Golden Triangle - India 9 days From $3,499

Price Guide:

• Interstate Surcharge: Brisbane/Adelaide/Perth $300 (interstate flights may be via Sydney or Melbourne)
• Child Price: Same as adult. Infants under 2 years pay $350 per person
• Early Arrival/Stay Behind: From $250pp (subject to availability and applicable fare difference)
• Private transfer: $120 per vehicle for 3 people per way
• Pre/Post-Tour Accommodation (incl. breakfast): $75/person/twin room twin share, $150/person/single room (excludes private transfers & Early Arrival/Stay Behind Surcharge)
• Airline Upgrade (economy class)~: Cathay Pacific or Singapore Airlines from $500 (subject to availability and applicable fare difference. Tip: Upgrade to avoid paying the interstate & early arrival/stay behind surcharge)
• Please Note: Flight itineraries are not available until approximately 2 weeks before departure and involve transits

(~) International long haul sectors only.

All prices are per person twin-share unless otherwise stated and subject to revision without notice. Itineraries, airlines, hotels & ships are subject to availability and change. Nexus Holidays reserves the right to provide substitutes of similar quality and adjust the itinerary as we see fit to ensure smooth operations. Passengers must remain with the group at all times. Fees may apply for deviations from the set itinerary. Total length of trip includes time spent in flight and is subject to flight schedule. Flights may involve up to two transits per leg. Please check all information before booking. The 2020 itinerary is subject to change. There will be minor adjustments to the 2020 itinerary. By booking, you accept all Booking Conditions.

Please Note: Several shopping stops are included as cultural learning experiences, with no obligation to purchase local specialty products.

Day 2: Xi’an (B, L, S)

The highlight today is a visit to the Terracotta Army to see the life-sized defending army of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. This site is among the top archaeological excavations of the 20th century. This will be followed by a visit to a ceramic art factory. In the evening, enjoy a special Imperial Dumpling Banquet and traditional Tang Dynasty Singing & Dancing Show.

Day 3: Xi’an  Beijing (B, L)

After breakfast, visit the Shaanxi Provincial History Museum. The museum is one of China’s largest, and houses over 370,000 items, including murals, paintings, pottery, coins, as well as bronze, gold, and silver objects. Enjoy a special noodle lunch including an interesting noodle making demonstration. Then visit the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, the symbol of the city. Later, walk along the Ancient City Wall, which is not only the most complete city wall to survive in China, but also one of the largest ancient military defence systems in the world. Fly to Beijing & transfer to your hotel.

Day 4: Beijing (B)

After breakfast, visit Tiananmen Square in the centre of Beijing. The square is named after the Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) located to its north, which provides entry to the famed Forbidden City. The square contains the Monument to the People’s Heroes, Great Hall of the People, National Museum of China, and the Mausoleum of Chairman Mao Zedong. You may also wish to take an optional Forbidden City Tour (at your own expense). You’ll discover the former seat of the emperors throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is a true architectural masterpiece, and is home to the fascinating National Palace Museum.Optional activities;

• Peking Duck Lunch ($50): Dine on Peking Duck.
• Forbidden City Tour ($85): Explore the ancient and imposing heart of China’s imperial past.
• Authentic Old Beijing Tour, with Temple of Heaven, Hutong Tour, and Dinner ($115): The Temple of Heaven is recognised as a world heritage site by UNESCO. It is an architectural masterpiece, and was built between 1406 and 1460 AD. The temple was used by China’s emperors for ceremonies honouring the god of harvests. Then, take a rickshaw tour of Beijing’s ancient Hutong neighbourhoods, and visit a local family. This package also includes a traditional Beijing Noodle dish – zhajiangmian (fried bean sauce noodles) meal at a local restaurant. A speciality of Beijing, zhajiangmian is cooked by mixing noodles with vegetables and fried soybean sauce.

Day 5: Beijing (B, L)

Today’s highlight is an excursion to the majestic Great Wall at Juyong Pass, one of the Seven Wonders of the World! You’ll have a chance to climb a portion of this 6,000km marvel. Then, we visit the iconic Beijing 2008 Olympic Centre, which includes the famous Bird’s Nest and Water Cube stadiums, which now host many spectacular events. You’ll see these magnificent structures from the outside, providing a perfect photo opportunity. You’ll visit one of the largest jade exhibitions in Asia en route, and after lunch, see skilled artisans work at a cloisonné factory.Optional activity

• The Golden Mask Dynasty ($75): Be amazed by the colour, music, and action of this large-scale stage production (evening).

Day 6: Beijing: High Speed Train  or  Suzhou (B)

Today, tour the exquisite Summer Palace, the largest preserved ancient garden in China, and formerly a summer resort for emperors. This is followed by a visit to a Chinese herbal medicine institute, and learn about this ancient medical tradition. Then, take a high speed train to Suzhou. Alternatively, the group may fly to Shanghai and travel the short distance to Suzhou by bus.

Day 7: Suzhou  Wuxi (B, L)

Suzhou has long been known as the ‘Venice of the East’, for its exquisite canals, bridges, pagodas, and beautiful gardens, and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. After breakfast, tour the Lingering Garden, a classic private garden with 500 years of history. Next, visit the largest silk factory in the country, and discover how silk is manufactured from mulberry-munching silkworms. You may also take an optional cruise along the Grand Canal (at your own expense) and view life along this section of the longest and oldest canal in the world. Late afternoon, we continue to Wuxi and visit Three Kingdoms City, which is a major CCTV (China Central Television) production studio, and a renowned tourist attraction. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a historical TV series, was filmed there.Optional activity

• Grand Canal Cruise ($45): Cruise on China’s Grand Canal, at 1,776km long and reaching all the way to Beijing, this massive engineering feat was unparalleled in the ancient world.

Day 8: Wuxi  Hangzhou (B, L)

This morning, tour beautiful Li Lake (Lihu), which is the most scenic corner of Wuxi’s huge Lake Tai (Taihu), followed by a visit to a freshwater pearl exhibition and store. Continue on to Hangzhou, described by Marco Polo as “the most beautiful and magnificent city in the world”. Upon arrival, You may take an optional cruise on the serene West Lake (Xihu), which the most renowned feature of Hangzhou, and is noted for its scenic beauty, which blends naturally with many famous historical and cultural sites. In the evening, you may wish to attend Enduring Memories of Hangzhou, and see the story of West Lake come alive before your eyes.Optional activity

• West Lake Cruise ($55): An optional cruise on the serene West Lake.
• Show: Enduring Memories of Hangzhou ($95): See the story of West Lake come alive before your eyes (season runs Feb-Oct)

Day 9: Hangzhou  Shanghai (B, L)

Experience tea-tasting at the Dragon Well Tea Plantation, which produces some of the the best ‘Longjing’ Green Tea in China. After lunch we drive to Shanghai. The Bund, on the Huangpu River and lined by historical architecture of European design, is the best place to capture the Western influences of the colonial era. Then, visit the City God Temple Bazaar, which is composed of stores selling traditional Chinese arts and crafts, medicine, and souvenirs. Tonight you can watch a thrilling Chinese acrobatic show SPIRAL (at your own expense).Optional activity

• SPIRAL Acrobatic Show ($85): A thrilling Chinese acrobatic show, featuring dance, drama, music, and multimedia effects.

Day 10: Shanghai (B, L)

In the morning, tour Shanghai Museum, to see ancient Chinese art, furniture, and jade, followed by a visit to an emerald exhibition centre. In the afternoon, you may enjoy an optional half day tour of the Jin Mao Tower and Xintiandi ($85/person). On this excursion, you’ll visit the 88th floor Jin Mao Tower Observation Deck, for a panoramic view of the Huangpu River and the Bund. Xintiandi (New Heaven and Earth) is an affluent showpiece district of Shanghai which displays the historical and cultural legacy of the city. It was the site of the first congress of the Chinese Communist Party, but is now the most expensive place to live in China. Tonight, you may enjoy an optional Huangpu River cruise.Optional activity

• Half-day City Tour ($85): Tour the Jin Mao Tower and see the city from the 88-floor observation deck, then visit the famed Xintiandi district.
• Huangpu River cruise ($75): Take in dazzling Shanghai from the Huangpu River, with the colonial-era Bund on one side and the futuristic skyscrapers of Lujiazui financial district on the other.

Day 11: Shanghai  Australia (B)

After breakfast, transfer to Shanghai airport to board your overnight connecting flight via an intermediate city to Australia. The trip may be over, but the experiences and memories will certainly last a lifetime.