Start in: Beijing
End in: Shanghai
Special Experience: Beijing Hutong tour, Xian Dumpling dinner, Guilin Terraced rice fields, Naxi music in Dali, Chuan Opera and Giant Panda in Chengdu, Shanghai Huangpu River cruise
Best of China Tour
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Beijing
Accommodations: Jianguo Garden Hotel 
Sightseeing: Hutongs
Transfer via: International Flight on your own arrangement
Upon your arrival at Beijing airport, our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. Then you will have a Hutong tour by rickshaw.
- 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: Jianguo Garden Hotel
Meals: B,L,D
Sightseeing: Tiananmen Square,Forbidden City,Temple of Heaven
Special Dinner: Peking Duck Dinner
Today you will first visit the historic Tiananmen Square, and then the magnificent Forbidden City. In the afternoon, you will marvel at Beijing's splendid Temple of Heaven. Enjoy a famous Peking Duck Banquet for dinner.
- 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.
- 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.
- Peking Duck Dinner: Peking Roast Duck is regarded as one of the most delicious dishes throughout the world. A Peking Duck Dinner is usually a fixed item on any Beijing tour itinerary. At time-honored restaurants such as Quan Ju De, you can savor the mouth-watering traditional Beijing specialty, and at the same time the chefs will show you how they cuts the meat into exactly 108 slices from one duck, each having a piece of skin.
Accommodations: Jianguo Garden Hotel
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Sacred Road,Ding Tomb,Great Wall
Today's full-day excursion will take you to the majestic Great Wall (Badaling section), the Ding Tomb of Ming Tombs and Sacred road.
- 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.
- 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.
Accommodations: Hotel Royal Garden
Meals: B,L,D
Sightseeing: Summer Palace ,Ancient City Walls
Special Dinner: Dumpling Dinner
Transfer via: China domestic flight on our arrangement
You will visit Summer Palace and then escort to take flight to Xian. Upon your arrival, you will have a city tour to the Ancient City Walls. Complete the day with a savory dumpling dinner.
- Summer Palace : Located on the northwestern outskirts of the city, it was an imperial summer resort of the Qing Dynasty. With its perfect layout, magnificent buildings and enchanting landscape, it is the most splendid classical garden in China.
- 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.
- 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.
Accommodations: Guilin Park Hotel
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Terracotta Warriors and Horses,Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Transfer via: China domestic flight on our arrangement
Today, you will enjoy a full-day excursion to the incredible life-size Terracotta Warriors and Horses, then the Big Wild Goose Pagoda before your onward flight to Guilin. Upon you arrive in Guilin, you will be escorted to your hotel.
- 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.
- 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.
Accommodations: Guilin Park Hotel
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Longji,Zhuang People,Yao People
Today, you will enjoy a full-day tour to Longsheng Autonomous　County, drive back to Guilin after the tour (about 2-hour drive). 90kms northwest to Guilin, the County lives many different ethnic minority groups such as Zhuang, Yao, Miao and Dong etc. In recent years, this county has gradually become a popular destination for photography enthusiasts and people who are interested in minority culture. On this tour you will not only enjoy the wonderful view of terraced rice paddies--the most famous section is called 'Longji', lush bamboo groves and small villages on the hillside along the way, but also be amazed by the rich culture of the Zhuang and Yao people.
- Longji: means "Dragon's Backbone". When climbing to the top of it and looking down on the nearby terraced rice fields, you will have the feeling that you are standing on the dragon's back as the terraced rice paddies look like the shining scales of the dragon.
- Zhuang People: with over 17 million people, Zhuang is the largest ethnic minority group in China.
- Yao People: Yao is another major ethnic group living in the Guilin area that has a population over 2 million all over China. Yao women are believed to have the longest hair in the world.
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 which is the highlight in Guilin until you get to Yangshuo County. Along the river, you will be inspired by 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 are certainly walking into a traditional Chinese painting by cruising on it. Free time in the afternoon after checking in the hotel in Yangshuo.You will have mini-car to look around 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: Kunming Hotel
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Elephant Trunk Hill ,Reed Flute Cave,Fubo Hill
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 Kunming. Upon you arrive in Kunming, 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Accommodations: Kunming Hotel
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Stone Forest
Today, you will enjoy a full day trip to the Stone Forest which is about 90km to the south of Kunming.
- Stone Forest: a 270-million-year-old limestone karst formation of tightly bundled gray rocky outcrops, a natural wonder acknowledged as "World Karst Landscape Museum", the Stone Forest shows a variety of unique shapes, such as sword, mushrooms, tower, pillar and castle, representing the greatest miracle that nature can present to human beings.
Accommodations: Asia Star hotel Dali
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Erhai Lake,Xizhou Bai Minority Village,Three Pagodas,Zhoucheng Village,Dali Ancient Town
Transfer via: China domestic flight on our arrangement
Today you will be escorted to take your flight to Dali.Upon your arrival, be met and transferred to your hotel. The visit today in this lovely city includes cruise on Erhai, Xizhou Bai Minority Village, Three Pagodas, Zhoucheng Village and the Dali Ancient Town.You will enjoy the Naxi music tonight.
- Erhai Lake: shaped like a human ear this lake covers over 250 square kilometers. With its vast pool of water shining under the sun like a sheet of vivid green and the snow mantles of the Cang Mountain reflecting quiveringly in it, it is known poetically as "Silver Cang Mountain and Jade-like Erhai".
- Xizhou Bai Minority Village: a photogenic village 20km north of Dali, where Bai minority people are living and where you will can get some ideas of the Bais' flair for architecture and elegant living.
- Three Pagodas: at the foot of the Zhonghe Peak of the Cang Mountain, part of Chongshen Monastery, they are an emblem of the city's venerated history. The tallest of the trio, which is 69.13 metres tall, was built in 836 AD, while two smaller ones were built during a later period. No visit to Dali is complete without a call at these three pagodas.
- Zhoucheng Village: 30km north of Dali, it is the biggest village of Bai people with over 1500 households, where you can visit the homebase workshop of the local folk art--"tie-dying" by Bai women, who use a special dye called banlangen and paint designs of animals and flowers on fabric tied with threads.
- Dali Ancient Town: first established in 1382 AD, with a moat surrounding it. This old town has a typical layout like a chessboard, old-timey roofed buildings with dark blue tiles and the white and gray tall walls.
Accommodations: Sightseeing Hotel
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Heqing Village & Xinhua Village
Transfer via: Private car on our arrangement
In the morning, drive to Lijiang (3-hour drive). Along the way, you will stop by the Heqing County and pay a visit to Heqing Villages.
- Heqing Village & Xinhua Village: long history of handicraft craftsmanship, you will be visiting gold-making, silver-making, etc., workshops and you will have time to do some shopping if you wish.
Accommodations: Holy Palace Hotel
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Shigu Village,Tiger Leaping Gorge,The Songzanlin Lamasery
Transfer via: Private car on our arrangement
you will visit Shigu Village (where you will have a look from the distance-high peak position), Tiger Leaping Gorge, Tibetan ethnic villages and the Songzanlin Lamasery.
- Shigu Village: The hypsography is very rugged in Shigu Village, Which is located on the opposite of the First Bend on the Yangtze River.
- Tiger Leaping Gorge: This gorge is located 92 km north of Lijiang County, between peaks of over 3,000 meters above the Jinsha River (upper course of Yangtze River). The legend goes that tigers often leap to the other side of the river by a huge rock lying in the middle of the river at the entrance of the Gorge, hence the name. This 17-kilometer-long Gorge is honored as the deepest and one of the most marvelous gorges on the earth.
- The Songzanlin Lamasery: the most important Lamasery of Tibetan Buddhism in Yunnan province.
Accommodations: Holy Palace Hotel
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Zhongdian
You will visit Baishuitai, Gongji Village, Heitao Village and enjoy the Folk Dance Show of Minority.
- Zhongdian: The beautiful "Shangri-la" described in "The Lost Horizon" is, in fact, the city of Zhongdian, located in the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province. Even today, Zhongdian County remains an untainted natural paradise.
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Yangtze
Meals: B
Sightseeing: Chengdu
Transfer via: Internal flight on our arrangement
You will be escorted to take flight to Kunming and then to Chengdu. Upon you arrive in Chengdu, you will be escorted to your hotel. You will enjoy the face change (Chuan Opera) in Chengdu.
- Chengdu: centrally located in the western Sichuan Plain, with a history of over 2300 years, the capital of Sichuan Province, Chengdu is renowned for its fertile land and agricultural wealth which have earned the city the nickname "Storehouse of Heaven".
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Yangtze
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Giant Panda Breeding Research Base,Leshan Giant Buddha
Transfer via: Private car on our arrangement
You will have a tour to Panda Breed Reservation and then to drive to Leshan to see Leshan Buddha.　After the tour, drive back to Chengdu and take a non stop bus to Chongqing, about 5 hours drive.
- Giant Panda Breeding Research Base: 18km from the city center, housing 12 pandas in natural environments: it is the best place to see Chengdu's most famous residents and you can get to know more about this precious species in the museum there.
- Leshan Giant Buddha: the largest stone Buddha statue in the world with 71 meters in height. It is amazing that the head itself is 14.7 meters high and 10 meters wide with total 1021 buns of hair on it, while its 8.5-meter-wide instep can accommodate 100 people.
Accommodations: On the Cruise
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Beishan Grottoes,Baoding Grottoes
Transfer via: China domestic flight on our arrangement
Today, you will have a visit to view Dazu Rock Carvings in Dazu County(about 2.5-hour-drive), pay a visit to the two major sites--the Beishan(North Mountain) Grottoes and Baoding Grottoes. After the tour, drive back to Chongqing and then board your ship.
- Beishan Grottoes: smaller than Baoding Grottoes, with nearly ten thousand statues, mainly donated by common folks on subjects that fall in 51 categories and mainly about esoteric Buddhism. Carvings here are famed for the refined and meticulous depicting, showing clearly the development and change of grotto art as well as the beliefs of common Chinese from the 9th to mid 13th century.
- Baoding Grottoes: constructed from 1179 AD to 1249 AD by Tantric monk Zhao Zhifeng, the subjects of carvings here are mainly illustrations of Buddhist sutras, aiming at a representation of familiar and secular life in content. The depicting style of these grottoes is quite different from other grottoes, and the thousands of statues here never repeat each other in subject matter.
Accommodations: On the Cruise
Meals: B,L,D
Sightseeing: Shibaozhai,Fengdu Ghost City
Shore excursion to Shibaozhai or Fengdu Ghost city this morning. The ship company will choose one of the scenic spots as your excursion destination.
- 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.
- 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.
Accommodations: On the Cruise
Meals: B,L,D
Sightseeing: Lesser Three Gorges,Shennong Stream
Shore excursion to Lesser Three Gorges or Shengnong stream by smaller vessels this morning. The ship company will choose one of the scenic spots as your excursion destination.
- 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.
- 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.
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Shanghai -Downtown
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Three Gorges
Transfer via: China domestic flight on our arrangement
Shore excursion to Three Gorges Dam site this morning. After lunch, you will disembark the ship in Yichang at 13:30. Then you will be escorted to take flight to Shanghai. Upon you arrive in Shanghai, you will be escorted to your hotel.
- 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: Holiday Inn Shanghai -Downtown
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: The Bund ,Nanjing Road,Yu Garden,Yuyuan Market
Gala Event: Acrobatic Show
Today, your full-day excursion of incredible Shanghai will include: Boat tour along Huangpu river, the Bund and the Nanjing Road, Yu Garden and Yuyuan Market. Enjoy a wonderful Acrobatic Show tonight.
- 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.
- Acrobatic Show: Chinese Acrobatics is one of the oldest performing arts with its history tracing back to Neolithic times, during its development in the history, it has been absorbing plentiful merits from the opera, dance and Chinese Kungfu, and formed its own artistic features. In Portman Acrobatic Show, in a very typical Shanghainese setting and atmosphere, you will enjoy many breathtaking and stunning programs such as Calvaria Skills, Silk Suspending, Hoop Diving and so on performed by very skillful performers, you will truly have an unforgettable experience of your life.
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Shanghai -Downtown
Meals: B,L
Sightseeing: Humble Administrator's Garden,Tiger Hill Park,The No.1 Silk Factory,Lingering Garden
One full-day tour to Suzhou (100km away from Shanghai), which has been known as the Venice of the East. After your arrival, you will be met by your local guide, 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Shanghai -Downtown
Meals: B
You will have a free day today to explore this modern city by yourself.
Meals: B
Transfer via: International flight on your own arrangement
Free in the day until our local guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to your sweet home.
China domestic flights as specified in the itinerary 
Accommodations for 22 nights, including
18 nights at four star or higher hotels, 1 night at three star hotels, 1 nights at five star yangtze cruise ship, 2 nights at four star yangtze cruise ship
45 meals, including 22 full breakfasts, 19 lunches and 4 dinners
(including Peking Duck Dinner, Dumpling Dinner)
1 gala evening events--Acrobatic Show in Shanghai 
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
China Life Tourist Accident/Casualty insurance
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
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