Escorted Tours 2020 & 2021 - 2nd Edition - Mercury Holidays

For full tour itineraries, please visit us online at www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/tours CHINA 57 MEAL PLAN: 6 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 6 dinners ACCOMMODATION Chengdu 3 nights 4 ★ Holiday Inn Express Xi’an 1 night 4 ★ Jianguo Hotel Beijing 3 nights 4 ★ The Landmark Hotel or 4 ★ Jinglun Hotel HONG KONG 3 nights 4 ★ B&B from £469 Visit our website to learn more about our extensions. EXTEND YOUR TOUR DEPARTURES & FROM PRICES 2022 DEPARTURES AT 2021 PRICES CONTACT US FOR DATES • Prices based on flights from London Heathrow to China with China Eastern (via Shanghai) • Rooms available with no single supplement. Once sold, single supplement starts from £319 DAY 1: UK TO CHENGDU Depart London on your scheduled, overnight flight to Chengdu, via Shanghai. DAY 2: CHENGDU On arrival in Chengdu, you will be met by a local guide and transferred to your hotel. DAY 3: CHENGDU B/L/D Enjoy a memorable encounter with Chengdu’s giant pandas on one of the highlights of this tour – a trip to the Panda Conservation Centre, where you’ll be rewarded with a close-up viewing of baby and adult pandas lounging in enclosures built to imitate their natural habitat. Continue to the Shu Brocade Museum where you can marvel at this intricate method of embroidery. See parents playing Cupid at Matchmaker’s Corner in the People’s Park then sample fragrant, local teas at a traditional tea house before returning to your hotel. DAY 4: CHENGDU B/L/D Your second panda experience takes you to the Dujiangyan Panda Base. Watch these lovable animals playing, napping and eating as you stroll around multiple enclosures. Look out for the overseas returnees’ – all pandas born abroad have to be returned to China by the age of two. Next, take in centuries-old pagodas and buildings on a visit to picturesque Jiezi Ancient Town. Return to Chengdu for a flavourful Sichuan dinner. DAY 5: CHENGDU TO XI’AN B/L/D Experience China’s high-speed rail network as a bullet train carries you to Xi’an. After check-in and lunch at your hotel, delve into the sights of Xi’an as you stroll along the ancient city walls, built as fortifications in the 14th century. This evening, enjoy a taste of tradition as you feast on shui jiao dumplings and watch a riveting Tang Dynasty dance performance. DAY 6: XI’AN TO BEIJING B/L/D After breakfast, uncover the extraordinary craftsmanship of the Terracotta Warriors, an 8,000-strong army created so that no two warriors look alike. Explore these vaults then witness how replicas of these figures are skilfully crafted at the Art Ceramics and Lacquer Exhibition Centre. This afternoon, transfer to the airport for your flight to Beijing, with the remainder of the day to relax after checking into your hotel. DAY 7: BEIJING B/L/D Marvel at one of mankind’s greatest feats as you stroll the Great Wall of China, taking in a mere portion of this formidable structure which took over 1,800 years to construct. Access the wall at the Juyongguan Pass, which also boasts beautiful waterside temples and towers. After lunch, explore the intricate pieces on display at the Jade Museum then take in the ancient royal residence of the Summer Palace. This evening, an entertaining Chinese acrobatic show rounds off the day. DAY 8: BEIJING B/L/D Discover Beijing’s long, imperial history on today’s full-day city tour. Explore Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest public square, under the watchful eye of Chairman Mao’s large, central portrait. From here, enter the vast Forbidden Palace and wander it’s 9,999 rooms and chambers before travelling onward to the tranquil Temple of Heaven. Later this evening, dine on fragrant Peking duck and enjoy an outdoor dance performance. DAY 9: BEIJING TO THE UK Transfer to the airport for your flight to the UK, via Shanghai or continue on to your chosen extension. B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner FOR YOU TO KNOW: A visa and travel insurance are required when travelling to China and must be obtained before travel. Tips: It is customary to tip your guide and driver; please allow approximately £45pp for the duration of your stay. 9 days from £1,399pp Giant Pandas, Chengdu Red Panda IN PURSUIT OF PANDAS TOUR HIGHLIGHTS ✔ Enjoy two memorable encounters with the giant pandas of Chengdu ✔ Visit Tiananmen Square, Forbidden Palace and the Temple of Heaven ✔ Experience the grandeur of the Great Wall of China ✔ Marvel at over 8,000 ancient Terracotta Warriors, buried beneath the city of Xi’an ✔ Sample China’s fragrant, local teas on a visit to a traditional tea house Enjoy unforgettable panda encounters and then take in China’s iconic sights as you visit the 8,000-strong Terracotta Army, stroll along the Great Wall and wander the sprawling Forbidden Palace complex. 1 Number of nights Air Rail 3 1 3 Xi’an China Chengdu Dujiangyan Panda Base East China Sea Beijing PACE: ROOMS AVAILABLE WITH NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT 11 Nov 20 £1,399 02 Dec 20 £1,499 20 Jan 21 £1,599 03 Mar 21 £1,699 12 May 21 £1,799 09 Jun 21 £1,899 11 Aug 21 £2,099 08 Sep 21 £2,099 06 Oct 21 £1,999 10 Nov 21 £1,449 08 Dec 21 £1,699