25-day Imperial China, Tibet & Yangtze (2008)
Beijing - Xi'an - Lhasa - Xigaze - Gyantse - Chengdu - Guilin - Chongqing - Yangtze Cruise - Yichang - Shanghai

Focusing on the "Rooftop of the World" and scenic Yangtze the tour also takes in fabled Great Wall, the legendary Terracotta Army, enigmatic Sanxingdui civilization, the Giant Panda Breeding Center in Chengdu, and a day cruise on picturesque Li River. Please note the tour is suitable only for those who are perfectly fit without any medical condition that may be complicated due to high altitudes. Travellers must also accept that accommodations in Tibet may be basic in comparison with the other hotels during the tour.

Scroll down for departure dates and prices.

Day 1/Thu: Departing Home City
The journey begins with our transpacific flight (Air Canada or United Airlines) departing the west coast in early afternoon. Cross the International Date Line.

Day 2/Fri: Arrival in Beijing
Meet our guide upon arrival in late afternoon and transfer to the hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure.

Day 3/Sat: Beijing
Beijing, capital of China and host of 2008 Summer Olympics, is not only the country's second largest city in terms of population but also its cultural and educational centre. Today we visit Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City following tour orientation. Welcome dinner features delicious Beijing roast duck, a local delicacy. (B/L/D)

Day 4/Sun: Beijing
Morning visit to the majestic Summer Palace, a royal resort during the Qing Dynasty. After lunch we split from the group to explore China's ancient capital on our own. The suggested to-do list includes Lama Temple and shopping at Silk Alley or Panjiayuan Flea Market. The evening Peking Opera show is optional if available. (B/L)

Day 5/Mon: Beijing
Full-day excursion to the legendary Great Wall, 90km northwest of the city. Zigzagging over 6,000 kilometres from east to west along the undulating mountains, the Great Wall, said to be visible from the moon, was built to hold off tribal invaders from the north. (B/L)

Day 6/Tue: Beijing - Xi'an
Morning sightseeing at the Temple of Heaven. After lunch we tour an old hutong, traditional alleyway flanked with residential courtyards. Late afternoon flight to Xi'an. (B/L)

Day 7/Wed: Xi’an
Eastern terminus of the fabled Silk Road and one of the ancient capitals of China, Xi'an is home to the Terracotta Army designed to follow the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) into eternity. Visit the excavation site of the Terracotta Army located 30km east of the city and the emperor's mausoleum nearby. Tonight we enjoy a music and dance show of Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) style after dinner. (B/L/D)

Day 8/Thu: Xi'an
Today's schedule takes in the ancient City Wall, Wild Goose Pagoda and the provincial History Museum. (B/L)

Day 9/Fri: Xi'an - Lhasa
Visit the Provincial Museum of History if time allows. Morning flight to Lhasa. We spend the rest of the day relaxing in the hotel to get acclimatized to the high altitudes. (B/L)

Day 10/Sat: Lhasa
Situated in a wide, mountain-fringed valley on the north bank of the Kyichu River, Lhasa (elevation 3700m) is a rapidly expanding city with a population of over 540,000. An important settlement for well over a thousand years, Lhasa was originally called Rasa, but was renamed by King Songtsen Gampo in the seventh century when he moved his capital here from the Yarlung Valley. Following the collapse of the Yarlung dynasty two centuries later, power dispersed among local chieftains and the city lost its pre-eminence. It was not until the seventeenth century, with the installation of the Fifth Dalai Lama as ruler by the Mongolian emperor, Gushri Khan, that Lhasa once again became the seat of government.

This morning we visit the Dalai Lama’s Potala Palace. Afternoon sightseeing at grand Sera Monastery, where lively debates held Monday to Saturday from 3 to 5 pm between resident monks often draw a large audience. (B/L)

Day 11/Sun: Lhasa
The visit to the Dalai Lama's summer residence Norbulinka is followed Jokhang Temple, one of the oldest Buddhist buildings in Tibet and a remarkable combination of Tibetan, Indian, Nepalese and Han Chinese architectural styles. No visit to Jokhang Temple is complete without checking out the Barkor Street bazaar outside the temple. (B/L)

Day 12/Mon: Lhasa - Xigaze
Following breakfast, travel overland to Xigaze (280km) the second largest in city in Tibet whose name is also spelled as Shigatse or Shigatze. After a picnic lunch, we arrive in mid-afternoon. Visit Tashilunpo Monastery, the religious and administrative headquarters of the Panchen Lama, paramount leader of the Yellow Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. (B/L/D)

Day 13/Tue: Xigaze - Gyantse - Lhasa
We drive to Gyantse (2 hours) in the morning and tour the fortress of Gyantse Dzong and Pelkhor Choede before continuing on to Lhasa. Vast pastureland, barren mountain slopes, snow-capped peaks, blue skies, white clouds, scanty population, and ubiquitous prayer flags - these images combine to conjure a sense of solitude and mystery. We stop by villages near the shores of Yamdrok Yumtso. One of the three holiest lakes in Tibet, Yamdrok Yumtso lies about 100 kilometres to the southwest of Lhasa. Every summer, throngs of Tibetan pilgrims trek to the lake to pray for blessings by the lake fairy. Dozens of islets in the lake provide sanctuary for varied species of birds. (B/L)

Day 14/Wed: Lhasa - Chengdu
Spend the morning relaxing or exploring on your own. Afternoon flight to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province. (B/D)

Day 15/Thu: Chengdu
Tour of the Giant Panda Breeding Centre is followed by a visit to the museum built on the archaeological site of Sanxingdui Culture (Bronze Age). First chanced upon by a farmer in 1929, Sanxingdui, 40km west of Chengdu, continued to surprise the archaeological community in the decades to come. In 1986, two major sacrificial pits were discovered and the breakthrough aroused widespread academic attention from around the world. The Sanxingdui finds are exciting, but they remain enigmatic. So far no written records of this 5,000-year-old civilization have been found. (B/L)

Day 16/Fri: Chengdu - Guilin (Day 8 of CO/Day 23 of ST)
Morning schedule includes Wangjianglou (river view) Park and a traditional tea house. Afternoon flight to Guilin, a medium-sized city whose name means "forest of sweet osmanthus trees". (B/L) 

Day 17/Sat: Guilin
Day cruise on Li River. The 83km stretch of the river between Guilin and Yangshuo affords breathtaking scenery as the river snakes through tall karst mountains, gigantic bamboo sprays, and picturesque villages -- sights that have inspired countless poets and painters for generations. Disembark in Yangshuo and drive back to Guilin. (B/L)

Day 18/Sun: Guilin - Chongqing
Morning sightseeing at scenic Fubo Hill and Reed Flute Cave. Afternoon flight to Chongqing in late afternoon.  (B/D)

Day 19/Mon: Chongqing
Our sightseeing in Chongqing takes in the zoo (giant pandas) and General Joseph Stilwell’s former residence - location of the US Forces’ headquarters in China during World War II. After checking in for our 3-day downstream Yangtze cruise we savour a sumptuous hot pot dinner. (B/L/D)

Day 20/Tue: Yangtze Cruise
At 6,380km the Yangtze is the longest river in China and the third longest in the world after the Nile and the Amazon. The most impressive section of the Yangtze is the Three Gorges. Today’s shore excursion features Shibaozhai or Stone Treasure Fortress, an ancient wooden pagoda built against rock cliffs facing the Yangtze. (B/L/D)

Day 21/Wed: Yangtze Cruise
Admire nature’s grandeur while sailing through spectacular Wu Gorge (44km) and Qutang Gorge (8km) later today. Later this morning we navigate Shennong Stream on a small vessel. Originating in the southern slopes of Shennongjia Nature Reserve, the crystal clear river twists and turns 60 kilometres through forested mountains before emptying into the mighty Yangtze.  (B/L/D)

Day 22/Thu: Yichang - Shanghai
Morning visit to the site of the Three Gorges Dam. Construction of the dam began in 1992 and is scheduled to be completed by 2009. Estimated to cost over $24 billion, the project upon completion will become the largest hydroelectric dam in the world with a reservoir stretching hundreds of kilometres upstream. We disembark in Yichang around noon and fly to Shanghai. (B/L/D)

Day 23/Fri: Shanghai
Paris of China, Pearl of the Orient, city of quick riches, paradise of the adventurers - those were some of the names by which Shanghai was known before the Communists took it over from the Nationalist Government in 1949. Like of the rest of the country Shanghai is currently undergoing one of the fastest economic expansions the world has ever seen, having experienced 19% GDP growth per year for the past 16 years. Our sightseeing in Shanghai begins with a stroll on the Bund - a waterfront promenade famous for its landmark neoclassical buildings of European style, followed by Shanghai Museum and Yu Garden. Evening entertainment is a dazzling acrobatic show. (B/L/D)

Day 24/Sat: Shanghai
Today is a free day. Exploring China's most dynamic city on your own is easy and fun. Our recommended to-do list includes a visit to glitzy Pudong New District, a ride aboard the world's only commercially run Maglev train, and the popular evening cruise on Huangpu River to enjoy the city's spectacular neon-lit skyline. (B/D)

Day 25/Sun: Shanghai - Home City
Free morning to pack and relax. Transfer to airport to board return flight. Arrive home the same day. (B)

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Hotels & Cruise Ship
City	No. of Nights	Hotel/Ship	Star Rating
Beijing	4	Sheraton Beijing
Xi'an	3	Sheraton Xi'an
Lhasa	4	Four Points by Sheraton	- best available
Xigaze (Shigatse)	1	Shandong Hotel	- best available
Chengdu	2	Jinjiang Hotel
Guilin	2	Sheraton Guilin
Chongqing	1	Hilton Chongqing
Yangtze Cruise	3	Victoria Cruises
Shanghai	3	Sheraton Shanghai Pudong

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