Day 1
Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, you will be met and transferred to your hotel ready for welcome drinks and appetisers with your Travel Director and fellow travellers.
Overnight: Novotel Peace
Day 2
Beijing and the Great Wall
Today you will have the chance to see one of the world’s most iconic attractions – the Great Wall of China at Juyongguan this morning. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure and this evening for dinner indulge in a Regional Dinner of succulent Peking Duck - a must during any visit to Beijing.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Day 3
Beijing
Surround yourself with the grandeur of Beijing's landmark Great Hall of the People, Qianmen Gate and the mausoleum of Mao Zedong as you walk through one of the world’s most expansive public areas – Tiananmen Square. You’ll then continue through the south gate to the spectacular Forbidden City, an area adorned with palaces, pavilions and lush gardens. It once served as the imperial palace for emperors for more than 500 years, making it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch, indulge in a relaxing foot massage at the Foot Reflexology Centre to ease you into an evening at leisure or consider joining an Optional Experience.
Breakfast and lunch included.
Day 4
Beijing to X'ian
The morning is free for you to relax, before hopping on a rickshaw for a unique tour of the city’s ancient alleyways of the Hutong residences. Next up is a delicious traditional Chinese lunch with a local family, before heading to a quaint tea house for a cup of tea and to learn about their tea making ritual. Leave Beijing behind, bound for Xi'an, an ancient departure point on the Silk Road.
Overnight: Wyndham Grand Xi’an South
Breakfast and dinner included.
Day 5
Xi’an
Venture on this tour during term time, and you’ll have the opportunity to visit the children and teachers at a local primary school. The pupils love practicing their English, and may teach you a few Chinese words, too. Next, you will journey to the outstanding Terracotta Warriors – incredible statues that depict the armies of Qin Shi Huang. Lunch consists of a delicious bowl of Chinese noodles, setting you up for your visit to a Jade factory.
Overnight: Wyndham Grand Xi’an South
Breakfast included.
Day 6
Xi’an - Chengdu
This morning, your choice of activities gives you an opportunity to join a 'Local Specialist' in their T'ai Chi practice or embark on a cycle tour around part of the ancient City Wall of Xi'an. Get stuck in to the ancient art of dumpling making next, with an opportunity to sample the juicy results for lunch, then transfer to the railway station for your high-speed bullet train trip to Chengdu. On arrival in the hometown of the giant panda, you'll check in to your hotel and savour the leisurely pace of local life on your terms.
Overnight: Crowne Plaza
Breakfast and lunch included.
Day 7
Chengdu
Today is a special day. In the morning you’ll join a local specialist for a visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. This non-profit research and breeding facility for giant pandas and other rare animals was created in 1987, and with a population of less than 2000, the work they do is incredible.
After lunch you’ll have the option to join a Jinsha site museum and Du Fu Cottage tour .
Overnight: Crowne Plaza
Breakfast and lunch included.
Day 8
Chengdu
Get your morning to a tasty start with a trip to the Museum of Sichuan Cuisine, to learn about the traditional Sichuan cooking style. Crush chillies into a powder using a Qing Dynasty pestle and mortar, discover ancient books dating back to more than 3,000 years, and have a look at antique kitchenware as you explore the museum.
You’ll then venture to Restaurant Alley to witness the dining experiences of the past, before visiting the Kitchen God to leave an offering, and try cooking a few delicious dishes yourself with a chef. Tuck into your flavourful creations for lunch, and then head back to the hotel for a relaxed afternoon.
Breakfast and lunch included.
Breakfast included.
Day 9
Chengdu - Chongqing – Yangtze River Cruise
Rub shoulders with the locals during a visit to People's Park with its beautiful Chinese gardens, lake and tea houses. Gain insights into the day-to-day lives of the locals who spend their free time in tranquil surrounds indulging in a leisurely game of mah-jong, a quiet nap or neck massage. Venture to lively Jinli Old Street next, crossing beneath the imposing archway into a world of intricate handicraft, paintings and calligraphy. Stroll along the narrow street whose façades were modelled on the architectural style of a traditional old town in western Sichuan Province.
Afterwards, you'll transfer to the railway station for a high-speed bullet train ride to Chongqing. Here, you'll enjoy a city orientation tour with dinner before boarding your Yangtze River Cruise.
Overnight: Victoria Jenna cruise ship
Breakfast and dinner included.
Day 10
Yangtze River Cruise
Your morning will begin with a short visit to Shibaozhai to admire its 12-storey cliff-top temple, stretch your legs and climb up to the temple, tackling the red pavilion which leans against the side of the steep peak, now an island thanks to the rising Three Gorges Dam. Return to the Yangtze, cruising to Fengdu's 'Ghost City' to explore the mystical shrines, temples and monasteries that are dedicated to the afterlife.
Overnight: Victoria Jenna cruise ship
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Day 11
Yangtze River Cruise
Connect with your exquisite natural surrounds as you cruise gently down the Yangtze to the imposing Three Gorges. Squeeze through the narrow Qutang Gorge, admiring its dramatic vistas, before your journey takes you through Wu Gorge, renowned for its quiet beauty, forest-clad mountains, and cliffs so sheer the sun barely penetrates their precipices and finally, Xiling Gorge. A small motor boat will ferry you through the magical landscape of the Goddess Stream, a tributary of the Yangtze - its limestone cliffs covered in greenery provide a tranquil backdrop for your relaxing encounter with this mighty river.
Overnight: Victoria Jenna cruise ship
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Day 12
Yangtze River Cruise to Shanghai
View the engineering marvel that is the world's largest hydroelectric project, the Three Gorges Dam, before disembarking your cruise ship and transferring to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival into China's biggest city, check into your hotel and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.
Overnight: The Kunlun JingAn
Breakfast included.
Day 13
Shanghai
Start your morning with a walk along Shanghai’s famous ‘Bund’ – a waterfront adorned with both charming colonial buildings and impressive modern sky-scrapers. Embrace the tranquillity of the famous Yu Garden next, with its pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters.
You’ll then move on to Old Shanghai, well known for its amazing, lively markets and cute winding streets. There’ll be a bit of free time for lunch and shopping in the Old Town. Your final stop this afternoon is a visit to the Jade Buddha Temple, built in 1928 after the original temple was destroyed during the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. Admire the beauty of its precious jade Buddha statues made out of crystal-clear white jade. You’ll be treated to a special performance by the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe this evening.
Overnight: The Kunlun JingAn
Breakfast included.
Day 14
Shanghai sightseeing
Ascend to the 88-storey Jinmao Tower for panoramic views of the skyscrapers that loom over the most populous city on earth. Then embark on a walking tour with a 'Local Specialist' through the Shanghai French Concession, for an exhilarating encounter with the opulent age of French colonial China. Wander through the narrow alleyways, past elegant villas and apartments dating back to the early 1900s when the territory was proclaimed a French settlement. Later this morning, you'll see where the First Conference of the Communist Party took place in Xin Tian Di, whose charming antique façades hide a 21st century world of bars, cafés, boutiques and theme restaurants. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure, letting the sights and sounds of Shanghai infuse every sense or consider joining an Optional Experience. Say a fond farewell to newfound friends this evening during a Farewell Dinner.
Overnight: The Kunlun JingAn
Breakfast and farewell dinner included.
Day 15
Departure day
Your epic encounter with China has come to an end, transfer to Shanghai Airport for your onward flight.
Breakfast included.
