17-day China Odyssey (2012)

Beijing - Xi'an - Guilin - Chongqing - Yangtze River Cruise - Yichang - Shanghai

Scroll down to bottom for departure dates, prices and hotel list.

Day 1/Fri: Departing Home City
The journey begins with your transpacific flight departing from a city of your choice. You'll lose a day upon crossing the International Date Line.

Day 2/Sat: Arrival in Beijing
Meet your guide on arrival in late afternoon and transfer to the hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure.

Day 3/Sun: Beijing
Beijing had already been a strategically important city in northern China for centuries when Kulai Khan decided to move his capital here from Karakorum in Mongolia. With the collapse of the vast Mongol empire in 1368 AD, Beijing lost its status as the country's capital but soon regained it when the imperial court of the successive Ming Dynasty moved here from Nanjing. Beijing continued to serve as China's capital after Manchu tribes dethroned the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty in 1644 and established the Great Qing Empire (Qing Dynasty), which lasted till 1911. Today Beijing remains China's capital. It is also a world-class cultural and educational centre with a resident population of 22 million (2011), ranking Beijing China's second largest city after Shanghai. Beijing is renowned for its opulent palaces, temples, and huge stone walls and gates, treasures that make Beijing the most popular destination city in China among both domestic and international visitors.

Following breakfast, the tour leader will host a brief orientation when everyone will get introduced. We leave the hotel around 10 AM and begin our sightseeing at Tian'anmen Square, followed by the Forbidden City, Jingshan Park and an old hutong - alleyway flanked with traditional residential courtyards. Welcome dinner includes delicious Beijing roast duck, a local delicacy. (B/L/D)

Day 4/Mon: Beijing
Morning visit to the Temple of Heaven. Situated in southeastern Beijing the Temple of Heaven is China's largest extant sacrificial temple where, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, the emperors conducted the elaborate and most exalted sacrifices addressed to "the Supreme Ruler of the Universe." Construction of the temple started in 1406, during the reign of the Ming Emperor Yongle, and took 14 years to complete. The temple was expanded under the Qing emperors Qianlong (1736-1796) and Jiaqing (1796-1820). Occupying 2,668 hectares (6,670 acres), the area of the Temple of Heaven is more than twice that of the Forbidden City.

Afternoon sightseeing at the majestic Summer Palace, a royal resort during the Qing Dynasty. We wrap up the day with a tour of Panjiayuan Flea Market or 798 Art District depending on traffic. The evening Peking Opera show is optional if available. (B/L)

Day 5/Tue: Beijing
Enjoy a full-day excursion to the legendary Great Wall at Mutianyu, 75km northeast of the city. Zigzagging over 6,000 kilometres from east to west along the undulating mountains, the Great Wall, said to be visible from the moon, was built to hold off tribal invaders from the north. Construction of the earliest sections of the Wall started in the 7th century B.C. A major renovation started with the founding of the Ming Dynasty in 1368 and took 200 years to complete. The wall we see today in Beijing is almost exactly the result of this effort. (B/L)

Day 6/Wed: Beijing - Xi'an
Enjoy some free time before flying to Xi'an after lunch. Eastern terminus of the fabled Silk Road and one of the ancient capitals of China, Xi'an is home to the Terracotta Army designed to follow the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) into eternity. (B/L)

Day 7/Thu: Xi’an
Visit the excavation site of the Terracotta Army located 30km east of the city. Afternoon sightseeing at Shaanxi Provincial Museum. The modern, well-organized museum was completed in 1992 and traces the history of Xi'an from prehistory to the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). The extensive galleries and exhibitions offer the visitor an excellent introduction to the area that greatly improves understanding of the numerous historical sites in and around the city. Tonight we enjoy a spectacular music and dance show reminiscent of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), a period generally considered a golden era of the Chinese civilization. (B/L/D)

Day 8/Fri: Xi'an - Guilin
Today's schedule takes in the Grand Mosque and the adjacent Muslim Quarter. Afternoon flight to Guilin. A medium-sized city by Chinese standard, the city has long been renowned for its unique scenery. The name Guilin literally means "forest of sweet osmanthus", owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees in the city. We visit scenic Fubo Hill after hotel check-in. (B/L)

Day 9/Sat: Guilin (Li River cruise)
Day cruise on Li River. The 83km stretch of the river between Guilin and Yangshuo affords breathtaking scenery as the river snakes through tall karst mountains, gigantic bamboo sprays, and picturesque villages -- sights that have inspired countless poets and painters for generations. Disembark in Yangshuo in mid-afternoon and drive back to Guilin. (B/L)

Day 10/Sun: Guilin - Chongqing
Free morning to relax or explore on your own. Afternoon flight to Chongqing. Chongqing is one of the People's Republic of China's four provincial-level municipalities, and the only such municipality in western China. The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the sub-provincial city administration that was part of Sichuan Province. The municipality of Chongqing has a population of 32 million and administers an area of over 80, 000 square kilometres. Chongqing served as China's provisional capital in the 1940's during World War II after the Kuomintang Government lost Nanjing (Nanking) to the Japanese invaders. (B/D)

Day 11/Mon: Chongqing
Enjoy some free time in the morning. Sightseeing in Chongqing takes in the zoo (giant pandas), People's Square and General Joseph Stilwell’s former residence - location of the US Forces’ headquarters in China during World War II. After dinner we board the Yangtze cruise ship to start our 3-day downstream journey. (B/L/D)

Day 12/Tue: Yangtze Cruise
At 6,380km the Yangtze is the longest river in China and the third longest in the world after the Nile and the Amazon. The most impressive section of the Yangtze is the Three Gorges stretching 119km. Today’s shore excursion features Fengdu Ghost City, a Buddhism and Taoism-themed tourist project rebuilt in the 1980s with extensive murals and sculptures depicting life in the Next World. (B/L/D)

Day 13/Wed: Yangtze Cruise
Admire nature’s grandeur while sailing through spectacular Wu Gorge (45km) and Qutang Gorge (8km). Later this morning we navigate Shennong Stream on a small vessel. Originating in the southern slopes of Shennongjia Nature Reserve, the crystal clear river twists and turns 66 kilometres through forested mountains before emptying into the mighty Yangtze. Please note this excursion may be replaced with a similar one on Daning River, another Yangtze tributary. (B/L/D)

Day 14/Thu: Yichang - Shanghai
Morning visit to the Three Gorges Dam site. Construction of the dam started on December 14, 1994 with completion date set for 2009. Due to additional projects such as the underground power plant with six additional generators, the dam did not become fully operational until the end of 2011. The dam raised the water level the third time to 172.5 metres by the end of 2008. The Chinese government estimated the cost of the construction to be $27 billion while some Chinese scholars and international organizations estimated the actual cost could be as high as over $80 billion. The project upon completion will become the largest hydroelectric dam in the world with a reservoir stretching hundreds of kilometres upstream. We disembark in Yichang around noon and fly to Shanghai. (B/L/D)

Day 15/Fri: Shanghai
Before 1949, Shanghai was widely known in the West as a city of quick riches and paradise of the adventurers. After four decades of anemic growth in a state planned economy, Shanghai is roaring back to recapture its position on the world stage. With a population of 23 million and rapid economic expansion in the last 20 years, Shanghai has again become a leading global city with significant influence in commerce, culture, finance, media, fashion, technology and transport.

Our sightseeing in Shanghai begins with a stroll on the Bund - a waterfront promenade famous for its landmark neoclassical buildings of European style, followed by Shanghai Museum and Yu Garden. Evening entertainment is an exciting acrobatic show. (B/L/D)

Day 16/Sat: Shanghai
Today is a free day. Exploring China's most dynamic city on your own has never been easier. Our recommended list includes Jinmao Tower, a ride aboard the world's only commercially run Maglev train, and the popular evening cruise on Huangpu River to enjoy the city's spectacular neon-lit skyline. (B)

Day 17/Sun: Shanghai - Home City
Spend the morning packing and relaxing. Transfer to the airport to board return flight departing in the afternoon. Re-cross the International Date Line and arrive home the same day. (B)

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Hotels & yangtze Cruise Ship
City	Nights	Hotel/Ship	Star Rating
Beijing	4	Crowne Plaza U-Town or Sheraton Dongcheng
Xi'an	2	Sheraton Xi'an
Guilin	2	Sheraton Guilin
Chongqing	1	Hilton Chongqing
Yangtze Cruise	3	Victoria Cruises
Shanghai	3	Sheraton Shanghai Hongkou

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