14 Days Beijing - Xi'an - Guilin - Chongqing - Yangtze River Cruise ...

2019-08-28 16:45:30

14 Days Beijing - Xi'an - Guilin - Chongqing - Yangtze River Cruise - Yichang - Shanghai

Day 1 Arrival in Beijing

When you arrive in Beijing today, your two weeks China group tour officially begins. Once you have claimed your luggage and cleared customs, you will find our guide waiting for you in the airport arrivals area, holding a welcome sign bearing your name. The driver will drive you to the hotel and help you register for three nights. The rest of the day is for your own use.

Accommodation: The Great Wall Hotel Beijing

Day 2 Beijing

To start your China group tour, your guide will host a short pre-trip meeting at your hotel lobby this morning. This includes a final briefing and preparations for your trip. The group travel guidelines and tips will also be shared. After the pre-trip meeting, commence your visit to Tiananmen Square and then to the Forbidden City, the home of emperors in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Nowadays, it houses the palace museum with numerous imperial treasures. Every detail of the palace tells its visitors a story of ancient royal life.

A welcome lunch is served at a celebrated restaurant with an a la carte menu (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price). Enjoy authentic Chinese food and the most popular Peking Roast Duck.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Temple of Heaven, which used to be the altar where emperors worshiped heaven and prayed for a good harvest. Later, the highlight of the evening will be a brilliant Chinese Kung Fu Show performed at the Red Theatre.

Meals included: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte welcome lunch

Day 3 Beijing

We suggest you have a hearty breakfast this morning, as we will drive from downtown to visit the wondrous Great Wall at Mutianyu. The round-trip cable car will be arranged. Restaurants in the mountain area are of low quality and do not meet our service standard, so we suggest you have some fast food for lunch. Our guide will offer you suggestions.

Then we drive back to the downtown Beijing. You will explore a popular local market and enjoy a relaxing time.

Meals included: Western buffet breakfast

Day 4 Beijing - Xi'an

This will be an exciting morning as you visit the scenic Summer Palace. Based on Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, its design embodies the solemnity and grace of a royal garden that incorporates the joy of nature, which is also a monument to classical Chinese architecture. Then we will have a stopover at the Olympic National Stadium, also the Bird's Nest, so that you can appreciate the unique building and take nice photos.

You will have an a la carte lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) at a nice local restaurant.

The afternoon trip will take you to visit the old Hutongs. You will explore the traditional Hutong alleys by taking a rickshaw and attend a Chinese folk art activity to make paper cuttings. After that, you are off to the next destination of your two week China tour - Xi'an. Our local guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel for a three-night stay.

Meals included: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

Accommodation: Sheraton Hotel

Day 5 Xi'an

The morning escorted tour is scheduled with a visit to the well-known Terracotta Army. It might be difficult for you to imagine the surprising moment when you see the great army of strong life-sized terracotta warriors assembled in their thousands to protect the tomb of the first Emperor Qin. Then we will transfer you back to the city and have an a la carte lunch (valued at CNY120.00 per person and included in our price) cooked by the host at a local family's home.

The afternoon will be spent visiting the Small Wild Goose Pagoda & Xi'an Museum. A splendid evening is in store when you are entertained by the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show while enjoying a famous Chinese dumpling dinner.

Meals included: Western buffet breakfast, Home-cooked a la carte lunch, Dumpling dinner

Day 6 Xi'an

Traveling is not just for sightseeing, it is also a journey to experience the life and different cultures. Today's tour will begin with a leisurely walk in an encircled City Wall Park. It is a park where many local people like to do morning exercises, have all kinds of entertainments or just spend their leisure time chatting. If feel interested, you may join them for fun. Still in the park, we will invite a Tai Chi Master to teach you some basic skills of practicing Tai Chi, a traditional form of physical exercise and a unique Chinese cultural symbol. After that, you will ascend the well-preserved ancient City Wall. You may wish to take a cycle ride on the wall. The bike rental fee is at your expense.

After an a la carte lunch (valued at CNY120.00 per person and included in our price), continue to visit the Provincial History Museum and the Great Mosque in the afternoon. Around the mosque is the largest Moslem community and bazaar, where you will see Islamic customs, intertwining alleyways, and countless Moslem snack shops. Finally, we transfer you back to the hotel.

Meals included: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch

Day 7 Xi'an - Guilin

Today, you will board a flight to Guilin. Upon your arrival, our local guide will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to the hotel for a two-night stay. Then you will visit the Reed Flute Cave and the Elephant Trunk Hill.

Meals included: Western buffet breakfast

Accommodation: Sheraton Hotel

Day 8 Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin

Today will be a memorable experience of your 2 week trip to China as you cruise down the beautiful Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo. The river, with its calm sparkling water, is the essence of the city's landscape and reputed as the "Hundred Mile Gallery". After docking at Yangshuo in about 4.5 hours, you will walk through the well-known West Street. Then you will enjoy the amazing rural scenery as we drive along the surrounding country roads of Yangshuo. En route, you will be invited to visit a villager's home. After that, we will transfer you back to Guilin.

Tips: As the cruise company offers box lunch on the ship. It may fail to meet with your approval. We are aware of the shortcomings and suggest you prepare for the cruise with a generous breakfast at the hotel.

Meals included: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Day 9 Guilin - Chongqing

Take a morning bullet train for around 5 hours to Chongqing. Upon your arrival, our local guide will meet you at Chongqing West Railway Station and take you to explore Jiefangbei CBD and Ci Qi Kou Ancient Village. After that you will board the President cruise ship for a three-night stay. It sets sail at 22:00, when your relaxing Yangtze cruise journey begins. Today's lunch and dinner are on your own arrangement.

Meals included: Western buffet breakfast

Cruises: President No. 8 with balcony

Day 10 Yangtze River Cruise

You will gain some knowledge of the cruise ship and its activities schedule through the river guide's morning presentation. In the early afternoon, an onshore excursion is arranged when the ship anchors at Shibaozhai. Don't be surprised when you see some new buildings standing along certain sections of the river banks. They are purpose-built dwellings for those farmers who once led a hard life in the hills before the Three Gorges Project was constructed. In the evening, you will be invited to attend the Welcome Party hosted by the Captain.

Meals included: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11 Yangtze River Cruise

Today the ship will sail through the most splendid part of the Three Gorges. The first is the Qutang Gorge, which is only eight kilometers long but encompasses the most dangerous part. Then the ship will sail into a deep and attractive part, Wu Gorge. An excursion between three and four hours long along the Shennong Stream by sampan is arranged for you today. Afterwards, the ship will continue to sail into heavily-shoaled Xiling Gorge.

Meals included: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12 Yichang - Shanghai

This morning, the onshore excursion will take you to visit the stunning Three Gorges Dam site, which plays an important flood control role. Before that, you should pack your luggage and check out. After finishing the excursion, the cruise ship company will drive you to the Three Gorges Tourist Center in Yichang city. Our local guide will meet you there and then escort you to the railway station for a 7.5-hour bullet train to Shanghai, the last stop of your two week trip to China. The guide in Shanghai will greet you and transfer you to the hotel.

Meals included: Western buffet breakfast

Accommodation: Parkline Century Park Hotel Shanghai

Day 13 Shanghai

Today we will show you the most important commercial and financial hub in China. The first destination is Shanghai Museum. There are all kinds of collections, and some rarities even command world-wide attention. Next let's turn to the Yu Garden, a bright pearl of the south classical gardens. The pavilions, terraces, towers, ponds and rockeries inside the garden are laid out finely, which shows originality in providing wide views in a small confined space. Surrounding the garden is a lively local bazaar. You may wish to enjoy some free time there.

The farewell a la carte lunch (valued at CNY120.00 per person and included in our price) will be served at a well-reputed restaurant featuring delicate Shanghai cuisine.

After lunch, we come to explore the Former French Concession, the most prosperous area in old Shanghai. Then we travel to the Bund, where you will have a one-hour cruise tour on Huangpu River. With the completion of the trip, our guide and driver will transfer you back to the hotel and bid farewell in the lobby.

Meals included: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte farewell lunch

Day 14 Departure from Shanghai

Your 2 weeks guided tours of China draws to a close today. You need to head to the airport for your homebound flight by yourself as your trip does not include this transfer service. We suggest you book a taxi or the airport shuttle bus at the hotel concierge desk the day before your departure. We wish you a happy flight back home and hope we can serve you again in the future.

Meals included: Western buffet breakfast

Price Includes

Domestic airfares & train fares

Hotel accommodation with breakfasts

A la carte lunches as itinerary specifies

Professional English-speaking guides

Drivers & air-conditioned vehicles

Entrance fees to tourist sites

Yangtze River cruise with full board

Tips or gratuities for hotel porters

Price Excludes

International airfares