Grand China Yangtze Tour (Deluxe)

Day 01 Shanghai

Arrive in Shanghai, the biggest city and commercial heart of People's Republic of China. Have a good rest in the 5-star Le Royal Meridien Hotel.

Day 02 Shanghai (B, L)

Take a city tour to visit the city's major attractions and get a general understanding of this city. You will enjoy a wonderful tour to Yu Garden, one of the four finest Chinese gardens, and Bund area, the former French Concession area and Shanghai Museum, which possesses a collection of 120,000 precious works of art. Its rich and high-quality collection of ancient Chinese bronze, ceramics, painting and calligraphy is specially celebrated in the world. Have lunch at Shanghai Uncle Restaurant, a cavernous and brash red-themed restaurant in the basement of the Bund Center where old Shanghai favorites are given a modern makeover.

Day 03 Shanghai (B, L)

Today you will visit Zhujiajiao which lies in suburban Shanghai. It is a time-honored and well-preserved old town. About 10,000 homes flank the riverside, forming an elegant and graceful ink painting. The unique houses, quaint streets and rustic folk customs are always attractive to visitors. Enjoy a local flavor lunch at this ancient town. Drive back to Shanghai and experience the local life of Shanghai people by visiting the unique Shikumen, the traditional houses for them.

Day 04 Shanghai / Beijing (B, L)

Fly to Beijing in the morning. Check into the 5-star Raffles Beijing Hotel. Spend the afternoon exploring the Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Art and Archaeology, a highlight of Peking University’s verdant campus. It offers not only a wealth of treasures but also well-cured exhibits. With over 10,000 objects, it presents many collections as they were excavated. Lunch will be arranged at Jiangnafu Restaurant which is famous for its Hangzhou style cuisine.

Day 05 Beijing (B, L)

Morning program takes you to the Mutianyu Great Wall, which stands as a monument to both the strength and the weakness of the Chinese Ming Dynasty. You will learn, touch, and explore the history of a wall built over 300 years ago, yet which remains largely intact as it snakes endlessly across the mountain ridgelines. You will have lunch at Xiaolumian restaurants, a family style one in Huai Rou district. And then drive to enjoy the 798 Art Zone, which houses a thriving artist community, among 50-year old decommissioned military factory buildings of unique architectural style. It is often compared with New York's Greenwich Village.

Day 06 Beijing (B, L)

Today's highlight is a visit to Forbidden City, which was served as the home of the Emperor and his household, as well as the ceremonial and political centre of Chinese government for almost five centuries. Our expert will guide you to appreciate the history and beauty of Forbidden City. Afternoon features the Summer Palace, once served as a summer resort for Empress Dowager Cixi. In December 1998, UNESCO included the Summer Palace on its World Heritage List. It declared the Summer Palace an "outstanding expression of the creative art of Chinese landscape garden design, incorporating the works of humankind and nature in a harmonious whole." It is a popular tourist destination but also serves as a recreational park. And then continue to visit the Olympic Stadiums (outside view). Lunch today will be booked at Lulu's Restaurant, a Shanghai style cuisine popular restaurant for local Beijing people.

Day 07 Beijing (B, L)

Today you will have a chance to experience the rural life of China on a tour to the Chuandixia Village, where you will not only see the typical local buildings of Ming and Qing Dynasties that survived from the long history, but also can learn the modern life of rural family. The beautiful countryside scenery will also be a highlight of the tour. Enjoy your local cuisine at this unique town.

Day 08 Beijing / Xian (B, L)

Fly to Xian in the morning. Upon arrival, check into the 5-star Shangri-la Xian to have a rest. You will have your lunch at the luxury decorated Chinese Restaurant: True Love Restaurant, which serves the Shaanxi local cuisine. In the afternoon, you will visit the Shaanxi History Museum, the first huge state museum with modern facilities in China. It has been called the "bright pearl of ancient city, treasure house of China."

Day 09 Xian (B, L)

A full day of sightseeing features one of tour highlights, the army of Terra-cotta soldiers, created 2,200 years ago to protect Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife. Pay a short visit to the local family to experience their daily life. Today you will have your lunch at the Old Xian Restaurant, a famous one for its Shaanxi local cuisine. After lunch drive back to the city and visit the Great Mosque, one of the oldest and most renowned mosques in China. It is really well worth a trip to see the Great Mosque, not only for its centuries-old history but also for its particular design of mixed architecture - traditional Muslim and Chinese styles.

Day 10 Xian / Guilin (B, L)

Today you will have the chance to further expose to cultural relics by joining the white-grove activities in Small Pagoda Museum. Enjoy a Sichuan cuisine lunch at Sichuan Huiguan Restaurant. In the afternoon, fly to Guilin. Its name means "forest of Sweet Osmanthus", owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city. The city has long been renowned for its unique scenery. Check into the 5-star Hotel of Modern Art.

Day 11 Guilin (B, L)

Today you will enjoy the masterpieces of nature by visiting Reed Flute Cave, which is paired as a "Palace of Nature Art". The beautiful stalactites here experience a long formation process: calcium carbonate of rocks had being dissolved in groundwater; then after millions of years' depositing, accumulating and riming; it had turned into the stalactites we see now. You will have your lunch at Zeng San's Family Restaurant, a popular Guilin cuisine local restaurant. Go on to visit the Elephant Trunk Hill another symbol of Guilin landscape.

Day 12 Guilin (B, L)

After breakfast, you will head for the pier and then enjoy an exploration of Li River Cruise through the mist-shrouded limestone mountains, passing picturesque farms and fishing villages.

Day 13 Guilin / Chongqing (B, L)

After breakfast fly to Chongqing, the mountain city. Enjoy your buffet lunch at Holiday Inn Yangtze Hotel. After a short visit to the ancient town of Ciqikou and the General Stiwill Museum, you will board 5-star American Victoria for your Yangtze River Cruise.

Day 14 Chongqing (B, L, D)

Have an early get-up to enjoy a spectacular journey on the mighty Yangtze River. After lunch, you will disembark at the ancient Fengdu and enjoy a visit to the legendary city of ghost. Before return to the cruise for the welcome banquet, you will explore the city of ghost by visiting the local temples.

Day 15 Yangtze River Cruise (B, L , D)

Today's highlight is the cruise through the first of the fabled Three Gorges: Qutang Gorge framed by steep mossy cliffs Wu Gorge, celebrated for its 12 peaks and Xiling Gorge, the last and most scenic of all the gorges. You will have a memorable experience of the shore excursion of Shennong Stream with a sampan tour through the treacherous gorges.

Day 16 Yangtze River Cruise / Yichang / Guangzhou (B, L)

Today you will have a stop at Sandouping to view the historic Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric project in the world. After the shore excursion of Three Gorges Dam, you will disembark at Yichang in the afternoon. Upon arrival, transfer to the airport and fly to Guangzhou. You will be met by your guide and transferred to the 5-star Garden Hotel.

Day 17 Guangzhou / Hong Kong (B, L)

Today you will visit the biggest, best preserved and decorated clan complex in Guangdong, Chen Clan Academy. It features classic excellences of typical Lingnan architecture, well-and-balanced layout, exquisite, and richly-decorated. You are greeted in a spacious square just outside and then attracted into the open matrix of four landscaped courtyards, imposing halls and peaceful corridors inside. Wood, brick and stone carvings, clay and pottery sculptures, iron structuring, glazed glass windows, painting, calligraphies and so on by local masters are all in functional art here and there. Have your lunch at Lianxiang Pavilion Restaurant to enjoy an authentic Cantonese meal and then take the express train to Hong Kong. Upon arrival, check into the 5-star Kowloon Shangri-la.

Day 18 Hong Kong (B)

Transfer to the airport for your departure flight. The whole tour ends with a memorable trip.