Beijing China Highlight & Yangtze 12 Day Tour

Arrival in Beijing, met and transferred to your hotel ( booked by us ) in Beijing. In the afternoon, visit Temple of Heaven , the place where the emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties worshiped heaven and prayed for peace and harvest. You are at your leisure to take a good rest or explore the city for the remainder of the day.

Meal: No

Starting the day with a visit to Tiananmen Square , the world largest square of this kind. You will be given the details of all the buildings in and around the square including Mao's mausaleum, the National Museum, the Parliament Building.

Then go through an underground tunnel to the imperial palace, also known as the "Forbidden City ", the complex of imperial palace, which was home to the Emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties for over 500 years. The total area of the complex is 183 acres, so it takes quite a while to walk through, especially if you want to have a close look at everything. All together there are 9,999 1/2 rooms in the Museum, not all of which can be visited.

After Chinese lunch, continue to visit Summer Palace , the largest and most beautiful Chinese imperial garden. It is regarded as a museum of gardens in China. Located in Haidian district, about 15km from Beijing center, Summer Palace covers an area of 290 hectares. Its predecessor was the Garden of Clear Ripples (Qingyiyuan) started in 1750 and burned down by the British and French allied troops in 1860.

Tonight you are arranged to see the acrobatics show at Red Theatre. China acrobatics has a long history which can be traced back to Neolithic times. It is learned that acrobatics came from people"s labor and self-defense skills. As the world economy developed, acrobatics was also developed into a kind of performance art. Acrobatics has become a well-known worldwide performing arts.

It is a fantastic experience and spectacular to watch the amazing acrobatics as well as sound and light effects. The acts are very well choreographed and the acrobats are really top class. The show overall is very entertaining. After the show, transferred back to your hotel.

After breakfast, you are picked up at your hotel around 8:00am. Drive to the Ming Tombs ( Dingling, one of the 13 Ming Dynasty Tombs complex ). From the Yongle Emperor onwards, 13 Ming Dynasty Emperors were buried in this area. You will visit Dingling, the tomb of the Wanli Emperor, which is the only one of the Ming Dynasty Tombs to have been excavated.

After Chinese lunch, head to Mutainyu Great Wall to start your highlight of your Beijing tour, hiking the Great Wall of China, a massive military defense works which was left from the Ming dynasty. It is a very spectacular view. You will take lots of pictures. Back to your hotel.

Pick up from your hotel in Beijing around 6:00am and take early morning high-speed train (second class seating) starting from Beijing West Railway Station for Xian. Arriving at Xian North Railway Station at noon, met and transferred to a local restaurant for Chinese lunch.

Afternoon you will visit the Terracotta Warriors - a lifetime viewing of the extraordinary 2200-year-old terracotta Army of China's First Emperor-Qin Shihuang. The emperor Qin Shi Huang who was the first emperor to unite China in 221 BC started to build his own mausoleum 35 years before his death.

His son finished the mausoleum after his death. The Terracotta Army was to protect him after his death. Only a small part of the Terracotta Army has been restored. The museum shows different stages in the slow restoration process. Then, you will take a short visit to the Pottery-making House.

After having the local flavor dinner - Dumpling Dinner, enjoy Tang Dynasty Show in the evening. The Tang Dynasty Show showcases the costumes, music, and dancing of China's golden age: the Tang dynasty (618 - 907). The show begins with an ancient Chinese musical instrument ensemble while you dine and then later the cultural dance segment begins.

The costumes are splendid and you can get some really nice photos if you sit near the stage. Dumpling, or Jiaozi in Chinese, is one of the most representative Chinese food. The food can be dated back two thousands years ago.

Transferred back to your hotel.

Xian

After breakfast at hotel, your city tour begins with a visit to the Shaanxi Provincial History Museum - a large modern museum of the national level where you will see the artifacts that have been collected in Shaanxi Province since the upper Cave Man 18,000 years ago.

Then move on to Big Goose Pagoda ( Ascending the pagoda is optional). The Pagoda is over 1000 years old and has 6 levels. It was used to store and protect Buddhist writings in the past. The Big Goose Pagoda is situated in the Da Ci'en Temple, four kilometers south away from the center of the city.

It is one of the city's most distinctive and outstanding landmarks, possibly the most beautiful building left in Xian today. Ascending the Pagoda is optional.

After lunch, visit the Great Mosque, the biggest and most preserved complete Chinese existent mosque. It was first built at the Tianbao first year (742 years) during Tang Dynasty.

Then visit the Xian City Wall , a symbol of great significance of the famous historic cultural city of Xian. The City Wall started to be built in 194 B.C. The wall is 25.7 KM in length and is 12-16 meters in the base. Bicycles can be rented to ride. The wall encloses a city area of 36 square kilometers. Transferred back to your hotel.

Take morning flight for Chongqing. Your afternoon Chongqing tour starts with the visit to Ciqikou Ancient Town. The old town is located in Shapingba district of Chongqing and on the west bank of Jialing River. The majority of the houses date from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Then come back to the city center and visit Stillwell Museum. Stillwell Museum is situated in the Yuzhong District in Chongqing city to commemorate General Joseph W. Stilwell (1883 - 1946) who contributed greatly to China during the World War II.

After dinner, you are transferred to the Dock for your Yangtze River trip ( overnight on board ).

Continue to cruise on the Yangtze River. Today you will be arranged to have a shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City. Fengdu is the only ghost city in China, which is famous for its ghost culture. First take a cable car up to the hill and visit the temples all over the mountain with many statues. Then, return to the ship and move towards the fantastic Three Gorges.

Contininue to cruise on Yangtze River. Today enter the Qutang Gorge Cruise ship carefully pilots its way through the narrow course.Qutang Gorge, the first gorge of the Three Gorges on Yangtze River. Of all the Three Gorges, Qutang Gorge is the shortest, but the most majestic.

At Wushan, disembark the ship and board smaller vessels in order to explore either the Daning River (or Shennong Stream).

Reboard the ship and sail through the Wu Gorge. Wu Gorge (巫峡), one of the Three Gorges between Qutang Gorge and Xiling Gorge. Wu Gorge is the most famous and beautiful gorge of the three, with a total length of over 40 km starting from the mouth of the Daning River( the Little Three Gorges ) of the riverside town of Wushan to the Guandukou Town of Batong( Guandukou is 17km west of the riverside town of Badong County ).

Pass through the Xiling Gorge which is the longest and historically the most dangerous of the Three Gorges. Then move on to the massive the Three Gorges Dam and disembark for a tour of this engineering marvel at Sandouping Village. Yangtze Three Gorges Project (TGP), as one of the biggest hydro-power-complex project in the world, ranks as the key project for improvement and development of Yangtze River.

After lunch on board, You will arrive in in Yichang. Transfer from cruise to airport in Yichang for your flight for Shanghai. Arrival at Shanghai, met by our English speaking tour guide and transferred to the prearranged hotel in Shanghai. You are at leisure for the remainder of the day.

Free activity in the morning. Picked up from your hotel around 12:00am and have Chinese lunch. After Chinese lunch, visit Yu yuan Garden. Yuyuan is the famous gardens in Shanghai where you will see how a large beautiful garden was made by a rich rice merchant 400 years ago. Adjoining these gardens is an old shopping area with narrow streets and buildings that were of a typically old Chinese style. There are many small streets and lanes where vendors sell their products and food stuffs to the tourists and local people.

Finally visit the new development zone in Pudong - Lujiazui, which is teeming with the futuristic, avant-garde buildings - Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Building, Bank of China Tower. Taking the elevator to the 88-storey Observation Deck of Jinmao Tower where you will have a spectacular view of the whole city.

First visit Shanghai Museum , the selection of over 112,000 Chinese cultural relics from the Old Stone Age to modern times. You will be amazed to see the pottery that is over 10,000 years old. You have to go quickly though all the 4 floors.

Then proceed to visit the pedestrians only Nanjing Pedestrian Road , a walking bustling street that is always packed with people watching other people. It is regarded as the first commercial road in Shanghai. The 5.5-km long Nanjing Road is the most bustling and prosperous street in Shanghai. You will walk from East Nanjing Road to the Bund.

Then move on to the Bund , one of the most noted waterfront and architectural symbols of Shanghai.Bund is lined with about 50 various buildings of different architectural styles including Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and the Renaissance. Standing on the Bund, you will have a spine-tingling view of the Pudong Skyline.

After Chinese lunch, take one hour cruising on Huang Pu River. You start with the Hangpu River Cruise that will take you along the skyscrapers on the new area known as Pudong. Then you ruise to the west side of the river that has many skyscrapers and the famous Bund that has a row of the early 20th century buildings near the river. Back to your hotel.

Transfer to airport for departure or free on your own and end your pleasant China trip.