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Day 1
ARRIVE SHANGHAI (2 NIGHTS)
Welcome to Shanghai! Upon arrival, your Travel Director will escort you to your luxurious hotel and will be on hand to greet you and answer any questions you may have about the exciting days ahead.
M: Moderate, D: Deluxe, SF: Superior First Class, F: First Class. For further details please see the notes section below.
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Day 2
SHANGHAI SIGHTSEEING
Long a bustling commercial centre, Shanghai has become one of the world’s most exciting cities, brimming with spectacular skyscrapers designed by world-famous architects. With a Local Guide, stroll along the Bund, Shanghai’s famed waterfront promenade, and get a sense of its 19th century roots. After savouring a tasty and traditional Dim Sum Highlight Lunch, you’ll have time to browse through the shops in the district. In the evening, be dazzled by the world-renowned Shanghai Acrobats.
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Day 3
SHANGHAI - YICHANG - YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE (4 NIGHTS)
Begin the day with a Local Guide during a visit to the Shanghai Museum, a stunning contemporary structure that houses treasures of Chinese art ranging from ancient bronzes from the Shang and Zhou periods, exquisite jades, calligraphic works from many dynasties, and Ming and Qing furniture. Then fly to Yichang, where you’ll board your luxurious ship.
M: Moderate, D: Deluxe, SF: Superior First Class, F: First Class. For further details please see the notes section below.
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Day 4
CRUISING THE YANGTZE RIVER
The Three Gorges Dam is the world’s largest hydroelectric project, and it is changing the landscape and the economy of the nation. It is designed to both generate power to fuel China’s economic growth and control flooding on the Yangtze, which has been enormously destructive over the centuries. Visit this astonishing feat of modern engineering with a Local Guide before setting sail along the most scenic section of the storied Yangtze, the Three Gorges. As you enter the Three Gorges, you’ll leave behind the modern industrial world and become immersed in a land of Chinese fairytales, where you can almost imagine dragons swooping down from the lovely, mist-shrouded peaks. Tonight, raise your glass during a Captain’s Welcome Reception.
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Day 5
CRUISING THE YANGTZE RIVER
Get a close-up view of the splendid landscape as you board a small boat with a Local Guide and cruise along a tributary to the Yangtze to explore the exceptionally beautiful Lesser Gorges. Here, mysterious caves dot the mountains sides and crystalline waterfalls descend down emerald-covered hills.
Day 6
CRUISING THE YANGTZE RIVER
Shibao Pagoda, whose red walls and yellow gate are a Yangtze River landmark, was built into the side of a hill in the 18th century. Although the temple is 12 stories tall, only its top three stories tower above the tor. Go ahead—make a wish and climb the stairs; legend has it that the higher you climb, the more likely it is that your wish will come true. Explore the site with a Local Guide. Tonight, enjoy a festive onboard Captain’s Farewell Dinner.
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Day 7
CHONGQING SIGHTSEEING - BEIJING (3 NIGHTS)
Disembark in Chongqing, the booming capital of western China and the fourth-largest metropolis in the nation. As part of your city tour with a Local Guide, visit the giant pandas at the zoo. It’s impossible not to smile while watching the lively young pandas frolicking in their enclosure. In the afternoon, catch a flight to Beijing and transfer to your hotel. Take a refreshing dip in the hotel’s heated pool or simply enjoy the glittering lights of Beijing’s Financial Street, which lies right outside your hotel.
M: Moderate, D: Deluxe, SF: Superior First Class, F: First Class. For further details please see the notes section below.
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Day 8
BEIJING SIGHTSEEING
Start the morning with a visit to one of the nation’s most iconic sights, the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Great Wall of China. With a Local Guide, walk along the top of the wall to appreciate just how formidable a barrier it would have been to the nomadic mounted warriors who confronted it over the centuries. Marvel at the great slabs of granite that were transported and wrestled into place by hand, without the aid of modern machinery. Back in Beijing, spend the evening at the Red Theatre, taking in a spectacular show that combines kung fu prowess with acrobatics and dance; it’s the best performance in town. The young performers—average age, 17—represent the best and most talented kung fu practitioners in the country, and the show explains the cultural significance of kung fu in China.
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Day 9
BEIJING SIGHTSEEING
The last full day of your China adventure begins in broad Tiananmen Square, which is both the heartbeat of modern Beijing and a gateway to the wonders of imperial China. A Local Guide shows you Chairman Mao’s mausoleum which borders the square, as does the Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that houses innumerable treasures of the Qing and Ming dynasties. Your next stop will take you to the backbone of Old Beijing—the ancient residential lanes and alleyways known as the Hutongs. Hop aboard a rickshaw for a behind-the-scenes tour of these historic neighbourhoods, where you can still see the regions traditional courtyard homes. Join a local family for a Be My Guest lunch of delicious traditional cuisine. This evening, enjoy a Farewell Dinner of succulent Peking duck with wine, a signature dish of the city, since imperial times.
Day 10
DEPART BEIJING
Transfer to the airport for your flight home, or continue your holiday with one of our popular optional extensions.