Grand China with Yangtze

Welcome to China. When your international flight touches down at Beijing Airport, you will be warmly greeted by our tour guide outside the Arrival Hall of the airport. Then we will transfer you to the hotel to rest for the remainder of the day. If you are still energetic, you can walk around and explore the city freely.

Your exciting 18 days China tour itinerary commences today. The first stop is the Tiananmen Square. As the largest city square in the world, the Tiananmen Square can hold millions of people for a gathering. After passing through the square, you will reach the nearby Forbidden City, the largest ancient palace complex in the world and also the place where 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties lived. Around noon, we specially arrange for you an a la carte lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) at a notable local restaurant.

The afternoon journey will take you to the Temple of Heaven, which was built for the emperors to worship the Gods in ancient times. Later, a visit to the Hutongs is scheduled for you. Hutong means alley. An interesting rickshaw ride will take you to travel through the old alleys, which will give you a glimpse of traditional local life.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

When mentioning Beijing, the Great Wall is no doubt a national key scenic spot and the first choice destination to tourists from all over the world. Today we will spend the whole morning visiting the Mutianyu Great Wall. A round trip cable car (or a chairlift up and a toboggan down) is included. Standing on the wall, you will see the long wall under your feet go along with the mountain ranges, just like a huge dragon creeping on the undulations of the mountains. Lunch is on your own. Our guide will be happy to recommend you proper restaurants at the foot of the mountain.

When driving back to downtown Beijing, you will have a chance to view and take pictures of the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube, the Beijing 2008 Olympic venues, from a distance. Afterwards, we will continue to explore a popular local market, and you may enjoy some free time there.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

After breakfast, our guide will take you to visit the Summer Palace. It is a fantastic place for visitors to admire the peaceful landscapes and magnificent architecture of the royal garden in China.

In the afternoon, you will take a high speed train to Xi'an, the second destination of your 18 days China tour. In about 4.5 hours, our guide and driver in Xi'an will meet you at the train station and transfer you to the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum is a must when visiting Xi'an. In the Museum, visitors will not only appreciate the amazing warrior figures, but also enjoy the display of Chinese ancient weapons, which exemplify the skill of the craftsmen living in the Qin Dynasty. We leave lunch on your own arrangement but you can get suggestions from the guide.

This afternoon is scheduled for you to explore the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the well-preserved ancient City Wall. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda was built in the Tang Dynasty for storing the sutras and statues of Buddha brought from India by the monk Xuan Zang. Now it is one of the ancient landmarks of the Xi'an city. The City Wall is the largest and the most complete city wall in the world. The broad road on top of the wall provides visitors an ideal place to walk or cycle while enjoying outstanding views of the surrounding area. If you prefer a more relaxing trip circling the City Wall, the electric car service is also available.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

After breakfast, we will escort you to the airport for a morning flight to Guilin. You will be met by another professional guide and transferred to check in at the hotel.

Then we will escort you to see the Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill in the afternoon. Driving westward for about six kilometers in the northwest suburb of Guilin, you will see a very absorbing tourist site - Reed Flute Cave. The cave boasts abundant karst formations, as well as stone columns, stalactites and stalagmites. The Elephant Trunk Hill is a good place to enjoy the cool in summer and appreciate the river scenery. If you are interested, you can climb the hill to enjoy the Li River view from the top. The hill resembles an elephant drinking water from the Li River.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

Cruising the Li River is a delightful experience for travelers who want to explore the natural beauty. This morning, we will transfer you to the pier to take a cruise tour from Guilin down to Yangshuo. The picturesque landscape along the way is indeed a feast to your eyes. When you arrive at Yangshuo at around 14:00, we will first stroll along the famous West Street and then drive you to the countryside to enjoy the natural rural scenery. A visit to a local farmer's house is specially arranged for you on the way. Afterwards, you will be transferred back to Guilin.

Tips: We would like to remind you the lunch on the cruise is a simple box lunch provided by the cruise company. It is edible but far from delicious, so we suggest you have a big breakfast at the hotel this morning.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Today you will take a flight to Chengdu. On your arrival, our local guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel. The whole afternoon is left free for you to either have a good rest or explore the city a bit on your own.

Chengdu, a land of abundance, has a long history of 3,000 years. It not only is home to the pandas, but also has numerous scenic spots. Also its spicy and hot Sichuan cuisine is quite popular throughout the country. Therefore, it is definitely a most worthwhile place to visit.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

After breakfast, our guide will pick you up from the hotel earlier at around 08:00 and take you to see the lovely giant pandas when they are most active in the morning. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding offers a close-up experience with the pandas. They are well looked after and you will see them released into different enclosures, eating bamboo, playing and sleeping.

The next stop on your 18 days China trip today is the Broad and Narrow Alleys, where many traditional houses have been converted to boutiques and restaurants. Lunch is on your own arrangement. You may try one of the eateries in the alleys. Our guide will offer you some suggestions.

After lunch, continue your trip to visit the Jinsha Site Museum. The artifacts excavated from the site reflect people's lives during the ancient Shu Kingdom of the 12th century BC - 7th century BC. Then, you will be driven to the Renmin Park to experience the relaxing life of the locals nowadays. Drink a cup of tea and watch various local daily activities.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

The morning is free for you to explore Chengdu further. In the afternoon, our guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel lobby and escort you to the railway station for a high speed train to Chongqing. You will arrive in Chongqing in about 2 hours, and our local guide and driver will meet you at the railway station and then transfer you to board the cruise ship. Your Yangtze River cruise journey starts at around 21:30. At night, the neon lights on the shore light up, which create a beautiful cityscape. You can admire this marvelous night view from your ship.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

The river guide will give you a presentation about the cruise ship and daily schedules of the activities in advance. Today, you will take an excursion to the Ghost City of Fengdu or Shuangguishan National Forest Park according to the arrangement of the cruise company. Upon returning to the ship, you will be free to enjoy the charming scenery along the river from the deck and prepare to join the Captain's Welcome Party held tonight.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The Three Gorges are the most imposing section of the thousands of kilometers of the Yangtze River. It is composed of the magnificent Qutang Gorge, the elegant Wu Gorge and the adventurous Xiling Gorge. The ship will pass through these three gorges in sequence. During the trip, you will have an interesting side excursion to Shennv Stream by changing to a motorized ferry. If you take the President Cruise ship, you will have an exciting boat ride along Shennong Stream instead. Afterwards, the cruise ship will continue on.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning, pack your luggage and check out of the ship. The last excursion arranged by the cruise company is to see the Three Gorges Dam. It is the largest hydropower project in the world, demonstrating to visitors China's commitment to advanced engineering and water conservancy. Standing on top of the Tanziling, visitors will have a panoramic view of the Dam.

After the excursion, our local guide will pick you up at the Three Gorges Dam site and transfer you to Yichang East Station to board a soft sleeper train to Zhangjiajie. In about 5 hours, the local guide and driver will wait for you at the railway station and transfer you to check in at the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

This morning, you will take the world's tallest outdoor elevator - Bailong Elevator to the Yuanjiajie Scenic Area. This area is dominated by limestone pillars topped by trees, which provided the inspiration for the Hallelujah Mountains in the film "Avatar". At the mountain, you may come across wild monkeys. Please keep away from them. It is not wise to feed them with your food. Then the guide will accompany you to take an electric car to the Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve. Afterwards, you will visit the Jinbian Stream (Golden Whip Stream). Walking along the stream, you can enjoy the beauty of this quiet area. Finally, you will take a small train to visit the Ten-mile gallery. Due to the capricious weather in this scenic spot, we recommend you bring raingear.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Today our guide will accompany you to experience the thrilling Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, the longest and highest glass bridge in the world. You will have a chance to challenge your courage by crossing the glass bridge and enjoying the view. Afterwards, you will be guided to Baofeng Lake to take a scenic boat ride.

Then we will take you to the airport for a flight to Shanghai, the last destination of your 18 days China tour package. Our local guide will meet you at the airport and help you check in at the hotel in downtown Shanghai.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

After you enjoy the hotel breakfast, your private Shanghai tour will start from the Shanghai Museum, where you can learn more about the culture of ancient China. Then we will move on to the Yu Garden. It is one of the best preserved Chinese gardens in Shanghai. Its pavilions, rockeries, pools, and flowers make it a place of peace and leisure in the midst of the bustling city.

After enjoying an a la carte farewell lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) at a highly-reputed local restaurant, we will visit the Bund area for a one-hour cruise tour down the Huangpu River. It is a good way to experience the flavor of old Shanghai. The western historical buildings along the bank are a splendid sight for visitors. Our guide will leave you some free time to stroll around the Bund after the cruise and then take you to visit an old cultural street - Tianzifang before driving you back to the hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

Around Shanghai city, there are a number of beautiful water towns interspersed with crisscrossing water lanes. This morning, start your tour by visiting one of the famous water towns, Zhujiajiao. It is quite pleasant to walk through the many cobblestone alleyways and to see the 36 bridges that grace the old canals. Lunch is on your own. You may try some local food in the town of Zhujiajiao.

The afternoon tour will take you to the 492 meters high Shanghai World Financial Center. You will go up to the 100th floor, which provides exquisite views of both the city below, and the city's skyline. Walk around the platform and enjoy the splendid city view in all directions.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

Your 18 days China tour draws to an end today as the guide and driver escort you to the airport for your flight back home. If you want to experience the maglev train ride heading for Shanghai Pudong airport, we can also arrange that for you. We hope you have enjoyed your travel with us and look forward to serving you again in the future.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast