Hi Aida,
I highly recommend Tour-Beijing. We visited China in November 2003 just before Thanksgiving and had a wonderful trip. I arranged an itinerary with them before leaving and made final adjustments once we were there. They were prompt, courteous, professional and very accommodating with our 'customized' itinerary. I purchased a package deal with hotel and air that didn't include daily tours and decided to find a local tour agency. I found Tour-Beijing on the web using google. As it was my second trip to Beijing I wanted the flexibility to re-visit some of the main sights but I also wanted tour service that would provide me the opportunity to discover more of beijing off the main tourist path. They level of service was excellent, and I felt very comfortable knowing I could depend on them with making and providing all of our travel arrangements.
I contacted Tour-Beijing directly via email and sent them my travel dates and a rough itinerary. After visiting their web sight I modified some of the details to include a weekend trip to Chufu and Mnt Taishan (for me this was the highlight of the trip). If this is your first trip to Beijing I'd reccommend starting with a private tour guide following on a city tour. They offer group city tours but having your own tour guide makes a world of difference. Main attractions visited on the city tour are Tianamen Square, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and Temple of Heaven. The second tour I reccommend is a group tour to The Great Wall and the Ming Tombs, ask before and make sure they take you to the Badaling section which has more tourists for a reason. In addition I'd reccomend a tour of the Hutangs (traditional neighborhoods), and some of the lesser visited sights including the White Pagoda or Mongal Temple and definitely the Llama Temple, and if you have time the 5 Pagoda Temple where they house the ancient stone carving museum. As for evening entertainment definitely plan on visiting the Peking Opera, Chinese acrobats and Peking Duck dinner. We had enough time to spend a weekend in the country and opted to take the overnight train to Chufu and Mnt Taishan, this was the best part of our trip. If you go you must ask for Hope as your tour guide (Ma Jun in chinese), as she is a remarkable young lady, well informed, courteous and very professional. While in Beijing Daniel helped us with all of our arrangements and did an excellent job.
I hope this information helps. If you have any questions feel free to drop me a msg.
Sincerely,
Joe Fortier
Senior Bond Trader - Fixed Income Trading
Capital Markets & Trading
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
Joseph.Fortier@schwab.com
Beijing Xian Dunhuang Shanghai 10 Days Silk Road Adventure Tour
Tour Reviews: Beijing: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, the Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, Peking Opera Xian: Terracotta warriors,City wall, Big goose Pagoda, Shaanxi History Museum and Tang Dynasty Show Dunhuang: Mogao Grottoes and the Echoing-sand Dune and the Crescent Lake Shanghai: Yu Garden, Bazaar, Shanghai Museum and the Bund, Enjoy Acrobatic Show Way of Travel: Private transfer + private car or van + hotels + private local tour guides + entrance fees + Meals as listed + intercity transportation Departure Date:Daily
Day by day Itinerary: Day 01: Arrival in Beijing
Arrival at Beijing. Met and transferred to your hotel . Rest of the time is free for you to explore the city.
Stay at Tiantan Hotel.
Day 02: Beijing ( B L D ) Visit Tian An Men Square, the largest public square in the world and Forbidden City which was once home to the emperors for over 500 years in the Ming and Qing dynasties. After lunch, move on to Temple of Heaven --where dynastic rulers in China used to worship the heaven. Then proceed to visit Summer Palace ,a former summer resort for the royal family. Peking Duck Dinner & Peking Opera in the evening.
Stay at Tiantan Hotel.
Day 03: Beijing ( B L )
A full day excursion to the Badaling Great Wall and Ming Tombs. The Great Wall is the landmark of China. Ming Tombs are where 13 emperors of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) were buried. Chinese lunch is included. Back to hotel.
Stay at Tiantan Hotel.
Day 04: Beijing - Xian by air ( B L D ) Morning Flight from Beijing to Xian. Met & transferred to your hotel Xian. After lunch, visit City Wall, the most complete city wall that has survived in China, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the worl. Then move on to Shaanxi Museum, which considers it an obligation to be a showcase of ancient civilizations.
Transferred back to your hotel.
Stay at Jianguo Hotel, or Xian Hotel, or same class
Day 05: Xian - Dunhuang by air ( B L )
Morning flight for Dunhuang. Met and transferred your Hotel in Dunhuang. Rest of the day tour of the Echoing-sand Dune and the Crescent Lake.
Stay at Dunhuang Hotel
Day 06: Dunhuang ( B L D )
The whole day visit the Dunhuang Museum and Mogao Grottoes. A special dinner will be served at your hotel.
Stay at Dunhuang Hotel
Day 07: Dunhuang - Xian by Air ( B L D )
Take morning flight back to Xian. Met and tranferred to your hotel. After lunch, visit Terracotta Warriors Army and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. After dumpling dinner, enjoy Tang Dynasty Show.
Stay at Jianguo Hotel, or Xian Hotel, or same class
Day 08: Xian - Shanghai by air ( B L D )
Take a morning flight to Shanghai. Take a stroll on the Bund, a splendid row of early 20th century European buildings. Enjoy an exciting acrobatic show in the evening.
Stay at Golden River View, or Shanghai Mansion or same class
Day 09: Shanghai ( B L )
Today"s highlight is your visit to Yuyuan Garden and Bazar. It is a very "Chinese" style market with everything you think can be treated "Chinese". After lunch, move on to the Pedestrians only Nanjing Road. Nanjing Road is a must-see metropolitan destination attracting thousands of fashion-seeking shoppers from all over the world. Aftr lunch, visit Shanghai Museum. Then take one hour cruising on Huang Pu River. Huangpu River goes about 100 kilometers from Dingshan Lake, the source, northward to Wusong Kou, where it blends into the Yangtze River. 40 km of the river is within the district of the big Shanghai. Back to hotel.
Stay at Golden River View, or Shanghai Mansion or same class
Day 10: Shanghai exit ( B )
Transferred to Shanghai airport for your departure
Tour Quotations (based on per person and quoted in US dollars)
Double Occupancy: USD 1780 ( two travellers share one room )
Single Occupancy:USD 2190 ( one traveller shares one room ) Remark: the tour price above is based on minimum two travellers.
Price inclusion:
1. All transfer and city transportation
2. Entrance fees
3. Meals listed as B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner
4. Local English speaking tour guide
5. Hotels ( two sharing room ) with breakfast
Price exclusion:
1. Personal expenses: the items of personal nature such as drinks, laundry, FAX, telephone, excess baggage charges.
2. Insurance coverage of personal loss, illness or damages incurred during your trip
3. Tips to the tour guide and driver
To learn more about our terms and conditions for quotation, reservation, payment and cancellation, please click here. Remark: The tour above is exclusively made for you without any other travellers taking part in the tour. If you have any special request, please contact our travel expert. You are also welcome to send us your tailor-made tour plan by filling the online travel form.
Beijing: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, the Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, Peking Opera 
Visit 
Morning Flight from Beijing to Xian. Met & transferred to your hotel Xian. After lunch, visit City Wall, the most complete city wall that has survived in China, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the worl. Then move on to Shaanxi Museum, which considers it an obligation to be a showcase of ancient civilizations. 
Day 06: Dunhuang ( B L D )
Day 09: Shanghai ( B L )
