from Shanghai to the Three
Gorges of Yangtze River to the Great Wall
9-day Shanghai-Yangtze River Cruise
and Beijing Impression Tour
Experience the best of
China, both old and new!
Highlights:
• Take a cruise down the Yangtze River, China’s
longest river (and the third longest in the world), and is the
most important in terms of its cultural and economic importance.
You will also explore ancient cultural sites along the river,
like the Ghost Town of Fengdu County and to Shennong Stream
• You’ll have the opportunity to spend time in Chongqing,
including a stop to see some of China’s most exotic wildlife at
the Panda Room at the Chongqing Zoo and the local Ciqikou Old
Town
• Explore the best sites of
Shanghai, the biggest city in China, and one of the world’s most
vibrant, exciting and cosmopolitan metropolises
B=(Breakfast) L=(lunch) D=(dinner) DEPARTURE: Daily
Package Price
Price is based on the time of
travel and number of customers. Please inquire through the form
on the left side of the page, we'll quote the best price we can
get. As this tour package involves domestic transfers, the
package price will vary from time to time because of the
changing airfares and hotel rates. |
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TOUR ITINERARY |
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Tour
code:
EXSHYANGTZEBJ |
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Day 1: Arrive in
Shanghai
Upon arrival at the Shanghai airport, you will be
met by your English-speaking guide, who will take
you to your hotel in downtown Shanghai. The rest of
the night is up to your discretion, but there is
plenty to see and do on your night on the town.
Night life in Shanghai is gentle and colorful
because life here is much more than life itself. It
is elegant.
The scenery at night has to be seen and the Bund is
a must. The ornate classical and modern buildings
take on a new and exciting look as they are lit up
by an abundance of colored lights. Looking across
the Huangpu River to the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and
Jinmao Tower is a magical sight. In addition there
are countless, bars, cafes, clubs, and other points
of interest that will keep you entertained
throughout the night. |
Day 2: Shanghai Sightseeing (B)
Today will be spent touring the sights that make
Shanghai one of the word’s great cities. After
breakfast in the hotel, our first stop will be at
the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall. If
you’re stunned by Shanghai today, go see how it will
look in 2020. The centerpiece is an enormous scale
model of the city centre that takes an entire upper
floor. It shows current and future development, and
it’s mind-boggling. There are raised walkways for
viewing the model from different angles, and the
detail is fascinating, showing clearly what’s
planned, and what already exists. City planning is a
hot topic throughout the world, and the centre is
themed around "City, Human, Environment and
Development", which concern city dwellers from any
country. The glimpse of present and future Shanghai
can provide much food for thought, as well as
enjoyment and a good overview of this often
overwhelming city.
Then we will go to get a bird’s eye view of Shanghai
at the Shanghai World Financial Center. Shanghai
World Financial Center is the highest building in
Shanghai, as it creates a new Shanghai landmark
along with the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and Jinmao
Tower. It takes about 1 minute from first floor to
95th by the elevator with a speed of 10 meters per
second. In the 100th viewing pavilion, visitors can
see the peak of Oriental Pearl TV Tower and Jinmao
Tower. In the 55 meters long viewing gallery,
visitors can see the moving cars and passerby
clearly through 3 transparent glass floors. The
observation bridge atop the building will be the
highest outdoor observation deck in the world.
We’ll next see Shanghai’s most famed and iconic
site, the Bund. The Bund is a famous waterfront and
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.
It will then be time for a leisurely stroll through 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.
After a lunch of Shanghai cuisine, we’ll go to the Jiangnan Silk Museum, to see how silk is produced
from the cocoons of silk worms, and turned into the
beautiful fabric we all know and love. Silk is an
extremely important trade in this area of the
country Silk filled duvets are excellent value, and
the showroom offers everything from small souvenirs
to larger items. The beauty of real silk is that
it's so light, and packs really easily.
We’ll then return to the hotel, and you are free to
spend your night further exploring Shanghai on your
own. |
Day 3:
Shanghai-Chongqing-Yangtze River Cruise (B, L)
In the morning, you will be taken to the airport,
and you’ll catch your flight to Chongqing. On
arrival you will be met at the Chongqing airport by
your guide, and you will then go directly to the
Panda Room at the Chongqing Zoo. Located in the
western suburbs of the city, the Chongqing Zoo
occupies an area of 45 hectares. There are 230
species with more than 4500 rare animals at the zoo
including Golden hair monkeys and South China
Tigers. In the Panda Room, visitors can see the
extremely rare Giant and Lesser pandas and their
offspring. At the zoo, locals practice their daily
exercises of Tai Chi, and you can join in if you
wish!
We’ll then make the drive to the Ciqikou Old Town.
This lively old area has been partly restored, and
remains an authentic and busy community. The old
wooden houses and narrow streets furthest from the
river are mostly unimproved, closer to the river
there are craft and souvenir shops, teahouses and
music, and lots of local food and snacks. The locals
certainly love their food, its extremely spicy –
this is a good chance to try some.
In the early evening you will be taken to your ship
for your cruise down the Yangtze, and the ship
departs at 10:00 p.m. You’ll have the rest of the
night to walk around the ship. |
Day 4: Yangtze River Cruise
(B, L)
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
Captain’s Welcoming Party dinner will be held. |
Day 5:
Yangtze River Cruise (B, L, D)
In the afternoon, 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 also have the option of visiting the White
Emperor City (also known as Baidi City or Baidi
Temple). It is located on Baidi Mountain at the
mouth of Qutang Gorge, one of the Three Gorges of
the Yangtze River.
It is said that in the late Western Han Dynasty (206
BC - 24 AD), Gongsun Shu, a general, set up a
separatist regime by force of arms in Sichuan. He
claimed himself the King of Shu. Because he saw
white fog rising from the well of the mountain which
was like a white dragon, he called himself the White
Emperor. And he made it the capital city and gave
the city the name - White Emperor City.
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. |
Day 6: Yangtze River Cruise-Yinchang-Beijing
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 to Beijing. |
Day 7: Beijing (B, L)
After breakfast in the hotel, we’ll get started on
the day’s touring. Our first stop is 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 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.
Then we will embark on a leisurely stroll through
the hutongs of old Beijing in Xicheng district. Hutongs are courtyard homes grouped together around
narrow alleys, and served as the lifeline and center
of everyday life in old Beijing. The hutongs were a
critical component in the development and evolution
of Beijing folklore and culture. Going on this
hutong tour, you will feel like you have traveled
back in time to a far different China, one where
there was still an emperor sitting in the Forbidden
City, and where there was still enough time to enjoy
the simple pleasures of common life.
Afterwards we will have a chance for some shopping
at traditional markets and stores, including the Li
Heng Tang Pearl. In these kinds of markets,
bargaining is a must, so your guide can help you
out.
The rest of the evening can be spent at your
discretion. |
Day 8: Beijing (B, L)
After breakfast we will resume our sightseeing of
Beijing, with our first stop being at the Temple of
Heaven. 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!
Then we will take a short drive outside of Beijing
to explore China’s most famed attraction, the Great
Wall. Our tour will be at the Mutianyu section. As
one of the best-preserved parts of the Great Wall,
the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall used to serve
as the northern barrier defending the capital and
the imperial tombs. First built in the mid-6th
century during the Northern Qi, Mutianyu Great Wall
is older than the Badaling section of the Great
Wall. In the Ming dynasty, under the supervision of
General Xu Da, construction of the present wall
began on the foundation of the wall of Northern Qi.
In 1404, a pass was built in the wall. In 1569, the
Mutianyu Great Wall was rebuilt and till today most
parts of it are well preserved.
Compared with other sections of Great Wall, the
Mutianyu Great Wall possesses unique characteristics
in its construction. Watchtowers are densely placed
along this section of the Great Wall - 22
watchtowers on this 2,250-meter-long stretch. The
Mutianyu Pass consists of 3 watchtowers, one big in
the center and two smaller on both sides. Standing
on the same terrace, the three watchtowers are
connected to each other inside and compose a rarely
seen structure among all sections of Great Wall. To
get on and off the wall, a round-trip cable car
ticket is included.
We will then stop at a cloisonné factory, which
displays all kinds of traditional vases and plates.
Then, after returning back to Beijing, the night can
be spent at your own pace. |
Day 9 : Beijing (B, L)
End the tour. |
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Tour Inclusions：
1. Hotels with daily western
breakfasts;
2. Meals in accordance with
that listed on the itinerary.
3. professional local guide
& driver;
4. Private air-conditioned
car or van for transportation;
5. Admission of the first
gate.
6.Two bottles of mineral
water per day.
Tour exclusions：
1. Tip of the guide
2. Personal costs |
