Yangtze River Cruise Tour
from Beijing to Xian and Shanghai
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Beijing,
Xi’an, Chongqing, Yangtze River Cruise, Yichang,
Shanghai 11 days 10 nights Luxury Cruise and Tours
Highlights:
• Cruise down the Yangtze
River, China’s most important river and the
world’s 3rd longest. On your cruise you’ll go on
onshore trips to exciting destinations and
you’ll cap it off with a visit to the Three
Gorges Dam, the world’s largest dam
• On this tour you’ll travel in high fashion,
with the best hotels, meals, and cultural
entertainment at your disposal
• Explore the three most famous cities of China:
Beijing, China’s capital and Olympic city,
Shanghai, China’s largest city and it’s window
to the west, and Xi’an, China’s ancient capital
and home to the Terracotta Warriors and other
attractions that were vital to the development
of Chinese culture
Standard
Tour and Luxury Tour Packages Available.
B=breakfast;
L=lunch; D=dinner Departure:
Upon booking |
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LUXURY TOUR ITINERARY |
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Tour code:
P-BXCCS |
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| DAY 01 |
Arrive in Beijing
Upon arrival at the Beijing airport, you
will be me by your local
English-speaking guide, and he/she will
take you to your hotel, the Beijing
International Hotel, a 5 star hotel
located in downtown Beijing. If time
permits, we can get started with some
sightseeing, but if not, you are free to
spend the night at your own leisure, and
resting up for the days ahead.
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Beijing International Hotel  |
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| DAY 02 |
Beijing (B, L, D)
After breakfast in the hotel, we’ll make
the short drive outside the city to the
Great Wall at Badaling. Badaling was the
first section of the Great Wall to be
opened to the public in 1957, and is
therefore the best known among visitors.
Badaling was the site of U.S.
President’s Richard Nixon’s visit to the Great Wall on his historic trip to
China, and is a popular choice for
celebrities, foreign dignitaries and
leaders (U.S. President Obama visited
Badaling in November of 2009). Badaling
also offers incredible views of the wall
winding and twisting along the hills.
After a delicious lunch we will make the
short journey by minibus to the Ming
Tombs.
The Ming Tombs, about 50 km/31 miles
from Beijing, are where 13 emperors of
the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) are buried.
This site was carefully chosen for its
feng shui principles by the third Ming
emperor Yongle (who also moved the
capital from Nanjing to Beijing and
began construction on the Forbidden
City). The tomb we will visit, Dingling,
is the tomb of the Wanli Emperor. It is
the only one of the Ming Dynasty Tombs
to have been excavated. It also remains
the only imperial tomb to have been
excavated since the founding of the
People's Republic of China. After
viewing the tombs, we will head to the “Shenlu”,
or the Spirit Way. The Spirit Way leads
into the complex, lined with statues of
guardian animals and officials, with a
front gate consisting of a three-arches,
painted red, and called the "Great Red
Gate". The Spirit Way, or Sacred Way,
starts with a huge stone memorial
archway lying at the front of the area.
Constructed in 1540, during the Ming
Dynasty, this archway is one of the
biggest stone archways in China today.
For the evening you will enjoy a
delectable dinner o Peking Duck,
Beijing’s signature culinary dish. Then,
for the evening’s entertainment, you
will be able to watch Beijing Opera
(sometimes known as Peking Opera).
Beijing Opera of China is a national
treasure with a history of 200 years. In
the 55th year of the reign of Emperor
Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1790), the
four big Huiban opera Troupes entered
the capital and combined with Kunqu
opera, Yiyang opera, Hanju opera and
Luantan in Beijing's theoretical circle
of the time. Over a period of more than
half a century of combination and
integration of various kinds of opera
there evolved the present Beijing Opera.
Beijing Opera is the most significant of
all operas in China, and it has a
richness of repertoire, great number of
artists and audiences, that give it a
profound influence in China and plays a
large role in Chinese culture.
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Beijing International Hotel |
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| DAY 03 |
Beijing (B, L, D)
After breakfast in the hotel we will
head over to the center of Beijing, Tiananmen Square. The largest public
square in the world, Tiananmen Square is
seen as China’s political center. Its
grounds have seen some turbulent
moments, from the May 4th Movement of
1919 to the political turmoil of 1989.
The south of the square is marked by the
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, while the
center of the square is dominated by the
Monument to the People’s Heroes, an
imposing 10-story granite obelisk. To
the east is the National Museum of
China, and to the west is the Great Hall
of the People, home to China’s
legislative bodies. The north of the
square is dominated by the Gate of
Heavenly Peace, known for its iconic
portrait of Mao Zedong, and is the
national emblem of China.
After walking across the street, we will
enter what is perhaps the greatest
attraction in China, the Forbidden City.
After walking across the square we will
enter the Forbidden City (known in
Chinese as Gu Gong), the largest
surviving palace complex and the former
home of the emperors of the Ming and
Qing Dynasty. The Forbidden City is one
of the greatest attractions in the
world. Built by the third Ming emperor
between 1406-1422, the Forbidden City
served as the official residence to the
Emperor of China until the last emperor,
Puyi, was forced to evacuate in 1924.
The Forbidden City is divided into two
parts. The southern section, or the
Outer Court was where the emperor
exercised his supreme power over the
nation. The northern section, or the
Inner Court was where he lived with his
royal family. Consisting of 980
buildings and with 8,707 bays of rooms,
the Forbidden City is the best example
of classical Chinese architecture in the
world, and is a wonder to behold.
To continue our theme of imperial
royalty, we’ll go from the Forbidden
City to the royal family’s retreat from
the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace.
Being northwest of the city center, the
Summer Palace has the largest royal park
and being well preserved, the Summer
Palace is ranked amongst the most noted
and classical gardens of the world. In
1998, UNESCO listed it as one of the
World Heritage Sites. Like most of the
gardens of Beijing, it could not elude
the rampages of the Anglo-French allied
force of 1860 and was destroyed by fire.
In 1888, Empress Dowager Cixi embezzled
navy funds to reconstruct it for her own
benefit, changing its name to Summer
Palace (Yiheyuan). She spent most of her
later years there, dealing with state
affairs and entertaining.
Highlights not to be missed are climbing
Longevity Hill, viewing the Empress
Dowager Cixi’s extravagant Marble Boat,
and talking a walk down Suzhou jie, a
canal meant to resemble the beautiful
river city of Suzhou.
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Beijing International Hotel |
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| DAY 04 |
Beijing-Xian (B, L)
Following breakfast we’ll make the short
drive to the Temple of Heaven park. The
complex was visited by the Emperors of
the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual
ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good
harvest. The Temple of Heaven park is
best known for the Hall of Prayer for
Good Harvests, an iconic building famed
for its magnificent triple-gabled
circular roof. You will also have an
opportunity to walk the same imperial
walkway that the same emperors walked
hundreds of years ago in their holy
rites. You will also see Beijing’s
senior citizens using the park grounds
for everything from tai chi and ballroom
dancing to bullwhip practice!
In the afternoon, you’ll be taken to the
airport, and you will fly on to Xian,
the capital of Shaanxi province in
north-central China. Upon arrival you’ll
be met at the airport by your local
English-speaking guide. For your stay in
Xian you will be lodging at the 5 star
Sheraton Hotel.
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Sheraton Hotel Xian
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| DAY 05 |
Xian (B, L, D)
Following breakfast you’ll then be taken
to Xian’s greatest attractions, and one
of the greatest sites in all of China,
the Terracotta Warriors and Horses
Museum. The Terra Cotta Warriors and
Horses Museum is the result of the most
significant archeological excavations of
the 20th century. Work is ongoing at
this site, which is around 1.5
kilometers east of Emperor Qin Shi
Huang's Mausoleum. Upon ascending the
throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC), Qin
Shi Huang, later the first Emperor of
all China, had begun to work for his
mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish.
It is speculated that many buried
treasures and sacrificial objects had
accompanied the emperor in his after
life. A group of peasants uncovered some
pottery while digging for a well nearby
the royal tomb in 1974. Life size
terracotta figures of warriors and
horses arranged in battle formations are
the star features at the museum. They
are replicas of what the imperial guard
should look like in those days of pomp
and vigor.
The museum is divided into three
sections: No. 1 Pit, No. 2 Pit, and No.
3 Pit respectively. They were tagged in
the order of their discoveries. No. 1
Pit is the largest, first opened to the
public on China's National Day, 1979.
There are columns of soldiers at the
front, followed by war chariots at the
back. No. 2 Pit, found in 1976, contains
over a thousand warriors and 90 chariots
of wood. It was unveiled to the public
in 1994. Archeologists came upon No. 3
Pit also in 1976. It is the command
center of the armed forces. It went on
display in 1989, with 68 warriors, a war
chariot and four horses.
Following our visit with the Terracotta
Warriors, we’ll then step back to an
even earlier time at the Banpo Neolithic
Museum. Located in the eastern outskirts
of Xi’an city, the Banpo Museum is the
first prehistoric excavation site museum
in China. Banpo (half slope) Village was
a typical Neolithic Matriarchal
community of the Yangshao (Respect
Splendid) culture (5000-3000 BC) around
6000 years ago. The Yangshao culture was
named after the first discovery of this
civilization in Yangshao, Henan
Province. About 400 sites of this type
have been discovered around the Yellow
River Basin, and the Banpo site is the
largest one. The site was discovered in
1953 during the construction of a power
plant. The excavation work lasted four
years, and the Banpo site was first
opened to the public in 1958. Since
then, two million people have visited
it.
For dinner, you’ll have a real treat in
store for you in the form of the Tang
Dynasty Music and Dance Show. The Tang
Dynasty Music and Dance Show, a
wonderful performance of the ancient
music and dance, is a must when you
visit Xian. The city, which was formerly
known as Chang'an has a very long
history, and was the imperial capital
during 13 dynastic periods. Of these,
the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) was the
most prosperous and glorious of all.
The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show is
an outstanding exponent of this ancient
stable and prosperous society, keeping
alive its splendid culture and providing
an insight into the peaceful life style
of the period. As an art form, the show
has its roots in folk fetes, when dances
were first performed by people as part
of rituals of prayer for a good harvest
or a better life. Combining poetry with
the skilled playing of musical
instruments, singing, dancing and also
stunning costumes, the modern
presentation is certain to give you an
impressive view of ancient China
including its splendid history,
brilliant arts, distinct traditions and
customs.
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Sheraton Hotel Xian
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| DAY 06 |
Xian-Chongqing-Yangtze River Cruise (B,
L, D)
After breakfast we’ll make the short
drive to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a
pagoda surrounded by a still functioning
Buddhist temple (named Da Ci’en Temple).
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is one of the
most famous Buddhist pagodas in China.
The Pagoda was built in the Tang Dynasty
(618-907) for the study of Buddhist
scriptures. Although it has been
attacked by centuries of weather, war
and seismic activity, which destroyed
most of the original material of the
structure, a pagoda by this name and
style still exists on the site. The Tang
regime gave orders to build a chamber
for the translation of Buddhist
scriptures in an effort to have the then
widely renowned Master Xuanzang agree to
be the head of the temple. Xuanzang was
a Buddhist monk who traveled to India,
translated Sanskrit scriptures and
developed theories of consciousness,
karma and rebirth that were adopted by
some later popular schools of Buddhism.
The hallowed pagoda is an architectural
marvel. It was built with layers of
bricks without any cement. The bracket
style used in traditional Chinese
architecture was also used in the
construction of the pagoda. The seams
between each layer of bricks and the "
prisms' on each side of the pagoda are
clearly visible. The grand body of the
pagoda with its solemn appearance,
simple style and high structure, is
indeed a good example of Chinese
traditional architecture.
Then you can unwind a bit by taking a
leisurely stroll on the Xi’an City Wall.
It's the most complete city wall that
has survived in China, as well being one
of the largest ancient military
defensive systems in the world. Xi'an
City Wall was erected in the 14th
century Ming Dynasty, under the regime
of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. When Zhu
Yuanzhang captured Huizhou, long before
the establishment of the Ming Dynasty,
he was admonished by a hermit named Zhu
Sheng, who told him to "build high
walls, store abundant provisions and
take your time in proclaiming yourself
emperor." If you like, you have the
option of renting a bike or a rickshaw
on the wall in order to cover more
ground in a shorter time.
In the late afternoon, you’ll be driven
to the Xian airport, where you’ll fly on
to Chongqing, a large city in
southwestern China near Sichuan. Upon
arrival you’ll be met at the airport by
your guide. You’ll be taken to your
Yangtze River cruise ship, and the
cruise will depart tonight. You will
have a welcoming dinner on the cruise
ship, and you’ll have the rest of the
night to walk around the ship.
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Cruise |
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| DAY 07 |
Yangtze River Cruise (B, L, D)
After breakfast on the ship you’ll take
a visit onshore in order to visit the
Ghost City of Fengdu County. It used to
be a burial area with scores of temples
and shrines and a small ancient town.
Due to the construction of the 3 Gorges
Dam, the ghostly city is underwater.
However, a hill and dozens of temples
remain in the big artificial lake behind
the dam. So that part can still be
visited. It is a large burial and temple
area. The area above the “Door of Hell”
remains. It is interesting that Chinese
have traditional conceptions of hell
that are somewhat similar to Western
ideas. At the site, people can see
statues and frescoes about hell with
brightly painted images of demons and
other eerie items.
You can spend the rest of the day
enjoying the scenery from the cruise
ship, and in the evening a dinner will
be held aboard the cruise ship.
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Cruise |
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| DAY 08 |
Yangtze River Cruise (B, L, D)
You will take a small boat from the
cruise ship to Shennong Stream. Shennong
Stream is a tributary of the Yangtze
River, and its fast-flowing, crystal
clear water runs southwards through deep
gorges. The stream races past large and
small karst caves, flocks of swallows,
sheer cliffs, deep gorges, waterfalls,
three-colored springs, rapids, the
ancient plank path, a suspended coffin
in the cliff, groups of ancient tombs
and marvelous karst formations. There
are displays of Chinese art and of
artifacts saved from the construction of
the 3 Gorges Dam and the artificial
lake. It instructs on the 3 Gorges
region, the 3 Gorges Dam, the history of
Chongqing and the surrounding area,
Chinese history, and prehistoric times.
You’ll also sail into the western
section of Xiling Gorge, the longest of
the Three Gorges (at 66 kilometers,
compared to Wu Gorge at 44 kilometers
and Qutang Gorge at 8 kilometers).
Xiling Gorge was renowned for its
winding waterway that suddenly narrowed
into treacherous rapids or skirted over
dangerous shoals. In spite of the risks
(Xiling Gorge was dubbed as a "death
passage"). Ships were compelled to pass
through its waters regularly, as there
was little alternative. It was also for
this reason, among many others, that the
Three Gorges Dam project was justified.
It has turned what was once a "death
passage", where many ships went aground,
and some even completely destroyed, into
a gent waterway whose surface today more
fittingly be compared to the placid
waters of a lake. Xiling Gorge is the
last of the Three Gorges as one sails
down from this stretch of the Yangtze,
and it marks the end of the narrow,
twisting and turning corridor that has
been so treacherous in the past.
In the evening, various shows and
performances will be held in the cruise
ship. These include costume shows, magic
shows, traditional Sichuan Opera, and
magical Mask Changing.
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Cruise |
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| DAY 09 |
Yangtze River Cruise-Yichang-Shanghai
(B, L, D)
In the morning you will arrive at the
enormous Three Gorges Dam. Construction
was begun in the 80's, and was completed
in 2008. It backs up the Yangtze River
for 550km, making it the world's largest
dam. Due to the fact that the water
rises to a level of 185m behind the dam,
millions of people have had to be
resettled, bridges moved and historical
relicts secured. The energy production
capabilities of the dam are estimated at
84.7 billion kilowatts, equivalent to 18
nuclear reactors. The three single stage
locks guarantee that ship traffic is not
delayed.
The Three gorges Dam is the largest
water conservancy project undertaken by
man, and various Chinese officials have
dreamed about the project for hundreds
of years. It is 2,335 meters wide on the
top, and 130 meters wide at the bottom.
The views from the top of the dam are
stunning, so don’t forget to bring your
camera!
You will then arrive in Yichang, where
you will be met and taken to the airport
by your guide. You will fly on to Shanghai, and when you arrive you’ll be
met by your English-speaking guide. For
your stay in Shanghai you’ll stay in the
5 star Grand Pacific Hotel.
After a bit of relaxing at the hotel,
your first stop on today’s touring will
be the Bund, Shanghai’s most famous and
recognizable landmark. The Bund is a
waterfront embankment and has been
regarded as the symbol of Shanghai for
hundreds of years. It affords marvelous
views across the river of the Pudong
district and its numerous towers. The
most famous and attractive sight which
is at the west side of the Bund are the
52 various buildings of different
architectural styles including Gothic,
Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and the
Renaissance.
Across the river we’ll visit he Oriental
Pearl TV Tower, the most distinctive
landmark of the Shanghai skyline. From
the top of the tower you can get
marvelous views of the Bund and the east
bank of Shanghai.
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Grand Pacific Hotel, Shanghai |
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| DAY 10 |
Shanghai (B, L, D)
Following breakfast, we’ll start our day
in Shanghai with a visit to the Jade
Buddha Temple. The Jade Buddha Temple is
one of the richest and most frequented
Buddhist Temples in Shanghai. Jade
Buddha Temple in Shanghai is an active
temple, with 70 resident monks at the
last count. The 70 monks who live and
work there can sometimes be seen
worshiping. inside, the centerpiece is a
1.9-meter-high white jade Buddha, which
was installed here after a monk brought
it from Burma to Zhejiang Province in
1882. The seated Buddha, encrusted with
jewels, is said to weigh about one
thousand kilograms. A smaller, reclining
Buddha from the same shipment lies on a
redwood bed. In the large hall are three
gold-plated Buddhas, and other halls
house ferocious-looking deities.
Artifacts abound, not all on display,
and some 7,000 Buddhist sutras line the
walls.
Afterward you’ll have a chance to stroll
along Yuyuan Garden. Yuyuan Garden is a
famed classical garden, and even though
it may be small, it contains numerous
pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and
cloisters, and all have unique
characteristics. There are six main
scenic areas in the garden: Sansui Hall,
Wanhua Chamber, Dianchun Hall, Huijing
Hall, Yuhua Hall and the Inner Garden.
Each area features several scenic spots
within its borders.
Following a Chinese lunch we’ll cap off
our day of touring with a visit to the
city premier museum, the Shanghai
Museum. The Shanghai Museum is a world
famous museum of ancient Chinese art and
culture. The exterior design of the
round dome and the square base
symbolizes the ancient idea of a round
heaven and a square land. The museum is
divided into eleven galleries and three
exhibition halls. The eleven Galleries
cover most of the major categories of
Chinese art: Ancient Bronze, Ancient
Ceramics, Paintings, Calligraphy,
Ancient Sculpture, Ancient Jade, Coins,
Ming and Qing Furniture, Seals, and
Minority Nationalities. The museum is a
wonderful primer on ancient Chinese
culture, and is a must-see when coming
to Shanghai.
In the evening in addition to a splendid
dinner if Shanghai cuisine, you’ll be
treated to a performance of Chinese
acrobatics.
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Grand Pacific Hotel, Shanghai |
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| DAY 11 |
Depart Shanghai (B)
Following breakfast in the hotel you
will be taken to the airport, and you
will fly on to your next destination,
thus ending your luxury tour with Great
Wall Adventure Club. |
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Package Includes:
1.Pickup service
between airport and cruise.
2.Five star hotel and deluxe cruise ticket.
3.Cruise shore excursions.
4.Flight tickets from Beijing/Xi’an/Chongqing/Yichang/Shanghai.
5.The admission of the first gate.
6.Beijing roast duck dinner and a Beijing Opera show, Shanghai Acrobatic
Show, dumpling dinner and Tang Dancing show in Xi’an.
7.Professional local guide.
8.Meals indicated in the itineraries.
8.Government taxes.
Package Excludes:
1.Tips to the guide
2.Private costs
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