AACI Kosher & Friendly Tours Beijing, Guilin, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Xian

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1 Classic China Beijing, Guilin, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Xian Monday 31 October to Tuesday 15 November 2016 textured and ancient history seamlessly melds into a fascinating, modern country, brimming with breathtaking sights. This classic tour will open up this vast and wondrous country to the traveler, and will leave no stone unturned. We will explore the major cities of Hong Kong, Guilin, Beijing, Shanghai and Xian. In Hong Kong we will visit the Aberdeen Fishing Market the midst of Tiananmen Square and have a walking tour through the Forbidden City and of course climb the Great Wall of China. In Xian we will view the Terra Cotta Warriors. We

2 will fly to Shanghai where we will discover old quarters, stroll along the Grand Colonial Waterfront Promenade, the Bund and the Jewish Quarter and see a breathtaking acrobatic performance. The highlight of our extensive trip is Guilin and its enviro beauty will leave us breathless and its history will astound us. In Guilin we will explore the Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill, in Yangshuo we will view the spectacular Impression Show, enjoy a cruise on the Li River and so much more Day 1: Monday, Oct 31 Depart for Hong Kong we leave Israel on our EL AL evening flight to Hong Kong at 20:50 Day 2: Tuesday, Nov 01 Arrival in Hong Kong at 13:55. Meet our local guide at the airport and embark on a scenic tour of Hong Kong. We will start with a visit to Victoria Peak, the tallest mountain on Hong Kong Island. Because of its height, it offers spectacular views of the city and surrounding islands. In order to reach the mountain, we will take the Peak Tram enjoyed by both locals and tourists. After arrival at the hotel, get familiar with the local atmosphere and rest up before our welcome dinner at Kehillat Zion Restaurant. Day 3: Wednesday, Nov 02 Breakfast at the hotel. Spend a full day exploring this wondrous city. Start with the Man Mo Temple, which is a picturesque tribute to the God of Literature (Man) and the God of War (Mo), Nathan Road, formerly known as Golden Road, and the great many impressive and sleek skyscrapers that make up this world financial center. From there we continue to Ohel Leah Synagogue. The Ohel Leah Synagogue has been in continuous use since its completion with the exception of a short period during World War II when Hong Kong was occupied by the Japanese. The synagogue is built in a colonial style and incorporates elements from the Edwardian free classical style. After a tour of the synagogue and an opportunity to learn about the Jewish community, we continue to see the city in the most unique way, via the longest escalator system in the world! Built to shuttle commuters in this busy city, it takes upwards of a half hour to complete the ride! After this, we continue to Aberdeen. Aberdeen is famous not only to tourists but also to Hong Kong locals for its floating village and floating seafood restaurants located in the Aberdeen Harbor. After our sightseeing-filled day we will drive to a local kosher restaurant for dinner and a night tour of the city. Day 4: Thursday, Nov 03 Early morning flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival we will have an introductory tour of Shanghai, including the Yu Garden, a prime example of a Chinese garden and the Chenghuang Miao Bazaar, whose center is a world famous temple.

3 After check-in at the hotel, we will dine at Chabad house in Shanghai and finish the night with a cruise in the harbor over the neon-lit Huangpu River, with a spectacular view of the Shanghai skyline. Overnight in Shanghai with dinner at the hotel. Day 5: Friday, Nov 04 Jewish community, the Hongkou Ghetto. See the Memorial to Stateless Refugees within the ghetto and Ohel Rachel Synagogue (from the outside), also built by the Sassoon family. once located. Within the French Concession, visit the Arts and Crafts Institute, a historic and created here. Then visit the museum for Urban Planning, or the Shanghai Museum. Return to our hotel to prepare for Shabbat. Dinner at the Chabad restaurant. Day 6: Saturday, Nov 05 Breakfast at the hotel. Shabbat Services, followed by Kiddush and lunch. After lunch we will take an optional walking tour of the city. Return to the hotel for dinner and, in the evening we will see the Spectacular Acrobatic Show. Day 7: Sunday, Nov 06 Full-day excursion to Suzhou, a city west of Shanghai, known for its canals, bridges and classical gardens. We will visit one of its highlights, the Lion Garden, built in 1342 during the Yuan Dynasty ( ) by a group of Zen Buddhist disciples of Monk Tianru as a memorial to their master Monk Zhongfeng. In the afternoon we will enjoy a Grand Canal cruise to get a real taste of this wondrous city! At night we enjoy a night tour including the famous Nanjing Road. Day 8: Monday, Nov 07 Breakfast in the hotel and morning flight to Guilin. Located in south China, Guilin and its y on account of its natural beauty and historic treasures. The stunning landscape in which the city is situated has a kind of magic that is all its own. The strangely shaped hills, with the verdant vegetation ranging from bamboos to conifers together with crystal clear waters and wonderful caves, make the city an appealing destination. It is also an important cultural city with a history of more than 2,000 years. However, adventures in Guilin City will have to wait, as upon arrival, we will drive to Yangshuo, which is a gateway to the beautiful scenery of the region, specifically the Karst Mountains, formed by a unique geological process. We will enjoy a cruise on the peaceful Li River, a perfect place to view the unique karst rock structures. After our cruise and lunch, we will drive to Fuli Town, one of the few preserved ancient towns in Guilin. Locals still keep their traditional way of living in old stone houses, boat fishing and making rice wine. Tonight we sleep in Yangshou. After dinner at our hotel, we will enjoy the Mirage Show, a fantastic acrobatic show with amazing colorful lights and special-design stage effects.

4 Day 9: Tuesday, Nov 08 Breakfast in the hotel. Today we explore the county of Longsheng in Guilin County. Famous for its rice terraces and hot springs, it is also home to widely diverse cultural minorities, all with their own flavor and flair. Once we arrive, we will visit various charming villages which preserve and display age-old traditions, including Yingshui Dong Village, where the Dong people prospered, Jinzhu Zhuang Village, the home of the Zhuang people, which also boasts the best views of the rice terraces. We will also visit two villages of the Yao people, Baimian Yao Village and Huangluo Yao Village, and experience their culture. Evening: tour including a cruise on the four lakes of Guilin and a view of the two illuminated pagodas, one named the Sun and the other appropriately named the Moon. Day 10: Wednesday, Nov 09 Today we will explore the city of Guilin. We start with the Reed Flute Cave, a natural phenomena of limestone rock lit up by multicolored lights. We then continue on to Elephant Trunk Hill, a hill nicknamed because of its appearance of an elephant drinking water. Lastly, we stop at a pearl factory to shop and learn about this elegant stone. Afternoon flight to Xian. Dinner will be in the hotel with a delicious kosher fish dinner. After dinner we enjoy an evening tour to the famous musical fountains. Day 11: Thursday, Nov 10 Breakfast at the hotel. We start the day with the world famous Terra Cotta Warrior Museum, including a special visit to a panorama movie, Pit1, Pit2, Pit3 and the Bronze Chariot. The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Work is ongoing at this site, which Mausoleum. Given time, we will take a glimpse of the warrior duplication site where molds are created to show the original way of creating them. On to a special lunch with delicious Buddhist Vegan food (made with our own utensils). In the afternoon we will visit Muslim Street and museum which is a fantastic place to wander around. All shops and restaurants in the street are operated by Muslims. The stalls line the narrow alleys selling almost everything. If you are good at bargaining, you can get some amazing buys. Dinner at hotel. Day 12: Friday, Nov 11 Breakfast in the hotel. Departure by train to Beijing (second class). Arrive in time to orient ourselves to the city and prepare for Shabbat. Shabbat dinner with the Beijing Jewish Community at Chabad. Evening: Shabbat with Chabad of Beijing. Day 13: Shabbat, Nov 12 Breakfast at the hotel. Shabbat Services, followed by Kiddush and lunch at the Chabad House. After lunch we will take an optional walking tour of the unique Flower Market

5 featuring beautiful Asian plants and flowers. Walk back to the hotel for Shabbat rest. Mincha followed by Seudah Shlishit and Maariv. Evening: visit to the exotic Food Market and Wangfujing Street. This evening enjoy the daring Kung Fu Show. Day 14: Sunday, Nov 13 Morning tour to the Temple of Heaven and traditional Chinese Park. The Temple was the sacred praying site for Chinese emperors ( ) to pray for a good harvest. Visit the largest city square in the world, Tiananmen Square, which can hold as many as 3 million people. We proceed through the Tiananmen Rostrum to the imperial enclosure the famed Forbidden City, also named the Palace Museum, the largest of its kind in the world. It houses more than 9999 rooms. Five of the rooms had 24 emperors living successively inside them from 1420 until 1911, both the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Climb up the Scenery Hill and have out in front of you. Dinner at Chabad followed by the amazing Golden Mask performance. Day 15: Monday, Nov 14 Breakfast at the hotel. Deluxe coach to the Great Wall, initially built in 221 BCE by the first emperor of China as a defense against nomadic tribes and has been renowned as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It extends over 10,000 kilometers in the northern part of China from the eastern Pacific Ocean to the western Gobi Desert. Visit the Jade Friendship Store while enjoying the magnificent work done by elite Chinese jade experts on the spot. Later in the day, visit the Ming Tombs and learn about Chinese Feng Shui as mostly reflected by the layout of the Ming Dynasty Tombs. This evening enjoy the daring Kung Fu Show. Day 15: Tuesday, Nov 15 Visit the Summer Palace, an imperial garden which is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value. Explore the Pearl Market and learn how to find the best quality pearls and various pearl products which has been part of the Chinese culture. Buddhist carving. private and exciting Rickshaw ride. Stop for a traditional Chinese massage and lecture on Chinese medicine and treatment. After dinner, an evening departure from Beijing with EL AL at 22:00 back to Israel, arriving at 03:10am (Wednesday, Nov 16). Flight Schedule LY75 Oct 31 departure 20:50 from Tel Aviv arrival at 13:55 Hong Kong (Nov 01) LY96 Nov 15 departure 22:00 from Beijing arrival at 03:10 Tel Aviv (Nov 16)

6 Price: AACI members $5,470 per person in a double room Non- AACI members $5,520 per person in a double Single supplement $750 Price Includes: Flights on EL AL from Israel 3 domestic flights: Hong Kong/Shanghai; Guilin/Shanghai; Shanghai/Xian; Xian/Beijing -star hotel accommodation Kosher meals: daily breakfasts in hotels + lunch boxes. Dinners in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai at kosher restaurants. Freshly prepared vegetarian / fish dinner at hotel in Xian and Guilin Transportation in air-conditioned coach as per itinerary Local guides for the excursions and visits as per program, including entrance fees Israeli English-speaking tour leader Porterage at hotels and all tips Varied evening Chinese shows AACI staff escort Not included: Chinese Visa Any items of a personal nature Any other items not mentioned above Travel/Medical insurance Prices are subject to change due to fuel or tax increases. The itinerary may vary. Payment: Deposit of $400 per person at time of reservation. Final payment due by August 31, 2016 Cancellation: Cancellation from time of registration until August 31, 2016: $300 per person Cancellation between August 31-September 30, 2015: 50% of total package Cancellation from October 01 to day of departure: 100% For more information and registration please contact: Sharon Bergman at Ophir Tours, 15 Smilanski, Netanya Sharon_be@ophirtours.co.il