Yangtze Cruise with China Golden Triangle Tour

• Day 1 (Sat) Beijing

  Meet and transfer to the hotel upon arrival
  HOTEL: CHANG AN GRAND HOTEL BEIJING or Beijing Shangri-La Traders Hotel in similar (superior class)

• Day 2 (Sun) Beijing

  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

  This morning we start tours to Tian’anmen Square and the extravagant the largest Imperial Palace in the world - the Forbidden City of Supreme Harmony and Dignity (UNESCO).
  Then we approach to the largest imperial garden in the world, the elegant Summer Palace (UNESCO) including cruise on the shimmering waters of Kunming Lake.
  After that we visit the Pandas Garden in Beijing Zoo. It has been breeding the largest numbers of pandas as an institution away from the original habitat areas and it constitutes with other Panda Sanctuaries for being the UNESCO site. Tonight we enjoy cultural show.

• Day 3 (Mon) Beijing

  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

  This morning we start tours first to iconic ‘Beijing 2008 Olympic Center’ -the Bird’s Nest & Water Cube –where hosts to many spectacular events. We stroll around the outside for photography, and then we continue to the Great Wall Badaling (UNESCO) and walking along its ramparts for breathtaking view of the largest man power project in ancient.
  After that we approach to the mountain valley of the best geomancy site -the Ming Dynasty’s Imperial Tomb (UNESCO) including visit the Sacred Stature Road. If time available we visit a Jade Stone Carving Factory and observe the skilled artisans at work as they create intricate designs.

• Day 4 (Tue) Beijing

  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Special Dinner

  This morning we visit another renowned imperial site –the Temple of Heaven (UNESCO) including visit the Imperial Hall of Pray Harvest, the Imperial Vault and the Imperial Sacrificial Altar. We see the echo wall and stones in the vault and on the altar where the emperors whispered with the Celestial Beings by the special features of the phenomenon utilize the theory of sound wave. We will see local people doing Taiji and morning exercises there.
  Then we visit Beijing City Planning Museum and watch a 3D film which tells the glory history and fast changes of Beijing, many visiting presidents paid a visit while they had a limited time in Beijing.
  Afternoon we take the old–fashioned Pedi cab to the historical sites behind main streets by Hutong Tour. We visit Pearl Workshop if time available.
  Tonight we enjoy Peking Duck Dinner.

• Day 5 (Wed) Beijing – Xi'an (by air)

  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

  We take later morning flight from Beijing to Xian-the ancient capital over 1100 years and check in hotel.
  HOTEL: XIAN AURUM INTERNATIONAL or similar (superior)
  Sightseeing in the afternoon: Big Wild Goose Pagoda & Provincial Museum. The Big Wide Goose Pagoda Temple was regarded the landmark of Xian. When the dynasties expanded its territories enormously to the west with many Buddhism Scriptures, Monks and the envoys came to China, the temple was built and a larger team of scholars was organized here for translation of the Buddhism Scriptures into Chinese and it became a holy place for pilgrimages. Behind the pagoda is the courtyard, which tells great Buddhism envoys story. The provincial Museum shows us Chinese archaeology’s excavation at Xian Areas from very beginning of Chinese primogenitors of Neolithic Age 20000-8000 years ago to the glorious dynasties 980AD. It has numerous collections and treasures on display.

• Day 6 (Thu) Xi'an

  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Special Dinner

  Full day excursion tour to the femurs UNESCO site of Qin Terra-cotta Warriors & Bronze Chariots, We will see all excavated Exhibition 1, 2 ,3, 4 and watching the archaeologists are continuing on the fields for further excavation. Then we watch the Circle Vision Movie of the historical story. Afternoon on the route back the city we visit the Ceramics & Pottery Center.
  Tonight Dumpling Dinner & Tang Dynasty Show.

• Day 7 (Fri) Xi'an – Chongqing (By air) - Yangtze River Cruise

  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

  Fly to Chongqing. Afternoon sightseeing: Yangtze River Museum & the Second World War Memorials.
  Embark MV. Paradise before 8 p.m. and set sailing at mid-night.
  MV PARADISE – CITS PRESIDENT CRUISES NO.6 (superior)
  The UNESCO site of Yangtze River with Three Gorges is the third longest in the world and the largest in China with stirring, riffle water along with swirling bubbles. Many isolated small villages and numberless local temples and pagodas, historical sites along the river side bring us a geography, history and legends beyond our images. Relax with drinking and eating inclusive just as a parting & appreciation extension that extremely brings us into a most beautiful vacation, not else. The President Cruises are superior & luxury boats specially designed for foreign visitors and it has provided the excellent service for over 18 years with a good reputation. The staff are very talent and even organize us for join their talent show and entertainments on board.

• Day 8 (Sat) Yangtze River Cruise

  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

  Start our sailing for a distance of 430 miles in all the great gorges and the deep mountain valleys. Afternoon we reach to the Ghost City of Fengdu for a shore excursion, the temples here reveal ancient Chinese religion and legends with their imaged constructions and the ghost statures for people lucky praying. We could also have a glimpse of the new settlement town by the relocation of the new dam construction. Return back the boat and continue sailing.
  It is subject to visit Shibozai Pagoda on the cliff which has been always regarded a pearl along the river for people praying for good luck in the ancient.

• Day 9 (Sun) Yangtze River Cruise

  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

  Sailing into the first Qutang Gorge and the second Wu Gorge and the river changes to wildly stirring, riffle water along with numerous swirling bubbles. The mossy cliffs are hemmed by the hanging pathways under the Twelve Peaks. After the boat reaches to famed Shennong Stream, we change to the small boat and sail deep into the fabled Three Lesser Gorges of 3 hours exploration. After we get to the upstream we change to small sampan pulling up by man tracker on bubbled water to the ethnic villages, they celebrate our visiting by singing local songs along the sampan trip while we enjoy the most scenic of all gorges for an excursion
  After return back the boat, we continue sail into the third Xiling Gorge and pass through many historical sites. Finally sail through the huge Three Gorges Dam and the 5 ship locks with lowering the boat down 412 feet.

• Day 10 (Mon) Yangtze River Cruise – Yichang – Shanghai (by air)

  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

  Continue Sailing in Xiling Gorge then take a shore excursion to the New Dam site in the morning
  Afternoon disembarkation at Yichang and fly to Shanghai.
  HOTEL: GALAXY HOTEL SHANGHAI or similar (superior)

• Day 11 (Tue) Shanghai

  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

  This morning we start visit Old Downtown and classical Yu Garden. Old Downtown has many narrow zigzag lanes, small squares, fish pond and pavilions and it collects many favorite local bars, restaurants, tea houses and souvenir shops. The Yu Garden (UNESCO Site) built 400 years ago, is a famous ancient private garden with architectures of Ming and Qing dynasties. Owing to its ingenious design, zigzag layout by pavilions, chambers and towers, opera stage, elegant rocks and bridges on the mirroring lakes and moats. It became a real museum of Chinese ancient architecture. The vividly brick-carving figures of warlords & warriors, unique animals standing on the roofs of ancient buildings and the huge dragons decorated on the range of walls, feature the garden to a unique. Afternoon we visit Shanghai Museum. The attractions include enormous finest stone sculptures, bronze-ware, porcelain, calligraphic works, Chinese paintings and ancient furniture. After the Museum we stroll to the People Square. The surroundings are the best collection of modern architecture. If time available we visit the Carpet Factory. Tonight we enjoy the famous Shanghai Acrobatic Show.

• Day 12 (Wed) Shanghai

  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

  Today we take tour excursion to a well-preserved historical site, the Ancient Water-town of Zhujiajiao to see another unchanged face of Shanghai where EPEC leaders visited while they were in Shanghai. Then we return back the city and visit Jade Buddha Temple. Breakfast, Lunch included. Dinner on your own.

• Day 13 (Thu) Shanghai

  Meals: Breakfast

  Free at leisure and departure transfer to airport for homeward flight.
  End of tour.

Tour package includes:
-- 4 nights accommodation with buffet breakfast at Chang An Grand Hotel Beijing or similar Beijing Shangri-La Traders hotel
-- 2 nights accommodation with buffet breakfast at Aurum International Xian or similar
-- 3 nights Cruise on MV. Paradise of CITS President Cruises No.6
-- 3 nights accommodation with buffet breakfast at Galaxy Hotel Shanghai or similar
-- Sightseeing with lunch and dinner as listed in above itinerary, including Peking Duck Dinner & Peking Opera in Beijing & Dumpling Dinner & Tang Dynasty Show in Xian, Acrobatic in Shanghai
-- Professional English speaking tour guide service
-- Land transfers, River Cruises & domestic flight air tickets with the airport tax
Cost excludes:
-- International flights & airport tax.
-- The domestic flights fuel surcharges at additional charges
-- Personal expenses & gratuities to guide, driver & porters