China holiday | Luxury tour of China

北京欢迎您们! Welkom in Beijing, de fascinerende hoofdstad van China, waar het moderne stadsleven naadloos samenkomt met de rijke geschiedenis van het keizerrijk. Bij aankomst wordt u hartelijk ontvangen door onze lokale vertegenwoordiger en wordt u naar uw hotel gebracht. De rest van de dag heeft u ter vrije besteding. Ontspan na de vlucht of maak alvast kennis met de sfeer van deze indrukwekkende metropool.
Mandarin Oriental Qianmen behoort tot de absolute wereldtop en staat bekend om zijn uitzonderlijke luxe en persoonlijke service. In 2026 behaalde het hotel de zevende plaats in The World’s 50 Best Hotels. Het ligt in de historische wijk Qianmen, tussen de Verboden Stad en de Tempel van de Hemel. In plaats van traditionele hotelkamers verblijven gasten in authentieke Chinese binnenplaatshuizen, verspreid door de wijk en zorgvuldig geïntegreerd in het historische straatbeeld. Met respect voor de oorspronkelijke architectuur draagt het hotel bij aan het behoud van het karakter van deze bijzondere stadswijk.

Your guide will collect you from your hotel at 9 am for a private city tour through the heart of beautiful Beijing. Your guide will take you to Tiananmen Square, one of the largest city squares in the world and the centre of the city. From here, you’ll enter the Forbidden City, the former imperial palace and, for centuries, the heart of mighty China. Construction of the Forbidden City was completed in 1420 under Emperor Yongle and it served as the imperial centre of power during the Ming and Qing dynasties until 1911. According to tradition, the complex contains no fewer than 9,999 rooms – one fewer than the Celestial Palace – out of respect for the gods.

You will then stroll through the charming Hutongs alongside Houhai Lake, where you’ll get a first impression of this lively neighbourhood and enjoy a local lunch by the lake. In the afternoon, you’ll get a glimpse of traditional life in Beijing’s oldest residential neighbourhoods, the Hutongs. This is where many long-time Beijingers meet up every day for an authentic snack or a game of mahjong.

You’ll round off the day with a spectacular meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant renowned for its Peking duck, Beijing’s most iconic dish.

U bezoekt één van de meest iconische bouwwerken ter wereld: de Chinese Muur. Dit indrukwekkende verdedigingswerk slingert zich over de hoogste bergkammen en biedt adembenemende uitzichten over het Chinese landschap. Het is niet alleen hét symbool van China, maar ook een meesterwerk van menselijk doorzettingsvermogen en bouwkunst.

Er is geen betere manier om de muur te bezichtigen dan vanuit een helikopter. Op deze manier krijgt u het best mogelijke zicht op de schaal van het bouwwerk, en tevens  ervaart u een adembenemende tour boven de prachtige omgeving met heuvels en bergen waardoor de muur met wachttorens zich naar de horizon uitstrekt.

's Avonds komt u tot de ontdekking dat de Chinese Muur toch niet alle nomadische invloeden buiten heeft weten te houden, u geniet namelijk van een Hotpot diner in de Mongoolse stijl. Anders dan de meer bekende pittige variant uit Sichuan gaat het bij de Mongoolse hotpot vooral om de verschillende dipsauzen.

De eerste delen van de muur werden meer dan 2.000 jaar geleden gebouwd tijdens de Qin-dynastie. Tijdens de latere Ming-dynastie werd de muur uitgebreid en versterkt tot de indrukwekkende structuur die we vandaag de dag bewonderen. Oorspronkelijk strekte de muur zich uit over meer dan 6.000 kilometer, van het fort van Jiayuguan in het westen, waar de Gobiwoestijn begint, tot aan de grenzen van oud-Mantsjoerije in het oosten. Strategisch gelegen wachttorens boden de keizerlijke wachters een wijds zicht over het landschap. Bij dreiging staken zij waarschuwingsvuren aan om signalen langs de muur door te geven. Deze slimme communicatie en het imposante bouwwerk zelf dienden als bescherming tegen Mongoolse invallen.

Bij de Tempel van de Hemel maakt u kennis met de oeroude kunst van Tai Chi. Deze traditie is een combinatie tussen vechtkunst en meditatie en wordt tot op de dag van vandaag door veel Chinezen dagelijks beoefend. Na dit sportieve begin van de dag ontdekt u de tempel en zijn omgeving.

In de middag wordt u per privétransfer naar de luchthaven gebracht voor uw binnenlandse vlucht naar Xi'an.

Beijing is al eeuwenlang het centrum van macht is China, maar op het gebied van geschiedenis en prestige doet de oorspronkelijke keizerlijke stad Xi'an daar zeker niet aan af, hier heersten de eerste keizerlijke dynastieën voor duizenden jaren. Daarnaast is de stad het uiterste punt van de oude zijderoute, wat tot op de dag van vandaag zichtbaar is aan de unieke samenkomst van invloeden in de culinaire tradities, architectuur en bewoners van de stad.
U overnacht in Sofitel Legend Peoples Grand Hotel Xi'an. Dit 5* hotel van topniveau ligt binnen de oude stadsmuren van Xi'an voor optimale verkenning van de omgeving.

In 1974, a group of farmers stumbled upon life-size terracotta statues whilst ploughing their fields. They had uncovered one of the greatest archaeological finds in history! You’ll visit the spectacular excavations, which cover an area the size of several football pitches, and see the Terracotta Army in all its glory.

The army was originally created because of the first emperor, Qin Shi Huang’s, fear of evil spirits. Qin Shi Huang built a mausoleum with his immense army to protect himself in the afterlife. Each soldier has a unique face and is modelled on a real soldier from the emperor’s army.

You will then return to the city to visit the Muslim Quarter, a neighbourhood in the city centre where, in ancient times, followers of Islam arrived in the old capital via the Silk Road. Today, this neighbourhood is one of the liveliest places in the city, with exotic spices and the aroma of countless tasty snacks being prepared fresh all the time for hungry passers-by. You will then take a look inside the Grand Mosque, a fascinating fusion of Chinese and Islamic culture.

At the end of the day, you’ll head to a restaurant serving specialities from across the province of Shaanxi. The locals take pride in their handmade and well-seasoned noodles, which are usually served with beef or lamb. At the end of the day, you’ll return to your accommodation in Xi’an.

In the morning, you’ll visit the Hanyang tombs from China’s second imperial dynasty. The excavations from this period are more refined than the Terracotta Army from the Qin dynasty, and the complex is more accessible. Here, you can wander at your own pace along the glass walkways above the excavations.

China has the most extensive and modern high-speed rail network in the world, the country’s great pride. You will travel by train from Xi’an in Shaanxi province to Chengdu in Sichuan province.

The city of Chengdu is internationally renowned for the Dujiangyan Panda Base, which has helped to restore the population of this magnificent species. Among the Chinese, Chengdu is best known for its culinary traditions, featuring spicy food and exotic ingredients. Partly due to its relatively great distance from the political centre, the people of Chengdu are very outspoken, and the city has become a hub for intellectuals and students with a liberal and progressive outlook on the world.

In the evening, you’ll take your seat at a table for a Sichuan hotpot, which is both a culinary highlight and a unique social experience. You choose which ingredients you’d like to try and dip them into the spicy broth that is so characteristic of this region.

Before Chengdu became part of the Chinese Empire, it was the home of the Shu Kingdom, about which little was known until recently. Perhaps the most spectacular archaeological discoveries of this century are the artefacts from Sanxingdui. Gigantic bronze masks with remarkable shapes, along with countless other excavated artefacts, have been on display at the Sanxingdui Museum since 2023. A visit to the museum will give you a wonderful insight into this lost civilisation that emerged over 3,200 years ago.

After this experience, you’ll head back to the city centre, where you’ll experience the ancient traditions of kung fu and tea. Performers will give you an impressive demonstration, and you’ll have the chance to learn the Chinese tea-pouring technique for yourself. In the surrounding park and the lively streets of Kuan Zhai, you’ll discover Chengdu’s best cafés, boutiques and galleries. You’ll also discover where locals go on their days off for a traditional snack, including some rather adventurous delicacies.

You’ll enjoy a Sichuan-style banquet dinner, followed by a performance of traditional Sichuan ‘Face-changing’ opera. The history of opera in China dates back to ancient times, and every region in China has developed its own style. The Sichuan variant is particularly distinctive, incorporating elements of acrobatics, comedy and colourful costumes, making it an unforgettable cultural experience.

Your guide will collect you from the lobby of your hotel for a cookery masterclass at the Sichuan Cuisine Museum. Before you get started, you’ll visit a wholesaler specialising in spices and herbs. At the mere mention of Sichuan spices, many Chinese people look away with trepidation, but during this experience you’ll learn that Sichuan cuisine is about much more than just spicy food. You’ll learn to distinguish between the spicy ‘la’ and the characteristic peppery ‘ma’ of the Sichuan peppercorn, whilst preparing dishes under the guidance of a renowned chef.

After lunch, you will be taken to the airport for your domestic flight to Hangzhou. The local agent will collect you from Hangzhou airport and take you to your hotel.

Hangzhou is yet another former capital, renowned for the convergence of hills and water where, for centuries, many emperors and nobles engaged in cultured pursuits such as painting, tea culture and the famous landscape architecture known in China as ‘shanshui’ , which means ‘mountains and water’.

Hangzhou is a city where culture, nature and modern society come together in a perfectly balanced way. The arts are practised throughout the city, inspired by the beautiful surroundings, such as West Lake, which runs alongside the city centre, and the adjacent park with its historic temples. It is also home to the internet giant and tech company Alibaba, which has long been the most influential company in China.

Your guide will collect you from your hotel. You’ll board a private boat from the promenade and take a cruise on West Lake. This lake is a recurring theme in Chinese arts such as calligraphy and poetry. ‘Above is heaven, below is Hangzhou’ is a well-known saying in China. From the boat, you’ll see the hills and mountain slopes covered in tea fields, as well as the temples and pagodas for which the surrounding parks are famous.

You will then visit the Huqingyutang pharmacy and learn about traditional Chinese medicine, both its history and how it remains widely practised throughout China to this day. Over lunch, you will sample the refined local cuisine at a traditional restaurant.

After lunch, you’ll head to the Longjing tea plantation. The tea from this plantation, also known as Longjing, has been grown in Hangzhou for 1,000 years and is a favourite with many. You’ll be guided through the entire tea-making process, and finally have the chance to taste the tea!

You’ll dine at Longjing Manor, a Michelin-starred ‘fine dining’ restaurant serving local cuisine, after which your guide will take you back to your accommodation.

The guide will meet you at 9.00 am at the hotel for your final morning in Hangzhou. You will visit Lingyin Temple in the large park alongside West Lake; this is the most famous Buddhist temple in Hangzhou and one of China’s most visited pilgrimage sites for both religious visitors and tourists. The complex has existed since the year 326 and has been rebuilt 16 times.

After a local lunch, you’ll be taken to the station to catch the high-speed train to Shanghai. The local guide will be waiting for you at the station in Shanghai. In the afternoon, you’ll attend the famous ERA2 acrobatics show and have the opportunity to explore the city on your own.

Shanghai is China’s most international metropolis and originated as a trading concession granted to the British Empire, France and Japan in the 19th century. Shanghai retains much of the charm of this period, including the old colonial districts and the iconic bank buildings along the riverbank – the Bund. It is also a highly developed, ultra-modern city with skyscrapers, an extensive metro network and a hub for international business, trade and the financial sector. Shanghai is of great cultural and historical significance; it is the birthplace of the Communist Party and the place where East and West continually meet.

Your guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel for a city tour of Shanghai. You’ll enter the former French Concession: elegant historic streets lined with plane trees, historic colonial houses and a few luxury skyscrapers. This part of the city was governed by the French for almost a century until the 1940s, and you can still feel that influence today. Here, you’ll be welcomed into historic villas once owned by the former French, Japanese, Nationalist and Communist elites, and relive the glamour of historic Shanghai.

Next, you’ll visit Xintiandi (New World), a revitalised district featuring upmarket restaurants, boutique shops, highly rated cafés and a vibrant nightlife. In this neighbourhood, you’ll experience Shanghai’s prosperity. You’ll have lunch at Din Tai Fung, the world-famous restaurant serving refined dishes and, above all, the soup-filled dumplings for which Shanghai is renowned.

No visit to Shanghai is complete without a trip to the financial centre of Lujiazui, home to the Shanghai Tower. This towering skyscraper boasts the world’s fastest lift to the world’s highest observation deck. From here, you’ll enjoy a magnificent view over the entire city.

If time permits, take a stroll along the Bund; this embankment is known as the ‘Museum of International Architecture’. From here, you can look out across the river at China’s most spectacular skyscrapers, whilst walking past colonial bank buildings in the neoclassical and Art Deco styles. There are few places on earth where the contrast between old and new is so stark.

In the evening, you’ll enjoy a Shanghainese-style dinner before your guide takes you back to the hotel.