The Great Avatar Mountains and Great Wall Tour Route

Tour details

SAMPLE (etc.) HOTELS

Beijing

Howard Johnson Paragon 4* etc.

Xi’an

Jian Guo Hotel 4* etc.

Chengdu

Chengdu Tianfu Sunshine Hotel 4* etc.

Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie Qinghe International Hotel 5* etc.

Shanghai

Pagoda Baixia Hotel 5* etc.

Participation Requirement

This tour is organized with a minimum participation requirement of 30 people. If sufficient participation is not achieved, the final cancellation notice date is 20 days before the tour start date. The cancelled tour due to insufficient participation will be notified to you through your agency.

Visa

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Our VISA PROCEDURE for CHINA tours is as follows.

Documents that need to be sent to us

AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION, PLEASE REQUEST THEM DIRECTLY FROM OUR GUESTS AND HAVE THEM SENT TO US.

- You must send us a full-page scan of the passport image from the travelers. There should be no reflection, glare, or cropping at the edges, etc.

- An up-to-date Multilingual Criminal Record Certificate must be obtained (Guests with any record cannot obtain a China visa.)

After these 2 documents are delivered to us, we request the invitation document from our local agency in China. It takes about 7 days to arrive.

After the invitation document reaches us, we send the traveler’s passport, criminal record certificate, invitation text, and several other documents relevant to us, along with the traveler’s contact information, to Ligarba Tourism.

Then, Ligarba Tourism contacts the travelers one by one and obtains the documents from our guests. (Including the passport) and applies for the group visa. It takes about 3 weeks to be finalized and the fee is 200 USD per person. The visa payment is paid directly to Ligarba Tourism by the guests.

Travelers applying for a China visa cannot use their passports to travel to another country during the visa application period; their passports will be held at the consulate throughout the application period. After the visa is finalized, they can pick it up from Ligarba Tourism themselves, or Ligarba Tourism can courier it to our guests.

We need to start the procedures up to 65 days before the tour departure; otherwise, the visas may be at risk.

Ordinary Passport                -            Visa required                         

People's Republic of China; holders of Ordinary Passports (Burgundy Passport) are subject to a visa. Holders of Special Passports (Green Passport), Service Passports, and Diplomatic Passports are exempt from visa requirements for travels with a stay of up to 30 days without obtaining a China visa.

Health

Those who use regular medication should bring more medication with them than they need. Not all medicines can be found. In addition, if you have a serious health problem (heart, blood pressure, diabetes, etc.), it would be beneficial to carry a signed document with you. We also recommend that you do not drink tap water and that you drink bottled water that you open yourself for the first time.

Flight Durations

Istanbul                           Beijing                  10 hr 15 min

Shanghai                           Istanbul                10 hr 25 min

Optional Tours & Activities

Optional tours and activities are organized by the local agency at the service center with a minimum requirement of 10 people, and participation is not guaranteed. If sufficient numbers are not met, excursions may not be carried out, or the prices, content, and means of transport for a single tour/activity may vary depending on changes. In addition, the scheduled times of the yearly tours/activities and the times may be changed by the guide depending on the open/closed status of the museums, ruins, or venues at the destination and weather conditions.

Meal

During periods such as fairs, congresses, concerts, events, sports tournaments, etc., distances of more than km are available. It is possible to provide accommodation according to 3-person capacity, but the bed offered to the 3rd person in such cases may be smaller than standard beds. A 3-person room consists of 1 large bed and 1 extra bed. For extra beds, foldaway beds and rollaway beds are offered; in 3rd person/child reservations, it is considered accepted that there may be differences in comfort and bed type that can be experienced locally. Child discounts are valid for only one (1) child staying with 2 adults and meeting the age groups specified in the conditions. Breakfasts included in the tour program are served as continental breakfast according to the available accommodation breakfast fee, and are generally presented with a limited menu consisting of bread, tea, or coffee, and may be served in a separate hall reserved for groups.

Currency

The currency of the People's Republic of China is the Yuan. It is recommended that you bring USD and smaller denominations with you.

Time Zone

 There is a 5-hour time difference between Turkey and China. When it is 12:00 in Turkey, it is 17:00 in China.

Clothing and Necessary Items

We recommend bringing t-shirts that you can easily put on and take off, short- and long-sleeved shirts, assorted cotton pants, and comfortable walking clothes for daytime activities and evenings. In addition, you may also want to bring an umbrella, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, earplugs against possible noise, a camera, video cameras and their chargers, and spare memory cards. Although China, with its very large land area, shows climatic changes from region to region, it can generally be said to be a country with four seasons. Summers in the country are extremely humid, so temperatures feel higher. Spring and autumn are mild.

Food Culture

Chinese cuisine is an extremely rich cuisine showing regional variations across the geography of China. Peking Duck, dumplings prepared in different ways and eaten with sauces, and sweet mustard sauces are characteristic features of the country's cuisine. Please remember that it is a cuisine different from Turkish cuisine.

Shopping

 China is a true shopping paradise. From electronics to textiles, you can find every product you are looking for in a very wide range.

Important Notes

Having a passport and/or obtaining a visa (that is, for the required destination/passport) does not mean that entry into the country is guaranteed. The passport police have the authority to let you into the country. Papua Tur is not responsible for this situation; responsibility lies with the traveler. Papua Tur is an intermediary institution between the airline and the passenger and is subject to the Hague Protocol dated 28.09.1955. There may be a risk of delays on scheduled and special flights, or the hours before the current trip and flight may change. Papua Tur ensures that this issue is reported as soon as possible. Our passengers purchased the tour by accepting that flight details may change. Passengers aged 0-2 do not pay for seat allocation and service fees. The panoramic city tours included in the tour package are tours organized for the general introduction of the cities, conducted panoramically with guide commentary from inside the vehicle, with entrance to the sites limited to at most 2-3 hours. Panoramic tours, including the other tours specified in the program, are not the responsibility of Papua Tur if, on the day and place of the tour, local authorities prohibit visiting or entering due to closed roads or if, for any reason, it becomes impossible to carry out the tour due to weather conditions. Some tours may be conducted by public transportation or on foot in places where roads are closed or vehicle entry is not permitted.

What's included
  • Round-trip economy class airfare on Turkish Airlines on the Istanbul (IST) – Beijing (PEK) // Shanghai (PVG) – Istanbul (IST) routes
  • Airport taxes
  • 2 nights in Beijing, 1 night in Xi’an, and 1 night in Chengdu with bed-and-breakfast accommodation in 4-star hotels
  • 2 nights in Zhangjiajie and 3 nights in Shanghai with bed-and-breakfast accommodation in 5-star hotels
  • Shanghai Tour
  • 6 Lunches to be taken during the tours
  • Panoramic Chengdu City Tour with Lunch (Including Tea Tasting)
  • Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City & Temple of Heaven Tour with Lunch worth 140 USD
  • Great Wall & Summer Palace Tour with Lunch worth 110 USD
  • Terra Cotta Museum Tour with Lunch worth 100 USD
  • Chengdu Panda Center Tour worth 70 USD
  • Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Avatar Mountains Tour with Lunch worth 95 USD
  • Grand Canyon and Baofeng Lake Tour with Lunch worth 85 USD
  • Jade Buddha Temple & Yu Garden Tour with Lunch worth 100 USD (Including Tea Ceremony)
  • High-speed train ticket and taxes between Beijing – Xi’an
  • High-speed train ticket and taxes between Chengdu – Zhangjiajie
  • High-speed train ticket and taxes between Xi’an – Chengdu
  • Flight and airport taxes on scheduled local airline service between Zhangjiajie – Shanghai
  • Airport – Hotel – Airport transfers
  • All transfers required for the program
  • Professional Turkish-language guiding and assistant services
  • Hotel and tourist city taxes
  • Travel and health insurance (surcharge applies for ages over 65)
Not included
  • Fees for personal and official items such as international departure tax stamps, visas, etc.
  • All kinds of personal expenses and hotel extras
  • All services not explicitly stated in the program and included services
  • Museum and archaeological site entrance fees not explicitly stated as “visited” in the program
  • Optional tours and activities, if any, in the program
  • Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages taken during included meals, if any, in the program
  • Domestic connecting flights and domestic transportation fees
  • Driver tips and gratuities are excluded
Tour Program
Istanbul - Beijing
We meet at Istanbul Airport International Departures Terminal, complete ticket, baggage, and boarding procedures, and then depart for Beijing on a scheduled Turkish Airlines flight. We will spend the night on the plane.
Beijing - Tiananmen Square - Forbidden City - Temple of Heaven - Beijing
Upon our arrival in Beijing in the early morning, we will meet our private vehicle waiting for us and have breakfast at a local restaurant before transferring to our hotel. Afterwards, we depart for the Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City & Temple of Heaven Tour with lunch included. Our first stop will be Tiananmen Square, one of the largest city squares in the world and one of China’s most important political and historical landmarks. Among the sites we will see panoramically in the square are the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, the monumental structure where the remains of Mao Zedong, the founder of the People’s Republic of China, are displayed; the Great Hall of the People, the monumental state building that hosts the sessions of the National People’s Congress; and the National Museum of China, one of the world’s largest museums, located on the eastern side of Tiananmen Square and showcasing China’s thousands of years of history. Next, we visit the Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that served as the imperial palace of Chinese emperors for nearly 500 years during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and is one of the largest and best-preserved palace complexes in the world. Surrounded by high red walls and golden roofs, this vast complex was the center of imperial rule and was called the “Forbidden City” because access was closed to the common people for centuries. We will have the opportunity to visit this site, which contains hundreds of palace halls, courtyards, and the imperial garden. After our visit to the Forbidden City, we continue to the Temple of Heaven, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the most important religious complexes where emperors of past dynasties prayed for good harvests and heavenly blessings. The temple is considered one of the finest examples of Chinese architecture. Surrounded by extensive park grounds and ceremonial structures, this sacred area was one of the most important centers for Chinese imperial rituals. After the tour, transfer to the hotel. Overnight at our hotel.
Beijing - Great Wall - Summer Palace - Beijing
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for the Full-Day Great Wall & Summer Palace Tour with Lunch. Our first stop is the Great Wall, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, whose construction began in 220 BC to prevent invasions from Central Asian Turks coming from the north. After visiting the Great Wall, we will have lunch and then tour the magnificent Summer Palace, located on the shore of Kunming Lake. The Summer Palace is the best-preserved imperial garden and palace complex in China, located in northwestern Beijing. Its history dates back to the Jin Dynasty in the 12th century, but its current form was shaped in the 18th century by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. The emperor had it built to escape the crowded atmosphere of the main palace and to relax in nature. The palace was damaged during the Second Opium War in 1860 and later restored by Cixi using funds allocated from the state navy budget. Although it is known as a controversial anecdote, the palace’s present elegance is the result of the detailed restorations carried out at that time. Afterwards, we will see the Beijing Olympic Stadium, nicknamed the Bird’s Nest, from the outside. We will have lunch at a local restaurant during the tour. Then transfer to the hotel. Overnight at our hotel.
Beijing - Xi'an - Terracotta Museum - Xi'an
After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer to Xi’an by high-speed train. Upon arrival, we depart for the Terra Cotta Museum Tour with Lunch (100 USD). We will visit the museum of the “Underground Army,” known as the Terra Cotta Warriors, one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, created to protect the tomb of Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. This army, accidentally discovered by a farmer in 1974, houses 8,000 “Terracotta,” meaning “baked clay,” soldiers, each with different facial expressions and poses. These figures were prepared as a “spirit army,” believed to protect the emperor even after his death. During our visit, we will have the opportunity to see the emperor’s power and the level of craftsmanship of his era. After the tour, we return to Xi’an. We will have lunch at a local restaurant during the tour. At the end of the tour, we transfer to the hotel to rest. Overnight at our hotel. **Depending on train availability, the journey may be carried out by plane.**
Xi’an to Chengdu
After breakfast at our hotel in the morning, we will transfer to the train station and travel by high-speed train to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province in southwestern China. Chengdu is one of the most distinctive metropolises of the Far East, with its thousands of years of history, world-famous spicy cuisine, and modern city life. Upon arrival, we will enjoy a short Panoramic Chengdu City Tour with Lunch (including Tea Tasting). During our tour, we will visit People’s Park, where the people of Chengdu gather in traditional teahouses to enjoy the slow rhythm of the day over tea in bamboo chairs, with lotus-covered ponds, stone bridges, and the centuries-old Heming Teahouse reflecting the city’s everyday culture in its most authentic form, as well as the Wide and Narrow Alleys (Kuanzhai Xiangzi), which bring Chengdu’s past and modern life together in the same atmosphere with their courtyards from the Qing Dynasty, gray-brick historic buildings, traditional teahouses, restaurants serving Sichuan cuisine, and local handicraft shops. Afterwards, we will have a tea tasting at a local teahouse and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Then we will transfer to our hotel and have free time. Overnight at our hotel.
Chengdu - Zhangjiajie
After breakfast at our hotel, we depart for the Chengdu Panda Center Tour. We will visit the Chengdu Panda Center, one of Chengdu’s most iconic attractions, created for the conservation, breeding, and scientific study of these adorable endangered animals, where you can observe giant pandas, baby pandas, and red pandas up close in vast natural habitats resembling lush bamboo forests, with modern care centers, a panda museum, and special viewing areas. Afterwards, we will have free time in Chunxi for shopping until our transfer time for the high-speed train to Zhangjiajie. At the end of our free time, we head to the train station and transfer to Zhangjiajie. Upon arrival in Zhangjiajie, a city in China’s Hunan province that is home to one of the world’s most extraordinary natural landscapes, with thousands of quartz-sandstone pillars rising through the mist, deep valleys, lush forests, and dramatic mountain views extending above the clouds, we transfer to our hotel and have free time. Overnight at our hotel.
Zhangjiajie – Avatar Mountains – Zhangjiajie
After breakfast at our hotel in Sabah, we depart for the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Avatar Mountains Tour, which includes lunch. First, we will take the Bailong Elevator, one of the world’s highest outdoor lifts, up to the Yuanjiajie area. Here, among the places we will see are the Back Garden, which stands out for its natural rock formations surrounded by lush greenery; the Mihun Terrace, offering panoramic views of cliffs and misty valleys; the First Bridge Under Heaven, considered one of the world’s highest natural stone bridges, connecting two giant rock pillars; and the Hallelujah Mountains, thought to have inspired the floating mountains in the Avatar film. We then proceed by shuttle vehicles to the Tianzi Mountain scenic area. Important spots we will see here include He Long Park, created in memory of the Chinese soldier and statesman He Long; panoramic views formed by hundreds of stone pillars rising through the mist; and the Fairy Maiden Scattering Flowers rock formation, a remarkable natural shape crafted by nature. After our visit, we will descend the mountain by cable car. Next, we will tour the Ten-Mile Gallery by mini train, one of the most impressive sections of Zhangjiajie, with its valley stretching approximately five kilometers, steep rock pillars, and lush nature. Along the way, the natural formations we will see include the Old Man Gathering Medicinal Herbs, resembling an elderly man carrying a basket of herbs on his back, and the Three Sisters Peak, consisting of three elegant rock pillars standing side by side. After the tour, we will have lunch at a local restaurant. At the end of our tour, we return to our hotel and have free time. Overnight at our hotel.
Zhangjiajie - Grand Canyon - Baofeng Lake - Shanghai
After breakfast at our hotel in the morning, we will depart for the Lunch Included Grand Canyon and Baofeng Lake Tour. Following our visit to the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, one of the region’s most impressive natural areas with lush forests, deep valleys, waterfalls, and steep rock formations, we will then proceed to Baofeng Lake, which stands out for its tranquil atmosphere surrounded by mountains and its clear waters. During the boat tour we will take here, we will have the opportunity to see the steep cliffs surrounding the lake, the dense vegetation, and Zhangjiajie’s captivating natural scenery from a different perspective. After our visit, we will have lunch at a local restaurant. Following the meal, we will transfer to the airport and fly to Shanghai on a scheduled domestic flight with local airlines. Upon arrival in Shanghai, we will meet our private vehicle and transfer to our hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Shanghai - Jade Buddha Temple - Yu Garden - Shanghai
After breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we depart for the Yu Garden & Jade Buddha Temple Tour with Lunch (Including Tea Ceremony). Our first stop on the tour is Yu Garden. A traditional Chinese garden dating back to the Ming Dynasty, Yu Garden reflects traditional Chinese architecture with its pond, stone bridge, and pavilions. After visiting Yu Garden, we will have the opportunity to take part in a Tea Ceremony, where we will delve deeper into Chinese culture in another setting. Then we will visit the Jade Buddha Temple, located in the heart of Shanghai and regarded as one of the holiest Buddhist sites in China. Built in 1882 to house two magnificent Buddhist statues brought from Myanmar, this temple features the most elegant details of classical Song Dynasty architecture. During our visit, we will have the opportunity to see the world-famous Sitting Buddha and Reclining Buddha statues, carved from a single piece of white jade and adorned with precious stones, symbolizing inner peace. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant during the tour. After the tour, transfer to the hotel and free time. Overnight at our hotel.
Shanghai
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for our Shanghai tour. Our first stop will be the French Concession area, known for its narrow streets lined with plane trees and its European-style villas. Here, we will explore this district, which bears the western traces of the city. We then visit Xintiandi, one of Shanghai’s most elegant attractions, where traditional “Shikumen” architecture comes to life with modern restaurants and galleries. We continue our tour to the Tianzifang area, where art studios, boutiques, and hidden cafés are tucked away in its maze-like side streets. Afterwards, you will have free time on Nanjing Road, one of the world’s most famous shopping streets. After the tour, transfer to the hotel. Overnight at our hotel.
Shanghai – Istanbul
After breakfast at the hotel in Sabah, we transfer to Shanghai Airport for our flight to Istanbul. After baggage, ticket, and customs procedures, we fly to Istanbul on a scheduled Turkish Airlines flight, and our services come to an end.