CHINA AND YANGTZE RIVER DISCOVERY ITINERARY

DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

Day 1
Depart your gateway city for Beijing, China. (Flight provided for Air-Inclusive participants only.)

Day 2
Upon arrival, transfer to the Crowne Plaza Hotel Beijing. (Transfer provided for Air-Inclusive participants only.) The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Tonight, gather with your fellow travelers for a Welcome Reception at the hotel.

Day 3
Excursion: Triple Happiness in Beijing. Your exploration begins in Tiananmen Square. Next, enter the Forbidden City, a former palace that houses an extensive collection of artwork. After lunch, visit the Summer Palace, a lakeside retreat set in beautiful gardens.

Local Flavor: This evening, wield your chopsticks at a dinner of Peking Duck!

Day 4
Included Excursion: The Great Wall. Travel to Badaling to walk along the ramparts of the Great Wall and admire stunning panoramic views. Lunch is served in a local restaurant.

Independent Exploration: The afternoon is at leisure to pursue our own interests.

Local Culture: This evening, attend a performance of Peking Opera.

Day 5
Excursion: Ancient Peking. Visit the old section of Beijing and explore the narrow streets of the Hutongs by pedicab.

Excursion: Temple of Heaven. Tour a vast complex used by the emperors to pray for bountiful harvests.

Board a flight to Xi’an. Upon arrival, transfer to the Shangri-La Golden Flower Hotel Xi’an.

Day 6
Excursion: An Army in Stone. Marvel at one of China’s most exciting archeological finds—the Terra Cotta Warriors. Then, travel to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda.

Local Culture: Attend a Tang Dynasty Dinner and Show.

Day 7
Enjoy the morning at leisure in Xi’an. Then, board a flight to Chongqing, located at the confluence of the Jialing and Yangtze Rivers. Upon arrival, transfer to the M.V. Yangtze President.

Day 8
Sail from Chongqing to Wuhan through the spectacular Three Gorges region.

Excursion: Fengdu. Discover the many temples and shrines dedicated to the gods of the underworld.

This evening, join the captain at a Welcome Reception.

Day 9
Enter the Qutang Gorge, and see the high peaks and narrow “gates” that shape the river. Next, the ship reaches Wu Gorge, considered the most beautiful of the Three Gorges.

Excursion: Shennong Lesser Gorges. Disembark in Badong and board small local boats for a closer experience of the magnificent gorges on the Shennong Xi.

Day 10
Excursion: New Dam. A fascinating tour provides insight into the world’s largest construction project.

Excursion: Sanyou Cave. Disembark in Yichang to visit the best caverns in the Three Gorges region.

Board a flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival, transfer to the Shanghai Hilton.

Day 11
Excursion: Highlights of Shanghai. Drive along the Bund, Shanghai’s “Wall Street,” and stroll through beautiful Yu Garden. After lunch, view the exhibits at the Shanghai Museum.

Day 12
Independent Exploration: Today is at leisure to explore Shanghai on your own.

Optional Excursion: Suzhou. Journey to Suzhou, a town of charming stone bridges, lovely pagodas and meticulously designed gardens.

This evening, attend a Farewell Reception at the hotel.

Day 13
Transfer to the airport for the return flight to your gateway city. (Transfer and flight provided for Air-Inclusive participants only.)