Day 01Arrival in Beijing

Our guide will greet you outside the Arrival Hall at Beijing Capital Airport and transfer you to check in at the 4-star Holiday Inn Central Plaza, the best Holiday Inn Hotel in Beijing. The rest of the day remains free for you to explore the city. For dinner on your own arrangement, we have some suggestions around our hotel.

Meals: No meals
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Central Plaza

Our clients on the Great Wall, Beijing Photo by our client Mr. Nygllhuw Morris with his feedback

Day 02Beijing

This morning, you will tour the world's largest city square, Tiananmen Square. It also serves as the entrance to the Forbidden City, your next stop. Regarded as one of the World's Top Five Palaces, the Forbidden City is the largest and the most completed ancient architectural complex in the world. It is a good site to learn about the imperial lives in ancient China. To ensure that you can taste the authentic Chinese food instead of the mass-produced food at the tourist eateries arranged by most agencies, we will offer you an a la carte lunch at a famous local Cantonese cuisine restaurant. In the afternoon, explore the Temple of Heaven, a place where ancient Chinese emperors held ceremonies to worship heaven. Besides the main buildings like the Circular Mound Altar, the Imperial Vault of Heaven and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, the Three Echo Stones and Echo Wall are also very interesting. At night, a lively Chinese Kung Fu Show will be arranged at Red Theatre.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Central Plaza

Tiananmen Square, Beijing Photo by our client Ms. Dawn Anitas Stewart

Day 03Beijing

Today, there is a visit to one of the world's greatest manmade projects, the Great Wall of China. Measuring about 5,500 miles long, it is impossible for you to tour all of them. The section for your visiting is Badaling Great Wall, the best-preserved and most developed part among all sections. Rather than shopping site restaurants arranged by other agencies, we will offer you a Sichuan cuisine lunch at the best local restaurant to replenish your physical energy. The tour continues to the Sacred Way and the Ming Tomb in the afternoon. The Sacred Way is actually the first attraction site of the Ming Tombs and a road leading you to the mausoleum group. It is unexpectedly long and decorated by various stone statues on both sides. Entering the Ming Tombs via this road, you may be astonished not only by its particular and finely set architecture, but also by the beautiful natural scenery. On the way back to downtown Beijing, we will drive by the Bird's Nest (Olympic National Stadium), a new landmark of Beijing. You may get off and admire this distinctive architecture at short range.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Central Plaza

Chinese people in the countryside

Day 04Beijing - Xian

You will visit the Summer Palace, which was a water and mountain garden used as a summer resort by the imperial family. With delicate buildings, stone bridge, shy willows and elegant hills reflecting in the clear water, the garden has become a picturesque wonderland under heaven. To experience old Beijing history and special culture, you will be delighted by the Hutong tour. Hutong, dating back to Yuan dynasty, is an old alley or lane belongs only to Beijing. Scattered in Beijing city like stars, Hutongs attract tourists from home and aboard every year by showing the essential culture and characteristics of old Beijng. You will enjoy an a la carte lunch at a decent local restaurant with great atmosphere. In the afternoon, you are going to take a flight to Xian. Our local guide will meet you at Xian airport and transfer you to the 4-star Grand New World Hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch
Accommodation: Grand New World Hotel

Figure of the terracotta warriors, Xian

Day 05Xian

Today's trip is to visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum in the morning, which is said to be the Eighth Wonder of the world. By touring these life-size terra cotta soldiers and horses, ancient weapons and chariots, you will learn more about military affairs in ancient China. To avoid the low-quality tourist eateries near the site, we will offer you a delicious a la carte lunch at the best local restaurant. Then the trip will be extended to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Shaanxi History Museum. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda has much relationship with the most outstanding monk Xuan Zang, who spent almost 20 years in making a pilgrimage to India. This pagoda was built to house the sutras, Buddha's relics and statues that he has taken back from India. Shaanxi History Museum collects various exhibitions concerning almost every stage of human beings from primitive times to 1840, lasting for more than 1,000,000 years. In the evening, you will enjoy a traditional Xian Dumpling Dinner and appreciate a fantastic Tang Dynasty Music and Dances Show. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch, Dumpling dinner
Accommodation: Grand New World Hotel

City Wall, Xian Photo by our client Ms. Vivian Rich with her feedback

Day 06Xian

Appreciate Xian City Wall in the morning. Originally built as a military defense system, it consists of walls, gate towers, suspension bridges and city moats. Nowadays, it has become one of the landmarks of this ancient capital city and is surrounded by city parks. You may see the local people doing exercises and entertaining themselves in the parks. After that, you will visit a local family and a la carte lunch will be arranged at the visited home, so that you can taste the authentic home-cooked food. You can also learn to cook Chinese dishes with the host for free of charge. We have many dishes for you to choose from our Chinese food cooking class. In the afternoon, the trip will be extended to the Great Mosque. This is an Islamic mosque with Chinese temple layout, having successive courtyards on an east-to-west axis facing Mecca.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Home-cooked a la carte lunch
Accommodation: Grand New World Hotel

Yangtze River cruise

Day 07Xian - Chongqing

Today, you will leave for Chongqing by air. On the way to Xian Airport, you could drop in at Hanyangling Museum, the mausoleum of a Western Han Emperor. The highlight here is the underground museum, where visitors are allowed to walk on a glass floor over the mausoleum to view the excavation process. Upon your arrival at Chongqing, our local guide will meet you and transfer you to the downtown area. If time allows, you will visit the General Joseph W. Stilwell Museum. Your wonderful Yangtze River cruise tour will begin after you board the comfortable Yangtze cruise ship, 4-star President No.2 or President No.3.  

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Cruises: President No.2 or President No.3

Day 08Shibaozhai

At about 14:00, there will be a landing tour to Shibaozhai. Located near the north bank of Yangtze River, Shibaozhai is famous for its unique wooden architecture and many interesting legendary stories. It attracts millions of visitors from home and abroad for its beautiful sceneries and rich cultural background. After the sightseeing, you will be back aboard the ship and the cruise continues sailing. Please enjoy yourself at Captain's Welcome Party tonight.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Shennong stream excursion, Yangtze River tour

Day 09Badong - Xiling Gorge - Sandouping

The essential part of your Yangtze River cruise tour is coming today. You will appreciate the unique scenery of the three gorges. First, the ship will sail through Qutang Gorge, the grandest and most dangerous section. Standing on the cruise ship, you will see the steep precipices on both banks of this narrow stretch of water. After that, you will enter Wu Gorge which is famous for lofty peaks and mountains, especially the twelve charming and lively peaks standing in different postures and manners. The cruise will then take you to the Xiling Gorge, the longest but gentle and mild one among the three. Between Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge, you will take an interesting junk adventure to Shennong Stream for about three to four hours. While drifting through this zigzag watercourse on a small pea boat, you may hear the local boatman singing pleasant folk songs. After a whole day's sailing, the cruise ship will stop at Sandouping Town.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Yangtze Three Gorges tour

Day 10Yichang - Shanghai

The final Yangtze onshore excursion is a visit to the Three Gorges Dam, a project which brings in great benefits in flood control and power generation as well as problems like landscape loss and massive migrations. There is a Viewing Platform on Tianzi Mountain where you can overlook the whole Three Gorges Dam. After that, your Yangtze River cruise tour will come to the end. Our local guide in Yichang will meet you on board and transfer you to the downtown area. If time allows, you will visit Yichang Museum. Then you are going to take a flight to Shanghai. Our local guide will meet you at Shanghai Airport and transfer you to the 4-star Ya Fan Long Men Hotel. For dinner on your own arrangement, we have some suggestions around our hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Ya Fan Long Men Hotel 

Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai Photo by our client Mr. Bilal Abdelkader Fayed with his feedback

Day 11Shanghai

The first stop today is Shanghai Museum, which houses a large number of historical art works like bronze, sculpture, jade, porcelain and ceramic wares. Then, continue to the famous Yuyuan Garden, one of the representatives of these south China gardens. With halls, pavilions, bridges, pools and corridors carefully laid-out, it is just like a work of nature, not a man-made garden. We will serve you an a la carte lunch of the authentic Shanghai and Cantonese cuisine at a fancy and famous local restaurant. Then, have a stroll on Nanjing Road, the Bund area along the Hangpu River and visit an old street in Shanghai. Reputed as the mother river of Shanghai, the Huangpu River is endowed with the functions of sightseeing, shipping, irrigation, fishery and climatic regulation. The Bund is located to its west bank where a cluster of western-style buildings standing, forming the 'Museum of International Architecture'. Looking across the river to its east bank, you will see modern skyscrapers one by one.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch
Accommodation: Ya Fan Long Men Hotel

Day 12Shanghai Exit

Comfortable hotel-airport transfer is arranged according to your flight schedule and our guide will see you off at Shanghai Airport. Also, if you plan to have an extension tour, please refer to our City Package for more details.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

• ◆2012 Price

Based on per person and in U.S. dollars, valid from Jan. 1st, 2012 to Feb. 28th, 2013

Season Group Size		2-5 travelers	6-9 travelers	10 travelers & above
High season	Double Occupancy	$2269	$1929	$1719
	Single Occupancy	$2859	$2519	$2259
Shoulder season	Double Occupancy	$2229	$1889	$1679
	Single Occupancy	$2789	$2449	$2189

Note: Above prices exclude the service charge of CNY150.00 per person recruited by the cruise company, you need to pay on the spot when you board the cruise.

Currency Converter

For our quotation inclusions & exclusions, booking and cancellation terms, please read Terms and Conditions.