Our client at Temple of Heaven, Beijing

Day 01Arrival in Beijing

You'll be met up upon arrival outside the baggage claim area and transferred to the best Holiday Inn Hotel in Beijing, 4-star hotel - Holiday Inn Central Plaza (Address: No. 1 Caiyuanjie, Xuanwu District, Beijing, 100053). The rest of the day is free on your own. 
 
Meals: We do not arrange any meals for you today because of the different arrival flights.

Tips: If you arrive in Beijing earlier today, we suggest you pay a visit to Jingshan Park by yourselves, which locates to the north of the Forbidden City. Standing on the top of Jingshan Hill in the park, you can have a panoramic view of the Forbidden City in grandeur. Notably famous for varieties of peonies, Jingshan Park is also the royal park in Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties of China. The opening time is from 06: 00am to 19: 00 pm. The entrance fee is only CNY2.00 yuan excluding the exhibition fee inside the garden. The site is not far from your hotel and it is very convenient to get there by taxi.

Day 02Beijing

You will be thrilled the whole day when visiting Tiananmen Square - the largest city square in the world. Continue to visit the Forbidden City of the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Temple of Heaven, which once was the royal temple.  
 
Specials: Peking Roast Duck Banquet & Peking Opera Performance 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Descriptions:
Tiananmen Square - Situated in the center of Beijing City, the square has become the symbol of Beijing, and even China. The Monument to the People's Heroes stands upright in the center. Initially built in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty (1368 A.D. - 1644 A.D.), Tiananmen Square was the entrance to the Forbidden City, your next destination.
 
Forbidden City - Situated in the center of Beijing City, the Forbidden City is the imperial palace of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It is regarded as a remarkable ancient architectural masterpiece of China and the largest and the most completed ancient architectural complex in the world. It was represented as one of the World's Five Palaces, along with the Palace of Versailles in France, the Buckingham Palace in Britain, the White Palace in the United States and the Kremlin Palace in Russia.
 
Temple of Heaven - Some acoustical principles were used when building the Temple of Heaven, including the Echo Wall surround the Imperial Vault of Heaven, the Three Echo Stones in front of the gate of the vault and the Heavenly Center Stone on the Altar of Heaven. The Three Echo Stones in front of the Imperial Vault of Heaven is interesting. You will hear one echo if you stand on the first stone and speak towards the Vault. Two and three echoes will be heard respectively when standing on the second and third stone.

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

Day 03Beijing

You will be accompanied by our local professional guide to one of the greatest world heritage sites: the Great Wall at Badaling. Afterwards, enjoy a delicious Sichuan meal at a local popular restaurant. The tour continues to the Sacred Way and the Ming Tombs in the afternoon. Conclude the day with a visit to the the appearance of the the Bird's Nest (Olympic National Stadium) in the distance on the way to the downtown. 
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Tips: Seeing that you are ready to climb up the Great Wall, of course, a pair of comfortable shoes is really needed. Because of the steep inclines along the Great Wall, you'd better not wear high heel shoes. Otherwise, very quickly you will probably feel fatigue. What's more, they are hazardous in such locations in any event. But sports shoes are highly recommended. During the process of climbing, sometimes, you may happen to meet quite steep section. If you are afraid of foot slip, it's better to walk like crab.
 
Descriptions:
Great Wall - When talking about the preservation of Great Wall, two ordinary people from China and Britain are worth mentioning: Zhang Heshan and Lindsay, an ordinary Chinese farmer who voluntarily guards the wall for over 20 years and a British man who first finished the Great Wall hike.
 
Ming Tomb - During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Tianshou Mountain was regarded as the forbidden area since many emperors were buried there. The Emperors set very strict rules to protect the mausoleums of their ancestors. The civilians were prohibited to enter the mausoleum areas let alone destroy or rob the tombs. Cutting trees or grass and collecting firewood in these areas were also forbidden. Those who broke the rules were punished seriously or executed. Besides, there were guards who settled down there to guard the tombs or patrol the mountain areas.

Figure of the terracotta warriors, Xian

Day 04Beijing - Xian

After looking around the Royal Garden at the Summer Palace, fly to Xian by flight. Upon arrival in Xian, you will be met by your local guide. Visit the ancient City Wall on the way and then be transferred to the well selected 4-star hotel - Grand New World Hotel (Address: No. 172 Lianhu Rd., Xi'an, 710002). 
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Tips: If you would like to go out at night and a noisy nightclub is not your interest, the North Square of Bid Wild Goose Pagoda is highly recommended. As the largest fountain square in Asia, it has become a new landscape in modern Xi'an. Everyone will be enchanted by its magnificent atmosphere after enjoying the musical fountain show. Some even say that it is regrettable to visit Xi'an without watching the musical fountain performance. Water columns change fast, reflecting a delicate attraction in the colorful lights. Rising high into the air, water falls and scatters, like lotus and butterflies. The spray in the air seems to be thousands of seagull wings flying or a sea of clouds. It is more like a fairyland than a square. Besides, there are groups of sculptures and gallery of Shaanxi folk culture. Take a taxi from your hotel and you will reach there within 15 minutes and spend about 20 RMB.

Day 05Xian

You will have a visit to the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, which is said to be the Eighth Wonder of the world. Visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the Great Mosque after lunch. 
 
Specials: A la carte lunch, Dumpling Banquet and Tang Dynasty Music and Dances Show (Address: No. 165, Wenyi Road, Xian, 710054)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Descriptions:
Terracotta warriors: - The process of discovering the terracotta warriors and horses is interesting. In February 1974, when a local farmer was digging a well 1.5 kilometers (0.9 mile) east of the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, he discovered a few life-sized terracotta warriors and horses. Since then, an integrated military army buried underground for more than 2,000 years has been exhumed and built into a museum.
 
Big Wild Goose Pagoda - Situated in the Da Ci'en Temple in the southern suburb of Xian, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda has much relationship with the most outstanding monk Xuan Zang. He spent almost 20 years in making a pilgrimage to India. In 652 AD, he asked the Emperor Gaozong for the permission to build a pagoda in Da Ci'en Temple to house the sutras, Buddha's relics and statues that he took back from India. The emperor only allowed him to build a five-storey brick pagoda. Xuan Zang not only supervised the project, but also took bricks and earth during the project.

Great Mosque - The Great Mosque of Xian occupies a narrow lot which is only a block away from the famous Drum Tower. This is an Islamic mosque with Chinese temple layout, having successive courtyards on an east-to-west axis facing Mecca with pavilions and pagodas adapted to Islamic functions.

Yangtze cruise

Day 06Xian - Chongqing

Have the last Xian stop to the Provincial History Museum and head to Chongqing on an afternoon flight, your local professional tour guide will meet you with a comfortable transfer service. Have a brief city tour to the Panda House in Chongqing Zoo if time allows. Your memorable Yangtze River tour begins at 22:00 as you board the luxurious cruise ship (President No. 3 or President No.4). 
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet dinner at a 5-star hotel

Descriptions:
Provincial History Museum - Having been the imperial center since ancient times for thousand years, Shaanxi is extraordinarily rich in cultural relics. Its great collection is highlighted by many rarities, including the fossils of Lantian Man which precedes Peking Man, representative deer pattern eaves tile of the Qin Dynasty, the Kneeling Archer unearthed from Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Tomb, the Four Footed Li which is a bronze cooking utensil of the Shang Dynasty and the Empress's Seal made of jade from the tomb of the first emperor of Han. 
 
Yangtze River - The most unforgotten section of the Yangtze River is the Three Gorges. High green mountains stand on both sides; the river is extremely narrow and winding; the reefs and rocks spread over the river; the billowing water runs very fast and thrash against the huge mountains.

Day 07Fengdu

At about 08:30 visit the Ghost City of Fengdu. Following the sightseeing, re-board onto the ship and continue sailing. The Captain's Welcome Party will be held this evening and you are invited to join in the fun.  
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Descriptions:
Ghost City - Ghost City of Fengdu was called Bazibiedu in ancient times. Established as a county in Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD), Fengdu began to be famous as "the Capital of Ghost Country" or the "Netherworld". In the legend, Netherworld is the home of a deceased's soul. Mixing Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist folk culture, Fengdu is a treasure-house of arts. Covered with luxuriant trees and interspersed with temples and pavilions, the whole scenic area is more like a landscape painting rather than a "Ghost City".

Shennong stream excursion, Yangtze River tour

Day 08Badong - Xiling Gorge - Sandouping

The essential part of the Yangtze River cruise is coming today. You will appreciate the unique scenery of the Three Gorges. Qutang Gorge is the shortest but the grandest one. Wu Gorge is famous for its lofty peaks and mountains on the both sides. Xiling Gorge is the longest one among the three. An interesting junk adventure to Shennong Stream, lasting 3-4 hours will add much joy to the marvelous day. After a whole day of sailing, the ship will stop at the Sandouping village.  
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 09Yichang - Shanghai

The final Yangtze onshore excursion is a visit to the under constructed Three Gorges Dam. After lunch, pack your luggage and follow the check-out procedures. Drive to Yichang to visit the Yichang Museum if time permits. Then head for Shanghai by air, where your local professional tour guide will meet you with a comfortable transfer service. Check in the 4-star Ya Fan Long Men Hotel (Address: Hengfeng Road No. 777, Shanghai, China).
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Descriptions:
Yichang Museum - The display building of Yichang Museum is three-stories and of ancient style. It has more than 30 thousand pieces of cultural relics, of which 10 thousand were unearthed in the Three Gorges Area. Potteries, bronze wares, jades, gold and silver works, lacquer works, calligraphy and paintings are exhibited in the museum. All of these are showing you Yichang's long history.
 
Shanghai - Nicknamed as “Paris of the East” and “Oriental Pearl”, Shanghai is not only a commercial and financial hub, but also a renowned touristy city. There are a lot of attractions in the city, including the historical landmarks like the Bund and Xintiandi, and the modern structures such as the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and Yangpu Bridge, which are worthy of exploration.

Shanghai Bund

Day 10Shanghai

The first stop in Shanghai is a visit to the Shanghai Museum, which houses large collections of historical items. Then continue to the famous Yuyuan Garden, walk around the Bund area along the Hangpu River and visit a local family.  
 
Specials: Portman Acrobatic Show and a la carte farewell dinner at Wangbaohe restaurant 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Descriptions:
Huangpu River - Located in the middle of Shanghai, Huangpu River flows through the city, whose downstream divides Shanghai into Pudong and Puxi areas. It is the potable and industrial water resource of the city, and is endowed with the functions of sightseeing, shipping, irrigation, fishery and climatic regulation.
 
Shanghai Museum - Shanghai Museum is mainly composed of eleven galleries. The eleven galleries include galleries of Ancient Bronze, Ancient Sculpture, Ancient Porcelain and Ceramic Wares, Ancient Jade, Chinese Calligraphy, Chinese Paintings, Ancient Seals, Ancient Coins, Ming and Qing Furniture and Minority Nationalities' Art.
 
Yuyuan Garden - Yuyuan Garden was first built in 1559 in the Jiajing Period of the Ming Dynasty with an area of about 70 acres. Now it occupies two acres. In the garden, the halls, pavilions, bridges, pools and corridors can be seen almost everywhere. Although it is a man-made garden, it looks like a beautiful one endowed by nature.

Day 11Shanghai Exit

See you off on your homebound flight. Comfortable hotel-airport transfer is arranged according to your flight schedule.  
 
Meals: Breakfast

B-- Breakfast     L-- Lunch     D-- Dinner