14-Day Spring Break School Trip for High School and Middle School Students

Morning — Arrival in Beijing
As soon as you step off the plane at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), your guide will be waiting just outside the baggage-claim area holding a name sign. A private vehicle will transfer you to your hotel, where your guide assists with check-in and provides a brief orientation. The rest of the day is yours to relax and recover from the long flight.

Morning — Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City
Tiananmen Square is one of the world's largest public squares, once the gateway to the imperial city and the stage for royal proclamations and celebrations. From there, step into the Forbidden City — the Palace Museum — home to 24 emperors and the political heart of imperial China from the Ming to Qing dynasties. Your group can join a treasure-hunt activity, collecting clues from your guide among the world's largest imperial palace complex, with winners receiving special souvenirs.

Afternoon — Hutong Tour
Beijing's hutongs are historic alleyways lined with traditional courtyard (siheyuan) homes, serving as a living museum of the city's folk culture. You can stroll, rent a bicycle, or take a rickshaw through preserved neighborhoods, and join a Chinese calligraphy class in a resident's home to deepen your cultural understanding.

(Optional: Try painting a Peking Opera face mask with a local artisan, learning the meanings behind its colors and patterns.)

Evening — Peking Roast Duck Dinner
In the evening, savor an authentic Peking roast duck dinner at a renowned local restaurant — a crispy, flavorful highlight of Beijing cuisine.

Morning — The Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven, built in 1420 under the Ming Yongle Emperor, is the largest existing complex in the world dedicated to heaven worship, where Ming and Qing emperors performed rites to pray for good harvests. Commoners were once barred from this vast park, but today you can admire the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and test the acoustics of the Echo Wall. Students can also explore the mathematical design of the Circular Mound Altar.

Afternoon — Badaling Great Wall
The Badaling section, about 3,741 meters long, is the best-preserved and most visited stretch of the Great Wall, built in the Ming Dynasty as a key northern defensive pass. Its magnificent scenery and convenient access make it ideal for first-time visitors, and cable cars serve those who prefer not to hike. Your group can walk the ramparts and take in sweeping views of the surrounding mountains.

Evening — Water Cube & Bird's Nest
On the way back, pass the Water Cube and Bird's Nest — landmark venues of the 2008 Beijing Olympics that symbolize a modern, creative ‘new' Beijing and showcase striking contemporary design.

Morning — The Summer Palace
The Summer Palace began as the Qing-era imperial garden Qingyi Yuan, later rebuilt and expanded by Empress Dowager Cixi as a retreat where she entertained guests and received foreign envoys. Its highlights include Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, linked by the 728-meter Long Corridor that ends at the Marble Boat. You can climb Longevity Hill for sweeping views over the gardens and toward the Fragrant Hills.

(Optional activity: During the semester we can offer an alternative school-exchange visit with local students in Beijing, giving your group a glimpse of campus life across different socioeconomic backgrounds.)

Afternoon — High-Speed Train to Xi'an
After lunch, board the high-speed train on the 1,216-kilometer journey to Xi'an. After about four hours you'll arrive at Xi'an North Railway Station, where enthusiastic drivers and guides will greet you and transfer you to your hotel to rest or explore the city.

Evening — At Your Leisure
The evening is yours to enjoy at your leisure — you may rest at the hotel or explore the nearby surroundings on your own.

Morning — Terracotta Army and Clay Warrior Workshop
Today you will dedicate the bulk of your time to exploring the world wonder of the Terracotta Army, the subterranean military escort of Emperor Qin Shihuang, the first emperor to unify China. The army comprises different branches of the armed forces, chariots and horses with their weapons, and thousands of life-sized statues of varying heights and facial characteristics; four pits have been excavated so far, with most of the figures still buried. While admiring the warriors you may wonder how ancient craftsmen created them, and after leaving the museum you will have the chance to craft a clay warrior in person at a local artisan's workshop set within a cave dwelling. The site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987.

Afternoon — Huaqing Palace
Coming out of the Terracotta Army, we head to Huaqing Palace, built on Mount Li in Lintong, Shaanxi Province, during the Tang Dynasty and used as a royal garden by emperors of various dynasties. Students will explore the Tang Imperial Baths Site Museum, take a scenic ride through Mount Li — the setting of the famous story of lighting beacon fires to entertain the feudal lords — and visit the Pavilion of the Military Counsel, where they can trace the historic events of the Xi'an Incident. The hot springs here have been prized for their restorative waters for well over a thousand years.

Evening — The Everlasting Sorrow Performance
As night falls, a performance of The Everlasting Sorrow brings the timeless romance of Emperor Xuanzong and Concubine Yang Guifei back to life through a blend of light and shadow. With melodious music and stunning stage effects, fragments of history replay before your eyes, carrying a deep affection that seems to reach across time and space.

Cultural Insight
The show is staged outdoors at the foot of Mount Li, with the hillside and its pavilions woven into the stage design, so the landscape itself becomes part of the story.

Meals — Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
All three meals are included on this day.

Morning — City Wall & Small Wild Goose Pagoda
The Xi'an City Wall is the most complete and best-preserved ancient city fortification in China, rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty (1370 AD) atop Tang-era foundations and stretching 13.7 kilometers around the old city. Its complex of ramparts, watchtowers, and a surrounding moat now doubles as a vibrant urban park — cycle or walk the top for views of both historic and modern districts. Nearby, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, built in the Tang Dynasty (707–709 AD), is a graceful Buddhist monument renowned for its serene beauty through the seasons.

Afternoon — Muslim Quarter & Great Mosque
Xi'an was the eastern starting point of the Silk Road, drawing traders from the West since the 1st century BC, and its Muslim Quarter preserves that legacy of cultural exchange. As evening approaches the area buzzes with exotic shops and halal restaurants where you can taste local snacks and explore traditional markets. The Great Mosque — one of China's largest and best-preserved early mosques, first built in the Tang Dynasty and expanded over later dynasties — uniquely fuses Chinese architecture with Islamic design.

Evening — At Your Leisure
The evening is yours to enjoy at your leisure — you may rest at the hotel or explore the nearby surroundings on your own.

Morning — Hanyang Mausoleum
The Hanyang Mausoleum, also known as Hanyangling, is the joint tomb of Emperor Jing (188–141 BC) and his empress of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC–AD 24), and is the best-preserved royal mausoleum of its kind in China. The emperor's tomb rises as a flat-topped pyramid at the center, surrounded by satellite tombs and extensive burial pits. Your guide will take you through the underground museum, where glass walkways hover above the excavated pits displaying tens of thousands of unearthed artifacts, including lifelike nude terracotta figurines and animal sculptures.

Afternoon — Flight to Lijiang
After lunch, your guide will accompany you to Xi'an airport for a flight to Lijiang in Yunnan Province.

Evening — Arrival in Lijiang
On arrival, you will be picked up by your personal guide and transferred to your hotel, conveniently located in the town center with plenty of restaurants nearby where you can enjoy dinner on your own.

Morning

Our first destination today is the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, which stands at a height of 5,596 meters (or 18,359 feet). It boasts thirteen peaks that are always covered with snow, making it look like a jade dragon soaring through the clouds-that's how it got its name. It should be noticed that roughly half of China's plant species and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain hosts about half of these species, including trees, flowers, and medicinal herbs. The mountain features numerous ravines, creeks, cliffs, and meadows, each named by the Naxi people who have inhabited the area for over 1,000 years. These natural features serve as the backdrop for their myths and legends. Therefore, it is worth visiting and exploring for students.

Afternoon

Lijiang Old Town sits in the heart of Lijiang County. It was built during the late Song Dynasty and early Yuan Dynasty, making it over 800 years old. This ancient city is well-preserved and was added to UNESCO's World Heritage list in 1997. Water is the soul of Lijiang Old Town, with a river flowing right through it. What's unique about Lijiang is the many small streams and brooks that weave through the houses. This clever design, created by the locals long ago, keeps them close to water and keeps it clean. Lijiang Old Town is also the birthplace of Naxi culture. Many traditional Naxi houses survived a major earthquake in Yunnan in 1992. Their strength made Chinese architects reconsider the benefits of traditional homes. By traveling here, students can deepen their understanding of traditional Chinese culture and learn about the customs and traditions of China's diverse ethnic groups.

Morning — Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain rises 5,596 meters across thirteen snow-capped peaks that resemble a jade dragon soaring through the clouds — the origin of its name. Roughly half of China's plant species are found on its slopes, including countless trees, flowers, and medicinal herbs, many named by the Naxi people who have lived here for over 1,000 years. Your guide will explain the mountain's ecology and the Naxi myths woven into its ravines and meadows.

Afternoon — Lijiang Old Town
Lijiang Old Town was built during the late Song and early Yuan dynasties, making it over 800 years old, and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1997. Water is the soul of the town, with streams weaving between the Naxi-style houses — a clever ancient design that kept the community close to clean flowing water. It is also the cradle of Naxi culture and survived a major regional earthquake, prompting Chinese architects to reconsider the merits of traditional building methods.

Evening — At Your Leisure
The evening is yours to enjoy at your leisure — you may rest at the hotel or explore the nearby surroundings on your own.

Morning — High-Speed Train to Kunming
After breakfast, meet your guide who will assist you in transferring to Lijiang Railway Station. From there, board a high-speed train and, by lunchtime, arrive in Kunming, the spring-like capital of Yunnan.

Afternoon — West Hills (Xishan Mountain)
The West Hills (Xishan) rise above Dianchi Lake on Kunming's western edge, long celebrated for their forested slopes and temple grottoes. Climb the Longmen Gorge, a series of cliff-side carvings and pavilions, for bird's-eye views over Kunming's urban sprawl and the surrounding mountains. Your guide will share the legends woven into this scenic hillside retreat.

Evening — At Your Leisure
The evening is yours to enjoy at your leisure — you may rest at the hotel or explore the nearby surroundings on your own.

Morning — Shilin Stone Forest
The Shilin Stone Forest in Yunnan is a UNESCO Global Geopark of towering limestone pillars shaped by karst erosion over some 270 million years. Among the formations, the ‘A Shi Ma' rocks are tied to a beloved Yi ethnic minority legend. Wooden walkways thread between the fairy-tale pinnacles, letting you wander among one of China's most surreal natural landscapes.

Evening — Dynamic Yunnan Performance (Optional)
In the evening, you may choose to watch ‘Dynamic Yunnan,' an authentic ethnic song-and-dance performance staged at the Yunnan Art Theater. Directed by renowned Chinese dancer Yang Liping, the show celebrates the music and dances of Yunnan's diverse ethnic minorities. (This performance is optional and not included unless selected.)

Morning — Flight to Shanghai
Morning flights from Kunming (KMG) to Shanghai (SHA/PVG) take about three hours, arriving by early afternoon. Your guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you into the city.

Lunch — at your leisure
Lunch is at your own arrangement during the transfer or upon arrival.

Afternoon — French Concession & Nanjing Road
Explore the Former French Concession, a leafy district of tree-lined avenues, European-style villas, and trendy cafés that embodies Shanghai's East-meets-West charm and preserves pockets of Shikumen lane architecture. Continue to Nanjing Road, Shanghai's iconic shopping street buzzing with luxury boutiques, department stores, and street food — a vibrant mix of old and new ideal for people-watching.

Evening — The Bund
Visit the Bund at dusk, a waterfront promenade framed by colonial-era buildings on one side and Pudong's futuristic skyscrapers on the other. The transition from sunset to glittering nightscapes makes for one of Shanghai's most memorable views.

Morning  

Shanghai Museum  

- Start your day at Shanghai's famous museum, home to ancient bronzes, porcelain, calligraphy, and paintings.  

- Focus on highlights: Mingqing porcelain, Shang dynasty bronzes, and Song dynasty artworks.  

Afternoon  

 Yu Garden  

- Explore Yu Garden, a 500-year-old Ming Dynasty garden with rockeries, ponds, and traditional tea houses.  

- Shop for souvenirs in the bazaar: silk scarves, inkstones, or fans.  

Morning — Departure Transfer
Your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) for your departure flight home, bringing your journey to a close.