China is one of the few countries that Westerners still feel a sense of wonder about. Not having traditionally been seen as
a tourist attraction, there are not many Western travelers who have ventured into this mysterious land. Today, however,
guided tours of China are more plentiful and cost-effective, making seeing China all the rage with adventurous travelers.
Guided tours of China most definitely will take you to Beijing, China抯 capital city. You抣l visit the Forbidden City, an
ancient city built for China抯 emperors, the Great Wall of China, a must for every traveler, and you抣l still have time for
bargain shopping with Beijing抯 street vendors or at Silk Alley, a bargain hunter抯 paradise.
Because China is such a large country, guided tours of China often include several intra-country airline flights. The
airplane flights are exactly like those in the US and Europe, with the exception that the in-flight meal is inedible and
you won抰 understand a word anyone is saying.
The next stop on many guided tours of China is the ancient capital city of Xi抋n, the beginning of the historic
揝ilk Road敆a trading route extending from Asia to parts of Europe. Xi抋n is famous for being the site of the
揈ighth Wonder of the World敆the famed Terra Cotta Warriors of Xin.
Most guided tours of Xi抋n will take you out to the countryside where the archeological site and museum for the life-size
terra cotta warriors exist. There are three archeological pits containing thousands of life-sized terra cotta soldiers,
horses and carriages. These soldiers have been painstakingly recreated from fragments of pottery and the work at the site
is ongoing.
The best guided tours of the Terra Cotta Warriors will tell you a little secret. In the gift shop, there are stacks of a
beautiful picture book of the warriors, written in several languages. Next to the stack of books sits one of the original
farmers whose well-digging first uncovered the soldiers in 1974. He抣l sign your book for free, giving you a wonderful
keepsake to take home.
A recent trend in guided tours of China is to take you on a memorable, multi-day tour on a riverboat down the Yangtze River.
Most guided tours begin in Chong Xing, a sprawling city of 32 million people in South Central China. There, you抣l board a
lovely ship and you抣l receive a room to sleep in, many with private decks so you can enjoy the scenery.
A riverboat tour down the Yangtze River should be memorable and relaxing. Guided tours of the river include daily excursions
to sites along the way. As you travel downstream, you抣l reach the Yangtze River抯 famous three gorges. These are areas of
the river with huge mountains and massive cliffs on either side of the river.
Unfortunately, guided tours of the Yangtze River may not be as exciting as they are today or even as they were a few years
ago. The Chinese government is building the largest hydroelectric dam downstream from the gorges, raising the water level,
displacing millions of people and marring the beauty of the three gorges. While onboard the ship, you抣l enjoy daily
activities and fine Chinese dining every night.
Next on your list will probably be Shanghai. Most guided tours of China take advantage of the fact that Shanghai is near
the mouth of the Yangtze River and close to where you抣l disembark. Shanghai can be considered the 揘ew York?of China.
It is the center of finance and business in China and, for seasoned travelers, it抯 an excellent place to shop before
stuffing your bags for the flight home.
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