Day 1: Arrive Beijing
Met and transferred to Hotel. Remove jet lag rest of the day.
Day 2: Beijing(B/L/D)
Tour Beijing¡¯s omperial treasures: Tiananmen Square, the largest in the world, walking through the Gate of Heavenly Peace, enter the Forbidden City. Lunch at a local restaurant. Then tour the idyllic Summer Palace, enjog a boat ride on Kunming Lake.
Day 3: Beijing(B/L/D)
Take a scenic drive through the countryside to reach China¡¯s most renowned monument-the Great Wall. In the afternoon, visit one of the 13 Ming Tombs. In the evening, savor a specially prepared meal of Beijing Duck.
Day 4: Beijing¡ªXi¡¯an(B/L/D)
Experience the world of Beijing¡¯s Hutongs, via rickshaw. See the locals as they go about their daily activities. Highlights include visits to a local kingergarden, to the 800-year-old Drum Tower and to a traditional courtyard style home. This unique tour concludes with a meal served at the home of a local family. After lunch transfer to the airport for a flight to Xi¡¯an, met and transferred to hotel.. In the evening, enjoy a specially prepared Dumpling Banquet.
Day 5: Xi¡¯an (B/L/D)
Today¡¯s excursion will take you to modern China¡¯s greatest archaeological discovery¡ªThe Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses, after lunch at a local restaurant, tour the Shaanxi History Museum, attend an optional Tang Dynasty Cultural Show in the evening.
Day 6: Xi¡¯an--Lhasa (B/L/D)
Transferred to the airport for your flight to Lhasa, the heart and soul of Tibet. Upon arrival take a scenic ride to the city. Check into hotel. Your afternoon is at leisure. It is important for you to rest and not overexert yourself. You will need time to acclimate to the high altitude (11,796 feet).
Day 7: Lhasa (B/L/D)
Begins with a tour to the monumental Potala Palace whose imposing presence dominates the entire region. In the afternoon, tour the Tibetan Museum to learnmore about the history of this region referred to as the ¡°roof of the world¡±
Day 8: Lhasa (B/L/D)
Today¡¯s tour begins in the heart of the old city at Jokhang Temple, Tibet¡¯s holiest temple, built in 647 AD. Take time to browse this bustling bazaar., In the afternoon, visit to Sera Monastery, one of the most important centers of the Yellow Hat sect and also a pillar of the theocratic state.
Day 9: Lhasa¡ªChongqing (B/L/D)
Your morning flight takes you to the mountain city of Chongqing. Take a city tour to explore this bustling city, then board the cruser. Settle into your cabin and enjoy the numerous amenities on board. The shop will stay in port during the night.
Day 10: Yangtza Cruise (B/L/D)
Your cruiser sets sail in the early morning and then brings you to Fengdu. Take shore excursion to explore China¡¯s ghost city, then back to your ship, your cruise continues and enters Qutang Gorge¡ªthe shortest, narrowest and probably the most fascinating of the three, noted for its fantastic scenery resembling an elegant Chinese painted scroll. Tonight enjoy a dinner featuring local cuisine and onboard entertainment.
Day 11: Yangtze Cruise (B/L/D)
More incredible views await you upon evtering Wu Gorge Transfer to a smaller motorzed sampan for a excursion either to the Lesser Three Gorge or to the fabled Shengnong Stream, depending on their water levels. Tonight enjoy a dinner featuring local cuisine and onboard entertainment.
Day 12: Yichang¡ªShanghai (B/L/D)
The cruise continues as you enter the spectacular Xiling Gorge then will make a brief stop at Sandouping, the site of the construction of the Three Gorge Dam and Hydroelectric Power Plant. Disembark at Yichang, the terminus of your memorable Yangtza cruise. Board a flight to Shanghai.
Day 13: Shanghai (B/L/D)
Begin your tour in the heart of old Shanghai at the 16th century Yu Garden. Enjoy a stunning view of Shanghai from the 88th floor of the Jinmao Tower, the tallest building id China. In the afternoon, visit the architectural inspiring Shanghai Museum, with its 120,000 piece collectionof ancient Chinese relics. After dinner, attend a performance of the Shanghai Acrobats.
Day 14: Shanghai (B/L/D)
After breakfast, take a short train ride to fabled water town of Suzhou, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. upon arrival, yu will cruise on the Grand Canal, the world¡¯s longest canal, built 1,500 years ago. You then tour the Silk Spinning Mill, where you will learn how silk is created from the mulberry ¨Cmunching silk worms to produce thread and fine cloth. In the afternoon, visit the Garden of the master of Fishing Nets and experience all of the elements of a classical Chinese garden. After dinner, take the train back to Shanghai and return to your hotel.
Day 15: Journey home (B)
Your morning is free to rest, to pack or to do some last minute shopping. Transferred to the airport and board on your return flight.
