2021 Beijing > Seoul

The best of China and South Korea

Explore the culture of one of the most ancient civilisations of the world and continue on to explore a country that has risen from the ashes of a hard-won war to become one of the fastest growing economies in Asia.

Through China’s most prominent cities, you will have the chance to explore the famed sites of the country, including the Great Wall of China, Xi’an’s terracotta warriors, the Forbidden City, as well as meet the adorable giant panda, and enjoy a home-hosted meal in a traditional local house. In South Korea, visit the DMZ for your first view of the isolated country of North Korea, immerse yourself into the hustle and bustle of Seoul, experience life in a ‘Slow City’, and offer prayers at the sacred Haeinsa Temple.

Tour Code:: CHSK
Duration:: 23 days
Departure City:: Beijing
Return City:: Seoul

Selected Itinerary

2021 Beijing > Seoul

23 Day Itinerary

Day 1 - Beijing

Welcome to China. Begin your discovery with a welcome dinner of the famous Peking duck. Your home for the next three nights is Beijing, your hotel is located close to the Forbidden City and many shopping malls.

Meals Included: Dinner
Day 2 - Beijing

Start your journey with a visit to China’s most iconic attraction, the Great Wall at Mutianyu.

Freechoice

Look forward to an unforgettable evening at either the famed Peking Opera or the spectacular Kung Fu Show.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 3 - Beijing

Wander through Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world and enter the mysterious Forbidden City, completed in 1420 and home to 24 emperors until the last Qing emperor, Puyi, left in 1924.

Enrich

Visit a private section of the Forbidden City. Once used as the living quarters of Emperor Qianlong, this section is not usually open to the general public.

Afterwards, enjoy lunch with a local family in a traditional home to experience what it would have been like to live in the Hutongs, before relaxing on a rickshaw ride through the ancient alleyways.

Freechoice Dining

Choose between mixed Asian at Lost Heaven or Western cuisine at the Exchange.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 - Beijing > Yichang > Yangtze River Cruise

Explore the landscaped beauty of the Summer Palace, the last but largest of the summer palaces of the Chinese emperors. Cruise Kunming Lake before flying to Yichang to join your cruise, the Yangzi Explorer. On board, enjoy included wine and beer with lunch and dinner.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 - Yangtze River Cruise

Visit the Three Gorges Dam project site. Later, sail through Xiling Gorge while sampling afternoon tea. Tonight, enjoy the Captain’s reception.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 - Yangtze River Cruise

Glide through the dramatic gorges of Shennong Stream by longboat (sampan). Later, traverse Wu Gorge, known for its sheer rock walls, and Qutang Gorge, the most dramatic of the three gorges.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 - Yangtze River Cruise

Enjoy an insightful excursion to Fuling and 816 Underground Project. Tonight, mingle at the Taste of China Gala Dinner. Be sure to dress in your finest Chinese outfit.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8 - Chongqing > Xi’an

Disembark and visit Chongqing Zoo to see the rare and treasured Giant panda before travelling by high speed train to Xi’an. Later, check into your historically located in Xi’an for a three night stay.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9 - Xi’an

Enrich

Gaze at Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s amazing Terracotta Warriors in the company of a museum curator, an amazing opportunity to learn first-hand about the restoration process. Enjoy a stroll around the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Thanksgiving Temple.

Enrich

Be treated to a special private after hours viewing of ancient artefacts at the Xi’an Qujiang Museum of Fine Arts. Savour refreshing drinks and learn about the history of Shaanxi Province from the museum’s curator.

Sundowners

Enjoy refreshments overlooking the Big Wild Goose Pagoda at sunset.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 10 - Xi’an

Visit a local painter’s home in nearby Hu Xi’an County, famous for its rural peasant paintings, and learn about his art before you enjoy lunch with his family. Later explore Xi’an’s ancient city wall on foot, by push bike or electric buggy. Tonight enjoy the wonderful Tang Dynasty Cultural Show with dinner.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11 - Xi’an > Shanghai

This morning explore the Muslim Quarter, an integral part of daily life in Xi’an at the eastern end of the Silk Road. Later fly to Shanghai and experience the speed of the Maglev train from the airport before settling into your luxurious hotel for a three night Special Stay.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 12 - Shanghai

Discover Shanghai’s stark historical contrasts. Stroll along the famous Bund before comparing its heritage buildings to those in Yu Gardens. Across the Huangpu River, explore the Pudong area and discover modern China. Admire the view from Shanghai Tower, the tallest building in Pudong. Tonight, enjoy the agility and skill of the Shanghai Acrobats.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 13 - Shanghai

Freechoice

Wander through the Shanghai Museum and People’s Square. Explore the French Concession and Xintiandi pedestrian dining and entertainment area and its unique 1920’s ‘shikumen’ buildings. Alternatively, visit Zhujiajiao, a town with a rich canal life and a wealth of traditional buildings and bridges, or cruise along Huangpu River.

Later, spend your free time exploring shopping opportunities on Nanjing Road before enjoying your Chinese farewell dinner.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 14 - Shanghai > Seoul

It’s time to bid farewell to China and transfer to Shanghai airport for your flight to Seoul, South Korea.
Upon arrival in Incheon, transfer to your hotel in Seoul for a three night Special Stay in your Executive Floor rooms. Meet your Korean Tour Director at tonight’s welcome briefing and dinner.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 15 - Seoul

Begin your exploration of Seoul with a visit to arguably the most beautiful of the five Grand Joseon Palaces, Changdeokgung Palace. Your visit to this World Heritage-listed palace would not be complete without a stroll through the Secret Garden contained within. This afternoon witness the changing of the Royal Guard at Deoksugung Palace before moving to the Korean Furniture Museum, housing over 2,000 pieces of Joseon Dynasty furniture in 10 restored traditional Korean houses known as hanok. Also located nearby is the Korean Stone Art Museum.

Sundowners

From the outdoor stone garden of the Korean Stone Art Museum, enjoy a panoramic view of Seoul at dusk with canapés and drinks and get to know your fellow travellers.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 16 - Seoul > DMZ

Leave early this morning to drive to the De-militarised Zone (DMZ) for a morning of exploration, and views of North Korea. Visit the Dora Observatory, Dorasan Station and Freedom Bridge and go underground by monorail to the third infiltration Tunnel. Return to Seoul this afternoon and shop at the largest traditional market in South Korea, Namdaemun Market, located next to the Great South Gate of the original old city.

Enrich

Immerse yourself into the Korean culture at the Hyo Jae Cultural Hall where you can try on Hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, or try your hand at Bojagi, a traditional Korean wrapping cloth. Enjoy a meal of Bibimbap, a rice preparation with meat and vegetables, with your host Lee Hyo-Jae, known as Korea’s Martha Stuart.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 17 - Seoul > Gwangju

Relax in your Deluxe Class seats on the KTX high-speed train ride to Gwangju. Feel at peace on your walk through the Juknokwon bamboo forest before visiting Samjinae village to experience ‘slow living’ at the designated ‘Slow City’. Try your hand at making Hangwa, Korean traditional sweets before returning to Gwangju to check into your hotel for a night at leisure.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 18 - Gwangju > Gyeongju

Begin your drive to Mount Gayasan National Park. Visit the Haeinsa Temple, famous for being the home of the Tripitaka Koreana since 1398, a collection of 81,350 wooden printing blocks with the Buddhist Scriptures carved on them.

Enrich

This afternoon at Gayatgo Village, enjoy a hands on experience crafting your own mini Gayageum, a zither-like 12-string Korean musical instrument. It is yours to take home as a keepsake.

Continue onto Gyeongju, known as the ‘museum without walls’ and check into your hotel for a two night stay.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 19 - Gyeongju

Visit the National Museum, home to relics from the Silla Kingdom when Gyeongju was the capital. View the Cheomseongdae Observatory, Tumuli Park, a collection of royal Silla tombs and Anapji Pond. Lunch is a hands on cooking class of cuisine from the Shilla Dynasty. Later, visit World Heritage-listed Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 20 - Gyeongju > Busan

Begin our drive to Busan with a stop en route at Tongdosa, one of the most important temples in Korea and the head temple of the Jogye Order.

Freechoice

Visit the Gamcheon Culture Village, once a modest mountainside community that has been transformed into an art hotspot, or ride the Danubi ‘Train’ around Taejongdae Park Rocky Cliff, famous for its seascapes. Alternatively, visit Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, a Buddhist temple built in 1376.

Check into your hotel in Busan on the beachfront for a two night stay.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 21 - Busan > Jinhae

From Busan Tower, admire the views of the coastline and the port city before moving to Jagalchi Fish Market, the largest in South Korea. Next, visit BIFF Square and nearby Kukje Market, known for its Mokja Golmok – Let’s Eat Alley.
This afternoon, drive to Jinhae and visit Jinhae Dream Park with the famous Yeojwacheon Stream. Also visit the NFRDI Environment Eco-Park and Jangboksan Sculpture Park to see the red and orange foliage in autumn and delicate blossoms in spring.

Freechoice

Enjoy fine Italian cuisine at the converted art gallery, Kitchen Dongbaek or sample high quality Korean sirloin BBQ at Daedo Korean restaurant.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 22 - Busan > Seoul

Travel in your Deluxe Class seats on the KTX high-speed train to Seoul. Upon arrival, drive to the Gangnam District to have your photo taken in front of the Statue of Gangnam Style. Spend some free time at the COEX underground shopping mall, the largest in Asia. Later, check into your hotel before savouring your sumptuous Korean Bulgogi BBQ feast as your farewell dinner.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 23 - Seoul

Say farewell to this intriguing land and transfer to Incheon airport for your onward journey.
Please note: pre-release itinerary subject to change

Meals Included: Breakfast