13 Days Best of China Tour with Yangtze River Cruise

Summary

Day 1 Beijing Arrival
Day 2 Beijing: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven,Summer Palace
Day 3 Beijing: Mutiantu Great Wall, Ming's Tomb
Day 4 Beijing-Xian: Nanluoguxiang Hutong, Beijing to Xian by High-speed train
Day 5 Xian: Terracotta Warriors, Ancient City Walls, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Dumpling Banquet, Tang Dynasty Show
Day 6 Xian-Guilin: Xian to Guilin by Flight, Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill
Day 7 Guilin-Yangshuo: Li River Cruise, West Street, Impression of Liusanjie
Day 8 Guilin-Chongqi: Guilin to Chongqing by flight, Three Gorges Museum, Ciqikou Old Town
Day 9 Yangtze River Cruise: Yangtze Cruise, Fengdu, Mingshan Hill, Shibaozhai
Day 10 Yangtze River Cruise: Daning River Small Gorges, Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, White Emperor City
Day 11 Yangtze River Cruise-Yichang-Shanghai: Three Gorges Dam, Xiling Gorge, Yichang Museum, Fly to Shanghai
Day 12 Shanghai: The Bund, Yuyuan Garden, Silk Factory, Jade Buddha Temple
Day 13 Shanghai Depature

Day 1 Beijing Arrival

Upon arrival Beijing, our Beijing local guide will pick you up at the arrival hall of Beijing Airport with a pick up sign "China Private Tour" and escorted to your downtown hotel by a private comfortable vehicle. Our guide will help you to check in hotel.

The rest day is free on your own to get over the jet lag or explore Beijing city.

Day 2 Beijing

In the morning, our guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at appointed time. The first place for Beijing is Tiananmen Square, 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 1,000,000 people at one time.

After sightseeing, walk into the Tiananmen you will meet the one of the world’s 5 most important palaces – Forbidden City. The Forbidden City, 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.

Have 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 about 6km to next imperial site - 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. 

At last, you will head to visit Summer Palace, it is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces in Beijing, China. It serves as a popular tourist destination and recreational park. Mainly dominated by Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, it covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometres (1.1 sq mi), three-quarters of which is water.  After 1949, the Summer Palace briefly housed the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China. Many of Mao Zedong's friends and key figures in the Communist Party, such as Liu Yazi and Jiang Qing, also lived there. Since 1953, many major restoration and renovation works have been done on the Summer Palace, which is now open to the public as a tourist attraction and park.

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

Day 3 Beijing

In the morning, our guide will pick you up at your hotel lobby. Your tour starts with visiting 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 is offered near the Great Wall in 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, you will be taken back to your hotel.

Day 4 Beijing-Xian

In the morning, check out from your hotel. Our guide will take you to start the Beijing hutong tour. Hutong is a window into Beijing folk life. Drive you to 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. 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 lunch, transferred to Beijing West Train Station for the train to Xi'an. It takes around 5 hours. 

Once arrived at Xi'an train station, you will be greeted by our guide at the exit of the train station with a welcome signage “China Private Tour". Our guide and driver will take you have a dinner at local restaurant. After dinner, you will be taken back to your hotel in Xian.

Overnight in Xian.

Day 5 Xian

In the morning, our guide will meet you at the pointed time. Today, you will visit the highlights of Xi'an city.

Firstly, drive you to Terra-cotta 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. Up to now, there has discovered a total of 179 accompanying burial pits of different connotations and various shapes in Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum area. The discovery of these pits has provided all important significance in the research of the burial system of the Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum, the characteristics structures and characteristics of the burial pits. However, what makes people feel amazing is that of all the burial pits, none has been found survived from being burnt down. 

Your lunch is arranged at local restaurant with tasting local cuisine. 

Drive you back to the downtown Xian, and head to the Ancient City Wall. This wall represents one of the oldest and best preserved Chinese city walls, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. Now it is 12 meters tall, 12-14 meters wide over14 kilometers in length with a deep moat surrounding it. You can walk, or even cycle on the wall. Its south gate is the largest with a suspension bridge. Most of the tourists choose the south gate for sightseeing. 

After lunch, keep going to visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, also named Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. It is a Buddhist pagoda located in southern Xi'and became the symbol of the old-line Xi'an. It was built in 652 during the Tang dynasty and originally had five stories. The structure was rebuilt in 704 during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, and its exterior brick facade was renovated during the Ming dynasty. 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.

At night, you will have a Xi'an Dumpling Dinner, which is famous in Xi'an. Our guide will lead you to Shaanxi Grand Opera House and help you find your seat for the most famous Xi'an Dumpling Dinner within the Opera House.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.

Drive you back to your hotel.

Day 6 Xian-Guilin

You will have a free time to go around Xi'an before appointed time with our guide. Then, drive you to Xi'an airport for the flight to Gulin. It takes around 2 hours from Xi'an to Guilin.

Upon arrival,our Gulin local guide will pick you up at the exit of airport with a signage "China Private Tour" and take you to have lunch at a local Chinese restaurant. 

In the afternoon, you will visit Reed Flute Cave. It is a natural limestone cave in Guilin, Guangxi Province of China and has been one of the most interesting attractions for over 1200 years in Guilin. It is also known as "the Palace of Natural Arts".The place is called Reed Flute Cave because of the abundance of reed plants present outside the cave. The reeds are used by the locals to make flutes.

Next, move on to Elephant Trunk Hill, which is the symbol of Guilin. The name was chosen because the hill looks like a giant elephant dipping its trunk into the river. The green water of Li River in front of it and the clear spring at the foot make Elephant Trunk Hill one of the most famous hills in Guilin City. The Elephant Hill has several features: - Water Moon Cave (Shuiyue dong), Elephant's Eye Stone, and Pagoda for Puxian and Yunfeng Temple.

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

Day 7: Gulin-Yangshuo

In the morning, our guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel, drive you to the Pier, where you will start the Guilin Li River cruise to Yangshuo. The boarding time is scheduled at 9:30am, and the whole journey takes about 4 hours. With our guide's company and interpretation, you could immerse yourself in the stunning karst landscape made up of rolling hills, verdant forests, odd caves and tranquil villages along the Li River. A simple Chinese lunch will be offered on board before you reach Yangshuo at 2:00pm. 

And then, back to Yangshuo city. You will walk along the Xijie (West Street), is the oldest street in Yangshuo with a history of more than 1,400 years. Situated at the center of Yangshuo County, the street has become, since the 1980's, a window of eastern and western culture and the biggest 'foreign language center' in China.

After dinner, you will go for watching the large Impression Liusanjie. Impression Liu Sanjie is a musical night show, actually performed on the Li River in Yangshuo. The cast are local Zhuang minority villagers, and it is one of the creations of famous Chinese Director Zhang Yimou.

When you finished the show, you will be taken back to your hotel. Overnight in Yangshuo.

Day 8 Guilin-Chongqing

Free on your own until our driver pick you up from your hotel and transfer to Guilin Airport for your flight to Chongqing. Upon on your arrival, our Chongqing tour guide and driver will meet you at the exit of the airport with the welcome sign "China Priavte Tour". Our guide will take you to have lunch first.

After lunch, pay a visit for Three Gorges Museum. This place is dedicated to the famous dam and to the Yangtze River although there are some exhibits connected to the war years. 

After that you will get to see the Ciqikou Old Town. This place is very charming with its narrow streets and small wooden houses and it provides some great opportunities for shopping souvenirs or tasting local snacks. When you are done with this, the ship will be waiting for you to take you on the cruise.

Day 9 Yangtze River Cruise

As the largest water system in China, Yangtze River is historically, economically and culturally important to the country. It has numerous tributaries including Min River, Han River, Jialing River, Gan River, and Huangpu River.

You will have an excursion to Fengdu, visiting either the "Ghost City" known for its statues of ghosts and devils on Mingshan Hill, or the new relocation village, built for families who have moved as a result of the Yantgze's rising waters brought by the Three Gorgres Dam.

Optional Excursion to Shibaozhai (river conditions permitting), visiting the impressive 12-story pagoda. Known as "The pearl of the Yangtze", it is one of the gems of Chinese architecture. The 18th Century red wooden temple is an architectural delight full of Legends and beautiful stories. Climbing on the top, you can have a panoramic view of the Yangtze River. Inside the pavilion, there are steles and inscriptions of past dynasties of each floor. Visitors can also admire the spectacular Yangtze River from the windows of each floor.

Day 10 Yangtze River Cruise

Continue your voyage on Yangtze River through hidden reefs and tumbling rapids.Take an excursion through the Daning River Small Gorges, which are narrower than the Three Gorges but also impressive. Enter Wu Gorge known for its forest-covered mountains and cliffs so sheer that the sun barely penetrates the precipices.Wu Gorge is famous for its zigzags, weird peaks, rising mists and beautiful sights.

Then sail through Qutang Gorge, the shortest, narrowest and most dramatic gorge. The combination of narrow canyons among high mountains with several switchbacks in only 8 kilometres creates spectacular vistas, and the Qutang Gorge is often considered the most beautiful of all the Three Gorges. Although it is primarily famous for its scenery, the Three Gorges region is also a historically and culturally important location in China.

Optional excursion to White Emperor City (river conditions permitting), an ancient city overlooking the western end of Qutang Gorge. Many relics housed in the Baidi Temple such as ancient architectures, a stele forest, ancient suspended wooden coffins, painting and calligraphy works by celebrities of different dynasties.

Day 11 Yangtze River Cruise-Yichang-Shanghai

This morning you will visit the Three Gorges Dam at Sandouping, the largest hydroelectric power project in the world. As well as producing electricity, the dam is intended to increase the Yangtze River's shipping capacity and reduce the potential for floods downstream by providing flood storage spaceLater sail through the Three Gorges Dam ship locks.

Sail through Xiling Gorge, the longest (41 miles) and the deepest of the Three Gorges. Because of numerous reefs and odd-shaped stones existing in rapid shoals, it is also well known for its danger. Scenery along the Xiling Gorge is spectacular. Some renowned streams, springs, stones and karst caves can be found along this section.

In the afternoon, you will have a chance to visit the Yichang Museum if time permits. There are three main exhibition halls in the museum with a total area of 920 square meters displaying altogether 617 pieces of relics, 230 photos and drawings and 100 pieces of text. Then the cruise finish and we will drive you to Yichang airport for the flight to Shanghai. You can have a comfortable sleep in a cosy hotel of Shanghai.

Day 12 Shanghai

After breakfast, you will cross Huangpu River and visit The Bund, which is teemed with the futuristic, avant-garde buildings - Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Building, Bank of China Tower. Completed in 1995 to a highly innovative design, Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower has become a symbol of excellence in architecture and is a favorite sight for tourists in Shanghai. At 468 meters, it is the third tallest TV and radio tower in the World. On the TV Tower, to have a bird's eye view of Shanghai City.

Later you will be taken to visit the 400-year-old Yuyuan Garden – the representative traditional Chinese garden in Shanghai. Each pavilion, hall, stone and stream in the garden is expressing the quintessence of South China landscape design from the Ming and Qing Dynasty. Over forty spots, divided by dragon walls, wound corridors and beautiful flowers, form a unique picture featuring "one step, one beauty; every step, every beauty". Out from Yuyuan Garden, move to Yuyuan Bazaar to explore how elaborate and cute the traditional Chinese handicrafts and art works are, and savor some local flavor snacks here.

Followed a trip to a Silk Factory to see how silk is produced from the cocoons of silk worms, and turned into the beautiful fabric we all know and love.

Then continue to Jade Buddha Temple to admire the largest jade Buddha in the world and exquisite religious artifacts. The essence of the temple is the two jade Buddhist statues brought back from Burma by the Monk Huigen for Putuo Mountain during the Qing Dynasty.

Day 13 Shanghai Depature

Free on your own in the morning, then you will be transferred to the airport and you can fly back home. Have a pleasant 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.