Great China Discovery with Majestic Yangtze River Cruise - 12 Days (CN-06)
China's mega cities are just one side of this great land. The Yangtze River is also a highlight. One of the world’s largest waterways, it flows through China’s varied scenery from its source in Qinghai Province. The Yangtze travels almost 4,000 miles to the East China Sea at Shanghai, slicing China neatly into north and south. This tour is a fun-filled and enlightening way to see many of China's highlights.Day 1. Beijing
Our driver will meet you at the airport. Transfer to the hotel. You will then see old, authentic China with a guided Hutong rickshaw tour.
Day 2. Beijing
We start at Tiananmen square, and then move on to the famous Imperial palace and the Forbidden City. Later, you will visit the magnificent Summer Palace. In the evening, a well-earned roast duck dinner.
Day 3. Beijing
Today we will visit the Great Wall of China, a symbol of Chinese civilisation. After, you will see the Olympic park built in Beijing for the Summer Olympics. In the evening enjoy an acrobatic show.
Day 4. Beijing - Xian
Railway journey aboard a new high-speed train to Xian. After a short hotel transfer, you will start your Xian city tour. A local lunch is followed by dinner this evening at the Tang Dynasty Singing and Dancing Show.
Day 5. Xian - Chongquing
We will explore the Terracotta Army site. After, our driver will meet you in the hotel to take you to the airport to catch your flight to Chongquing and onto your special cruise on Yangtze.
Day 6. Along the Yangtze
Today the ship will stop in Shibaozhai. You can take advantage of some optional excursions available on board or explore the city on your own.
Day 7. Along Yangtze
You will approach some very photogenic gorges. In the afternoon, you will enter the longest (41 miles) and deepest gorge on the river - Xiling Gorge. In the evening the boat will reach the Three Gorges Dam locks.
Day 8. Along Yangtze – Yichang - Shanghai
Visit the world-famous Three Gorges Dam, the largest dam in the world. Disembarkation upon arrival in Yichang, late that morning. Transfer to the airport to catch your flight to Shanghai. Transfer to the hotel.
Day 9. Shanghai
Shanghai is always a highlight on any trip to China. We will visit the People’s square and Shanghai Museum, walk along the famous Bund.
Day 10. Shanghai
Explore Shanghai’s highlights with visits to the Yu Garden, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, New Bund and Nanjing Road.
Day 11. Shanghai – Suzhou - Shanghai
We will drvie to Suzhou, known as China’s Garden city and famous for its striking landscape design. Transfer back to Shanghai in the evening.
Day 12. Shanghai
Our driver will meet you in the hotel and take you to the airport to catch your flight home.
BeijingBeijing is the capital of the most populous country in the world, the People's Republic of China, and it is also the second largest city after Shanghai. Beijing literally means... Read more
ShanghaiShanghai is the largest city in China’s and it is an important economic, financial, international and cultural centre. It is a very modern city by Chinese standards - althoug... Read more
SuzhouSuzhou is mostly known for its refined garden design. Since nearly half of the city’s area is covered by water - including a vast number of ponds, streams and Taihu Lake one ... Read more
XianXian is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China and it has held that position under several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history. Xian is located in the no... Read more
YangtzeThe Yangtze River, known as Chang Jiang or Yangzi in China, is the longest river in Asia. Springing from the glaciers of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Yangtze makes its way into the Ea... Read more
Tour Inclusions
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International flights
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Accommodation
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Guided tours & cultural programme
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Full-board meals
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Evening entertainment
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Domestic transport at your destination
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Airport & railway transfers
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Visa fees
Not included
Quick Facts
- Season: Four Seasons
- Days: 12
- Group Size: 2-12
- Tour Grade:
Included in the Tour Price
International flights
Our advertised package price is based on economy flights from / to London. If you depart from a regional airport in the UK or another country, there might be additional surcharges for international airfares. Upon booking a tour you will be offered various flight options. Please note, the package price depends on the availability of flight tickets and will be reconfirmed by your travel consultant. The airfare is not guaranteed unless ticketed. We advise to book sooner than later as the airfare may go up closer to your departure date, especially during high seasons.
Our advertised package price is based on economy flights from / to London. If you depart from a regional airport in the UK or another country, there might be additional surcharges for international airfares. Upon booking a tour you will be offered various flight options. Please note, the package price depends on the availability of flight tickets and will be reconfirmed by your travel consultant. The airfare is not guaranteed unless ticketed. We advise to book sooner than later as the airfare may go up closer to your departure date, especially during high seasons.
Accommodation
All accommodation at your destination is included in the holiday price. Hotel category - according to the package type selected.
All accommodation at your destination is included in the holiday price. Hotel category - according to the package type selected.
Guided tours & cultural programme
All tours with entrance fees listed in the itinerary are included in the holiday price. There will be an English-speaking guide on all tours. Please note, we can arrange guides speaking other languages upon request. Please let us know your preferences.
All tours with entrance fees listed in the itinerary are included in the holiday price. There will be an English-speaking guide on all tours. Please note, we can arrange guides speaking other languages upon request. Please let us know your preferences.
Full-board meals
Full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) each day. Service begins with dinner on the day of arrival and ends with breakfast on the day of departure. Depending on the itinerary you may be served a packed lunch on your tour. Please advise us if you have any special dietary requirements.
Full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) each day. Service begins with dinner on the day of arrival and ends with breakfast on the day of departure. Depending on the itinerary you may be served a packed lunch on your tour. Please advise us if you have any special dietary requirements.
Evening entertainment
Entrance fees for evening entertainment as per itinerary.
Entrance fees for evening entertainment as per itinerary.
Domestic transport at your destination
All domestic transportation at your destination is included as per the itinerary: air conditioned vehicles, 2nd class train, economy flights if applicable. Any 1st class upgrade for train, higher class for air travel are subject to surcharges. For sightseeing we use a comfortable coach, car or minibus; or can also go on foot.
All domestic transportation at your destination is included as per the itinerary: air conditioned vehicles, 2nd class train, economy flights if applicable. Any 1st class upgrade for train, higher class for air travel are subject to surcharges. For sightseeing we use a comfortable coach, car or minibus; or can also go on foot.
Airport & railway transfers
All airport and railway transfers as per itinerary are included in the tour price. We will also provide airport transfers if you arrange your own arrival / departure flights regardless of the time of the flight, you will need to let us know your flight details. We operate all transfers 24 hours a day.
All airport and railway transfers as per itinerary are included in the tour price. We will also provide airport transfers if you arrange your own arrival / departure flights regardless of the time of the flight, you will need to let us know your flight details. We operate all transfers 24 hours a day.
Visa fees
Standard visa processing for UK residents is included in the tour price. Upon your booking we email detailed guidance notes how to complete the visa forms. All application packs are checked by our visa department before submission to the relevant consulates. If you are based overseas we will email all required paperwork for you to apply for the visas in the local consulate. Please read more about required visas in the tour description or our country guides on this websites.
Standard visa processing for UK residents is included in the tour price. Upon your booking we email detailed guidance notes how to complete the visa forms. All application packs are checked by our visa department before submission to the relevant consulates. If you are based overseas we will email all required paperwork for you to apply for the visas in the local consulate. Please read more about required visas in the tour description or our country guides on this websites.
Not included
Personal travel insurance
Personal travel insurance is not included in the holiday price. It is advisable to take out your travel insurance at the time of booking your trip as cover will commence for pre-departure cancellation from the policy issue date. You can arrange your personal travel insurance on our website.
Personal travel insurance is not included in the holiday price. It is advisable to take out your travel insurance at the time of booking your trip as cover will commence for pre-departure cancellation from the policy issue date. You can arrange your personal travel insurance on our website.
Optional excursions and services
Optional excursions and services not listed in the itinerary. Please let us know if you wish to book any additional excursions.
Optional excursions and services not listed in the itinerary. Please let us know if you wish to book any additional excursions.
Day 1. Beijing
Our driver will meet you at the airport arrival sector with a “China & Beyond” signboard. Transfer to the hotel. You will then see old, authentic China with a guided Hutong neighbourhood rickshaw tour. Hutongs are city areas full of alleys that are ever harder to find with the rise of development. Photogenic and with some old hutong areas receiving a special status to preserve Beijing’s cultural heritage, this tour takes you back in time. (D)
Day 2. Beijing
Made famous in the west by Mao Zedong’s proclamation of the People’s Republic of China in the square in 1949, Tiananmen remains central to the city. It is the fourth largest city square in the world with an impressive area of 440,000 square metres. We start here today, and then move on to the famous Imperial palace and the Forbidden City. It was the home of Chinese emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties from1420 -1924. Its rooms are crammed with one million treasures, our experienced guide will point you to the most interesting ones. Later, you will visit the magnificent Summer Palace, an outstanding expression of the creative art of Chinese landscape garden design. In the evening, a well-earned roast duck dinner. (B,L,D)
Day 3. Beijing
Today we will visit the Great Wall of China, a symbol of Chinese civilisation built from the 7th century BC onwards. You will visit the Badaling Great Wall situated in Yanqing County, approximately 70 kilometres (44 miles) north of Beijing, which is the most well-preserved section of the Wall. After, you will see the Olympic park built in Beijing for 2008 for the Summer Olympics, including the “Bird’s nest” Beijing National Stadium, Aquatics Centre “Water Cube” and Green Hockey Field. In the evening you will witness one of Beijing’s finest Acrobatic Shows. (B,L,D)
Day 4. Beijing - Xian
Today starts with an exciting railway journey aboard a new state of the art high-speed train to Xian, covering the distance of 711 miles from Beijing in only 4h and 40min. Launched in 2012, this train has Business, First and Second class tickets available. After a short hotel transfer, you will start your Xian city tour. You will explore one the Big Goose Pagoda, a seven-storey Buddhist temple built in the 7th century and the Little Goose Pagoda. Both temples where once part of a larger architectural ensemble and are beautiful examples of Tang dynasty masonry. A short walk from the City Wall are the Bell Tower, which signalled the gates city gates opening at dawn and the Great Mosque, one of the first Mosques built in China. A local lunch is followed by dinner this evening at the Tang Dynasty Singing and Dancing Show. (B,L,D)
Day 5. Xian - Chongquing
Accidentally discovered in 1974 by local farmers working in the fields not far from the city, today the Terracotta Army attracts millions of tourists from around the globe every year. They come to see the stone army which is estimated to have over 8000 soldiers, 520 horses, and 130 chariots. You will have a chance to examine the pits and walk up the burial mound of the emperor. Your guide will be there to give you detailed information about the sites and excavations works and answer all your questions. The site has been on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list since 1987. After, our driver will meet you in the hotel lobby to take you to the airport to catch your flight to Chongquing and onto your special cruise on Yangtze. (B,L,D)
Day 6. Along the Yangtze
Today the ship will stop in Shibaozhai. You can take advantage of some optional excursions available on board or explore the city on your own. (B,L,D)
Day 7. Along Yangtze
As the ship sails east and your journey begins, you will approach some very photogenic gorges. The first one - Qutang Gorge - is only 500feet wide and 5 miles long and is surrounded by high mountains. The second one is Wu Gorge. Less dramatic and yet stunning, it is 25 miles long with green mountains melting into the river. Optional excursions are available. In the afternoon, you will enter the longest (41 miles) and deepest gorge on the river - Xiling Gorge. Later in the evening the boat will reach the Three Gorges Dam locks and cross to the other side of the Dam. (B,L,D)
Day 8. Along Yangtze – Yichang - Shanghai
In the morning you will visit the world-famous Three Gorges Dam, the largest dam in the world. Disembarkation upon arrival in Yichang, late that morning. Our driver will meet you at the ship entrance with a “China & Beyond” signboard and take you to the airport to catch your flight to Shanghai where you will be met at the airport arrival sector and transferred to the hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 9. Shanghai
Shanghai is always a highlight on any trip to China. The largest and busiest city in the country, it has everything, from ultra-modern architecture to supremely quiet gardens. During the panoramic city tour by car, you will stop at the People’s square located in the heart of the city. There you will see that it houses Shanghai’s local government and is a meeting place for locals. Also located on the square is the Shanghai Museum. Boasting a new building, the museum exhibits the best of Chinese art from fine bronzes and paintings to calligraphy and furniture. Later on, do like the locals and walk along the famous Bund, a mile-long riverside promenade framed with European style buildings. (B,L,D)
Day 10. Shanghai
Explore Shanghai’s highlights with visits to the Yu Garden, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, New Bund and Nanjing Road. Yu Garden is spread across five acres in the Suzhou style with six main areas including a rockery, a chamber of ten thousand flowers, multiple halls and ponds. The modern Oriental Pearl TV Tower contrasts brilliantly. Built in 1994 for over a decade it was the tallest building in China, today it has an impressive 468m tower complete with 15 viewing levels, a must for budding photographers. You can also stop for a coffee at the revolving restaurant located at 267 metres. Finish the tour on the Nanjing Road, Shanghai’s main shopping street, known as Park Lane in until the middle of the 19th century. You won’t be alone - it attracts over one million visitors a day! (B,L,D)
Day 11. Shanghai – Suzhou - Shanghai
Contrast city life with a greener scene. Suzhou is known as China’s Garden city and is famous for its striking landscape design. Its walled gardens served as a retreat from the outside world and today one of the highlights is a boat trip on the Grand Canal and see the city from the water. The last stop during this tour will be to a fascinating silk factory, this isn’t a shopping stop, but rather somewhere to learn about the process of how this delicate fabric is made. Transfer back to Shanghai in the evening. (B,L,D)
Day 12. Shanghai
Our driver will meet you in the hotel lobby with a “China & Beyond” signboard and take you to the airport to catch your flight home. (D)
Want to travel on different dates?
Please see below for our group tour dates, if you would like to travel on a different day, please
let us know
and we will come back to you with an offer. There might be additional surcharges for a private tour
but all depends on the number of people in your party and your travel preferences.
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PREMIUM PACKAGE
* Price including flights will be reconfirmed by your travel consultant as we need to know your departure airport, preferred airline, dates and class of travel. Our prices are based on economy fares from London Heathrow. ** Single supplement goes towards single room accommodation at your hotel, ger camp. |
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Tiantan Hotel Beijing 4*
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Address: No.1, Ti Yu Guan Road, Chong Wen District, Beijing 100061 Telephone: +86 10 6719 0666 |
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DESCRIPTION
The Tiantan (The Temple Of Heaven) Hotel is a modern 4 star hotel located in downtown Beijing. The hotel was fully renovated in 2005 and opened in June that year. Tiantan hotel is just minutes walk from the famous Temple of Heaven and the nearby park. The major tourist attractions like Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square are within less than a 15-minute drive, and it is only 40 minutes to Beijing Capital International Airport.
There are 300 guest rooms in the Temple of Heaven hotel, all equipped with telephone, central air-conditioning, safe-box, mini-bar, satellite TV system and bed-side control panel.
The hotel also features Chinese and Western restaurants, coffee shop, lobby bar, karaoke dancing club, billiard and recreational centre with gym, sauna and massage room. Business centre offers fax, photocopying and telex services.
FACILITIES
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Shanghai Marriott Courtyard Puxi 4*
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Address: 338 Heng Feng Road, Shanghai 200070 Telephone: +86 21 22 15 38 88 |
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DESCRIPTION
Courtyard Puxi is the brand's largest hotel in China and third largest in the world. It is conveniently located within a 5-minutes walk from Shanghai railway and underground stations (line 1, 3 and 4), Shanghai’s main tourist attractions - Nanjing Road, Jingan Temple and the People's Square – are all within easy access from the hotel. It will take you about one hour to reach Pudong International Airport by car.
The hotel has 411 guest rooms and 40 luxury suites located over 30 floors. Spacious rooms with modern amenities and comprehensive hotel facilities ensure the stay a total success. All rooms feature high speed internet access, large desks, 37-inch LCD TV with international channels, in-room safe, mini-bar, tea & coffee service, hair dryer and iron.
Dining facilities include MoMo Café or takeaway at MoMo 2 Go. Coffee, tea, cocktails and other drinks are offered at the hotel lounge. There are plenty of restaurants serving local Sichuan or international cuisine in the nearby area.
There is a business centre and 24-hour fitness centre with indoor swimming pool in the hotel.
FACILITIES
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Grand New World Hotel Xian 4*
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Address: 172 Lian Hu Road, Xian, 710002 Telephone: +86 29 87 21 68 68 |
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The Grand New World is one of the top 4* accommodation options in Xian. It opened in 1989 and was designed for both leisure and business travellers. The hotel owners have strived to achieve a balance between the ancient and new. With world-class facilities and services designed to please even the most demanding customers, they also try to preserve the spirit of the historical Xian. The decoration of the lobby with frescos and its sculpture of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, reflects the Chinese past and splendid culture.
The hotel is located within the ancient part of Xian close to the City Wall, Great Mosque of Xian and the Drum and Bell Towers. There underground station (line 1) is in front of the hotel.
The hotel has 471 superior rooms and exclusive deluxe suites all equipped with en-suite facilities, air-conditioning, TV with international channels and minibar.
The fabulous Dynasty Chinese and Western restaurants at the Grand New World hotel offer first class international and Asian favourites served in an elegant setting.
The hotel also features a spacious fitness centre with table tennis, yoga room and indoor swimming pool.
Free WiFi is available in public areas.
FACILITIES
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