Yangtze Experience - OLD Itinerary

Day 1  Depart Australia
Depart Australia for Beijing.

Day 2  Arrive in Beijing
Upon arrival we are welcomed to China by our local guide who will transfer us to our hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure to relax and unwind. For tonight’s welcome dinner we enjoy the experience of an authentic Peking Duck banquet. [D]

Day 3  Beijing
An action-packed day as we explore Beijing. Our tour includes the enormous Tiananmen Square and the Summer Palace which has the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China. We also visit the unforgettable Forbidden City. Built between 1406 and 1420, the surviving complex consists of 980 buildings and covers 720,000 square metres.  This evening an optional excursion to the sensational Peking Opera can be arranged. [B,L]

Day 4  Beijing
Get your cameras ready because today you will be walking on the Great Wall! The entire Great Wall, with all of its branches, stretches for 8,851.8 km. We also visit the Ming Tombs (the underground tombs of the Ming Dynasty emperors) and the Sacred Road, which is guarded on both sides by large stone statues. [B,L]

Day 5  Depart Beijing
This morning, we travel by rickshaw through the hutongs, the narrow streets that once covered most of Beijing. This afternoon we visit the Temple of Heaven. In the evening we enjoy dinner before travelling by overnight train to Xi’an. This is an experience not to be missed as the Chinese rail system is one of the largest in the world. [B,D]

Day 6 Arrive in Xi’an
After a morning arrival in Xi’an, we enjoy breakfast. Today’s city tour includes the big Wild Goose Pagoda and the excellent Shaanxi History Museum which houses more than 3,000 unearthed historic relics. In the afternoon we visit the Great Mosque and a Muslim community. [B,L]

Day 7  Xi’an
Today we visit the exquisite Terracotta Warriors and Horses, considered the greatest archaeological discovery of the last century! The figures vary in height (182cm-195cm) according to their role, the tallest being the generals. The figures include strong warriors, chariots, horses, officials, acrobats, strongmen, and musicians. Current estimates are that in the three pits containing the Terracotta Army there are more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which are still buried in the pit. Today we also visit the Bell Tower and the ancient city walls which date back to the Tang dynasty. [B,L]

Day 8  Xi’an - Chongqing
This morning we fly to Chongqing where we enjoy a city tour before boarding the President No. 1 cruise ship which will be our home for next three nights. For lunch we enjoy the local speciality - hot pot. [B,L,D]

Day 9  Yangtze Cruise
We depart Chongqing early for an exciting cruise down the mighty Yangtze River. Today’s shore excursion is to Fengdu Ghost City, which features fantastic temples dedicated to powerful underworld demons and gods. [B,L,D]

Day 10  Yangtze Cruise
This morning we travel by small boats and explore either the picturesque Shennong Stream or the Lesser Three Gorges. [B,L,D]

Day 11  Yangtze Cruise
After breakfast, we visit the Three Gorges Dam. With its dam wall stretching 2,335 metres across, it’s the largest hydro-electric dam in the world, and a major engineering feat that is designed to stop the annual flooding of the river. The building of this dam did cause controversy as it involved flooding numerous cities along the riverbanks. We then fly to Shanghai. [B,L]

Day 12  Shanghai
It’s big, it’s booming, it’s bustling – it’s Shanghai, the New York of China, with its impressive skyline full of skyscrapers. Here we enjoy a sightseeing tour of the city where highlights include the Shanghai Museum (considered to be China’s best with a collection of more than 120,000 pieces), the Yu Garden and the bustling Yu Yuan Markets. This evening we will enjoy an incredible acrobatic show, where the strength and power of the performers will amaze you! [B,L,D]

Day 13  Shanghai
This morning we tour Shanghai’s colonial heart, the Bund, which features many European-style buildings. Then it’s off to Nanjing Road for the rest of the day where you are free to enjoy China’s Number 1 shopping street! [B,L]

Day 14  Depart Shanghai
After breakfast say goodbye to this fascinating country as we are whisked to the airport by the Maglev Train which reaches speeds of more than 400kmh. [B]

Day 15  Arrive in Australia

Yangtze Experience - OLD

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