Enchanting China & the Yangtze River
Overview
Highlights
- Deluxe 3-night cruise from Chongqing to Yichang in a Deluxe Stateroom with two lower beds, private facilities, and balcony
- Sightseeing including headsets; visit the Forbidden City, Imperial Palace, Tian’anmen Square, Great Wall, and Temple of Heaven; Peking Duck welcome dinner; Peking Opera performance or Legend of Kung Fu Show; hutong tour by rickshaw
- Sightseeing including headsets; visit the Terracotta Warriors including the VIP viewing area and Dayan Pagoda; noodle-making demonstration; calligraphy class; “Tang Dynasty” dinner show
- Walking tour of ancient Lijiang town; visit Black Dragon Pool, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and the Museum of Naxi Dongba Culture including a Dongba character lesson with a priest; Lijiang Impression Show
- Li River cruise; visit a tea farm
- Visit a local zoo to see pandas and the Stillwell Museum; hot pot lunch; begin your Yangtze cruise; private welcome reception
- Walking tour
- Boat excursion down one of the Yangtze’s lesser gorges
- Sightseeing of the impressive dam site
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Itinerary
Arrive in Beijing, China. Welcome to China’s capital city. Hotel rooms are available for mid-afternoon check-in.
Beijing. Your full-day sightseeing starts with a visit to the FORBIDDEN CITY and its IMPERIAL PALACE, once the home of China’s great emperors. Nearby is 100-acre TIAN’ANMEN SQUARE, the largest public square in the world. After lunch, enjoy some time at your leisure. This evening, enjoy a special PEKING DUCK WELCOME DINNER at an award-winning restaurant in your hotel. (B,L,D)
Beijing. The GREAT WALL OF CHINA once stretched 4,000 miles across China’s barren northern terrain from the Bohai Sea to the Gobi Desert. Head north to a village where the Great Wall is well preserved, and walk along the wall to enjoy sweeping vistas of this mammoth f...
Beijing–Xi’an. This morning, visit the TEMPLE OF HEAVEN and enjoy a rickshaw ride through one of Beijing’s HUTONGS, the city’s ancient alleys. Experience life in this historic neighborhood as you are invited into the courtyard of a family’s home for tea. Later, fly to Xi’an. (B,D)
Xi’an. One of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world when China dominated the silk trade, Xi’an today is an archaeological treasure trove. Sightseeing begins with the enormous tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, accidentally discovered by local far...
Xi’an–Lijiang. This morning, visit the Xi’an City Wall South Gate and learn to write like a local during a traditional Chinese CALLIGRAPHY CLASS; you may even see some locals practicing their morning tai chi. This afternoon, fly to Lijiang, home to the Naxi people, one of China’s minority ethnic groups. (B)
Lijiang. This morning, take a WALKING TOUR through Lijiang’s medieval Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounded by 16,000-foot-plus mountains. Then, visit the MUSEUM OF NAXI DONGBA CULTURE to learn about the ancient culture, or Dongba, of the Naxi people, whic...
Lijiang–Guilin. This morning, take a short trip outside of Lijiang to the 18,464-foot-high Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Here you will witness the impressive LIJIANG IMPRESSION SHOW, created by the co-director of the 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony. The show featu...
Guilin. Limestone mountains, their needle peaks hidden in mist, rise from the green plain surrounding Guilin. The scene conveys a sense of mystery that artists have tried to capture for centuries. Savor unique vistas during a leisurely CRUISE on the Li River and enjoy...
Guilin–Chongqing (Embarkation)–Yangtze River Cruise. Today, take a morning flight to Chongqing, China’s capital during World War II. Upon arrival, eat lunch at a local HOT POT restaurant, then visit a local ZOO to see pandas as well as the STILLWELL MUSEUM. After dinn...
Cruising: Shibaozhai. The morning is at your leisure to enjoy a variety of onboard activities. You may choose to start your day with a tai chi session on the Sun Deck, take a swim in the pool, or simply relax and enjoy the scenery. After lunch, take a WALKING TOUR of ...
Cruising: Qutang Gorge–Wu Gorge–Shennv Stream. Again, enjoy the morning at your leisure on the ship. You may choose to take an optional shore excursion to Baidi Cheng, known as the “White Emperor City,” to see the Baidi Temple. Later in the morning, sail downstream th...
Cruising: Three Gorges Dam Site–Xiling Gorge–Yichang (Disembarkation)–Shanghai. This morning, visit the THREE GORGES DAM SITE, the largest dam of its kind in the world. Afterward, sail through Xiling Gorge, the last of the three gorges, before bidding farewell to your...
Shanghai. Start your day with a stroll along the Bund, the city’s riverfront boulevard lined with historic buildings, housing, banks, and trade houses. Then, visit YU YUAN GARDENS, dating back to the Ming Dynasty, and a SILK FACTORY to learn about the silk-making proc...
Shanghai. This morning, visit the SHANGHAI MUSEUM, with stunning displays of ancient bronze, jade, and ceramics. Then, take a WALKING TOUR of the former French Concession, once Shanghai’s leading residential and retail area. Today, the qualities that made the area so ...
Shanghai. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
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The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
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