China Tour with Chengdu and Yangtze Cruise

Itinerary

• Day 1: Beijing, Arrival

  Say hello to China! When your flight lands in Beijing, your local guide is ready to meet you at the arrival hall, holding a placard with your name. You will then be escorted to your hotel in a comfortable private vehicle. The rest of today is yours to recover from jet lag or ramble around the hotel.

  • Beijing

• Day 2: Beijing, City Highlights Tour

  After breakfast, you'll set out to visit the solemn Tiananmen Square in the very heart of Beijing. You will then walk into the adjacent Forbidden City, a massive imperial palace complex home to 24 emperors and their families from the 15th to early 20th century. Along its central north-south axis, admire traditional Chinese palatial architecture characterized by red walls and yellow roof tiles, and learn about the life of China's ancient royal family. Enjoy a bird's-eye view of the Forbidden City from Jingshan Park to close the day.

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  • Beijing

• Day 3: Beijing, Great Wall Tour

  Kick off the day with a morning visit to the dignified Temple of Heaven, which served as a sacrificial site for emperors to pray for good harvests. As you wander around the temple grounds, you may get amazed by its circular architectural splendor. Moreover, you may also join the locals in practicing morning exercises like singing folk songs, sword dancing, and Tai Chi.

  A 2-hour drive afterward will take you out of Beijing to the marvelous Great Wall, often the highlight of visiting Beijing. As you explore the less-crowded and well-preserved Mutianyu section, take a cable car ascending and descending to save some energy for more hikes on the wall to fully enjoy the fantastic views of dense watchtowers and winding walls.

  Finally, transfer back to your Beijing hotel for the night.

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  • Beijing

• Day 4: Beijing - Xi'an, Summer Palace

  This morning, visit the stunningly beautiful Summer Palace, an imperial garden with lakes, gardens, and pavilions. You will then be transferred to the railway station for the bullet train to Xi'an, the oldest surviving capital of ancient China. On the 1,216 km overland journey, enjoy the scenery outside the window at a speed of 250-300km/h.

  Arriving in 4.5 to 6 hours, meet your new guide for a private transfer to your accommodation, with the remainder of today at leisure.

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  • Xi'an

• Day 5: Xi'an, Terracotta Warriors & City Highlights

  Spend this morning exploring the incomparable life-size Terracotta Army, approximately 1 hour's drive from Xi'an city center. These clay statues of soldiers, horses, and chariots all stand in battle formation. Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, ordered the construction of these terracotta warriors to serve as guards of his mausoleum.

  Once back downtown, roam the vibrant Muslim Quarter to try out ethnically Muslim dishes and local Xi'an specialties before exploring the remarkably Chinese-style Great Mosque.

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  • Xi'an

• Day 6: Xi'an - Chengdu, Big Wild Goose Pagoda & Great Mosque

  Today will commence with a mesmerizing bell and chime musical performance at the imposing Drum Tower, an iconic landmark of Xi'an. Following this, pay an informative visit to Tang Bo Art Museum, which showcases local folk arts and ancient Chinese paintings. Here you'll have the chance to join a calligraphy lesson to learn how to hold a brush and write Chinese characters.

  After lunch at a local restaurant, travel by 4-hour bullet train to Chengdu, the hometown of giant pandas. You will be collected from the railway station on arrival by your local guide and taken to your hotel for the night.

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  • Chengdu

• Day 7: Chengdu, Giant Panda Tour

  Focus today on Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, a conservation center especially established to care for the endangered pandas and increase their population. You'll get to see baby, sub-adult, and adult pandas, learn about their breeding and life stages, and take pictures of these cute furry ones eating bamboo, sleeping, or playing.

  Continue onto the Wenshu Monastery, Chengdu's largest and best-preserved Buddhist temple. Within the temple grounds, discover its prayer halls, towering pagodas, sacred shrines, and exquisite courtyards. As the tour concludes, unwind with a cup of traditional Chinese tea at its tea house to absorb the laid-back atmosphere of this well-known leisure city.

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  • Chengdu

• Day 8: Chengdu - Chongqing, Jinsha Site Museum

  After breakfast, start by visiting the Jinsha Site Museum, which displays unearthed gold, jade, bronze, stone, and ivory relics of the 3000-year-old Shu kingdom. Besides, watch the 4D movie "Dream Back to Jinshan" to learn about ancient Shu's social life.

  After that, say goodbye to Chengdu as you board the bullet train to Chongqing. Arriving in just 2 hours, you will be transferred to the dock to board your ship sailing downstream along the mighty Yangtze River. Settle into your cabin, receive a safety briefing, and stay overnight on board.

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  • Yangtze River Cruise

• Day 9: Yangtze River Cruise, Shore Excursion to Fengdu Ghost City

  Wake up to the gentle sound of the river and start your day with Tai Chi exercise on the deck before having breakfast. This morning is reserved for a shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City on the northern bank of the Yangtze River. You will be shown around this large complex of shrines, temples, and monasteries, describing the Chinese vision of the afterlife. Depending on river conditions, an alternative is to visit the new relocation village built on the river's south bank to accommodate those residents who have moved to make way for the rising waters due to the construction of the Three Gorges Dam.

  For the rest of today, soak up the changeable scenery from your cabin's balcony and enjoy the facilities on the ship. Usually, there will be a welcome party in the evening hosted by the captain. This is a good chance to make new friends and receive the staff's hospitality. So dress up and be ready to enjoy.

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  • Yangtze River Cruise

• Day 10: Yangtze River Cruise, Shore Excursion to Shennv Stream

  Besides the enchanting landscape along the Yangtze River, today's sightseeing will be highlighted by the shore excursion to Shennv Stream (also known as the Goddess Stream), a narrow tributary of the Yangtze River. It is worth taking a boat to see deep gorges, green mountains, crystal waters, appalling cliffs, thriving groves, and perhaps native wildlife.

  Get back to your ship and spend this afternoon at leisure. After dinner, the ballroom may be an ideal place to party the night away.

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  • Yangtze River Cruise

• Day 11: Yangtze River Cruise, Yichang - Shanghai

  This morning, take a shore excursion to Three Gorges Dam - the largest hydroelectric dam in the world. At noon, disembark the ship and meet your local guide at the pier for a private transfer to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival, you will be escorted by your new guide to the hotel.

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  • Shanghai

• Day 12: Shanghai, City Highlights Tour

  Spend today exploring Shanghai's essential sights, starting at the Bund. As the symbol of Shanghai, the mile-long waterfront along the Huangpu River is lined with European-style colonial architecture built mainly in the 1920s. Here, modern high-rise buildings on the opposite bank, represented by the Oriental Pearl Tower, will also come into your view. Later, unwind in the scenic surroundings of the exquisite Chinese-style Yu Garden, followed by a stroll around the adjacent Yuyuan Bazaar for gifts or souvenir shopping. At a silk workshop, you'll be able to see for yourself how Chinese silk is produced.

  Move to the Shanghai Museum, a treasure trove of 140,000 rare and precious cultural relics. Before retiring to your hotel, immerse yourself in the laid-back ambiance of the former French Concession.

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  • Shanghai

• Day 13: Shanghai, Departure

  After you check out of the hotel, you will be escorted to the airport for your flight home.

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