Scroll down for departure dates, prices and hotel list.

Day 1/Thu: Departing Home City
The journey begins with your transpacific flight departing from a city of your choice. We lose a day upon crossing the International Date Line.

Day 2/Fri: Arrival in Beijing
Meet our guide on 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, is the country's second largest city in terms of population. Following a brief orientation we visit Tian'anmen Square, the Forbidden City and an old hutong - alleyway flanked with traditional residential courtyards. 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 tour the National Stadium, nicknamed the "Bird nest", where the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games were held. Those who have no interest in the Olympic venue may want to spend the afternoon exploring Panjiayuan flea market on their own. The evening Peking Opera show is optional if available. (B/L)

Day 5/Mon: Beijing
Enjoy a 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. On the way back to the city in the afternoon we stop by at the Spirit Way at Ming Tombs. The Spirit Way, serving at the entrance to the Ming Tombs, is lined with statues of guardian animals and officials. (B/L)

Day 6/Tue: Beijing - Xi'an
Morning sightseeing at the Temple of Heaven. Built for emperors to worship Heaven, the Temple of Heaven is China's largest existing complex of ancient sacrificial buildings occupying an area of 273 hectares and three times the area of the Forbidden City. We fly to Xi'an in late afternoon. (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. A stroll on the ancient wall before dinner is also on our schedule. Tonight we enjoy a spectacular music and dance show reminiscent of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), a period generally considered a golden era of the Chinese civilization. (B/L/D)

Day 8/Thu: Xi'an
Today's schedule takes in the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, an ancient structure on the grounds of a Buddhist monastery. We spend the rest of the day relaxing or exploring on our own after a tour of the provincial History Museum. The modern, well-organized museum was completed in 1992 and traces the history of Xi'an from prehistory to the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). The extensive galleries and exhibitions offer the visitor an excellent introduction to the area that greatly improves understanding of the numerous historical sites in and around the city. (B/L)

Day 9/Fri: Xi'an - Guilin
Morning flight to Guilin. A medium-sized city by Chinese standard, the city has long been renowned for its unique scenery. The name Guilin literally means "forest of sweet osmanthus", owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees in the city. Upon arrival we visit the scenic Fubo Hill and Reed Flute Cave. (B/L)

Day 10/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 11/Sun: Guilin - Chengdu
Enjoy an optional excursion (cost depending on number of participants) to the amazing terraced fields at Mount Longji (Back of Dragon). Located about 80 km (2 hours drive) from Guilin, the spectacular landscape has made Longji a popular tourist attraction. Built by the local farmers of different ethnic groups from Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) to Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the fields spread 500 meters from the foot of Mount Longji to the mountaintop covering an area of 66 square kilometres. Evening flight to Chengdu. (B/L/D)

Day 12/Mon: 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 13/Tue: Chengdu - Lijiang
Morning schedule includes Wangjianglou (river view) Park and a traditional tea house. Fly to Lijiang in late afternoon. Lijiang is home to the ethnic Naxi people whose intriguing Dongba religion and unique customs coupled with the region's enchanting scenery combine to make Lijiang and its vicinity a fascinating place to explore. The old town known as Dayan is protected as a UNESCO-designated World Cultural Heritage Site. (B/L)

Day 14/Wed: Lijiang
A walking tour of the old town is followed by an excursion to Yunshanping or Spruce Meadow, an alpine pasture surrounded by virgin forests at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. En route we stop by an ancient village. The evening concert of classical Naxi music is optional if available. (B/L)

Day 15/Thu: Lijiang - Dali
Free morning to explore the old town on your own. Following lunch on our own, we travel to Dali (190km) by first-class motor coach through mesmerizing high mountains. Once the capital of Nanzhao Kingdom, Dali is a charming town built on the shores of Erhai Lake, with a large population of the ethnic Bai nationality. Dali is also famous for the many types of marble it produces, which are used primarily in construction and for decorative objects. In fact, Dali is so famous for the stone that the name of marble in Chinese is literally "Dali Stone". (B/D)

Day 16/Fri: Dali
Today's schedule features the Old Town of Dali, the Three Pagodas and a short cruise on Erhai. The Three Pagodas are made of brick and covered with white mud. As its name implies, the Three Pagodas comprise three independent pagodas forming a symmetric triangle. The elegant, balanced and stately style is unique in China’s ancient Buddhist architectures, which makes it a must-see for any visitor to Dali. The Three Pagodas, visible from miles away, has been a landmark of Dali City and selected as a national treasure meriting special protection by the Central Government. (B/L)

Day 17/Sat: Dali - Kunming
The morning flight to Kunming takes less than 40 minutes. Capital of Yunnan Province, Kunming is widely known as the "city of eternal spring" due to its temperate climate year-round. Our sightseeing in Kunming includes the historic Western Hill Scenic Area, Bamboo Temple, and a flower market. (B/L)

Day 18/Sun: Kunming - Chongqing
Enjoy an excursion to Stone Forest. Located 126km southeast of Kunming, the Stone Forest is a massive collection of gray limestone pillars created by water erosion. The tall rocks seem to emanate from the ground in the manner of stalagmites, with many looking like trees made of stone. Evening flight to Chongqing. (B/L)

Day 19/Mon: Chongqing 
Enjoy some free time in the morning. Afternoon sightseeing takes in the zoo (giant pandas), People's Square, and General Joseph Stilwell’s former residence - location of the US Forces’ headquarters in China during World War II. After a sumptuous hot pot dinner we board the Yangtze cruise ship to start our 3-day downstream journey. (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 has never been easier. Our recommended 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)

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 & yantze Cruise Ship
City	No. of Nights	Hotel/Ship	Star Rating
Beijing	4	Sheraton Beijing
Xi'an	3	Sheraton Xi'an
Guilin	2	Sheraton Guilin
Chengdu	2	Jinjiang Hotel
Lijiang	2	Guanfang Hotel
Dali	2	Asia Star Hotel	- best available
Kunming	1	Bank Hotel
Chongqing	1	Hilton Chongqing
Yangtze Cruise	3	Victoria Cruises
Shanghai	3	Sheraton Shanghai Pudong

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