Description

Day 1 Arrival Beijing Depends on your flight schedule Upon arrival in Beijing, your guide will meet you and lead you to the hotel. Meal included: Breakfast at hotel Day 2 Beijing In the morning, walk in the footsteps of emperors in the Forbidden City (closed on Mondays) and wander through Tiananmen Square, the world's largest public plaza Tiananmen Square Prepare to be overwhelmed by the sheer size of one of the world’s largest public squares, measuring in at 440,000 square meters (over 109 acres). As you walk from the southernmost part of the square all the way down its length, you will pass several monuments, including the mausoleum that houses Chairman Mao’s remains. The northern gate of the square features a portrait of the PRC’s founding father, and is also the gate through which you will enter the Forbidden City. After that, we will go to visit the Summer Palace, originally a birthday gift ordered by a Qing emperor to his mother and now the largest and best-preserved imperial garden left for the world. You’ll appreciate not only the quaint grace of the Long Corridor decorated by classical paintings amid natural beauties, but the imperial solemnity of its Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, the other place for the ruling power late in Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1911 AD) to handle state affairs apart from the Forbidden City. Finally, transfer you to the hotel. Meal included: Breakfast at hotel Day 3 Beijing Sightseeing today begins with a visit to the remarkable Temple of Heaven, where emperors from the Ming and Qing Dynasties performed ceremonies and rituals to pray for good harvests and blessings for the country. Then visit the longest structure ever made by human hands, the Great Wall (Mutianyu, Includes Cable Car Ride) The Great Wall of China is the longest man-made structure in the world. In fact, the length of all Chinese defense walls built over the last 2000 years is approximately 50,000 kilometres, while the Earth’s circumference is only 40,000 kilometres! Explore the much quieter Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, which was first begun in the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557) and finished in the 17th century. The 2.5kilometer stretch of the Wall allows you to walk along its storied length for over an hour and visit twenty-two watchtowers, should you so choose. Not only will you walk along this wonder of the world yourself, but you will also see it from above during a breathtaking cable car ride to the top. (Cable car tickets are included in cost of tour.) Meal included: Breakfast at hotel Day 4 Beijing-Xi’an Reference train:G57 14:05/18:30 Experience Chinese culture and folk arts by learning Chinese brush calligraphy, facial designs of the Beijing Opera, have a family visit and learn to make dumplings. Finally, transfer you to the train station to Xi’an. Upon your arrival, meet you and transfer you to the hotel. Meal included: Breakfast at hotel Day 5 Xi’an The highlight in Xi’an must be the World Wonder Terracotta Warriors, and you are going to see it in flesh this morning. It is located in the east of Xi’an City, about 1 hour’s driving from the downtown. You will visit the 3 pits here one by one to explore it in depth. In the afternoon, you will be transferred back to Xi’an downtown. There you will visit the ancient City Wall, the best preserved city wall in China. Nowadays it has become a heritage and treasure of the nation. You may walk along the Wall to have a bird eye-view of the inner city and outer city or take a bike on the wall at your own expense if you like. After getting down the Wall, you will be introduced to the Muslim Quarter. The area is inhabited by Hui people, so you can find many Muslim food here. Souvenirs and local snacks are everywhere. If you are looking for a gift to take back home, this may be the perfect place. Then, transfer you to the hotel. Meal included: Breakfast at hotel Day 6 Xi’an-Chongqing Reference train:G1979 12:05/17:20 Get up a bit early today to visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which is a tall and elegant pagoda that was built in the Tang dynasty to house the Buddhist scriptures and relics that were brought from India. The pagoda has a square base and a round top, and is surrounded by a large and peaceful temple complex. Visitors can climb the pagoda to enjoy the panoramic view of the city and the countryside, explore the temple to learn about the Buddhist culture and art, and participate in the various activities and events, such as the lantern festival and the water-sprinkling festival. Transfer you to the train station to take high-speed train to Chongqing. Upon your arrival at Chongqing railway station, meet you and transfer you to embark the cruise, and have dinner on the cruise. (Note:Luggage fees at the dock is included, at most 2 pieces for each person) Meal included: Breakfast at hotel+D on the cruise Day 7 Yangtze River Cruise Sail along the Yangtze today and soak in the relaxing pace of traveling this magnificent river, which has inspired poets and peasants alike. Go ashore for an excursion to the Fengdu Ghost City or Shibaozhai (will depend on water level). Join the crew at the Captain’s Welcome Party held in the evening. Sit back and enjoy the Chinese folk dancing and music performance – or get up and be part of it! The Jade Emperor Holy Land is a place full of religious and cultural significance. It is a well - known scenic spot dedicated to the Jade Emperor, who is a highly respected deity in Taoism. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch + dinner Day 8 Yangtze River Cruise Following this stretch of the river, take an excursion to Badong and experience a small wooden boat trip on the magnificent Shennong Stream or Goddess Stream (Shennv Stream). Return to the ship and enter the western section of the Xiling Gorge. Enjoy a relaxing evening on board the river boat by taking advantage of the entertainment or enjoy the view from the deck. Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner Day 9 Yichang-Shanghai Reference train:D954 14:06/20:21 Disembark in Yichang, after lunch, take bullet train to Shanghai. Upon your arrival in Shanghai, meet you and transfer you to the hotel. Meals: Breakfast at hotel +L (Note:Luggage fees at the dock is included, at most 2 pieces for each person) Day 10 Shanghai Today a tour of Shanghai can take us to some of the most iconic and scenic spots of the city. The Shanghai Museum East (closed on Tuesday),is a world-class museum that houses over 120,000 cultural relics from ancient China, including bronzes, ceramics, calligraphy, and paintings. We can admire the exquisite beauty and the historical significance of the artifacts and learn about the evolution and diversity of Chinese civilization. After that, we can go to the Yu Garden (closed on Monday), a classical Chinese garden that features rockeries, pavilions, and ponds, and reflects the harmony and balance of nature and culture. We can stroll through the winding paths, enjoy the tranquility and serenity of the garden, and shop for souvenirs or snacks in the nearby bazaar. Then go to the Town God's Temple. It is dedicated to the town god, a deity believed to protect the town and its people. The temple usually features traditional Chinese architecture with intricate carvings and colorful decorations. Inside, there are altars where people offer incense and make prayers for blessings, safety, and good fortune. Then, we can go to Shanghai Tower, which is a super-tall skyscraper and a remarkable landmark in Shanghai. In 2016, Shanghai Tower won the "Best Tall Building Award" from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. It has become an important symbol of Shanghai's modernization and a must-visit attraction for tourists Then, walk on Nanjing Road, the busiest shopping precinct in China. And to the Bund, also known as the Waitan, a waterfront promenade that showcases the colonial architecture and the modern skyline of Shanghai. We can take a leisurely walk, take some photos, and soak up the atmosphere of the bustling cityscape. Meal included: Breakfast at hotel Day 11 Shanghai This morning, driver to Zhujiajiao. There are nine long streets extending along the river, thousands of Ming and Qing buildings standing by the water, and 36 ancient-style stone bridges. It also has many places of interest such as the Yuanjin Buddhist Temple and the Fangsheng Bridge. The natural scenery here is well-preserved, showing the characteristics of the Jiangnan water town. You can take a boat ride on the river about 20-30 mins, enjoy the peaceful atmosphere, and experience the original flavor of the ancient town. You can also taste local delicacies and buy some unique souvenirs. Then, visit Shanghai Xintiandi, a unique and fashionable area that combines modern and traditional elements. It is divided into two parts: Nanli and Beili. Modern buildings are the main ones in South Lane, while in the northern part, the old buildings of Shikumen are mainly preserved, creating an interesting interaction between the old and the new. Stroll around at the nearby shopping malls. Make the most of your afternoon by wandering the quieter streets of Dongping Road in the Former French Concession, where you will find the essence of classic Shanghai captured in this historical retail and residential precinct. Wander past the former residences of famous Chinese politicians and artists and appreciate the architecture and gardens, the style of which date from the 1920s. Your day’s explorations concludes when you are returned to the hotel. Finally, transfer you to the hotel. Meal included: Breakfast at hotel Day 12 Shanghai departure Free time on your own until you will be picked up and be transferred to airport to take your homeward flight. Service ends here. Meal included: Breakfast at hotel (Note: In Beijing, Xi’an, Chongqing and Shanghai train stations, the Red Cap Service is included. The Red Cap staff will help with carrying luggage. In Yichang, the service is not available, but our guide will get into station to help the clients with luggage.) Important note - Certain parts of the tours on offer are provided by independent third parties, such as airlines, hotels, transport operators and local tourist offices. DTH Travel is therefore not responsible for any loss, injury or damage caused thereby to the tourists, including those occurring outside of the normal touring programmers. Additional expenses incurred due to delay, accident, natural disaster, political actions and unrest shall be borne by the tourists. - We advise that due to frequent flight changes, delays and cancellations by the various domestic airlines and trains we cannot fully guarantee that the proposed itinerary can be carried out as planned. Based on our experience, changes of departure times and/ or cancellations can occur at very short notice even after confirmation of a flight has been received. The same applies for train travel: Schedule changes occur frequently; often without prior notification. In case of schedule changes or flight cancellations we always try everything possible to arrange an alternate programme within the framework of the original quoted costs. However, we reserve the right to charge any cost exceeding the original budget to the tour operator/ travel agent or to the participant of a tour after consultation with the agent. - Programmers, prices, services and conditions are based on those valid at the time of proposal submission and are subject to change thereafter without advance notice until all services have been paid in full. - For air ticket reservations, we require the guests' full names AS THEY APPEAR IN THEIR PASSPORTS including passport details. Airfares and reservations are always subject to change. - Please be advised that prices may be adjusted periodically in case of fuel price increase by our suppliers and hotel room availability at time of booking - This is a quotation only and reservation for services has not been made nor has availability been checked. -Please be noted that the above costs are not applicable for the holiday periods in China, Jun 06-08 The Dragon Boat Festival, Sep 15-17 the Mid-Autumn Festival, Oct 01-Oct 07 China National Holiday, , Jan 01-Jan New Year Holiday, Feb 10-Feb 17 Chinese Spring Festival, May 1-May 5 Labour Day, or any exhibition periods that can not be confirmed for now.