Reisbeschrijving (Engelstalig)

15 days tour – For parents and children, starting from the age of 8 years old (English Spoken)

Day 1 - Brussels-Beijing
A Joker-Dragon Head Travel representative will meet you and the rest of the group at the Délifrance counter in the departure hall of Brussels/ Zaventem International airport. You will find the Délifrance at the end of check-in row number 10. The Joker-Dragon Head Travel representative will bring the flight tickets and helps you check-in.
During your flight from Brussels to London and to Beijing you are not accompanied by a representative. The exact time of departure will be informed the latest 3 weeks prior departure.

Day 2 - Beijing (B,L,D)
Upon arrival, around 09h30 in the morning our tour guide will pick you up at the airport and escort you to the hotel in Beijing. After breakfast we will visit the Tian’anmen square and the Forbidden City.
The Tian’anmen square, literally the ‘Gate of Heavenly Peace’ is probably the most famous monument in Beijing. It was the site of several key events in the Chinese history. Build in the Ming Dynasty in 1420, it is often referred to as the front entrance to the Forbidden City.
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It now houses the Palace Museum. For almost five centuries, it served as the home of the Emperor and his household, as well as the ceremonial and political centre of Chinese government.
Built from 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 surviving buildings with 8,707 bays of rooms and covers 720,000 square metres. The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture and has influenced cultural and architectural developments in East Asia and elsewhere.
The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.
Later that day we explore the Temple of Heaven. It is a complex of Taoist buildings situated in southeastern urban Beijing. The complex was visited by Emperors for annual ceremonies of prayer to heaven for good harvest.

Day 3 - Beijing (B,L,D)
After breakfast we will be taken through a culinary adventure in the Chinese Cuisine School.
Children and adults will work together and learn about Si‘chuan or Guangdong Cuisine and cooking skills. We will have our own prepared dishes for lunch.
In the afternoon we will start exploring the city. We will drive to the Old Hutong district. Hutongs are narrow alleys formed by lines of traditional courtyard residences. Since the mid 20th century, the number of Beijing hutongs has dropped dramatically as they are demolished to make way for new roads and buildings. More recently, some hutongs have been designated as protected areas in an attempt to preserve this aspect of Chinese cultural history. We will do a home visit to have a clear view on the way people used to live. Dinner will be served in our hotel. Overnight in our 4* Beijing hotel.

Day 4 - Beijing (B,L,D)
In the morning we will leave to the Chinese Culture School. This day will be filled with typical Chinese arts. A day to remember and to make your own souvenirs.
We will be thought to write our name in calligraphy, one of the oldest forms of Chinese art. Afterwards we continue with the skills of Chinese paper cutting. Chinese paper cutting is a unique art form and has existed for thousands of years with a long history
featuring both national and regional themes. Paper began as a precious commodity in the Han Dynasty.

Next step in our cultural adventure is some basic Mandarin language. Speaking a few words will open doors during the rest of your trip.
Also the famous Chinese painting will be revealed to us in a fun workshop. After those workshops we are ready to continue our trip through China.
After dinner we finish our day with a performance of the Beijing Opera, a national treasure, with a history of over 200 years. Overnight at our 4* Beijing Hotel.

Day 5 - Beijing (B,L,D)
After breakfast we will drive to the Juyong Pass section of the Great Wall.
Juyong Pass, located about 60 kilometres from Beijing, is a renowned pass of the Great Wall. Beside a military stronghold, it is a beautiful scenic spot. Flowers and lush trees dot the surrounding mountains.
In the afternoon we discover the Summer Palace, the largest and best preserved imperial garden in China.
Overnight in a 4* hotel in Beijing.

Day 6 - Beijing/Zhengzhou (B,L,D)
We start our day with an outside exploration of the famous Olympic buildings Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube. Later that morning we explore the Temple of Heaven. It is a complex of Taoist buildings situated in south-eastern urban Beijing. The complex was visited by Emperors for annual ceremonies of prayer to heaven for good harvest.
After lunch we head to the Beijing ZOO. Like many of Beijing's parks, areas of the ZOO have the distinctive look of classical Chinese gardens. The grounds combine cultivated flower gardens with stretches of natural scenery, including dense groves of trees, stretches of grassland, a small stream, lotus pools and small hills dotted with pavilions and halls.

The Beijing ZOO mainly exhibits wild and rare animals of China. The Giant Panda are one of the most popular exhibits, but other popular exhibits include the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey, Manchurian tigers, white-lipped deer, yaks from Tibet, enormous sea turtles, polar bears from The North Pole, kangaroo from Australia, and zebras from Africa.
After dinner we will be transferred to the train station for a comfortable night train to Zhengzhou.

Day 7 - Zhengzhou/Shaolin Monastery (B,L,D)
We arrive in Zhengzhou around 7.00h in the morning. After having breakfast we drive to the Shaolin Monastery.
The tour is led by Abbot Shi Yongxin. Founded in the 5th century, the monastery is long famous for its association with Chinese Martial arts and particularly with Shaolin Kung Fu.
The pagoda forest in Shaolin stands at the foot of Shaoshi Mountain and is the largest pagoda forest in China. It was named a national scenic spot in 1996. We will attend a fascinating Kung fu show. Overnight in our 4* hotel in Zhengzhou.

Day 8 – Shaolin Monastery (B,L,D)
In the morning we visit the local Kung fu school.
Kung fu consists of a number of fighting styles that were developed over the centuries.
Example of fighting styles includes Drunken Boxer, Eagle Claw, Monkey, etc. Those fighting styles are based on five animals: dragon, snake, tiger, leopard and crane. Each animal represents a different style, each of which is used to develop different skills.
We will learn some of the beginning techniques of this mysterious fighting style.
All Martial Arts of this world were created under the sun of Shaolin. Shaolin Kung Fu is as vast and complex as the universe. An ancient Shaolin Master once said: "Study Shaolin Style in great depth, then absorb the special qualities of other styles. Set for your high ideals. Study for wisdom and train the body. Never fear evil. Always fight for Justice." A good soldier is not violent. A good fighter is not furious. A good winner is not vindictive.
We sleep in our 4* hotel in Zhengzhou.

Day 9 - Shaolin Monastery/Luoyang (B,L,D)
After breakfast we will head towards the Dragon Gate Grottoes of Luoyang. This capital of 13 dynasties is one of China’s true ancient dynastic cities.
We explore the White Horse Pagoda, the first officially built Buddhist temple in China.
In the evening we enjoy a typical Water Banquet Dinner from Luoyang. Vegetables and meat dishes are all included in the water banquet. The key to an authentic banquet lies in the soup. It takes almost a day to produce the soup which is used to cook the dishes. The ingredients of the soup are of the highest quality and superb skills are needed in terms of timing and heating control.
We will be transferred to our 4* hotel.

Day 10 - Luoyang/Xi’an (B,L,D)
We drive towards Xi’an. Over a period of 2000 years Xi’an has seen the rise and fall of numerous Chinese dynasties. The monuments and archaeological sites in the city and surrounding plain are a reminder that once upon a time Xi’an stood at the very centre of the Chinese world. The big draw card for foreign visitors, is the Army of Terracotta Warriors, but there are countless other sites scattered around the city.
There is also an Islamic element to Xi’an, found in tucked-away mosques and busy marketplaces, that lends the city a touch of the exotic rarely found in Chinese cities further east.
On our way from Luoyang to Xi’an we can enjoy several amazing landscapes from the Guanzhong Plain, the Loess Plateau, and the Yellow River.
In the evening we enjoy both a Tang Singing and dancing performance as well a typical Dumpling Banquet dinner. We stay in our 4* hotel.

Day 11 - Xi’an/Shanghai (B,L,D)
We start the day with a one hour cycle tour on the ancient Xi’an city wall. It's the most complete city wall that has survived in China, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. We also explore the Wild Goose Pagoda and the Great Mosque. After dinner, we head towards the train station for a night train to Shanghai.

Day 12 - Shanghai (L,D)
We are supposed to arrive around noon in Shanghai. We relax, while having a nice lunch. In the afternoon we explore this metropolis, starting with the People’s square.
Prior to 1949, it was a part of the horseracing course of Shanghai. After gambling and horse racing were banned by the new Communist government, a part of the race course became the People's Square, which included a large Avenue and spectator stands for use during parades.
One of the biggest shopping streets of the world, can be found in Shanghai, Nanjing Road. Shop till you drop.
We stay in our 4* hotel.

Day 13 - Shanghai (B,L,D)
We stroll through the old city centre of Shanghai. Yuyuan Market found beside Yuyuan Garden is a bazaar of stores that sells traditional Chinese arts and crafts and souvenirs.
The stores sell a mish-mash of items including chopsticks, Chinese medicine, walking sticks, fans, silk umbrellas, bamboo and rattan furniture, goldfish, pottery, and much more.
Part of the market has also been transformed into an indoor mall. The afternoon is free to relax. When you are booked for the December trip, we will celebrate New Year’s Eve together.
We stay in our 4* hotel

Day 14 - Shanghai (B,D)
Free day for some souvenir shopping. There are plenty of possibilities to take your children: Shanghai Ocean Aquarium, the Natural Wild insect Kingdom, the Science and Technology museum or the Jin Jiang Amusement Park. After our last dinner together we attend the Acrobatics show.

Day 15 - Shanghai (B,D)
Transfer to the airport of Shanghai and fly back to Brussels

Prijzen, Data en Boeken

General

All information listed in this trip dossier has been compiled with good care. Nevertheless, changes may occur. You will be travelling in a different country with a different culture. Sometimes it will be necessary that our tour leader has to make alterations.

Price and Date

Price: € TBD
Single supplement: € 000
Boeking Code: CNCF070810
Leaving : Dates for 2011 TBD

Price: € TBD
Single supplement: € 000
Boeking Code: CNCF261210
Leaving : Dates for 2011 TBD

Group Size

The minimum group size to guarantee this trip is 6 travellers. Maximum 15 travellers are allowed.

Book with Confidence

This trip is operated by Joker. Joker is a member of the Belgian Garantiefonds Reizen, IATA, the Belgian Association of Travel Agents (VVR) and the federation of Belgian Tour Operators (BTO). The Belgian license number is A1679.

The general travel conditions of the Geschillen Commissie Reizen and the special travel conditions of Joker apply to this trip. You agree with the terms and conditions upon booking.

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Brochure

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