Start in: Beijing
End in: Beijing
Special Experience: spicy Hot Pot dinner in Chongqing, Yangtze River Cruise from Chongqing to Wuhan
Absolute Yangtze River Exploration
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 Beijing/Chongqing
Accommodations: East Garden Hotel 
Meals: L,D
Transfer via: China domestic flight on our arrangement
Upon your arrival at Chongqing, the largest city in Southwest China, our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at your own leisure.
the Real Thousand-armed Avalokttesvara . Dazu Rock Carvings. Chongqing
Accommodations: East Garden Hotel
Meals: B
Free all the day to explore Chongqing-the largest city in Southwest China by yourself.
Accommodations: East Garden Hotel
Meals: B,L,D
Sightseeing: Dazu Rock Carvings,Beishan Grottoes,Baoding Grottoes
Today, you will enjoy a full day tour to view Dazu Rock Carvings in Dazu County(about 2.5-hour-drive), and pay a visit to the two major sites--the Beishan(North Mountain) Grottoes and Baoding Grottoes. After the tour, drive back to Chongqing.
- Dazu Rock Carvings: The steep hillsides of the Dazu area contain an exceptional series of rock carvings dating from the 9th to the 13th century. They are remarkable for their aesthetic quality, their rich diversity of subject matter, both secular and religious, and the light that they shed on everyday life in China during this period. They provide outstanding evidence of the harmonious synthesis of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. In 1999, Dazu Rock Carvings, mainly consisting of Beishan and Baoding Grottoes, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- 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.
Vidyaraja - Mingwang. Dazu Rock Carvings
Accommodations: On the Cruise
Meals: B,L,D
Sightseeing: Ciqikou Old Town,Stillwell Museum,Chongqing Zoo,Erling Park
Special Dinner: Hot Pot
After breakfast, you will enjoy the city tour to Erling Park, Stillwell Museum, Chongqing Zoo and Ciqikou ancient town before your transfer to get on board. The local specialty--Hot Pot lunch will be arranged for you.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Hot Pot: The hot pot (huoguo) has a long history in China. It originated in the north, where people have to fend off the chill early in the year. It spread to the south during the Tang dynasty (A.D. 618-906).
Accommodations: On the Cruise
Meals: B,L,D
Sightseeing: Fengdu Ghost City
Departs Chongqing at 08:00AM. Shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City.
- 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: Shennong Stream
Shore excursion to Shennong Stream by smaller vessels(11:30-15:00).
- 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.
Coffins Placed in the Precipices, Shennong Stream, Three Gorges
Accommodations: On the Cruise
Meals: B,L,D
Sightseeing: Three Gorges
Shore excursion to Three Gorges Dam site(08:00-10:30).
- 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.
Meals: B
Transfer via: China domestic flight on our arrangement
Disembark the ship in Wuhan at 11:30AM. And then you will take the flight back to Beijing.
China domestic flights as specified in the itinerary 
Accommodations for 7 nights, including
3 nights at four star or higher hotels, 4 nights at five star yangtze cruise ship
19 meals, including 7 full breakfasts, 6 lunches and 6 dinners
(including Hot Pot)
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
Image of Six Ways of Transmigration ( South of Song Dynasty ), Dazu Rock Carvings
As you know, Sophie, I had doubts about dealing with an oversea company and was reluctant at first but your professionalism and promptness, long with a little homework on my side, won me over and I am very glad we decided to go with China Odyssey. And as your company saying goes, 'you're not along in China', we never feel alone as soon as we stepped out of the arrival of the arrival gate at our first destination.
- Soe Aung Lwin,USA
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