MAJESTIC CHINA & YANGTZE RIVER GOLD
EXPERIENCE ITINERARY:
DAY 1
• Friday • Depart San Francisco for Beijing, China
Fly transpacific.
CHINA
DAY 2 • Saturday • Arrive Beijing
Upon arrival in Beijing, China's capital, you will be escorted
to check in to your FiveStarPlusSM hotel. Shangri-La
China World Hotel
DAY 3 • Sunday • Beijing
After breakfast and a welcome orientation, sightseeing includes
Tiananmen Square and the Imperial Palace in the Forbidden City,
including the living quarters, museum and jewelry sections.
After lunch, tour Beijing's old Hutong (“narrow lanes”) area. At
the Drum Tower, see a traditional drum performance. Then take an
old-fashioned pedicab to the Hutong's picturesque Shichahai Lake
area with its 700-year-old Yuan Dynasty arched bridges and
courtyard-style homes known as Siheyuans. Tour one of the
ancient homes and visit with a local family. Stop at a Hutong
kindergarten (if school is open) and a vegetable market.
Tonight, a welcome dinner party at your hotel features cocktails
before a Beijing Duck dinner. MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch,
Dinner Party
DAY 4 • Monday • Beijing
Today highlights the amazing wonders of the Great Wall at
Mutianyu including a scenic round-trip cable car ride. Step back
in time as you walk along its ancient ramparts. After lunch,
continue on to visit a cloisonné factory where you may observe
the skilled artisans. This evening, a buffet dinner at the hotel
is followed by the energetic show “The Legend of Kung Fu,” with
seats in the front section. MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch,
Buffet Dinner
DAY 5 • Tuesday • Beijing/Shanghai
This morning visit the exquisite blue-domed Temple of Heaven to
see local morning exercise and enjoy the beauty of this temple.
See the Imperial Vault of Heaven with its Echo Wall and the
Nine-Dragon Cypress, more than 500 years old. After lunch, fly
to Shanghai where you check in to the luxurious Four Seasons.
Tonight, enjoy dinner at an outside restaurant. Four Seasons
Hotel Shanghai
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Party
DAY 6 • Wednesday • Shanghai
An extraordinary day begins as an international expert on
Shanghai's history, art and architecture leads a half-day
walking tour through The Bund and the former French Concession.
After lunch visit the Shanghai Museum, including audio tour
highlighting the special features of the museum's permanent
collection. Then, see the Children's Palace and the renowned
Shanghai carpet factory. Tonight, attend a performance of the
astonishing Shanghai acrobats, where your reserved seats are in
the front section. MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 7 • Thursday • Shanghai/Zhujiajiao/Shanghai
This morning drive to Zhujiajiao, known as Shanghai's Venice,
and the best preserved of the four ancient canal towns in the
area. Take a walking tour and a short sampan cruise along the
town's canals to see the numerous arched bridges built during
the Ming and Qing dynasties. Return to Shanghai for a visit to
the Yu Garden. Buffet dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel this
evening. MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner
DAY 8 • Friday • Shanghai/Yichang*
Morning at leisure in Shanghai. This afternoon, fly to Yichang.
After dinner, board the flagship Victoria Anna and begin your
memorable cruise upstream in your Junior Suite with full bath
and private balcony. Board Victoria Cruises' VICTORIA ANNA
MEALS: American Breakfast, Dinner
*If direct flight is not available, fly to Wuhan and travel by
motorcoach on to Yichang.
DAY 9 • Saturday • Yangtze Cruise: San Dou Ping/Xiling
Gorge
This morning, stop at San Dou Ping to see the Three Gorges Dam.
Return to the ship and pass through the dam's massive ship locks
before cruising through Xiling Gorge, longest of the famed Three
Gorges. Nightly dining has been reserved in the elegant top deck
a la carte restaurant, with great views of the passing river
scenery.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 10 • Sunday • Yangtze Cruise: Wu Gorge/Small Gorges
Excursion/Qutang Gorge
Early this morning, marvel at Wu Gorge's deep zigzagging valley.
At Wushan, an excursion by cruiser takes you up the Daning River
to see its famous Small Gorges–Dragon Gate, Misty and Emerald.
Continue by sampan to the picturesque mini-gorges of the Ma Du
River with its clear, swift water, unusual rock formations, and
monkeys and goats along the banks. Depending on the water level
of the Yangtze River, your excursion may be on Shennong Stream
with its equally spectacular small gorges. Depart Wushan,
passing through impressive Qutang Gorge, walled with mossy
cliffs that crowd the sky. MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch,
Dinner
DAY 11 • Monday • Yangtze Cruise: Fengdu*
At Fengdu, a shore excursion shows the new resettlement town on
the Yangtze's south bank, a farmer's home and a local market.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
*Alternate shore excursion visits Shibaozhai or Wanzhou.
DAY 12 • Tuesday • Yangtze Cruise: Chongqing/Xi'an
Disembark in Chongqing. Visit the Stilwell Museum to see its
collection of World War ll artifacts including memorabilia of
the Flying Tigers, a group of American veteran pilots who
volunteered to aid the Chinese in World War ll prior to the
attack on Pearl Harbor. Later, fly to historic Xi'an where you
will enjoy a buffet dinner at the Sofitel.
Sofitel on Renmin Square Hotel. MEALS: American
Breakfast, Buffet Dinner
DAY 13 • Wednesday • Xi'an
Sightseeing today includes the site of the extraordinary
life-sized terra-cotta army, the Circle Vision Movie, and Bronze
Chariot, buried with the first emperor for over 2,200 years.
Enjoy a dumpling lunch at Defachang Restaurant. Later, visit the
Shaanxi Provincial Historical Museum with our exclusive visit to
the private artifact room where you may white-glove handle some
of the national treasures from the museum's collection. Tonight,
from your front section seats, take in an entertaining dinner
and show at the Tang Dynasty Theatre.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Special Lunch, Dinner Show
DAY 14 • Thursday • Xi'an/Guilin
This morning visit the exquisite Wild Goose Pagoda. Fly to
Guilin, heart of a magnificent landscape. Check in to your
riverside view room and have dinner at the hotel. Sheraton
Guilin Hotel (riverside room) MEALS: American Breakfast, Dinner
in Hotel
DAY 15 • Friday • Guilin
A cruise on the upper deck of a deluxe air-conditioned boat on
the serene Li River reveals the haunting beauty of Guilin's
mist-wrapped peaks, surrounding the river en route to Yangshuo.
Return to Guilin for dinner at the Sheraton. MEALS:
American Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner
HONG KONG
DAY 16 • Saturday • Guilin/Hong Kong
This morning see dramatic rock formations at Reed Flute Cave and
take a cable car up Yao Mountain (weather permitting) or Fu Bo
Hill for panoramic views of beautiful Guilin, followed by a
lunch of dim sum specialties at the Sheraton. At Guilin's
airport you are treated to beverages in the lounge and
first-boarding privileges for your flight to vibrant Hong Kong.
Check in to a harbor view room at your hotel. Hotel
InterContinental Hong Kong (harbor view room) MEALS: American
Breakfast, Lunch in Hotel
DAY 17 • Sunday • Hong Kong
Today's sightseeing tour passes through Hong Kong's rural
Stanley Market and fashionable Repulse Bay; then enjoy a sampan
ride to see the floating community at Aberdeen. Drive up to
Victoria Peak for spectacular views of the harbor.
MEALS: American Breakfast
DAY 18 • Monday • Hong Kong
The whole day is at leisure. Perhaps take an optional excursion
to Po Lin Monastery on scenic Lantau Island, largest of Hong
Kong's 236 islands. For information on optional tours in Hong
Kong, click here. Join us tonight for a farewell dinner party at
the InterContinental. MEALS: American Breakfast, Dinner
Party
DAY 19 • Tuesday • Depart Hong Kong for San Francisco
Fly home today. Cross the International Date Line and arrive
home the same day.
ACCOMMODATIONS: Cruise accommodations are
based on double occupancy of twin-bedded stateroom with private
bath. Triple occupancy in cabins is only available in Deluxe or
Shangri-La suites. All Yangtze River cruise ships are People's
Republic of China registry.
Hotels are based on double occupancy. Single supplement is
indicated on the itineraries. On occasions when accommodations
must be assigned on a share basis due to insufficiency of single
rooms, an appropriate refund will be made after returning to the
U.S. Triple rooms are on request and subject to availability.
Hotels are subject to change; substitutions, if any, are similar
class to listed hotels. Tour accommodations are subject to
availability at time of booking.
MEALS: Meals are included, as specified in the
itineraries.
TOURS: Due to occasional flight delays, weather
conditions or other unforeseen situations, it may not be
possible to include some sightseeing tours as scheduled.
Cultural and acrobatic shows and other performances may not be
available during holidays and seasonal recess in China. If it
becomes necessary to change the means of transportation or any
other service, or for the tour to be prolonged through
circumstances beyond the control of the ground operator, any
additional tour cost must be borne by the passenger and is
payable immediately. Due to weather, varying water levels on the
Yangtze River or construction at the Three Gorges Dam, Yangtze
River cruise routes and shore excursions are subject to possible
change.
Back to ASIA - Menu Page
Click Here to View Our Selection of
River Cruises
