Travel to Beijing, Shanghai, Jinan and Qufu

This 12 day/9 night China vacation package includes an evocative journey to Qufu, the hometown of Confucius, one of the most influential spiritual leaders to have ever walked the Earth. Vast waterfalls, rural villages, panoramic cable car rides and delicious regional cuisine combine for a truly unique experience in the Orient. This all-inclusive travel package is destined to make your next holiday a memorable one. Luxurious Shanghai, Jinan and Beijing hotels are appointed with the most modern of facilities while still keeping to traditional ways. Tour guides are available to enhance your visit in addition to helping make travel easier between historic landmarks.

Whether you're staying the night in a Beijing hotel or relaxing at a Shanghai hotel, you will feel totally welcomed in this warm and hospitable country. The minute you step off the plane in Beijing you'll know you're in a different land. A land that holds true to what their ancestors taught them. An incredible balance of historical reverence with one eye on the future, this vacation package to the Orient will never cease to amaze and enlighten you. With visits to five cities on this holiday, you will have an experience that's second to none. From sampling the world-famous Tsingtao beer to a mesmerizing cable car ride to the top of Mount Tai, every step of the way offers a different experience. On day seven of your holiday, you'll travel to the quaint city of Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius. It's here that you'll experience a city virtually forgotten by time, still as spiritual and pure as it was 8,000 years ago. No Jinan tourist vacation would be complete without visiting the natural springs that the city is so renowned for. An inspiring visit to Shanghai finishes out your tour of the Orient as a flight aboard Cathay Pacific has you returning home the same day.

Sample Itinerary:

Day 1, Thursday - USA/Beijing
Depart the US via Cathay Pacific flight for Beijing.

Day 2, Friday - En Route
Cross the International Date Line.

Day 3, Saturday - Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, capital of China. Transfer to your hotel. (Prime Hotel)

Day 4, Sunday - Beijing/Qindao
Fly to Qindao, a beachside resort city on the east coast of the Yellow Sea. Transfer to your hotel. (Dynasty Hotel) (B/L/D)

Day 5, Monday - Qindao
Full-day sightseeing tour highlights scenic Mt. Laoshan, surrounded by sea and dotted by waterfalls, Taoist temples and rural villages. (B/L/D)

Day 6, Tuesday - Qindao/Jinan
In the morning, your city tour includes May Fourth Square, Badaguan, the beach area and Zhan Bridge Pavilion. After lunch travel overland to Jinan. Check in at your hotel. (Sofitel) (B/L/D)

Day 7, Wednesday - Jinan/Qufu
Morning excursion takes you to Qufu, the Confucius birthplace and a 3,000-year-old town. Revered and respected by all rulers in history, Qufu has preserved its architecture and traditions. Visit the magnificent Confucius residence, temple and tomb. (Queli Guest House) (B/L/D)

Day 8, Thursday - Qufu/Mt. Tai
Drive a few miles to sacred Mt. Tai and take an easy and scenic cable-car ride to the peak. At the hotel, view the South Gate to Heaven, the sea of clouds, and if the clouds break, the Yellow Sea. Later on, view the magnificent sunset. (Shenqi Hotel) (B/L/D)

Day 9, Friday - Mt. Tai/Jinan
Descend via cable car to take to the road again for Jinan. Transfer to your hotel. (Sofitel) (B/L/D)

Day 10, Saturday - Jinan
Full-day tour of Jinan, known as the City of Springs. Visit Daming Lake, Paotu Spring, Provincial Museum and much more. (B/L)

Day 11, Sunday - Jinan/Shanghai
Fly to Shanghai. Upon arrival, transfer to the city to visit Yu Garden, Jade Temple, the Bund and Nanjing Road. (New World Mayfair Hotel) (B/L)

Day 12, Monday - Shanghai/USA
Depart via Cathay Pacific flight back to the US, and arrive home the same day. (B)