DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY:

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

CHINA

Day 2 • Arrive Beijing
Upon arrival, you are met and escorted to your hotel.
Renaissance Beijing Hotel

Day 3 • Beijing

This morning visit the Temple of Heaven and see local morning exercise while you enjoy this UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the Imperial Ceiling of Heaven with its Echo Wall and the Nine-Dragon Cypress, more than 500 years old. Tour Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City's treasure-filled Imperial Palace with a tour of the living quarters, museum and jewelry sections. Tonight, you are invited to a Peking Duck dinner party at your hotel.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Party

Day 4 • Beijing

A daylong excursion takes you to the legendary Great Wall, where you walk atop the ancient ramparts. After lunch, visit a cloisonné factory. Then stroll along the statue-lined Sacred Way to the medieval Ming Tombs and Chang Ling Exhibition Hall. After dinner enjoy the remarkable “The Legend of Kung Fu” performance.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5 • Beijing/Xi'an

The morning is at leisure. This afternoon, fly to Xi'an, former capital of China and site of archeological wonders. Check in to your hotel.
Howard Johnson Ginwa Plaza Hotel
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner in Hotel

Day 6 • Xi'an

A thrilling day as you view the famous 2200-year-old life-sized terra-cotta warriors discovered in the first emperor's tomb, the Circle Vision Movie, the Bronze Chariot and renowned Shaanxi Provincial Historical Museum. Lunch includes a noodle-making demonstration. Tonight, you are our guest at the Tang Dynasty Theatre's celebrated dinner show.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Show

TIBET

Day 7 • Xi'an/Lhasa

This morning, fly to Lhasa, mountainous capital of Tibet where you will be greeted at the airport with a traditional Tibetan welcome ceremony.* Check in to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to adjust to the altitude of one of the world's highest plateaus–approximately 12,000 ft. above sea level.
Lhasa Hotel
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch in Hotel, Dinner in Hotel
*Welcome ceremony with 10 or more passengers. If direct flight is not available from Xi'an via Chengdu to Lhasa

Day 8 • Lhasa

An extraordinary day of sightseeing shows Norbulingkha, summer palace, built by the seventh Dalai Lama in the 18th century. Then visit Drepung Monastery, tiered against a mountain in traditional Tibetan style, once home to more than 10,000 Lamas.

MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner in Hotel

Day 9 • Lhasa

You will not soon forget the spectacular architecture at the world-famous Potala Palace. Former living quarters of the Dalai Lama, its massive 1,000 room structure towers over this mountain city. Continue on to visit the famous Barkhor Market where you may shop for Tibetan items. See one of Tibet's holiest shrines, revered 7th century Jokhang Temple, where pilgrims come to worship before the statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha, lavishly enthroned in gold. This evening, enjoy a memorable Tibetan dinner and show where you will be welcomed with a traditional Yak Dance.*
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Show
*Yak Dance with 10 or more passengers.

Day 10 • Lhasa/Chengdu

Take a morning flight to Chengdu capital of Sichuan Province. After lunch visit Wangjianglou Park, known for its scenic cedar wood pavilions and bamboo forest. Continue to Qingyang Palace, the oldest and largest Daoist temple in Chengdu. Qingtai Road's traditional style buildings. This evening, attend an entertaining performance of the 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
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11 • 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 Sanxingdui Museum with its remarkable collection of archeological artifacts spanning 5,000 years of culture in the Chengdu area. Enjoy a buffet dinner in your hotel.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner

Day 12 • Chengdu/Chongqing*

This morning, fly to Chongqing. After lunch transfer to the hotel. Afternoon at leisure. Buffet dinner in your hotel.
Harbour Plaza Hotel
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner

Day 13 • Chongqing

Chongqing sightseeing includes the highlights of this mountainside city where neighborhoods rise in tiers along the steep riverbank above the Yangtze. Visit the Stilwell Museum where you will see memorabilia from the Flying Tigers, American pilots who volunteered to aid the Chinese in World War II before Pearl Harbor. Enjoy panoramic views of Chongqing from E Ling Park. Finally, visit historic Ci Qi Kou area, with its Qing dynasty homes, teahouses, shops and old docks, which were used for shipping local porcelain goods. Buffet dinner at the JW Marriott Hotel before boarding your cruise ship to begin a memorable cruise.
Victoria Cruises' ship
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner

Day 14 • Yangtze River Cruise: Shibaozhai*

A shore excursion at Shibaozhai shows its 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 Wanxian depending on river conditions.

Day 15 • Yangtze River Cruise: Qutang Gorge/Daning River Small Gorges or Shennong Stream/Wu Gorge/Xiling Gorge

An exciting day begins as you cruise through the first of the fabled Three Gorges: Qutang Gorge hemmed by mossy cliffs. Arriving at Wushan, you transfer to a cruiser for an excursion up the Daning River 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 and unusual rock formations. Alternatively, your excursion may be on Shennong Stream with its equally spectacular small gorges. Rejoin your cruise ship and sail on through Wu Gorge, celebrated for its Twelve Peaks, and on through Xiling Gorge, the last and most scenic gorge. Finally, you sail through the dramatic Three Gorges ship lock.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 16 • Yangtze River Cruise: San Dou Ping/Yichang to Shanghai*

This morning, visit the historic Three Gorges Dam site at San Dou Ping, the world's largest hydroelectric project. Continue to Yichang where you board your flight to Shanghai.
Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
*If direct flight is not available, travel by motor coach to Wuhan and fly to Shanghai.

Day 17 • Shanghai

Sightsee Shanghai: the rich collections of the Shanghai Museum, Nanjing or Huai Hai Road's shops, The Bund, see a performance at the Children's Palace, and visit a carpet factory. Tonight, you will see an astonishing acrobatic show.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 18 • Shanghai to Suzhou/Shanghai*

Today visit Suzhou, a charming city noted for its ancient gardens. Tour the Embroidery Research Institute, Pan Men City Gate, North Temple Pagoda and The Master of Fishing Nets Garden . Return to Shanghai. Buffet dinner in your hotel.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner
*Travel to Suzhou by train if group is less than 6 tour members.

Day 19 • Shanghai for San Francisco

Fly homeward aboard United Airlines.
MEALS: Breakfast

CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS:
BEIJING: 3 Nights Renaissance Beijing Hotel
Temple of Heaven • Tiananmen Square • Forbidden City's Imperial Palace • Peking Duck Dinner Party • Great Wall • Sacred Way to Ming Tombs • Chang Ling Exhibition Hall • Cloisonné Factory • “The Legend of Kung Fu” Show


XI'AN: 2 Nights Howard Johnson Ginwa Plaza Hotel
Terra-Cotta Warriors • Bronze Chariot • Circle Vision Movie • Shaanxi Provincial Historical Museum • Tang Dynasty Theatre Dinner Show

LHASA: 3 Nights Lhasa Hotel
Potala Palace • Barkhor Market • Norbulingkha • Jokhang Temple • Drepung Monastery • Dinner with Traditional Tibetan Show

CHENGDU: 2 Nights Shangri-La Hotel
Wangjianglou Park • Qingyang Palace Daoist Temple • Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding • Museum and Movie • Sanxingdui Museum • Sichuan Opera

CHONGQING: 1 Night Harbour Plaza Hotel
Stilwell Museum • E Ling Park • Ci Qi Kou Historic Market Place

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

SHANGHAI: 3 Nights Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel
Shanghai Museum • Nanjing or Huai Hai Road Shops • Carpet Factory • The Bund • Children's Palace Performance • Acrobatic Show

SUZHOU: Day Tour
Embroidery Research Institute • Pan Men City Gate • North Temple Pagoda • The Master of Fishing Nets Garden

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 and Tibet air/land transportation
• Escorted by a professional Tour Manager
• 14 nights in deluxe and superior first class hotels; 3 nights on board Victoria Cruises' deluxe ship in outside cabin with balcony
• 17 breakfasts, 16 lunches, 16 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; SUNDAY ARRIVALS ON UNITED AIRLINES: