This 13 Days China Yangtze Tour is the taste of river lovers. The Yangtze River is famous for its length and grandeur as well as its important role in Chinese history and culture, while the Li River is reputed for its serenity and grace. These two rivers have been the dream for many International friends who want to visit China for a long time. From Li River to the Yangtze, you will know the magical power of water.
Arrive in Beijing, the capital city of China, be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Free at leisure for the rest of the day.
Meals: No Meals
Accommodation: In Beijing
Leisure breakfast in the hotel, our guide will meet at your hotel lobby. You will to explore the culture and history of Beijing today. As the biggest city center square in the world,
Tian’anmen Square(30-40 minutes) is a must-seeing spot. It is the place where history-changing events and ceremonies occurred. The Imperial Palace
Forbidden City(2.5-3 hours) is just a few steps away from Tian’anmen Square. It is the imperial palace for 24 emperors during Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is one of the largest and most completely restored imperial palaces in the world. After lunch, our guide will show you to visit
Temple of Heaven(1.5 hours), which is built to prey for a good harvest.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Beijing
Optional activities: Peking Opera at Liyuan Theatre (daily 19:30-20:40)
As the biggest city center square in the world,
Tian'anmen Square covering 44 hectares in the heart of Beijing. It is the place where history-changing events and ceremonies occurred. A few steps away, come to visit
the Forbidden City, which was the Imperial Palace for 24 emperors during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and, it is one of the largest, and certainly the most completely restored, ancient architectural complex in the world. Walk in the footsteps of Emperors; come to the museum and see with your eyes, and feel with your hearts; you'll begin understand what life in this richest of feudal realms was like for the Imperial Rulers, their concubines and their slaves.
After enjoying a delicious lunch, continue on to the Temple of Heaven. Departing from the Imperial vermilion and gold hues of the Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven is decorated in blue, the color of the Heavens. The perfect harmony between the architectural environment and nature can be felt here; you might easily imagine the vivid spectacle of a great sacrifice to the Heavens for a good harvest. The magnificent Hall of Prayer of Good Harvest is one of the most important and impressive building in China.
In the evening, we offer you an opportunity to enjoy Peking Opera. Expert performers convey powerful emotions to the audience through song, dance, facial make-up, exquisite masks and costume, skilled use of body language and sympathetically integrated musical accompaniment.
Depart from hotel in the morning, drive to visit
Great Wall (Mutianyu Section), which is more popular among foreign visitors. After lunch at local restaurant nearby the great wall and have a short breakfast, we will drive back to Beijing downtown. You will have a chance to take an exterior view of
Bird's Nest and
Water Cube. We will have a photo stop there. Free at leisure for the rest of the day.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Mutianyu Great Wall is located in Huairou District, Beijing, 73 kilometers away from Beijing downtown area. It is one of the famous sections of China Great Wall. Mutianyu Great Wall was first built in the mid-6th century during the Northern Qi, making it older than the Badaling section. In 1569, the Mutianyu Great Wall was rebuilt and till today most parts of it are well preserved. The Mutianyu Great Wall has the largest construction scale and best quality among all sections of Great Wall.
The spectacular
Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing, hailed as the finest arena in the world and the centre-piece of the most expensive Olympics in history, is full of hidden symbolism.The National Aquatics Centre, also known as '
The Water Cube', is one of the most dramatic and exciting venues to host sporting events for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. The external appearance was inspired by the natural formation of soap bubbles! It utilized state-of-the-art technology and materials to achieve the visually exciting structure, but it's more than just a pretty place.
For today's dinner, how about taste the famous Peking Roasted Duck, as it is the best-known dish in Beijing. It is very tender and unforgettably delicious. You'll visit a local restaurant to enjoy a full meal and learn the proper way to experience Peking Roasted Duck. From the whole roasted duck to the soup of duck bones, you'll enjoy a banquet made from every part of the duck. Moreover, the chef will demonstrate his skill of cutting the skin of the duck for your entertainment.
Day 4
Beijing
Xian
In the morning, visit to
Summer Palace and you can take a rickshaw to explore
Hutong (short route, 40 mins) will be a great fun in your Beijing tour. Hutong is the narrow lanes of old Beijing, where you could see the different aspect of locals’ life. After lunch, you will see goodbye to Beijing and start your trip to next destination---Xian. We will transfer you to airport and help you to check in the flight to Xian.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Xian
If exploring the Forbidden City has improved your understanding of the lifestyles of China's ancient Imperial Court, then this relaxing
Hutong Tour will give you an insight into the lives of ordinary Chinese people and reveal their social culture in today's Beijing City. The narrow streets of old Beijing are known as Hutongs. You'll take a richshaw tour along the Hutongs and see the 100-year-old houses, courtyards and a vanishing way of life in today's Beijing.
Wonderful time always passes so quickly, in the afternoon, you have to take a flight to Xi'an, the city that steeped in history and still giving up secrets, is your gateway to ancient Chinese civilization. In its 3,100 recorded years of evolution, it has been home to 13 dynasties. Xian was also the end of civilization for those setting out on the famous Silk Road. Today's Xi'an is a vibrant, modern city, but surrounded by history, even underfoot! So there can be no underground railways due to the obligation to preserve the wealth of ancient treasure still awaiting discovery.
Xian is a historical city. The highlight of Xian tour should be the visit to the
Qin Terracotta Army (2.5 hours). It is one of the world's most important archaeological finds, with troops, horses and carriages in battle formation. After lunch, drive back to Xian downtown, where you will visit
Xian ancient City Wall, which stretches round the city. You could have a nice walk in the North Square and visit to
Big Wild Goose Pagoda later.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Xian
Optional activity: Tang Dynasty Show (daily)
As an ancient capital city to 13 dynasties, Xian has a rich recorded history, frequently enhanced by the evidence of new discoveries, like the 1974 unearthing of the fabulous
Qin Terracotta Army, the long forgotten army created to guard Emperor Qin Shihuang's tomb. In accordance with ancient beliefs, this grand project was mounted at enormous cost by the cruel and tyrannical Emperor, only to be attacked, plundered, burnt and buried after his funeral by the peasants who'd labored under the whip to build it. Then, over two thousand years later, this 'Eighth Wonder of the World' was rediscovered by farmers digging a well. The fine troops, horses and carriages in battle formation are a National ancient art treasure. Three excavation pits are now opened to the public and a fourth is nearing completion. You can, like US President Clinton, now gaze in wonder upon this historic site, listed by UNESCO in 1987 as a world cultural heritage.
The first landmark visitors will encounter in Xian is the ancient Xian City Wall, which stretches round the old city. Xi'an was always a walled city, and today's wall represents one of the oldest and best preserved Chinese city walls, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. The first city wall of Chang'an was begun in 194 BCE. The existing wall was started during the Ming Dynasty in 1370; it is massive, measuring 13.7 km in circumference, 12 m in height, and 15–18 m in thickness at the base. The South Gate and North Gate are the two main entrances to the inner city. The city itself is neatly arranged along the city wall. This impressive structure is just a precursor to the remarkable discoveries awaiting visitors to Xian.
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda was built in 652 during the Tang Dynasty and originally had five stories, although the structure was rebuilt in 704 during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian and its exterior brick facade renovated during the Ming Dynasty. One of the pagoda's many functions was to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and travelers Xuanzang. Now this well-preserved holy place for Buddhist has been the symbol of Xian.
This evening you could choose Jiaozi Banquet as a local flavor experience. It includes over 10 kinds of Jiaozi, whose shapes and flavours vary, such as rabbit, duck, shrimp, peanuts and so on.
Or if you more interested in dancing show, choose a Tang Dynasty Show with Dinner would be a good idea. You'll enjoy the sumptuous dinner while watching a fabulous dancing and singing performance of the Tang Dynasty. This is not only a performance of Chinese traditional dancing and singing, but a re-enactment of Chinese ancient ceremony and culture.
Day 6
Xian
Guilin
In the morning, you will be transferred to the airport for the flight to
Guilin. After lunch, enjoy your relaxing city tour covering the
Elephant Trunk Hill, the symbol of Guilin City. Then you will head to visit
Reed Flute Cave(1 hour), which is named for the special reeds, used for making flute instruments that grow near the cave entrance.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Guilin
Guilin is world-famous for its serene landscape, Karst limestone formations, mist-covered hills and bamboo groves. It is home to more than ten ethnic groups, including Han, Zhuang, Miao, Yao, Hui and Dong. On the way from the airport to your hotel, you will see dozens of pretty hills everywhere in the city of Guilin. It is a city of hills and green trees and boasts one of the most photographed areas of China.
Elephant Trunk Hill, or Xiangbishan, is the symbol of Guilin. Observed from a distance, you’ll see an elephant-like form standing majestically at the confluence of the Li and Yang Rivers, with its trunk arching into the clear waters, a fantasy elephant eternally quenching a gargantuan thirst; lifelike in shape and energetic in posture.
Reed Flute Cave is named for the special reeds, used for making flute instruments that grow near the cave entrance. The caves are a feast for the eyes. The natural beauty of a profusion of stalactites and stalagmites, stele, stone pillars, stone curtains and stone flowers creating an infinite variety of extraordinary scenes, creatively illuminated, is bound to evoke gasps of admiration. It is fitting then, that Reed Flute Cave is commonly praised as Nature’s Grand Art Palace.
Day 7
Guilin
Yangshuo
Today will be a highlight of your Guilin trip. We will arrange you to take a leisure cruise from Guilin to yangshuo along
Li River(around 4-4.5 hours). Our guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at around 08:30 and transfer to Zhujiang Pier for around 40 minutes. Check in the cruise boat. It will set sailing at 09:30. Cruising along the River, you will find you are just walking in a paiting, passing by bamboo groves, mysterious karst hills, with reflection on the crystal waters and peaceful farm fields on the bank of the river, ect. The cruise will ends at Yangshuo Pier.
You will have a leisure and free afternoon and back to Guilin for overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Buffet Chinese Lunch
Accommodation: In Guilin
Optional activities: Impression Liusanjie Show (daily)
In the morning, be driven to Pier for your
Li River Cruise. A double-decker river boat is waiting for you. The landscape from Guilin to Yangshuo is truly a masterpiece of nature. The crystal waters, straight-out-of-a-painting mountains, peaceful farm fields, hard-working-but- ever-smiling fishermen and wandering water buffaloes inspire poetic musings of Guilin’s charming life. Under the blue sky, your river boat transports you in an unending daydream.
You will end up your cruise in Yangshuo, is a small oriental but Western-influenced town with a history of 1000 years. The West Street in the town earns its name since almost every one in West Street can speak fluent English and every restaurant or bar offers menus in several languages. You'll feel no borders or distance here and will soon fall under the spell of this charismatic, welcoming small-town atmosphere. Moreover, West Street is flanked by fascinating little shops and vendor stands selling a broad variety of superior quality souvenirs, perfect gifts for friends and relatives. West Streets charms increase when night comes; countless bars, cafés and bistros open till midnight with dynamic music and live bands to ensure you can have a really memorable night with your new-found friends.
Some guests may also hear about the night show- Impressions of Liu Sanjie performance. The site is only one mile from West Street in the world's largest natural theatre which utilizes the waters of the Li River as its stage, flanked by twelve mist shrouded hills and the heavens as its backdrop. Mist, rain, moonlight, the hills and their inverted reflections in the river all become the ever-changing natural background, so you will enjoy a unique experience each time you attend. In the 'Impressions of Liu Sanjie', you will be presented with stylized scenes and events from the daily life of the Zhuang people living around the Li River. From these pageants, you will gain a realistic sense of Sanjie's birthplace and appreciate the beauty of the folk songs. If you are able to take photographs under low-light conditions, you are assured of some stunning images from this performance.
Day 8
Yangshuo
Guilin
Chongqing, Embark
After your breakfast, be transferred to airport and take a 1.5 hours flight to
Chongqing. Chongqing is called ‘Mountain City’ in China as it was built on the slop of mountains on bank of Yangtze River with many steps. You will be met by local guide and transfer to visit Chongqing city. Before getting up to cruise ship, you may visit to
Eling Park (1 hour) which displays the layout of Suzhou gardens. And then, continue to view the
Chongqing People Grand Hall (1 hour) - looks like the enlarged version of the sacramental Temple of Heaven in Beijing. After that, you could walk around
Ancient Town of Ciqikou to get touch with the local lifestyle. When it is the time to embark
Yangtze River Cruise, you will be transferred to the wharf and get on board.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation:On Yangtze cruise boat
Chongqing, the largest inland city of China, is a booming metropolis located in the southeast of the Sichuan Basin at the confluence of the Yangtze and the Jialing rivers. Surrounded by waters on three sides, and by the mountains on four sides, Chongqing is known as 'mountain city', 'foggy city' and 'furnace city'.
Over 6,300 kilometers long, the Yangtze is the largest and longest river in China, surpassed only by the Nile of Africa and the Amazon of South America. Born of the melting snows and ice in the Tanggula Mountain chain in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, the torrent flows from west to east through provinces of Qinghai, Tibet, Sichuan, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui and Jiangsu and the city of Shanghai, finally emptying into the East China Sea. Between the town of Fengjie (Sichuan Province) and Yichang (Hubei Province) are the magnificent Three Gorges.
Day 9
Yangtze River Cruise
Enjoy your Yangtze cruise! There will be an optional shore excursion to
Fengdu(on your own expense), the “Ghost City”. An excursion to Shibaozhai will be arranged as your shore excursion for you today.
Shibaozhai literally means Stone Treasure Fortress, located in Zhong County at the south bank of the Yangtze River
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: On Yangtze cruise boat
Note: The free shore excursion spots might be changed by cruise company without notice in advance in different season.
Today you will stop for a visit to Fengdu, is located on the northern bank of the Yangtze 176km downstream from Chongqing. Fengdu received its reputation in the Eastern Han Dynasty. A plethora of demon-decorated temples, buildings and statues in this river town earned it the moniker "Ghost City"-the carved facades are truly fascinating. The temples built on Mt. Mishan display punishing instruments and wild demon images, which vividly depict the Chinese people's imagination of Hell. Another classic site – Shibaozhai may for your optional visiting.
Day 10
Yangtze River Cruise
In the morning, there will be an optional shore excursion to
White Emperor City(on your own expense). Then the cruise boat will pass through Three Gorges that namely
Qutang Gorge,
Wu Gorge, and then
Xiling Gorge. Today you will have a excursion to
Goddess Stream(Shennv Stream), which is called "Beauty Stream" by locals.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: On Yangtze cruise boat
This morning, rise early to see the dawn light the Yangtze River before the boat enters the first gorge-
Qutang Gorge, the shortest (8 km), narrowest and the most dramatic one of the three gorges. Two mountains, Chijia (Red Passage) and Baiyan (White Salt), guard the entrance to this gorge like giant castle doors.
A few hours later you see the second gorge -Wu Gorge, the middle gorge which is best known for its quiet beauty, sheer cliffs and twelve unique peaks. Often veiled in swirls of mist, six line the north side of the river and six staggered peaks stand to the south. The most famous, Goddess Peak, resembles a kneeling maiden.
Shennv Stream, the locals called “Beauty Stream”, 15 kilometers long, because the water is rushing, shallow and narrow, including 10 km untraversed primitive valley. After the third phase of water storage, now we can explore the secret deep stream canyon, beautiful scenery and native residents “surprise” visitors. This mountain beautiful scene used to be known by only a minority of former photographer, now it becomes a new highlight of Yangtze River Cruise.
Day 11
Disembark, Yichang
Shanghai
Then it is time to pass through the locks of
Three Gorges Dam, climax despite of the nature sightseeing. It is the largest water conservancy project ever undertaken. You could really feel the might of the dam. After the visiting, disembark at Yichang and be transferred to visit
Three Visitors Cave after lunch, and then go to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. Arrive in Shanghai and be transferred to the hotel to catch up on some rest.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Shanghai
Today you will take a visit to the
great Three Gorges Dam. It is 2,335-meter long, 185-meter high, 18-meter wide on the top and 130-meter wide at the bottom. The dam will raise the river to a level of 175 meters above sea level, creating a 600km long reservoir with storage capacity of 39.9 billion cubic meters extending from the dam site all the way to Chongqing. It is the largest water conservancy project ever undertaken.
Then, return to your boat and have a nice lunch, it is really the time for you to say goodbye to the crews. You will take a flight from Yichang airport to Shanghai. For Shanghai, you have a lot to expect.
Shanghai is a city unlike any other in China. It is the bustling economic heartbeat of China that enjoys all of the comforts and amenities of a fully modern metropolis. Shanghai today looks to regain its former position at the turn of 20th of being one of the largest financial centers in the world behind New York and London. It is a city that seamlessly blends East and West.
A full day sightseeing starts with
Jade Buddha Temple. It is famous for the seated Buddha, encrusted with jewels, which is said to weigh 1,000 kg. And then, go to
Yuyuan Garden. It is regarded as a Chinese classic garden in city downtown. Then walk around the nearby
Chenghuangmiao Old Street. After lunch time, you will have an exterior tour of the
Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower which is one of the most charming landmarks of Shanghai. And then, go for shopping in
Nanjing Road - the earliest commercial street in Shanghai, and have a leisure walk along
the Bund - famous as a group of building known as "a Gallery of world architecture". After that, drive back to your hotel and free of the rest time.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Shanghai
Optional Night Activities: Acrobatic Show
Today you'll find a Buddhism shrine -
Jade Buddha Temple, which is located in a crowd of Shanghai City. It was first built in 1882 in Jiangwan on the southern outskirts of Shanghai. In order to make it convenient for the adherents to visit, it was bodily moved to Shanghai City at the present sire in 1918. It is named for its two bejeweled white jade Buddha. It receives thousands of visitors and worshipers everyday while keeps its sanctity and charming. Carved from a whole piece of white jade, the sitting jade Buddha statue is translucent with a solemn expression, displaying the excellent skill and extraordinary art of Chinese people.
Yuyuan Garden has a lot of stories for it was severely damaged in the 19th century and was restored in 1961. This garden was first built in the 16th century by provincial governor, Pan Yunduan, in honor of his father who was the then government minister. It has many scenic courtyards decorated with baroque rockery, pools, and flora that are all connected by corridors and passageways. The delicate design and exquisite layout of the whole garden reveals a strong impression of 'garden in the garden, whole in the part.
Completed in 1995 to a highly innovative design, Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower has become a symbol of excellence in architecture and is a favourite sight for tourists in Shanghai. At 468 meters, it is the third tallest TV and radio tower in the World.The tower is composed of the tower base with three batter posts, and three standing pillars, within which are elevators, holding 11 steel-structures creates the poetic conception as described in the old line "large and small pearls dropping onto a jade plate".
Then it comes to
the Bund, the showcase with the old buildings of colonial-era leftover along
Huangpu River. The renowned waterfront district is the city's most famous landmark. The word BUND is of Anglo-India origin meaning embankment on the waterfront. It is also the popular site to enjoy the night view of the city.
Shanghai offers colorful recreations with rich contents and creative form. Your night may be filled with an interactive old form of art known as the Acrobatics. Those professional performers have been trained of as early as age six or seven so that they can play so well and excellent. It definitely will be an unforgettable night in your memory.
Day 13
Departure Shanghai
The vacation is over all too soon as you're transferred to the airport to board the homebound flight, bidding a fond farewell to China, and we know you'll be back.
Meals: Breakfast
Service Ends
