China boasts one of the world’s oldest civilizations, a past that has been chronicled for more than 5,000 years. With its long and dramatic history, China offers endless cultural treasures. On this journey, we will discover the fascinating heritage and wealth of this enigmatic country, where the ancient and modern worlds mingle at every step. We visit the Great Wall, the Forbidden City in Beijing, the life size terracotta army in Xian, cruise on the majestic Yangtze River aboard Victoria Cruises’ “Victoria Empress” and spend time in modern Shanghai.
A highlight of our itinerary will be a walk along the Great Wall. One of the greatest wonders of the world, the Great Wall of China was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1987. The wall stretches approximately 6,700 kilometres, across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus. It was originally constructed in the 7th and 8th centuries BC as independent walls by three states, and did not become the “Great” wall until the Qin Dynasty. Emperor Qin Shi Huang succeeded in uniting the walls together to fend off invasions from the Huns in the north after the unification of China. Successive dynasties added to and reinforced the wall over the next 2,000 years, and much of what you see today is from the Ming Dynasty (17th century). Since the time of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the Great Wall has served as a monument of the Chinese nation.
This magnificent journey takes you to a land steeped in mystery, where the ancient and modern worlds mingle at every step.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Walk on the Great Wall
• Visit the Temple of Heaven & Forbidden
City
• Tang Dynasy show and dinner
• Chinese acrobatic performance
• Cruise the Yangtze's Three Gorges
• Terra Cotta Warriors
• Start in Beijing; Finish in Shanghai
ITINERARY
Day 01 Arrive Beijing
Welcome to Beijing! We will be met on arrival and transferred to our hotel.
Overnight: Novotel Xinqiao Hotel, Beijing
Meals: Dinner
Day 02 Beijing
We will begin our explorations with a tour of the Forbidden City, ancient residence of emperors and bastion of imperial power. The 250-acre palace contains more than 9000 rooms. Closed to all but the highest nobility for centuries, the city has been opened to the public since only 1949. We will also visit Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world, built to accommodate rallies of a million or more people.
We will visit the Summer Palace, located in Haidian District, some 12 kilometres northwest of downtown. The Summer Palace is the largest imperial garden in the world. It is a veritable museum of classical Chinese garden architecture. The whole Summer Palace is divided into three parts: the administrative area, the residential area and the scenic area. Dinner tonight will feature Beijing roast duck.
Overnight: Novotel Xinqiao Hotel, Beijing
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 03 Beijing-Great Wall
A highlight of our stay in Beijing is a walk along the Great Wall of China. We will stroll the ancient promenades, step into the water towers and photograph the wall rising and falling over impossibly steep mountain ridges far off in the distance. We will also visit the Ming tomb area, which includes a walk on the Sacred Way, and Changling Tomb. The Changling is the most magnificent tomb. The total area of the main building is 1956 square metres inside. There are 32 huge posts, the largest measuring 14 metres high.
The Sacred Way leads to mausoleums where a huge stone memorial archway lies at the front of the area. Constructed in 1540, during the Ming Dynasty, this archway is the earliest and biggest stone archway existing in China today. As one walks further in, a pavilion can be seen, in which lies a 50-ton tortoise carrying a stone tablet. A white marble Huabiao is positioned at each corner of the pavilion. On both sides of the Sacred Way there are 18 pairs of stone figures. They include statues of the lion, camel, elephant, horse, etc. There are also some figures of military and civilian ministers of the Ming Dynasty
Overnight: Novotel Xinqiao Hotel, Beijing
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 04 Beijing-Temple of Heaven & Hutong
We will spend the morning in the Hutong area for a glimpse of the local peoples’ lives. We will take a rickshaw ride through the narrow streets, visiting a local kindergarten. After a private lunch with a local family, we continue to the sublime Temple of Heaven, a 15th century Ming architectural masterpiece rising above a charming park. From there we venture northeast to Yonghe Gong Lama Temple, the Palace of Peace and Harmony. Now the foremost Buddhist temple in China, the elaborate complex was a centre of learning for the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Lamaism. It houses a fine collection of Tibetan art, including a 75-foot piece of sculpture carved from a single tree.
Overnight: Novotel Xinqiao Hotel, Beijing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 05 Beijing-Xian
Today we fly to the arid plains of Xian, a gateway to the ancient Silk Road that once linked China with travellers from as far away as Rome and Istanbul. The capital of eleven dynasties, Xian vividly exemplifies the extraordinary continuity of Chinese civilization. We will spend the afternoon exploring Xian’s astonishing past in such scenic antiquities as the Ming Gate and Bell Tower, and the Tang Dynasty-era Big Goose Pagoda, towering over the city.
Overnight: Xian Gloria Plaza Hotel, Xian
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 06 Xian
Xian’s most spectacular archaeological site, the army of life-like terra cotta soldiers and horses, is our focus today. The discovery astounded the world in 1974. Now enclosed beneath a protective hangar, the site contains some 8,000 individually sculpted warriors clad in armor. We will step into the adjoining museum to see the fantastic bronze chariot and figures that still have some of their original bright paint.
We will visit the Shan’xi Provincial Museum, and tonight we will enjoy the Tang Dynasty show and dinner.
Overnight: Xian Gloria Plaza Hotel, Xian
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 07 Xian-Chongqing
Today we fly from Xian to Chongqing, the “misty city.” This is the beginning point of our downstream cruise. We will visit the People’s Square and Chongqing Zoo (Panda Hall).
Overnight: Chongqing Carlton Hotel, Chongqing
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 08 Dazu & Yangtze River
Today we will visit the famous Chongqing Dazu Grottoes, which ranks as one of the best preserved stone caves, traced back to over 900 years ago. In the afternoon we will visit a local farmer’s house and then transfer to the pier for our cruise after dinner.
Overnight: On board
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 09 Yangtze River
Today’s shore excursion, depending on scheduling, will feature one of the historic sights soon to be submerged by the planned new dam. One is Shibaozai, where a Buddhist temple and Qing Pavilion cling to a massive 295-foot high rock. Another is the historic market town of Wanxian, which rises from the riverbank amid splendid surroundings. Back on the ship, we will enjoy ever-changing panoramas, as well as a choice of activities. Listen to onboard narratives of local sights such as old Fengdu, a “ghost city” steeped in legend. We will dock overnight near the entrance to the Three Gorges.
Overnight: On board
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10 Yangtze River
Our second day on the river is devoted to the splendour of the gorges. To boatmen and navigators, these were once perilous passages. But now we glide easily through Qutang Gorge, where towering green hills drop steeply to the river, and Wu Gorge, where the celebrated Twelve Peaks are all more than 1000 feet high. A pea-boat excursion takes us through the gorges of Shennong Stream, home to exotic flowers, playful monkeys and hanging Coffins, a series of unique burial niches. We will take in the wild grandeur of Xiling Gorge and the incredible engineering of the Three Gorge Dam Project Site, where we will go ashore for a tour.
Overnight: On board
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11 Yichang-Shanghai
We bid farewell to our cruise hosts as we disembark in Yichang at around 9:00 am. We will visit the Museum of Chinese Sturgeon and then fly to Shanghai, where we will be transferred to our hotel
Overnight: Shanghai Hotel, Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 12 Shanghai- Suzhou-Shanghai
Today we enjoy a trip to Suzhou by train. Often called the “Venice of the East” because of its network of waterways and canals, which are graced by 300 bridges dating back to the Ming Dynasty, Suzhou is a port city renowned for its historical and cultural heritage. The city is blessed with excellent land, water and air transportation, making it easily accessible by most of the nation’s larger markets and distribution centres. We will take a boat ride down the Grand Canal, China’s ancient commercial waterway. We will also visit the Humble Administrator’s Garden and Garden of Net Master, which are perhaps the finest examples of the classic gardening style in all of China.
Overnight: Shanghai Hotel, Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 13 Shanghai
We will spend the day touring the diverse attractions of this vibrant, trend-setting metropolis. Stroll the waterfront Bund, surrounded by art deco buildings from Shanghai’s colonial era and the sleek new skyscrapers of its futuristic Pudong District. We will step into the past as we cross the zigzag bridge into Yu Yuan Gardens, and then explore the mystical Jade Buddha Temple and the teeming lanes of the Old Quarter. We will see a charming display of cultural skills mastered by youngsters at the Children’s Palace. We complete the day watching the daring performance of Shanghai’s famous Acrobats, who stage an original, high-spirited and surprisingly beautiful presentation.
Overnight: Shanghai Hotel, Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 14 Depart Shanghai
Today we bid farewell to China as we are transferred to the airport for our international flights home.
Meals: Breakfast
Important Note:
Although we will try our utmost to confirm the hotels as listed in this itinerary, please be advised that they are subject to change, in which case hotels of similar quality will be substituted.
This trip itinerary represents the most current information available; however the price and itinerary are subject to change without prior notice.
FACT FILE
• Qualified English-speaking local guides
• All domestic transportation by private vehicle
•.All internal flights
• Entrance fees to monuments
• Daily Breakfast, and Lunch or Dinner
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click map for larger image |
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| Tour Itinerary |
| Day 1 |
Arrive Beijing |
| Day 2 |
Beijing |
| Day 3 |
Beijing-Great Wall |
| Day 4 |
Beijing-Temple of Heaven & Hutong |
| Day 5 |
Beijing-Xian |
| Day 6 |
Xian |
| Day 7 |
Xian-Chongqing |
| Day 8 |
Dazu & Yangtze River |
| Day 9 |
Yangtze River |
| Day 10 |
Yangtze River |
| Day 11 |
Yichang-Shanghai |
| Day 12 |
Shanghai- Suzhou-Shanghai |
| Day 13 |
Shanghai |
| Day 14 |
Depart Shanghai |
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| Tour Information |
| Cost: |
Per person, double occupancy
2008
Sep 14-27: US$ 3295
Nov 12-25: US$ 3295
2009
Apr 12-25: US$ 3395 approx
Sep 13-26: US$ 3495 approx
Single supplement: US$ 1325 |
| Length: |
14 days |
| Limit: |
18 Participants |
| Start: |
Beijing |
| End: |
Shanghai |
| Deposit: |
US$ 500/C$ 500 per person |
| Note: |
If you are a single traveler who is willing to share, we can try to match you up with an appropriate roommate. However, if we are unsuccessful, please be advised that the single supplement will apply. |
| International Airfare: |
International airfare is not included in the cost of your trip. Please contact our office and speak to Neetu for a quote on airfare from your home city. |
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| Departure Dates |
| 2008 Departures |
 Sep 14-27
Nov 12-25 |
| 2009 Departures |
Apr 12-25
Sep 13-26 |
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