Mr. & Mrs. Beiner
Ancient Silk Road & Yangtze River Cruise of China 2001
Private escorted deluxe tour
21 days: Shanghai, Yichang, Yangtze River cruise, Chongqing, Dazu, Urumqi, Kashgar, Turpan, Dunhuang, Xi'an and Beijing
Day-By-Day Itinerary:
Day 1/Sept. 5/Thu FLY MIAMI TO SHANGHAI
Enjoy flight to Shanghai via American and China Eastern Airlines, connect flight in Los Angeles.
Day 2/Sept. 6/Fri SHANGHAI
Upon arrival Shanghai, a friendly guide will meet and transfer tour to super deluxe J. C Mandarin Hotel.
Day 3/Sept 7/Sat SHANGHAI B, L, D
Escorted tour to the Old Town, Yuyuan Garden, the Bund (waterfront), Nanjing Road, and Shanghai Museum. Enjoy Shanghai Acrobatic show in the evening.
Day 4/Sept 8/Sun SHANGHAI/YICHANG/CRUISE B, L, D
Fly Shanghai to Yichang, city tour if time permits, board the deluxe East King Cruise
ship for your upstream grand Yangtze River sailing through the night. Go through the
ship lock of the Gezhouba Dam.
Day 5/Sept. 9/Mon YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE B, L, D
Today, get up early to see the Xiling Gorge, pass through the world largest hydroelectric project-the Three Gorges Dam. At 10:30am, arrive Badong, transfer to a small river craft on the narrow Shennong Stream to explore the Parrot and Dragon Boat Gorges. 1:30pm: return to ship and continue upstream, pass through the scenic Wu Gorge and most magnificent Qutang Gorge.
Day 6/Sept 10/Tue YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE B, L, D
On the way upstream, we will dock and visit the ancient Shibaozhai Wooden Tower in
the morning for 3 hours.
Day 7/Sept 11/Wed ARRIVE CHONGQING/DAZU B, L, D
Upon arrival at Chongqing, the mountain city of Yangtze, your guide will meet you and drive you through the rolling green Sichuan countryside to Dazu, home of ancient grottoes and hills interspersed with over 5000 statues portraying Buddhists from 9th to 13th century, carved into the stone mountains. Tour Dazu in the afternoon, viewing this ancient Buddhists-so humanistic that they appear to relate to the modern day. Check into Dazu Hotel.
Day 8/Sept 12/Thu DAZU/CHONGQING/URUMQI B, L
Leisurely return drive to Chongqing airport through the picturesque countryside, fly to Urumqi via XO9412 (2:40pm/6:40pm), a city marked by ancient gates and towers, upon arrival, transfer to Hoi Tak Hotel.
Day 9/Sept 13/Fri URUMQI B, L, SD
Sightsee this exotic city in the shadow of the Tian Shan range. Urumqi was on the northern route of the ancient Silk Road. Visit Xinjiang Provincial Museum and take a boat ride on the beautiful Lake of Heaven (Tian Chi). Visit a Kazakhs family yurt in the surrounding grasslands and foothills of the Heavenly Mountains. Enjoy a regional dinner.
Day 10/Sept 14/Sat URUMQI/KASHIGAR B, L
Fly to Kashgar, located in the far western tip of Xinjiang, Kashgar has a history of over 2,000 years as an important Silk Road destination and a center of Uygur culture. Upon arrival, transfer to Seman Hotel or the best in town.
Day 11/Sept 15/Sun KASHGAR B, L, D
Visit the marvelous Sunday market, Id Kah Mosque, Gucheng (Old Town) and Kashgar Regional Museum.
Day 12/Sept 16/Mon KASHIGAR/URUMQI/TURPAN B, L, D
Fly back to Urumqi. Drive to Turpan. Check into Turpan Oasis Hotel. Enjoy local Music and Dance Performance in the evening.
Day 13/Sept 17/Tue TURPAN B, L, D
All day tour to Gaochang, the ancient walled capital of the Uighurs, Suliman’s Minaret, the ruins of Jiaohe City. Then, visit the grape-growing valleys, where you will be treated to Turpan’s grapes, and ancient underground irrigation projects. Take an overnight train to Dunhuang.
Day 14/Sept 18/Wed DUNHUANG B, L, D
Arrive Dunhuang in the morning, escorted tour to the Mogao Grottoes, known as the Cave of the One Thousand Buddhas which was built in 366 A. D. The 492 grottoes boast mural paintings and 2,000 painted figurines. Check into Dunhuang Hotel.
Day 15/Sept 19/Thu DUNHUANG/XI'AN B, L
Escorted tour of the Ming Sha Hill and the Crescent Moon Hill. Fly to Xi'an, transfer to deluxe Shangri-La Golden Flower Hotel.
Day 16/Sept 20/Fri XI’AN B, L, SD
Sightseeing will include the Museum of Terra-Cotta Warriors and Horses, one of the greatest archaeological finds of the century, then visit Hua Qing Springs and Banpo Neolithic Village. In the evening after a regional dumpling dinner, enjoy a Tang Dynasty music and dance show.
Day 17/Sept 21/Sat XI’AN/ BEIJING B, L, D
Escorted tour to ancient city walls, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Sha’anxi Historical Museum. Fly to Beijing. Transfer to super deluxe Palace Hotel or similar.
Day 18/Sept 22/Sun BEIJING B, L, SD
See the well- publicized Tiananmen Square, then the ancient Forbidden City, the Imperial Palace and the beautiful Summer Palace. Walk through traditional courtyard neighborhoods dating Ming Dynasty, Beijing’s Hutongs. Enjoy a famous Peking Duck Dinner.
Day 19/Sept 23/Mon BEIJING B, L, D
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. Enjoy Peking Opera performance in the evening.
Day 20/Sept 24/Tue BEIJING B, L
Tour the Temple of Heaven where the Qing emperors worshipped, Liulichang Art district and Lhama Temple, Tibetan monastery.
Day 21/Sept 25/Wed BEIJING TO MIAMI B
Return flight to U.S. Arrive home the same day.
B= Breakfast L= Lunch D= Dinner SD= Special Dinner
Tour features include:
. Round- trip transpacific air transportation via China Eastern Airlines via business class
upgrade from LAX/SHA & PEK/LAX
. All intra-China air/land transportation
. 5 star deluxe hotel accommodations or best in town
. Deluxe East King Cruise ship including shore excursions
. Round-trip transfers between airport and hotel and baggage handling
. Private escorted sightseeing tours, bilingual tour guides, admissions
. Evening cultural entertainments and meals as specified
Not including:
. China airport taxes: $6 each domestic departure and $11 for int’l departure, you pay
local currency at the airports
. Chinese visa fee: $55 each
. Tips to tour guides and drivers:
. Some meals that are not listed in the itinerary