16 Days China Fast Train Experience Tour with Yangtze River Cruise

Day 1

Hong Kong Arrival

Transfer via: International flight –on your own arrangement

Upon your arrival in Hong Kong, your local guide will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel. For the rest of the day you will enjoy some leisure time to relax or have a first look at the surrounding.

Day 2

Hong Kong (B)

Sightseeing: Victoria Peak, Repulse Bay, Aberdeen

Today you will start to explore Victoria Peak first. The Peak is Hong Kong's number one tourist destination. It features the city's oldest mode transport, the 112-year old Peak Tram and Hong Kong's most unusual building and icon, The Peak Tower where you will find shopping, restaurants, and entertainment.

Then you will visit lovely Repulse Bay: Primarily an exclusive residential area, Repulse Bay has a relaxed, resort-like atmosphere. You will find statues of Kwun Yum and Tin Hau, both protectors of fishermen.

The tour will continue with a visit to Aberdeen fishing village where you will enjoy a Sampan Ride on the harbor to get a close-up look at this unusual way of life.

For the rest of the day you will have leisure time to explore Hong Kong on your own.

Day 3

Hong Kong / Guangzhou (B, L)

Transfer via: Train on our arrangement

Sightseeing: Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family, Temple of Six Banyan Trees

After breakfast, you will be transferred to railway station to take train to Guangzhou. Upon your arrival, you will be met by your local guide. Then you will start your sightseeing tour by visiting Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. It is a magnificent building in the shape of octagon and an important place for large scale meeting and performance. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall was built in order to commemorate the contributions of Sun Zhongshan, the great predecessor of Chinese revolution for democracy. It is a memorial construction donated by the people in Guangzhou and the overseas Chinese and is listed as one of the first class cultural relics in Guangdong Province.

Afterwards you will visit the Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family which is also called Chen Clan Academy. It is a place both for offering up sacrifices to ancestors and for study. Now the Chen Clan Ancestral Temple in Guangzhou City, the Ancestors' Temple in Foshan City, the former Residence of Sun Yat-sen in Zhongshan City and the Opium War Memorial Hall in Dongguan City are regarded as the four major cultural tourist sites in Guangdong Province.

Then you will head to the Temple of Six Banyan Trees. It has a long history in Guangzhou and is an ancient monastery famous at home and abroad. There are majestic towers, dense trees, plenty of antiques and valuable heritage from those famous people in the history. It is one of the four Buddhism temple complexes in Guangzhou is an important unit for the preservation of antiques.

Day 4

Guangzhou / Wuhan (B, L)

Transfer via: High speed train-on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Guiyuan Temple

This morning, you will be met and transferred to railway station to take train for Wuhan.

Upon arrival in Wuhan, you will be met by our local guide at the railway station. The rest of the day you will have a  visit of the Guiyuan Temple. This Buddhist temple was built at the end of the Ming and early Qing dynasties, with a history of approximately 400 years. "Guiyuan" in Chinese means achieving sainthood and becoming a Buddha. In this temple, many works of art such as a number of valuable Buddhist images and steles have been preserved. The arhat hall contains 500 goldpainted wooden statues of Buddhist monk-saints, no two are the same.

Day 5

Wuhan / Yichang (B, L)

Transport via: Bullet train-on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Yellow Crane Tower,Hubei Provincial Museum

Today you will have a visit to the famous Yellow Crane Tower. Enjoying the fame of 'The First Scenery under Heaven', it is one of the most renowned towers south of the Yangtze River. Its cultural significance led to its being made the symbol of Wuhan City.

Later you will visit the Hubei Provincial Museum. Since 1953, the museum has collected over 200,000 cultural relics, including pottery, porcelains, jade, bronze vessels, ancient weapons, and ancient musical instruments. Among these cultural relics, 812 are listed as first-class relics of China, and 16 are considered national treasures.

After the tour our guide will escort you to the railway station to take the train for Yichang.

Upon arrival in Yichang, you will be met and transferred to the dock by our local guide to pre-board the ship. Your cruise will start at about 10 pm.

Day 6

Yangtze Cruise (B, L, D)

Sightseeing: Three Gorges Dam

(09:00-11:30) Shore excursion to Three Gorges Dam Site.
(12:45) Passing through Xiling Gorge.

Three Gorges Dam, the largest water conservancy project undertaken by man. The construction of the dam formally began in 1994. The body of the dam was completed in 2003, and the whole construction was competed in 2009. It is 2,335 meters long, 185 meters high, 18 meters wide on the top and 130 meters wide at the bottom. Tourists can get access to the top of the dam.

Day 7

Yangtze Cruise (B, L, D)

Sightseeing: Shennong Stream

(08:00-12:00) Boat excursion to Shennong Stream.
(13:00-15:30) Wu Gorge
(17:30-18:00) Qutang Gorge

Shennong Stream is another tributary of the Yangtze River, and its fast-flowing, crystal clear water runs southwards through deep gorges. The stream races past large and small karst caves, flocks of swallows, sheer cliffs, deep gorges, waterfalls, three-colored springs, rapids, the ancient plank path, a suspended coffin in the cliff, groups of ancient tombs and marvelous karst formations.

Day 8

Yangtze Cruise (B, L, D)

Sightseeing: Fengdu Ghost City

(8:30-10:30) Shore excurison to Fengdu Ghost City.

Fengdu, with fantastic temples of underworld demons and gods, is constructed on the Mingshan Hill by the river band. It is known as the "Ghost City" and is a place for punishing the devil and awarding the good.

Day 9

Chongqing / Chengdu (B, L)

Transfer via: Bullet train-on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Ciqikou Ancient Town ,Goose Neck Park, Panda Room

(09:00) Disembark at Chongqing
Arriving in Chongqing, you will be met at the dock by our local guide and visit Ciqikou Ancient Town. Dated back to the late Ming Dynasty, The buildings have been restored and well preserved. Along the streets, restaurants, souvenirs shops and local snacks are located. There are several tea houses that feature daily performances of traditional Chinese music. 

You will have a walk around the Goose Neck Park. This park has a good view of the city and the roiling Yangtze River. A great mural of the Yangtze River shows the pre-dam water levels and elevation marks signifying the displacement of the local population, as well as the land area that has been and will be covered when the dam is completed.

Later you will visit Panda Room in Chongqing Zoo to meet the lovely pandas. Then you will be transferred to railway station for Chengdu. After your arrival there, you will be met and transferred to hotel by our local guide.

Day 10

Chengdu (B, L)

Sightseeing: Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Jinli Street 

Today you will visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, which was built to imitate the wild ecological environment of pandas. It covers a space of 92 acres, with a green coverage of 96 percent. The base created a perfect ecological environment for the living and breeding of pandas and other precious and rare wild animals. It breeds over 20 pandas and lesser pandas, black-necked cranes, white cranes and others.

Afterwards you will take a walk along Jinli Street which is particularly representative for this city. It is recorded that as already during Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC), Jinli Street was the most famous place for baldachin - a rich, ornate cloth. During Shu Kingdom (221-263) it was one of the busiest commercial streets. Hence, it is known as 'First Street of the Shu Kingdom'. In order to reclaim the street's prosperity of former days, it was restored with contributions from the Wuhou Memorial Temple and was opened to public in October of 2004.

Day 11

Chengdu / Xi'an (B, L)

Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Shaanxi History Museum

In the morning you will be transferred to airport for the flight to Xi'an.

Upon your arrival, you will be met by our local guide and transferred to the hotel there. After a rest, you will visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Situated in the south of Xi'an city, it is one of the main constructions in the famous Buddhist temple-Da-Ci-En Temple. There, the well-known Buddhist Master Xuanzang (Monk Tripitaka) stored his collection of classic Buddhist artifacts brought from India in Tang Dynasty. Now it is the Landmark of Xi'an.
 

Then you will visit the Shaanxi History Museum. It is a magnificent architectural complex in the Tang Dynasty style. The Museum possesses a treasure of 113,000 historic and cultural artifacts unearthed in Shaanxi, and it covers an area of 1,100 square meters for exhibition.

Day 12

Xi'an (B, L)

Sightseeing: Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses, Ancient City Wall

Today you will experience the highlights of Xi'an. After breakfast, you will depart you're your hotel. You will visit the amazing 2000-year-old Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses. Regarded as the 8th Wonder of the World, the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Over 2,200 years ago, the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, ordered the construction of a vast army of Terra-cotta warriors in search of immortality. After his early death they were buried with him to protect his empire.
 

Then you will visit Ancient City Wall. You will experience a half-hour's hike along the Ancient City Wall.  It is the largest and best preserved present city wall in ancient China and is probably the best military battlement in the world. If you want to, you can rent a bicycle for a ride on top of the spectacular city wall.

Day 13

Xi'an / Beijing (B)

Transfer via: High speed train-on our arrangement

You will be met and transferred to the railway station for the train to Beijing. Upon arrival in Beijing you will be transferred to your hotel. Then you will spend the rest of the day at your leisure after hours of taking train.

Day 14

Beijing (B, L)

Sightseeing: Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City

This morning your tour will begin with a visit of the Temple of Heaven, which was completed in 1420, and expanded over the years by two Qing Dynasty Emperors. The temple of Heaven was where the Emperor came every winter solstice to worship heaven and to solemnly pray for a good harvest. With the three blue-tiled cone-shaped roofs, a unique wooden and blue-tiled structure built without a nail, it has become a worldwide symbol of Beijing. In the park nearby, local people practice Tai Chi or sing and dance relaxingly.

After lunch, you will start your city tour to visit Tiananmen Square, the symbolical heart of China and gathering place for the masses. It is the biggest public square in the world, and can hold one million people.

From here you will walk across the Golden River Bridge to visit the Forbidden City and experience the ancient Emperor's daily life. For 5 centuries Chinese emperors carried out their administration here. With almost 10,000 rooms, it was the centre of the Ming and Qing dynasties, a massive complex of palaces, pavilions, courtyards and gardens where 24 emperors used to live. Forbidden City was the largest palace in the world, and in the past it was indeed a forbidden place for commoners.

Day 15

Beijing (B, L)

Sightseeing: Badaling Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Sacred Way

After experiencing the royal lifestyle, today you will be transferred to the surrounding countryside of Beijing and visit the Badaling Great Wall, the pride of China and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Whereas Genghis Khan contemplated it as a military obstacle, Richard Nixon described it as one of humankind's greatest achievements. You will be able to climb and walk one of the best preserved sections of the 2,000 years old ancient wall, admiring the splendid mountain views. Bring a jacket and layer- although it is breezy, the climbing is tough. So be in a good shape!

In the afternoon you will visit the legendary Ming Tombs, which are situated at the foot of Heavenly Longevity Mountain, Changping, northwest of Beijing. Since there are 13 Ming emperors buried there, this place was called the 13 Ming Tombs. You will walk along the Sacred Way, a road guarded by stone statues on both sides, as the ancient emperors did to hold a memorial ceremony for their ancestors. In addition, you will encounter the marble tombs of the Ming Dynasty emperors.

On the way back to hotel, you will be driven to visit the main 2008 Beijing Olympic venues, take an exterior visit of both the, Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest/Olympic Stadium), National Swimming Centre('The Water Cube'),feel free to take some photos of the stadiums.

Day 16

Beijing Departure (B)

Transfer via: Flight on your own arrangement

Today will be free for your own purposes, until our guide will escort you to the airport for your next destination.