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Day 1 West Coast - Beijing
Board your transpacific flight to Beijing.
Day 2 Beijing
Upon arrival in Beijing, China's capital, you
will be greeted and escorted to The Regent
Beijing (or similar).
Day 3 Beijing (AB,L,SD)
After breakfast, visit Tiananmen Square and
the Imperial Palace in the Forbidden City,
home of Chinese emperors for more than
500 years. After lunch, visit the Summer
Palace, taking a leisure stroll while admiring
the thousands of ancient murals along the
Long Corridor and a boat ride on Kunming
Lake (weather permitting). Toast your arrival
with a glass of wine and enjoy a fabulous
welcome banquet featuring the famous
Beijing Duck in the evening.
 Day 4 Beijing (AB,L,WD)
The highlight today is an excursion to
the Great Wall. Enjoy the dramatic vistas
and marvel at the Wall as it climbs and
descends steep ridges and narrow valleys.
A scenic cable car ride enhances your visit
through the steep hills. Continue on to visit
a cloisonné factory on the way to lunch.
After lunch, en route back to city, drive
around the intriguing architecture of the
main Olympic venues: the National Stadium,
nicknamed the “Bird's Nest,” because of
its unique design and the National Aquatics
Center, known as the “Water Cube”
(H2O3). Continue toward the Beijing Sport
University, where over 50 graduates have
won world championship titles, and more
than 60 have won Asian championship titles.
Visit the university's museum, Garden of
Champions, indoor training gyms, outdoor
sports fields and courts, etc. Return to your
hotel for a western dinner.
Day 5 Beijing (AB,L,D)
This morning the tour will take you to the
hutongs with a pedicab ride through the
old-city neighborhoods of narrow lanes and
courtyard gardens hidden behind Beijing's
modern façade. Visit Prince Gong's Palace,
the Drum Tower and old-style courtyard
houses still inhabited by Beijing residents.
After lunch, visit the Temple of Heaven,
where the emperors came to pray for good
harvests and pay their appreciation. After
dinner, enjoy a mystical and amazing show,
“Legend of Kung Fu.”
Day 6 Beijing - Xi'an (AB,L,WD)
Transfer to the airport for your morning
flight to Xi'an. Upon arrival, you will start
your tour of the ancient City Wall, the Big
Wild Goose Pagoda and the Bell Tower.
Check in to the Hyatt Regency Xi'an (or
similar).
Day 7 Xi'an (AB,L,SD)
Today's highlight is a visit to the Terra-Cotta
Warriors and Horses Museum, home to an
army of more than 6,000 life-size statues
excavated from the tomb of the first emperor
of the Qin Dynasty. After lunch, visit the
Shaanxi Provincial Museum, renowned for
its collection of Han- and Tang-dynasty
antiquities. In the evening, enjoy a special
dinner show at the Tang Dynasty Theatre
recreating the music, costumes and dances
of that era.
Day 8 Xi'an - Chongqing -Yangtze
River Cruise (AB,L,D)
Transfer to the airport for your flight to
the mountainous city of Chongqing. Upon
arrival, your city tour will include a visit
to the Stilwell Museum where you will see
a collection of World War II memorabilia,
including exhibits on the Flying Tigers. If
time permits, visit the People's Congress
Hall and the art gallery. After dinner, board a
5-star Victoria Cruises' ship and begin your
memorable journey on the Yangtze River.
 Day 9 Yangtze River Cruise:
Shibaozhai (AB,L,D)
Today's shore excursion is to Shibaozhai,
famous for its 12-story wooden pagoda built
against a sheer cliff on the river bank over
some 400 years ago.
**Depending on local river conditions, an
alternate shore excursion to Wanzhou may
occur.
Day 10 Yangtze River Cruise:
Danning River Small Gorges or
Shennong Stream (AB,L,D)
This morning you will cruise through the
first two of the famous Three Gorges:
Qutang Gorge, the shortest but the most
dramatic gorge; and Wu Gorge, known
for its sheer cliffs and twelve peaks. Your
excursion will include boarding a smaller
vessel to sail up the Danning River to
view the scenery of the Small Gorges. If
weather permits, a sampan ride will take
you into a tranquil tributary. Subject to river
conditions, enjoy an alternate excursion
to Shennong Stream, which also features
spectacular views of the Small Gorges. Your
cruise continues and passes through the last
and longest gorge, Xiling Gorge. Then sail
through the five stages of the Three Gorges'
double-lane ship lock.
Day 11 Yangtze River Cruise: Three
Gorges Dam - Yichang - Shanghai
(AB,L,D)
This morning, your cruise arrives in Yang
Jia Wang where you will enjoy a shore
excursion at the Three Gorges Dam site,
the largest hydroelectric project in the
world. Continue onto Yichang where you
disembark. Transfer to the airport for your
flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival, check in
to The Regent Shanghai (or similar).
**If a direct flight is not available, transfer
by motor coach to Wuhan for flight to
Shanghai.
 Day 12 Shanghai (AB,L,D)
Today's full-day sightseeing features the
bustling shopping street of Nanjing Road,
and the Bund, the famous promenade along
the Huangpu River. Visit the Shanghai
Museum, China's most up-to-date museum
showcasing the country's ancient glory. In
the afternoon, pay a visit to the Jade Buddha
Temple, renowned for its huge statue of the
Buddha carved from a single piece of white
jade; and the Children's Palace where you
will enjoy musical and cultural performances
by children attending classes. After dinner,
you will attend a spectacular acrobatic show.
Day 13 Shanghai - Suzhou -
Shanghai (AB,L,WD)
After breakfast, take a scenic ride to Suzhou,
a charming city of canals filled with gardens
from the Ming and Qing dynasties–many
of them, UNESCO World Cultural Heritage
sites. Your sightseeing will include the
Garden of the Humble Administrator, the
Silk Embroidery Research Institute, Pan
Men City Gate and the North Temple
Pagoda. Return to Shanghai and enjoy a
glass of wine with your western dinner at
the hotel.
Day 14 Shanghai - Guilin
(AB,L,WD)
You have the morning at leisure to explore
this vibrant city on your own before
transferring to the airport for your flight to
tranquil Guilin. Upon arrival, check in to the
Sheraton Guilin Hotel (or similar).
Day 15 Guilin - Yangshuo (AB,L,D)
Today's excursion is a cruise along the
beautiful Li River. Experience the magical
beauty of limestone rock formations and
farmland commonly seen in Chinese
landscape paintings. Disembark at the
charming village of Yangshuo, which has
one of the best antique and craft markets in
China. Browse at the market, or relax at one
of the local cafes. After dinner, enjoy a grand
musical show, “Impression Liu Sanjie,”
set in the world's largest natural theater,
featuring a cast of 600 and a backdrop of 12
peaks and the Li River (weather permitting).
Overnight at the Yangshuo Paradise Resort
(or similar).
 Day 16 Yangshuo - Guilin -
Hong Kong (AB,L)
Transfer back to Guilin and spend your day
on a city tour which includes the Reed Flute
Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill and the Fubo
Hill's dramatic rock formation. Then transfer
to the airport for your evening flight to Hong
Kong. Check in to your deluxe, harbor-view
room at the Harbour Plaza Hong Kong (or
similar).
Day 17 Hong Kong (AB)
Today's half-day sightseeing tour gives an
introduction to Hong Kong Island. Your tour
will take you through Repulse Bay, Stanley
Market and Aberdeen's floating community.
Then ascend Victoria Peak to take in the
breathtaking, panoramic views of the city.
The rest of the day is at leisure.
Day 18 Hong Kong (AB)
You have the whole day to discover why
Hong Kong is known as “The Shopping
Capital of Asia.” You may also consider
taking one of the optional tours.
Day 19 Hong Kong - West Coast
(AB)
Farewell to Hong Kong. Transfer to the
airport for your flight back to the USA. |
