16 days Panoramic China tour with Yangtze cruise

Beijing, the first city to visit during this classic China tour, is the capital as well as an ancient city in China. Upon arrival at the airport or railway station, be met and assist by the local guide and driver to your hotel. The rest of the day is for you to explore this magical city on your own. If you have no ideas where to go or what to see, please ask your guide for some good suggestions. 

Visit three of the most popular attractions within Beijing city, morning head to the Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City, next up by exploring the old Hutong area in the afternoon. Located in the center of Beijing, Tiananmen Square is said to be the largest public square in the world. During the visit on the square, you can see some well-known architectural ornaments which are called Huabiao in China. They are some pillars entwined by a divine dragon engraved in relief. 

Head to the north end of the square to enter directly into the magnificent Forbidden City after you visit the Tiananmen Square. Regarded as one of the world's top travel wonders, this palace complex has numerous lavishly decorated ceremonial halls and imperial palaces that were built to impress your eyes. 

After lunch, have a cultural Hutong tour. With a one to two hours visit to Beiluoguoxiang in the old east part of the city, the local guide will tell you the history and traditional cultures of old Beijing. Afterwards, enjoy a traditional Kong Fu Show before you return to the hotel in the evening.

After breakfast, drive to visit the Temple of Heaven, which was the site of imperial offerings and rites to the heavenly gods during Ming and Qing dynasties. Now it offers as a garden and a museum for visitors to view the imperial architectures and learn about the royal ceremonies and cultures in ancient China.

Later, continue driving about 1.5 hours to the northeast of Beijing city to see the Great Wall in Mutianyu Section. As one of the best-preserved parts, the Mutianyu Great Wall once served as the northern barrier protecting the capital. Spend 2 to 3 hours to walk along the wall, see the excellent scenic beauty and experience the history of these incredible structures.

In the evening, say farewell to Beijing and your local guide as you take a soft and comfortable overnight train to Xi'an. 

Upon arrival in Xi'an in the early morning, you will be met by your local guide and driver to start your today's tour with a visit to the eighth wonder of the world, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses. The site is situated in the northeast countryside of Xi'an city, where you can see thousands of strong underground soldiers buried in front of the Emperor Qinshihuang's tomb to defend him in the afterlife.

After driving back from the Terracotta Warriors, continue your journey in Xi'an by heading to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which is one of the most famous landmarks of Xi'an. Standing atop the pagoda, you can have a bird's eyes view of the modern city of Xi'an. 

The last part of the tour today is to explore the Muslim culture in Xi'an. Learn about Islam with a visit to the Great Mosque, one of the largest mosque in China and experience the local life of Hui (Chinese Muslim) people by walking around the Muslim Quarters. 

In the evening, end the trip today by enjoying a Tang Dynasty Dinner Show along with the Dumpling Dinner. 

Continue your journey in Xi'an today by heading tothe Shaanxi History Museum, which is one of the largest modern national museums to house the best heritage of Shaanxi Province. Learn about the systematic development process of Chinese civilization from your guide while seeing these exhibitions in the museum. As you leave the museum for the next sight, notice that the entire building complex of the museum assumes the architectural features of the Tang Dynasty. 

Afterwards, take a walk along the Xi'an City Wall, one of the oldest and best-preserved city wall in China. Afternoon, you will be driven to the railway station for the bullet train to Chengdu.

You need an early breakfast to catch the feeding time of the adorable pandas in Chengdu Panda Base, which is one of the most important places to see this rare animal in China. Spend some time to get close with them and learn about their daily life in the museum. After lunch, drive to the railway station for the bullet train to Chongqing. The train takes about 2 hours, upon arrival, your guide will help you board the Yangtze River cruise. As the ship sails in the evening, your memorable Yangrtze cruise begins. 

Taking a Yangtze River Cruise might be the best way to explore the breathtaking natural landscapes and cultural heritage along the Yangtze River.

Morning take a shore excursion to Mountain Shuanggui near Fengdu. Depending on river conditions, an alternate excursion may be substituted to Shibaozhai, with its impressive wooden pagoda. Continue the cruise on Yangtze River. Dinner and Supper are offered on board. 

Optional shore excursions today (fee on your own): 
Depending on the river conditions, there is an optional shore excursion to Fengdu ghost city, Fengdu is an ancient town where you can experience the world of the afterlife in Chinese ghost folktales. Wreathed with numerous statues and interspersed by temples, the whole scenic area is a treasure house of art that combines the culture of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. 

In the early morning, you have the option to join an optional shore excursion to the historical and cultural site of White Emperor City (additional fee applies). This renowned location offers stunning views of the Kuimen scenery and is often referred to as the "City of Poems." Immerse yourself in the rich history and soak in the breathtaking landscapes that surround you. Alternatively, you can choose to enjoy leisure time onboard the ship, relaxing and taking in the tranquil ambiance.

Afterwards, return to the cruise and sail through the spectacular Three Gorges. Begin the passage with Qutang Gorge, the shortest and the grandest among three gorges. Have a glimpse of the exquisite peaks and grotesquely shaped rocks along the two banks of Yangtze River. Then pass the Wu Gorge, considered to be the most beautiful one where you will have a graceful view of the lofty and misty peaks. 

Later, you'll transfer to smaller boat for a delightful excursion through the enchanting gorges of either Goddess Stream (Shennv Stream) or, depending on river conditions, Shennong Stream. Experience the natural beauty and serenity of these captivating gorges. Finally, return to the cruise to continue your journey through Xiling Gorge, which holds the title of being the longest (41 miles) and deepest of the Three Gorges.

Disembark this morning and take a tour of the Three Gorges Dam, the grandest hydroelectric project in the world, which spans the Yangtze River at Sandouping in Xiling Gorge. The dam is designed to provide a huge source of hydropower for China and control the flood. After morning sightseeing, You will be provided a motor coach transfer to nearby Yichang by Cruise company. Upon arrival at Yichang, our Yichang local guide or driver will greeted and assisted you to Yichang airport for the flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival at Shanghai, airport picking up and transfer to your hotel.
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Optional shore excursions today (fee on your own): 

An additional optional shore excursion is also available (preceding the Three Gorges Dam tour) through the recently- completed unique ship lock with a ship lift, the world’s largest.

Today's trip starts by heading to the People's Square, a flourishing place for people to look around in Shanghai city. The south end of the square lies the Shanghai Museum, a large museum to exhibit the ancient Chinese art. Compared with the Shaanxi History Museum, the main building of the Shanghai Museum presents a modern architectural style. The round dome and the square base symbolizes the ancient idea of a round heaven and a square land.

Next drive to the Xintiandi in the French Concession. This place is an urban tourist attraction imbued with the city's historical and cultural legacies. Walk around here before you cross the Huangpu River and head to the Shanghai Tower at the tip of Lujiazui in the Pudong District. People all around the world see this as the official landmark of Shanghai. Next up with a walk to see the  beautiful scenery of the Bund in Shanghai.

In the evening, have a pleasant cruise along the Huangpu River to see the beautiful night scene of Shanghai.

Morning take a private car to Suzhou, a famous garden city located west to Shanghai. Spend the whole day to visit several famous attractions in this city today. The first spot is the Humble Administrator's Garden. The architectural design here shows a pure feature of South China, which is totally different with the gardens you visit in Beijing. This garden is also one of the largest and most impressive gardens in Southeast China. Afterwards, take a cruise on the Grand Canal, which is the longest artificial river in the world, used daily to connect the north and south China.

In the afternoon, visit another famous garden in Suzhou city, the Lingering Garden. Every landscape here is meticulously designed to make you surprise and impressed. Next, take a visit to the Silk Factory to learn about the long history of Suzhou's silk industry before you drive back to the hotel in Shanghai for retirement. 

Drive to the airport for the flight to Guilin in the morning. Upon arrival, get settled into the hotel and have a break for the rest of this morning. After lunch, start your journey in Guilin by heading to the Reed Flute Cave, a natural limestone cave which is over 180 million years old. See the numerous stalactites, stalagmites and rock formations of different shapes in this cave, experience the exceptional workmanship of nature.

Afterwards, head to the Elephant Trunk Hill. This sight is considered to be the symbol of Guilin and received its name from its appearance of an elephant drinking water. End the tour today by visiting the Pearl Culture Shop and learning about the pearl's process. Here you can buy some for your friends in a very low price.

Spend today comfortably cruise along the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo. Have a different experience with the Yangtze River cruise as you enjoy the unique scenery with beautiful water and majestic mountains in Guangxi province. This cruise takes 3 to 4 hours.

Once you disembark in Yangshuo, have a two to three hours bicycle ride into the countryside to experience the real local life of Chinese peasants. If you prefer not to ride a bicycle, just let us know and we will prepare an alternative for you.

After a relaxing morning at Yangshuo, then drive about 40 minutes to visit Xianggong hill(Husband Mountain), it takes about 15 minutes to the top of the hill where you will be amazed by the breathtaking view of Li River and the surrounded Karst mountain peaks. Afterwards drop you off at Guilin train station for the high-speed train to Hong Kong, a bustling modern city in South China. After you get settled into the hotel, spend some time to explore this city on your own. Our guide and Travel Advisor are glad to give some suggestions on where to go and what to see.

Morning head to the Victoria Peak, the highest mountain in the Hong Kong island. With a height of 552 m. (1,811 ft.), it is a great place for you to have a spectacular view of the city and its harbors. Then continue to Repulse Bay located in the south of Hong Kong island to look across this busy waterway at Kowloon Island and more.

Afterward, drive to the Stanley Market, a traditional old open-air market in Hong Kong, jammed with many souvenir shops. Then drive across to Deep Water Bay to visit the Aberdeen Area. This place is famous to tourists for its fish village, which is located within the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelters. We can help find a perfect restaurant to enjoy a fresh catch of the delicious local seafood here.

The afternoon is open and flexible for you to explore Hong Kong on your own. In the evening, you will have a cruise at Victoria Harbour and enjoy the Buffet dinner. 

Hong Kong airport is a key hub for international flights and a great place to depart for your home country. As your Hong Kong guide says farewell you will be driven to the airport for your departure. Wish you have a pleasant journey home.