your springboard to China and abroad

We currently offer the following programs for first time travelers to China:

Introduction to China consists of two, low cost, fully escorted trips to the major historic locations and modern cities of China. These are geared to first-time China travelers of all ages. They are particularly recommended to all adult travelers and families with teenage children. Middle school children have also enjoyed the programs.

China Highlights - 3 cities, 11 days

Beijing, Hangzhou, and Shanghai

The first offering is our 3-City Introduction to China, $1,325 all inclusive from LAX ($100 higher April-October). You will be escorted by a knowledgeable SIEF professional throughout, plus local guides and drivers. Expect excellent accommodations in good parts of cities, within walking distance to shops, the Chinese equivalent of 7-11, and enjoyable night life. We visit Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai and a quaint town on one of China]s famous canals. Read detailed itinerary.

Treasures of the Yangzhi Delta

11 days to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Thousand Island Lake, Yellow Mountains, Nanjing and Suzhou

The Yangzi Delta region came into its own after the Mongol invasion and establishment of the Southern Song capital city at Hangzhou. Several capitals were situated in Nanjing, most recently that of Nationalist China. Like Hangzhou, Suzhou was and is considered one of the "earthly paradises" for its beauty. Shanghai is China's modern financial capital and aims to be prominent throughout East Asia. In addition to its rich history and prominence historically, it is one of the richest agricultural regions famous today as in the past for tea, silk, and rice.

We will visit all four of these cities plus some of the outstanding landscape of the region including Yellow Mountain and West Lake (in all we visit Shanghai Municipality, Zhejiang Province, Anhui Province, and Jiangsu Province. We will understand the manufacture of silk and tea for local and export markets, and see farmers at work in the rice fields. Modernization in China's east coast is remarkable, set among the agricultural fields that today feed more than one billion people. Read detailed itinerary

China Capitals - 4 cities, 11 days

Beijing, Xi'an, Hangzhou and Shanghai

The second offering is our 4-City Introduction to China, $1,599 all inclusive from LAX ($100 higher April-October). You will travel with a knowledgeable SIEF professional throughout the trip, plus have the local knowledge of city guides and drivers. Accommodations are excellent, throughout and well located. We will visit Beijing, Xi'an, Hangzhou, Shanghai and a small town/village on one of China's many canals. Read detailed itinerary.

Beijing

Beijing is the modern capital and has hosted emperors for more than 600 years. The Imperial Palace Museum (Forbidden City) and Summer Palace are outstanding architectural and cultural examples of the Ming and Qing Periods. Modern capital buildings and an expanded Tiananmen Square bring together historic and modern China. North of the city lies the Great Wall, much of it rebuilt in the last dynasties but with its foundations more than 2,500 years old. Coupled with outstanding artistic crafts (cloisonné, jade, fresh water pearl jewelry), the region offers the heart of north China to the visitor. SIEF augments the usual visits with in-depth briefings on sites, clear information on the historic context of what we see, and opportunities to see and interact with local people. With our interest in education, you can be sure to visit schools in Beijing and throughout your travel with us.

Xi'an

Xi'an (4-City Introduction to China, only) was ancient capital to a number of early states, the first and subsequent imperial governments in China, beginning more than 4,000 years ago. Xi'an retains the oldest intact city walls in China, surrounding the ancient administrative center with its palaces and other official buildings. The Bell Tower offers magnificent city views, especially at night. Several Buddhist sites in Xi'an are notable -- pagodas historic roots nearly 2,000 years old when Xi'an was the Chinese end of the Silk Road. While best known to Westerners for its Terra Cotta Museum, part of the mausoleum of the First Emperor of China, Xi'an city includes one 8,000 year old farming village that exemplifies the agricultural base of the civilization that followed. Dating 1,300 years ago are famous hot springs that were gardens of the Tang imperial family. The rich historic and philosophical writings of China are recorded in the unique Stelae Museum which houses stone carved documents dating to Confucian times.

Hangzhou

Hangzhou remains a modern city that has retained much of its 10th C beauty. Once a provincial town, it became capital of the Song Dynasty in the 10th C when Mongols displaced the Chinese dynasty south of the Yangzi. Even before it was well known for its beautiful West Lake which became the western boundary of the administrative and royal enclaves. This area of China has long produced and exported the finest green teas and silk products in China and SIEF will introduce you to both of these industries. We will experience much more of Hangzhou during our visit.

Between Hangzhou and Shanghai are several canal towns that are now open to the public to view local people going about their lives. Both have local artisans and shops of interest and views that remind one of medieval canal and river towns in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Shanghai

Shanghai, never a governmental capital, became a commercial center in the 1800s and has surpassed Hong Kong as the economic center of mainland east Asia. Its architecture along the main river evokes both earlier times (19th C European architecture when western and Japanese imperialists gained a foothold in China along the Bund) and modern China, on the opposite bank known as Pudong Development Area. A maintained Qing beauty spot, Yu Yuan (Garden) is now surrounded by a reconstructed Old Shanghai with Qing architecture, shops, local vendors, joint venture establishments, and well-known franchises such as Starbucks. It is also a city that features the best architecture in the world—particularly in the Pudong district. Remarkable new communities have been established in Shanghai, and we shall visit one of them (New University Town with a full range of educational facilities, social services, shops, housing, etc.).

For daily itineraries, click on 3-City Introduction to China and 4-City Introduction to China.

The program is organized and led by Spring International Education Foundation, a non-profit educational organization specializing in cultural and educational programs and exchanges between China and the U.S.

Spring International Education Foundation (SIEF) specializes in cultural and educational programs in China and in the United States.

SIEF is committed to setting high programmatic standards in all aspects of its study abroad, teaching abroad, intern abroad programs, in addition to providing excellent educator seminars in China, and bilateral programs between American and Chinese professionals.