Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Shanghai at 2:50 PM Tuesday, May 7. Visit the Bund, have dinner on Nanjing Road, and head to the hotel.

Day 2: Visit the Jade Buddha, Yuyuan Garden, Old Town Temple, the site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Silk Factory, and Xin Tian Di.

Day 3: Visit the residence of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the PuDong area, Pearl Shop, Shanghai Museum, and an evening acrobatic show.

Day 4: A day long excursion to Zhou Zhuang water village.

Day 5: Fly to Chengdu and visit Mt Leshan Giant Buddha by boat, then drive to Mt E'mei Shan.

Day 6: Climb Bao Guo Temple, Fuhu Temple, Wannian Temple (by cable car), Emei Jinding (also by cable car), then drive back to Chengdu and have a Mapo Doufu dinner.

Day 7: Visit the panda base, JinLi Ancient Street,  free time in Width Alley, then take a train to Xi'an.

Day 8: Arrive in Xi'an and visit the Wild Goose Pagoda and the city wall.

Day 9: Visit the Terra Cotta museum, Shaanxi Arts and Crafts Factory, Shaanxi History Museum (the Inscription Forest), and have a dumpling dinner with an evening Dancing of Tang Dynasty show.

Day 10: Visit Mosque, free time in Xi'an, then travel to Lou Yang.

Day 11: Visit the Longmen Grottos, see tri-coloured glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty, then drive to Songyang Academy, Zhong Yue Temple, Gaocheng Kansing Terrasse.

Day 12: Visit Shaolin Temple, the Pagoda Forest, Martial Arts performance, White Horse Temple, and Lou Yang Museum.

Day 13: Take a bullet train to Beijing and enjoy a free day.

Day 14: Visit Tian Anmen Square, the Forbidden City, Coal Hill Park, and Wangfujing Street.

Day 15: Walk the Great Wall, visit Summer Palace, the Jade Factory, the site of Olympics 2008, and have a roast Peking Duck dinner.

Day 16: Visit the Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple, and a Tea House.

Day 17: Enjoy a free morning and visit the University in the afternoon.

Day 18: Enjoy a free morning before boarding a flight back to the States.