Our group at the Badaling Great Wall, Beijing

Day 01Arrival in Beijing

As the flight lands in Beijing Capital Airport, your anticipated China tour starts with a warm welcome by our guide. We will transfer you to a luxurious hotel and remain the rest of the day free for you to recover from jet lag. A full day of scheduled sightseeing awaits you tomorrow.

Accommodation: Deluxe Holiday Inn Central Plaza Hotel - the best Holiday Inn Hotel in Beijing (3 nights)

Day 02Beijing

After breakfast, meet your group members at the orientation briefing held in the hotel. Your exciting tour begins with a visit to the world famous Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City in the morning with the Temple of Heaven seen in the afternoon. The evening will be highlighted by Beijing speciality Duck Dinner at a famous restaurant (pricing at CNY122.00 net per person included) as well as a brilliant Peking Opera performance at the Liyuan Theatre. Before the show, our guide will share you some background on the Peking Opera - quintessence of our country so that you may better appreciate the experience.(B+L+D)

Day 03Beijing

Have a big breakfast at the hotel and head for the splendid Badaling Great Wall. TravelChinaGuide will specially prepare red wine for a group toasting to each other on the Great Wall to celebrate and memorialize this moment. A lunch highly recommended by our former clients awaits you at a local Sichuan food restaurant. Then the exploration continues with a visit to the Sacred Way and the Ming Tomb in the afternoon. The whole day's sightseeing will come to an end after seeing the Bird's Nest (Olympic National Stadium) on the way to the urban area. Our driver will stop there for a few minutes for you to take pictures if you like. For dinner this evening, we've arranged an a la carte meal for you at a fine local Cantonese restaurant (pricing at CNY100.00 net per person included) in the well-known Wangfujing area. After dinner, you may take some time to wander in the pedestrian street to feel the night life of Beijing. Our guide and driver will see you to your hotel.(B+L+D)

Terracotta warriors, Xian

Day 04Beijing - Xian

Visit the Summer Palace and drive to the Beijing Zoo to see the lovely pandas. We will then be leaving the capital and proceeding to Xian by plane and checking in at a very nice 5-star hotel which has the best location of all the hotels in the city. Considering that you may miss the food of your taste after having several Chinese meals in Beijing, tonight we will offer you a nice break, a western buffet style dinner at your hotel (pricing at CNY170.00 net per person included). (B+L+D)

Accommodation: Hyatt Regency Hotel - downtown (3 nights)

Day 05Xian

Have a big breakfast and drive out of downtown to visit the world wonder Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum. An a la carte lunch (pricing CNY80.00 net per person included) awaits you at a well known Cantonese restaurant on your return downtown. In the afternoon, go on to explore Xian's historical site of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Then you will be transferred back to your hotel. Since tonight the famous Tang Dynasty Dinner Show will be served at the Tang Dynasty Palace (Add: No.75, Chang'an Road, Xian), enough time will be left for the ladies and gentlemen to dress up as beautiful and formal as you like.(B+L+D)

Captain's Welcome Party on Yangtze River cruise

Day 06Xian

A full day of sightseeing takes you to visit the ancient City Wall, a local family and the Great Mosque. The Muslim bazaar beside the mosque is a good place for picking out souvenirs or gifts, so enough time will be left for you to explore. The a la carte lunch and dinner (both pricing at CNY80.00 net per person included) are reserved at a well selected local restaurants.(B+L+D)

Day 07Xian - Chongqing

Before departing for Chongqing, visit the Hanyangling Museum, the Mausoleum of Western Han Emperor Liu Qi on the way to the airport. After arriving in Chongqing, our guide will take you to have a rich buffet dinner at the 5-star hotel and then help you board the deluxe New Century cruise ship. As the ship departs from Chongqing at about 23:30, your relaxing Yangtze River tour begins.(B+D)

Accommodation: New Century Cruises (3 nights)

Relaxing cruise tour along Yangtze Three Gorges

Day 08Chongqing - Fengdu

The river guide will give a brief introduction to the cruise after the breakfast. According to the sailing schedule, you will meet the initial onshore excursion to the Snowy Jade Cave in the afternoon. Afterwards, continue the sailing to the Three Gorges. The Captain's Welcome Party will be held tonight.(B+L+D)

Day 09Badong - Xiling Gorge - Sandouping

After a big breakfast, disembark at Badong to take an exciting pea-boat floating along the Shennong Stream. Back to the ship to have lunch and continue the cruise into the western section of the Xiling Gorge. Pass through the splendid five-step ship lock in the evening. (B+L+D)

Day 10Yichang - Shanghai

Disembark for an excursion to the under-construction Three Gorges Dam. Then pack your luggage and complete check-out procedures. Our guide will pick you up at the cruise. After lunch, visit the Yichang Museum if time permits. Following the visit, we'll see you off on your flight to your terminal destination - Shanghai. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the hotel for a good rest. Since your hotel is well located on the famous Nanjing Road, it is convenient for you to find a good western restaurant to have dinner. After the dinner, take a walk along this lively commercial street.(B+L)

Accommodation: JC Mandarin Hotel - Deluxe room (2 nights)

Our group at the Bund of Shanghai Photo by our client Mr. Christopher Taylor

Day 11Shanghai

To have a general view of this large metropolis city in one short day, we've arranged the Shanghai Museum, the Yuyuan Garden and a short but memorable Huangpu River cruise tour in your schedule. The farewell dinner of genuine Shanghai cuisine served at the 260 years old Wang Bao He restaurant in Central Hotel (pricing at CNY105.00 net per person included) and a wonderful Portman Acrobatic Show at Shanghai Centre Theatre will be presented to you this evening. After that, our guide and driver will transfer you to your hotel and say goodbye to you at the lobby. If you have any problem with money exchange or the next day's airport transfer, our guide will be always happy to help you.(B+L+D)

Day 12Departure from Shanghai

There are two airports in Shanghai: one is Pudong International Airport (PVG) and another is Hongqiao International Airport (SHA). Please make sure from which airport you have booked your international air ticket. You are advised to book your taxi or airport shuttle bus at the hotel Bell Desk the day before by yourself as your tour charge does not include the transfer from hotel to airport. Also, you are welcome to look over our City Tour Packages to plan a subsequent China visit. An American breakfast is included today. We wish you a safe, smooth flight and hope in the near future we can serve you again. (B)