Trace Imperial To Modern China With Yangtze Cruise

Nin Hao! Welcome to Beijing! On arrival at Beijing airport, your private guide will welcome and escort you to check-in your hotel.Your guide will help you with luggage and hotel check-in, and ensure your arrival in Beijing is worry-free.

Today’s tour starts at the Tiananmen Square, the largest public squares in the world and which is the entrance to the Forbidden City. Continually, go to the Forbidden City, the ancient royal palace served as the political center for more than 500 years. The expert guide will escort you and show you some interesting places you would never find by yourself before climbing the coal hill in the Jingshan Park behind it for wonderful panorama view of the Forbidden City.

After lunch at local restaurant, you will have a chance to take a local rickshaw ride through the ancient hutongs alleyways to look for the real culture of Beijing. You may see local artist painting operatic face or making dough figures in the alley. If lucky, you may also see locals play mahjong, a tranditional Chinese board game, in their local courtyard.

Your dinner will be served in a local Beijing roast duck restaurant. You will learn how to eat the famous Beijing roast duck in the correct way. You can also watch the chef’s professional cutting skills of the thin crispy skin and firm meat, as the chef will slice the cooked golden duck by your table.

After breakfast, head to the Temple of Heaven. A 15th century architectural masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is most revered spiritual monuments of ancient China and once reserved for emperors to worship heaven and pray for good harvests. You can see locals greeting the sun with their daily Tai Chi and other morning exercises in the park. Take some photos or you can even join them!

Drive about 2 hours to the Mutianyu Sections of the Great Wall to witness one of the world’s most spectacular sights. Afternoon will be the best time to avoid the crowds in Mutianyu. After lunch, you will take a cable car up to the wall and enjoy amazing views as it snakes across the hills and mountains.You can glide down the wall on a toboggan or see more of this section by cable car,if lucky, you may see the beautiful sunset along your way.

In the morning, visit the Summer Palace, built by Emperor Qianlong in Qing Dynasty as a gift to his mother in 18th century. Have a pleasant stroll through the tranquil long corridors to enjoy the full flavor of China.

In the afternoon, take a flight to Xi’an. Your guide and driver will greet you and escort you to the hotel. 

Today you will visit the magnificent Terracotta Warriors buried with the First Qin Emperor more than 2,000 years ago. The life-sized magnificent Terracotta Warriors are great man-made pieces of work. After the visit, you will have the opportunity to learn how to make the mini clay Terracotta Warriors(optional) with your own hands in a local artisan’s cave dwelling.

Continue your visit to tThe best-preserved Ancient City Wall. It has been guarding the old Xian for more than 600 years. Walking along the wall and you will enjoy the wonderful view of the city, or you can rent a bicycle to cycle around the all. 

At the end of today, take a chance to stroll around the Muslim Street, where all the shops and restaurants are operated by Muslims. This colorful street is packed with shops selling a large variety of interesting local delicacies, snacks and souvenirs.

Your city tour will begin with a visit to Shaanxi History Museum, one of the best museums in China. It houses more than 370,000 piece of items including pottery, paintings, murals, as well as gold, silver & bronze objects and it must not be missed. Then go to visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 652 AD. It is a traditional Chinese-style architecture combined with Buddhist historic statues, murals, and scriptures. It is the landmark of the ancient capital city. 

Fly to Chongqing in the afternoon.Arrive in Chongqing, your local guide and driver will pick you up at the airport and transfer to Chongqing Port to board your deluxe M.V. Victoria Cruises Ship. Settle into your comfortable outside cabin to begin your memorable cruise downstream. Depart about 21:00.

After breakfast, the guide will give you a brief introduction of the cruise and the schedule. Then take a shore excursion to Shibaozhai, with its impressive wooden pagoda, appropriately named “The Pearl of the Yangtze”. Depending on river conditions, an alternate excursion may be substituted to Fengdu, visiting the new relocation village built for families who have moved as a result of the Yangtze’s rising waters brought about by the Three Gorges Dam. Additional optional Shore Excursion to Fengdu’s “Ghost City”(Option programs need paid by your side ,river conditions permitting), known for its statues of ghosts and devils on Mingshan Hill.The Captain's Welcome Party will be held tonight.

The essential part of your river journey is coming today. You will appreciate the unique scenic splendor of the three gorges. First, the ship will sail through Qutang Gorge, the grandest and most dangerous section. Standing on the deck, you will see the steep precipices on both banks of this narrow stretch of water. After that, you will enter Wu Gorge which is famous for lofty peaks and mountains, especially the twelve charming and lively peaks standing in different postures and manners. Transfer to another vessel for a relaxing excursion through the attractive gorges of Goddess Stream. Depending on river conditions, an alternate excursion may be substituted to the gorges of Shennong Stream. Enter Xiling Gorge, the longest (41 miles), and the deepest of the Three Gorges. In the evening, sail through the Five Level Three Gorges Dam ship locks. Additional optional Shore Excursion to White Emperor City (river conditions permitting), an ancient city overlooking the western end of Qutang Gorge.

Today your journey will end with an excursion to the Three Gorges Dam, which is the major construction of the Three Gorges Project, the world's largest irrigation project. After disembark Yichang at about 13:30, transfer to the airport to take your flight to Shanghai.

Your Shanghai city tour include a visit to the ritzy French Concession enclave, a former French colonial settlement. It returned to China in 1946. Despite redevelopment over recent decades, the area has retained its distinct character as a premier residential and retail district in Shanghai. You will also visit the traditional ancient oriental garden – Yuyuan Garden, a classical landscape garden and explore the Chenghuangmiao (Old City God Temple) next to the Yuyuan Garden.

If you want to discover the vanishing life of Shanghai, pay a visit to Shanghai old street and Nongtang is a must. Nongtang constitutes the most important architectural feature of contemporary Shanghai. It forms the most common living space for ordinary Shanghainese and an important part of local culture. It can be said that if there were no Nongtang, there would be no Shanghai and no Shanghai people.

End of the day, you can visit Nanjing Road and busy Bund. You will pass through back to the golden age in 1920s. Enter some old buildings to have find the luxury of the past. 

Free at leisure, until your guide meet with you and escort you to the airport for your flight home.