Shanghai Marathon

The itinerary below reflects the 4-night package. We highly recommend adding the pre- and post-tour stays on to Hong Kong, Xi’an and Beijing, as this allows you the time to discover and enjoy much more of China.

Arrival Day

On arrival in Shanghai, we will transfer you to your selected hotel. Check in for your 4-night stay.

If you are joining from the pre-race extension in Hong Kong, your group airport arrival transfer is included.

The rest of the day is free for you to explore the city until 18:00 when the Marathon Tours & Travel Welcome Reception and Briefing will take place at the hotel – this is scheduled to last for 90 minutes, so if you are making dinner reservations, please make sure these are after 19:30.

Half Day City Tour

After breakfast at the hotel, today’s morning tour of Shanghai starts at 09:00 and includes visits to the Bund, the Former French Concession and the Yu Garden.

For a century, the Bund has been one of the most recognisable symbols and the pride of Shanghai with the architecture along the Bund being a living museum of colonial history of the 1800’s. To the West of this stretch stand 52 buildings of various architectural styles, including Gothic, baroque, and neoclassical styles. It is often referred to as “the museum of buildings”.

The Former French Concession (FFC) has history and beauty in abundance. Typical features of this area are its gorgeous tree-lined avenues, perfect for long walks, and the huge variety of hip cafes and restaurants, concept bars and breweries, boutiques, art galleries and antiques stores.

The Yu Garden is a classical garden ranking among the must-see attractions in Shanghai. It dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and was owned by a government officer named Pan Yunduan. Yu in Chinese means pleasing and satisfying, and this garden was especially built for Pan’s parents as a place for them to enjoy a tranquil and happy time in their old age.

After the tour we will enjoy lunch in a local Chinese restaurant.

This afternoon from 14:00 – 17:30 you will be escorted to the Shanghai Marathon EXPO by your Marathon Tours & Travel hosts.

After the EXPO, return to the hotel and your evening is at leisure

(Breakfast and Lunch included)

Warm-up Run, Optional Half Day Tour and Pre-race Dinner

The Warm-up Run (organised by Shanghai Marathon) takes place today – details and timings to be confirmed.

After breakfast, you have the option to enjoy a half day tour to visit Shanghai Tower – this tour has an extra charge and can be pre-booked. Estimated timings 09:30 – 12:30.

Shanghai Tower is the tallest building in China and the 2nd tallest building in the world, after the Burj Khalifa Tower, which has a long spire to boost its height. Like the Shanghai World Financial Centre and Jin Mao Tower which are the two other skyscrapers that are situated adjacent to it, there’s an observation deck at the uppermost floors of Shanghai Tower, named Top of Shanghai. Standing by the windows, visitors can enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the city, the beautiful river below and commanding views of many landmarks in the city such as the historic buildings with different architectural styles along the Bund and the Oriental Pearl Tower, which has long been seen as the icon of modern Shanghai.

18:00 – 20:00 Pre-Race Pasta Dinner (buffet; private venue tbc). Includes soft drinks and local mineral water

(Breakfast and Dinner included)

Race Day & Celebrations!

Today is RACE DAY – you’ll be able to walk from your hotel to the Race Start, assisted by our local Marathon Tours & Travel team of hosts.

The Shanghai Marathon is the highest-rated marathon in China and is categorised as a Platinum Label Road Race by World Athletics. Get the chance to race through the streets of Shanghai, and enjoy the marvellous views along the Huangpu River with tens of thousands of other runners.

Return shuttles to the Bund are provided by the Shanghai Marathon 2024 organisation.

18:00 – 20:00 Celebration Dinner (buffet; location and venue tbc). Includes soft drinks, local beer, local mineral water and house wine.

(Breakfast and Dinner included)

Arrival day

On arrival at Hong Kong, you will be transferred to the Harbour Grand Hotel Kowloon.

Enjoy your afternoon and evening at leisure.

Hong Kong Island Tour and Aqua Luna Cruise

This morning, after breakfast at the hotel, we enjoy a Hong Kong Island Tour including visits to Victoria Peak and Repulse Bay.

Victoria Peak is a remnant of Hong Kong’s history as a colony of Great Britain. It was a highly exclusive neighbourhood from 1841 to 1997 as only European immigrants and expatriates were granted residence. Fast forward to today, The Peak has grown to be Hong Kong’s most luxurious neighbourhood, housing business magnates, socialites, celebrities and other high-profile residents. The open-air Sky Terrace observation deck is located on the Victoria Peak itself with an altitude of 428m above sea level. Atop the Peak Tower, it is one of the best places in town to enjoy the spectacular views of the skyline and surroundings. As the highest outdoor viewing platform in Hong Kong, visitors are able to enjoy an unrivalled and unlimited panoramic view of this amazing city. For a change of pace, we head to Repulse Bay, another of Hong Kong’s most exclusive residential areas, on the southern coast of Hong Kong Island, to enjoy a relaxing day out at the beautiful beach with attractions for the whole family. This stunning beachfront location, offering a wide range of al fresco dining options, is the perfect place to unwind.

We enjoy a Dim Sum lunch at Maxim Restaurant and afternoon time at leisure.

This evening we take a leisurely trip on the Aqua Luna Hong Kong Cruise. We relax in the comfort of your seat, indulging in a complimentary drink onboard and taking in the fantastic views and skyline of Victoria Harbour of Hong Kong. Don’t miss the stunning skyline lit up by the famed Symphony of Lights show as part of the experience.

Dinner this evening is at leisure.

(Breakfast and Lunch included)

Xi’an Tour and Dumpling Dinner

After breakfast in your Shanghai hotel, we check out and transfer as a group to the airport for our departure flight to Xi’an (flight details and time tbc).

On arrival in Xi’an we’ll be transferred to the Hilton Xi’an Hotel, where we’ll stay for one night, followed by a guided excursion to the Xi’an City Wall and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

Xi’an City Wall, spanning over 13 km, is one China’s largest and best-preserved ancient city walls, built in 1370 during the Ming Dynasty. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda was built around 652 AD during the Tang Dynasty, under the rule of Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian. It was built to house Buddhist texts that the monk Xuanzang had brought back from India. The pagoda is still a representation of Xi’an’s rich cultural past and was instrumental in the spread of Buddhism throughout China.

Dinner this evening is at a local dumpling restaurant with a Chinese set menu including 1 glass of soft drink or local beer.

(Breakfast and Dinner included)

Terracotta Army and train to Beijing

After breakfast at the hotel, this morning’s guided excursion takes us to the world famous Terracotta Army exhibit. The Terracotta Army in Xi’an, is a enormous collection of life-size terracotta sculptures in battle formations, reproducing the magnificent imperial guard troops of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259 – 210BC), the first emperor of the first unified dynasty of Imperial China. Being the most significant archaeological excavations of the 20th Century and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Terracotta Army is no doubt a must-see for every visitor to Xi’an.

After the visit to the Terracotta Army, we’ll enjoy lunch in a local restaurant.

This afternoon we take the high-speed train to Beijing. Proposed timing for this will be the Train G662 15:09 – 20:30 or similar (First Class seats).

Upon arrival in Beijing we will be transferred to the Hilton Beijing Hotel, where we’ll stay for three nights, and have the evening at leisure.

(Breakfast and Lunch included)

The Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven and The Summer Palace

After breakfast at the hotel, today we have a guided trip, including lunch, to visit three of the top sightseeing experiences of Beijing – The Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven and The Summer Palace.

The Forbidden City was first built in 1406 and finished in 1420. In its 500 years of history, there were 24 emperors who lived here. It experienced several renovations and expansions during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In 1987, the Forbidden City was listed as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO. Juries evaluated: “The Forbidden City is the supreme power centre in China for over five centuries, with its landscape architecture, and huge buildings which accommodate 9,000 rooms of furniture and crafts. It has become a priceless historical witness of the Chinese civilization of Ming and Qing era.

The Temple of Heaven is located to the south-east of the Forbidden City and covers an area of 273 hectares which is four times larger than the Forbidden City itself. It was used to hold a memorial ceremony for Heaven in Winter Solstice Festival and to pray for harvest in the first month of the lunar year by the emperors in Ming and Qing dynasties.

After visiting The Temple of Heaven, we’ll have lunch in a local restaurant and then visit The Summer Palace in the afternoon.

The Summer Palace is China’s largest and best-preserved imperial garden and one of the four most famous gardens in China. It is a large natural landscaped garden which used Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill as its base. Modelled on the Hangzhou West Lake scenery, it drew some design techniques and the mood of the gardens on the Yangtze delta.

This evening we return to the hotel and dinner is at leisure.

(Breakfast and Lunch included)

Great Wall of China, Hutong Tour (by rickshaw) and Farewell Dinner

After breakfast at the hotel, this morning we’ll have a guided trip to the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, including a return cable car journey.

The Great Wall of China, the largest man-made project in the world, is a series of ancient fortifications built in northern China. For thousands of years, to protect the territories of ancient Chinese states against the nomadic tribes from the northern steppe. This long wall, just like a gigantic dragon, winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus, stretching approximately 21,196 kilometres from the West to the East of China.

We’ll have lunch in a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, we’ll experience a Tour of Hutong by rickshaw. In the modern city of Beijing lies a place where you can still see the authentic, old Beijing, where most local residents still live in traditional courtyard-styled houses dotted along old hutongs. Your Beijing trip is not complete without visiting this area.

This evening, we’ll have our Farewell Dinner of Beijing Duck before our departure tomorrow.

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)