The Magic of the Celestial Empire - Tour of China, 2026/2027

Departure from Sofia on a Turkish Airlines flight. Arrival at Istanbul airport.

Departure from Istanbul on a direct Turkish Airlines flight. Arrival at Beijing airport. Transfer to the hotel. Check-in at the Beijing Sunworld Hotel 4*. Free time in Beijing.

Dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast. Tour of Beijing, included in the price.

Our tour of the Chinese capital begins with a visit to Tiananmen Square, which stands majestically in the heart of Beijing. The square leads us to today's highlight - the Forbidden City. This magnificent palace was home to the emperor and his family for almost 5 centuries. As you follow your guide and listen to stories of the emperors, you will explore the courtyards, the imposing pavilions and other cultural relics. This is followed by a visit to a pearl shop, and then we will wander through the narrow lanes of the old hutong neighbourhoods.

Dinner with Peking duck. Return to the hotel. Overnight stay.

Breakfast. Excursion to the Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall of China, included in the price.

Our excursion begins with a visit to the Temple of Heaven. The best way to get a feel for the local way of life is to visit the Temple of Heaven in the morning. As well as enjoying the elegant architecture inside the temple, you will be able to watch the locals, for whom the park around the temple is a favourite place for exercise and Tai Chi.

About an hour and a half by coach from Beijing, our adventure to the Great Wall of China begins. We have chosen especially for you the best section of the Great Wall - Mutianyu, which is less crowded but has stunning scenery. We will take a cable car and pass through various watchtowers. You will be truly amazed by this magnificent and incredible structure. On the way back you can choose to come down by cable car or by toboggan.

Return to the hotel after dinner. Overnight stay.

Breakfast. Excursion to the Longmen Grottoes, included in the price.

Transfer to the station to board the bullet train to Luoyang. We depart at 08:12 and arrive in Luoyang at 12:34. We begin our tour with a visit to the Longmen Grottoes - one of the finest examples of Buddhist art in China, where we will see impressive and vivid statues of Buddha from different periods. In the afternoon we head for the town of Dengfeng (about 1 hour by coach) for the night. Check-in at the Dengfeng Zhongzhou Intermega Hotel 4*.

In the evening we will enjoy the special music show “Shaolin Zen Ritual”, an impressive combination of music, dance and martial arts demonstrations.

Return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast. Check-out. Excursion to the Shaolin Monastery and the Pagoda Forest, included in the price.

Shaolin is one of the most famous and important Buddhist monasteries in China. It was founded in 495 during the Wei dynasty and was a centre of Buddhist teaching and a place of meditation. Shaolin is still a working monastery, with about 300 monks living there. It is known all over the world for its history, culture and kung fu practice. A visit to the Zen Buddhism school and the main Buddhist temple, and a kung fu show. We then head for the Pagoda Forest, where some of the monastery's most eminent monks are buried. It is the largest pagoda forest in China. Most of the pagodas are made of stone and brick and range from one to seven storeys.

Then we will experience “Chinese speed” as we travel by high-speed G train to Xi'an. We depart from Luoyang station at 16:04 and arrive in Xi'an at 17:26. Transfer to the hotel. Check-in at the Golden Flower Hotel 5*.

Dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast. Excursion to the Xi'an City Wall and the Terracotta Army, included in the price.

Xi'an is one of the oldest cities in China and one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals, having been the capital under some of the most important dynasties, such as the Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui and Tang. After breakfast we will visit the ancient Xi'an City Wall and see how the city was guarded in the past. Then we will visit the Terracotta Army, consisting of 8099 terracotta statues of Chinese warriors at the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who unified China in the 2nd century BC. Although they were buried underground more than 2200 years ago, the terracotta warriors still look alive, with vivid expressions on their faces.

Return to Xi'an and dinner with the dumplings typical of the region. A Tang dynasty show before returning to the hotel. Overnight stay.

Breakfast.

Today we head for the historic centre of Xi'an to see some of the city's most important sights. We will stop at the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower, which you can visit if you wish (the entrance fee is paid on site). The Bell Tower marks the geographical centre of the old capital, at the crossing point of the four cardinal directions - east, west, north and south. Next to it stands the Drum Tower, where you will find a selection of drums and a small museum. We then head for Xi'an's best-known Muslim Quarter, with a market for souvenirs, food and all kinds of small shops and stalls. Lunch.

Return to the hotel. Overnight stay.

Breakfast (packed) and early check-out. Departure for the morning flight to Guilin at 07:05, arriving at 09:15 local time.

Excursion to the Longji Rice Terraces, included in the price.

Today's excursion takes us to the Longji Rice Terraces, where we can immerse ourselves in the local way of life of the Yao and Miao ethnic minorities who live there. After touring this breathtaking area we will return to Guilin. We recommend wearing comfortable flat shoes.

Dinner in a local restaurant before check-in at the Guilin Lijiang Waterfall Hotel 5*. Overnight stay.

Breakfast. Li River cruise, included in the price.

After breakfast we head for the pier (40 to 50 minutes) to begin the boat cruise down the picturesque Li River to Yangshuo, the highlight of any visit to Guilin. Along the river we will be inspired by breathtaking views of various peaks, crystal-clear water and picturesque landscapes. The cruise usually takes about 3.5 to 4 hours, depending on river conditions. Lunch on the cruise boat. In Yangshuo we will stroll along West Street before the transfer to the airport (about 1.5 hours) for the flight to Shanghai. Arrival at Shanghai airport. Transfer to the hotel.

Check-in at the Harbor Plaza Metropolitan Shanghai 4*. Overnight stay.

Breakfast.

A visit to a typical ancient Chinese garden - the Yu Yuan Garden. It is a small but fine example of an exquisite garden with pavilions, arches, bridges, ponds and so on. Outside you can try local snacks or buy souvenirs at the lively Yuyuan Bazaar. Lunch. In the afternoon we continue with a walk in the French Concession. Then we go to the second-tallest building in the world, the Shanghai Tower, where we will ride the fastest lifts in the world and enjoy an incredible panoramic view of this modern metropolis. Our tour ends with a cruise on the Huangpu River, from which we can watch the evening light show on the skyscrapers of China's financial capital.

Return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast. After a one-hour transfer we arrive at the ancient water town of Zhujiajiao, full of well-preserved old houses lined with a network of waterways and quaint stone bridges. As we walk along the stone-paved path lined with centuries-old houses, we will discover many local specialities and interesting souvenirs. After the tour - a stroll along the pedestrian Nanjing Road in Shanghai and dinner in a local restaurant.

Transfer to Shanghai airport. Departure for Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight.

Arrival at Istanbul airport. Departure for Sofia on a Turkish Airlines flight. Arrival at Sofia Airport.