DAYS 1 – 3

Arrive in Beijing on Day 2. Renowned for its ancient temples, opulent palaces and massive stone walls and gates, there’s scarcely a building standing in Beijing that doesn’t have some facet of Chinese history associated with it. Enjoy a full-day tour of the city with your private guide. Begin with a visit to the fascinating City Planning Museum, followed by an exploration of the Olympic Park, including an exclusive tour of the famous Bird’s Nest stadium. Explore the hutongs — narrow streets of the old city — on a special private tour by rickshaw.

St. Regis Hotel, Beijing

DAY 4

After a morning at leisure, go to Beijing airport for your early afternoon flight to Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. Your journey in North Korea will take you on the trip of a lifetime – revealing a catalogue of revolutionary monuments, sculptures and spectacular architecture. Learn about the Korean Juche idea, discover how North Koreans perceive the world, and how they spend their day-to-day life. Explore the capital and various locations in the country, including a visit to the last of the Cold War frontiers at Panmunjom. Highlights include the contact (albeit limited) you have with the Korean people. 

This afternoon, explore some of the city’s highlights. Visit the Arch of Triumph — at 195-feet high and 165-feet wide, it is the biggest arch in the world. Modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, it was designed to commemorate Korean resistance to Japan between 1925 and 1945 and eventual liberation from Japanese rule. Late afternoon, arrive and settle in at your hotel, centrally located on Yanggakdo Island, in the middle of the city’s Taedong River.

Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang

DAYS 5 & 6

Today see more sights in Pyongyang, including the solemn mausoleum of Kim Il Sung and the country’s main university. You’ll enjoy special VIP privileges, meeting with an expert archivist in the central library, a master craftsman in the sculpture studio where all North Korea’s public art is made, and school teachers and children at a middle school. Then head for the scenic Myohyang Mountains. There you’ll visit an 11th-century Buddhist temple and have a private tour of one of the largest and strangest collections of ceremonial gifts in the world.

Hyangsan Hotel, Mount Myohyang

DAYS 7 & 8

Back in Pyongyang, take an elevator up to the top of the largest stone tower in the world for a panoramic view of the city. Then travel to the small town of Nampo to visit a local orphanage and meet some of the staff and children there. A private concert of traditional music awaits you at the Pyongyang Conservatory. The following day, explore the DMZ between South and North Korea with your expert local guide and learn more about the two countries’ divided history.

Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang

DAY 9

Start the day with a delightful visit to a local middle school, where you will tour the school and meet staff and students. Then spend the rest of the morning on a two-hour private boat trip down the Taedong River, taking in the views and peaceful surroundings. After lunch on board, disembark to at Mangyongdae, the birthplace of Kim Il Sung. Visit his 100-year-old Native House and the adjacent park. Return to Pyongyang airport late this afternoon, in time for our evening flight to Beijing. Upon arrival, you will be taken directly to your luxury hotel.

St. Regis Hotel, Beijing

DAYS 10 & 11

Fly to Hangzhou and begin your exploration of this lovely city with a private cruise on scenic West Lake. Tour a stunning example of traditional Chinese architecture, Guo Villa, which blends in with its beautiful natural surroundings. The next day includes a full-day tour of Lingyin Temple, one of the most famous Buddhist temples in China; the Six Harmonies Pagoda, a true masterpiece of Chinese architecture; and a private visit to a tea plantation where you’ll have the opportunity to tour the terraces and sample the world-famous tea.

Sofitel Hangzhou Westlake or Shangri-la Hotel, Hangzhou

DAYS 12 – 14

Ancient tradition and modern ambition meld in Shanghai. Experience a magical evening enthralled by a performance of Chinese acrobats. Survey the city’s architectural wonders and stroll the serene paths of Yu Yuan Garden in Shanghai’s Old Town. Witness the blending of ancient tradition and forward- looking ambition in the Shanghai Museum’s extraordinary collection of ancient Chinese art, which resides in a stunning building in the heart of the city. On Day 14 you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home or on to your next destination.

Pudong Shangri-La Hotel, Shanghai

Package price is per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement applies. Intra-tour air pricing is subject to change. International airfare is additional. Other restrictions may apply. Contact us for complete journey details.

St. Regis Hotel
Beijing, China

The St. Regis, Beijing is the hallmark of luxurious accommodations in China, with a rich tradition of exceptional service and hospitality. It is a deluxe boutique hotel and all guests have Executive Floor benefits and 24-hour butler service. Located just a few minutes away from Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Silk Market, the hotel was named in Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List.

Services include complimentary light pressing of garments on arrival, coffee and tea facilities in your room, and complimentary evening cocktail in the Executive lounge, fresh fruit daily, unlimited bottled water and complimentary local telephone calls. All guestrooms are beautifully furnished with a warm and inviting color scheme. Rooms are equipped with large TV screen, telephone, optional internet access, mini bar, private in-room safe and individually controlled air-conditioning.

Yanggakdo Hotel
Pyongyang, North Korea

The Yanggakdo Hotel, a landmark in the centre of Pyongyang, was built in 1995 and is the premier hotel in the North Korean capital city. Standing at the tip of an island in the Taedong river which bisects Pyongyang the hotel is 47 stories tall and topped by a revolving restaurant which rotates once per hour to allow a panoramic view of the city. The hotel is reasonably well-equipped and run although English is spoken only by some of the staff and there are certain problems such as un-synchronised lifts and irregular hours for some of the hotel’s shops it remains the most pleasant place to stay in the whole country. There are a wide range of leisure facilities at the hotel, (which is handy as tourists are not permitted to leave the hotel grounds during free time!) including a micro-brewery, ten-pin bowling, swimming pool, 9-hole golf course, driving range, ping pong, billiards, karaoke, all of which tourists can invite their local guides to join them for or enjoy alone. In one of the hotel basements is an area leased by a company from Macau which operates a foreigners-only entertainment centre housing a restaurant, nightclub, sauna, and casino – all staffed entirely by Chinese workers. The hotel has a gift shop, a bookshop, and a shop selling snacks, as well as several restaurants serving a variety of food, some are for group dinners and some have a cash menu also. International calls can be made from the rooms or the telecoms centre and postage and fax services are available too, there is no internet available in North Korea, including at the hotel. All in all the Yanggakdo is a good place to be based during any trip to North Korea.

Sofitel Hangzhou Westlake
Hangzhou, China

Sofitel Hangzhou Westlake is located on the banks of the city's famous West Lake, close to the central business district. The hotel features 200 elegantly furnished rooms, 2 restaurants, 1 bar, an indoor swimming pool, spa, fitness center and beauty salon. The executive lounge offers panoramic views of West Lake and there are conference facilities available for up to 150 delegates.

Sofitel Westlake Hangzhou is centrally located just a stone's throw from Xihutiandi, a cluster of commercial and recreational outlets. The hotel is just a short ride from the central train station and close to the international airport.

Shangri-la Hotel, Hangzhou
Hangzhou, China

The legendary Shangri-La Hotel, Hangzhou stands on the beautiful north shore of Hangzhou's famous West Lake, overlooking Solitary Hill Island and the graceful Xiling Bridge, in a setting that offers guests scenic grandeur, unsurpassed comfort and secluded tranquility. Guests of this Hangzhou hotel will enjoy spacious guest rooms and an array of recreational facilities during their stay. Combined with the exceptional level of service, Shangri-La Hotel, Hangzhou is the premier choice among Hangzhou luxury hotels.

Pudong Shangri-La Hotel
Shanghai, China

Prominently situated along the famous Huangpu River, the Pudong Shangri-La Hotel has breathtaking views of Shanghai’s legendary riverfront—the Bund—and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. Its 606 rooms are the most spacious in the city and are complemented by three restaurants, an entertainment center and lobby lounge. The hotel is well-equipped with recreational facilities including an indoor swimming pool, fitness center, tennis court, gym, massage, Jacuzzi, sauna and a steam bath.

The rooms have an IDD telephone and computer/fax line, mini bar, refrigerator, work desk, electronic safe and remote controlled TV/radio.

Sharon Zimmerman

Sharon’s outstanding people skills have helped her to guide travelers on fascinating journeys to Asia, Africa and South America. Her favorite memories come from tours she led to the Hindu Kingdom of Nepal. In her own words, “You simply haven’t lived until you have been on the back of a galloping elephant!”

Travel Dates: September 09, 2012