Chengdu, China
Chengdu, China

Treasures of China: A Family Adventure

Jun 22 - Jul 5 and Jul 27 - Aug 9, 2013; Jun 21 - Jul 4, Jun 28 - Jul 11, and Jul 19 - Aug 1, 2014
For more details or to book your family vacation, enter your name and email below or Call 1-888-466-3590 M-F, 9 am-5:30 pm (EST)!
Adult Starting at $6,390
Child Starting at $5,890
Call 888-466-3590
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    Overview
  • Experience the sights, sounds and tastes of China, from cosmopolitan cities to rural villages. Stroll Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City in Beijing, hike in a Chinese national park, and see the giant panda up close. Children can meet with their young Chinese pen pals over a dumpling making lesson. Enjoy special opportunities for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive tours—among them helping to restore a section of the Great Wall and private talks with leading archaeologists. Another highlight is a three-night stay at the remarkable Linden Centre, an elegantly and lovingly restored villa located along the Ancient Silk road in Yunnan Province. Here, your family has the chance to truly experience daily life of rural China—something most visitors to this vast and ancient land miss. This family tour is recommended for families for children ages 10 and older.
    • Special Highlights
  • Ancient. Intriguing. Exquisitely beautiful. And mind-boggling. China is a family travel adventure like no other, and it offers a chance for your family to experience a nation bursting with possibilities for the future, while discovering its fascinating millennia-old history. This well-balanced itinerary was designed for active, inquisitive families that love to explore and learn.
  • Opportunity to do restoration work on the Great Wall: Enjoy exclusive access to a remnant section of the Wall, where your family has the opportunity to do some hands-on restoration work. You will be given bricks and tools, and the local artisans will give a demonstration on how to do the repairs before you get to work.
  • Enjoy viewing all the "must see" sites in Beijing: You’ll be amazed at your first sight of Tiananmen Square. At 109 acres, it is large enough to hold almost one million people! The square is home to museums, ornate halls, and soaring towers. Get ready for a glimpse of breathtaking opulence as you explore the Forbidden City. Built between 1406 and 1420, the complex consists of 980 surviving buildings and 8,707 rooms (out of an original 20,000 rooms). The largest remaining palace complex in the world, the Forbidden City covers approximately 170 acres. Imagine life as it was thousands of years ago, where for 500 years only rulers and their servants were allowed to enter.
  • Visit to the Hanyang Tomb: China’s first underground museum, the Hanyang Tomb has specially made glass floors covering the excavation, so families can see what the tombs would have originally looked like prior to their discovery.
  • Visit to the Sanxindui Museum: This museum is dedicated to a mysterious culture that disappeared over 3,500 years ago. The relics are stunning, and include amazing bronze faces and gold masks that are unlike anything related to Chinese or Western antiquity.
  • Three nights at the Linden Centre: This elegantly and lovingly restored villa is located along the ancient Silk Road, and was once the home of a leading merchant. Your stay here allows you to immerse yourself into authentic China and offers opportunities to get off the beaten path and truly experience deeper aspects of local culture through various activities and events.
  • Fantastic Chinese guides, and local flavor with plenty of comfort: Our trip to China is evenly paced, so your family keeps a satisfying balance of relaxation and adventure. Locally-born guides accompany you each step of the way to ensure pleasant encounters and to reveal subtleties of authentic Chinese culture. Western-style accommodations are welcoming and child-friendly, and at meal time you’ll discover delicious local Chinese cuisine along with kid-pleasing options for the less adventurous.
    • World Heritage Sites
  • This tour features the following World Heritage sites:
    • The Imperial Palace of the Ming Dynasty in Beijing
    • The Great Wall
    • The Temple of Heaven
    • The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
    • Paper cutting in Huxian (Intangible Cultural Heritage)

    See a complete list of all Smithsonian tours featuring World Heritage sites.


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