Explore-A-Province Tour: Shanghai
EAP 15 July 4-20, 2008
Route: Shanghai-Guilin-Xian-Beijing
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart USA (first date listed for the tour)
Day 2
Arrive in Shanghai, met at the airport by OCDF staff and transfer to the Crowne Plaza Hotel (5-star)
Dinner on your own
Day 3
Breakfast in the hotel
Morning tour of provincial government with official greeting
Provincial delicacies luncheon with "Food of the Region" program
Afternoon Shanghai Museum and the Bund
Dinner included at hotel
Day 4
Breakfast in the hotel
Morning visit local community and local family
Lunch included in local restaurant
Afternoon visit Yu Garden and Old Town
Evening enjoy Huangpu River cruise
Dinner inlcuded in local restaurant
Day 5
Breakfast in the hotel
Morning visit to your child's Social Welfare Institute /Orphanage with a local bilingual guide as your interpreter
Lunch included with your orphanage director and appropriate staff
Afternoon visit any locations your family needs (foster family, finding site, activity at orphanage, etc)
Dinner included at hotel
Day 6
Breakfast in the hotel
Moring take express train to Suzhou (less than one hour), upon arrival, meet the local guide and transfer to the city, visit two classic gardens, silk making factory, Grand Canal Lunch and dinner included Stay at Bamboo Grove Hotel (4-star)
Day 7
Breakfast in the hotel
One day tour to Tongli, morning drive to Tongli, visit Tuisi Garden, Tongben House, see the old houses and bridges
Lunch included in local restaurant
Afternoon take train back to Shanghai, check in New Crowne Plaza Hotel (4-star)
Dinner included in local restaurant
Day 8
Breakfast in the hotel
Morning fly to Guilin, upon arrival, transfer to Bravo Hotel (4-star), lunch included in local restaurant, Afternoon Visit Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk
Dinner included in local restaurant
Day 9
Breakfast in the hotel
Morning drive to Zhujiang pier for the Li River Cruise with lunch included onboard
Arrive in Yangshuo at about 2:00 pm, shopping in Yangshuo and bike riding with children (bicycles built for 2, Children under age 12 can't ride on streets in China),
Late afternoon drive back to Guilin
Dinner included at the hotel
Day 10
Breakfast in the hotel
Transfer with your OCDF staff member to the airport for flight to Xian
Met at the airport in Xian by our OCDF local guide and transfer to the Aurun International Hotel (4-star)
Lunch at Xian Jiaozi dumplings
Visit to the Muslim Mosque Market with time to shop at the marketplace for Xian farmer paintings and local art
Mid-Afternoon visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Tang Dynasty Museum with hands-on calligraphy and painting lesson
Dinner at local restaurant
Evening: Free time
Day 11
Breakfast in the hotel
Morning visit Jade Carving Demonstration
Museum of the Qin Emperor's Terra Cotta Army including Imax movie and visit the unearthed warriors
Shaanxi noodle lunch included at the museum restaurant
Tang Dynasty Dinner Show
Day 12
Breakfast in the hotel
Fly to Beijing in the morning with OCDF staff
Met at the airport and transfer to Holiday Inn Central Plaza Hotel (4-star)
Buffet lunch at hotel
Afternoon visit Temple of Heaven and Hong Qiao Market
Dinner at Old Beijing Noodle Shop
Evening: The Legends of Kung Fu
Day 13
Breakfast in the hotel
Morning visit Great Hall of the People with Shanghai Municipality Meeting Room and then Tiananmen Square
Lunch at Sun Yat Sen Park with flying kites
Afternoon visit Forbidden City
Dinner Tian Wai Tian restaurant
Evening Beijing Acrobatic Show
Day 14
Breakfast in the hotel
Morning the Summer Palace with boat ride on Kunming Lake
Lunch on your own at McDonalds in Huairou
Afternoon to Great Wall at Mutianyu
Dinner included at Agrilandia
Day 15
Breakfast in the hotel
Morning Hutong Tour by pedicab including visit to Drum and Bell Tower with a Tea Ceremony at Prince Gong's Palace
Visit to Shichahai Sports Training Institute where Olympic gymnastics, Wushu and Ping Pong athletes are trained
Lunch at local family home to make dumplings
Afternoon visit to sports venues for the Beijing 2008 Olympics: The Bird's Nest, The National Swim Stadium (Bubble), and the Gymnastic Stadium
Peking Duck Dinner included
Day 16
Breakfast in the hotel
Morning to Panjiayuan Market and Silk Alley for last chance shopping
Lunch on your own
Afternoon free time on own
Dinner on your own
Day 17
Breakfast in the hotel
Transfer to airport for flight back to USA
Options for Pre-trip & Post-trip Activities
- Pretrip Hong Kong Sightseeing Email jenny@ocdf.org
- Pretrip additional time in Guangzhou Email jenny@ocdf.org
- Post-trip OCDF Beijing tours - see the pre-trip options for Beijing (PDF flyer here and here), as these can be scheduled as post-trip options following Explore-A-Province. Email jane@ocdf.org to arrange.
Shanghai Explore-a-Province Tour Includes
- Shanghai as entry city, 5-7 days in region (capital, SWI visit, local visits), 2-days each in Guilin and Xian, 5-days in Beijing with a 2008 Olympic Venue Program
- Shanghai stay at the Crowne Plaza Hotel
- Provincial Capital - we will select best available hotel where adoptive families typically stay Orphanage City or Town - you will stay at the best available hotel in this location if it's not a Provincial capital
- Xian stay at a superior 4-star hotel such as Aurun International Hotel.
- Beijing stay at a premium 4-star level hotel such as Holiday Inn Central Plaza.
- Meals included as per itinerary with daily buffet western breakfast and special meals provided in each city in keeping with the local experience. See B (breakfast), L (lunch), D (dinner) for included meals.
- Evening and special entertainment included as per itinerary with Tang Dynasty Dinner Show, Xian Jiaozi Dumpling lunch, Peking Acrobats, and The Legends of Kung Fu included.
- Airport transfers, domestic transportation (train, air, bus, van), bilingual OCDF escort and local guides, sightseeing entrance fees as per itinerary, evening entertainment as per itinerary, domestic travel insurance, luggage handling, tips and gratuities for guides/drivers/luggage handling service providers.
- Cultural heritage sites and special visits included in the itinerary - Xian Terracotta warriors and museum, Muslim Mosque and Market, Great Wall at Mutianyu, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square with kite flying, Forbidden City, Hutong Tour with Drum and Bell Tower and Tea Ceremony at Prince Gong's Palace, Beijing Markets (Hong Qiao, Panjiayuan, Silk Alley), Stadiums of the 2008 Olympic Games, sports training facilities such as gymnastics, and more - see itineraries!
Activities in Shanghai Municipality:
- School visit to see local children's classrooms and experience their school environment.
- Orphanage visit including lunch with the orphanage director and caregivers and visit to any local sights desired - finding site, foster family, etc.
- Local home visit - share lunch and spend time with a family in the Province.
- Hands-on craft activities for children related to the key crafts of the Province.
- Foods of the region orientation program to learn about how to appreciate and understand local foods.
- Workbook keyed to the Province and overall itinerary along with special gift items keyed to the itinerary.
- Local scenic spots and historical sights will be visited to learn about the unique aspects of the Province - it's famous
- people, special relics and eras, etc.
- Local entertainment related to the Province included.
Back to the Explore-a-Province Tours page
Welcome to Shanghai!
Shanghai, a municipality directly under the Central Government, is situated 31.4 degrees north latitude and 121.29 degrees east longitude. It lies in the middle of China's mainland coastline and Yangtze River's entrance to the sea, covering an area of 6,185 square kilometers, with 145 square kilometers of the city districts and 6,040 square kilometers of the suburban area.
Climate
Shanghai has a sub-tropical climate--mild and humid with four distinct seasons. It has a mean annual temperature of 15oC -- the hottest month, August, averaging 28oC and the coldest month, January, 3oC -- and a mean annual precipitation of 1,100 mm. It is often visited by typhoons between summer and autumn.
Administrative Division and Population
Shanghai is divided into 18 districts and 1 county, with a population of over 16.74 million people.
Culture
Huju opera, Yueju opera, burlesque, Pingtan opera
Food
Shanghiai food is one of the Eight Great Cuisines in China. "Braised Meat" is one of its dishes with special flavor; the meat is cooked with different spices for a long time to absorb the flavor of spices and is tender when it is ready.
Brief Introduction
Shanghai, "Hu" for short, is one of the four municipalities directly under the Central Government. During the Warring States Period (475-221BC), Shanghai first belonged to the Yue State, then to the Chu State. King Lie of the Chu State appointed Huang Xie as his prime minister and bestowed him the title of Lord Chunshen. Shanghai was part of his feoff. The old name of Shanghai "Shen" was derived from this.
The name "Shanghai" actually came during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), when Shanghai became a new rising trade port. The mother river Huangpu River, which runs through Shanghai and empties into the Yangtze River, has 18 creeks and one of the creeks was called "Shanghai Creek" -- near the Bund, thus the town nearby was called Shanghai Town. Later this whole area is named "Shanghai". By the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Shanghai became China's largest textile center and business was developing fast.
After the Opium War in 1840, Shanghai was opened as a trade port to foreign powers that set up their concessions there through imposing unequal treaties on China. In the century or more that followed, Shanghai became the largest base of imperialist aggression in China, known in the West as an "adventurers' paradise".
A city with a glorious revolutionary record in modern Chinese history, Shanghai was where the Chinese Communist Party was founded in July 1921. On July 7, 1927, Shanghai was proclaimed as a special municipality. On May 27, 1949, Shanghai was really liberated.
Nowadays, Shanghai is the biggest city and the largest commercial and financial center in China. It is an important hub of communications with an easy access to the outside world by all means of transport: ocean, offshore and inland water shipping, highway and railroad transport, air flights etc. Via the Yangtze River and the Huhang (Shanghai to Hangzhou) and Jingguang (Beijing to Shanghai) Railways, it becomes the communication hinge connecting all parts of China. As the biggest seaport in China as well as one of the ten largest seaports in China, the port of Shanghai has trade links with ports of over 100 countries and regions. It also has over 40 inland and international airlines, connecting it with inland big cities as well as international cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Bombay, Athens, Geneva, Zurich and Karachi. About one third of external communication of China is transmitted by Shanghai Satellite Ground Station and Sino-Japanese Benthonic Cable.
As the biggest industrial center in China, Shanghai ranks first in industrial production as well as scientific and technological level. Its coastal area abounds in resources of fish and salt.
Shanghai is situated at the delta of the Yangtze River, guarding the gateway of the Yangtze River in the north, facing the sea in the east and bordering the scenic city of Hangzhou Bay in the south. It is one of the six best travel sites in China. With its abundant beautiful gardens, cultural relics, museums and temples, Shanghai attracts thousands of visitors both at home and abroad every year.
Best Scenic Spots
- The Site of the First Congress of the Communist Party of China
- The Oriental Pearl Tower
- Jade Buddha Temple (Yufosi)
- Longhua Pagoda and Longhua Temple
- Former Residence of Lu Xun, Lu Xun's Tomb, and Lu Xun Museum
- Yu Garden
- Nanjing Road
- The Bund
12 Key Steps For OCDF Travelers:
- Look at the various itineraries and decide what time of year you wish to travel and which tour fits your family's needs. Download the article: Returning to China with Your Adopted Child (pdf), and begin preparing for your trip.
- Download the pdf file for that tour or print off the itinerary. Full color brochures can be obtained from OCDF by calling 309-829-8202 or email: lynn@ocdf.org .
- If your family desires a customized trip - please download our Customized Travel Planning Booklet and contact Jenny Peng (jenny@ocdf.org) to assist you with your quotation. Any regular OCDF China Tour can be scheduled for custom groups, or new tour itineraries created just for your family and friends!
- See the tour costs. A $500 per person non-refundable deposit is due at the time of registration. Any gift certificates must be presented at the time of registration. Only one gift certificate can be used per family. Payments can be made by check, money order, bank check and Visa or Mastercard. Questions? Ask jane@ocdf.org .
- Check your passports to be sure they will be valid for at least 6 months AFTER the dates of your travel. If you do not have passports, or your passports will expire during that time-frame PLEASE make getting new passports a HIGH PRIORITY for your family as passport application and processing takes much much longer now than in the past.
- If you wish to visit a child's orphanage as part of your tour or as an add-on, please complete the file called the Orphanage Request Form and return it to jenny@ocdf.org. Jenny Peng, our travel planner, will assist you by gaining the approval for your orphanage visit, arrange for interpreters and guides, and arrange travel. She will provide you with a quotation for add-on costs for the orphanage visit should it not be included in your tour itinerary.
- Download the registration form or obtain a printed copy from OCDF by calling 309-829-8202 or email: lynn@ocdf.org. For international air fare: contact Marta LaCour (marta.lacour@travnet.net) at www.travnet.net to assist you with your international airline reservations. Call Marta at: 1-800-359-6388. For insurance: contact Medex for your trip cancellation and travel medical insurance.
- Submit your registration form (as complete as it can be at the time - you may need to add new passport numbers later) either online or to OCDF at PO Box 1243, Bloomington, IL 61702-1243. Be sure to include a photocopy of each person's passport who is traveling with your family AND your $500 per person non-refundable tour deposit (See Important Information about Tours if you have questions about cancellation policies). Please check that your passports are signed (parents should sign for children) prior to making the photocopies.
- Check the Travel Information Fact Sheet (Word file) for travel medical preparations and obtain any vaccinations and medications needed for your tour such as Hepatitis A & B series (takes 6 months to get all shots in the series), a Tetanus booster (if needed), blood typing, and prescription for antibiotics.
- Receive from OCDF three things:
- Invoice by email showing tour payment and balance due
- Email Welcome to OCDF China Tours from Jane
- A package from OCDF Office in the USA with t-shirts, travel planning booklet, luggage tags, and passport holder. Please READ your travel planning guide. Join the egroup for your tour program!
- Pay your balance of tour costs by the deadline - 3 months prior to your tour. Update your tour registration with new passport information. Questions about your invoice should be addressed to steven@ocdf.org or jenny@ocdf.org . Our USA office can tell you if your check/payment was received (309-829-8202), but they will not know the details of your travel plans - the Beijing Office will handle this. Thus emailing Steven or Jenny may be best.
- Apply for your Visa through the Chinese consulate near your home, or use our recommended courier services www.mychinadocs.com . They will assist you with your visa application. Do not apply for your visa more than 90 days (3 months) prior to your trip or the visa will expire before you travel. About 4-6 weeks before your tour is enough time to apply for your visa. Once you have your visa, please email sunny@ocdf.org with your visa numbers, expiration and issue dates.
Thank you!
Questions? Please Email the OCDF Staff:
Jane Liedtke, jane@ocdf.org OCDF China Tours
Jenny Peng, jenny@ocdf.org Orphanage contacts and additional travel in China
Contact by Telephone:
Jane Liedtke at OCDF Office in China - 011-8610-8403-4979 (answering machine available)
OCDF Office in USA - 309-829-8202 ask for Lynn Warren (answering machine available)
Jenny Peng, Travel Planner in China - 011-86-13011086069
Contact by Mail in USA:
Our Chinese Daughters Foundation
109 West Monroe
Bloomington, IL 61701
Mailing Address in USA:
OCDF
PO Box 1243
Bloomington, IL 61702-1243 USA
Contact by Mail in Beijing:
OCDF China Tours
199 Chaoyangmennei
Richland Court Room 105
Dongcheng District
Beijing 100010 China
Brief Background on OCDF China Tours
OCDF China Tours has its own trained staff and guides and also contracts with CITS in China for in-China travel services. To assure you a quality tour program, OCDF directs all tour programs and selects all staff members who work with our groups. Dr. Jane Liedtke, CEO and Founder of Our Chinese Daughters Foundation, lives and works from the Beijing and Bloomington Offices of OCDF. Her daughter Emily was adopted from Jiangmen Social Welfare Institute in 1994 and is 14 years old (will be 15 in April 2008). Jane has organized tour groups to China for adoptive families, educators and professional groups with experience in China since 1987. OCDF began Chinese Culture Camps for adoptive families in 1996 and extended them to China in 1998. OCDF was the first organization to offer Chinese Culture programs to adoptive families via tour programs to China. We work extensively with adoptive families and orphanages throughout China to insure your family has the best experience possible upon your return to your adopted child's birth-country.
Back to the Explore-a-Province Tours page