Start in: Hongkong
End in: Hongkong
Special Experience: Li River cruise and cycling tour in Yangshuo, Yangtze River cruise, Xian Tang Dynasty show, Beijing Hutong tour by rickshaw
Grand China Tour with Yangtze Cruise
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Hong Kong
Accommodations: Regal Kowloon Hotel HK 
Transfer via: International Flight on your own arrangement
Upon your arrival at Hong Kong, a vibrant metropolis, our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at your own leisure.
Accommodations: Regal Kowloon Hotel HK
Meals: B
Sightseeing: Victoria Peak,Aberdeen,Repulse Bay,Stanley Market
Today, you will explore Hong Kong's unique blend of Chinese heritage and colonial influences. Your tour will include Victoria Peak, the floating community of Aberdeen and the Ocean Park, Repulse Bay and Stanley Market of Hong Kong Island.
- Victoria Peak: the island's highest point with 552 meters high, which has spectacular views of city's famous skyline, Victoria Harbour and the romantic South China Sea on a clear day.
- Aberdeen: a harbor area crowded with junks and sampans, where 6,000 people live and work on junks.
- Repulse Bay: one of the most famous beaches in Hong Kong where you can enjoy a more relaxed holiday atmosphere.
- Stanley Market: great for bargain-hunting, this market specializes in factory outlet clothes.
Accommodations: Regal Kowloon Hotel HK
Meals: B
Sightseeing: Bird Market,Jade Market,Wong Tai Sin Temple
After breakfast, you will enjoy a tour of Kowloon Peninsula including the Wong Tai Sin Temple, the Jade Market and the Bird Market. The rest of the day is yours to explore this metropolis and do some shopping if you feel like.
- Bird Market: Bird Market: a narrow alley filled with shops selling a large variety of birds, cages, live bugs for food, etc.
- Jade Market: this famous Jade Market has about 450 stalls selling jade of all colors, where you need bargain hard!
- Wong Tai Sin Temple: one of the most famous temples in Hong Kong with 75 years old, lots of people go there and worship for good luck. Fortune-tellers often work outside the temple.
Accommodations: Guilin Park Hotel
Meals: B
Transfer via: China domestic flight on our arrangement
Free in the day until our local guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to Guilin. Upon you arrive in Guilin, you will be escorted to your hotel.
Accommodations: New Century Hotel
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Li River Cruise,West Street(Yangshuo)
After breakfast, drive to Zhujiang Pier (about 40-minute drive) to start the boat cruise along the tranquil Li River, the highlight of your sightseeing tour in Guilin, until you get to Yangshuo County. Free time in the afternoon after checking in the hotel in Yangshuo.
- Li River Cruise: Along the river, you will be inspired by the breathtaking views of peaks and pinnacles, crystal-clear water and reflections in the water together with the serene pastoral views of rice paddies and water buffaloes.You will certainly feel like you are walking into a traditional Chinese painting by cruising on this wonderful river.
- West Street(Yangshuo): a busy and exotic slate street in Yangshuo County, about 2km long crammed with shops, pubs, cafes and hotels, where you can relax yourself and do some souvenir shopping.
Accommodations: New Century Hotel
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Yangshuo County
After breakfast, you will experience an interesting and enjoyable cycling tour along the Road in Yangshuo.
- Yangshuo County: founded in 590 AD, Yangshuo County has been booming because of tourism. With so many beautifully shaped mountains surrounding this county, it is described as "the world of green lotus and jade bamboo shoots".
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Yangtze
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Elephant Trunk Hill ,Fubo Hill,Reed Flute Cave
Transfer via: China domestic flight on our arrangement
Today, drive back to Guilin (1.5-hour drive) and have a city tour of the Elephant Trunk Hill, the Fubo Hill and the Reed Flute Cave before your transfer to the airport for your flight to Chongqing. Upon your arrival in Chongqing, you will be escorted to your hotel.
- Elephant Trunk Hill : the symbol of Guilin, which resembles a giant elephant drinking water from the Li River.
- Fubo Hill: where you can see lots of Buddha statues left about 1000 years ago in the Returned Pearl Cave and have a birds' eye view of the whole city after climbing up to the very top.
- Reed Flute Cave: 5 kilometers away from the city center, famed as "A Natural Palace of Art", in which you can see lots of stalactites & stalagmites illuminated by the lights of different colors. You will also learn how they were formed.
Accommodations: On the Cruise
Meals: B,L,D
Sightseeing: Ciqikou Old Town,Chongqing Zoo,Stillwell Museum,Erling Park
After breakfast, you will enjoy the city tour including Erling Park, Stillwell Museum, Chongqing Zoo and Ciqikou ancient town before your transfer to board the Regal China (5 stars).
- Ciqikou Old Town: it was Chongqing's old harbor and was once the home of many of Chongqing's rich merchants, where you can still see lots of Ming and Qing dynasty architecture, local shops, tea houses, local Sichuan street performance and so on.
- Chongqing Zoo: the largest zoo in southwest China with over 1000 birds and 170 species of animals, where you can see charmly naive giant pandas, lesser pandas and their offspring, golden hair monkeys and South China tigers.
- Stillwell Museum: the private residence of General Stillwell - the commander of the China-Burma-India Theater during World War II, now it is a museum displaying the wartime heroics of the Flying Tigers and honoring the US participation against Fascist in World War II.
- Erling Park: one of the old private gardens in Chongqing, built in late Qing Dynasty around 1909 AD, due to its relatively high altitude, there you can have a bird's eye view of the whole city.
Accommodations: On the Cruise
Meals: B,L,D
Sightseeing: Fengdu Ghost City,Shibaozhai
Departs Chongqing at 08:00AM. Shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City or Shibaozhai. The ship company will choose one of the scenic spots as your excursion destination.
- Fengdu Ghost City: constructed on the Mingshan Hill by the river bank, it is so called because of the legend which goes that about 1,700 years ago, two officials, Yin and Wang (the combination of their surnames means "Ghost King ") became Taoists here and eventually Immortals. Now with fantastic temples of underworld demons and gods, it shows the Chinese ghost culture and is a place for punishing the devil and awarding the good.
- Shibaozhai: a gem of Chinese architecture, literally means Stone Treasure Fortress in English. It is a 12-storey red wood tower which was first built in Qing Dynasty with a history of 300 years. It was built against a rectangular rock with sheer cliffs on the river bank, 56 meters high, on the top of which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the rapid river and the surrounding countryside.
Accommodations: On the Cruise
Meals: B,L,D
Sightseeing: Shennong Stream,Lesser Three Gorges
Shore excursion to Shennong Stream or Lesser three Gorges by smaller vessels.
- Shennong Stream: a small tributary of the Yangtze River is 60 kilometers long and is famous for its picturesque scenery. Shennong Stream is beautiful and ancient. When you take a sampan drifting along it, which is not without risk yet exhilarating and a challenge to battle with the nature. You will be attracted and surprised by its crystal clear steam flowing swiftly from north to south through deep gorges, steep ridges and peaks, thick vegetation and wild flowers, flying birds and a plank road built along a cliff and ancient hanging coffins. Sweet love songs will be presented to you by the local ethnic people.
- Lesser Three Gorges: indicating three separate valleys along the Daning River, the chief tributary of the Yangtze River, they are called "Dragon-Gate Gorge", "Misty Gorge" and "Dicui (Emerald) Gorge" respectively. You can take a small boat to enjoy the spectacular views and experience a water-borne sensation you have never had before when the natural scenic wonders unfold in front of you with clear water flowing fast through the gorges, sheer cliffs and steep mountains rising on either side to create one fine art gallery.
Accommodations: On the Cruise
Meals: B,L,D
Sightseeing: Three Gorges
Shore excursion to Three Gorges Dam site
- Three Gorges: spanning the Yangtze at Sandouping, Yichang, Hubei province, China. Construction began in 1994, and the 'Three Gorges Dam' is now the largest hydroelectric dam in the world. The Dam will be 2,335 meters long, 18 meters wide, and its bottom will be 130 meters wide after completion in 2009. When completed, the water level will rise to 135 meters above sea level. The reservoir began filling on June 1, 2003, and it will occupy the present position of the scenic Three Gorges area, between the cities of Yichang, Hubei, and Fuling, Chongqing Municipality.
Accommodations: Hotel Royal Garden
Meals: B
Transfer via: China domestic flight on our arrangement
Disembark the ship in Wuhan at 11:30AM. Then you will be escorted to take flight to Xian. Upon you arrive in Xian, you will be escorted to your hotel.
Accommodations: Hotel Royal Garden
Meals: B,L,D
Sightseeing: Terracotta Warriors and Horses,Ancient City Walls ,Bell Tower
Special Dinner: Dumpling Dinner
Gala Event: Tang Dynasty Show
Today, you will enjoy a full-day excursion to the incredible life-size Terracotta Warriors and Horses. After lunch, visit the Ancient City Walls and the Bell Tower. Complete the day with a savory dumpling dinner and the Tang Dynasty show both at Shaanxi Grand Opera Theatre.
- Terracotta Warriors and Horses: discovered in 1974 by local farmers digging a well, this is one of the most significant archeological finds of the 20th century. These 6,000 life-size painted Terracotta Warriors and Horses --individually sculpted from real-life models and arranged in battle formation have been protecting the mausoleum of the first emperor in Chinese history--Emperor QinShihuang for 2,200 years ago.
- Ancient City Walls : built during the 14th century on Tang dynasty foundations and they date from the Ming dynasty. The walls are the largest and best-preserved ancient fortress in the world. There is a gate in each of the four sides, and the gate towers built over each gate look lofty and magnificent and form a tight defence engineering system.
- Bell Tower: standing in the center of the city and built in 1582, the Bell Tower is a three-story wooden structure with traditional Chinese architectural features. It is so called because an iron bell is hung in the tower to give the correct time.
- Dumpling Dinner: Dumpling or Jiaozi in Chinese is a traditional and popular food in China, especially in the north. At the dinner, nearly 20 varieties of dumplings that are steamed and stuffed with different delicious fillings such as vegetables, meats and seafood are served. These dumplings are not only tasty, but also characteristic with their colors and fragrance, style and culture meanings. All these make the dinner so unique that you should not miss it when traveling in Xi'an.
- Tang Dynasty Show: the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) was one of the most glorious dynasties in China's history, and Xi'an was the capital during the Tang Dynasty and called as Chang'an. Tang Dynasty Show is a performance of Chang'an music and dances in Tang Dynasty style laid out according to various historical records and ancient arts and relics discovered in Xi'an. During the show, the musicians present the music with the Tang-Dynasty-style musical instruments and the dancers dance by wearing a Tang-Dynasty-style robe with long white silk sleeves, and you will certainly enjoy this national art that reflects the glory and richness of the Tang Dynasty era.
Accommodations: Jianguo Garden Hotel
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Big Wild Goose Pagoda,Shaanxi Provincial Museum
Transfer via: China domestic flight on our arrangement
After breakfast, you will have a city tour to the Shaanxi Provincial Museum and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Be met and transfered to the airport for your flight to Beijing. Upon you arrive in Beijing, you will be escorted to your hotel.
- Big Wild Goose Pagoda: regarded by many as a symbol of the city Xian, the pagoda was built in 652 A.D. in the Tang Dynasty to house the sutras brought back from India by the famous monk Xuan-zang.
- Shaanxi Provincial Museum: opened in 1991, the largest comprehensive museum in the province. The museum exhibits over 3,000 historical relics which is just a fraction of their collection. Most of the exhibited items are rare treasures, showing you the splendid Chinese culture.
Accommodations: Jianguo Garden Hotel
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Tiananmen Square,Forbidden City
You will have a city tour to the the historic Tiananmen Square, and then the magnificent Forbidden City.
- Tiananmen Square: the largest city square in the world and the spiritual heart of China, where the national flag is raised exactly at sunrise everyday.
- Forbidden City: located in the center of Beijing, used to be the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties with a history of around 600 years, it is the grandest integral palace complex still remaining in China.
Accommodations: Jianguo Garden Hotel
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Ding Tomb,Great Wall,Sacred Road
Today's full-day excursion will take you to the majestic Great Wall(Badaling section), the Ding Tomb of Ming Tombs and Sacred road.
- Ding Tomb: the burial site of the emperor Wanli, the 13th emperor of the Ming Dynasty who ruled for 48 years until his death in 1620, it is the only underground tomb of the thirteen Imperial Ming tombs ever excavated.
- Great Wall: the most famous symbol of China and one of the world's most remarkable architectural wonders, it was built over 2,000 years ago and stretches about 6,700km.
- Sacred Road: the path lined with stone statues of animals, mystical beasts and officials who are supposed to serve the emperor in his afterlife, through which the sitting emperors would go to perform memorial rituals for the ancestors once a year.
Accommodations: Jianguo Garden Hotel
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Lama Temple(Yonghe Lamasery),Temple of Heaven,Beihai (north lake) Park
Gala Event: Peking Opera Show
Today you will first marvel at Beijing's splendid Temple of Heaven and then tranquil Lama Temple. After lunch, visit the elegant Beihai Park. Enjoy the Peking Opera Show at Liyuan Theatre in the evening.
- Lama Temple(Yonghe Lamasery): the largest preserved lamasery in Beijing, a Buddhist lamasery of the Yellow Hat sect, a sect that's mainly associated with Tibet, it is an extravagant building of some beauty. Inside the temple, in the center of the Hall of Infinite Happiness (Wanfuge), stands a grand statue, an 85-foot-tall Tathagagata (Maitreya) Buddha made from a single Tibetan sandalwood tree.
- Temple of Heaven: the place which was visited yearly by the emperors who performed intricate rituals to insure a good harvest for the whole nation at ancient times.
- Beihai (north lake) Park: the oldest ancient imperial garden in Chinese history, built around the bei hai (north lake), the park's charms include pavilions and gardens, a stunning Tibetan-style pagoda and an elaborate Nine-Dragon Screen.
- Peking Opera Show: a kind of singing drama which is an ingenious and colorful combination of elements from many sources: traditional music, poetry, singing, recitation, dancing, acrobatics, and martial arts.
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Shanghai -Downtown
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Hutongs
Transfer via: China domestic flight on our arrangement
After breakfast, you will visit Hutongs by rickshaw. Lunch will be served in one of the local people's home during the tour, when you can learn how to make dumplings. And then take the afternoon flight to Shanghai. Upon you arrive in Shanghai, you will be escorted to your hotel. The rest of day is free at your leisure.
- Hutongs: the old narrow paths with lots of courtyard homes where common people are living. They are like villages within a megalopolis. Through the hutongs' teeming maze of alleyways, you will see the old houses and learn about the daily life of ordinary Beijing citizens.
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Shanghai -Downtown
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Shanghai Museum,The Bund ,Nanjing Road,Yu Garden,Yuyuan Market
Today, your full-day excursion of incredible Shanghai will include: Shanghai Museum, the Bund and the Nanjing Road, Yu Garden and Yuyuan Market.
- Shanghai Museum: often ranked as China's best museum, it is the biggest museum in China with a fine collection of over 120,000 pieces of Chinese artifacts.
- The Bund : where the great trading houses and banks had their headquarters in the 1920s and the 1930s. The Bund is about about a mile long, it is the city's fulcrum.
- Nanjing Road: known as "China's No.1 Shopping Street" with a huge selection of merchandise on sale.
- Yu Garden: located in the Old Town of Shanghai and laid out in 1559 AD by a powerful Ming official, Yu Garden recreates a beautiful landscape of pagodas, pavilions, rockeries, fountains, ancient trees and precious flowers.
- Yuyuan Market: outside the Yu Garden, a bustling market with different snacks and trinkets.
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Shanghai -Downtown
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Humble Administrator's Garden,Lingering Garden,Tiger Hill Park,The No.1 Silk Factory
One full-day tour to Suzhou (100km away from Shanghai), which has been known as the Venice of the East. After your arrival, be met by your local guide, and your tour in Suzhou includes: the classical Humble Administrator's Garden and the attractive Lingering Garden, the ancient Tiger Hill Park and the No.1 Silk Factory. Back to Shanghai after the tour in Suzhou.
- Humble Administrator's Garden: covers 10 acres and is the largest garden in Suzhou. It was built in 1509 during the Ming Dynasty and is divided into the eastern, middle and western parts. All of this centers upon the broad expanse of a lake to form the poetic and picturesque garden landscapes and waterscapes with exquisite buildings and luxuriant vegetation.
- Lingering Garden: is one of the four most famous gardens in China and was constructed in 1593 during the Ming Dynasty. It is famous for its artistic way of dealing with the spaces between various kinds of architectural forms and garden courts.
- Tiger Hill Park: a symbol of the city, with a history of over 2,500 years, the Tiger Hill has had the reputation of being the No.1 sight of Suzhou, with a Song-dynasty leaning pagoda on top which was built in brick to imitate wood architecture.
- The No.1 Silk Factory: Suzhou is famous for its silk production. In the factory you can learn more about silk production and detailed steps of the silk making process, and you will have an opportunity to purchase some of the incredibly delicate works as well.
Accommodations: Majestic Hotel Hong Kong
Meals: B
Transfer via: China domestic flight on our arrangement
Free in the day until our local guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to Hong Kong. Upon you arrive in Hong Kong, you will be escorted to your hotel.
Meals: B
Transfer via: International Flight on your own arrangement
You will be free until you will be escorted to take flight to your sweet home.
China domestic flights as specified in the itinerary 
Accommodations for 21 nights, including
14 nights at four star or higher hotels, 3 nights at three star hotels, 4 nights at five star yangtze cruise ship
41 meals, including 21 full breakfasts, 15 lunches and 5 dinners
(including Dumpling Dinner)
2 gala evening events--Tang Dynasty Show in Xian,Peking Opera Show in Beijing 
Round-trip transfers---between airports, hotels and scenic spots in each city by private air-conditioned motor coaches with experienced drivers
A local English-speaking guide in each city
Entrance fees to scenic spots listed in the itinerary
Luggage transfers between airports and hotels
Government taxes and service charges except tips for tour guides and drivers
We both found the Reed Flute Cave stunningly fascinating, made even so more so by the fact that we were along as the last ones to go through. We were very glad we went with the Longsheng rice paddies option even though it was the wrong time of the year. It was still beautiful with the Dragon's Backbone clearly visible-it was one of our favorite places. The Li River boat cruise was very enjoyable too.
- Adele and Giles Harding,South Africa
Click here for more stories from China Odyssey Tours's customers
Click here to send us a quick inquiry. You will get our prompt reply in 24 hours.
Or read the Customer's Article : Ordering a package tour on the Internet
If you are interested in booking a tour with us, please tell us your name, group size and travel dates.
