TOUR ITINERARY:

DAY 1 • Tuesday • Depart San Francisco for Beijing , China

Fly transpacific aboard United Airlines.

DAY 2 • Wednesday • Arrive Beijing

Upon arrival in Beijing , China 's capital, you will be escorted to check in to your FiveStarPlus SM hotel.
Shangri-La China World Hotel

DAY 3 • Thursday • Beijing

After breakfast and a welcome orientation, today's sightseeing includes vast Tiananmen Square and the Imperial Palace in the once Forbidden City , including the living quarters, museum and jewelry sections. Tonight, your welcome party features cocktails before a Beijing Duck dinner.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Party

DAY 4 • Friday • Beijing

Today highlights the amazing wonders of the Great Wall at Mutianyu including a scenic round-trip cable car ride. Step back into history as you walk along its ancient ramparts. After lunch, continue on to visit a cloisonné factory where you may observe the skilled artisans. This evening, have dinner at a local restaurant, then off to see the energetic show “The Legend of Kung Fu,” with seats in the front section.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 5 • Saturday • Beijing

This morning, see morning exercise at the exquisite Temple of Heaven . Tour the Imperial Vault of Heaven with its Echo Wall and Nine-Dragon Cypress, more than 500 years old. This afternoon, tour Beijing 's old Hutong (“narrow lanes”) area. At the Drum Tower , see a traditional drum performance. Then take an old-fashioned pedicab to the picturesque Shichahai Lake area with its 700-year-old arched bridges and courtyard-style homes known as Siheyuans. Tour one of the ancient homes and visit with a local family. Stop at a Hutong kindergarten (if school is open) and a vegetable market. Tonight, a buffet dinner.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner

DAY 6 • Sunday • Beijing/Xi'an

Fly to historic Xi'an this morning and check in to your hotel. Tonight, from your front section seats take in an entertaining dinner and show at the Tang Dynasty Theatre.
Sofitel on Renmin Square Xi'an
MEALS: American Breakfast, Dinner Show

DAY 7 • Monday • Xi'an

Visit the famed Terra-Cotta Museum and see the legion of terra-cotta warriors and the Bronze Chariot, buried with the emperor for over 2,200 years. The visit includes the Circle Vision Movie. Enjoy a dumpling lunch at Defachang Restaurant. Later, visit the Shaanxi Provincial Historical Museum with our exclusive visit to the private artifact room where you may white-glove handle some of the national treasures from the museum's collection. Buffet dinner at the Sofitel.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Special Lunch, Buffet Dinner

DAY 8 • Tuesday • Xi'an/Chongqing

This morning visit the exquisite Wild Goose Pagoda before flying to Chongqing . On arrival, tour the Stilwell Museum to see its collection of World War ll memorabilia, particularly the Flying Tigers – volunteer American pilots who aided the Chinese before Pearl Harbor . After dinner, board the flagship of the cruise line, the Victoria Anna to begin your memorable cruise downstream in your Junior Suite with full bath and private balcony.
Board Victoria Cruises' V ICTORIA A NNA
MEALS: American Breakfast, Buffet Dinner

DAY 9 • Wednesday • Yangtze Cruise: Fengdu*

At Fengdu, a shore excursion shows the new resettlement town on the south bank, a farmer's home and a local market. Nightly dining has been reserved at the elegant top deck a la carte dining room.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
*Alternate shore excursion may visit Wanzhou.

DAY 10 • Thursday • Yangtze Cruise: Qutang Gorge/Small Gorges Excursion/ Wu Gorge/Xiling Gorge

Unforgettable scenery unfolds as you cruise through the first of the fabled Three Gorges: Qutang Gorge, hemmed by towering cliffs. At Wushan, a cruiser takes you up the Daning River to view its Small Gorges. Continue by sampan to the picturesque mini-gorges of the Ma Du River with its clear, swift water, rock formations, and monkeys and goats along the banks. Alternatively, your excursion may be on Shennong Stream with its impressive small gorges. Sail on from Wushan and pass through Wu Gorge, celebrated for its Twelve Peaks . Now cruise through Xiling Gorge, most scenic of all the gorges. Finally, sail through the Three Gorges ship lock.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 11 • Friday • Yangtze Cruise: Xiling Gorge/San Dou Ping/Yichang to Shanghai *

At San Dou Ping, see the progress at the historic Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydroelectric project. Sail on to Yichang. After lunch disembark from your cruise and fly to Shanghai where you check in to your hotel. Buffet dinner at hotel.
Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner
*If direct flight is not available, travel by motorcoach to Wuhan and fly to Shanghai .

DAY 12 • Saturday • Shanghai

This morning, an extraordinary day begins as an international expert on Shanghai 's history, art and architecture leads you on a half-day walking tour through The Bund and the former French Concession. In the afternoon, visit the Shanghai Museum , including an audio tour highlighting the special features of the museum's collections, and then see the Children's Palace before the famous Shanghai carpet factory. Tonight after dinner, attend a performance of the renowned Shanghai acrobats, where your reserved seats are in the front section.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 13 • Sunday • Shanghai/Guilin

This morning visit the Yu Garden. In the afternoon, fly to beautiful Guilin . Check in to a riverside room at your hotel. Dinner at your deluxe hotel.
Sheraton Guilin Hotel (riverside room)
MEALS: American Breakfast, Dinner in Hotel

DAY 14 • Monday • Guilin

Delight in a cruise on the upper deck of a deluxe air-conditioned boat along the lovely Li River with lunch on board. The haunting beauty of Guilin 's mist-wrapped monolithic peaks surrounds the river en route to the market town of Yangshuo. Buffet dinner at the Sheraton.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner

DAY 15 • Tuesday • Guilin/Hong Kong

This morning see dramatic rock formations at Reed Flute Cave and scenic round-trip cable car ride up Yao Mountain (weather permitting) or Fu Bo Hill for panoramic views of beautiful Guilin , followed by a lunch at the Sheraton. At Guilin 's airport you are treated to beverages in the lounge and first-boarding privileges for your flight to vibrant Hong Kong . Upon arrival, check in to a harbor view room at your elegant hotel.
Hotel InterContinental Hong Kong (harbor view room)
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch in Hotel

DAY 16 • Wednesday • Hong Kong

A drive around Hong Kong Island includes Stanley Market and fashionable Repulse Bay ; then a sampan ride of the floating community at Aberdeen . Drive up to Victoria Peak for wonderful panoramic views.
MEALS: American Breakfast

DAY 17 • Thursday • Hong Kong

Consider an optional excursion to Lantau Island with its beaches, monastery and fishing villages. This evening, join in a farewell dinner party at the InterContinental.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Dinner Party

DAY 18 • Friday • Depart Hong Kong for San Francisco

Fly home today on United Airlines.

BOLD BLACK DATE INDICATES GUARANTEED DEPARTURE
BOLD RED DATE INDICATES GUARANTEED DEPARTURE WITH DISCOUNT

TUESDAY DEPARTURE; FRIDAY RETURN ON UNITED AIRLINES:
TOUR CODE: 8YG18VD

Tour Package Includes:

• Round-trip transpacific air transportation
• All intra-China air/land transportation
• Fully escorted by our professional, bilingual U.S. Tour Director
• 13 nights in select FiveStarPlus SM and Deluxe hotels; 3 nights aboard Victoria Cruises' deluxe ship in Junior Suite with balcony
• 15 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 13 dinners
• Welcome orientation, welcome cocktail reception and dinner party
• Round-trip transfers between airport and hotel, baggage handling, hotel taxes and service charges
• Comprehensive sightseeing, special cultural activities and performances as noted
• United Mileage Plus ® members: earn frequent flyer credit with the purchase of each air/land package