15 Days Yangtze River Highlights & Cruise Tour

Day 1

Beijing Arrival

Transfer via: Flight on your own arrangement

Upon your arrival you will be greeted by our local guide and then transferred to your hotel by a private air-conditioned car. For the rest of the day you will enjoy some leisure time.

Day 2

Beijing (B, L)

Full day bus tour for Underground Palace & Mutianyu Great Wall Tour. 

Pick-up point and time: Your Hotel between 7:00am and 8:30am 
Finishing point and time: Your Hotel around 6:00 pm 

Itinerary:

Ming Tombs (Dingling)---the best-preserved Chinese imperial tombs with 500 years history. Dingling is the underground mausoleum of Emperor Wan Li. The Underground Palace Halls, a labyrinth palace building, were the first royal tomb excavated in accordance with plan in China. Sightseeing on Ming Tombs for 2 hour.

End the visit of Ming Tombs at about 11:00, before having Chinese traditional lunch (11:30), travelers have 45 minutes to have a short visit of Jade Carving Factory. The jade carving is very famous special local product, it was not only the excellent skill on carving, but also mixes many Chinese traditional cultures in the jade carving.

After having lunch, then driving to Mutianyu Great Wall. Mutianyu Great Wall is known for its beautiful surroundings - dense woods and rich pastures changing colors with the seasons of a year. Mutianyu Great Wall is located in Huai Rou County on the north-east of Beijing. This section of the Great Wall is about 75 KM from the center of Beijing. As one of the best-preserved parts of the Great Wall, Mutianyu section of Great Wall used to serve as the northern barrier defending the capital and the imperial tombs. If you want to reach the highest point, cable car is a good choice (optional).

You are returned to the downtown Beijing and We will drive by exterior the National Stadium - the "Bird Nest" and National Aquatics Center - the Water Cube. You will have chance to take pictures.
 

Day 3

Beijing (B, L)

Sightseeing: Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace.

Pick-up point and time: Your Hotel between 7:00am and 8:30am 
Finishing point and time: Your Hotel around 6:00pm 

Itinerary:

Pick up at your hotel between 7:00am and 8:30am, This tour starts at Tian'anmen Square with its plentitude of monuments testifying to the communist, and more specifically, Mao's influence on China's modern history. From there you will proceed to theForbidden City, the largest and best-preserved ancient imperial palaces group with 500 years history in the world. Visit the Forbidden City along the central axis from south to north for 2 hours.

On the way to Temple of Heaven, you will have a chance to visit the Chinese traditional medicine culture. After having a short rest, we'll visit the Temple of Heaven -- the largest ancient imperial worship architecture group in the world where the ancient Emperors prayed for peace and harvest. The visit to Temple of Heaven takes about 1 hour.

After Western and Chinese buffet lunch ( 40minutes ) in Bangfuchun Restaurant, enjoy a short visit to a pearl free market not missed. Driving (30minutes) to Summer Palace, the largest and most beautiful Chinese imperial garden. It is regarded as a museum of gardens in China. The visit takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

After the tour you will be transfered back to your hotel and finish the tour today.

Day 4

Beijing/Xi'an (B, L)

Transport Via: Train on our arrangement

Pick-up point and time: Your Hotel between 7:00am and 8:30am

Finishing point and time: Your Hotel around 6:00 pm

Pick up at your hotel between 7:00am and 8:30am, and then driving to Beijing Zoo where you can see the lovely Giant Pandas. The Panda Zoo visit takes about 40 minutes.

Then take you to the largest Lama Temple of Beijing --- Yonghe Temple, 1 hour tour for the mysterious Tibet style Buddhism temple. The Lama Temple tour finishes at about 11:00. Before having lunch (12:00), you will have 45 minutes to visit the Chinese traditional handicraft silk carpet factory.

You will be arranged to have lunch with locals in a typical Beijing resident's house. Then you will be arranged to visit the old Beijing lanes by taking rickshaws. Hutong tour lasts for 2 hours. You will visit the typical Chinese quadrangles, primary school, many famous old buildings, like the bell tower, where you can explore the real life of ordinary people in Beijing.

We will arrange 45 minutes to take pictures at the Bird's Nest and Water Cube. If you are interested in the inner structure of the stadiums, the tour guide will assist you in buying the tickets, and you could enter in the stadiums for a visit yourself. Driving the travelers back to their hotel. 

On the way to your hotels, we also arrange the short visit to a China Tea House to enjoy tea ceremony.

After the tour you will be transferred to take the overnight train to Xi'an.

Day 5

Xi'an (B, L)

Sightseeing: Ancient City Wall, The Terracotta Warriors and Horses.

Morning arrive in Xi'an, be met and have breakfast and then be transfered to do the full day city tour. First, 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. The wall was built in the Tang dynasty (618 -907) and enlarged in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).

Then we will move on to 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.

Day 6

Xi'an/Guilin (B, L)

Transfer Via: Flight on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Shanxi History Museum

In the morning we will move on to 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.

And then be transferred to take the plane to Guilin. Arrive in Guilin. Be met and transfered to the hotel. Enjoy some leisure time of the day.

Day 7

Guilin (B, L)

Sightseeing: Dragom's Backbone Rice Terraces

Pick Up Time and Spot: Your Hotel around 07:10-08:20 am

Itinerary:

This morning, we will drive to Longsheng County which is featured with rich and elegant folk customs. We will take the country road and arrive at Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces which have been called "an absolute one under the heaven and the first one in the world". The magnificent terraces look like silver belt in sprit, green wave in summer, golden tower in fall and dragon plays in water in winter.

We will enjoy the Long Hair Show performed by the local minority people and the lunch today is included.

After the tour you will be transfered back from Longsheng to Guilin to your hotel and finish the tour today.

Day 8

Guilin (B, L)

Sighseeing: Li River, West Street

Pick Up Time and Spot: Your Hotel around 07:10-08:20 am

Itinerary:

Guilin is famous for its picturesque scenery, and the best way to see it is from the deck of Li River Cruise ships. In the morning you will depart from your hotel and be transferred to the Zhujiang Pier (about 1 hour drive) for a 4.5 hours wonderful cruise. You will enjoy the unique mountains, peaceful green fields, farms and villages with water buffalos, cows wondering around on both sides of the river bank. 

In the afternoon you will disembark at the old town Yangshuo. Having a history of more than 1,400 years, West Street is the oldest street in Yangshuo. You will have some time to explore the old town's lovely attractions.

After the tour you will be transfered back to your hotel and finish the tour today.

Day 9

Guilin (B, L)

Pick Up Time and Spot: Your Hotel around 07:10-08:20 am

Itinerary:

In the morning we will visit Reed Flute Cave, which is a vast and very impressive cave system, and one of the most important sights of Guilin. Known as "the Palace of Natural Arts", you can see beautiful stalactites & stalagmites and learn how they are formed.

Then you will head to Elephant Trunk Hill. Located at the conjunction of the Li River & the Peach Blossom River, the whole hill looks very much like a giant elephant with a long trunk drinking out of the river; it is the symbol of Guilin city. 

We will continue to visit Fubo Hill. You will see lots of rock stone carvings & Buddha statues from since Tang Dynasty. If you climb to the summit, you will have a wonderful bird's-eye view of Guilin city.

Afterwards we will make a walk through Seven Star Park. It is one of the best urban parks in China. The park is in the east bank of Lijiang, the largest park in Guilin with the theme of rock caves.

After the tour you will be transfered back to your hotel and finish the tour today.

 

Day 10

Guilin/Chongqing (B, L)

Itinerary: Full day Chongqing highlight tour to visit Goose Neck Park, Panda Room in Chongqing Zoo, Liberation Monument,
Ciqikou Old Town with lunch. (Private vehicle and guide)

You will be picked up from your hotel then start the tour.

We will visit 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 airport and you will take the flight to your next destination.

Then we will continue our trip to see the Liberation Monument.It is Chongqing`s commercial and entertainment center, The actual monument , originally made of wood and dedicated to Sun Yat-sen, was built in 1945 to celebrate the end of the war with Japan. The monument is within walking distance of most of Chongqing`s major hotels and shops.

After the tour you will be transfered back to the dock by our local guide, board the ship for overnight accommodation.

Day 11

Yangtze Cruise (B, L, D)

 (08:00) Departs Chongqing .
(14:00– 17:00) Shore excursion 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 12

Yangtze Cruise (B, L, D)

 Sightseeing: Shennong Stream

(07:00-07:30) Passing through Qutang Gorge.
(08:00-09:00) Passing through Wu Gorge.
(10:00 –13:30 ) Boat excursion to Shennong Stream .
(16:00) Enter Xiling 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 13

Yangtze Cruise (B, L, D)

Transport Via: Flight on our arrangement 
Sightseeing: Three Gorges Dam

(08:00 – 10:30) Shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam. 

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 will be competed in 2009. It will be 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.

Arrive in Yichang around 13:00, be met and have lunch, and then be transferred to airport for the flight to Shanghai,  be met and check in the hotel.

 

Day 14

Shanghai (B, L)

Pick-up point and time: Tour starts: around 8:30am

( Your hotel address within urban areas or our designated places in the city centre )

Itinerary:

Spend a whole day getting to know the wonders of Shanghai: The beautiful Yu Garden and Old Market Town, the spectacular Bund, a choice of either Pearl City or Silk Factory stores, the Nanjing Road shopping experience, the serene Jade Buddha Temple, the vast Shanghai Art Museum, before ending your day in the relaxing Xin Tian Di district. An amazing day that you’ll remember for a lifetime!

Yu Garden: A famous garden of beauty and tranquillity in the heart of Shanghai, built during the Ming Dynasty, 400 years ago.

Old Town Market: Found beside Yu Garden, is a bazaar of stores that sells traditional Chinese arts and crafts and souvenirs Items .

Bund: A symbol of Shanghai. Also called "gallery of international architectures".

Silk Factory: Silk Factory, where you can view the silk making process and maybe pick up that tailored suit you've always wanted – it’s your choice!

Nanjing Road: Shop until you drop in the longest shopping street in China and one of the busiest in the world. There's something for everyone in its vast choice of stores.

Jade Buddha Temple: A beautiful Buddhist temple, founded in 1882 with two spectacular jade Buddha statues imported from Burma.

Shanghai Museum: A vast museum dedicated to all manner of Chinese art and culture, totalling over 120,000 exhibits.

Xin Tian Di: The best place to feel and touch the Shanghai of yesterday, today and tomorrow - a leisure entertainment centre with catering, shopping, and an amazing nightlife to suit all tastes and moods.

Day 15

Shanghai 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.