18 Days Beijing, Xian, Yangtze River Cruise, Dazu, Guilin and Shanghai

Itinerary

Day 1 Home City – Beijing
Your journey begins with your transpacific flight. Spend the night aboard as we cross the International Date Line.

Day 2  Arrive Beijing

Meet & transfer to the hotel

HOTEL: CHANG AN GRAND HOTEL 5 star or similar

Day 3 Beijing (B.L.D)

Morning tour to Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City

Afternoon tour to the elegant Summer Palace with a boat cruise on the shimmering waters of Kunming Lake. After that we’ll visit the Panda House in Beijing Zoo

HOTEL: CHANG AN GRAND HOTEL 5 star or similar

Day 4 Beijing (B.L.D)

This morning we tour to the exterior of Bird Nest & Water Cube for photography, and then visit the Great Wall at Badaling. After lunch, we approach to the Ming Dynasty’s Imperial Tomb & the Sacred Way. If time permits, we’ll visit a Jade Carving Factory

Evening: we enjoy a cultural show

HOTEL: CHANG AN GRAND HOTEL 5 star or similar

Day 5 Beijing  (B.L.SD)

Morning tour to another renowned imperial site –the Temple of Heaven

Then we’ll visit Beijing City Planning Museum and watch a 3D film which tells the glory history and fast changes of Beijing. In the afternoon we take the old–fashioned Pedi cab to the historical Hutong area. We may visit Pearl workshop if time permits.

Evening: we’ll enjoy Peking Duck Dinner                   

HOTEL: CHANG AN GRAND HOTEL 5 star or similar

Day 6 Beijing/Xian by air (B, L.D)

We take later morning flight to Xian and check in the hotel

Sightseeing in the afternoon: Big Wild Goose Pagoda & the Provincial Museum.

Big Wide Goose Pagoda was regarded the landmark of Xian. When the dynasties expanded its territories enormously to the west and with many Buddhism Scriptures, Monks and the envoys came to China, the temple was built and a larger team of scholars was organized here for translation of the Buddhism Scriptures into Chinese. Then it became a holy place for pilgrimages. The provincial Museum shows us Chinese archaeology’s excavation at Xian Areas from very beginning of Chinese primogenitors of Neolithic Age 20000-8000 years ago to the glorious dynasties 980AD. It has numerous collections and treasures on display. 

HOTEL: AURUM INTERNATIONAL or similar

Day 7 Xian (B. L. SD)

Full day excursion tour to the Terra-cotta Warriors Museum. We will see all excavated Exhibition 1, 2, 3, 4 and watching the archaeologists continuing on the fields for further exploration. Then we watch the Circle Vision Movie of the historical story and the great excavation. Afternoon on the way back to the city we’ll visit the Ceramics & Pottery Center. Evening: Dumpling Dinner & Tang Dynasty Show.  

HOTEL: AURUM INTERNATIONAL or similar

Day 8 Xian / Yichang by air  (B. L. D)

Transfer & fly to Yichang. Met and board the cruise ship.                  

Yangtze River is the third longest one in the world and the largest in China with stirring, riffle water along with swirling bubbles. Many isolated small villages and numberless local temples and pagodas, historical sites along the river bring us a geography, history and legends exploration beyond our images. The River and Three Gorges is rewarded as UNESCO site. Relax with drinking and eating inclusive just as a parting and appreciation extension that extremely brings us into a most beautiful vacation, not else. The President Cruises are superior & luxury boats specially designed for foreign visitors and it has provided the excellent service for over 18 years with a good reputation.

CRUISE: MV PRESIDENT NO 1

Day 9 Cruise (B. L. D)

We’ll sail through the picturesque Xiling Gorges, the huge Three Gorges Dam and the 5 ship locks raising the ship 412 feet. Today’s highlight is the excursion to the New Dam Site.

CRUISE: MV PRESIDENT NO 1

Day 10 Cruise (B. L. D)

We change to the small boat for sailing deep into the fabled Three Lesser Gorges along Shennong Stream for a 3 hours exploration. After returning to the boat, we continue sailing and enter into the Wu Gorge. The river changes to wildly stirring, riffle water along with numerous swirling bubbles. The mossy cliffs are hemmed by the hanging pathways under the Twelve Peaks. And in the later afternoon we pass through the great Qutang Gorge

CRUISE: MV PRESIDENT NO 1

Day 11 Cruise (B. L. D)

Sailing in the gorges & take an excursion to Fengdu Ghost City or Shibaozai

Fengdu was a ghost city and the entrance of heaven or hell. It reveals ancient Chinese religion and believing legends with the imaged constructions and carved ghost statures for lucky praying.

CRUISE: MV PRESIDENT NO 1 

Day 12 Chongqing & Dazu Stone Carving (B. L. D)

HOTEL: HARBOR PLAZA CHONGQING or similar

City tour in Chonqging including the Great Hall of People, General Stillwell Museum

Then transfer & fly to Guilin. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel. 

None of any others scenery in the world could be ranked in parallel with Guilin for the magnificent natural landscape. The serene mountains, strangely shaped peaks and shimmering waters inspired the visitors for centuries. Many ethnic minorities represented here enrich the cultural life, thus adding truly unique features to Guilin's already beautiful sceneries, and rewarding it as UNESCO site.

HOTEL: PARK HOTEL GUILIN or similar

Day 14 Guilin (B. L. D)

We’ll take a boat cruise along Li River for a 60 miles distance that reveals the haunting beauty of the mist-wrapped peaks and amidst ethnic villages. It brings you a real journey of the natural painting gallery. Disembarkation and strolling a while in Yangshuo, we return to the city and visit the art galley. We may take a free walk along the Old Rocky Lake, Banyan Lake, Cedarn Lake in front of our hotel, there are many historical sites including the garden of Solitary Beauty Peak and Elephant Trunk Hill for our own exploration.

HOTEL: PARK HOTEL GUILIN or similar

Day 15 Guilin / Shanghai by air (B. L)

Transfer and fly to Shanghai.

Afternoon city tour includes: the Bund-the window of Shanghai and Xintiandi, a very well-known boutique area composed together with fashion and tradition, fun & elegant.

HOTEL: GALAXY HOTEL or similar

Day 16 Shanghai (B, L, D)      

This morning we’ll visit the Old Downtown and classical Yu Garden. Afternoon to Shanghai Museum which is famous for the enormous finest stone sculptures, bronze-ware, porcelain, calligraphic works, Chinese paintings and ancient furniture. If time available we’ll visit a Carpet Factory. Tonight we enjoy the famous Shanghai Acrobatic Show.    

HOTEL: GALAXY HOTEL or similar

Day 17 Shanghai   (B. L)

Today’s highlight is to visit Shanghai World EXPO. It covers a large area of over 5.6 Square KM with 27 master halls. The theme is to show all new creational hopes, concepts, designs, technologies, and present to the world a full potential of urban life in the 21st century as a significant one for urban evolution with a New Approaches of Human Habitat, Beautiful Lifestyle. (Shanghai EXPO is valid for May 01 – Oct31, but on Feb.01-Apr.29, Nov.01-Dec31 pre & post exhibitions might also be available for visit. If Shanghai EXPO is no available, we’ll visit the ancient water-town Zhujiajiao & Jade Buddha Temple. )

HOTEL: GALAXY HOTEL or similar

Day18 Shanghai – Home City (B)
Free time in the morning to explore or relax. Say goodbye to Shanghai as you board your transpacific flight home.