7-Day Private Foodie, Heritage and Culture Tour of Beijing, Xi'an and Chengdu

Day 1: Beijing- Mutianyu Great Wall-Olympic Park-Drum and Bell Tower-Hutong Food Tour( L, D)

1. Mutianyu Great Wall
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Your guide and driver pick you up from your Beijing hotel lobby. Hop on your private vehicle, heading directly to Mutianyu Great Wall, the trip takes 1.5 hours, your tour guide will explain the related histories and stories along the way, feel free to ask questions if you have.
   
   Upon arrival, follow your tour guide to take the cable car or ski lift up to the Great Wall, marvel at the surrounding area, hike up and down at different towers. You can decide how long you want to stay at the Great Wall.
2. Bird's Nest National Stadium
   Pass by
   Enjoy a delicious lunch in the local village restaurant. Here, you will sit with the village people, and enjoy the cuisine from Northeast of China.
   
   On the way back to city, you will drive pass by the Olympic park to get a glimpse of amazing modern stadiums built for 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.
3. Water Cube
   Pass by
   You will also pass by Water Cube.
4. Bell and Drum Towers
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Then move on the the Drum and Bell Towers, go up to the Drum tower and enjoy the drum beaten performance, enjoy amazing view of the surrounding Hutong allays. Then take the rickshaw along the hutongs, get to know the locals daily life and living condition.
5. Shichahai Scenic Resort
   1h
   Next, start your 2 hours food walking tour, your walking tour start from Shichahai area to Yandai xie Street, Gulou East Street, and Nanluoguxiang Allay.
6. Yandai Xie Street
   30m
   During the food tour, you will get rich commentary from your expert guide which includes the history and stories about the area, an overview of Chinese culinary habits, a description of different regions cuisine and an introduction to selected specialties in the shops.
   
   You are encouraged to interact with your guide and ask as many questions as you like. For adventure foodies we do have food surprise for you, just tell our guide "You are real foodies"
7. Nanluoguxiang
   1h
   You will visit different souvenir and food stops. Your food tour included 20+ different food tastings at various diverse locations, such as markets, shops, bakeries and restaurants.
   
   You will visit local haunts, get a chance to meet the owners and explore historical sites that few tourists have an opportunity to experience.
   
   Some food tastings you will experience on this tour: Jianbing-Thin Millet flour pancake Beijing Suan Nai–Beijing Yoghurt Guantang Baozi--Stemmed soup dumplings round in shape Spicy Hotpot--with either meat or vegetable on sticks Muslim Kebabs -including lamp kebabs, leek ,eggplant etc Guokui -- Crispy Pancake. Sticky Tofu Tanghulu -- Crab apple with sugar Baijiu-Chinese liqueur And More...
   
   After the tour finished, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Beijing.

Day 2: Tian'anmen Square-Forbidden City- Peking Duck Lunch-Summer Palace (L)

1. Tiananmen Square
   30m · Admission ticket included
   Meet a guide from your hotel in Beijing, then start by exploring one of the world’s largest public areas, Tian'anmen Square.
2. The Palace Museum
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Pass through the south gate to the magnificent Forbidden City, a 250-acre (101-ha.) complex of courtyards, palaces, pavilions, and gardens that served as the imperial palace for emperors and their households for more than 500 years.
3. Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe Dian)
   30m · Admission ticket included
   Stroll around the courtyards and halls of the Forbidden city with your tour guide, and learn the histories and stories about this massive palace. You will visit these buildings inside the Forbidden City. Hall of Great Harmony where the emperor handle states affairs. Hall of Central Harmony and Hall of Compete Harmony.
4. Palace of Heavenly Purity
   10m · Admission ticket included
   Then continue to check out the living quarters in the palace: Hall of Union, Hall Heavenly Purity, and Hall of Earthly Tranquillity.
5. The Imperial Garden of The Palace Museum
   Pass by
   Your tour of the Forbidden city will end at the Imperial Garden, then you will exit the Forbidden city from the north Gate.
6. Summer Palace
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Have a delicious Peking duck lunch at a local restaurant. Your tour guide will explain the history of the Peking duck and teach you how to eat it properly.
   
   Continue to the Summer Palace, a well-preserved royal garden that's renowned for its beautiful landscape and spectacular architecture, and is considered one of the most classical gardens in the world.
7. Hall of Benevolence and Longevity
   20m · Admission ticket included
   Learn the stories about Empress Cixi with your tour guide here and check out her living quarters.
8. Long Corridor at the Summer Palace
   Pass by
   Walk along the longest corridor in the world which listed on the Guinness book of world record;
9. Qingyan Stone Boat
   10m · Admission ticket included
   Then continue to the Marble Boat--a foreign style superstructure which was supposed to be a symbol of stability of the Qing Dynasty.
   
   After the tour finished, you will be transferred to your hotel in Beijing

Day 3: Beijing - Xi'an-Big Goose Pagoda-Xi’an Dumplings Banquet Dinner (L, D)

1. Beijing West Railway Station
   Pass by
   Your driver will pick you up from the lobby of your Beijing hotel, take you to Beijing West Railway Station, relax on the 5 Hour bullet train ride to Xi'an.
   
   Upon arrival, your local guide will hold your name sign waiting at the exit of the Arrival hall. Then heading to Big Goose Pagoda.
2. Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Enjoy Lunch in the local restaurant before explore the site.
   
   Big Wild Goose Pagoda was built to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and travelers Monk Xuanzang.
   
   Follow your tour guide to explore the area, get to know the history behind.
3. Tang Dynasty Show
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Afterwards, enjoy the amazing Dang Dynasty Show and Dumpling Banquet before end the day.

Day 4: Terracotta Warriors Museum- City Wall- Muslim Street (L)

1. Terracotta Warriors Museum
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Your tour guide will pick you up in the lobby of your Xi'an hotel, then Heading directly to Terracotta warriors museum. Your tour guide will explain the related histories and stories along the way, feel free to ask questions if you have.
   
   Start with a visit to the world-famous Terracotta warriors museum which known as “the Eighth Wonders of the World”. The museum divided into three sections: No.1 Pit, No.2 Pit, and No. 3 Pit. The original site was found by four local farmers while drilling a well in 1974 and now it has turned into the most important attraction in Xi'an. Stroll around the museum and get rich information from your tour guide.
2. Xi'an City Wall
   1h · Admission ticket included
   After lunch, perhaps head to the 600 years old Xi’an City Wall. Reach the top of the centuries-old city wall, admire views of the city below.
3. Muslim Quarter
   1h
   Afterwards, heading to Muslim Quarter, It is the hub of the Muslim community in Xi'an City, Follow your tour guide to stroll around the Muslim food and souvenir market. Try delicious local snacks if you want at your own cost.
   
   After the tour finished, you will be transferred to your hotel in Xi'an.

Day 5: Xi'an-Chengdu-Cooking Class( D)

1. Xi'an
   Pass by
   Your driver will pick you up from your Xi'an hotel, then transfer you to Xi'an Railway Station, relax on the 4 hour bullet train ride to Chengdu.
2. Pass by
   Upon arrival, your local tour guide will hold your name sign waiting at the exit of the arrival hall.
   
   You will be transferred to your hotel in Chengdu.(Please book your own hotel)
3. Chengdu Renmin Park
   3h · Admission ticket included
   After show rest in your hotel's, meet your tour guide, start your fun cooking class.
   
   Follow your chef guide to a local market to shop your ingredients, you will also get an general understanding of Chinese cuisines
   
   Then travel to the beautiful garden restaurant, now its your show time! Follow the chef step by step, you will learn how to prepare food ingredients and how to cook different Sichuan special populous dishes.
   
   At the end of the cooking enjoying and sharing with each other what you have prepared for dinner is a perfect ending for the day!
   
   After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Chengdu.

Day 6: Chengdu-Leshan Buddha-Chashan Ancient Town (L)

1. Leshan Giant Buddha
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Meet your tour guide in the lobby of your hotel, travel to Leshan Giant Buddha by private car. It will takes about 2 hours, relax on the way and enjoy beautiful countryside view.
   
   As the UNESCO Sites, construction of the Leshan Buddha, begun in the year 713 in the Tang Dynasty, and finished in the year 803, the statue took people more than 90 years to carve. During these years, thousands of workers had expended their efforts and wisdom on the project. As the biggest carved stone Buddha in the world, the Giant Buddha is featured in poetry, song and story.
   
   Follow your tour guide to explore the whole area, you will view Buddha from different view.
2. Lingyun Temple
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Your first stop is the Lingyun Temple which located behind the Grand Buddha’s head. Marvel at the elaborate construction of the Buddha's coiled hair, which is made up of around 1,020 twisted buns. Walk inside and marvel at the intricate sculptures and wall designs of the temple. Then absorb panoramic views of three rivers converging prettily below.
   
   Then, follow your guide walk down approximately 30 minutes toward the left side of the Grand Buddha. When you reach the bottom, gasp at the 233-foot (71-meter) height of the largest carved Buddha in the entire world and capture fantastic photographs of the sacred site.
3. Wuyou Temple
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Next, explore the right side of the Buddha to discover the Wuyou Temple which contains an abundance of terra-cotta sculptures and calligraphic paintings.
   
   Stroll around the temple with your tour guide, learn more information about the Buddhism.
   
   Finally, you will take a cruise for the panoramic view of Giant Buddha.
4. Leshan
   2h
   Enjoy lunch in the local restaurant, then start your afternoon adventure!
   
   Tea in China is like Coffee and Wine in western culture. Get a comprehensive understanding of this most representing culture in China by visiting a tea plantation on the mountains!
   
   Traveling 40 minutes away, you will discover the life styles of the 50s in a lost town - which you can’t really find it on a map.
   
   Follow your tour guide, along the way you will visit traditional workshops such as blacksmith’s shop, bamboo workshop, barber shop etc.
   
   Step in a courtyard house which is over one hundred-year-old to chat with the owner with the help of your tour guide who will translate.
   
   Explore the village, sit and enjoy the local tea at an old teahouse. After learnt the tea culture here, you will drive to the mountain. Follow the tea farmer, get understand tea and learn how to pick the best tea sprouts, try to pick tea from the tea tree.
   
   Afterward, visiting the tea family to reveal the process of making all kinds of tea, sit down and enjoy tea. If you want to purchase tea, you will get best deal here. (at your own cost)
   
   After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Chengdu.

Day 7: Chengdu-Panda Base- Sichuan Opera(L)

1. Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Meet your tour guide in the morning, you can choose to visit Dujiangyan Giant Panda Center or Chengdu Panda breeding Center.
   
   Upon arrival, spend some leisure time to see the Giant pandas including new born babies, teenagers and adult pandas. Learn about the different stages of panda’s life from infancy to adulthood. Visit the research laboratory, the museum, the panda playground, the animal hospital, and the facility's beautiful lake. You can take photos these enchanting and endangered creatures as they relax in their natural environment.
2. Chengdu Renmin Park
   2h
   Next, you will have the opera backstage experience.
   
   You will go to a local opera house which is mainly for locals, walk into the backstage of the theater, watch the actor and actress put their make up on, learn about their musical instrument and chanting with them.
3. 1h
   Your last stop is Songxianqiao Curio Art City.
   
   Chengdu is a city with 2400 Years old history with lots of traditional arts and handicrafts. The Songxianqiao Art and Antique Market is the place where local artists are selling their works, paintings, stone and wood carvings, you can also find Chinese traditional furniture designers, silk embroider masters, bamboo weavers are gathering together in this huge markets with more than 500 studios to show their great technics.
   
   It's not a tourist markets,most of the buyers are locals, one can always find something interesting in this markets.Stroll around the market with your tour guide, shop for your China souvenirs. Your tour guide will teach you how to negotiate price.
4. Chengdu Renmin Park
   Pass by
   On the way back to your hotel, you can choose to stop at Chengdu Renmin Park, feel free to join the local retired people's exercise, dancing and singing. You can also join the local's to learn how to play Majiang if you want.
   
   To conclude the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Chengdu. Your airport or train station drop off to next destination is included, just tell your tour guide your flight / train information.

Pickup details

We will pick you up from your hotel in Beijing, please provide hotel information when make booking

• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels