13Days - Three Gorges YZDN
Price from: $4960 per person on Twin sharing basis
Beijing – Xian – Chongqing – Yangtze Cruise – Yichang – Shanghai – Suzhou – Shanghai
This tour will take you to the three most popular and interesting cities of China combined with a spectacular cruise on Yangtze River. Within the Beijing city, you’ll find some of China’s most stunning sights – the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven Park, the Lama Temple and the Great Wall. Visit Xian, often referred to as a “natural history museum”. The Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses is praised as the eighth major miracle of the world, the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang appears on the World Heritage List and the City Wall of the Ming Dynasty is the largest and most intact Ming Dynasty castle in the world, as well as showcasing numerous pagodas, mosques and towers.
Like a sharp knife, the Yangtze River cuts its way through towering cliffs creating the world renowned 3 Gorges as it makes its way to the Pacific Ocean 5000 kilometres to the east. Along the river valley, you are drifting through a natural cultural “gallery”: there is the “plank road” built by ancient Chinese people along the sharp cliffs surface high above the roaring waters. The great modern project: the Yangtze River Dam and of course, the marvellous Three Gorges scenery are the highlights of the tour.
Three Gorges in Yangtze River is the most gallant combination picture of mountain and river. Numerous poem lines were left to praise the beauty of Three Gorges. Same as Yellow River, Yangtze River is also the resource of Chinese ancient civilization.
Visit Shanghai, which has embraced the forces of business and design, shaping a fresh, new city that is sophisticated and innovative. The Bund, its riverside area and Frenchtown are the best places to see the remnants of the city’s colonial past. See the temples, gardens, bazaars and striking architecture of the new city.
Day 1 (Wed): Beijing
Arrival at Beijing Airport and transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day is at leisure
Day 2 (Thu): Beijing (B/L)
Today a full day City tour visits Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City and Summer Palace. Located at the centre of Beijing City is Tiananmen Square, where you can visit Tiananmen Tower, Monument to the People’s Heroes, Great Hall of the People, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall and see the national flag raising ceremony. The Square was the front door of the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City, so called because it was off limits to commoners for 500 years, was the Imperial residence of the Ming and Qing Emperors. Now known as the Palace Museum it is the largest and best preserved cluster of ancient buildings in all China. Also visit the Summer Palace, this was where the Imperial court would come to escape the heat of Beijing’s summer, and today it is a popular recreation spot. Optional: Kung Fu Show with Peking Duck dinner
Day 3 (Fri): Beijing (B/L)
Enjoy a day tour to the Great Wall. The world renowned Great Wall, a symbol of ancient Chinese civilizations, has stood for more than 2000 years. The wall was originally a series of feudal defences built in the 5th Century BC to form this 5000 km man-made barrier. The section of the wall that you will visit is at Badaling, 80kms from Beijing and was restored in 1957. Jade stone workshop visit en route. Photo stop at the Bird Nest & Water Cube.
Day 4 (Sat): Beijing (B/L)
Enjoy a morning visit to Temple of Heaven and watch local people doing all kinds of morning exercises. Visit a local Pearl Factory and enjoy a tour of Hutong by rickshaw including a visit to a traditional Chinese home.
Day 5 (Sun): Beijing-Xian (B/L)
We take late morning flight from Beijing to Xian – the ancient capital of China. In the afternoon visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda & Provincial Museum. The Big Wide Goose Pagoda Temple was regarded the landmark of Xian. When the dynasties expanded its territories enormously to the west with many Buddhism Scriptures, Monks and the envoys came to China, the temple was built and a larger team of scholars was organized here for translation of the Buddhism Scriptures into Chinese and it became a holy place for pilgrimages. Behind the pagoda is the courtyard, which tells great Buddhism envoys story. The provincial Museum shows us Chinese archaeology’s excavation at Xian Areas from very beginning of Chinese primogenitors of Neolithic Age 20000-8000 years ago to the glorious dynasties 980AD. It has numerous collections and treasures on display.
Day 6 (Mon): Xian (B/L/D)
A full day tour to the 2000 year old Army of Terracotta Warriors which remains stunningly well preserved: a vigilant force standing guard over an ancient imperial burial site. The 6000 life-sized terracotta warriors and warhorses were discovered in 1974 by farmers digging a well! There is speculation that the sculptors used fellow workers as models, each of the figures differs in facial features and expressions. Enroute visit ceramics & pottery workshop. Tonight enjoy Dumpling Dinner & Tang Dynasty Show.
Day 7 (Tue): Xian – Chongqing – Yangtze River Cruise (B/L/D)
Flight to Chongqing. Visit the Panda Zoo, and enjoy local flavoured hot pot dinner before embarkation of the MV Gold No.2 Cruise. The UNESCO site of Yangtze River with Three Gorges is the third longest in the world and the largest in China. Many isolated small villages and numberless local temples and pagodas, historical sites along the river side bring a geography, history and legend beyond our imagination. Relax with all inclusive food and beverages. The President Cruises are superior; luxury boats specially designed for foreign visitors and have provided excellent service for over 18 years.
Day 8 (Wed): Three Gorges (B/L/D)
Start our sailing for a distance of 430 miles in all the great gorges and the deep mountain valleys. Afternoon we reach the ghost city of Fengdu for a shore excursion. The temples here reveal ancient Chinese religion and legends with their imaged constructions and the ghost statues for people to pray for luck. Return back the boat and continue sailing.
Day 9 (Thu): Three Gorges (B/L/D)
Sailing into the first Qutang Gorge and the second Wu Gorge, the river changes to wildly stirring water along with numerous swirling bubbles. The mossy cliffs are hemmed by the hanging pathways under the Twelve Peaks. After the boat reaches to famed Shennong Stream, we change to the small boat and sail deep into the fabled Three Lesser Gorges. After we reach upstream we change to small sampan pulled up by man trackers to the ethnic villages. They celebrate our visit by singing local songs along the sampan trip while we enjoy the most scenic of all gorges for an excursion. After we return back to the boat, we continue to sail into the third Xiling Gorge.
Day 10 (Fri): Yichang – Shanghai (B/L)
Take a morning excursion to the Three Gorges Dam site and pass through the 5 ship locks before cruise ends at Yichang. Transfer to Yichang airport for a flight to Shanghai.
Day 11 (Sat): Shanghai (B/L/D)
This morning we start visit Old Downtown, classical Yu Garden, the Bund. Old Downtown has many narrow zigzag lanes, small squares, fish pond and pavilion linked by stone bridges. It collects many favourite local bars, restaurants, tea houses and souvenir shops. The Yu Garden (UNESCO Site) built 400 years ago, is a famous ancient private garden with architectures of Ming and Qing dynasties. It became a real museum of Chinese ancient architecture. The vividly brick-carving figures of warlords & warriors, unique animals standing on the roofs of ancient buildings and the huge dragons decorated on the range of walls, all features of this unique garden. Afternoon we visit Shanghai Museum. The attractions include enormous finest stone sculptures, bronze-ware, porcelain, calligraphic works, Chinese paintings and ancient furniture. Visit Xintiandi and Pudong New Development Zone. Tonight we enjoy the famous Shanghai Acrobatic Show. .
Day 12 (Sun): Shanghai – Suzhou – Shanghai (B/L)
Enjoy a full day coach excursion to the water town of Suzhou. Visit Garden of Master of Nets, Silk Spinning Factory, and cruise on the Grand Canal and visit Pingjiang Road Old Town Area before returning to Shanghai.
Day 13 (Mon): Shanghai (B)
Departure transfer to airport for homeward flight.
** This is a Small Group Tour where you may have guests from other English speaking countries joining the same program. All transfer, sightseeing, guide services etc. will be provided to you on non-exclusive basis. Guaranteed departure with minimum 2 persons
Included: accommodation in 4* Hotels, sightseeing and transfers as per program, meals as indicated in program, professional English speaking local guides in each city, transportation by air conditioned vehicles, domestic air tickets with airport tax.
Note: Please contact us if you require more information on different Hotel categories.
Prices quoted are valid till 30 September 2023. Cost above is indicative, based on Low Season in NZ Dollars and subject to change due to fluctuation in exchange rates. Please read T&C before booking. Call 09 410 5060 or 0508 EXOTIC (0508 396 842) or email info@exoticholidays.co.nz for more information.