11 Days China Tour Package with Yangtze River Cruise

Summary

DAY 1 Arrive in Beijing
DAY 2 Beijing: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace
DAY 3 Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Bird's Nest & Water Cube
DAY 4 Beijing--Xian by Bullet Train: Nanluoguxiang Hutong Area, Take train to Xian
DAY 5 Xian: Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, Bell Tower, Tang Dynasty Show, Dumpling Banquet 
DAY 6 Xian--Chongqing by Flight: Xian Ancient City Wall, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, fly to Chongqing
DAY 7 Yangtze River Cruise: Fengdu Ghost City, Shibaozhai
DAY 8 Yangtze River Cruise: Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, Shennong Stream, Crew's Performance
DAY 9 Yichang--Shanghai by Flight: Three Gorges Dam, fly to Shanghai
DAY 10 Shanghai: Yuyuan Garden, Yuyuan Bazaar, Shanghai Musuem, Nanjing Road, The Bund, Huangpu River Night Cruise
DAY 11 Departure Shanghai

DAY 1 Arrive in Beijing

Welcome to Beijing! Upon on your arrival, our Beijing local guide will pick you up at the exit of airport with a welcome signage" China Private Tour" and escort you to your hotel directly. Our tour guide will help you check in. The rest day is free for you to recover your jetlag and have a rest.

DAY 2 Beijing

In the morning, our tour guide will meet you at your hotel lobby and your China tour start.

Firstly, you will pay a visit for Tiananmen Square. It is the largest city plaza in the world. Tiananmen Square is the geographical center of Beijing City. It is the largest city square in the world, occupying an area of 440,000 square meters (about 109 acres), and able to accommodate 1000000 people at one time. Tiananmen Gate on the northern square was the site where the Chairman Mao announced the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

After sightseeing, walk into the Tiananmen you will meet the one of the world’s 5 most important palaces – Forbidden City. The Forbidden City is also named the Palace Museum, shares the honor of being one of five world-famous palaces with the Palace of Versailles in France, Buckingham Palace in England, the White House in the U.S. and the Kremlin in Russia. The incomparable palace occupies an area of 720,000 square meters (177.9 acres) and has approximately 8,700 rooms. A high red wall with a total length of 3,400 meters (3,718 yards) encases the palace. 

Enjoy your lunch at the local famous Peking Roast Duck restaurant, taste the most famous duck in Beijing and try some local cuisine in Beijing.Roast duck — or Peking Duck, as it's often known — has been served in Beijing for around 600 years, according to Liu. First served by palace chefs during the Ming dynasty, it has royal pedigree.

In the afternoon, drive you to Temple of Heaven. The temple was constructed in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and was enlarged during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It is the grandest cult architecture complex in the world and a masterpiece of the Chinese people created in ancient times. It covers 2,700,000 square meters (667 acres). Emperors of the two dynasties used to worship the heaven and pray for rich harvests, as the feudal emperors thought they were the son of the heaven. 

Next, you will visit Summer Palace. It first built in 1750, largely destroyed in the war of 1860 and restored on its original foundations in 1886 – is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value.

After dinner, you will be taken back to your hotel. 

DAY 3 Beijing

After breakfast, your tour will start with Mutianyu Great Wall, it about 70KM far way from downtown. There is an old saying "If you haven't climbed the Great Wall, you haven't seen China." Many of your friends who visited China before might have told you this. It is indeed an experience of life. As one of the best-preserved parts of the Great Wall, Mutianyu section of Great Wall used to serve as the northern barrier defending the capital and the imperial tombs. It's known for its beautiful surroundings - dense woods and rich pastures changing colors with the seasons of a year. 

Your lunch will be offered near the Great Wall at a local Chinese restaurant.

After lunch, the Sacred Way, affiliated with the Ming Tombs, is a main attractions arranged for you. The Ming Tombs lie in Changping County, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) northwest from the urban area of Beijing. It is actually a tomb cluster of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), including thirteen emperor's mausoleums, seven tombs for concubines and one grave for eunuchs.  

After that, transfer you back to Beijing downtown, on the way, you'll have chance to visit Beijing Olympic Green Park,  the Bird's Nest & Water Cube from outside. Bird's Nest is located at the Olympic Green, the stadium cost US$428 million. The design was awarded to a submission from the Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron in April 2003 after a bidding process that included 13 final submissions. And Water Cube ( National Aquatics Center),  is one of the best venues of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, built with donations from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan compatriot and overseas Chinese. It was chosen through public appraisals as one of “China ten big new architecture views” by The U.S. magazine "Business Weekly". 

After dinner, you will be taken back to your hotel.

DAY 4 Beijing-Xi'an by Bullet Train

Today, you'll go for Beijing Nanluoguxaing Hutong Area. Nanluoguxiang Hutong, it's one of the best preserved historical areas in downtown Beijing, is famous for its hutong and siheyuan courtyards. Recently the popularity of Nanluoguxiang has increased noticeably with tourist numbers on the rise after 2008 Olympic Games. You will do a short walking along the authentic Beijing Hutong.Hutong is a window into Beijing folk life, will give you a deep impression of the local residents’ live. You will have lunch at local family, to taste the home cooking style. 

After that, drive you to Beijing train station for your train to Xian, it takes around 5 hours from Beijing to Xian. Once you arrived, our Xian local tour guide will pick you up at the exit of the train station with a welcome signage “China Private Tour" and drive you to your hotel. You dinner will be arranged at your hotel so you have enough time to relax.

DAY 5 Xi'an

After breakfast, our tour guide will meet you at your hotel lobby and transfer you to Terracotta Warriors (around 50 minutes).

Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, it known as "the eighth Wonders of the world", the museum shows a surprisingly high level in sculpture which is listed as the most significant discovery of the 20th century.  Terracotta Warriors is a must-see in Xi'an. Terracotta Warriors is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BCE and whose purpose was to protect the emperor in his afterlife. Estimates from 2007 were that the three pits containing the Terracotta Army held more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which remained buried in the pits nearby Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum.

After lunch, transfer you back to Xian downtown, you will Bell Tower, which is the largest bell tower in structure and shape and the best-preserved one in China. The Bell towers located in the center of the ancient city of Xian, are two of its most famous symbols.

Contunie to visit the Muslim Quarter. It is a fascinating area where you can find exotic food, interesting people (some of the residents are still look like their Arabian cousins) and great souvenir stalls. You can taste many authentic Islamic snacks, like beef or mutton Rou Jia Mo (Chinese Hamburger), northwestern style noodles, Yangrou Paomo and many other attractive snacks that will not make you disappointed. The restaurants and eateries here are serving their food in budget prices. 

After the day tour ends, our tour guide will take you to Shaanxi Grand Opera, over there, you will have the Dumpling Banquet, which is famous in Xi'an. In Xian, a must for visitors to try is the delicious dumplings. While tasting those dumplings, customers will be astonished by the cooks' smart cooking methods include steaming, boiling, pan-frying, deep frying, and roasting. It seems that all of the indigenous meat and vegetables can be used for the dumplings' stuffing, such as pork, mutton, beef as well as celery, radish, cabbages, etc. Nowadays, by the cooks' continuously improving, the dumpling has been one of the local best foods to entertain visitors from home and abroad..

After dinner, you will enjoy the local colorful and splendid Tang Dynasty Dance Show, which is a performance of music and dance that imitate the Tang Dynasty over one thousand-year ago. The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show, a wonderful performance of the ancient music and dance, is a must when you visit Xian.

After the tour, you will be taken back to your hotel.

DAY 6 Xi'an-Chongqing by Flight

Today, start your tour with Xi'an Ancient City Wall. As one of the UNESCO's World Heritage Site, Xi'an Ancient City Wall was built in the 14th century, under the regime of Emperor Zhuyuanzhang in Ming dynasty, had the function of protecting the cities or towns as military defense systems in ancient China. Xi'an Ancient City Wall is one of the oldest, largest and best preserved Chinese city walls.

Next, visit the Big Goose Pagoda in Xi'an. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda attracts numerous visitors for its fame in the Buddhist religion and its simple but appealing style of construction. It is rated as a National Key Cultural Relic Preserve. One of the pagoda's many functions was to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and traveler Xuanzang.

After lunch, transfer to Xi'an airport for your flight to Chongqing. Upon on your arrival, our Chongqing local guide will pick you up at the exit of airport with a welcome signage "China Private Tour". Then transfer you to Chongqing Chaotianmen Port to board your cruise ship between 18:00-21:00 in the evening. Your once-in-a-lifetime Yangtze River cruise sails at 21:00! 

(Tips: (Please note: the boarding time and departure piers change based on the ship line, water level, season, weather, and other factors. Your travel consultants will ensure you have the actual departure time and boarding pier before your boarding.)

DAY 7 Yangtze River Cruise

Today, wake up leisurely and enjoy the gentle sunshine shining over the tranquil Yangtze River. Onboard you will enjoy different kinds of cultural activities and entertainment, like attending a Yangtze River History and Culture Lecture to know deeply about the third longest river in the world.

Yangtze River Cruise

The first shore excursion will be 'Ghost City' Fengdu (Optional).  This area is sacred to three different religions: Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Revered as a place where the dead transition into another realm, it is surprisingly not dark or cemetery like. Rather, Ghost City is vibrant and colorful, although the local names are a bit scary. Here you will find "Nothing to Be Done Bridge", "Ghost Torture Pass," and "River of Blood."

Shibaozhai

In the afternoon, visit Shibaozhai, literally means Stone Treasure Fortress, Located in Zhong County, it was first built in Qing Dynasty in 1750. Shibaozhai is one historic site that will look much different in 2009. The wooden architecture stands on the riverside. It is built by catch upon a rectangular rock with sheer cliffs with a height of 56 meters and 12 stories. And every floor of the wooden structure contains interesting artifacts. Each of the 12 floors of Shibaozhai is dedicated to a famous general of the Three Kingdoms period (220-265AD), a local scholar or a renowned Chinese poet. 

In the evening, join the Captain's Welcome Dinner Party to make new friends or having fun at the wonderful night shows with sign, dance and music.

DAY 8 Yangtze River Cruise

Today you will sail through the spectacular Three Gorges! Follow the guide's live interpretation and soak up the breathtaking gorge scenery passing by as you drift through Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge respectively.

Qutang Gorge

Firstly, the boat sail through Qutang Gorge, the shortest and most dramatic one of the Three Gorges. Wu Gorge is famous for its quiet beauty. Disembark at Wushan where we board small riverboat for a leisurely ride through Shennong Stream, which offers clear running waters, picturesque rock formations, and even monkeys and goat along its banks.

Drifting along the Shennong Stream in sampan is the unique way experiencing the beauty of Shennong Stream, a sampan is about 40 foot long, 6 foot wide, usually steered by six boatmen. Shennong Stream is another 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.

Shennong Stream

Later, the ship sails through Xiling Gorge, the longest one of the Three Gorges. We will pass through the ship-lock of the new three gorges dam. The most interesting part is that you will sit on the local special pea boat, and listen to the primitive and beautiful singings of the trackers while enjoy the enchanting scenery along the stream. 

Time of Entertainments

1). Taichi exercise
Passes through the 1st gorge--Qutang Gorge.
Passes through the 2nd gorge---Wu Gorge.
Shore excursion to Shennong Stream(1:30pm-5:30pm). You have the option of visiting White Emperor City(RMB290 per person).

2). Crew's Performance.
Sails through the 5-steps Ship locks.

DAY 9 Yichang-Shanghai by Flight

Disembark at Maoping Cruise Terminal this morning, check out and take your luggage, you'll a coach to visit the Three Gorges Dam. It is planned to be by far the largest hydroelectric project in the world. The Project calls for the construction of a concrete dam, a hydroelectric power plant and a series of locks just below the scenic Three Gorges region. You will learn about the dam and the Three Gorges Water Project, and enjoy the beautiful scenery around.  

Three Gorges Dam

As One of the largest construction projects ever undertaken in the world, the Three Gorges Project will forever change the face of the Yangtze River as we know it today. Possessing comprehensive utilization benefits mainly for flood control, power generation and navigation improvement. It will be a vital important and backbone project in harnessing and developing of the Yangtze River. Measures have been taken to preserve and move the historical and cultural relics found along its banks; however many scenic spots will be adversely affected.

After finished the excursion, you will be transferred to Yichang city, enjoy your lunch at a local Chinese restaurant that serves authentic Yichang dishes. Later, transfer you to the airport for your flight to Shanghai, it takes around 1.5 hours for one way.

Three Gorge Dam

Upon on your arrival, our local Shanghai tour guide will wait for you at the exit of airport with a welcome sign "China Priavte Tour", drive you to your hotel in Shanghai directly. The rest day is free on your own to explore the city  or have rest in your hotel.

DAY 10 Shanghai

After breakfast, our tour guide will meet you at your hotel lobby. Your first stop for Shanghai is Shanghai Museum. It houses a comprehensive collection that perfectly showcases the Middle Kingdom’s millennia old history. Spread over five floors, covers most of the major categories of Chinese art with a collection of 12, 300 pieces in 21 categories of valuable cultural relics.

Next you will visit Yuyuan Garden, it not only regarded as best private garden in Shanghai but also the best in southeast China.The garden enjoyed a history over 400 years since its first establishment by Pan Yunduan who had intended to bring happiness and pleasure to his parents and relatives. Later, walk to nearby to Yuyuan Bazaar, there are many small streets and lanes where vendors sell their products and food stuffs to the tourists and local people. It is an ideal place for you to find some specialists.

Your lunch is arranged at Nanxiang Dumpling House to try the most famous Shanghai Xiaolongbao(soup dumpling).A favorite of dim sum eaters around the globe, are considered to be a Shanghai specialty, rumored to have originated here in the 19th century. Legend has it that this world-renowned snack started out as an experiment by a cake shop owner in Nanxiang who decided to try out a riff on his popular steamed bread. 

After lunch, drive you to the Bund area. The Bund is a waterfront area in central Shanghai.When you come here, you can embrace the best cityscape, feast on the rich architectural fashions and know why Shanghai is glorified as "Paris of the East". There are a number of attractions in the area, such as Shanghai World Financial Center, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Century Park, Century Boulevard, Jinmao Tower etc. It is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Shanghai.

Take a stroll down the Nanjing Road, another popular landmark of Shanghai. It is a shopping paradise as well as a ideal place tootake a wonderful walk to explore the modern atmosphere of the city.

After dinner, take a leisure Night Boat Cruise on the Huangpu River. When traveling in Shanghai, you should not miss a cruise tour on the Huangpu River. It is the best way to admire Shanghai's classic skyline views of colonial architecture and modern skyscrapers along the river.

Drive you back to your hotel after your tour ends.

DAY 11 Shanghai Departure

Today is free on your own until our driver transfer you to the airport and you fly back home. Your 11 Days China Tour Package with Yangtze River Cruise come to the ends. Wish you enjoy your trip!

Price Per Person in US Dollars

Price Includes 1. All transfer and city transportation 2. Air-conditioned car or van 3. Hotels specified in the itinerary, all based     on two persons sharingone standard room; 4. Meals specified in the itinerary: Western     breakfast in hotels Chinese lunch and     dinner in local restaurants 5. Sightseeing: All arrangements mentioned     in the itinerary will be covered All first     admission/entrance fees in the itinerary 6. Tour guide: Conducted by a professional     tour guide

Price Excludes 1. International air-tickets 2. Airport departure tax. 3. International or domestic air tickets which     are not listed in the itinerary. 4. Insurance coverage of personal loss, illness     or damages incurred during your trip 5. Tips to the tour guide and driver 6. Meals not specified in the itinerary. 7. Personal expenses: phone bills, laundry,     optional tours, postage, excess baggage     charge, entertainment fees out of the     itinerary. 8. Single Room Supplement.