Depart Australia to Beijing. You will be met and transferred to your hotel for four nights.

Today you visit Tiananmen Square, the largest City Square in the world. From Tiananmen Square, visitors enter the gates of the Forbidden City. This massive complex was the centre of the Ming and Qing dynasties. With almost 10,000 rooms, this remarkable, well-preserved imperial palace is the largest palace in the world. After lunch, you take a trishaw ride to visit the Hutongs, which is an ancient city alley, to experience the life of the local people. Afterwards you take a traditional Chinese sculled cruise on Houhai Lake, where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery while listening to Chinese music played by a local on board (available from April to October). Dinner will be served at your hotel.

Today you visit the Great Wall of China. This is the pride of China and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is one of the most amazing man-made structures. After climbing the Great Wall, you visit the Summer Palace, which is the largest and best preserved of all the imperial palace gardens, and boasts such delights as the "Marble Boat" and the ornately painted "Long Corridor". You then head off to the 2008 Beijing Olympic venues of the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube for a photo stop. Dinner tonight is the famous Beijing Duck Banquet.

This morning you tour the Temple of Heaven, a Ming Temple where the Emperors performed annual rites essential for the well being of their land. Afternoon is at leisure to explore Beijing. Dinner is an Imperial Banquet served at Beihai Park Imperial Restaurant before you can enjoy the Beijing Acrobatics show.

This morning you fly to Xian, the most historical city in China. It used to be the capital of ancient China for 11 dynasties. This afternoon you tour to the Ancient City Wall and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which was built 1,200 years ago, now is the symbol of Xian. You spend two nights in Xian.

Today you visit the "Terracotta Warriors". They are found at an archaeological site which so far has yielded some 8000 ancient terra cotta soldiers and horses, each a unique, finely detailed sculpture. An afternoon tour to the Banpo Neolithic Village Museum. Dinner is served as a delicious dumpling banquet, followed by a stage show at the Tang Dynasty Theatre.

This morning you fly to Shanghai. You visit the new district across from the Bund called Pudong to experience the economic booming of China and the landmark of Shanghai – the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, where you get a bird’s eye view of the city. Tonight’s dinner is a typical Shanghai cuisine at one of the well-known traditional restaurants.

Today you take a city tour around Shanghai. Firstly you visit Yu Yuan Garden, a classical Ming Dynasty garden with pavilions, tower and terraces then followed by the Chenghuangmiao bazaar. After lunch, you visit the Bund, Nanjing Road and the Shanghai Museum. Dinner is served at your hotel.

Today is at leisure. A late checkout at 6 pm, then your tour guide will accompany you on the Shanghai Maglev, the fastest train in the world, to the airport for your flight back to Australia.

Arrive in Australia in the morning.