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China

China’s Capital Cities: Beijing, Xi’an & Shanghai

Program No. 22555RJ
Encounter the best of China as you enjoy a week exploring its capital cities. Take in the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, and talk with students and families.
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Small GroupCity DiscoveriesMulti-City Discoveries
Length
11 days
Rating (5)
Activity Level
Starts at
3,249
Flights start at
1,450
Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
11 days
10 nights
What's Included
23 meals ( 9B, 7L, 7D )
5 expert-led lectures
12 expert-led field trips
1 flight during the program
4 hands-on experiences
3 performances
An experienced Group Leader
9 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
After arrival at the airport, pass through quarantine inspection and immigration, then go to the International Baggage Claim Hall. Collect luggage and proceed to the International Arrivals Hall where a Road Scholar representative will be waiting and will accompany the group for transfer to the hotel. Hotel check in from 2:00 p.m.
Afternoon:
After arriving at our hotel, take some time to freshen up and relax. We will then gather together for our welcome meeting and Orientation. Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We'll review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We'll review any COVID-19 protocols . Group Leaders for the Road Scholar program are qualified national guides who are staff members of the Chinese American Educational Exchange (CAEE). All are university graduates, fluent in English, well-educated in safety and protocol, and supported by offices nationwide. Most lunches and dinners will be “family style” with various dishes placed on a “Lazy Susan” turntable in the center of the table where everyone helps themselves. Chopsticks and forks will be available as well as Chinese spoons which are used for serving and for soup at the end of a meal. Tea and water are served with all meals; other beverages available for purchase. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/current conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity Note
Walking about 3 miles throughout the day; generally flat, paved terrain with places to rest. Boat rides about 45 minutes each. Riding time on coach during the day about 1 ½ hrs. (Note that occasionally the canal boat cruise to Summer Palace must be canceled due to water, weather and other conditions - in which case we will coach to the Summer Palace.)
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Elective early morning tai ji session (before breakfast) with Group Leader, approximately 1/2 hour; no special clothes or shoes required. After breakfast, we coach to a dock on the Imperial Waterway Canal and board a boat for a scenic cruise to the Summer Palace. The Imperial Waterway was built for the royal family to travel to their Summer Palace and only in recent years has it become accessible to the public. We disembark near the Summer Palace and take a short walk to its south gate. From there we cruise across its Kunming lake past lily ponds and arched bridges to the opposite shore. There we explore sections of this 700 acre imperial garden where its painted pavilions depict stories that reflect the rich history of Chinese life and art.
Lunch:
at local restaurant
Afternoon:
We return to our hotel and gather for a presentation by a local expert who will introduce China’s Lands and Peoples in a talk at our hotel.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant, we’ll savor the famous culinary delight, Beijing Roast Duck, a.k.a. Peking Duck. The dish was first created for Ming Dynasty emperors six hundred years ago. The ducks are specially raised and the elaborate preparation involves a series of steps to produce the crispy skin and savory meat with traditional accompaniments such as scallion and sweet bean sauce, all rolled inside a thin pancake.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; city driving. Walking about 2 miles throughout the day; generally flat, paved terrain with places to rest; up to 80 steps with railings at Forbidden City
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We take an early coachride to the Forbidden City, a 250-acre imperial compound. The Forbidden City was the personal residence of emperors and China’s political center for more than five centuries. Under imperial rule, entrance was forbidden to all without the Emperor’s permission. The world’s largest palace complex, the Forbidden City is surrounded by a moat 170 feet wide, a wall 32 feet high and it contains 8,700 rooms. Construction began in 1407 and was completed in 1420.
Lunch:
We take a short coach ride to an “Old Beijing” hutong, for a family-hosted lunch including jaozi (Chinese style dumplings). Hutongs are old residential neighborhoods with traditional courtyard homes situated in small lanes and alleys that are rapidly disappearing due to urban development.
Afternoon:
We will walk about this hutong district which includes many historic residences including the former home of Song Qing Ling. Song (her surname) was an influential revolutionary figure in the development of modern China and was the wife of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, revered as the first president of the Republic of China. The residence, in which Song lived from 1963 until her death in 1981, is now a museum which preserves Song's living quarters, her office, and the surrounding peaceful gardens which were once part of a prince’s estate. A separate Hall includes exhibits highlighting Song’s work and life.
Dinner:
at a nearby restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 100 miles throughout the day, approximately 4 hours riding time. Getting on/off a cable car to a higher point on the wall (weather and wind permitting). Walking up to 1.5 miles; steep sections, walking sticks or trekking poles helpful.
Breakfast:
at the hotel.
Morning:
We'll board a motorcoach and ride outside Beijing to a green mountain range to explore the Great Wall of China and enjoy spectacular views of the wall as it winds up and down the distant mountains. The Wall was constructed in numerous sections over a period of 2,000 years and stretches from northern China up to Mongolia and westwards.
Lunch:
At the Great Wall, we will have box lunches.
Afternoon:
Returning to the city, we stop at “the heart of Beijing” — Tian’anmen Square. Meaning “Gate of Heavenly Peace,” Tian’anmen serves as the location for formal celebrations and ceremonies. More commonly, this huge piazza is where families come to stroll and chat and where kites and balloons abound. In it are located the Chairman Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, the China National Museum, Great Hall of the People, Monument to the People’s Heroes, and the Tiananmen Tower. The square was the site of pro-democracy protests seen around the world in 1989. Our Group Leader will provide commentary. We then coach back to the hotel.
Dinner:
Following a very full day, supper is of your own choosing. Your Group Leader can make suggestions and provide you with a simple map of the surrounding area with some restaurants indicated. If you prefer something light and/or "Western," there is a nearby bakery and convenience stores as well as some international franchises that have pizza and takeaway options.
Evening:
at leisure
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; city driving. Getting on/off bullet train, riding about 755 miles, approximately 4.5 hours. Walking about 1/2 mile; 27 (elective) steps at Temple of Heaven. Toilets and storage spaces for luggage are available at each end of the bullet train cars. In addition to the dining car, there is trolley service throughout the train with water, soft drinks, beer, and snacks for purchase. Hot water for tea and coffee is also available in each car.
Breakfast:
Early at the hotel.
Morning:
We set out early and coach to the 15th century architectural masterpiece, the Temple of Heaven, which symbolizes the relationship between heaven and earth. With our Group Leader, we walk the park-like grounds where local people gather every day to practice their calligraphy and tai ji, play musical instruments, learn various dance forms or simply fly fanciful kites.It is a pleasant place to meet local people in an informal and beautiful setting. We’ll then coach to the Beijing train station and board the high speed “bullet” train to the city of Xi’an.
Lunch:
We'll have lunch on board the train.
Afternoon:
Xi’an ('She-Ann') is one of China’s oldest cities and was the capital during the golden age of the Tang Dynasty (618 to 906 CE). Our train journey will take us through northeast urban areas and the surrounding countryside of China’s Yellow Soil Plateau. We ride through three provinces: Hebei, Henan, and then into Shaanxi to the city of Xi'an. China's high-speed trains reach speeds of 155-185 miles per hour yet the ride is smooth and comfortable. Upon arrival at the Xi'an train station, we will be met by our local expert and escorted to the hotel via motorcoach.
Dinner:
En route to our hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Elective taiji session before breakfast with Group Leader, approximately 1/2 hour; no special clothes or shoes required. Getting on/off a motorcoach; city driving. Walking up to 0.6 mile, or 1.5 miles total if choosing to walk back to hotel from Muslim section.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We board a motorcoach and ride to Xi’an International Studies University — one of China’s key institutions of higher learning — and meet with a faculty expert who discuss Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism as a way of understanding Chinese character and customs. We’ll then take a short tour of the campus before lunch.
Lunch:
In the university dining room, we’ll have a family-style meal with typical Chinese dishes.
Afternoon:
With our Group Leader, we reboard the motorcoach and ride to Xian’s Hui Muslim section for a walking field trip. Among the highlights are its beautiful Great Mosque, one of China’s best preserved. Xi’an was a hub of the Silk Road in ancient times. Merchants, traders, and students from Islamic lands were drawn there and settled down. Over generations, they became known as the Hui people, officially recognized as one of China’s ethnic minorities. There were thousands of mosques in China at one time, but most are now gone. Those who would like to stay longer in the Hui Muslim area to explore independently are welcome to do so and walk or take a taxi back to the hotel. The motorcoach will return to the hotel with those who would like to return sooner.
Dinner:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Stay in the Hui Muslim area and enjoy local fare or return to the hotel aboard our motorcoach and dine out independently at a nearby restaurant or at the hotel.
Evening:
at leisure
Activity Note
Activity note: Elective taiji before breakfast. Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 50 miles, approximately 2 hours round-trip riding time. Walking up to approximately 2 miles; generally flat, paved terrain.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Morning tai ji practice before breakfast. After breakfast, we board a motorcoach for a field trip to the huge tomb site of the Qin ('Chin') Emperor, containing an army of life size terra cotta figures which was one of the most astounding archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. With our Group Leader we explore sections of this vast site where three huge pits are filled with terra-cotta soldiers, cavalry, archers, horses and chariots. There are an estimated 8,000 individual figures though the total number is still unknown. Traces of paint suggest they were once brilliantly colored. Experimental digs in nearby areas have revealed other types of figures such as acrobats, dancers, and musicians, but further excavations are “on hold” due to the complex conditions at the site.
Lunch:
at a local restaurant
Afternoon:
Returning to the hotel, we’ll be joined by artists from the Xian Music Institute who will introduce their traditional Chinese instruments and perform a private concert for our Road Scholar group.
Dinner:
At a favorite local restaurant a short walk from the hotel.
Evening:
We’ll get together with our Group Leader for elective Chinese conversation practice. Prepare for hotel check out and flight transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Elective taiji before breakfast. Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 27 miles, approximately 1 hour riding time. Getting on/off aircraft; flight approximately 2.5 hours. Walking about1.5 miles; generally even paved terrain.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Elective tai ji practice before breakfast. This morning we check out of the hotel and ride to the Xi’an airport for our flight to Shanghai, China’s most cosmopolitan city and the world’s busiest port.
Lunch:
at a restaurant near the Yu Garden.
Afternoon:
From the Shanghai airport, we’ll board a motorcoach and ride to Shanghai’s historic old section. With our Group Leader, we’ll explore the nearby Yu Garden whose classical pavilions, fountains, and arching bridges exemplify traditional Chinese garden landscaping. Depending on time, we will either check in to the hotel after Yu Garden or go directly to dinner in order to be on time for the acrobatics performance this evening.
Dinner:
At a restaurant near the Shanghai Acrobatics theater, we’ll have dishes belonging to Huaiyang cuisine, one of the “Four Great Cuisines” of China.
Evening:
We walk to the Shanghai Acrobatics theater to attend an evening of amazing skill and prowess in a performance by the world-famous Shanghai Acrobatics Troupe. Acrobatics has been an important component of Chinese performing arts for more than 2,000 years. Many of the feats performed originated with skills perfected by artisans and craftspeople. Acrobatics also figure in other performance genres such as Chinese opera.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; city driving. Walking up to 2.5 miles throughout the day, indoors and out; generally flat paved terrain. Elevators and escalators in Shanghai Museum.
Breakfast:
At the hotel
Morning:
We coach to the magnificent state-of-the-art Shanghai Museum which is home to China’s finest collection of paintings, ceramics, bronzes, and sculptures — an impressive testimony to China’s long and rich culture. Individual audio guides will be provided so that you can explore according to your own interests. The museum is located in People's Square, situated on the south side of the former colonial Shanghai horse racing course. Feel free to leave the museum earlier and wander about the surrounding park. Your Group Leader will designate a meeting spot and time for our afternoon departure.
Lunch:
Lunch is of your own choosing so that you can explore the museum or its grounds at your own pace. The museum has a small café and your Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions for restaurants nearby.
Afternoon:
This afternoon we coach to the Bund, Shanghai’s iconic waterfront characterized by Art Deco and Neoclassical architecture which date from the time of foreign concessions. We’ll view the busy river activity and the maze of glittering skyscrapers newly built across the river on what was, until recently, undeveloped farmland. The motorcoach will return to the hotel after our field trip.
Dinner:
At a nearby restaurant, enjoy a farewell dinner.
Activity Note
Hotel check out 12:00 Noon. See your program’s “Getting There” information regarding transfers.
Breakfast:
At the hotel depending on departure times. This concludes our program.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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