China Up Close, Cruise the Mighty Yangtze River

Beijing - Zhengzhou - Dengfeng - Luoyang - Xian - Chongqing - Yangtze River Cruise - Wuhan - Suzhou - Shanghai

About the Program:
Length: 20 days
Min/max: 10/25
Tour type: deluxe expedition

This program introduces you to the historic and cultural essence of China.It will take you from the Forbidden City in Beijing, home of the Last Emperor, to the ancient capital of Xian, world renowned for its terra cotta warriors. It will take you from the cradle of Chinese civilization along the banks of the Yellow River to the cosmopolitan excitement of Asia's most dynamic city, Shanghai. And it will take you through some of the most spectacular and memorable scenery in the world as your luxury cruiser travels the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River.

Everywhere you look, you will see enormous changes taking place even while so much of the past survives. You will visit China's finest museums with a range of enriched displays from ancient history to modern art. You will travel to a village in rural China, and be welcomed by the local people into their cave homes. You will visit the monastery which gave birth to kung-fu, the most famous of China's martial arts, and you will explore a stone age village from the very beginning of China's history. At the end of the trip you will know that you have truly seen the REAL China up close.

DAILY ITINERARY

Day 1, Sun. Beijing
Afternoon arrive in Beijing, greeting at the airport and transfer to hotel.Welcome dinner. D Asia Hotel

Day 2, Mon. Beijing
Begin your exploration of China by touring three of the nation's most famous sites - Tian An Men Square, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven. B/L/D Asia Hotel

Day 3, Tue. Beijing
Excursion to the Great Wall, one of the world's architectural marvels. Then continue on to the Ming Tomb Gardens, burial ground of 13 emperors. On the way back, stop in at Beijing's largest cloisonné factory. B/L/D Asia Hotel

Day 4, Wed. Beijing
Morning rickshaw tour of Beijing's old residential area of twisting lanes and courtyard homes. Enjoy lunch as the guest of one of the local families. Afternoon visit the Summer Palace. Beijing Duck dinner. B/L/D Asia Hotel

Day 5, Thu. Beijing/Zhengzhou
Flight to Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province. The neolithic and bronze age cultures reaching back 5,000 years make this province the cradle of Chinese civilization. Afternoon visit the Henan Provincial Museum. B/L/D Yuda Palace Hotel

Day 6, Fri. Zhengzhou/Dengfeng
Morning excursion to the Yellow River. Continue by coach to Dengfeng County. Explore a local village and be a guest in one of the cave homes. Visit the school and enjoy leisure time with the local people. B/L/D Tianzhong International

Day 7, Sat. Dengfeng/Luoyang
Morning visit to the Shaolin Monastery, the birthplace of China's martial arts tradition and enjoy a Kungfu demonstration. Afternoon to Luoyang by coach, stopping at the ancient White Horse Temple en route. B/L/D Luoyang Grand Hotel

Day 8, Sun. Luoyang
Morning tour of ancient Buddhist sites. Explore the Longmen Grottoes, one of the nation's greatest cultural treasures, where up to 100,000 Buddhist statues, ranging in size from less than an inch to over 50 feet in height, are displayed in hundreds of grottoes carved into a great riverside rock face. Afternoon at leisure. B/L/D Luoyang Grand Hotel

Day 9, Mon. Luoyang/Xian
Board the express train to Xian. En route view the terraced hills and deep gullies of the red earth country of one of the oldest settled regions of China. B/D ANA Grand Castle Hotel

Day 10, Tue. Xian
Full day exploration of China's richest historic area. First, the 5,000 year old Banpo Neolithic Village, then on to the favourite site of the emperors' concubines - beautiful Huaqing Hot Springs, and finally the amazing Museum of the Terra Cotta Warriors - the great underground army of the First Emperor of China, buried with him 2,200 years ago and discovered only in 1974. B/D ANA Grand Castle Hotel

Day 11, Wed. Xian/Chongqing
Morning visit the Tang Art Museum in Xian. Fly to Chongqing, gateway to the Yangtze River. City sightseeing tour of this beautiful mountain city. In the evening, board your cruise ship. B/L/D Victoria, Regal or MV President I

Day 12 to Day 14, Thu. To Sat. Yangtze River Cruise
The cruise program offers tai-chi exercises on deck to begin your morning. Each day there will be a stop for an interesting guided land excursion, including one to the site of the massive Three Gorges Dam. Watch life pass by on the riverbanks as you sit under the deck awnings or dine in the excellent ship's restaurant. Attend the various lectures on Chinese crafts that are offered during the day, or simply relax with a professional massage. In the evening, enjoy a quiet drink with the many friends you have made on the trip, or even try your voice at karaoke. But most of the time you will be captivated by the spectacular and endlessly changing scenery as the boat makes its way along China's greatest waterway. B/L/D Victoria, Regal or MV President I

Day 15, Sun. Wuhan
The ship docks in the morning. Afternoon visit the Yellow Crane Pagoda and Hubei Provincial Museum. B/L/D Holiday Inn Riverside or Oriental Hotel

Day 16, Tue. Wuhan/Shanghai
Flight to Shanghai. Afternoon visit the newly built, state-of-the-art, Shanghai Museum. B/L/D Central Hotel

Day 17, Wed. Shanghai/Suzhou/Shanghai
Board the morning train for Suzhou, known as the Venice of the East and the City of Gardens. Your visits will include Suzhou's most famous gardens, the Silk and Satin Factory with an embroidery workshop, and the legendary Grand Canal. Return to Shanghai in the evening. B/L/D Central Hotel

Day 18, Thu. Shanghai
Full day sightseeing of the Children's Palace, the Yu Garden, and the Jade Buddha Temple. Evening enjoy the Shanghai Acrobats. B/L/D Central Hotel

Day 19, Thu. Shanghai/Xitang/Shanghai
Morning excursion to Xitang Village, an old settlement of white plaster row houses and narrow slate-paved streets along an ancient canal. Late afternoon return to Shanghai. Farewell dinner. B/L/D Central Hotel

Day 20, Fri. Depart Shanghai
Transfer to the airport and fly home. B