Northern China Tour
The Northern China tour includes Beijing, Datong, Pingyao, and Xi'an. All of these cities are full of history. When you travel to Beijing and Xi'an, thousands of years of history are all right before your eyes. You should not miss the most famous attractions while you are having a China tour: Olympic Green, Yungang Grottoes, and the Summer Palace. This blog will be focused on the first part of the northern China tour.
Beijing
During the first few days, you will be able to travel to Beijing and Datong. Beijing, the capital city of China has been the heart and soul of politics and society throughout its long history. Now there is an unparalleled wealth of discovery to delight and intrigue travelers. Here, Olympic Green and Summer Palace are strongly recommended for you. Datong, located in northern Shanxi, is another place in China tour to visit. Yungang Grottoes will be a recommended place for you to see.
Olympic Green: A Symbol of Modern Achievement
Olympic Green, an Olympic Park in Beijing is located in the northern tip of the city and was the centerpiece for the 29th Olympic Games which was held in China for the first time in 2008. The largest venue at the games in terms of seating capacity was the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the "Bird's Nest" which you can not miss when you travel to Beijing. The Bird's Nest in the Olympic Green held some 91,000 spectators for the opening and closing ceremonies. If you are interested in this tour, please look at Beijing-Datong-Pingyao-Xi'an Tour for more information. In the Olympic Green, you also can find other important buildings such as the Olympic Village, the Main Press Center (MPC), and the International Broadcasting Center (IBC).
Historical Attractions in Beijing
The Shixiaguan Great Wall and the Summer Palace are the other two popular attractions in Beijing and are also included in the Northern China tour. You can hike at the Shixiaguan Great Wall which is the most adventurous section of the Great Wall. Hiking from Shixiaguan to the Badaling section is an ideal place for you to enjoy the landscape and experience the physical challenge and amazing views.
The Summer Palace, an original royal garden and a temporary dwelling palace for emperors of the Qing Dynasty, attracts a large number of travelers every year both from home and abroad. It is mainly dominated by Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake. Most of the building space features a variety of palaces, gardens, and other ancient-style architectural structures. In a word, the Summer Palace is a perfect photography place for travelers.
Datong's Yungang Grottoes: An Artistic Marvel
After you travel to Beijing, you will be able to take a train to Datong which is one of the destinations in the northern China tour. Yungang Grottoes is located 16 km. (10 mi.) to the west of Datong in Shanxi province, on the southern ridge of Wu Zhou Mountain. The grottoes were carved into the mountain and extend for a kilometer (half a mile) in length. Fifty-three grottoes remain at Yungang today. With about 51,000 statues, the tallest is 17 m. (55 ft.) high and the smallest is only a few centimeters. You are strongly recommended not to miss this kind of fantastic Yungang Grottoes. You can find more information about another grotto which is called Mogao Grottoes from WindhorseTour's 11 Day Beijing to Xinjiang Tour.
Continuing the Journey to Pingyao and Xi'an
Pingyao and Xi'an which are the most popular destinations in China will be the next stops on your tours China. Here, you can embrace the eighth wonder of world - Terracotta Warriors with a history more than 2,000 years which you should not miss when you travel to Xi'an.
Pingyao
For the last few days of the tour, Pingyao and Xi'an would be your destinations. You will travel to Xi'an from Pingyao by train. Pingyao is a county in central Shanxi province. Originally built in the Western Zhou Dynasty (1045-256 B.C.), Pingyao Ancient City boasts a history of over 2,700 years. Xi'an, which was called Chang'an in ancient times, is one of the birthplaces of the ancient Chinese civilization in the Yellow River Basin area. Nowadays, you will find many historic spots when you travel to Xi'an. Terracotta Warriors and Big Wild Goose Pagoda are the top two attractions which are must-visit places. Please look for more information at WindhorseTour's Beijing to Xi'an Tour.
Attractions in Pingyao
Pingyao City Wall, Shuanglin Temple and the Zhengguo Temple are three key attractions in Pingyao which you should not miss while you are having a China tour (The other tours of WindhorseTour that are also wonderful are China Highlights and Tibet Train Tour and Yunnan & Tibet Explorer to Kathmandu). Then there is the famous Rishengchang Exchange Shop which is one of the most famous forex shops in China. Located on the West Avenue, the shop is known as the "Countryside Grandfather" of sundry Chinese banks. You also can visit Wang Family Courtyard House with altogether 231 courtyards and 2,078 houses. The exquisitely crafted sculptures of stone, wood and brick can be found everywhere in the courtyard and are certainly a highlight of the compound.
Xi’an
After your journey in Pingyao, you will travel to Xi'an. Visiting the Terracotta Warriors is truly a highlight of your wonderful journey. The well-known Terracotta Warriors were created by the first Emperor of China -- Qin Shi Huang. It unfolded a strong army of altogether 7,000 life-size pottery soldiers, chariots, horses and weapons which were arranged in battle formations symbolically and guarding the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. After visiting the Terracotta Warriors, you can visit the other famous attractions in Xi'an such as Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Ancient City Wall and the Bell Tower. If you are interested in the Xi'an tour, please look at Best Xi'an 3 Day Tour for more information.
Join in a northern China tour, you will know more about China's culture and lifestyles. Don't miss the famous destinations in China. These places will bring you a wonderful experience.