TRAVEL - TOURS - Vacations
For Singles in their 30's 40's and 50's
13 Days China Singles Tour - $2,990 Including Air from San Francisco
3,000 Years of History
Bejing has been the capital city of China for the past seven centuries, Today it is the second largest city in China and presents a striking array of modern achievements and ancient splendors. Bejing is the seat of the central government and is also the administrative and cultural hub of the country.
Opened only in 1949, trace China's ancient past with a visit to the Imperial Palaces in the Forbidden City, formerly off limits to anyone except royalty and their entourages. The mystery that surrounded the Forbidden City was vividly portrayed in the award wining movie “The Last Emperor”. Today the echoing courtyards, graceful buildings and palaces of the former Ming and Qing dynasties can be explored firsthand.
Outside the Forbidden City is the largest public plaza in the world, Tiananmen Square which is where Chairman Mao Tse-Tung raised the flag of the Peoples Republic of China. The square is surrounded by imposing buildings such as the Great Hall of the People, the Museum of Chinese History and the Mao Tse-Tung Memorial Hall where the body of this preeminent leader may be viewed lying in a crystal sarcophagus.
Explore one of the truly amazing sights, the Great Wall of China. The construction of this incredible undertaking took place in the 3rd Century BC and once stretched more than 6,200 miles to protect China from invasion. Today more than 3,750 miles of the wall still remains. This “Wonder of the World.” rising and falling in concert with the ridges of the northern hills and snaking its way far off into the distance is the only manmade object that is clearly recognizable by astronauts from space and remains to this day one of mankind's most astonishing architectural achievements.
Outside Bejing visit the Summer Palace an area of tranquility that seems a thousand miles away from the hustle and bustle of Beijing. Visit the 700-acre Palace built in 1888 by the erratic Empress Dowager Ci Xi using funds meant for financing the Chinese navy. See such lyrically named pavilions and buildings as the Hall of Longevity, the Garden of Virtuous Harmony, the Hall of Happiness and the extravagant Marble Boat which sits on the edge of the palace's Kunming Lake.
Before leaving Beijing, visit the Temple of Heaven, a masterpiece of 15th-century architecture, geometry and engineering and today regarded as one of the world's most beautiful structures. Inside the gates are three main structures; to the north is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests; in the center is the Imperial Vault of Heaven and to the south is the Circular Mound Altar of Heaven.
Xian - Terra Cotta Warriors
Xian, the largest city in northwest China, is one of the four great ancient capitals of China. During 3100 years of history, 13 dynasties such as Western Zhou (11th century BC - 771 BC), Qin (221 BC - 206 BC), Western Han (206 BC - 24 AD) and Tang (618AD – 907AD) placed their capitals here. When the Venetian explorer Marco Polo visited Xian in the 13th century, it was one of the largest cities in the world and a center for major trade between China and Central Asia along the Silk Road. On an orientation tour of this remarkable city see two of China's oldest structures, Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Little Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 652 as part of the Ci'en Temple. Also see the Ming Dynasty Bell and Drum Towers, where the bell was rung every morning at dawn and the drum sounded every evening at dusk.
Today, Xian is famous for one of the most important archaeological finds of the previous century. An army of 8,000 life-size Terra Cotta warriors, comprising of infantry soldiers, archers, cavalry, chariot drivers and officers, with each chariot driven by four pottery horses. Look at the detail of each warrior - no two warriors are alike. Each was sculptured with individual facial expressions and was dressed in an ornate uniform. The “army” buried 2300 years ago served as an imperial bodyguard at the tomb of the Qin Shi Huangdi (259-210 BC), the Qin Dynasty emperor who unified China and brought together many sections of the Great Wall. Local farmers digging a well in 1974 found the astonishing burial site, which today is still being excavated.
Shanghai - Paris of the East
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Shanghai is the largest city in China and has been one of the anchors to China's economic growth over the last decades. Its name literally means “on the sea”. The city sits on the delta of the Yangtze River. During the tour of Shanghi, see the waterfront or Bund on the west side of the Huangpu River. European buildings remind the tourist of the city's colonial past while the opposite bank of the river is Pudong, the economic and commercial heart of modern day China's success. Tree-lined avenues mark the city that once divided it into the American, English, French and German concessions. Today the lovely homes of the French concession still remain. An optional visit to YuYuan Gardens and the old Chinese quarter of Shanghai opens up dozens of meandering alleyways lined with shops while at the same time in the shadows of nearby soaring skyscrapers. You will visit the Shanghai Museum which is regarded as one of the finest museums in the world and especially for its collection of ancient bronzes and textiles.
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For this singles tour, you are required to carry a valid passport with an expiration date no less than six (6) months after the scheduled return date.
Itineray
Day One - Thursday
Depart San Francisco for Beijing, China
Meet with the other single travelers at San Francisco airport and board your Transpacific flight to Beijing
Day Two - Friday - Arrive Beijing
Arrive Beijing, China, the singles group is met and escorted to the hotel. Evening at leisure
Day Three - Saturday - Bejing
Today's singles tour introduces impressive Tiananmen Square and the once-Forbidden City's Imperial Palace, with admission to the living quarters, museum and jewelry sections. After lunch, continue to the exquisite Summer Palace, with a cruise on Lake Kunming (weather permitting).
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch
Day Four - Sunday • Beijing
A highlight of our visit to China today: stroll along the ancient ramparts of the renowned Great Wall. Visit a cloisonné factory and observe the skilled artisans create intricate designs. Walk along the statue-lined Sacred Way to the Ming Tombs and Chang Ling Exhibition Hall.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch
Day Five - Monday • Beijing
Hutong Half-Day Tour takes you back to the old days of Beijing. Hutong is the Chinese name for the ancient city alleys and narrow lanes originally built in the Yuan Dynasty, where neighborhoods are made up of traditional courtyard-style homes. Ride in an old-fashioned pedicab through the Hutong district during this guided tour. Free afternoon.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch
Day Six - Tuesday • Beijing Tonight the singles group will enjoy a Beijing Duck Dinner and Acrobatic Show. Sample the most famous cuisine in Beijing. Slices of roast duck with crispy skin are served with scallions and special soybean sauce, and then wrapped in wafer-thin pancakes, for a delicious traditional meal. Justly famed around the world, Chinese acrobats are sure to delight with their astonishing skill and amazing feats.
Today we visit the Tibetan Lamasery and Temple of Heaven now a residence for Tibetan and Mongolian monks, Yonghe Lamasery is a famous 17th century Buddhist temple with a 75-foot high sandalwood Buddha. The Temple of Heaven is one of Beijing's most extraordinary monuments and includes the Altar of Heaven, the Imperial Heavenly Vault and the spectacular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, whose intricate interior was constructed without use of a single nail.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day Seven - Wednesday • Beijing/Xi'an
Fly to historic Xi'an, ancient capital of China. Then see the scenic Wild Goose Pagoda.
MEALS: American Breakfast
Day Eight - Thursday • Xi'an
A memorable day of sightseeing today as we view the extraordinary life-sized terra-cotta army, no two alike, buried for over 2200 years; Circle Vision Movie; Bronze Chariot, Shaanxi Provincial Historical Museum and a jade carving factory.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch
Day Nine - Friday • Xi'an/Shanghai
Today, take a flight bound for cosmopolitan Shanghai. The balance of the day is free to explore on our own.
MEALS: American Breakfast
Day Ten - Saturday • Shanghai
Today's sightseeing: the glories of old China on display at the Shanghai Museum, Jade Buddha Temple, The Bund, emporium-lined Nanjing or Huai Hai Road. Visit a carpet factory and then on to the Children's Palace.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch
Day Eleven - Sunday • Shanghai
Drive to the picturesque water town of Zhujiajiao, known for its winding canals, arched stone bridges, and well-preserved Ming and Qing dynasty architecture on Great North Street. Zhujiajiao's quaint winding alleys retain their ancient charm. A highlight of the tour includes a traditional sampan ride on the canals.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch
Day 12 - Monday • Shanghai
Choice of 2 Tours
A- Hongkou (Jewish Heritage) Half-Day Tour:
First stop is Huoshan Park in Hongkou, to see the Monument for Jewish Refugees, commemorating the former Hangkou ghetto where both Jews and Chinese shared years of hardship. Visit Ohel Moshe Synagogue, and the Old Jewish Shanghai -- where immigrants lived and their shops catered to the Jewish community. Continue on to the old Hongkou district located in a section now known as Yangpu, where much of the residential area is scheduled for demolition under a redevelopment plan. Free afternoon for shopping.
B- Suzhou Full Day Tour:
Upon arrival, tour Tiger Hill with its leaning pagoda and The Master of Fishing Nets Garden. Enjoy a Chinese lunch. After lunch, visit the new Suzhou Museum designed by I.M. Pei. In the afternoon, cruise the ancient Grand Canal, as emperors once did.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch
Day 13 - Tuesday • Depart Shanghai for San Francisco
Say goodbye to all your new Best Single Travel buddies and fly homeward bound.
MEALS: American Breakfast
Included in this China Singles Trip
• Round trip scheduled air transportation from San Francisco and all inter-country flights
• 11 Nights in Deluxe and Superior First Class hotels
• 11 Breakfasts - 8 Lunches - 1 Dinner
• Services of a professional Tour Manager
• Round trip airport transfers
• Sightseeing, cultural activities and
performances listed above
• Baggage handling, hotel taxes and service charges
Hotels
BEIJING: Capital Hotel Beijing
XI'AN: Grand New World Hotel
SHANGHAI: Hua Ting Hotel & Towers
For Additional Information call
877 -84-TRIPS
877 848-7477
or email
sheryl@bestsingletravel.com
