This exclusive shopping tour to Beijing, Xian, Suzhou and Shanghai visits markets, stores and crafts studios that include some wonderful out-of-the-way places not on the usual tourist route. Even many foreigners living in China are unaware of the incredible bargains now available for purchase in China.

Shopping in China is a real fun experience and amazingly varied … there is an endless array of things to choose from at incredibly low prices. Pearls can be purchased for a fraction of the price of what costume jewelry costs at home. High quality silk rugs are a real bargain. Designer clothes, handbags and pocketbooks, as well as outdoor gear and all types of furniture and antiques can be easily purchased and shipped home if you wish.

While shopping in China, you are sure to be dazzled by the unique array of aesthetic and practical gifts available in the markets. Our knowledgeable guides will, of course, be pleased to assist you with bargaining and all local shopping!

To make shopping in China more memorable, you should ideally shop for products with a regional accent. Some of the best shopping in China includes silk, embroidery, jewelry, antiques, carpets, all manner and styles of paintings, jade carvings, cloisonné, lacquerware, tea and Chinese herbs.

With its wealth of cultural traditions, exotic attractions and dynamic cities, this tour to China will enchant and surprise you…. Come join us for an amazing shopping experience!

ITINERARY
Day 1, Sat. Oct 11 Depart home city
Depart home city for your international flight to Beijing.

Day 2, Sun. Oct 12 Beijing
Afternoon arrival in Beijing, greeting at the airport and transfer to hotel. Welcome dinner at our deluxe hotel.
D Kunlun Hotel

Day 3, Mon. Oct 13 Beijing
Begin your exploration of China by touring three of the nation's most famous sites:
The Forbidden City (the Palace Museum) where in earlier times only members of the royal family were permitted; Tian An Men Square, where Mao Tse Tung raised the flag of the People's Republic; and the Temple of Heaven, widely regarded as the high point of Ming design. This afternoon we will visit Beijing's largest cloisonné factory. Cloisonne is one of the Chinese royal crafts exclusively used in the Imperial families before 1911. The cloisonné technique was transmitted to China from the West and reached its peak of perfection as a result of the concerted efforts of Chinese artisans. Chinese cloisonné became the standard by which the quality and beauty of cloisonné worldwide is measured.
B/L/D Kunlun Hotel

Day 4, Tue. Oct 14 Beijing
Today we will enjoy a full day of sightseeing outside of the city. Our first excursion is to the Great Wall, one of the world's architectural marvels, built section by section between the 5th century BC and the 16th century AD. Then we continue on to the Ming Tomb Gardens, burial ground of 13 emperors during the Ming Dynasty 1368-1640. En route, we will visit a jade factory to see the many different types of jade available in China.
B/L/D Kunlun Hotel

Day 5, Wed. Oct 15 Beijing
This morning, we will visit the Summer Palace of the Qing dynasty, residence of the last empress, and walk leisurely through the beautiful grounds. View the brilliant miniature paintings on the ceiling of the empress' covered walkway alongside her private lake.
In the afternoon, we will visit Liulichang Street and Dashilan Street.
B/L/D Kunlun Hotel

Liulichang Culture Street
For collectors of antiques, Liulichang Culture Street is a place you should not miss. It is a traditional cultural market selling jewelry,antiques and ancient calligraphies and paintings. Note that antiques over one hundred years old are marked with a red seal and an export license must be signed in order to take them out of the country. The best-known shop in this street is Rong Bao Zhai, which was opened about three hundred years ago, and it sells authentic works of art and calligraphy. There are also shops with old watches and furniture.

Dashilan Street
The oldest commercial street in Beijing is Dashilan, the most famous and peculiar prosperous street. Its history can be traced back to five hundred and eighty years ago when the Emperor ordered fences to be built to prevent thieves from hiding. The fences built here were quite peculiar and kept for a long time. Later, Big Fences became the name of this street: Dashilan. Dashilan is situated south of Tiananmen Square, west of Qianmen Dajie, where many century-old shops and restaurants stand. You can also purchase traditional handcrafts here.

Day 6, Thu. Oct 16 Beijing
Morning rickshaw tour of Beijing's 'hutongs', the old residential area of twisting lanes and courtyard homes. Enjoy lunch as guests of one of the local families. In the afternoon we will take a boat ride on beautiful Beihai Lake, then visit a traditional tea house with demonstration and lecture on “The Art of Drinking Chinese Tea”.
In the evening, a traditional Beijing Duck dinner.
B/L/D Kunlun Hotel

Day 7, Fri. Oct 17 Beijing/Xian
Morning visit the Lama Temple (Yong He Gong). Originally built in 1694 as the residence of the Qing Emperor Yongzheng, in 1744 it was converted into a lamasery and became a residence for large numbers of monks from Mongolia and Tibet. Because this structure once served as an imperial palace, the layout of the temple is quite unique. The carpentry work is opulent and incredibly detailed. The Lama temple is the most renowned Tibetan temple in China proper, outside of Tibet.
Afterwards, we will do some final shopping in Beijing at the Silk market.

Silk Alley (Xiushui Street)
Silk Alley lies in Xiushuidong Jie off Jianguomenwai Dajie, near the US Embassy. It is a good place to buy cheaper goods and the resident foreigners in Beijing come here frequently. Whatever you want to buy, like bags, shoes, handicrafts or sweaters, you can bargain with the owners. There are many articles made of silk available for purchase, such as purses, dresses, jackets.

Afternoon transfer to the airport and board your flight to Xian. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel.
B/L/D ANA Grand Castle Hotel

Day 8, Sat. Oct 18 Xian
Full day exploration of China's richest historic area. First, visit the 5,000 year-old Banpo Neolithic Village. Continue on to the amazing Museum of the Terra Cotta Warriors - the great underground army of the First Emperor of China, buried with him 2,200 years ago and discovered only in 1974. Here you will see thousands of life-size terra soldiers and their horses. Shopping at the Terra Cotta Figurine Factory and museum shop. We will also visit a local lacquerware factory to see the unusual lacquerware products from this region.
B/L/D ANA Grand Castle Hotel

Day 9, Sun. Oct 19 Xian
Morning walk though the Muslim Quarter and the local market where you can find lots of bargains for antiques, ceramics and other collectable souvenirs. In the afternoon, visit the Tang Dynasty Art Museum and Gallery where you will find amazing art works, both traditional and modern. Here you will find the amazing colourful paintings of the Northwestern Farmers' for which this area is famous.
Evening Tang Dynasty Performance and dinner show.
B/L/D ANA Grand Castle Hotel

Day 10, Mon. Oct 20 Xian/Shanghai
Morning flight to Shanghai. Afternoon visit the newly built, state-of-the-art, Shanghai Museum. The museum's gift shop offers amazing products such as paintings, clothing, books and jade carvings. Evening visit the Silk King for measurements should you wish to have some clothing tailor-made.
B/L/D Shanghai Hotel

Shanghai is known as an international shoppers' paradise, often referred to as the “Paris of the East”. Shanghai proffers many of the most exquisite goods in the world with many elegant articles and the top name brands to be found in the downtown core.

Day 11, Tue. Oct 21 Shanghai/Suzhou/Shanghai
Board the morning train for Suzhou, known as the Venice of the East and the City of Gardens. Your visits will include Suzhou's most famous gardens, the Silk and Satin Weaving Mill with an embroidery workshop, and the legendary Grand Canal. We will also visit a Pearl Farm and take a boat ride on the lake to see how the pearls are harvested. In the evening, we will visit the night garden with performances by local artists in Liuyuan Garden, and visit the night market.
B/L/D Bamboo Grove Hotel

Suzhou Silk Weaving Mill has a long history starting from the turn of the century. With the integrated production capacity of weaving, spinning and apparel making, mainly producing fabrics of pure silk and mixed woven silk. This is where the silk was purchased to make Princess Diana's wedding dress. Shop for ready-made silk garments, duvets and embroidered home decor. Another specialty to consider is Suzhou hair embroidery. This technique uses hair worked onto a silk backing. You can also buy 'kesi', known as carved silk. This material used to be reserved for imperial robes; now it can be purchased as painted scrolls and waistbands. Other wonderful buys in Suzhou include sandalwood folding fans, wood-cut pictures, silk fans, calligraphy and paintings.

Day 12, Wed. Oct 22 Shanghai
Morning return by train to Shanghai. Upon arrival we will drive to the old quarter of Shanghai to visit this fascinating area where you will see all manner of shops and lively folk! This was originally an old walled fishing town when the British arrived in 1843. Today it is a maze of tiny alleys with Chenghuang Temple and Yu Garden at its center. Yu Garden is a classical Chinese garden with over 30 pavilions linked by a maze of corridors and bridges over ponds. In the evening enjoy the spectacular Shanghai Acrobats show.
B/L/D Shanghai Hotel

Day 13, Thu. Oct 23 Shanghai
This morning we will visit the French Concession and wander through the lovely antique markets. We will also visit the Shanghai carpet factory. The afternoon is at your leisure for some final shopping on Nanjing Road, nicknamed “China's Number One Street”. Nanjing Road provides a remarkable blend of old and new shopping venues. On the one hand, long-established stores and old famed restaurants have recovered their youthful vigour and their business continues to thrive. On the other hand, brand new shopping centers have been built such as Manhattan Square and Wings Dressmarket.
Farewell dinner.
B/L/D Shanghai Hotel

Day 14, Fri. Oct 24 Depart Shanghai
In the morning there will be time to pick up any tailor-made clothing you may have ordered. Afternoon transfer to the airport and fly home.
B

PRICE AND INCLUDED FEATURES:

Cost -
Based on sharing twin accommodation $4489.00 CAD/$3099.00USD per person
(Single supplement $1249.00 CAD/$860.00USD)

Included features:

• Domestic flights Beijing/Xian/Shanghai
• All land transportation and train ticket Shanghai/Suzhou/Shanghai
• Accommodation in 4-star hotels
• Hotel taxes and service charges
• Meals indicated as B(breakfast), L(lunch), D(dinner)
• Entrance fees
• Special events and activities
• Service of English-speaking national guide throughout and local guides
• Luggage handling airport to hotel
• Travel manual

Not included:

• China visa fee ($70 for Canadian citizen)
• Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
• Domestic departure taxes (approx. CAD $8 per flight payable to guide)
• Gratuities to guides, drivers, porters and hotel staff, and personal expenses