Dream of China & Yangtze River Cruise 19 days

Departure for Beijing, overnight on international flight.

1. Flight

Arrive in Beijing, China’s imperial capital whose rich history dates back to more than 3 000 years. Then, we will transfer to your hotel. Our tour guide will help you check in, so you may enjoy some free time to relax. 

1. Beijing Shangri-la China World Hotel or similar (5 stars)
2. bus

Beijing embodies the beating heart of China, brimming with massive monuments to a storied past and robust economic centers. After breakfast, we will visit Tiananmen Square, enter the imperial-red walls of the ornate Forbidden City - the emperor’s palace. This structure has been off limits to commoners for centuries as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and only accessible to emperors, their families, and court for 500 years.After lunch in a local restaurant, we will visit another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Temple of Heaven, where the emperors went to humble themselves and pray for a good harvest. Welcome dinner at the Peking duck.

1. Beijing Shangri-la China World Hotel or similar (5 stars)
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. bus

Enjoy your excursion to the ancient Great Wall, one of the world’s most iconic sites. Built and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century AD to keep barbarian nomads out of the empire, this UNESCO World Heritage Site of sandstone and earthwork stretches some 4 000 miles. Explore its winding pathways and marvel at the panoramic views from its ramparts.
Return to the city to view outside of Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest Stadium).

1. Beijing Shangri-la China World Hotel or similar (5 stars)
2. Breakfast/Lunch
3. bus

After breakfast, take a city tour in the old town of Beijing: visit Hutong with a rickshaw ride, admire the well-kept courtyards of families who still live in this richly historic community, and enjoy a lunch at local resident. Departure by flight to Xi'an, one of the oldest cities in China. Celebrated as the starting point of the ancient Silk Road. More than 3,000 years of history, this city presided over one of China’s most glorious cultural periods. Dinner and transfer to the hotel.

1. Xi'an Shangri-La Hotel or similar (5 stars)
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. Flight

Visit the Eighth Wonder of the World : the magnificent Terra Cotta Warriors. At the enormous mausoleum where Emperor Qin Shi Huang was laid to rest over 2 000 years ago, see the 8 000 life-sized sculpted warriors, archers and infantrymen who were buried with him. Remarkably, each man and horse was molded with its own distinctive features. The incredible archaeological site was discovered by local farmers in 1974.In the afternoon, we will visit the Grand Place of the Wild Goose Pagoda.

Optional Dinner and Tang Dynasty Dance Show : (70USD / person) 

1. Xi'an Shangri-La Hotel or similar (5 stars)
2. Breakfast/Lunch
3. bus

After breakfast, city tour in Xi’an, we will take a flight to Chongqing, known as the 'Mountain City'. Dinner and transfer to hotel

1. Chongqing Marriott Hotel or similar(5 stars)
2. Breakfast/Dinner
3. Flight

After Breakfast, we will visit Chongqing Zoo (Panda), and take a city tour. After dinner, we will board the Century Oasis  for Yangtze River Cruise.

1. Century Oasis (5-star cabin with private balcony)
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. cruise

Excursion to Shibaozhai temple, literally meaning "the gemstone fortress", on the northern banks of the Yangtze River.This 12-story pavilion was built in 1650 along the Yangtze. 

Enjoying Capital welcome cocktail party  at night.

1. Cruise: Century Oasis(5-star cabin with private balcony)
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. cruise

Travel the most scenic stretch of the Yangtze as it forces its way through a spectacular series of limestone ridges known as the Three Gorges. Cruise through Qutang Gorge, the shortest, narrowest and most spectacular of the three large gorges. Then, we will board a smaller boat for an excursion through the Goddess Stream. We will sail through these remarkable canyons flanked by towering cliffs.
Along the way, you can see fascinating sites including the hanging coffins of the Ba people and the ancient plank road carved into the cliffside. Sailing through Wu  Gorge, renowned for its magnificent scenery.

1. Cruise: Century Oasis (5-star cabin with private balcony)
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. cruise

After breakfast, we will disembark for a tour of the Three Gorges Dam. The world’s largest hydroelectric power project took almost 20 years to build. You will see the inner workings of this massive structure up close. Learn how the dam controls flooding and how it led to the relocation of 1.25 million people.Transfer by bus to Jingzhou city, a very old merchandise transportation and distribution center, located in the center of a loop of the Yangtze River. Visit the Jingzhou Museum and the ancient city walls. Continue to Wuhan city.

1. Wuhan Shangri-la or similar(5 stars)
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. bus

After breakfast, we will transfer by high-speed train to Shanghai. Enjoy your Huangpu River Cruise and a wonderful acrobatics show in the evening。

1. Shanghai Marriott Hotel or similar(5 stars)
2. Breakfast/Dinner
3. High Speed Train

After breakfast, we will walk along the Bund, and visit the old Shanghai district "Cheng Huang Miao" and Nanjing Road, the main shopping street of Shanghai and also one of the world's busiest shopping streets.Visit the Shanghai Museum in the afternoon. The museum has about one million items covering 21 areas. The collections of bronzes, calligraphy ceramics and paintings are particularly impressive.

1. Shanghai Marriott Hotel or similar(5 stars)
2. Breakfast /Dinner
3. bus

After breakfast, we will transfer by flight to Guilin. Its name means "Forest of Sweet Osmanthus”, owing to the large number of fragrant sweet Osmanthus trees located in the region. The city has long been renowned for its scenery of karst topography. Guilin is one of China's most popular tourist destinations, and the epithet "By water, by mountains, most lovely. 

1. Hotel: Guilin Shangri-la Hotel or similar (5 stars)
2. Breakfast/Dinner
3. Flight

After breakfast at the hotel, we will transfer to Village Yangshuo where we will take a bamboo raft ride on the Li River. Both sides of the river are beautiful. The Li River looks like a green belt that meanders among the hills. The clear waters reflect the green hills and make them more attractive. In the afternoon, we will visit the old quarter and minority village.

Optional show (USD 55 / person): Impression Liu Sanjie 

1. Yangshuo Green Lotus Hotel or similar (5 stars)
2. Breakfast/Lunch
3. bus

After breakfast, we will return to Guilin. There, we will visit the symbol of Guilin - the Elephant Trunk Hill.Free time in the afternoon to discover this beautiful city.

1. Guilin Shangri-La Hotel or similar (5 stars)
2. Breakfast/Lunch
3. bus

After breakfast at the hotel, we will visit a place of tea plantation, surrounded by the famous Guilin karst mountains. There, you will learn about different types of tea, followed by a demonstration of tea preparation per type and a tea ceremony with tasting. 
Departure by High Speed Train in the afternoon for Hong Kong. Transfer to the hotel. Free time in the evening.

1. Hong Kong Sheraton hotel or similar
2. Breakfast/Lunch
3. High Speed Train

After breakfast, take a half day tour in Hong Kong Island :
1.Victoria Peak: enjoy a breath-taking panoramic view of the city, Victoria Harbor, Kowloon Peninsula and beyond (if weather permits) at 554 meters above sea-level.
2. The Peak Tram was first established in 1888. Whilst taking in the soaring views of Hong Kong Island’s city sprawl, imagine the olden days when locals used to carry the upper class colonials up by sedan chair!
3. Repulse Bay Beach is one of the most expensive residential areas in Hong Kong.
4. Stanley Market: This market in the quaint village of Stanley on Hong Kong Island’s south coast is a huge hit with locals.

1. Hong Kong Sheraton hotel or similar
2. Breakfast/Lunch
3. bus

After breakfast, we will transfer to Hong Kong International airport to end your trip.

1. Breakfast
2. Flight