Day 01 BEIJING
Fly to Beijing, China's capital. Enjoy a stop at a local restaurant for a traditional Chinese noodle lunch, then take an orientation tour before arriving at your hotel. Tonight, enjoy a Peking duck dinner, one of China's most renowned foods, dating back to the Ming Dynasty. (L,D)

Day 02 BEIJING
Your tour of China's fascinating capital begins with the Forbidden City, an immense maze of palaces, built for the emperor between 1407 and 1420. Next is Tiananmen Square, reputed to be the world's largest. On to the Xishiku Church, built in 1703, where religious activities were suspended during the Cultural Revolution. The church was reopened in 1985. Your final visit is the Temple of Heaven, built in the 15th century and representing the pinnacle of Ming and Qing architecture. (B,L,D)

Day 03 BEIJING
Head to the Great Wall of China. an architectural wonder that once stretched 3,000 miles across China's isolated northern terrain. You can explore the ramparts of this awesome structure and take a cable car ride for aerial views. Next is the Summer Palace, a complex of pavilions, temples and gardens situated around man-made Kunming Lake. (B,L,D)

Day 04 BEIJING
Visit the old Hutong part of Beijing, where Chinese families live as they have for centuries, in small communal compounds with narrow alleys. Here you will enjoy a bicycle rickshaw ride. Then visit a local family whose extended members will welcome you into their homes, and cook and share lunch with you. Afterward, visit a popular local teahouse. Your afternoon is at leisure. (B,L)

Day 05 BEIJING
Transfer to airport, fly to the next destination. (B)