DAY 1 USA – Beijing, China

The wonders of the mighty Yangtze River await you. As you board your flight to Beijing, prepare to encounter the marvelous sights and sounds of China.

DAY 2 Arrive in Beijing

Meet your guide at the airport and enjoy a convenient transfer to your hotel. Check in and spend the remainder of the day at your leisure.

DAY 3 Beijing

Discover Beijing’s fascinating history and rich cultural heritage on today’s sightseeing tour. Bursting with energy yet still a cradle of ancient traditions, the city has many famous sights, all demanding to be seen and explored. View famous Tiananmen Square , which takes its name from its Gate of Heavenly Peace, and pass Chairman Mao’s Memorial Hall on your way to the Forbidden City , a vast 15th-century palace complex that was home to 24 Ming and Qing Emperors for over 500 years. Visit the serene Summer Palace, a garden of lakeside hills, marble bridges and temples that was a summer retreat for China’s rulers.

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner at hotel

DAY 4 Beijing

Today, travel to the Great Wall of China, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Stretching for 5,500-mile across northern China from the Gobi Desert to the Korean border, this extraordinary wall was constructed 2,600 years ago to defend against Mongol invaders. Stride along its ramparts in the steps of the one million soldiers who once stood guard here. After lunch, head to the Sacred Way, sometimes called the ‘Divine Way’. This gently curving road – its bends designed to confuse evil spirits – was believed to lead to and from heaven and is lined with intricately carved figures of animals and humans. Complete our day with photo stops at two of Beijing’s modern attractions – the stellar Bird’s Nest stadium and Water Cube Aquatics Centre – both built for the 2008 Olympics – cap your explorations.

Included: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 5 Beijing – Yichang- Yangtze River Cruise

Today, visit the beautiful Temple of Heaven, an imperial complex once used by China’s emperors for annual prayer ceremonies for good harvests. Afterward, fly to Yichang, the economic hub of China’s Hubei province, to begin your Yangtze River cruise. Shuttle from Yichang to the ship at Maoping . Embark on your 5-star Victoria Cruises ship, the Victoria Jenna, and settle into your comfortable superior cabin for your four-night cruise along the world’s third-longest river.

Included: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 6 Yangtze River Cruise

This morning, visit the monumental Three Gorges Dam, the world’s biggest hydroelectric project, whose building wrought massive and permanent change to the Yangtze and its landscapes. After viewing this engineering feat, sail through Xiling Gorge, the longest and deepest of the gorges.

Included: Breakfast at hotel, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 7 Yangtze River Cruise

Depending on the weather today, take a memorable excursion along the enchanting Shennong Stream or Goddess Stream, beautiful tributaries of the Yangtze. Back on your main river ship, soak in the quiet beauty of the idyllic Wu Gorge with its forested mountains and sheer cliffs; and continue cruising through Qutang Gorge , the narrowest and most dramatic gorge with its spectacular mountains and jagged peaks.

Included: Breakfast at hotel, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 8 Yangtze River Cruise

This morning, visit Xiaoguanshan Ancient Folk Culture Park near Fengdu . It is a noted site for the relocation and reconstruction of architectural and cultural relics, after the water level rose on the Yangtze as a result of the Three Gorges Dam project. The park reproduces historic ancient residential buildings, courtyards, temples, wood carvings and city gates in the Fengdu region, providing a deep sense of its history and ancient way of life. Performances here include Sichuan opera, acrobatics, folk music, and puppet shows.
Mount Shuanggui faces the Yangtze River, and is a national forest park known for its picturesque scenery, which integrates history, culture and modern art. Mt. Shuanggui has for centuries been a favorite destination for literati and artists. There are cliff brush writings of calligraphists here from the Song Dynasty to the present day, and pavilions are named for notable historic figures.

Included: Breakfast at hotel, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 9 Yangtze River Cruise - Chongqing - Xian

Disembark your cruise ship this morning at Chongqing and enjoy a visit to the Chongqing zoo, home to giant pandas. See these beautiful, rare animals in the enclosure and view the city’s Great Hall of the People before flying to Xian, known as the ‘Eternal City’ and once the capital of China’s Middle Kingdom..

Included: Breakfast at hotel, Dinner at hotel

DAY 10 Xian

Today heralds a highlight of your tour: a visit to Xian’s incredible Terracotta Warriors. Discovered in 1974, this life-size, clay army of 6,000 warriors and horses was sculpted by hand 2,200 years ago to guard China’s first emperor in the afterlife. Wonder at the individual facial features of each soldier and inspect the incredible details of the statues, including the finely wrought studs on their shoes. After lunch,, visit Xian’s ancient City Wall, built in the Ming Dynasty, and Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a 65-metre high Buddhist temple. This evening, sit down to a Tang Dynasty show with dinner.

Included: Breakfast at hotel, Lunch, Dinner and show

DAY 11 Xian - Shanghai

Today begins with a short flight to Shanghai, China’s most dynamic city and its economic capital. Famously fast-moving and forward-looking, this ultra-modern city still has remnants of old China in the form of traditional temples, gardens and tea houses. Today, experience the best of this high-energy city, with visits to the frenetic Nanjing Road shopping district and bustling City God Temple bazaar. This evening, sit down to a thrilling Chinese Acrobatics show .

Included: Breakfast, Dinner and show

DAY 12 Shanghai

Step back in time today at the Shanghai Museum . View its extensive collections of Chinese art and antiquities, and later, take a stroll along the Bund waterfront. This handsome promenade traces the Huangpu River and is flanked by majestic colonial-era buildings and stirring views of the glass skyscrapers of the booming Pudong district.

Included: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 13 Shanghai - USA

Transfer to the airport today for your return flight to the US.

Included: Breakfast