In 2010 Inside Essential China is pleased to be able to offer a number of combinations to tailor make the holiday experience to suit your every need.

China Tour 2011 - Departing Beijing 3rd of September

Whilst we are able to offer our standard Cultural and shopping tours, Inside Essential China is pleased to offer a "Special Interest' tour in 2011. This will include visits to hospitals of Chinese medicine, to observe the workings of the busy out patients departments in various sections of the hospital. Inside Essential China will endeavour to visit at least two such hospitals during our time in Beijing, along with our exciting itinerary in and around Beijing.

Our tour will include visits to the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace, The Great Wall at the Badaling section of the Wall, and a visit to the Ming Tombs, Tiananmen Square, Silk Market and the Pearl market.

Our Hotel is the Days Inn Forbidden City, a small, friendly 3 star hotel located in central Beijing, adjacent to the Forbidden City and the People's Congress Hall, this hotel is surrounded by thousand-year-old trees and has retained its old-world charm. The location of this hotel is excellent with a few minutes walk to the east of Days Inn to Wanfujing Street a main modern shopping and eating area. Days Inn Forbidden City is only a few minutes' walk from Tiananmen Square.

Combining contemporary architecture and designs, the traditional setting creates a superior cultural and artistic environment. Days Inn focuses on being clean and comfortable while providing high-quality service and amenities at a competitive price.

All rooms are equipped with workstations, broadband internet access, and wide-screen plasma TVs with cable.
Hotel Rooms: 164. Hotel Chain: Days Inn.

Tour Costs: Price is per person in a share twin deluxe room with breakfast at the Days Inn for 8 nights, tours as listed, airport transfers, Services of Inside Essential China staff guiding around Beijing, visits to Chinese Medicine hospitals and seats at the Chinese Acrobatics show. $1325.00 per person. Single supplement $350.00

What’s Not Included: Air fares to and from Australia, tips and gratuities of a personal nature, additional taxis, meals except where stated and the cable car at the Badaling section of the Great Wall.

In 2011 we are offering a number of side tours to exciting places outside of Beijing. We are pleased to announce that side trip to Xian, the home of the terra cotta warriors and to Chengde, these are available as add ons, these tours are operated by our travel agent partners in China but are escorted by an Inside Essential China crew member.

Xian the home of the Terra-cotta Warriors.

Xian, located in central-northwest China, records the great changes of the country just like a living history book. Called Chang'an (meaning the eternal city) in ancient times, Xian is one of the birthplaces of the ancient Chinese civilization in the Yellow River Basin area. As the eastern terminal of the Silk Road and the site of the famous Terracotta Warriors of the Qin Dynasty, Xian has won a reputation all over the world. More than 3,000 years of history including over 1,100 years as the capital city of ancient dynasties, have endowed Xian with an amazing historical heritage. Tourists marvel at the numerous historical sites and cultural relics in and around the city.
The Discovery of the Terra-cotta Warriors.
The story goes that local peasants were digging for a well when they came across the 8,000-strong terracotta brick army totally by accident in 1974.

The exhibition includes thousands of life-size soldiers and their horses in battle formation, many of which held spears, axes and other weapons.

There are also several dozen horse-drawn chariots, archers and teams of officer who are commanding the troops. Whilst we are not permitted to take photos when visiting the Terra-cotta warriors, the indelible prints taken by our minds eye will stay with you for a life time. The experience of standing in this huge hanger viewing each of the warriors with their individual faces and expressions is something that will stay with you, along with the wonder that perhaps these faces are in fact copies of the men who acted as the warriors in their time. A lasting memorial to the work they did.

Tour price: $925.00p.p. Single Supp $250.00

Based on share twin rooms staying in the Bell Tower Hotel or similar, a 4 star hotel staying in Deluxe rooms with breakfast for two nights.

Air fares from Beijing to Xian.

Soft sleep train from Xian to Beijing overnight.

Xian tour will include a visit to the Terra-cotta warriors and Horses, Huaquing Hot Spring, Banpo Village ruins, and the Big Wild Goose pagoda This tour is operated by China Travel Service, Modern Travel but will be escorted by an Inside Essential China crew member.

Chengde

Chengde, is situated in the northeast of Hebei Province, and is about 230 kilometers (140 miles), to Beijing. The topography of Chengde is mainly divided into plateau and mountainous regions, including Yanshan, Yinshan and Qilaotushan mountains, as well as the Luanhe, Liaohe, Chaobaihe and Jiyunhe rivers flowing through the city.

As one of the first famous historic and cultural cities of the nation, Chengde has plenty of stunning scenery renowned both at home and abroad. The Mountain resort and Eight Outer Towers are listed as the world cultural heritage sites, which have contributed towards Chengde being one of famous cities in the world.

Tour options:

Three day, two nights tour cost $925.00p.p. Single Sup. $250.00

Includes transfer to and from railway station, share twin in Sheng Hua Hotel or similar a 4 star hotel in a deluxe room with breakfast.

Tours to Puning Temple, PuTuoZong Sheng Temple, XuMeFuShou Temple, Pule Temple, and Wooden Club Mountain with English speaking guide.

Train trip Beijing-Chengde-Beijing in soft seat and takes approximately 5 hours each way.

All tours are operated by China Travel Service, Modern Travel but escorted by an Inside Essential China crew member.

Please note: All prices are subject to currency fluctuation and are subject to change without notice, whilst every effort is made to keep prices as quoted there may be last minute changes.

Enquire about our special price deal!

Buy all three packages and receive a substantial discount of the total price for the 14 night tour.

Please note: All prices are subject to currency fluctuation and are subject to change without notice; whilst every effort is made to keep prices as quoted there may be last minute changes.

Air fares to and from Australia are not included. We recommend Air China Airlines, as they offer reasonably priced fares to Beijing. Booking early ensures you will get a good price but feel free to search the web for fares which suit your personal requirements.

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Shopping Tours

Whilst you will have three full days of shopping in Beijing you will also get the chance to see some of the wonderful sights around Beijing. Shopping can fill a whole China itinerary but we are sure you will enjoy the cultural side of your journey of a lifetime in Beijing. But if you find yourself with some free time you can poke around in old curio shops, museums, temples and bookstores.

There's a saying: "Everything in China is negotiable."

Shopping, buying and selling, they're all games. The seller plays and the buyer plays. Most of the time it's amiable but sometimes tempers flare and I've seen live fish being hurled at shoppers who deride the merchandise and punches being thrown in the market place over water melons, screaming and yelling in the streets over produce sold on the side of the road.

Have no fear, in the tourist-trade, everyone's out to make a deal and you just have to learn the rules.

Masks

Beijing

Beijing had the biggest facelift for the 2008 Olympics - you'll be amazed at the amount of construction still going on in the city. But in between the jackhammers and cranes, you'll find some of China's most historic and beautiful national treasures. You could spend weeks seeing all there is to see in Beijing, but you only have a few days, make the most out of them.

These are some of the markets where you can shop when in Beijing:

The markets we will visit

Xiushi - Photo by Itchypaws
Hong Qiao - Photo by StephenRWalli
Yashow

Xiushui (Silk Street Market)

Hong Qiao Pearl Market

Sanlitun-Yashow Clothing Market.

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