Welcome to your Cox & Kings 'Magical China' tour! On arrival in Beijing, you will be met & escorted by our representative to your hotel (check in after 1400 hours). The rest of the evening is free to explore this city of marvels on your own. (D)

Today your exciting day unfolds with a guided city tour of Beijing, viewing historic landmarks like Tian'anmen Square. It's the largest open public square in the world, flanked by the imposing Tian'anmen Gate & crowned by a tower with a typical tiled roof & the Museums of History and Revolution. "Tian'anmen" (Gate of Heavenly Peace) is the original gate of the Imperial Palace. Your city tour continues to the palace, better known as the Forbidden City. Admire this architectural masterpiece with exotic pavilions, serene courtyards, rich halls and picturesque gardens. The grand finale is a visit to the Summer Palace, a magnificent imperial garden located 12 km west of Beijing City. A former summer retreat for emperors, it is the largest & most ancient preserved garden in China, & includes over a 100 ancient pavilions, mansions, towers, halls, temples, bridges & an enormous clear water lake. In the evening, you will thoroughly enjoy spectacular performances by talented artists at the Beijing Acrobatic Show. (B, D)

Today, you will visit the only man-made structure visible from the moon, the Great Wall of China, one of the oldest historic monuments in the world and a symbol of China's ancient civilization. Just like a gigantic dragon, it winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus from east to west of China. Traditionally known as the "Wall of Ten thousand Li", it leaves you spellbound by its sheer magnitude and architectural splendour. Continue on an interesting drive along the Spirit Way guarded by stone animals and human figures, to arrive at the Imperial Tombs, the only existing burial chambers of the Ming Emperors. (B, D)

We fly to Xian this morning and visit the archaeological site of the amazing Terracotta Warriors - 2,000 lifesize terracotta soldiers on horseback; each, celebrating Chinese unification. (B, D)

This morning, your guided city tour of Xian commences with a visit to Huaqing Hot Springs, a picturesque spot with beautiful hot spring baths, a lake and luxury pavilions that served as the emperor's leisure residence. Later, visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which houses sutras collected by a wandering Chinese monk in India, celebrating the onset of Buddhism in China. We end our tour with a visit to the Ancient City Wall built in 1374 AD on the lines of the city of Changan in the Tang Dynasty. They are 11.9 km in girth, with a top width of 12 to 14 meters, built of grey bricks and still stand from the Middle Ages. The gate towers built over each of the four city gates, painted a dark green, look lofty and magnificent, and form a tight defence engineering system. Later, shop for Chinese Jade and other artefacts along Ancient Style Street. Enjoy an optional viewing of the Tang Dynasty Show, for a performance of Chang'an music and dance, which originated in China's Tang dynasty over a 1,000 years ago. Also view a display of various ancient Chinese musical instruments. (B, D)

This morning, proceed to the airport for your flight to Guilin. Guilin is a famous city with beautiful scenery and one of the best cities to shop for Chinese souvenirs, gems, traditional bamboo and wood carvings. On arrival in Guilin, visit Elephant Trunk Hill, one of the most famous sights of River Li. The hill looks like an elephant dipping its snout into the Li River, hence its name, 'Elephant Trunk Hill'. It is located at the confluence of Le River and Peach Blossom River in the southwest of the Guilin city. Later, visit Fubo Hill to the northeast of downtown Guilin and it has the famous Xinxi Marquis Temple built during the Tang dynasty. It is also one of Guilin's karst mountains, but with the most unique and interesting shape of all of them. Lastly, visit Reed Flute Cave, located on the northwest outskirts of Guilin and enjoy some of the most extraordinary underground scenery in all of China. The natural rock formations in the cave conjure up several scenes including a 'Primitive Forest', 'Crystal Palace', and 'Flower and Fruit Mountain'. (B, D)

This morning, enjoy a guided city tour of Guilin. Your day trip commences with a cruise on River Li, covering 83 km from Guilin to Yangshou. This section of the river, with its clear water and clusters of pinnacles, seems like a Chinese painting. (B, D)

You fly to Shanghai this morning, and, on arrival, set off on an exciting guided city tour, which includes a visit to the living temple of the Jade Buddha, the remarkably beautiful Jade Buddha from Burma. Drive past the Bund, a popular promenade on the riverfront, lined with shops, to the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, one of the tallest buildings in Asia. (B, D)

Today, you will witness the talent of ancient Chinese landscape gardeners who created illusions of mountains, gorges, lakes and caverns in a thimbleful of space: Yu Yuan Gardens, not far from the Bund, are the most celebrated, classical Chinese gardens in Shanghai, with their exquisite layout and beautiful scenery. Later on, proceed to Town God's Temple, a major Taoist temple in Shanghai. We also visit the Peoples' Square and Century Park. (B, D)

Good times need never end! As you get ready for the airport and your flight back home, relive the high points of your Cox & Kings tour.

We are confident you will join us again, sometime soon…

(B either in the hotel or on board the flight)