Famous Sunday Bazaar in Kashgar

Day 01Arrival in Beijing

Our guide will greet you outside the customs of Beijing Airport and transfer you to check in the hotel. You are free to have a good rest or explore the city during the remaining time of the day.

Meals: No meals

Day 02Beijing

Please get ready to enjoy your Beijing tour this morning. Firstly go to Tiananmen Square in the city center and then walk into the splendid Forbidden City. In the world's largest imperial palace complex, there were altogether 24 emperors implementing their power successively for 490 years. Nowadays, travelers could trace its gorgeous history from the well-preserved majestic palaces and valued collections. To avoid the cheap tourist eateries arranged by most agencies, you will feast on a delicious a la carte lunch at a noted local restaurant to taste the authentic Chinese food. In the afternoon, you will visit the Temple of Heaven where the ancient emperors held the grand sacrificial ceremony annually. Both of the design and constructions in the temple have embodied the ancient doctrine of the 'divine right of kings'. Tonight, you will enjoy an excellent Chinese Kung Fu Show at the Red Theatre.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

Flaming Hill, Urumqi

Day 03Beijing

It is suggested that you have a larger breakfast before taking the excursion to Badaling Great Wall. Only a section of China Great Wall, Badaling has kept the elite of this wonderful military project. Rather than having lunch at shopping site restaurants, you will be driven to have Sichuan cuisine at a popular local restaurant. In the afternoon, you are going to see the unearthed emperor's mausoleum in the Ming Tomb, where 13 emperors were buried with their empresses and concubines. To guide these emperors back to the heaven after their death, a long Sacred Way has been constructed and linked all tombs together in the graveyard. While driving back to downtown Beijing, you could pass by the Bird's Nest, namely the Olympic National Stadium.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Day 04Beijing - Urumqi

A morning tour will be arranged for you to visit the scenic Summer Palace. The park will present you the harmonious combination of Chinese royal buildings, Buddhist pagoda, classical garden design, man-made hills and lakes. An a la carte lunch will be served for you at a decent local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will take a flight to Urumqi and stay at the hotel for one night.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

A family visit in Turpan

Day 05Urumqi - Kashgar

Flying over the snow-capped Tianshan Mountain, you will arrive at Kashgar today. Our guide will be waiting for you at the airport and then transfer you to the best local hotel. Praised as 'the pearl on the Ancient Silk Road', Kashgar has been the highlight city in south Xinjiang, where you could experience the exotic Uigur culture. At the famous Sunday Bazaar, you could find various kinds of local products and imported goods from Western Asia, such as Uygur clothes, carpets, jewelry, instruments, food and fruits.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Day 06Kashgar - Urumqi - Turpan

Today's tour will start at the Id Kah Mosque, which is the largest mosque in China with featured Islamic style. The following Old Street of Kashgar is the local residential area where you will find groups of adobe houses as well as bustling market. Finally go to the Abakh Khoja Tomb which is a typical Islamic family graveyard where 72 people were buried. After the tour ends, you will take a flight back to Urumqi. Our guide will pick you up at the airport and then drive you to Turpan for a two-night stay.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Camel ride along the Echoing-Sand Dune, Dunhuang Photo by our client Ms. Jolene Cheng

Day 07Turpan

As a vital communication hub on the ancient Silk Road, Turpan was left with a great number of historical relics. You could visit the famous Ruins of Jiaohe Ancient City, the Karez System and the Emin Minaret (Sugong Pagoda). The Ancient City of Jiaohe is the best-preserved and oldest earthen city, where the streets, temples, residential area and government offices could be recognized. Come to the end of the 18th century, the Karez System was excavated in large number, which made up of a unique underground irrigating system in desert. Built at the same time, the Emin Minaret is the only existing Islamic tower in China.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Day 08Turpan - Dunhuang

The Turpan historical tour will be extended to the Ruins of the Gaochang Ancient City, which was built 200 years later than Jiaohe, but enjoys high fame as well. Afterwards, you will head for the Bizaklik Thousand Buddha Caves which was the Buddhist center of ancient Gaochang, and preserves a series of Buddhist murals and statues. The last stop is the noted Flaming Mountain with gullies and trenches, where the highest temperature could reach 47.8℃ in summer. Tonight, you will take a soft sleeper train proceeding to Dunhuang.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Terracotta soldiers, Xian

Day 09Dunhuang

Our guide will meet you at Liuyuan Railway Station of Dunhuang and then escort you to the hotel after about two hours' drive. Today's breakfast is not included. During the rest of the day, you are going to the well-known Mogao Caves and Dunhuang Museum. Lying on the mountain, Mogao Caves is the largest and best-preserved Buddhist art gallery, mainly consisting of abundant ancient buildings, statues and murals.

Meals: Lunch

Day 10Dunhuang - Xian

A short but interesting camel-ride in desert will be arranged today. You will take it along the Echoing-Sand Mountain to reach the Crescent Lake surround by dunes. This oasis has existed in the desert for hundreds of years but never attacked by sands. After that, a flight will take you to Xian, east terminal of the Ancient Silk Road. The local guide will wait for you at Xian Airport and then escort you to the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Our travel consultant Lydia with her clients

Day 11Xian

It will be an exciting morning to see the world famous Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum at short distance. You will be astonished by the large quantity of life-size and vivid terracotta statuaries made 2,000 years ago. To avoid the low-quality food at the tourist eateries near the site, you will enjoy an a la carte lunch at the best local restaurant. This afternoon will be spent to visit the other two famous spots in Xian - the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the City Wall. As the capital for 13 dynasties, Xian has profound history especially in the powerful Tang Dynasty of 1,300 years ago. Tonight, clients of luxuries series could have the marvelous Tang Dynasty Dinner Show at the Tang Dynasty Palace (Addr: No.75, Chang'an Road, Xian). The standard series clients will enjoy the local Dumpling Dinner and Tang Dynasty Dance and Music Show at Shaanxi Opera Theatre (Addr: No. 165, Wenyi Road, Xian). 

Meals for Luxury series: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch, Tang Dynasty dinner show
              Standard series: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch, Dumpling dinner

Captain's Welcome Party on Yangtze River cruise

Day 12Xian - Chongqing

In the morning, you will go through a local Moslem bazaar to arrive at the quiet Great Mosque. Different from those typical Islamic buildings, this mosque was constructed in Chinese ancient architectural style hidden in verdant trees. Later, you could visit a local family to experience Chinese people's daily lives. After enjoying an a la carte lunch at a famous local restaurant, you will take a flight to Chongqing, where you will board a comfortable cruise ship to begin your memorable Yangtze River cruise tour.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

Day 13Chongqing - Shibaozhai

After breakfast, you could get a brief introduction on the cruise and the daily schedule from the river guide. An onshore excursion will be arranged when the ship arrives at Zhongxian. Clients will visit the Shibaozhai. After impoundment of three Gorges reservoir, Shibaozhai became a small island, no bigger than a football field. It is like a bonsai along the Yangtze River. You will visit one of the most fantastic architecture in the world and also hear many amusing tales on Shibaozhai. As the excursion ends, you will return to the ship and prepare for the Captain's Welcome Party tonight.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Attractive Yangtze Shennong Stream cruising

Day 14Badong - Xiling Gorge - Sandouping

Please make sure that your camera has enough memory since the cruise will sail to the picturesque Three Gorges today. Downstream along the Yangtze River, you will see the short but grand Qutang Gorge, the steep Wu Gorge and the long Xiling Gorge in turn. On the voyage from Wu Gorge to Xiling Gorge, you are going to experience a three to four hours' sampan drifting along the river to explore the narrow but scenic Shennong Stream. In the evening, the ship will pass through the Five Level Ship Lock of China Dam.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 15Yichang - Shanghai

After the ship docks in the early morning, you will disembark to take a bus to see the under-construction Three Gorges Dam. The bus will stop at a platform which is located at a good altitude for you to overlook the layout of this grand dam. The cruise tour will end when the ship moors to the port of Yichang. Please pack your luggage and follow the check-out procedure in advance. Our guide will pick you up on the deck and transfer you to downtown Yichang. If time allows, you could visit Yichang Museum before taking a flight proceeding to Shanghai. Our tour guide will meet you at Shanghai Airport and then escort you to the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai

Day 16Shanghai

Your Shanghai tour will be started from Shanghai Museum. Praised as the largest Chinese ancient art gallery, you could appreciate excellent collections as many as possible, such as pottery, porcelain, jade, painting, seal and ancient furniture. After that, you will continue to the Yuyuan Garden which is an unsophisticated world in the bustling city. You will feast on the most elaborate man-made scenery of this Chinese classical garden. We will invite you to an a la carte farewell lunch at a fancy and famous local restaurant, which offers both Shanghai and Cantonese cuisines. In the afternoon, there will be a short cruise tour on the Huangpu River, the scenery on the two banks of which stand for different appearances of Shanghai, historic and international. The cruise will end on the Bund area, where you could walk around and then visit an old street in Shanghai. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

Day 17Departure from Shanghai

According to your international flight schedule, our guide will fix a meeting time with you beforehand and escort you to the airport on time. We wish you a nice trip flying back home.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

Accommodation

Grade	Luxury	Standard
Beijing	Crowne Plaza	Holiday Inn Central Plaza the best Holiday Inn Hotel in Beijing
Urumqi	Hoi Tak Hotel	Mirage Hotel B Tower
Kashgar	the best local hotel	the best local hotel
Turpan	Huozhou Hotel	Huozhou Hotel
Dunhuang	Dunhuang Hotel Building No. 8	Dunhuang Hotel Building No. 8
Xian	Sheraton Xian Hotel	Grand New World Hotel
Yangtze River	President No.1	President No. 2 President No. 3
Shanghai	Renaissance Shanghai Yuyuan Hotel	Ya Fan Long Men Hotel

• ◆ 2012 Price
• ◆ 2011 Price

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

Grade	Luxury				Standard
	High season (Mar 1st-Nov 30th)		Shoulder season (Dec 1st-Feb 28th)		High season (Mar 1st-Nov 30th)		Shoulder season (Dec 1st-Feb 28th)
	Double	Single	Double	Single	Double	Single	Double	Single
2-5 persons	$4499	$5509	$4459	$5439	$4229	$5009	$4189	$4939
6-9 persons	$3879	$4889	$3839	$4819	$3609	$4389	$3569	$4319
10 & above	$3569	$4529	$3529	$4459	$3269	$3979	$3229	$3909

Note: For the Yangtze portion of this itinerary, we quote the price based on the President No.1 cruise ship (Luxury Series). The quotation is subject to change if you happen to meet the sailing date of any other cruise ships. Besides, the prices also 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.

Based on per person and in U.S. dollars, valid from Mar. 1st, 2011 to Feb. 29th, 2012

Grade	Luxury				Standard
	High season (Mar 1st-Nov 30th)		Shoulder season (Dec 1st-Feb 29th)		High season (Mar 1st-Nov 30th)		Shoulder season (Dec 1st-Feb 29th)
	Double	Single	Double	Single	Double	Single	Double	Single
2-5 persons	$4379	$5359	$4349	$5309	$4069	$4799	$4029	$4719
6-9 persons	$3829	$4809	$3799	$4759	$3519	$4249	$3479	$4169
10 & above	$3609	$4529	$3559	$4449	$3279	$3939	$3239	$3869

Note: For the Yangtze portion of this itinerary, we quote the price based on the President No.1 cruise ship (Luxury Series). The quotation is subject to change if you happen to meet the sailing date of any other cruise ships. Besides, the prices also 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.