Summary 01 AUGUST 2008 on Friday, two weeks before Olympics, a total solar eclipse is visible from within a narrow corridor that traverses half the Earth. The path of the moon's umbral shadow begins in Canada and extends across northern Greenland, the Arctic, central Russia , Mongolia , and then, China. So, there will be another event that is worth expecting in China besides Olympics. According to observatory in Urumqi, the best site of China is to be Yiwu County(Karatoruk), Hami area in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Eclipse will first begin at 18:09, the maximum eclipse at 19:08, and the maximum time of the total phase will last one minute and 55 seconds. Be aware that the weather condition in the area at that time will also be favorable for observation according to NASA analyses, and you will probably get the clear sky in reward. Seeing this unique astronomical phenomenon under the background of endless winding sandy dune will be a gorgeous experience. Besides, the ancient and mystique Silk Road in northwest China is waiting for you to find out. Features Comprehensive and unique program for eclipse observer Fine Selected hotels at wide range of choices for your comfort Local specialties and night shows listed at the bottom for your delight Knowledgeable guides, experienced drivers and vans in good-condition
Day 01 (28 Jul) Arrival, Shanghai (No meals)
Arrive in Shanghai, your gateway city of this tour. Be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel for a good rest.
[ Itinerary Description ]
Among the big cities in China, Shanghai maintains the look of a Western metropolis. It is fascinating and sophisticated. The city started out in the 4th century as a fishing village and became a town till the middle of the 13th century. After the Opium War, Shanghai was gradually opened as a 'treaty port' in the mid year of the 19th century when it had been opened to the foreign trade and led to its partition into British, French and later Japanese concessions. From that time on, foreigners began to flood into this paradise for adventurers. Covering out their own sphere of influence, England, France, the US and Japan settled here by seizing their respective concessions which was known as the territory of each country. It was considered as the colonial period with number of the featured buildings and architectures of cosmopolitan by those owners of the concessions which made Shanghai as a fascinating mixture of East and West.
Day 02 (29 Jul) Shanghai (B/L)
Depart from hotel in the morning to have a whole-day trip of Jade Buddha Temple, Yuyuan Garden, the Old Street, Oriental TV Tower and the Bund, Shanghai's famed waterfront promenade. Traditional Dim-sum Banquet and Acrobatics are available for your optional lunch and night entertainment.
[ Itinerary Description ]
Today you'll find a Buddhism shrine - Jade Buddha Temple, located in a crowd of Shanghai City. It was first built in 1882 in Jiangwan on the southern outskirts of Shanghai. In order to make it convenient for the adherents to visit , it was bodily moved to Shanghai City at the present sire in 1918. It is named for its two bejeweled white jade Buddha. It receives thousands of visitors and worshipers everyday while keeps its sanctity and charming. Carved from a whole piece of white jade, the sitting jade Buddha statue is translucent with a solemn expression, displaying the excellent skill and extraordinary art of Chinese people. Yuyuan Garden has a lot of stories for it was severely damaged in the 19 th century and was restored in 1961. This garden was first built in the 16th century by provincial governor, Pan Yunduan, in honor of his father who was the then government minister. It has many scenic courtyards decorated with baroque rockery, pools, and flora that are all connected by corridors and passageways. The delicate design and exquisite layout of the whole garden reveals a strong impression of 'garden in the garden, whole in the part.' Coming back from the nature, the shopping trip will begin in Nanjing Road which is starts at the Bund and runs westward, with People's Square in the middle. Renown for its bustling and modernization, Nanjing Road earns its reputation as the 'First Commercial Road in China', which is the good shopping heaven for your trip as the same as the Fifth Avenue in New York and Avenue des Champs-Elysées in Paris. Some of the traditional food and handicrafts of Shanghai can be found here. Then it comes to the Bund, the showcase with the old buildings of colonial-era leftover along Huangpu River. The renowned waterfront district is the city's most famous landmark. The word BUND is of Anglo-India origin meaning embankment on the waterfront. It is also the popular site to enjoy the night view of the city. Standing at Pudong New Area at the east side of Huangpu River, Oriental TV Tower was completed on October 1 1994. The tower has a height of 468 meters. With multi-functions of sightseeing, catering, shopping, amusement and accommodations, this tower has become the symbol of the city and a popular tourist attraction in Shanghai.
Shanghai offers colorful recreations with rich contents and creative form. Your night may be filled with an interactive old form of art known as the Acrobatics. Those professional performers have been trained of as early as age six or seven so that they can play so well and excellent. It definitely will be an unforgettable night in your memory.
Day 03 (30 Jul) Shanghai- -Urumqi(B)
Be transferred to the airport for the flight to Urumqi. The rest day at Urumqi is free on your own arrangement.
[ Itinerary Description ]
After about 5 hours flight, you will reach Urumqi, a far-removed world of Silk Road. The city once was an important transportation hub on the ancient Silk Road, and now is served as the capital city of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. In the hinterland of the Eurasian continent, the city is on the northern slope of Mt. Tianshan and at the southern edge of Jungar Basin. With the unique natural beauty and rich folk custom, Urumqi is an ideal tourist city of China.
Day 04 (31 Jul) Urumqi-- Turpan(B/L/D)
Be transferred to Turpan after breakfast. Visit the Grape Valley in Flaming Mountain upon arrival.
[ Itinerary Description ]
The distance between Urumqi and Turpan is about 200km.
Turpan, an oasis city, is located at the south foot of Bogda Peak and the center of Turpan Depression. Because of the drastic 5,000-meter difference in height between the mountain tops and the bottom of the depression, the scenery too, varies greatly at different altitudes from perpetual snow at the summits to green oasis at the foot of the mountains. After a long journey from the desert, tourists are always fascinated by the strange beauty of the depression with its snow-capped mountains, its salt lake, and particularly its Flaming Mountains. Turpan is not only special for its low altitude, but also for its strange climate. In summer the temperature can reach as high as 47oC (117oF), while on the surface of the sand dunes, it might be 82oC (180oF). It is no exaggeration to say that you can bake a cake in the hot sand. The average annual rainfall is little more than ten millimeters; sometimes there is no rain for ten months at a stretch. Days are exceptionally sunny throughout the year. The hot and dry climate is especially beneficial to sugar crops. Fruit trees, melons, and particularly grapes grow very well in the Turpan Depression. Every year more than a thousand tons of grapes are exported to foreign countries. The city used to be an important strategic point on the Silk Road. As early as 2,000 years ago, a town called Jiaohe was built four kilometers from today's Turpan. Jiaohe then was the capital of the Outer Chshi Kingdom. During the first century, Jiaohe came under the rule of the Han Dynasty. During the sixth century, Turpan was under the administration of Gaochang Kingdom. During the reign of Emperor Tai Zong (626-649), the Gaochang Kingdom was conquered by the Tang Dynasty, and Turpan again became a frontier town of China, serving as a stopover for merchants, monks, and other travelers on their way to the west.
The Grape Valley is located in the Flaming Mountain. From the ancient times, the place is famous for the cultivation of the sweet and tasted grapes. Here you can catch the sight of green pearl-like grapes hanging one bunches after another. Just settling yourselves under the green leaves and try the fresh juicy fruit to enjoy the coolness different from the outside.
Day 05 (1 Aug ) Turpan-- Hami--Yiwu (B/L/D)
In the morning be transferred to Yiwu via Hami, and get ready for the observation upon arrival. Stay overnight at Yiwu.
[ Itinerary Description ]
Hami is the Eastern gateway to Xinjiang, an oasis in the midst of a seemingly endless desert and famous for the sweet melons, the Hami Melon.
Drive to Yiwu through the Mt. Tianshan and enjoy its gorgeous scenery on the way.
According to observatory in Urumqi, the best site of China is to be Yiwu County(Karatoruk), Hami area in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. This small town is not far from Hami. Eclipse will first begin at 18:09, the maximum eclipse at 19:08, and the maximum time of the total phase will last one minute and 55 seconds. Be aware that the weather condition in the area at that time will also be favorable for observation according to NASA analyses.
The accommodation is subject to the room availability. Camping near the observation site may be served as the substitute.
Day 06 (2 Aug) Yiwu--Hami--Dunhuang(B/L/D)
Be transferred to Dunhuang after breakfast via Hami. Check into the hotel and catch up with some good rest.
[ Itinerary Description ]
Known as Shazhou in ancient times, Dunhuang was served as a rest stop for traders as the gateway through which Buddhism, Islam and Christianity entered China. Dunhuang is located at the western end of Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province in northwest of China. It is a small oasis surrounded by high mountain, deserts and the Gobi Desert with Dang River as the city's water supply. The city boasts 241 places of historic interests, and many of them are world-famous for its long history.
Day 07 (3 Aug) Dunhuang (B/L)
Today's trip is to visit Mogao Grottoes at first, the site is considered the great treasure house of Buddhist arts in existence. Later Crescent Spring and Sighing Sand Dune.
[ Itinerary Description ]
Lying at the foot of Sighing Sands Dune and 25km southeast of Dunhuang City, Mogao Grottoes measures 1,680 meters from south to north. It has more than 700 caves, of which 492 caves hold more than 2,000 painted sculptures and 45,000 square meters of murals. There are five grottoes with a wooden structure. Mogao is the largest, oldest and the best-preserved Buddhist grottoes with the richest contents in the world today.
Sighing Sand Dune starts from Mogao Grottoes in the east. It is 40km from east to west, and 20 from south and north. The dune with an elegant shape. When people slide down along the slopes, a sound will be heard, hence the name. TheCrescent Spring is surrounded by the sand dunes with the shape of crescent. It is a miracle that the spring has never dried up over the past thousand years.
Day 08 (4 Aug) Dunhuang--Xi'an (B/L)
In the morning drive to the airport for the flight to Xi'an. After check-in, the rest day is free for you to explore the city.
[ Itinerary Description ]
About two and a half hour later, your plane will be landed at Xi'an, a city with time-honored history. It is the city can bring you back in time to ancient Chinese civilization. During its 3,100 years development, 13 dynasties have occupied the region. Besides, the city was the start point of the famous Silk Road. You'll find Xi'an a large city with a much more relaxed atmosphere than that of Beijing. There are lots of cars but without the traffic pace of Shanghai. One of the important reason for no subway in the city is that there is large part of the wealth of ancient treasures buried here.
Day 09 (5 Aug) Xi'an(B/L/D)
Ample time will be provided for the visits of those famous spots, including Terror-cotta Army Museum, Great Wild Goose Pagoda, Shaanxi History Museum, and Ancient City Wall.
[ Itinerary Description ]
Terror-cotta Army Museum, regarded as the '8 th Wonder of the World', is located at 30km east of Xi'an City. The site was discovered by farmers in 1974. It was created to guard Emperor Qin Shihuang's tomb that's to protect him in his afterlife in the mind of ancient Chinese. Three excavation pits have been opened to the public with a fourth underway. During his visit to China, US former President Clinton came to visit the dig. The fine troops, horses and carriages in battle formation are ancient art treasure and complete illustration of the history of Qin Dynasty.
Then comes to Great Wild Goose Pagoda and Shaanxi History Museum, this two are not far from each other. The former site is where the sixty-four meter high multistoried brick structure erects. The pagoda was built in the Tang Dynasty in 652AD to house and protect Buddhist scriptures collected in India by Xuan Zang, a famous Chinese monk. The Though simple, it is very much an appealing structure considering its sacredness especially to Buddhists. Besides, climbing the building rewards you with a bird-eye view of the whole city. In the ancient city like Xi'an, the museum should be an indispensable part of your visit. Shaanxi History Museum is a showcase of the civilization from Emperor Qin Shihuang to the present day. The museum is housed in a striking Tang Dynasty-style pavilion and features an enormous collection of 113,000 historic and cultural relics. We continue the trip to the nearby Ancient City Wall. It is the most complete city wall that has survived in China as well as one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world.
Day 10 (6 Aug) Xi'an--Shanghai(B/L)
Depart Xi'an on a short flight bound for Shanghai. Upon arrival, be transferred to the hotel.
Day 11 (7 Aug) Departure, Shanghai (B)
Be transfer to the airport for the return flight as the unforgettable eclipse trip ends.
Service Ends
TCT Optional Local Specialties & Night Shows:
City
Local Specialties
Nights Shows
Shanghai
Traditional Dim-sum Banquet
Chinese Acrobatics
Turpan
Roasted Lamb
Uygur Ethnic Minority Dance Show
Xi'an
Jiaozi Banquet
Tang Dynasty Show with Dinner
TCT Recommended Hotels :
City
Standard Hotels
First Class Hotels
Deluxe Hotels
Shanghai
Pacific Luck Hotel
Golden River View Hotel
Howard Johnson Shanghai
Urumqi
Xinjiang City Hotel
Xinjiang Grand Hotel
Sheraton Hotel
Turpan
Grand Turpan Hotel
Tuha Oil Building
-
Yiwu
local best availability OR camping
Dunhuang
Dunhuang International Hotel
the Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel
-
Xi'an
New Henderson Hotel
Aurum International Hotel
Howard Johnson Ginwa Plaza
Price Details (per person in US$) :
Standard hotels
First Class hotels
Deluxe hotels
Standard Class Hotels
Low Season
Shoulder Season
High Season
Twin
S.Supp
Twin
S.Supp
Twin
S.Supp
Above 10 pax
6-9 pax
2-5 pax
1 pax
First Class Hotels
Low Season
Shoulder Season
High Season
Twin
S.Supp
Twin
S.Supp
Twin
S.Supp
Above 10 pax
6-9 pax
2-5 pax
1 pax
Deluxe Class Hotels
Low Season
Standard Season
High Season
Twin
S.Supp
Twin
S.Supp
Twin
S.Supp
Above 10 pax
6-9 pax
2-5 pax
1 pax
* High season: April, May, Sep, Oct, & 1-15 Nov; Shoulder Season: Jun & Jul; Low Season: Jan, Feb, Mar, 16-30 Nov & Dec
* S.Supp: Single Supplement
TCT Member Price :
Remarks:
All the "0" in the above form indicate that the prices to be advised, and S.Supp(Single Supplement)means one client occupying one standard room.
Prices in USD are based on two sharing one twin-bed standard room,exclusive of the price for ONE passenger occupying one twin-bed room of his own.
The prices quoted here are only valid in 2008, period of 2008 Beijing Olympic excepted.
The availabilities of rooms, flights and so on are subject to change until the actual booking is being made. TCT reserves the right to adjust the prices of any portion of the tour due to the reasons beyond our control.
Prices are based on the current exchange rate and are subject to change without prior notice. For the most up to date prices, please contact with the sales.
Children under 12 have discount from above prices. Please advise all details about kids concerned with bookings.
Price includes:
Mentioned domestic air transportation in economy class with airport tax and fuel surcharge. The tax and surcharge are subject to change at any time.
Private transfers between airports/railway stations, hotels and all sightseeing spots. Separate arrivals and departures will incur extra charges.
Hotel or cruiser accommodation based on two adults sharing one standard twin-bed room/cabin; a client who travels alone or desires is required to pay a single supplement rate. A single room is subject to availability based on prior request at an additional cost; if the recommended hotel is not available, it will be substituted by a similar one.
Meals(breakfast in hotel, Chinese lunch and chinese dinner serves at local restaurant) as specified in the itinerary table marked with （B/L/D）
Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) are included in the cruise fee as well as the cruise shore excursion in groups and daily activities. The arrangements are subject to the different cruiser companies and subject to change without prior notice.
One driver and one English-speaking guide on normal sightseeing activities in each destination.
All entrance fees to scenic spots as shown in the itinerary. The final arrangement will be determined by local tour guides based on the local circumstances which are beyond the control of TopChinaTravel. TCT will adhere to the original itinerary as accurately as possible.
Tibet Travel Permit application fee in the packages related to Tibet.
Price excludes:
Round International airfare or train tickets.
Visa fee, passport application or renewal fee.
Tips for guides, escort, drives, bellman, etc.
Personal expenses such as excess luggage fees, laundry, postage, communications and beverages.
Travel insurance.
Optional meals and shows mentioned in the itinerary, which will be added up if the clients desire to take the activities.
Applicable taxes or government fees.
Any other changes caused by the acts of God, natural disasters, fires, weather, governmental and local authority orders, political change, strikes, war, riots, quarantine, custom regulations, damages or injury caused by accident beyond the control of TopChinaTravel and that has incurred due to the tourist action violating the laws.
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Copyright 2004 All Rights Reserved. Top China Travel
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01 AUGUST 2008 on Friday, two weeks before Olympics, a total solar eclipse is visible from within a narrow corridor that traverses half the Earth. The path of the moon's umbral shadow begins in Canada and extends across northern Greenland, the Arctic, central Russia , Mongolia , and then, China. So, there will be another event that is worth expecting in China besides Olympics. According to observatory in Urumqi, the best site of China is to be Yiwu County(Karatoruk), Hami area in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Eclipse will first begin at 18:09, the maximum eclipse at 19:08, and the maximum time of the total phase will last one minute and 55 seconds. Be aware that the weather condition in the area at that time will also be favorable for observation according to NASA analyses, and you will probably get the clear sky in reward. Seeing this unique astronomical phenomenon under the background of endless winding sandy dune will be a gorgeous experience. Besides, the ancient and mystique Silk Road in northwest China is waiting for you to find out. 
Day-by-day Itinerary-m.jpg)
-Urumqi(B)-m.jpg)
- Turpan(B/L/D)-m.jpg)
The distance between Urumqi and Turpan is about 200km. -m.jpg)
Hami is the Eastern gateway to Xinjiang, an oasis in the midst of a seemingly endless desert and famous for the sweet melons, the Hami Melon.
Drive to Yiwu through the Mt. Tianshan and enjoy its gorgeous scenery on the way. -m.jpg)
Known as Shazhou in ancient times, Dunhuang was served as a rest stop for traders as the gateway through which Buddhism, Islam and Christianity entered China. Dunhuang is located at the western end of Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province in northwest of China. It is a small oasis surrounded by high mountain, deserts and the Gobi Desert with Dang River as the city's water supply. The city boasts 241 places of historic interests, and many of them are world-famous for its long history. -m.jpg)
Lying at the foot of Sighing Sands Dune and 25km southeast of Dunhuang City, Mogao Grottoes measures 1,680 meters from south to north. It has more than 700 caves, of which 492 caves hold more than 2,000 painted sculptures and 45,000 square meters of murals. There are five grottoes with a wooden structure. Mogao is the largest, oldest and the best-preserved Buddhist grottoes with the richest contents in the world today. -m.jpg)
About two and a half hour later, your plane will be landed at Xi'an, a city with time-honored history. It is the city can bring you back in time to ancient Chinese civilization. During its 3,100 years development, 13 dynasties have occupied the region. Besides, the city was the start point of the famous Silk Road. You'll find Xi'an a large city with a much more relaxed atmosphere than that of Beijing. There are lots of cars but without the traffic pace of Shanghai. One of the important reason for no subway in the city is that there is large part of the wealth of ancient treasures buried here. -m.jpg)
Terror-cotta Army Museum, regarded as the '8 th Wonder of the World', is located at 30km east of Xi'an City. The site was discovered by farmers in 1974. It was created to guard Emperor Qin Shihuang's tomb that's to protect him in his afterlife in the mind of ancient Chinese. Three excavation pits have been opened to the public with a fourth underway. During his visit to China, US former President Clinton came to visit the dig. The fine troops, horses and carriages in battle formation are ancient art treasure and complete illustration of the history of Qin Dynasty.