Golden Triangle & Yangtze

After breakfast, you will meet your guide and other group members for an orientation briefing held in the hotel. The exciting trip begins with a visit to the world famous Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City in the morning.

From the Forbidden City, the world's largest imperial palace complex, 24 emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties (1368 – 1911 AD) ruled continuously for 490 years. For ordinary people, this place sounded like a paradise glowing with golden lights, but for palace maids, this was a prison to enslave them, yet which many of them hardly wanted to escape even if they were offered the opportunity to leave at the age of 25. Perhaps it’s because they had been too old to be married at that time, and the relentless slavery might have deprived them of the ability to conceive a child, or it’s simply because they couldn’t accept the common life, as they had been used to the luxury in the palaces. Today, in addition to a tour around the most important palaces, we will also head to the Treasure Gallery in the northeast of the Forbidden City, to have a glimpse of the most luxurious side of imperial life through the emperors’ personal accessories all made of gold, jade, or other gemstones.

Around noon, enjoy a local food lunch. Then you will visit Temple of Heaven, where Ming and Qing emperors offered sacrifices to the God of Heaven annually, praying for grain harvests. After today's sightseeing, you will be entertained by a lively Chinese Acrobatic Show at the Red Theatre.

Today's welcome dinner will feature an authentic a la carte Chinese meal, valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in tour price, at a nice restaurant. You get to taste Peking Roast Duck here, which was served only on aristocratic tables and can date back more than 300 years. After that, we will transfer you back to the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, A la carte welcome dinner with Peking Duck
Accommodation: Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong

Have a big breakfast at the hotel today and we will take a 1.5-hour drive to the majestic Mutianyu Great Wall. This section of the Great Wall of China embodies the best of this wonderful military defense project. Climbing the great wall requires much effort, so we arrange a round-way cable car ride for you. That leaves you with more energy on the wall to appreciate the grand views. We also prepare red wine for a group toast on the wall to celebrate and commemorate this memorable moment. Lunch today is served in a nearby restaurant in buffet style.

This afternoon, we get back downtown and drive by the Olympic National Stadium, or the Bird’s Nest, for you to take pictures of this beautifully-structured engineering feat from close by. Then we head forward for you to have a tour by rickshaw through Hutongs, the historical residential area of Beijing, meaning narrow streets or alleys with courtyard houses on both sides. There are thousands of Hutongs surrounding the area of the Forbidden City, most of which were formed from Yuan to Qing dynasties (1271 – 1911 AD). You will tour around this part until you stop to pay a visit to a family in a courtyard house, which we consider the best way for you to experience local cultures. Finally, we escort you back to the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Buffet lunch
Accommodation: Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong

This morning we will go to the Summer Palace, which offers you a visual pleasure through its harmonious combination of Chinese royal buildings, a Buddhist pagoda, classical garden design, and man-made hills and lakes.

Eat some local food we arrange for you as lunch, and your guide and driver will transfer you to the railway station for a high-speed train to Xi'an. The local guide and driver in Xi'an will pick you up at the railway station and help you check in at the hotel for a two-night stay.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Xi'an

After breakfast, you will set out for the world famous Terracotta Army Museum. More than 9,000 life-size and vivid terracotta statuaries made 2,200 years ago to serve the afterlife of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259 – 210 BC) – the first emperor in China’s history - will definitely amaze you. But the whole mausoleum of the emperor is far bigger than this. To give you an idea, it occupies an area 70 times it of the Forbidden City, with the Underground Palace alone 10 times larger than a basketball court. Everyone is curious about what the inside looks like, but it will be only known when technology is advanced enough to allow us to make it appear intact. After visiting the museum, you will enjoy your lunch at a good local restaurant.

★ Travel Different:

► A Special Family Visit to Explore Who Discovered the Terracotta Army
The Terracotta Army was unearthed in 1974 but few people know who discovered the amazing wonder. Today’s afternoon, you will solve the puzzle during a unique visit we’ve arranged for you to the home of the discoverer, whose name is Yang Zhifa. You can chat with him or his family and learn details about the discovery at that time. You also get to witness the hoe and the wooden cart he once used to dig out the first warrior.

► Try Making a Terracotta Warrior on Your Own!
We have also prepared an interesting DIY activity for you. You will have a chance to make a mini Terracotta Warrior with the help of molds and an artisan, who will patiently show you the making process of clay soldier and you can follow to make it step by step. The clay used is the same as it for the terracotta warriors you saw in the museum, which is collected from 7-9 meters (23 to 30 ft.) underground. There are several different 10-cm (4-in) tall models, including a cartoonish one, for your choice. It takes only about 40 minutes to make a statue, which you can bring home as the most meaningful souvenir for your Xi’an tour.

The rest of your afternoon will be spent visiting the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, built after Mahabodhi Pagoda - the most famous pagoda of India - and a major participant in introducing Buddhism during Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD). During twilight hours, you will feast your eyes on an inspiring Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show over a Dumpling Dinner in a local theater. Then we will escort you back.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dumpling dinner
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Xi'an

You will fly to Chongqing this morning. Your guide and driver in Chongqing will pick you up at the airport and escort you to visit the Liziba Light Rail Station, Kuixing Tower, and Hongya Cave. After that, head to the ferry terminal to board one of the most luxurious cruise ships on Yangtze River. Have a well-prepared buffet dinner and join the Welcome Party to clink wine glasses with the Captain. The ship sails at 22:00.

★ Experience 5-star cruise from start to finish
We have chosen a member from the Century fleet to provide you with consistent 5-star services. Apart from the buffet dinner for today, you will also enjoy exquisite buffet themed meals for next two days, with alcoholic drinks and night snacks to make your day. All these are exclusive to the ship we’ve carefully selected.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Buffet dinner
Cruises: Century Victory

In the morning, the river guide will give an introduction to the cruise schedule and the Yangtze River. At about 12:30, the ship will dock at Fengdu County for an onshore excursion in the Ghost City scenic spot, a sprawling building complex where you get to known how spirits of the dead are tested before they can enter afterlife in Chinese folklores. Your afternoon will be cheered onboard by some interesting activities carefully prepared by the cruise company.

Meals: Full board served in buffet style
Cruises: Century Victory

The climax of your Yangtze River Cruise is coming today. The unique scenery of the Three Gorges will be gradually unveiled in front of you. Among them, Qutang Gorge is the most dangerous and shortest part. Wu Gorge is the most beautiful, renowned for its deep valley and elegant beauty. In Wu Gorge, you will change to a sampan to take a side trip along Goddess Stream, where you will be bathed in primitive natural beauty and learn about the traditional life of Tujia ethnic minority through traces left by them. After that, you will return to the ship and sail into Xiling Gorge, the longest section of the Three Gorges. After a great buffet dinner, you will watch some artistic performances to end your day.

Meals: Full board served in buffet style
Accommodation: Century Victory

After breakfast, having packed your luggage and completed check-out procedures, you will disembark for an excursion around the Three Gorges Dam. Following the excursion, the cruise ship company will drive you to the Three Gorges Tourist Center in Yichang city. Your local guide and driver will meet you there and then see you off at Yichang East Railway Station for a high-speed train trip to Shanghai.

Since time is not enough for you to sit in the restaurant to enjoy lunch today, the guide will take you to KFC or McDonald's to buy some take-away food on the way to the station. And also, we will prepare some fruits and drinks for you. The rail journey takes approximately 6.5 hours. On arrival in Shanghai, your local guide and driver will welcome you and transfer you to the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: The Sunrise on the Bund

Shanghai is an international metropolis with a blend of rich history and modernity. This one-day trip will give you a general knowledge of the city. In the morning, visit Shanghai Museum and the beautiful Yu Garden. In the museum, there are nearly 1.02 million historical relics left by ancient China. Yu Garden formed part of a private residence that was constructed 400 years ago, and is one of the best combinations of ancient Chinese buildings, with water features, rockery and natural scenery. By the garden there is a traditional bazaar, where you will have some free time to explore.

Lunch is on your own choice and expense. In the afternoon, we will come to the Bund to experience the thrills of old and modern Shanghai. You will also have a one-hour cruise tour along the Huangpu River to appreciate the imposing architecture and beautiful vistas on both sides. In the end, your guide and driver will transfer you back to the hotel and say goodbye to you at the lobby.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: The Sunrise on the Bund

There are two airports in Shanghai: one is Pudong International Airport (PVG) and the other Hongqiao Airport (SHA). Please check carefully to see which airport your flight departs from. You can book a taxi (around CNY200 to Pudong, and around CNY100 to Hongqiao) at the hotel’s Bell Desk the day before. We wish you a safe, smooth flight and hope we can serve you again in the near future.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast