China Tours
Glorious Yangtze River Tour 2012
Highlights: 12 day tour
On this new individual tour to China, experience some of the country's most famous and fascinating sights from the Forbidden City to the Great Wall to Shanghai as well as enjoy a 3 night cruise sailing down the majestic Yangtze River and its famed Three Gorges.
Price from: £1180 pp
This individual tour is a great introduction to China, visiting some it’s most iconic cities and sights in little over a week. Start in Beijing with its famous Forbidden City and infamous Tiananmen Square as well as the nearby Great Wall, before travelling to Xi'an to view the amazing Terracotta Warriors and then onwards for a 3 night cruise down the magnificent Yangtze River before finishing in majestic Shanghai, a cultural mélange of traditional China, European colonialism and 21st century modernism.
| Apr-Jun, Sep-Nov 2012 | Jul-Aug 2012 | Dec 2012 | |
| Price per person twin-share 3* hotels | £1250 | £1215 | £1180 |
| Single supplement 3* hotels | £355 | £325 | £299 |
| Price per person twin-share 4* hotels | £1315 | £1280 | £1225 |
| Single supplement 4* hotels | £415 | £305 | £350 |
| Price per person twin-share 5* hotels | £1345 | £1295 | £1260 |
| Single supplement 5* hotels | £445 | £399 | £375 |
Price Includes:
Accommodation in three to five-star hotels with breakfast, meals as specified (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner), all transfers and transportation, flight tickets - Yichang to Shanghai in economy class, train tickets - Beijing to Xi'an to Chongqing in soft-sleeper class, accommodation on cruise ship on full-board basis, sightseeing with English-speaking guides, entrance fees on sightseeing tours
Price Excludes:
International Flights - please contact us for the best available prices
Chinese visa
Gratuities
12 Day Itinerary
Arrive Beijing and transfer to your hotel for 2 nights. (D)
After breakfast, begin a city sightseeing tour at the largest public square in the world – the famous Tiananmen Square. From here, visit the Forbidden City, which was home to 24 emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties and is the biggest ancient architectural complex in the world, before continuing to the Summer Palace which contains China's largest royal park and a succession of beautiful bridges. (B,D)
This morning, drive to the iconic Great Wall for a stroll along the popular Badaling section. Continue to the Ming Tombs, consisting of 13 tombs of Ming emperors. Return to Beijing and view the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube oympic stadiums before transferring to the train station for the overnight train to Xi’an. (B,D)
Full-day tour to the “eighth wonder of the world”, the Terracotta Warriors. This vast underground army was buried with the First Emperor of China 2200 years ago and only rediscovered in 1974. Overnight in Xi’an. (B,D)
Morning visit to the city walls – the most complete city walls in China as well as one of the largest ancient military defense systems in the world. Continue to Big Wild Goose Pagoda – a well-preserved Buddhist holy place – before enjoying tasty local snacks and souvenir shopping down the lively Muslim Street. Later on, transfer to the train station for overnight train to Chongqing. (B,D)
Arrive Chongqing and board the ship for your Yangtze River cruise. (B,D)
Today, sail past Wanxian, Fengdu Ghost City and Qutang Gorge. Stop off at the ancient city of Shibaozhai and visit its 12-storey Qing Dynasty temple. The temple is a gem of Chinese architecture, nestled on a sheer 721-foot cliff towering over the Yangtze. Overnight aboard the cruise ship. (B,L,D)
After breakfast, pass through the Wu Gorge before disembarking at Wushan Daning River for an excursion aboard a motorised sampan boat through the crystal waters of the the Three Little Gorges. Return to ship for lunch. (B,L,D)
Sail to the impressive Three Gorges Dam and pass through Xiling Gorge before stopping for some sightseeing. Disembark the boat at Yichang and transfer to the airport for flight to Shanghai. Arrive Shanghai and transfer to hotel for 3 nights. (B,D)
Today, explore Shanghai starting at the Jade Buddha Temple before moving on to Yuyuan Garden – a collection of scenic courtyards decorated with rockery, pools and flora and connected via a series of corridors and passageways. Continue to Nanjing Road for a spot of shopping and eventually reach the Bund waterfront – probably Shangai’s most famous landmark. (B,D)
Drive to Suzhou and enjoy a half-day city tour including the scenic Master of Net’s Garden and Tiger Hill which contains a number of historical sights dating back to over 2500 years ago. Overnight in Shanghai. (B,D)
Transfer to airport for onward connections. (B)
