Day 1 Shanghai D
Arrive in Shanghai, the cosmopolitan port city near where the Yangtze spills into the East China Sea.
Day 2 Shanghai (B L D)
The sights and contrasts of China's most vibrant city fill your day. Stroll the riverfront Bund with its European-style buildings; retreat to the green oasis of the 500-year-old Yuyuan Garden; meet local school kids at the Children's Palace after-school program; and gain new appreciation for Chinese art at the magnificent new Shanghai Museum.
Day 3 Shanghai / Wuxi (B L D)
Embark on a coach to Wuxi, a large city of Jiangsu Province, as well as "hometown of fish and rice" by the the lake of Tai. Your sightseeing includes a boat ride on the lake.
Day 4 Wuxi / Suzhou (B L D)
Embark on a Grand Canal cruise, still a vibrant trade route after 1300 years of use. Arrive in Suzhou for a special evening at the Garden of the Master of Nets. Walk the lantern-lit paths with surprises at every turn, accompanied by live classical music.
Day 5 Suzhou / Yichang (B L D>)
Packed with gardens, pagodas, temples, lively shops and street scenes, Suzhou is a pleasure to explore, as you'll do on this morning's tour. Step into small, harmonious gardens designed with rock, water, trees and showy vegetation, then ship for local artisans' prized silks at the Embroidery Institute. After your tour, transfer to Shanghai and fly to inner China, Yichang, and board your Yangtze cruise ship. Settle into your stateroom and enjoy dinner on board.
Day 6 Yangtze River Cruise (B L D)
A thrilling day features a tour of the Three Gorges Dam site, now under construction; and passage through rushing Xiling Gorge and the Twelve Peaks of Wu Gorge, enshrouded in Chinese lore. Tonight the captain will hosts a welcome dinner on board.
Day 7 Yangtze River Cruise (B L D)
Experience the lush unspoiled nature of the Daning River on today's excursion aboard small boats. Re-aboard ship and sail the most scenic of the great Three Gorges, Qutang.
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Day 8 Yangtze River Cruise(B L D)
Your final day of cruising is marked by pastoral scenes and a visit of the "Ghost City" of Fengdu.
Day 9 Chongqing / Xi'an(B L D)
Arrive in Chongqing this morning. Meet / transfer for some city tour following disembarkation and drive to airport to catch the flight to Xi'an, a vital center of history, culture and archaeology.
Day 10 Xi'an (B L D)
It is impossible to overstate Xi'an's importance in China's history. Here began the fabled Silk Road, here a string of dynasties made their capital, here a Neolithic culture built a village 6000 years ago, and here lies a highlight of your trip: the excavation site of 8000 terra cotta soldiers, buried around the tomb of Emperor Qin, builder of the Great Wall and other massive endeavors. Round out your tour with stops at the old City gate, Provincial Museum, Big Wild Goose Pagoda.
Day 11 Xi'an / Beijing (B L D)
Fly to Beijing, the capital and cultural center of China, where virtually every boulevard and building exudes an air of importance, Transfer on arrival to your plush hotel.
Day 12 Beijing(B L D)
Enjoy a full-day tour of the sights that make Beijing a spectacular destination: the sprawling Forbidden City, home to 24 Ming and Qing emperors and now a repository of precious art and antiques; the Temple of Heaven, famous for its elegance and symmetry; and the Summer Palace, an oasis of tea gardens, pavilions, painted corridors, and shimmering Kunming Lake with Empress Dowager's eccentric marble ship. Lunch with a view at the lofty revolving restaurant.
Day 13 Beijing(B L D)
One of the world's most awe-inspiring sights, the Great Wall snakes along nearly 4000 miles of impossibly steep hills and harsh, rugged plains. Today's excursion will give you ample time to explore it in leisure and marvel at the manpower that went into building the world's longest structure entirely by hand. Continue to the Ming Tombs, the graveyard of 13 emperors, before returning to Beijing for an imperial-style Peking Duck dinner.
Day 14 Beijing (B>)
Departing for home on your select airline, bid China a found farewell. |
