Jewish travel tour of China
Private or custom made group tours available.
We invite you to a fascinating tour of China. This is an extraordinary excursion to a captivating culture. Big bustling cities on breathtaking landscapes; tasty exotic teas and fertile rice paddies; soft silk and exquisitely pleasing pearls, and the marvels of Chinese medicine – see them all up close and personal as the greatest transformation of the modern age takes place before our very eyes.
Our tour menu includes the enchanting vistas of Guilin and the enchanting Li River; the cities of Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai, and quaint countryside villages. An exciting exploration of both.
Ancient and modern Chinese culture and of the Jewish communities that called China their home.
Day 1: Wednesday – Tel Aviv – Shanghai
Depart arrive Shanghai on Thursday.
Day 2: Thursday – Shanghai
Shanghai is the second largest city in China, and by all accounts the most modern. Visitors are often amazed at the sheer number and variety of architectural styles of its skyscrapers. Throughout today’s tour of Shanghai we’ll acquaint ourselves with its varying characteristics. We shall visit the Jewish Quarter – a fascinating and unique story in itself. We will see the museum that will acquaint us with the story of the refuge given to the Jews during World War II. We will continue to Yu Yuan gardens & French quarter.
Day 3: Friday – Shanghai
This morning we will see Shanghai’s famous Bund promenade along the Huang Pu River, where the city’s famous 19th Century colonial buildings are located. We’ll make our way to the City planning Museum, one of the most important and best loved museums. We will visit a silk factory to learn about the traditional production of silk and to see the silk products of today. We will continue to Jinmao tower for panoramic view. After the city tour we shall then return to our hotel to prepare for Shabbat.
Day 4: Shabbat, Shanghai
After Shabbat services we’ll take a walking tour near the hotel.
In the evening, we shall enjoy a Cruise on the HangPu River
Day 5: Sunday Shanghai- Whuzen- Shanghai
Today we’ will visit Wuzhen, a beautifully preserved Chinese village on the water. We will see and learn about their traditional crafts and enjoy a boat ride; we shall then drive back to Shanghai. In the evening we will see a spectacular Acrobatic Show.
Day 6: Monday Shanghai – Xian
In the morning we will depart for the airport for our flight to Xi’an. We will visit one of the city’s picturesque quarters to see the Grand Mosque, a building that serves as a center for more than 50,000 Muslims. It bears a striking resemblance to the ancient synagogue of Kaifeng, China.
Hotel: Titan Times Hotel or similar
Day 7: Tuesday, Xian
Today we will visit one of the wonders of the world: the immense Terra Cotta Army that the great Emperor Qin Xi Huang Di prepared for himself for his “eternal life.” We’ll view the mountains at the foot of which lie the Hua Qin Springs, which became famous as the place where Chiang Kai-shek was captured and from where he escaped. In the evening, we will see the colorful Tang Dynasty Show.
Hotel: Titan Times Hotel or similar
Day 8: Wednesday, Xi’an – Luoyang – Kaifeng
After breakfast we shall be transferred to the train station to board the High Speed Train to Luoyang in Henan Province in Central China. Luoyang is the setting of the famous novel “The Empress” by Chan Se. Along the way we shall stop to explore the Longmen Grottoes or as they are known by their other name: “The caves of the 1000 Buddha’s” that were discovered in an amazing natural setting, in a place that became known as “The Gate of the Hei River.” The site is located among green mountains and enjoys clear waters and pleasant weather.
We will also the visit the Shaolin Monastery located at the base of the Song Mountains – best known for the teaching of Kung Fu Martial Art.
The monks here display unbelievable physical abilities achieved through meditation and concentration.
Day 9: Thursday – Kaifeng – Guilin
After breakfast, we shall tour Kaifeng. We will proceed to Kaifeng’s ancient Jewish Quarter where thousands of Jewish families once lived and worked going back to Talmudic times. We shall stroll through streets bearing Jewish names and we will try to arrange a meeting with some of the remaining Jews in Kaifeng. Recently many of the descendants of Kaifeng Jews have begun to reclaim their heritage and have gone to Israel to study and convert to Judaism.
We’ll visit Millennium Park, a beautiful setting where there is a display of paintings, pictures, and srtifacts of the Kaifeng Jewish Community.
From there we’ll continue to airport for a flight to Guilin.
Hotel: Guilin-Bravo Hotel or similar
Day 10: Friday, Guilin
Today we will visit the Reed Flute cave and see the magnificent views from the top of Mount Yaowhich we shall reach by Cable Car.
Hotel: Guilin-Bravo Hotel or similar
Day 11: Shabbat – Guilin
After Shabbat services, we’ll take a walking near the hotel.
Day 12: Sunday Guilin – Yangshuo – Guilin
Today wew set out on a cruise upon the Li River, one of the most beautiful and famous journeys in China and maybe in the entire world. Along the banks we will see the magnificent green karst mountains and then arrive in the small town of Yangshuo, a charming town with a magical atmosphere. In the evening we will see a spectacular show, the “Impression Sanjie Liu” that was produced by China’s most famous producer, Jiang Yimou, the man who also produced the Beijing Olympics opening and closing ceremonies. Hotel: New West Street International Hotel or similar
Day 13: Monday, Guilin – Longsheng – Beijing
Today we will get up early for our trip to an area north of Guilin. The trip to Longsheng is picturesque, strewn by rice fields, tea plantations, and filled with villages populated with people of some of China’s ethnic minorities. We will stop for some pictures of these villages nestled in the foothills of the rice terraces and bamboo forests. We will see some of the Yao and Dong minority people. We will drive to Guilin airport for a flight to Beijing.
Hotel: Royal Phoenix Hotel or similar
Day 14: Tuesday, Beijing
Today we begin our visit to Beijing with a visit to the Temple of Heaven, a magnificent complex used by the Emperor for prayer and also used today as a large, outdoor community center for the residents of Beijing; We’ll depart for the greatest wall in the world. The Great Wall of China is the largest construction project ever undertaken by man– measuring over 6,000 kilometers.
Large sections of the wall were built between the 7th and 4th centuries BCE, over 2500 years ago. For hundreds of years, according to security needs arising from political conflicts in different ages, some sections of the Great Wall of China were added and strengthened while other sections were neglected. The Great Wall is made up of three primary components: passes, signal and watch towers, and defensive walls. Walking along the Great Wall will enable us to sense the historical dimension of the project. Afterwards, we’ll visit the very best place in all of China to shop as well as a Cloisonne Factory! In the evening, we will see the spectacular Golden Mask show. You will find it unforgettable! After the show we shall stroll along the Wangfujing Food Market. Hotel: Royal Phoenix Hotel or similar.
Day 15: Wednesday, Beijing– flight back home
Today we proceed to Tiananmen Square. Tiananmen Square is the central square of Beijing, capital of China. Its name means The Gate of Heavenly Peace. Its name means The Gate of Heavenly Peace. It is named for Tiananmen Gate which stands at its northern end, and which is the entrance to the Forbidden City. The square was built in 1417. At its center stands the Mausoleum of Mao Ze Dong which contains his mummified body. Tiananmen Square became infamous due to the quelling of the student demonstrations which took place there in 1989. Later we shall visit the very heart of Beijing – the Forbidden City. Built in the 16th century, as the palace of China’s Ming Dynasty Emperors, it’s an impressive example of traditional Chinese architecture. We’ll traverse the entire length of the Forbidden City, as we view the many splendid palaces and vast courtyards. Used as the set for the film “The Last Emperor”, it was indeed forbidden to the Chinese masses until the onset of the revolution at the beginning of the 20th century. we will visit a hutong for one hour on rickshaw and enjoy free time at Beijing Silk Market.
After Dinner we will make our way to the airport for our home-going flight….
We’ve had an unforgettable experience, seen a beautiful and fascinating part of the world, and developed an appetite for more.