China 11 Days: Traditional Chinese Medicine & Chengdu Experience

Points of Interest : Shanghai

Upon arrival in Shanghai you are warmly welcomed and transferred to your hotel, which also offers optional wellness facilities. The rest of the day and evening are at leisure so you can recover from the journey and get a first feel for the city.

It is highly recommended to stroll along the famous Bund promenade, where you can admire the historic colonial facades on one side and the futuristic skyline of Pudong across the river on the other.

• Meals included : Dinner
• Accommodation : Sunrise on the Bund (Shanghai)

Points of Interest : Shanghai

In the morning you take part in a Tai Chi session in Fuxing Park, led by an experienced local Tai Chi master. Surrounded by trees and locals practicing dance and calligraphy, you learn the flowing movements and breathing techniques of this traditional martial art.

Afterwards you enjoy a walk through the Former French Concession, a quarter that from the 18th century to the early 20th century was a foreign concession. European-style townhouses and Catholic churches still give the streets a distinct character.

After lunch you have free time to explore trendy Xintiandi and the artsy lanes of Tianzifang at your own pace. Later in the day you join a private cooking class, where you learn Chinese cooking techniques and gain insights into the culture and philosophy behind Chinese cuisine. In the evening you can enjoy a spectacular acrobatics show with gravity-defying performances.

• Meals included : Breakfast and lunch
• Accommodation : Sunrise on the Bund (Shanghai)

Points of Interest : Jinyuan Hangzhou

This morning you board a high-speed train from Shanghai to Hangzhou, a city once described by Marco Polo as the “Venice of the East” for its canals and lakeside scenery. After arrival you drive to Longjing village, world-famous for its fragrant Dragon Well green tea.

Here you are welcomed into a local farmer’s home for a homemade lunch. All dishes are prepared with green tea as an ingredient, such as shrimp with green tea leaves, giving you a unique culinary experience. You also learn about the full tea-production process, from picking to pan-firing.

Later you walk through the terraced tea fields and verdant valleys, with sweeping views of the plantations and tea harvesters at work. The evening is free for you to explore Hangzhou on your own, perhaps around West Lake or in the old town.

• Meals included : Breakfast and lunch
• Accommodation : Best Western Hangzhou Meiyuan Hotel (Hangzhou)

Points of Interest : Jinyuan Hangzhou

Today you visit Lingyin Temple, one of the largest and most important Buddhist temples in China, nestled amid forested hills. You stroll among ornate halls filled with incense, golden Buddha statues and ancient stone carvings.

You then continue to Huqingyutang, a renowned museum and historic pharmacy dedicated to Chinese medicinal herbs. Together with a doctor of Chinese herbal medicine you explore the proverb “You are what you eat” and discover how diet and ingredients are linked to health in Chinese thought. This is a chance to better understand the philosophy behind Traditional Chinese Medicine and to hear experts’ views on nutrition and well-being.

In the afternoon you can experience an authentic teahouse by West Lake, where locals sip tea, play cards and relax while enjoying lakeside views.

• Meals included : Breakfast and lunch
• Accommodation : Best Western Hangzhou Meiyuan Hotel (Hangzhou)

Points of Interest : Jinyuan Hangzhou, Chengdu

The morning is free for you to discover more of Hangzhou’s teahouses, where you can sample different varieties of green tea and observe local tea culture. Later you transfer to the airport for your flight to Chengdu, a city famous for its tea culture and unhurried lifestyle.

After landing in Chengdu you visit the Daoist Temple of the Green Goat, one of the most important Daoist temples in southwest China, with tranquil courtyards and traditional architecture.

In the evening you enjoy a welcome dinner of the iconic Sichuan hot pot. There is a clear reason why the people of Chengdu love hot pot, especially the spicy version: the often overcast sky and high humidity in Sichuan are considered bad for bones and blood circulation, so locals turn to chili and Sichuan peppercorns to warm the body and balance internal temperature.

• Meals included : Breakfast and dinner
• Accommodation : Tibet Hotel (Chengdu)

Points of Interest : Chengdu

For the next two days your mornings are devoted to a structured introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine at Chengdu University of TCM. The course covers the history of TCM, diagnostic methods such as pulse and tongue reading, knowledge of medicinal herbs, the principles of acupuncture and moxibustion, herbal prescriptions and therapeutic massage techniques.

In the afternoon you travel about 20 km north of Chengdu to visit a panda breeding center. Here you can observe giant pandas in a semi-natural environment, learn about conservation efforts and see how young pandas are cared for.

After returning to Chengdu you enjoy dinner in a vegetarian restaurant within a monastery, combining temple atmosphere with refined meat-free cuisine.

• Meals included : Breakfast and dinner
• Accommodation : Tibet Hotel (Chengdu)

Points of Interest : Chengdu

This morning you continue your TCM studies at the university and visit the medical facilities, where you can see, touch and smell a wide range of Chinese medicinal herbs and understand how they are stored and prepared.

In the afternoon you set out for Qingchengshan, a sacred Daoist mountain located around 70 km west of Chengdu. The drive takes about one hour through rural Sichuan landscapes. On arrival you visit the Hundred Herbs Garden, where numerous medicinal plants are cultivated for therapeutic use.

You then take a cable car up the mountain, enjoying forest and peak views, and visit Daoist temple complexes that are closely linked to the origins of Daoist philosophy and inner cultivation practices.

As on the previous day, you return to Chengdu in the evening for dinner in the city.

• Meals included : Breakfast and dinner
• Accommodation : Tibet Hotel (Chengdu)

Points of Interest : Chengdu, Beijing

In the morning you are transferred to the airport for your flight to Beijing, China’s fascinating capital. After arrival you visit the graceful Summer Palace, once the lakeside retreat of Qing dynasty emperors, with ornate pavilions, corridors painted with mythological scenes and bridges around Kunming Lake.

In the evening you have the opportunity to try a medicinal dinner in a local restaurant, where the dishes are designed in accordance with TCM principles to support balance and health.

• Meals included : Breakfast and dinner
• Accommodation : Qianmen Jianguo Hotel (Beijing)

Points of Interest : Beijing

After breakfast you head to Tiananmen Square, the vast “Square of Heavenly Peace” that forms the ceremonial heart of Beijing. From there you enter the Forbidden City, the former imperial palace complex with imposing gates, throne halls and quiet inner courtyards, where you learn about the lives of China’s emperors.

You then enjoy a typical Beijing-style lunch before visiting the international department of Dongzhimen Hospital, a renowned TCM institution. Here you are shown how traditional medicinal drinks such as pear syrup or plum syrup are prepared and used to treat or prevent ailments.

Afterwards you visit the Temple of Heaven, an architectural masterpiece from the Ming and Qing dynasties set in a large park where locals practice Tai Chi and other exercises.

• Meals included : Breakfast and lunch
• Accommodation : Qianmen Jianguo Hotel (Beijing)

Points of Interest : Beijing

After breakfast you drive out of the city to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China, set among forested hills at around 1,000 meters altitude. Here you walk along a restored stretch of the wall, taking in watchtowers, rugged ridgelines and panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

Later you visit the Museum of Chinese Medicine, where you can experience ear acupuncture and are introduced to Baduanjin Qi Gong exercises, a set of eight movements designed to promote energy flow and overall health.

• Meals included : Breakfast and lunch
• Accommodation : Qianmen Jianguo Hotel (Beijing)

Points of Interest :

On your final day in China you are transferred from your hotel to the airport to catch your return flight home or continue your onward journey. Take with you new insights into Traditional Chinese Medicine and many impressions from Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu and Beijing.

• Meals included : Breakfast
• Last day : Transfer to the airport for your return or onward flight