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China for Families 
$4,095 adults, $3,695 children 8-17. Prices are per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement: $1,190.
Trip Details
Trip Overview
Our family tour is designed to explore Chinese life, culture and nature through hands-on experiences that will engage travelers of all ages. After seeing Beijing’s most famous attractions – including the Temple of Heaven, the Forbidden City and venues from the 2008 Summer Olympics – tour the wildlife centers at Chengdu and Bifengxia and spend a few days in Shanghai.
Trip Itinerary
Saturday & Sunday, June 26 & 27: U.S. / Beijing
Depart the United States and arrive in Beijing during the early evening of June 27. A guide will meet those taking one of the recommended group flights at the airport and transfer you to your hotel in the heart of the city. Millennium Hotel (Meals aloft)
Monday, June 28: Beijing
Following breakfast and a welcome orientation, begin your explorations of China. Go to the picturesque Houhai District,where well-preserved courtyard homes and narrow hutong alleys border tree-lined lakes. Visit a neighborhood school and meet teachers and students. Tour the district by “pedicab” then divide into small groups to enjoy lunch at local families’ homes. After lunch, explore the Temple of Heaven, one of the finest creations of the Ming Dynasty. The temple’s stunning architecture realizes the great Chinese desire to incarnate heaven in material form and represents the most advanced principles of mechanics and geometry of the time. At the temple, learn to fly intricate and colorful Chinese kites. Kite flying is an old tradition and a great Chinese passion. For thousands of years, it has been a way to connect the humans on the ground to the sky–and the higher, the better! This evening, savor the imperial city’s most famous delicacy, Peking duck, at a renowned restaurant. Millennium Hotel (B,L,D)
Tuesday, June 29: Beijing
An optional early-morning walk to Changpuhe Park offers an opportunity to observe local residents practicing taiji and qigong. This newly constructed park features numerous traditional buildings and pavilions facing gardens that are among the most stunning landscape creations in the country. Afterwards, enter the gate of the Forbidden City, the abiding symbol of imperial China. An impressive achievement of civilization, the city was constructed by hundreds of thousands of workers between 1406 and 1420. Marvel at its expansive architecture, magnificent imperial gardens and antiquities museums. Lunch is at a fusion restaurant in the elegant Houhai District overlooking a tree-lined lake. After lunch, stop by the Olympic Village and see the stadiums viewed by the world during the 2008 Summer Olympics. Not content to remain mere observers, you’ll have the rare opportunity to swim in the National Swimming Centre – nicknamed the “Water Cube” – where American Michael Phelps won a record-setting eight gold medals. Later, visit Beijing’s ancient observatory on the top of the old City Wall and Tower in Jiangguomen. Initially built in 1442 during the Ming Dynasty, its rich history spans more than 500 years. Eight ornately made bronze astronomical instruments are here, having been well preserved since the time of the Qing Dynasty. Enjoy dinner on your own before attending a performance of the Peking Opera; the performers’ colorful costumes and martial arts routines are a stellar way to cap off a wonderful day of touring. Millennium Hotel (B,L)
Wednesday, June 30: Beijing
In the morning, drive to the famed Great Wall at Juyongguan, where it winds over and across the surrounding hilly countryside. Hop on a bicycle for an optional ride along the wall and through nearby rural streets. After lunch, visit the Beijing Martial Art School. Meet students, practice with the resident teacher and watch a martial art demonstration. Tonight, enjoy a special banquet at the Shanglinyuan Restaurant in lovely Beihai Imperial Garden. Millennium Hotel (B,L,D)
Thursday, July 1: Chengdu
Fly in the morning to Chengdu to visit the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Center. In a well-preserved and natural setting, the center is dedicated to the conservation of pandas and other endangered wildlife. Learn about the latest efforts made by WWF and other researchers to successfully breed and protect the endangered species. And stop by the Small Red Panda Center to observe around 40 red pandas in residence. Later, stroll along Jinli Street, a thriving artisan district representative of southwest China, and watch as locals craft birds, animals and flowers out of sticky sugar syrup, creating intricate candy “drawings.” After a group dinner, be amazed at the Sichuan Opera, with its mysterious face-changing show, shadow puppets, fire swallowing and other intriguing routines. Jinjiang Hotel (B,L,D)
Friday & Saturday, July 2 & 3: Chengdu / Bifengxia
Drive to the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas in the Bifengxia region. This is the best place in the world to see pandas in their natural environment. Opened in 2003, the center is home to approximately 80 adult pandas and cubs – more than any other breeding center in China – and is an important place for WWF’s work to protect pandas. Spend two days visiting with the pandas and touring the Bifengxia Wildlife Park, which is the largest wildlife park in the country. It extends across nearly 25 square miles and contains more than 300 different species, plus breathtaking canyons, forests, rivers and waterfalls. Explore the park during a safari. Hongzhu Hotel (B,L,D daily)
Sunday, July 4: Bifengxia / Shanghai
Fly to Shanghai, where we will spend the remainder of our tour soaking in its worldly cosmopolitanism. Go to the Pudong District to tour the interactive Shanghai Science and Technology Museum. Opened in 2001, this hands-on museum has exhibits on fossils and the human body, 3D movies and more. Have dinner on your own with your family and spend the evening at leisure, perhaps exploring the entertainment venue Xintiandi in downtown Shanghai. Crowne Plaza Hotel (B,L)
Monday, July 5: Shanghai
In the morning, we’ll visit the tallest building in Asia. Take the elevator to the top of the World Financial Center for a sweeping view of Shanghai, including the new Pudong and the old Puxi districts. Later, go for a ride on the famous magnetic levitation train, or “Maglev.” The train speeds along at 260 miles an hour. How fast is that? The ride to the Pudong Airport, which normally takes an hour by car, is just eight minutes by fast train. After lunch, tour the Shanghai Museum, one of the key museums in China, with beautiful collections of Chinese art. Then stop by the famous Shanghai Children’s Palace, where many talented Shanghai youngsters learn art, music, science and gymnastics after school. Meet and interact with children. This evening, enjoy a memorable farewell dinner and stroll along the Bund to view the beautifully decorated colonial buildings along the Huangpu River. Crowne Plaza Hotel (B,L,D)
Tuesday, July 6: Shanghai / U.S.
After breakfast, those taking the recommended group flight transfer to the Shanghai airport for the flights home, arriving in the United States the same day. (B; meals aloft)
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