June 12, 2004: 

Depart Indianapolis and other home cities for San Francisco.  Depart for Beijing.

June 13:  Beijing

Late arrival in Beijing.  You are escorted to the four-star Holiday Inn Downtown Hotel.

June 14:  Beijing (AB, L, D)

Today we will begin our Penjing tour with a visit to the huge Beijing Botanical Garden.  The focus of our tour will be the Exhibition Hall of Fine Potted Landscapes (Internal exhibition) and the External Exhibition of Four Gardens composed of large-scale miniature outdoor gardens. More than 70 of the trees are over 100 years old, with the oldest being the famous ginko named “Feng Shuan Jing Lu” (Weather-Beaten Strong contingent) estimated to be 1,300 years old. Also today we will visit one of the most spectacular locations in China, the Forbidden City,  the Imperial palace of the Chinese Emperors.

June 15: Beijing (AB, L, D)

For our morning tour we will travel out from Beijing to Badaling to see and walk on The Great Wall of China, China’s most famous site.  Our afternoon tour will be to the elaborate Summer Palace and grounds of the Empress Ci Xi and the Temple of Heaven where the Emperor prayed in the Inner Sanctum once a year and which is located at the exact center of the earth and the universe according to Chinese custom.  Enjoy Peking Duck dinner at night.

June 16: Beijing/Xian (AB, L, D)

In the morning we will fly to the ancient city of Xi’an.  We will check into the four-star Purple Mountain Hotel. In the afternoon, we will continue on to visit the Xian Botanic Garden. Before dinner, we will attend a Penjing presentation by a Bonsai expert.  In The evening take a stroll atop the City Wall, the only remaining totally intact city wall in China.

June 17: Xian (AB, L, D)

The highlight of the day will be a visit to the burial site of an incredible army of 8,000 lifelike Terra-Cotta Soldiers.  We will also visit the Wild Goose Pagoda, a landmark of Xian, where there will be Penjing on display. In the evening enjoy a 20-course dumpling dinner and Tang Dynasty Show.

June 18:  Xian/Guilin (AB, L, D)

Fly to Guilin, the area contains the classic scenery of China depicted in so many paintings of ethereal pointed mountains rising out of the mist above the river.  Check into the four-star Guilin Plaza Hotel.  See the Penjing displays at the Qixing Garden (Seven Star Park), and go on to visit Elephant Hill and the beautiful Reed Flute Cave.

June 19: Guilin/Nanjing (AB, L, D)        MU5352 (21:40-23:30)

Today we will experience a remarkable wonderland as we embark on our Li River Cruise through some of the most famous and spectacular scenery in the world.  Early, we should see the limestone mountains of this Karst region seem to float above us in mist, and as the morning wears on and the mist lifts, the mountains with their fantastic shapes will come into sharper focus. In the evening fly to Nanjing. Check into the four-star Shangri-La Hotel.

June 20  Nanjing/Yangzhou/Nanjing (AB, L,D) 

In the morning drive to Yangzhou. After visiting the Hong Yuan (Red Garden) we will have a meeting with Mr. Zhao Qingquan, vice-president of the Chinese Penjing Artists Association. Also we will visit the Ge Garden, one of the most famous gardens in China. In the afternoon drive back to Nanjing.

June 21  Nanjing (AB, L,D) 

Full–day tour of Nanjing. We will visit Xuanwu Lake, the Zhonghua Castle and the wall of Nanjing, the longest such structure in the world.  Then go to see the Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat Sen (founder of the Republic of China), and the double-decker Yangtze River Bridge. The highlight today is a visit to Nanjing Botanical Garden and meeting with Mr. Yin Jun Ming.

June 22:  Nanjing/Suzhou (AB, L, D): 

Drive to Suzhou.  Today we will tour Suzhou renowned for 1500 years for its gardens and its contribution to Penjing. Suzhou is among the earliest locations for the developing art of Bonsai, and it has its own unique style often using decades or centuries old tree stumps with new growth and typically displayed in old pots and with old stands.  Landscape Penjing is a major feature of the Suzhou-style.  We will visit the most famous of Suzhou’s gardens, all containing remarkable Penjing. The famous gardens that we will visit are Mountain Villa with Ten Thousand Sceneries, Tiger Hill, and Humble Administrators Garden.  We will also visit the Tree Stone Hill House in Suzhou where you can see and purchase beautiful stones for your own Bonsai gardens. Attend a Bonsai presentation in the late afternoon. Accommodation is at the four-star Tianping Hotel.

June 23:  Suzhou/Shanghai (AB, L, D)

We will travel by luxury motor coach to Shanghai, the formerly infamous city of opium and sin, now the most bustling city in China.  Today we will see the magnificent displays of Shanghai-style Penjing at the Penjing Garden of the Shanghai Botanic Garden. The Penjing Garden covers 4 hectares (1.6 acres) and contains more than 1,000 pots of Tree Penjing, many having won national and international competitions. In addition, there are over 30 Pots of Rock Penjing combining rock formations and plants, which represent the various spectacular landscapes of China.  At the Penjing Museum, the history and development of Shanghai-style is displayed.  Also, at the Shanghai Botanic Garden is the newly built Penjing Exhibit Conservatory covering 443 square meters of bonsai exhibits.  These exhibits are a regular feature of tours for visiting VIPs from other places in China and abroad.  Also, on this day you will visit the Bund, the famous area of British government buildings, and Nanjing Road where you can gawk and shop and you are surrounded by swirling human activity and a seemingly endless display of traditional Chinese merchandise.

June 24:  Shanghai, United States (AB)

Transfer to the new Shanghai Airport for our flight home to the United States.

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Tour cost, inclusions, exclusions, and benefits for participants’ home clubs

  Total cost:  $2995/person, double occupancy.  Single Supplement $245

  Tour cost includes:

            International transportation from any major airport in the United States to

China.

For bonsai club members, gift to your home bonsai club ($50)

Hotel accommodations in China.

American breakfast, Chinese lunch and dinner throughout China.

Service fees and taxes at hotels and restuarants.

            Entrance fees for all sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary.

            Special dinners, entertainment and programs listed in the itinerary.

            English-speaking local and national guides.

Deluxe air-conditioned bus.

            Domestic air transportation. (Beijing/Xian/Guilin/Shanghai)

Flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong.

Hotel in Hong Kong.

China Visa

Fedex Fees for processing visas, sending documents, wire transfer funds to China

Escort (Jerome Landman) from Indianapolis/San Francisco to stay with group

           throughout China

Lonely Planet China tour book

Bonsai Tour T-shirt

We have made this tour as all-inclusive as possible to eliminate most out-of-pocket expenses and to insure that you have no surprises in having to pay charges while on the tour.  However, there are a few things which are not included in the tour price.  They are:

Most beverages with meals

Meals in Hong Kong

Airport departure taxes

Tips

Porterage in airports

Possible fees for photography in some locations )optional)

Personal expenses (purchases, telephone calls, laundry)

All expenses during time on your own in Hong Kong.

Anything not listed as included above or not in the itinerary.

Note:  members of the Indianapolis Bonsai Club, the host club for this tour, should check with club officers for special pricing and benefits.

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