Forbidden City, Beijing

Day 01Entry Beijing

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

Day 02Beijing

You will be thrilled the whole day when you visit Tiananmen Square - one of the largest and grandest city squares in the world; the Forbidden City of the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Temple of Heaven - once the royal temple.
 
Specials: Peking Roast Duck Banquet & Peking Opera Performance 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Descriptions:
Forbidden City - The Forbidden City is a masterpiece of the imperial palaces. Palace, Gongdian in Chinese, appeared in China in the very early time. It originally means 'the house of saint'. Since Emperor Qinshihuang, palace has become the residential place of royal members and also the place that emperors handle daily affairs.   
 
Temple of Heaven - In ancient China, the number 9 was considered to be the highest value digit, having supreme status and representing the emperor. This thought was embodied anywhere in building the Temple of Heaven. The Circular Mound, at the southern end, is a three-storey altar. Coming up to the top level, you could see nine rings of stone slabs centering on a raised round stone. The first ring has 9 slabs, the second has 18 slabs; the next 27 and the outermost ring has 81 slabs. And, the numbers of the altar's marble balustrades are also the multiple of nine.

Beijing street scene

Day 03Beijing

You will be accompanied by a local guide to one of the greatest world heritage sites - the Great Wall, Badaling section. Sichuan food will be served for lunch at a popular local restaurant. We then continue to the Sacred Way and the Ming Tomb in the afternoon. Conclude the day tour after seeing the appearance of the the Bird's Nest (Olympic National Stadium) in the distance on the way to the downtown.
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Descriptions:
Great Wall - Listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Wall is the fruit of the Chinese nation's wisdom and a symbol of Chinese civilization. Particularly, the most popular section of it is no doubt the Badaling Great Wall which was firstly built in the Ming Dynasty, rebuilt and repaired several times in the following dynasties. Now, as a national key scenic spot, Badaling has already become the first choice destination of the tourists from all over the world.
 
Ming Tombs - The Ming Tombs are actually a group of mausoleums of thirteen emperors in the Ming Dynasty. You We will focus on the tenth one – the Ding Tomb, which at present is the only unearthed royal mausoleum at present. Built from 1584-1590, it covers an area of 180,000 square meters. More than 3,000 pieces of all kinds of cultural relics were excavated, four of which are national treasures: a golden crown, a queen's crown, a legendary luminous pearl and Ming tri-colored pottery.

Day 04Beijing - Xian

After your morning duration at the Summer Palace and the Lama Temple, you fly to Xian. At the airport, you will be met by your local professional tour guide and be transferred to the well selected 4-star Grand New World Hotel (Address: No. 172 Lianhu Road., Xi'an, 710002). 
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Tips: After having the dinner on your own, you may consider to spend some time outdoor in the evening. Visiting the North Square near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda should be a good option. It takes less twenty minutes' drive from the hotel to the square by taxi. The taxi fee is no more than twenty Yuan. It is the largest fountain and waterscape square in Asia. The sculptures are also of the largest scale throughout Asia. Every night there will be a grand fountain show. The water spurts in different shapes and styles as the music goes softly or abruptly. If you are tired, you can have a rest on the bench around.
 
Descriptions:
Summer Palace - Summer Palace has the charming Kunming Lake and the grand Longevity Hill as its main attractions, featuring the scenery of the West Lake and gardens in the Southern China. As the largest well-preserved imperial garden, the Summer Palace was regarded as the 'Four Famous Gardens in China', along with Chengde Mountain Resort, Humble Administrator's Garden and the Garden to linger In. It has been listed as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
 
Lama Temple - The Lama Temple, also known as Yong He Palace in China, is noted not only for its profound Tibetan religious culture, but also for its inseparable relationship with the emperors of the Qing Dynasty. From 1694 to 1722, it is the dwelling of the Emperor Yongzheng, when he was just the fourth prince of Emperor Kangxi and came to the throne in 1722. During this period, another emperor of the Qing Dynasty was also born here, who is the fourth son of Yongzheng-the Emperor Qianlong.

Terracotta warriors, Xian

Day 05Xian

You will visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum 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 Museum - It locates in the east of Lintong district which is 37 kilometers away from Xian. It backs onto the Li Mountain and faces the Wei River. At present, three big pits of terracotta warriors and horses are discovered. They are the accessory pits of the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The total area of the pits is 22,780 square meters. In the pits, there are over 7400 pieces of terracotta warriors and horses of the same size with the real man and horses. The museum is the biggest ancient military museum in China. It shocked the world as soon as the terracotta warriors and horses were exhumed.  
 
Big Wild Goose Pagoda - With a height of 64.5 meters (212 feet), the seven-storey, Bid Wild Goose Pagoda is not only a well-protected ancient structure, but also a Buddhist architectural masterpiece. Originally built in 652 AD, it was used to store sutras that were brought from ancient India by Xuanzang, the eminent monk of the Tang Dynasty.

Bell Tower, Xian

Day 06Xian - Guilin

Your morning tour stops to the ancient City Wall followed by an afternoon flight to Guilin by flight. Your local professional tour guide will greet you with comfortable airport-hotel transfer service. Check in at the 4-star former Holiday Inn Hotel - Guilin Bravo Hotel (Address: No. 14 Ronghu Nan Road, Guilin, 541002). 
 
Meals: Breakfast
Specials: A la carte lunch

Tips: As an ancient city, there are many places other than the scheduled itinerary to experience the old cultural atmosphere of Xian. One suggestion: Take a taxi from your hotel to the South Gate area and you will find a street named Shuyuanmen Street (College Gate Street). During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, this was the location of the highest college in Shaanxi Province. Now it is a street lined with stores offering artifacts, decorative items, calligraphy and paintings and other handcrafts. There are some upcoming artists writing or painting on site along the street. Once you are there, you can feel the peaceful and intense culture atmosphere.
 
Descriptions:
Xian City Wall - Embosomed by broad deep moat and smothered with densely woods, the City Wall of Xian has become a beautiful scene of the ancient city. It was built since early Ming Dynasty on the basis of Tang imperial city. Through five times of large scale restoration in history, it finally made to be a great fortification, which is nowadays the most intact and largest ancient city wall of China in existence, listed among the first batch of national key historical and cultural relics by the State Council early in the 1960s.

Picturesque Guilin scenery

Day 07Guilin

Today you will take a full day city tour including visits to the Reed Flute Cave, Seven Star Park and the Elephant Trunk Hill.
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Descriptions:
Seven Star Park - Located at the east bank of Li River, Seven Star Park covers an area of 120 hectares (297 acres). It is the largest comprehensive park in Guilin with a great deal of scenery. In the park, four peaks of Mount Putuo and three peaks of Mount Crescent compose the shape of Charles' Wain. So it is named "Seven Star". Splendid mountains, clear water, a weird stone forest and serene valley make the whole park uniquely charming.
  
Reed Flute Cave - Driving westwards along the Taohuajiang (Peach Flower River) for about six kilometers in the northwest suburb of Guilin, you will see a very absorbing tourist resort named Reed Flute Cave. The cave boasts abundant karst formations, such as stone columns, stalactites and stalagmites.
 
Elephant Trunk Hill - The Elephant Trunk Hill is the emblem of Guilin City. One cannot claim to have been to Guilin without paying a visit to the Elephant Trunk Hill. Also the former chairman of China Yang Shangkun said it's a must to take photos in front of the Elephant Trunk Hill.

Day 08Guilin - Yangshuo

Travel to Yangshuo by cruising along the magnificent Li River which is today's highlight. Upon arrival in Yangshuo, check in at the local best hotel Yangshuo Paradesa Resort. Afterwards, a brief country-road tour by bicycle will then be arranged. A local family will be somewhere along the road expecting your visit. If you are less than skillful riding a bicycle, you can take our electric car instead. 
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 
Tips: Lunch will be provided on the cruise today and since it may not meet your expectations, TCG suggests that you have a larger breakfast at the hotel.

Descriptions:
Li River Cruise - Li River originates from the Cat Mountain in Xing' an County, with 83 kilometers (51.6 miles) water line from Guilin to Yangshuo. Cruising along the Li River, you can appreciate the grotesque hills mirrored in the aquamarine water, buffaloes twinkled on the grassland along the bank, local peasant rowing a small boat or raft fishing in the river, which compose such an idyllic scene.

Day 09Yangshuo - Guilin - Chongqing

Take an morning flight to Chongqing, a mountain city where your Yangtze River Cruise will begin. Visit the Residence of General Joseph W. Stilwell and Ci Qi Kou. After dinner, your memorable Yangtze River tour begins at 22:00 as you board on the luxurious cruise ship (President No. 3 or President No.4). 
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet dinner at a 5-star hotel

Badong Boat Trackers in the Three Gorges

Day 10Fengdu

At about 08:30 visit the Ghost City of Fengdu. Following the sightseeing, return to the ship and continue sailing. The Captain's Welcome Party will be held this evening; You are invited.  
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Descriptions:
Yangtze Three Gorges - The Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, reputed as the landscape gallery, is among Top Ten Resorts in China. Stretching over 192 kilometers, it is the most gorgeous and beautiful section of the river with many scenic spots such as Shennong Stream.

Day 11Badong - Xiling Gorge - Sandouping

The essential part of the Yangtze River cruise is coming today, 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 of the three. An interesting three-to-four hour junk adventure to Shennong Stream will add joy to the marvelous day. After a whole day of sailing, the ship will stop at Sandouping village.  
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Descriptions:
Wu Gorge - Winding about 42 kilometers (26 miles), it lies between Wushan County in Sichuan and Badong County in Hubei. Peaks are topping and surrounded by clouds and fogs. There are 12 famous peaks along the gorge and those romantic myths about them make the whole gorge like a gallery.

Shennong stream cruise, Yangtze River

Day 12Yichang - Shanghai

The final Yangtze onshore excursion is arranged to visit the still-under- construction 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 fly to Shanghai where your local professional tour guide will meet you with comfortable transfer service. Check in at the 4-star Ya Fan Long Men Hotel (Address: Hengfeng Road No. 777, Shanghai, China) for a 2-night stay.
 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Descriptions:
Three Gorges Dam - It is the largest hydropower project in the world. The project began construction in 1994, covering a total area of 15.28 square kilometers (5.9 square miles). Opened in 1997 as a tourist attraction, the whole scenic area includes an exhibition hall, 185 parks, dam exhibition hall and so on. It shows visitors the culture of engineering and water conservancy. The Three Gorges Dam Site has become a hot new tourist destination by combining modern engineering, natural scenery and cultural landscape.

The Bund area, Shanghai

Day 13Shanghai

Your first stop in Shanghai is a visit to the Shanghai Museum which houses large collections of historical items. Then go ahead to the famous Yuyuan Garden, which was designed as a private garden. Then 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:
Shanghai - Shanghai, the most dynamic city in China, has witnessed the history of modern China. The history of Shanghai is an epitome of modern China. Originally a fishing and textiles town, Shanghai grew to prominence in the 19th century. With the opening up to foreign trade in 1842, the city gradually flourished as an important international trade and commerce center. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Shanghai continues its robust development due to its favorable location and the national policy.
 
Huangpu River - Huangpu River is also called Chunshen River or Huangxie River. Legend has it that once Shanghai was merely a stark wetland and a shallow river wriggled through the land. The river is so shallow that it flooded the surrounding areas in rainy seasons, and dried up when there was little rainfall. People cursed it as “Beheading River”. During the Warring States period, Lord Chunshen of the Chu Kingdom, also Huang Xie, led the local people to dredge the river. From then on, people are free from drought and flood. To pay tribute to Lord Chunshen, they named the river after his name.
 
Yuyuan Garden - It is one of the few existing old tourist attractions in modern Shanghai. Composed of pavilions, gloriettes, winding verandahs, zigzag paths, rockeries, ponds, springs, flowers and shade trees, and so on, the garden is magnificent in size and as beautiful as a painting. Yuyuan Garden also displays hundreds of ancient steles and stone inscriptions, most of the authors of which are very famous. Yu means peace and health in Chinese.It is a place where people can pursue peace and comfort in the bustling Shanghai.

Day 14Shanghai Exit

You will be then seen off for your homebound flight. Comfortable hotel-airport transfer is arranged according to your flight schedule.
 
Meals: Breakfast

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