Tibet and Shangri-La A Journey Through Southern China

September 9 - 26, 2018 • 18 Days • 44 Meals Escorted by Mary Taylor

Southern China and Tibet, long cut off from the outside world, are home to some of the world’s most spectacular landscapes and historic sites. On this journey, we will explore the most renowned destinations of this wondrous land. Explore Lhasa and the countryside of Tibet; legendary Shangri-La that has all the charms and mystery depicted in James Hilton’s 1933 novel, ‘Lost Horizon’; the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lijiang; the antiquities of Dali including its old walled city and Three Pagodas as well as the Stone Forest of Kunming. We will also discover the bustling and fascinating cities of Beijing and Shanghai.

Whether you are a return traveller to China or you are a first time explorer of this captivating country, this off-the-beaten path itinerary is the best way to discover the contrasting world of China’s remote areas.

Considering the great success of our past adventures to Tibet and Shangri-La, it is sure to prove very popular in 2018. Do not miss out on the opportunity to be part of a journey of a lifetime. We urge you to book early in order to avoid disappointment.

INCLUSIVE FEATURES

Return economy group airfare from Canada to China with Air Canada and all domestic flights in China and Tibet

All sightseeing tours and transfers, including entrance fees, as indicated in the itinerary

2 or 3 night stays in most cities

16 nights first class hotels as indicated or similar

44 meals included as noted (B - 16 breakfasts, L - 13 lunches, D - 15 dinners)

Services of your tour escort and local guides in China

All gratuities, taxes and service fees for included services, including airport departure taxes and fees

China visa fee for Canadian passport holders

Airport transfers in Canada or equivalent value with purchase of group airfare

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Special meals and entertainment including:

- Peking Duck dinner, Beijing

- Dongba ancient music performance, Lijiang

- Farewell Dinner at local restaurant, Shanghai

Visit Tibet’s most important temples and palaces including Yumbu Lhakhang, Samye Monastery and Potala Palace.

Follow the pilgrim’s way on Bakhor Street

Discover the beauty of Shangri-La (Zhongdian)

Descend through dramatic Tiger Leaping Gorge

Ride cables cars to Cangshan Mountain and Yak Meadow to view the Jade Dragon Snow Mountains

Walk through the unique Stone Forest in Kunming

Stone Forest of Kunming

Songzanlin Monastery, its golden roofs can be seen from miles away! - Credit Rob Craig

TOUR ESCORT

Born and raised in England, Mary Taylor came to Canada in 1974. She has spent four decades in education, working in schools, developing educational programs plus doing research and teacher education. She coordinated university travel programs plus visited and volunteered in schools overseas. Her travel experiences have taken her around the world (China, Australia, Africa, India, and South America, with many journeys to Europe and the Caribbean). Mary loves to explore different cultures and is keen to use technology to share her travel experiences with others. She looks forward to sharing new adventures with you!

Lijiang countryside - Credit R

ob Craig

September 9, Sunday Depart Canada Tour members from across Canada gather for the overnight Air Canada flight to Beijing, the political, economic and cultural centre of the People’s Republic of China. September 10, Monday Beijing, China Upon arrival in Beijing, we will be greeted by our guide and transferred to our hotel, which is ideally located in the heart of the city. Located on one of the city’s most fascinating streets, it is a short walk from Tiananmen Square. Renaissance Wangfujing Hotel (2 nights) D September 11, Tuesday Beijing Today has been left free so that you can either enjoy the city on your own or take one of three optional excursions: Full day city tour including Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace and lunch; or a full day Hutong tour to see the inner workings of old China in Beijing with lunch with a local family; or full day visit of the Great Wall and Changling Tomb. This evening we will gather for a Peking Duck Dinner at the Quanjude Restaurant. BD September 12, Wednesday Beijing / Tsedang This morning we fly into the heart of the Himalayas. Our destination is Tsedang (3,150 metres). Set in the Yarlung Valley, it is the capital of Shannan Prefecture and is known as ‘the Cradle of Tibetan Civilization’. Its mild weather and fertile land led to the development of Tibet’s earliest dynasties. Enjoy the balance of the day at leisure to adjust to the new altitude. Tsedang Hotel (2 nights) BLD September 13, Thursday Tsedang This morning we will visit the Yumbu Lhakhang, Tibet’s oldest building, with a history dating back 2,000 years. It clings to a rock peak overlooking the valley. Nearby is the Trundruk Monastery which was built to protect the Demon living underground. We will see the stunning Thangka of Pearls embroidered with almost 30,000 pearls and precious stones. BLD September 14, Friday Tsedang / Lhasa This morning we drive along the valley to Samye Monastery, claimed to be the first Buddhist monastery built

in Tibet. Founded in 762 by King Trisong Detsen, and built by Indian masters Padmasambhava and Shantarakshita, Samye means ‘unimaginable’ in Tibetan. It was said that when Trisong Detsen asked for advice about the monastery’s construction, Padmasambhava, exerting his magic power, showed the king an image of a monastery in his palm. The buildings at Samye Monastery show three distinctive styles, Tibetan, Han, and Indian. This afternoon we experience the Tibetan countryside as we drive to Lhasa. Four Points by Sheraton (3 nights) BLD September 15, Saturday Lhasa Today’s highlight is the magnificent Potala Palace, once the seat of the Tibetan government and the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. It is still the centrepiece of this mountain city. At 3,767 metres, it is the highest ancient palace in the world. After lunch, we visit Jokhang Temple, one of Tibet’s Holiest Shrines, built with Han, Tibetan, Indian and Nepalese influences in the 7th century. Discover the thriving bazaar of Bakhor Street and follow the circular pilgrim’s way around Jokhang Temple. BLD September 16, Sunday Lhasa Today we visit Norbulingka, the Summer Palace and gardens of the seventh Dalai Lama, featuring the largest man made garden in Tibet. Covering an area of 26 hectares it has been home to the more recent Dalai Lamas. In the afternoon, we will visit the Sera Monastery, one of the three great monasteries in Lhasa, dedicated to the Yellow Hat Sect, a branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name means wild rose. BLD September 17, Monday Shangri-La (Zhongdian) This morning we fly to Shangri-La, formerly known as Zhongdian. Shangri-La is believed by many to be the legendary hidden paradise ‘Heaven on Earth’ of James Hilton’s Lost Horizon. The city retains its aura as an untainted natural paradise, with a mysterious and bewitching quality. Time permitting, we will be have a tour of the Old Town to take in the traditional Tibetan architecture after settling into our hotel. Argyle Hotel (2 nights) BLD September 18, Tuesday Shangri-La Our morning is devoted to exploring this historic town and the precincts of the restored Tibetan Monastery of the Yellow Hat Sect, Songzanlin. Traditional houses with white walls and grey tile roofs dominate the city and temple. In the afternoon visit Pudacuo National Park, China’s first and known for its beautiful landscapes, tranquil setting and lakes. BLD September 19, Wednesday Lijiang This morning, we drive to Lijiang, stopping en route to walk to the Tiger Leaping Gorge. It is one of the world’s deepest and narrowest gorges close to the source of the mighty Yangtze River. This afternoon we will walk around the Black Dragon Pool to see the renowned Moon Embracing Pavilion and will discover the Old Town of Lijiang, or Dayan Town, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. This intimate mountain town is home to the Naxi people and is known for its stone carvings, traditional homes and water canals. Lijiang Wangfu Hotel (2 nights) BLD September 20, Thursday Lijiang Today we journey by cable car to Yak Meadow in the Jade Dragon Snow Mountains to admire the surrounding

Picturesque Jade Dragon Snow Mountain - Credit Rob Craig

CT RATING 4 - Very Challenging: This tour includes travel in very high altitudes (members may be affected by altitude sickness) and long travel days with considerable walking over rough surfaces. Away from hotels facilities may be quite limited and primitive. Most meals will be Chinese in style and content. Members should be physically fit and mobile to fully enjoy this journey.

Tour Cost in Canadian Dollars per person Land Only (Join Beijing / Leave Shanghai) ............... $6,495 Vancouver .................................................................. $7,895 Victoria ....................................................................... $7,995 Calgary / Edmonton ................................................... $8,095 Regina / Saskatoon / Winnipeg ................................. $8,165 Toronto ...................................................................... $7,995 Ottawa / Montreal ...................................................... $8,085 Halifax / Fredericton / St. John’s ................................ $8,265 Single Supplement..................................................... $1,365

Airfares from other gateways are available on request. Airfares and air carrier are subject to change and will be confirmed prior to final payment. Refer to Inclusive Features for details. Tour price is based on sharing a twin-bedded room at hotels. Prices are based on a minimum of 20 members and on rates, taxes and fees effective November, 2017. Prices are subject to change due to factors beyond our control. Optional Excursions: Full details on Sep 11 and Sep 25 optional excursions are available on request or on our website. Prices DO NOT INCLUDE the cost of insurance which is available and is highly recommended. Premiums vary with the cost, length of the trip, and the traveller’s age. For passengers up to and including 74 years on departure date, premiums will range from $346 to $450 pp plus applicable taxes. Cost supplements for travellers aged 75-85 will range from $207 to $414 pp plus applicable taxes. This insurance is effective from the date of purchase and carries limitations on pre-existing medical conditions. Please discuss your insurance coverage prior to booking. Check our website for the most current information. Refer to the enrollment form for general information and conditions.

Final payment will be due on June 5, 2018 Deposit payment is $600 per person

To reserve your spot on this tour, complete the enclosed enrollment form, indicating the tour you wish to join and your home city, and forward it with your deposit to:

mountain scenery. The main peak, at an altitude of over 18,000 feet, looks like a gigantic dragon clad in glacial white. En route, we will visit Yuhu, a traditional Naxi village where botanist Dr. Joseph Rock once lived. We will have some free time this afternoon to enjoy the charms of the old town of Lijiang at our leisure. This evening enjoy a performance of Dongba religious music and dance. BLD September 21, Friday Lijiang / Dali Enjoy a magnificent drive of breathtaking mountain scenery as we make our way to Dali, home of the Bai minority and one of China’s best preserved historic cities. On arrival, we will explore the Old Town, surrounded by its eight-metre high city walls. Founded in 1683, the city retains the charms of a bygone era, with its carved stone houses and meandering canals. Landscape Hotel (2 nights) BLD September 22, Saturday Dali Some of today’s highlights will include a cruise on Erhai Lake and a visit to the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng. The highest is over 68 metres tall and dates back to 836AD. Later, take the cable car ride to Cangshan Mountain which offers the best photo opportunities of Erhai Lake and the Old Town. Enjoy a delightful walk through the forest and by the waterfalls to the temple. BLD September 23, Sunday Kunming Our morning flight brings us to Kunming, the ‘City of Eternal Spring’, a region noted for its year-round mild climate and lush green vegetation. The highlight of this region is the Stone Forest, a karst formation covering 400 square kilometres. As we wander through the forest, we will see pinnacles of rock in the shapes of animals and mystical beasts on which legends are based. Jin Jiang Hotel (1 night) BLD September 24, Monday Kunming / Shanghai Explore Kunming this morning. Wander through the local market, traditional tea shop and the colourful Jingxing Bird and Flower Market. Lunch will be a local specialty called over the bridge Noodle. This afternoon we fly to Shanghai, with the balance of the day at leisure. Puxi Intercontinental Hotel (2 nights) BL September 25, Tuesday Shanghai Once again, you can either enjoy Shanghai on your own or join an optional excursion. Those preferring a planned day can book a full day tour of Shanghai or a morning excursion to visit the classic Yuyuan Garden and the Bund. This evening we enjoy a western-style farewell dinner at a local restaurant. BD September 26, Wednesday Shanghai / Canada After a free morning, we board our direct Air Canada flight to Canada, arriving home the same day. B

Rob Craig

REV01MAY18

1092 Mount Pleasant Road Toronto ON M4P 2M6 416-484-0926 or 1-800-387-8890 | Fax: 416-484-8143

tours@craigtravel.com | www.craigtravel.com

Tibetan man performing prayers at a monastery

Potala Palace in Lhasa