DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY:

Day 1 • Depart San Francisco for Beijing
Fly transpacific aboard United Airlines.

CHINA

Day 2 • Arrive Beijing
Upon arrival, you are met and escorted to the hotel.
The Peninsula Beijing Hotel

Day 3 • Beijing

Begin the day with a kite making class, including time to fly your new creation in Tiananmen Square. Then visit the Forbidden City's Imperial Palace to tour the museum, jewelry sections and the Clock collection. This afternoon visit the Beijing Opera School. Starting as young as age 7, students are recruited from all over China, to train in dancing, acrobatics, music and art as well as Kung Fu. The evening is free for you to relax on your own with your family.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4 • Beijing

This morning tour the Great Wall at Badaling, and walk its ancient ramparts. Then join with young Chinese to plant trees at the Great Wall. This afternoon is free to explore on your own or you may choose an interesting optional tour. Perhaps shop at Silk Alley, Hong Qiao Market and the Street of Antiquities. This evening, enjoy a cruise through the lake and canals of the Hutong area. Tradi­tional Chinese red lanterns light your small boat, while music plays. The Hutongs are the fast-disappearing residential areas of old Beijing. Tonight, you will have a real treat: a home-style dinner with a local family.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5 • Beijing/Xi'an

Board a flight for Xi'an, ancient capital during 11 dynasties. At the recently discovered tomb site of Han Jing Di (156-140BC), ritual activities were originally performed in aboveground palaces, which are currently being excavated. At the Restoration Room of the Han Yang Ling tomb, you will see archeologists doing restoration work on the objects from the tomb. Check in to your, where you may relax and enjoy your own pursuits this evening.
Sheraton Xi'an Hotel
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6 • Xi'an

View the extraordinary legion of the life-sized terra-cotta army, buried with the first emperor for over 2200 years. See a Circle Vision Movie that recreates scenes from that period, including the bronze chariots and horses then enjoy lunch at the Terra-Cotta Museum with a noodle-making demonstration. Then on to visit the Shaanxi Provincial Museum with a private tour of the museum's vault.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner

Day 7 • Xi'an/Chengdu

Fly to Chengdu this morning, capital of Sichuan Province. After lunch, visit the Bird and Flower Market; continue on to Qingyang Palace, the oldest and largest Daoist temple in Chengdu . This evening, attend an entertaining Sichuan Opera. Full of local color and flavor, Sichuan opera is a combination of music and acrobatic performances, including Changing Face, Spitting Fire and Bowl-lamp Rolling.
Shangri-La Hotel, Chengdu
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8 • Chengdu

This morning, a highlight of your trip includes a visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, the best place to see Chengdu's most endearing residents. Also included are the museum and a movie where you may learn about the Giant Pandas' habitat and evolution. According to the pandas' activities when you visit, you may have the option to take your picture with an adorable baby panda! Continue on to the Sanxingdui Museum with its remarkable collection of archeological artifacts spanning 5,000 years of culture in the Chengdu area.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner

Day 9 • Chengdu/Chongqing

Depart Chengdu this morning for your flight to Chongqing.
Harbour Plaza Hotel
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner

Day 10 • Chongqing

Today's sightseeing includes the highlights of this mountainside city, well known for its covered outdoor marketplace. Visit the Stilwell Museum, with its collection of World War ll memorabilia of the Flying Tigers. Enjoy panoramic views of Chongqing from E Ling Park, and visit Ci Qi Kou Old Town with its Qing dynasty homes, teahouses, shops and old docks. This evening, board your cruise ship to begin your memorable cruise downstream.
Victoria Cruises' ship
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner

Day 11 • Yangtze River Cruise: Shibaozhai*

A shore excursion at Shibaozhai shows its scenic 12-story wooden pagoda. Over 400 years old, this magnificent pagoda is known as the “Pearl of the Yangtze.”
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
*Alternate shore excursion may visit Fengdu or Wanzhou.

Day 12 • Yangtze River Cruise: Qutang Gorge/Daning River Small Gorges or Shennong Stream/Wu Gorge/Xiling Gorge

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

Day 13 • Yangtze River Cruise: Xiling Gorge/San Dou Ping/Yichang to Shanghai*

This morning visit the impressive Three Gorges Dam site. Continue on to Yichang where you board your flight bound for Shanghai.
Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel Shanghai
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner
*If direct flight is not available, travel by motor coach to Wuhan and fly to Shanghai.

Day 14 • Shanghai

This morning, tour the Shanghai Museum's rich dynastic collections. Continue through the fascinating Old Quarter before visiting the Arts & Crafts Research Institute where traditional crafts are practiced by local artisans. See the amazing art of paper cutting; watch as small figures are deftly crafted from dough. Visit the Children's Palace where you may join in learning Kung Fu, traditional Chinese folk dance, Beijing Opera, or Chinese calligraphy and painting. Tonight attend Shanghai's famed acrobat show.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 15 • Depart Shanghai for San Francisco

Fly homeward aboard United Airlines.
MEALS: American Breakfast

CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS:
BEIJING: 3 Nights The Peninsula Beijing Hotel
Tiananmen Square • Forbidden City's Imperial Palace with living quarters, museum and jewelry sections • Kite making class • Beijing Opera School • Tree planting at the Great Wall • Evening Hutong tour and dinner with local family

XI'AN: 2 Nights Sheraton Xi'an Hotel
Tomb of Han Jing Di Restoration Room and palace excavation site • Terra-Cotta Warriors • Bronze Chariot • Circle Vision Movie • Lunch at the Terra-Cotta Museum with noodle-making demonstration • Shaanxi Provincial Museum with private tour of the museum's collections

CHENGDU: 2 Nights Sheraton Chengdu Lido Hotel
Bird & Flower Market; Qingyang Palace Daoist Temple • Sichuan Opera performance • Sanxingdui Han Dynasty Tomb Museum • Pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding including movie and museum

CHONGQING: 1 Night Hilton Chongqing Hotel
Stilwell Museum • E Ling Park • Ci Qi Kou Old Town

YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE: 3 Nights Victoria Cruises Ship
Victoria cruise downstream • Chongqing; Shibaozhai • Daning River's Small Gorges or Shennong Stream • San Dou Ping (Three Gorges Dam) • Yichang

SHANGHAI: 2 Nights Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel Shanghai
Shanghai Museum • Old Quarter • Arts & Crafts Research Institute • Children's Palace • China's most famous acrobatic show  

ALL INCLUSIVE FEATURES:
• Round-trip transpacific air transportation
• United Mileage Plus® members earn: frequent flyer credit with the purchase of each air/land tour package
• All intra-China air/land transportation
• Escorted by a professional Tour Manager
• 10 nights in deluxe hotels; 3 nights aboard Victoria Cruises' ship in outside cabin with balcony
• 13 breakfasts, 12 lunches, 10 dinners
• Round-trip transfers between airport and hotel, baggage handling, hotel taxes and service charges
• Sightseeing, cultural activities and performances as noted
• $100,000 Automatic Flight Insurance for transpacific air ticketed by PDTours
• USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program

WEDNESDAY DEPARTURES; WEDNESDAY ARRIVALS ON UNITED AIRLINES: