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Tours |
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18 Day Grand Yangtze Discovery - Downstream
Visits: Beijing, Xian, Guilin, Chongqing, Yangtze river Cruise , Shanghai
Tour Code: OAYD
| Day | Itinerary | | Day 01 | USA - Beijing | | Embark on our China and Yangtze River vacation by boarding an international flight bound for Beijing. Due to the time difference, spend the night aboard the plane as it traverses the Pacific and crosses the international date line. | | Day 02 | Arrive Beijing | | Arrive at Beijing, China's capital and its political center. Retrieve our bags and clear customs to meet our tour guide in the arrival hall; then transfer to our five star accommodations for a good night's rest. | | Day 03 | Beijing (AB, L, DP) | | Beijing is almost done with its face-lift in preparation for its starring role as host city for the 2008 Olympics. Construction abounds in this city which 13 million citizens proudly call their home. Our city tour today takes us first to visit the Forbidden City, so named because commoners were not allowed through its gates. After spending the morning walking the grounds of this, the world's largest palace complex, we continue onwards. Just south of the Forbidden City lies the world's largest public square - Tiananmen Square. Translated to mean "gate of perpetual peace," Tiananmen Square was the site of many historic events. After lunch, we head to the emperor's Summer Palace for a leisurely walk along Lake Kunming. Retire back to the hotel to rest a bit before taking part in our evening activities, attending a sumptuous Peking Duck Banquet. | | Day 04 | Beijing (AB, L, DH) | | Perhaps no other symbol more famously represents China than the Great Wall. Winding majestically across 4,000 miles of China's northern regions, it is at once an engineering marvel and cultural treasure. Initial construction was undertaken by China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, but was not finished until many dynasties later. The vast expanse of China's northern frontier as seen from atop the Great Wall must be seen to be appreciated. Descend the Wall later to walk along the Sacred Way and the Ming Tomb Museum before heading back into town. Dinner is served at the hotel. | | Day 05 | Beijing - Xian (AB, L, DH) | | Depart Beijing for Xian by air. On the way to the airport, stop at the solemn Temple of Heaven before leaving Beijing. Dwellers of Xian lay claim to the fact that the city has experienced the full history of China in its entirety. Xian indeed boasts a full resume of achievements: A cradle of ancient Chinese civilization dating back to 4000 BC, capital of empires until the 9th century, and the starting point of the famed Silk Road. Entering the city limits on the way in from Xianyang Airport, our motorcoach drives through the massive City Wall. After check-in, dinner is served at the hotel this evening. | | Day 06 | Xian (AB, L, DS) | | Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor of China and is known in history as the "great unifier." Passing into the afterlife in 210 BC, he was entombed with 8000 life-sized Terra Cotta soldiers and horses in formation. Since its serendipitous discovery by farmers in 1974, the Terra Cotta Warriors have been Xian's claim to fame. At present, three excavation pits have been opened to the public as a fourth pit is well underway. Return inside city limits to visit the City Wall and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Evening dining/entertainment is provided as we dine on a delicious Imperial Dumpling Banquet followed by the world famous Tang Dynasty Stage Show. | | Day 07 | Xian - Guilin (AB, L, DH) | | Board a domestic flight that flies southwest to Guilin, a city of unrivalled natural beauty. Although not a large city (population of 670,000), it has the reputation of being one of China's most picturesque cities. Karst limestone formations imbue Guilin's landscape with a mystical quality. We explore Elephant Trunk Hill and the Reed Flute Cave where fantastic stalactite and stalagmite formations impress us as magical and otherworldly. | | Day 08 | Guilin (AB, L, DS) | | A meandering river cruise down the Li River is a delightful way to savor the serene, fairy-tale scenery of Southern China as it passes by. We may even catch the fascinating sights of fisherman with cormorant birds! Lunch is served aboard. Our riverboat arrives at the town of Yangshuo. With a population of less than 300,000, Yangshuo is quaint town situated on a small plain with the Li River on one side and numerous karst peaks surrounding it. Our group will take a tour around town, then head back to Guilin by motorcoach where, in the evening, we attend a special performance of Minority Folklore Dance. | | Day 09 | Guilin - Chongqing (AB, L, D) | | Wave goodbye to Guilin as we board a flight to Chongqing. Located in the mountainous regions of the Sichuan Province, Chongqing is officially China's largest municipality with a registered population of over 30 million. It is also an important center of commerce and home to famously spicy Sichuan cuisine. Dependant on time, we begin our sightseeing tour of this mountain city (if not, then tomorrow). | | Day 10 | Chongqing - Yangzte River Cruise (AB, L, D) | | Today we are transferred to the docks where our Victoria Cruise ship awaits to take us on our Yangtze River adventure. The ship sails for most of the afternoon to arrive at Fengdu, known locally as the "Ghost City." Take an excursion up to Fengdu to observe the over 700 gardens and temples that depict what the ancients envisioned the afterlife to be. Reboard later ad continue sailing down the mighty Yangtze. | | Day 11 | Yangtze River Cruise (AB, L, D) | | The Three Gorges are one of nature's most extraordinary sculptures, and today our ship passes through all three. Qutang Gorge is the shortest (5 miles) and narrowest (500 feet) but also is the most dramatic. Wu Gorge is longer at 25 miles and is known for its serene beauty, forest-covered mountains, and cliffs so sheer that the sun barely penetrates is precipices. The shore excursion today is at Wushan where we board smaller vessels to access the Lesser Gorges (either at Daning River or Shennong Stream). Reboard later as the ship passes through Xiling Gorge, the longest of the three at 41 miles and also the deepest at some 4000 ft. | | Day 12 | Yangtze River Cruise (AB, L, D) | | In the early morning hours our ship arrives at the Three Gorges Dam Site at Sandouping Village. Take a bus ride to this massive site, the largest project of its kind in the world. Originally envisioned by Dr. Sun Yat Sen, the Three Gorges Dam will curb the devastating floodwaters of the Yangtze while also providing hydroelectric power for the people. | | Day 13 | Yangtze River Cruise (AB, L, D) | | Arrival at Wuhan marks the halfway point of our Yangtze River Cruise. Located at the confluence of the Yangtze and Han Rivers, Wuhan is an important industrial, commercial and political center of China's Hubei Province. An excursion to the Hubei Provincial Museum is included in the day's sightseeing. | | Day 14 | Yangtze River Cruise (AB, L, D) | | Disembark at Guichi for a full day shore excursion to Mt. Huangshan. Located in the Anhui Province, Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) is one of China's most famous mountain ranges. Travel from the banks of the Yangtze to this royal retreat through some of the country's most scenic rural areas: emerald green rice paddies, lush tea bushes, and mud-walled villages greet you at every bend. Jiuhuashan may be substituted for Huangshan depending on local condition. | | Day 15 | Yangtze River Cruise (AB, L, D) | | Today's shore excursion begins when our ship arrives at Nanjing, the old wartime capital of China. Here we tour the Zhongshan Ling (Sun Yat Sen Memorial), a mausoleum built in 1929 for the man considered to be the "Father of Modern China." We also visit a Qing Dynasty style bazaar surrounding a Confucian Temple. | | Day 16 | Yangtze Cruise - Shanghai (AB, L, DH) | | The ship's morning arrival into the docks at Shanghai signals the end of our Yangtze River adventure. Disembark the ship which has been our home the past six nights and transfer into the city by motorcoach. Shanghai is China's most dynamic city and also its commercial center. Culturally diverse and full of life, Shanghai stirs the senses. Our tour of China's largest and most cosmopolitan city begins with a visit to the 400 year old Yu Garden in the old part of town. Reboard our motorcoach as it then drives us past local shopping mecca Nanjing Road and The Bund, a mile-long stretch along the Huangpu River with 52 historic buildings built in various European styles. Dinner is served at our hotel this evening. | | Day 17 | Shanghai (AB, DS) | | The entire morning has been set aside for a visit to the Shanghai Museum. Founded in 1952, it is a museum of Chinese History that houses over 120,000 cultural treasures covering China's entire 5000 year history. The afternoon is free at leisure. If you desire, you may choose either to devote more time to the museum, continue on to Nanjing Road for free time, or head back to the hotel to wash up before attending the farewell banquet. After the banquet, cap off the evening with a Chinese Acrobatics Show. With its origins in Chinese martial arts, the performers of Chinese acrobatics must possess strength, flexibility, and grace. | | Day 18 | Shanghai - USA (AB) | | Bid China and the Yangtze a fond farewell as we board our homebound international flight. |
Hotel:
| Beijing | Crowne Plaza | 5 Star | 3 Nights | | Xian | Hyatt | 5 Star | 2 Nights | | Guilin | Lijang Waterfall | 5 Star | 2 Nights | | Chongqing | Marriott | 5 Star | 1 Nights | | Yangtze River | Victoria Cruise (DN) | 5 Star | 6 Nights | | Shanghai | Sheraton Pudong | 5 Star | 2 Nights |
Departure & Pricing
| Departure | Tour Fare | Tour Fare | | Saturday | LAX/FSO | JFK | | 3/08, | $3352 | $3502 | | 3/22, | $3452 | $3602 | | 4/05,19 | $3552 | $3702 | | 5/03, | $3652 | $3802 | | 5/17,31, | $3752 | $3902 | | 6/14,28, 7/12, | $3852 | $4002 | | 7/26 | $3952 | $4102 | | 8/25 | $3852 | $4002 | | 9/06,20, 10/04,18 | $3852 | $4002 | | 11/01 | $3652 | $3802 |
Price includes fuel surcharge $217.
Taxes of $101 not included
September 11th security fee
$2.50 - $10.00 not included
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