13-Day China Signature Tour With Holy Tibet

Visit Tiananmen Square, one of the world’s largest public squares. Home to the Monument to the People’s Heroes and Mao Zedong’s Mausoleum, it represents modern China’s heart and history. Capture the spirit of Beijing at this iconic landmark surrounded by monumental architecture.

Discover the Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with nearly 1,000 buildings, grand halls, and defensive walls. Built in the 15th century, it showcases imperial architecture, traditional Chinese craftsmanship, and fascinating history—a must-visit Beijing landmark and heritage site.

Meander through the labyrinthine Hutongs, the traditional alleyways of old Beijing. Enjoy a fun family rickshaw ride through the narrow streets, passing by courtyard homes and local shops, and get a glimpse of authentic Beijing life that's far from the modern cityscape.

Visit Houhai Lake, a lively Beijing area with scenic lakes and historic hutongs. Stroll along car-free alleys, watch locals relax or play music, and enjoy the atmosphere of traditional life fused with modern leisure—a must-see urban escape.

Walk Mutianyu, a well-restored Great Wall section with cable car access. Surrounded by lush mountains, it’s less crowded than other sections and ideal for panoramic views. This Beijing attraction combines historical exploration, scenic hiking, and photo opportunities.

Temple of Heaven Park, formerly known as "Temple of Heaven and Earth", is located at No. 7 Dongli, Temple of Heaven, Dongcheng District, Beijing. It was first built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1420) and renamed "Temple of Heaven" in the 9th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1530). It was the site for emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to "worship heaven" and "pray for valleys", with a total area of 273 hectares. It is the largest existing ancient sacrificial building complex in China and the largest and most well preserved ancient sacrificial building complex in the world. On January 1, 1918, it was designated as Temple of Heaven Park and opened to the public

Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese philosophical category, explains the process of the universe from infinity to Tai Chi, and even the transformation of all things. It is said that it was drawn by Fuxi's perception of the vortex formed by the confluence of rivers and Luo rivers.
Tai Chi is the state before the opening of heaven and earth and the separation of yin and yang in chaos. The Book of Changes verse states: "Therefore, there is Tai Chi, which is the birth of two rituals. The two elements refer to the Yin and Yang elements of Tai Chi. Tai Chi "is a fundamental concept in the Book of Changes, first introduced in the" Book of Changes - Xici Shang ":" Yi has Tai Chi, which gives birth to two rituals, two rituals give birth to four images, four images give birth to eight trigrams, eight trigrams determine good and bad fortune, and good and bad fortune give birth to great achievements. Yi, there are eight changes in ten to form a hexagram. "Around the Da Yan divination method, various dynasties have explored the philosophical meaning of Tai Chi with different emphases.

Marvel at the Terracotta Warriors, Qin Shi Huang’s army entombed to protect him in the afterlife. Each life-sized warrior has unique facial features and uniforms. Visit the nearby art ceramics and lacquer factory for souvenirs—a world-renowned archaeological treasure.

Walk along Xi’an’s Ancient City Wall, built in 1370 with 12-meter-high walls and 98 watchtowers. Take in sweeping city views, explore well-preserved ramparts, and appreciate the defensive ingenuity of this historic fortification—a must-do cultural experience in Xi’an.

Visit the Potala Palace, the iconic winter residence of the Dalai Lama. This UNESCO World Heritage site houses intricate shrines, palaces, and museum exhibits showcasing Tibetan history. Explore its grand halls and spiritual relics while enjoying panoramic views of Lhasa, making it a highlight of any Tibetan cultural tour.

Discover Jokhang Temple, the spiritual heart of Tibet, dating back to the 7th century. This sacred site blends Indian, Chinese, and Nepalese architecture, adorned with vibrant murals and intricate carvings. Located in Lhasa’s Barkhor area, it serves as a pilgrimage center and offers visitors an intimate look at Tibetan Buddhist rituals and history.

Stroll along Barkhor Street surrounding Jokhang Temple, a vibrant market selling handmade crafts, prayer wheels, and souvenirs. This narrow, historic circuit allows travelers to experience local life, observe pilgrims’ devotion, and enjoy a lively cultural atmosphere—ideal for photography and authentic Tibetan experiences.

Norbulingka is the third batch of national key cultural relics protection units, located in the western suburbs of Lhasa, Xizang. Founded in the 1840s (during the reign of the Dalai Lama VII), it is a typical Tibetan style garden that has served as a summer retreat and political center for successive Dalai Lamas. After more than 200 years of expansion, the park covers an area of 360000 square meters and has more than 100 species of plants. It not only includes common flowers and trees in Lhasa, but also exotic flowers and grasses from the southern and northern foothills of the Himalayas, as well as precious flowers transplanted from the mainland or imported from abroad. It can be called a plateau botanical garden. The buildings are mainly Gesang Pozhang, Golden Pozhang and Dadeng Mingjiu Pozhang, with 374 rooms. It is the largest, best scenic and most historic garden in Xizang. Norbulingka means treasure garden

Zhebang Temple is a Gelugpa Tibetan Buddhist temple in China. Together with Ganden Monastery and Sera Monastery, they are known as the three major monasteries in Lhasa. Located at the foot of Mount Genghis Khan in the western suburbs of Lhasa. The entire temple is grand in scale, with rows of white buildings covering the slopes of the mountain. From a distance, it looks like a huge pile of rice, hence the name 'Drepung'. Drepung, meaning "rice gathering" in Tibetan, symbolizes prosperity, and in Tibetan, it means "auspicious accumulation of rice in ten directions, respecting the victorious continent". It is the highest ranking temple in the Gelug sect. It is the largest temple in Tibetan Buddhism.

Visit Sera Monastery on Lhasa’s outskirts, home to around 600 monks of the Gelugpa sect. Named for the wild roses covering the hill, it is famous for lively monk debates in the afternoons. Witness Tibetan Buddhist education and community life in an engaging, picturesque setting.

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding was established on the basis of raising, treating, and breeding giant pandas at Chengdu Zoo. In 1997, an open laboratory was established. In 2019, the base received over 9 million domestic and foreign tourists. On November 17, 2023, the National Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas was established by integrating the resources of the China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center. The base simulates the wild ecological environment of giant pandas using landscaping techniques. The distribution of giant panda delivery rooms, panda breeding areas, research centers, and panda hospitals is orderly, and several luxurious panda "villas" are scattered in the mountains and forests. The expansion area fully follows and uses the original terrain and landforms, utilizing mountain gullies and streams to form a multi-level landscape belt of mountain valleys; According to the characteristics of the panda theme, the project is divided into multiple regions as a whole. As of the end of 2020, the population of giant pandas reached 215, making it the world's largest captive breeding population of giant pandas. As an ecological demonstration project for the relocation and conservation of giant pandas, it is renowned for protecting and breeding endangered wildlife species unique to China, such as giant pandas and red pandas.

Explore Wenshu Monastery (Manjushri Monastery), Chengdu’s best-preserved Buddhist temple. Home to the Buddhist Association of Sichuan Province, it offers beautiful halls, gardens, and a peaceful atmosphere. A must-visit for visitors seeking cultural insight and serene spiritual spaces in the city.

As a part of the Chengdu Wuhou Temple Museum, Jinli is located at 231-1 Wuhou Temple Street, Wuhou District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China. It is situated within the first ring road of the city center, in the middle section of Wuhou Temple Street, adjacent to Jinjiang River to the north and Rainbow Bridge to the east. It is only separated from the famous Wuhou Temple by a wall and borders the western section of the first ring road to the west. Covering an area of over 30000 square meters, with a building area of over 14000 square meters, the street is 550 meters long. The building is based on the style of Sichuan residential houses in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, and the content is based on the Three Kingdoms culture and traditional Sichuan folk culture. In October 2004, Jinli was officially opened to the public; In January 2009, Jinli Extension opened a store to welcome guests. Jinli Ancient Street, one of Chengdu's cultural landmarks, has been upgraded, and "worshiping Marquis Wu and soaking in Jinli" has become one of the more appealing slogans for Chengdu's tourism.
The main scenic spots in Jinli include: Jinli Ancient Street, Ancient Theater, Jiupin Snack Street, Zhuge Well, the First memorial archway in Xishu, Fushou Lane, Huanglong Pool, Ah Dou Well, Folk Memory Wall, Stone Carving Corridor of Song Dynasty, Liu Xiang Tomb.

The Chengdu Museum has a history of 65 years. Since its completion and opening six years ago, the new museum has received nearly 16 million visitors and has three permanent exhibitions: "Hua Zhong Jin Guan Cheng: Chengdu Historical and Cultural Exhibition (Ancient, Modern, Folk Customs)", "Shadow Dance Wanxiang Puppet Show Daqian: China Shadow Puppetry Exhibition", and "People and Nature: Beilin Donation Exhibition". A relatively complete collection series has been formed from the Neolithic Age to the Republican period, including historical relics, shadow puppets, and modern calligraphy and painting masterpieces. As of the end of 2022, the museum has a collection of 218289 pieces/sets, including 1399 precious cultural relics/sets, and an annual total of 1404735 visitors.

Explore the Shanghai Museum at People’s Square, home to a vast collection of ancient Chinese art across five floors. Designed to resemble a traditional Ding vessel, it’s an essential cultural stop for visitors seeking history, art, and Shanghai heritage.

Explore Yu Gardens, a classic Ming Dynasty garden built as a retirement gift for Pan Yunduan’s father. Stroll past koi ponds, jade rocks, and ornate pavilions while soaking in traditional Chinese landscaping. A peaceful Shanghai cultural experience perfect for photography and history lovers.

The Shanghai French Concession was a French concession established in Shanghai from 1849 to 1943, and was the largest of the four French concessions in China in terms of area. Its initial area covered 986 acres, and after multiple expansions, it reached 15000 acres by 1914. The concession is famous for French wutong street trees, Parisian style building planning and independent municipal management system. Jinling East Road, as the first major road in the French concession, has become a commercial center. The building's exterior walls are mostly marked with municipal facilities marked with the words "CMF".
After the establishment of the French Concession in 1849, the Shanghai Anglo American French Land Charter was signed in 1854 to break away from the joint concession system. In 1869, the autonomy was established through the Organizational Charter of the Public Council. During the Battle of Shanghai in 1937, it was not occupied by the Japanese army due to the deterrence of the French navy. In 1943, it was transferred from the Vichy French regime to the Wang puppet government and ended. There are police agencies such as the Marand Police Station located within the concession. The authorities of the French Concession had protected the publication of revolutionary publications and participated in mediating cases related to prominent residences of the Kuomintang. The Provisional Government of South Korea was established in the Shanghai French Concession in 1919 and set up offices in multiple locations within the concession. Among them, No. 4, Lane 306, Madang Road was its longest used and most well preserved office.

Stroll along the Bund to admire Shanghai’s colonial architecture, from 1850s trade houses to glamorous 1920s Art Deco buildings. This waterfront promenade showcases the city’s rich history and cultural heritage, contrasting with the futuristic Pudong skyline—an iconic Shanghai attraction for photography and history lovers.