts museum, home to China's finest collection of bronzes, painting, sculpture, and ceramics. Audio guides are provided so that you can explore according to your own interests and pace.
Lunch:	In order for you to take full advantage of your time at Shanghai's Fine Arts Museum, your Group Leader will provide you with a voucher so that you can take lunch at the Museum restaurant according to your own timing.
Afternoon:	This afternoon, depart for the Ming dynasty Yu Garden whose classical pavilions, fountains, and arching bridges exemplify traditional Chinese garden landscaping. After, depart for a walkabout on the Bund, Shanghai's active waterfront that dates from colonial concessions and retains neo classic and art deco buildings considered among Shanghai's lasting treasures.
Dinner:	Continue on to Longhua Temple for an imaginative vegetarian dinner prepared under the supervision of monks at Shanghai's most active temple.
Evening:	at your leisure

Accommodations:	Four Points by Sheraton Daning Hotel Shanghai
Meals Included:	Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4:

Tai ji/ Future Shanghai/ Xin Tian Di/ flight to Xi'an
(Saturday, August 31)

Breakfast:	buffet breakfast is offered at your hotel (6:30 am to 8:30 am). You are welcome to join your Group Leader at 7:00 am for before-breakfast tai ji class.
Morning:	At the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, view archival photos and a vast scale model of Shanghai as projected in 2020. Then continue on to Xin Tian Di ('New Heaven Earth'), a fashionable restored district. Explore its lanes, cafes, shops, and a small restored resident/museum independently.
Lunch:	Have a lunch of your own choosing in one of the many cafes or restaurants in Xintiandi.
Afternoon:	depart for Shanghai Hongqiao Airport for your flight to Xi'an.
Dinner:	Dinner is at your hotel.
Evening:	Join your Group Leader after dinner for an optional informal Chinese conversation session.

Accommodations:	Grand Noble Hotel
Meals Included:	Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5:

Tai ji/ Chinese Cultural History/University Lunch/ Student Get-together/ Shaanxi Museum
(Sunday, September 1)

Breakfast:	buffet breakfast is offered at your hotel 7:30 am to 8:30 am. You are welcome to join your Group Leader for optional tai ji class before breakfast at 7:00 am.
Morning:	This morning a talk at Xi'an International Studies University discusses Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism as a way of understanding Chinese 'character' and life views.
Lunch:	Lunch is in the University Dining Hall. After lunch, join English-speaking students for a look at their campus and for informal chats.
Afternoon:	Depart for Shaanxi Provincial Museum, one of China's finest and which provides a rich window into dynastic China.
Dinner:	Walk to a nearby local restaurant for dinner.

Accommodations:	Grand Noble Hotel
Meals Included:	Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6:

Tai ji/ Muslim (Hui) Walkabout/Drum Tower/Chinese Music
(Monday, September 2)

Breakfast:	buffet breakfast is offered at your hotel 7:30 am to 8:30 am. You are welcome to join your Group Leader for optional tai ji class before breakfast at 7:00 am.
Morning:	Walk about Xi'an's lively Hui (Muslim) district. Explore commercial and residential areas, and street markets. Enjoy its beautiful Great Mosque, built in the style of Chinese temples. Meet at Xi'an's Drum Tower for a brief but dynamic traditional Chinese drum presentation and bird’s eye views of the surrounding area .
Lunch:	At a nearby Muslim restaurant, savor a delicious lunch with local flavors
Afternoon:	At Xi'an Music Institute learn about traditional Chinese instruments and enjoy a private performance.
Dinner:	This evening is a chance for you to explore local fare on your own.
Evening:	At your leisure.

Accommodations:	Grand Noble Hotel
Meals Included:	Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7:

Tai ji/ Terra Cotta Warriors/ China and the Environment/ Xi’an Dumplings Dinner
(Tuesday, September 3)

Breakfast:	7:30 - 8:30 am: buffet breakfast is offered at your hotel. You are welcome to join your Group Leader for optional tai ji practice from 7:00 am to 07:45 am.
Morning:	This morning visit an army of larger-than-life terra cotta warriors, graceful archers and cavalry that were buried with a Qin Emperor more than 2,000 years ago and only uncovered in 1974 -- considered one of the most astounding archeological finds of the 20th century.
Lunch:	Lunch is at restaurant in the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum.
Afternoon:	Return to your hotel. After a rest, get together for a talk about China's environmental concerns.
Dinner:	Dinner is at a restaurant that offers a Xi'an specialty: assorted dumplings of various sizes, shapes and fillings.
Evening:	If time permits, get together with your Group Leader for some informal Chinese conversation practice.

Accommodations:	Grand Noble Hotel
Meals Included:	Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8:

Tai Ji / Flight to Chengdu/ Transfer to Ya’an near Bifengxia Panda Base for Earthwatch Expedition: On the Trail of Giant Pandas/ Service Field Work
(Wednesday, September 4)

Breakfast:	7:30 - 8:30 am: buffet breakfast is offered at your hotel. You are welcome to join your Group Leader for optional tai ji practice from 7:00 am to 07:45 am.
Morning:	We will make a late morning departure for Xi’an airport.
Lunch:	Lunch will be at the airport or en route.
Afternoon:	Your Group Leader will accompany you to Xi'an airport and assist you there for your flight to Chengdu. (You will meet your Group Leader again in Beijing after your Earthwatch Expedition.) At Chengdu Airport, Earthwatch staff will meet you and escort you to Ya’an, near Bifengxia Panda Base.
Dinner:	6:00 pm: at Ya’an
Evening:	Evening session (safety briefing and program introduction). Your Earthwatch project takes place at the Ya'an Bifengxia panda base, where you will monitor mother pandas and cubs. You'll prepare and deliver bamboo to the captive pandas, and help keep their living area clean. As an Earthwatch team member, you’ll be granted special access to the breeding area and nursery of the panda base, which remain closed to the general public throughout the year. Collectively, your responsibilities will work towards the long-term goal of 'reinforcing' small and isolated populations of wild panda in the region, through the strategic release of captive pandas.

Accommodations:	IBIS Hotel
Meals Included:	Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9:

Earthwatch Expedition: On the Trail of Giant Pandas/ Service Field Work
(Thursday, September 5)

Breakfast:	7:00 am - 8:00 breakfast at hotel.
Morning:	8:30 am: leave for Bifengxia semi-reintroduction base where pandas are trained to return to the wild. Introduction to research at Bifengxia and training. Note: you will have been briefed on the project during the evening session on Day 1 and on the background information of the site when you first arrive on site. In the field, you will receive training on how to monitor panda behavior and care for panda cubs. You will also learn how to assess video materials and take accurate notes for research purposes. Volunteers will be divided into small groups for collecting data, and groups will switch between research tasks on different days. Your assignments may include: installing and monitoring camera traps; preparing food for pandas; monitoring, recording and sorting videos of pandas in training for release into the wild; patrolling the fence of the reserve while wearing a panda suit to avoid habituating pandas to humans; caring for baby pandas.
Lunch:	12:00 pm at Bifengxia
Afternoon:	Continue field work at Bifengxia
Dinner:	6:00 pm: at Bifengxia
Evening:	at your leisure

Accommodations:	IBIS Hotel
Meals Included:	Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10:

Earthwatch Expedition: On the Trail of Giant Pandas
(Friday, September 6)

Breakfast:	7:00 am - 8:00 breakfast at hotel.
Morning:	8:00 am: leave for Bifengxia semi-reintroduction base. Continue with training.
Lunch:	12:30 - 1:30 in Ya'an
Afternoon:	1:00 – 2:00 movie time. 2:00 pm Data collection – observing panda behavior, 4:30 lecture
Dinner:	6:00 pm: dinner at Bifengxia.
Evening:	at your leisure

Accommodations:	IBIS Hotel
Meals Included:	Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11:

Earthwatch Expedition: On the Trail of Giant Pandas/ Service Field Work
(Saturday, September 7)

Breakfast:	7:00 - 8:00 am: breakfast at hotel.
Morning:	8:00 am: Bifengxia Panda Base. Data collection & behavior observation
Lunch:	12:30 - 1:30 at Bifengxia
Afternoon:	2:00 - 4:00 pm: Continue with panda project activities
Dinner:	6:00 pm at Ya'an
Evening:	at your leisure

Accommodations:	IBIS Hotel
Meals Included:	Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12:

Earthwatch Expedition: On the Trail of Giant Pandas/ Service Field Work
(Sunday, September 8)

Breakfast:	7:00 - 8:00 am: breakfast at hotel.
Morning:	8:30 am: leave for Bifengxia Panda Base. Data collection & behavior observation
Lunch:	12:00 pm
Afternoon:	continue project work; Summary, evaluation and wrap-up
Dinner:	6:00 pm: at Ya'an.
Evening:	at your leisure.

Accommodations:	IBIS Hotel
Meals Included:	Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 13:

Earthwatch Expedition Wrap-up and Evaluation/ Flight to Beijing
(Monday, September 9)

Breakfast:	7:00 - 8:00 am: breakfast at hotel.
Morning:	8:30 - 9:30 am: Wrap-up and evaluation. Depart Ya'an for Chengdu airport.
Afternoon:	This afternoon, fly to Beijing where your Group Leader will meet you at Beijing airport.
Dinner:	a light supper will be served in flight.
Evening:	at your leisure

Accommodations:	Qianmen Jianguo Hotel
Meals Included:	Breakfast, Dinner

Day 14:

Temple of Heaven/ Forbidden City
(Tuesday, September 10)

Breakfast:	7:30 am to 8:30 am buffet breakfast is offered in your hotel. You are welcome to join your Group Leader for tai ji practice at 7:00 am.
Morning:	This morning visit the Temple of Heaven. This architectural masterpiece begun in the 15th century symbolizes the relationship between heaven and earth. Choose to walk the extensive grounds or watch the activities of local people as they practice calligraphy and tai chi, play musical instruments
Lunch:	at a local restaurant.
Afternoon:	Explore the Forbidden city, once the seat of Qing Emperors and forbidden to all others. On the way back to your hotel, those who wish can get off at Wangfujing Street, a pedestrian only street popular among locals for food stalls and shopping.
Dinner:	This evening, a chance to sample fare of your own choosing.

Accommodations:	Qianmen Jianguo Hotel
Meals Included:	Breakfast, Lunch

Day 15:

Wild Great Wall
(Wednesday, September 11)

Breakfast:	7:00 am to 8:00 am buffet breakfast at your hotel
Morning:	Early morning departure for day excursion to the Great Wall at Jin Shan Ling sometimes referred to as 'the Wild Great Wall' as it is not overly restored. Take a gondola lift to the upper part of the wall, then walk along its battlements and through watchtowers to experience magnificent views of the wall as it climbs and descends over the distant mountains
Lunch:	A simple box lunch is provided to eat at a spot of your choosing on the wall.
Afternoon:	return to your hotel
Dinner:	at your hotel
Evening:	Get together with your Group Leader for an informal seminar on aspects of contemporary Chinese life such as education, medical care, the growing economy, family planning policies.

Accommodations:	Qianmen Jianguo Hotel
Meals Included:	Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 16:

Old Beijing Hutongs/Tian’anmen Square/ Summer Palace
(Thursday, September 12)

Breakfast:	7:30 am to 8:30 am buffet breakfast is offered in your hotel. You are welcome to join your Group Leader for tai ji practice at 7:00 am.
Morning:	Explore 'Old Beijing' on a walk with your Group Leader through hutongs, (small lanes and alleys lined with homes, small shops and street vendors). The activity and color of these traditional neighborhoods are rapidly disappearing as the city modernizes. Stop in at a local Neighborhood Committee Center to learn how it governs the surrounding community. Continue on to Tian'anmen Square, often referred to as 'the heart of China'.
Lunch:	take lunch of your own choosing in this area that has western and Chinese fare.
Afternoon:	Join your Group Leader for a visit to the Summer Palace or take the afternoon for some individual personal time.
Evening:	depart hotel for a Peking Duck farewell dinner.

Accommodations:	Qianmen Jianguo Hotel
Meals Included:	Breakfast

Day 17:

International Departures
(Friday, September 13)

Breakfast:

buffet breakfast at your hotel. Your Group Leader will give you further information about airport transfer times. Checkout time for your hotel is 12:00 pm/noon.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

Free Time Opportunities
Xi’an	City Walls Take stairs up to the restored city wall for a walk or bike rental. The wall is a wide road that provides views of the city.
	Forest of Stone Steles Museum (Beilin Museum) This small, pleasant museum, once a temple and with peaceful gardens, houses ancient stone tablets with exemplary Chinese calligraphy. It also has a small collection of sculpture and ceramics.
	Herb Market Explore Xi'an's large herb and wild produce market. A good place to bargain for saffron.
	Night Market Xi'an's night market bustles with activity. Locals and visitors stroll, chat and look for bargains.
	People's Park A typical meeting place where various generations gather for tai chi, airing pet birds, playing traditional musical instruments or practicing local opera.

Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

You can't find a better value than Road Scholar.

As a not-for-profit organization, we are dedicated to providing all-inclusive educational programs at great value. From lectures to gratuities to field trips to accommodations - the tuition you pay up front is all that you pay.

Specifically, this program includes:

15 nights accommodations
38 meals: 15 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 12 dinners
Expert-led lectures: 5
Expert-led lectures

Led by one or more of our world-class instructors, typically in a classroom setting, lectures come in the form of presentations, discussions or workshops and offer expert insight into your area of study.
Field trips: 15
Field trips

The world is your classroom, as you're on location with an instructor to pursue your educational theme firsthand.
Hands-on experiences: 20
Hands-on experiences

Learn by doing in these "hands-on" activities directed by an expert.
Performances: 2
Performances

A performance can range from a night at the opera to a visit from a local performer at your hotel.
Flights during the program: 3
Flights during the program

Flights during the program that are included in the program price for all participants.

Plus these special experiences...

Work up close with adult and infant giant pandas as you feed them, monitor their behaviors and prepare them to thrive in the wild.
Walk the Great Wall, enter the Forbidden City, encounter an Emperor's Terracotta Army and consider the mixed marvel of Shanghai's glittering skyline.
Immerse yourself in daily life of Chinese as you talk with students or a neighborhood committee and take part in tai ji and conversation class.
Learn about and enjoy the unique harmonies of classical Chinese music in a private concert.

View the Daily Schedule to see more

And included with all Road Scholar programs:

Learning led by expert instructors who are authorities in the field of study.
An experienced Group Leader attuned to the needs of Road Scholar participants.
Customary gratuities throughout the program that you would normally pay yourself.
The Road Scholar Travel Assistance Plan, providing 24-hour-a-day emergency assistance coverage.
Taxes

Highlights

Activity Particulars

Walking up to two miles per day; terrain can be rugged, steep and slippery. Stairs without railings.

Itinerary Summary

Arrival Shanghai, 2 nights; flight to Xi’an, 4 nights; flight to Chengdu, coach to Ya’an, 5 nights; flight to Beijing, 4 nights; departure.

Overnight flight from the U.S.A.

1 night

Arrival Shanghai

2 nights

Flight to Xi’an

4 nights

Flight to Chengdu

Coach to Ya’an

5 nights

Flight to Beijing

4 nights

Departure

China

Meals and Lodgings

Travel Details

Daily Schedule

Free Time Opportunities

You can't find a better value than Road Scholar.

As a not-for-profit organization, we are dedicated to providing all-inclusive educational programs at great value. From lectures to gratuities to field trips to accommodations - the tuition you pay up front is all that you pay.

Specifically, this program includes:

Plus these special experiences...

And included with all Road Scholar programs: