Private escorted tour
19 days: Beijing, Xi'an, Lhasa, Chengdu, Wolong Panda Reserve, Chongqing, Yangtze River Cruise, Wuhan, Shanghai and Suzhou
Tour itinerary:
Fly TPA to Detroit via NW427 (10:05am/12:52pm), connect NW85 to Beijing departing at 2:10pm.
Arrive Beijing 9:30pm, the Capital of China, a friendly English speaking guide will meet and transfer you to Novotel Peace Hotel.
See the well-publicized Tiananmen Square, then the ancient Forbidden City, the Imperial Palace, and the beautiful Summer Palace. Then tour the Temple of Heaven where the Qing emperors worshipped, Walk through traditional courtyard neighborhoods dating from Ming Dynasty, Beijing’s Hutongs. Enjoy a famous Peking duck dinner.
Full day excursion to the Great Wall of China that now offers a cable car to the summit. Later, on the return, drive along the famed Sacred Way to visit the museum of the Ming Tombs.
Fly to Xi'an, upon arrival visit the ancient city wall, Bell Tower, and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Check into Purple Mountain Hotel.
Day 6/Apr 20/Saturday Xi'an B, L, SD
Today you fly to Lhasa via SZ4429 (8:50am/12:05pm). Upon arrival at Lhasa Gong Gar Airport. You will be greeted by your Tibetan tour guide and driven about two hours to Lhasa City. Check into Lhasa Hotel, upon arrival and relax for the rest of day to adjust the high altitude.
After breakfast in the hotel, you will begin your exploration to this Holy City. Visit the Potala Palace, where the Dalai Lama used to preside. In the afternoon, visit the Jorkang Temple, which is located at the very center of Lhasa. Later you can stroll along the Barkore Street where Tibetan shops present Tibetan medicines, hand-made crafts, etc.
Today’s sightseeing includes the Tsepung Monastery, one of the biggest monasteries in Tibet, then onto Tibetan Carpet Factory. In the afternoon, visit Sera Monastery and Norbulingka Temple that is the summer palace of Dalai Lama.
Take a morning flight back to Chengdu via SZ4402 (9:30am/11:15am). Your local guide will meet you at the airport and drive to Wolong Mountain area where the pandas live. Stay overnight at the Panda Hotel.
You can spend the whole day hiking into the Panda Reservation Center, playing and taking pictures with the Pandas. Late afternoon, drive back to Chengdu and check into Yinhe Dynasty Inter-Continental Hotel.
Morning tour in Chengdu to Cottage of Great Tang Dynasty Poet, Du Fu, and Qing Yang Gong Cultural Park in where you will visit the oldest and largest Daoist Temple. Then take a deluxe bus to Chongqing via highway. You will board the deluxe Yellow Crane Cruise ship for your four day journey on the grand Yangtze River.
Today you begin your downstream cruise. Arrive at Fengdu, the legendary Ghost Town. You will visit the Mingshan Hill’s temples. Continue to sail to Badong.
The cruise will sail through the most magnificent Qutang Gorge, the first of the Three Gorges. Then you will be transferred to a small sampan for an excursion along the
Shengnong Stream to view the Parrot Gorge and Dragon Boat Gorge. Return to the cruise and you will pass the Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge.
Day 15/Apr 29/Monday YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE: B, L, D
The Three Gorges Dam Project/Jingzhou
You will sail through the Three Gorges Bridges to see this controversial project up in the
close. The project includes the five-step ship lock, the diversion canal, power station and
dam construction. Upon returning to the cruise, you will sail through the Gezhou Dam
ship lock. Shore excursion to visit Jingzhou ancient city.
Your cruise will arrive at Wuhan around 10:30am. Your local tour guide will meet you
At the pier, lunch at local restaurant, city tour to the East Lake, Hubei Provincial
Museum. Then fly to Shanghai, upon arrival, transfer to Central Hotel.
Visit this bustling metropolitan city, which is becoming a symbolic of the rapid growth of China’s economy. Escorted to the Old Town, Yuyuan Garden, and the architectural master piece-Shanghai Museum, the Bund (waterfront) and bustling Nanjing Road for shopping. Take a night cruise on Huangpu River with dinner.
Day 18/May 2/Thursday SUZHOU DAY EXCURSION B, L
Take a pleasant morning train to Suzhou, known as the “Eastern Venice”, upon arrival, you will be met and visit the Gardens of Humble Administration and Master of Fishing Net, Pan Men City Gate, the Embroidery Research Institute and a silk reeling factory. Return to Shanghai via a later afternoon train. Transfer to your hotel.
Your guide will transfer to the airport and hug you good-bye. Your flight will bring you
back home the very same day.
Fly Shanghai to Tokyo via NW12 (10:10am/1:45pm), connect NW2 to LAX
(3:15pm/9:00am), connect NW882 to TPA (10:30am/7:48pm).
Tour features include:
. Round- trip transpacific air transportation via Northwest Airlines
. All intra-China air/land transportation
. 4 or 5 star deluxe hotel accommodations or the best in town
. Deluxe Yellow Crane cruise ship including shore excursions
. Round-trip transfers between airport and hotel and baggage handling
. Sightseeing tours, cultural entertainment and meals as specified
Not including:
. China airport taxes:
. Chinese visa fee: $80 each
. Tips to tour guides and drivers
. Some dinners not listed in the itinerary
. Drinks, laundry, and any personal expenses