12-Day Beijing Xian Shanghai with Yangtze Cruise

Tour Overview
Best China tour combined highlights of Beijing, Xian, Shanghai and enjoy relaxing Yangtze River Cruise. Wonderful experience for 1st timers to China and families with child.

Day 1 Arrival in Beijing (no meal)

Meet your guide at the Beijing Airport and then transfer to the hotel. Time at leisure to get acquainted with your new surroundings. 

Day 2 Beijing (B, L)
Highlights today： Tiananmen Square，the Forbidden City, Summer Palace

Full day trip to the Tiananmen Square first. It is the largest city square in the world, where solemn ceremonies of raising/lowering the national flag in every morning or sunset time are held here. Then go to the Forbidden City. Standing in the center of Beijing, it is protected by high walls and a moat on all four sides and consists of dozens of halls and courtyards. Admire one of world's most legenary ancient royal palaces and the treasures kept on display. At last, pay a visit to the Summer Palace, Qing’s Imperial rulers’ favorite summer residence. UNESCO inscribed Summer Palace a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1998. A dragon boat cruie is recommended if the weather is good. 

Optional night show: 

Beijing Kung Fu Show: A rare chance to watch the real Shaolin Kung Fu. The performers are the best and have mastered the difficult moves.

Day 3 Beijing (B, L, D)
Highlights today： Mutianyu Great Wall, Dingling Tomb, Sacred Road, Olympic Green, Roast Peking Duck dinner

Today's excursion takes you to the Mutianyu Great Wall, a less busy part of the Great Wall than Badaling & Juyonguan. Take carble car to the tower and then spend around 2hrs to explore the steps and towers. Take toboggan slider down the hill with great fun. After lunch in local restaurant, go to visit the Dingling Tomb, one of 13 Ming Tombs and one of the 2 escavated tombs. This tomb has an underground palace. You will also take a walk at the Sacred Road , which is a road with stone statues of various animals and leads to the tomb complex. Transfer back to hotel and take a photo stop at Olympic Green, in which "Bird Nest" and "Water Cubic" were served as stadiums during Peking Olympic Games. Enjoy tasty Roast Peking Duck for dinner, which used to be a royal court dish with a history of around 1500 years.

 Day 4 Beijing → Xian by train (B, L)
Highlights today： Temple of Heaven, Beijing Hutongs

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel, then drive to visit Temple of Heaven, a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design where the ancient emperors used to pray for the God's bless of the whole nation. Today, there are many public activities and performances are held in the park. Afterwards, meander down to the nearby hutongs. Beijing Hutongs are unique street design in Beijing and regarded as a window into Beijing folk life. Take afternoon high speed train from Beijing to Xi'an. Arrive at Xian. Be met & transferred to your hotel.

Day 5 Xian (B, L)
Highlights today： Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum, Wlid Goose Pagoda, Tang Dynasty Singing and Dancing Show

Visit the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum in the morning, which is one of the most important archaeological finds in the 20th century, and a UNESCO World Heritage. Drive back to downtown area and visit the Wild Goose Pagoda, it was first built in Tang Dynasty for the storage of Buddhist scriptures taken from India by Monk Xuanzang and now becomes the city emblem. Then have a visit for the exterior of Bell Tower and Drum Tower, the symbol of Xi'an and of significant importance in Xian history. In the evening, enjoy the wonderful Tang Dynasty Singing and Dancing Show- A wonderful performance of the ancient music and dance.

Day 6 Xian → Chongqing by flight (B, L, D)
Highlights today： Ancient City Wall, Muslim Street, Great Mosque, hotpot dinner

After breakfast, visit the Ancient City Wall of Xian, the best-kept and biggest city walls in China. Then go to the Muslim Street, get close to Muslim people and their life. Besides, on this popular food street, you’ll find traditional dishes and special snacks. And the visit the Great Mosque, built in a Chinese architectural style and most of the grounds are taken up with gardens.

After sightseeing, fly to Chongqing and enjoy hotpot dinner before boardding your Yangtze cruise ship. The ship departs at around 9.30pm.

Day 7 Yangtze River Cruise (B, L, D)
Hightlights today： Fengdu or Shibaozhai

On board, shore excursion to "the Ghost City" Fengdu or Shibaozhai depending on the schedule of the cruise companies. Since 2010, some cruise companies offer optional shore excursions during your cruise, please kindly check with your travel consultant for more information.

Day 8 Yangtze River Cruise (B, L, D)
Hightlights today： Lesser Three Gorges or Goddest Stream

Today you'll get a close look of the enchanting landscape as you board a small boat and cruise along a tributary to the Yangtze to explore the exceptionally beautiful Lesser Three Gorges or Goddess Stream depending on the arrangement of the cruise company.

Day 9 Yichang → Shanghai by flight (B)
Highlights today： Three Gorge Dam

Shore excursion to the amazing Three Gorge Dam: it is the world's largest power station in terms of installed capacity (22,500 MW). Later, disembark at Yichang. After lunch, transfer to airport and fly to vibrant Shanghai.

Day 10 Shanghai (B, L)
Highlights today： Yu Garden, Chenghuangmiao, Shanghai Museum, Nanjing Road, the Bund

Full-day tour to explore Shanghai city, an international cosmopolis mix with both traditional Chinese and western cultures. Tour starts from Yu Garden, one of the most famous classic gardens in south China. Chenghuangmiao, also called Yu Market, is adjacent to the garden and popular for free shopping and bargain. Enjoy dim sum meal for lunch, and then visit Shanghai Museum at Renmin Square. The Museum is one of the best one in China and is mainly for ancient arts. Take a walk at Nanjing Road and go to the Bund by Huangpu River. The Bund once was the financial center of the Far East and is considered as the city's symbol since the 1920s. It is often referred to as "the museum of buildings", as many different old colonial-era buildings can be found here. 

Day 11 Shanghai (B, L)
Highlights today： Zhujiajiao Water Town, Xintiandi

Visit Zhujiajiao Water Town this morning. Water towns are dotted in Yantze delta and Zhujiajiao is one of the well preserved ones. It is about 50 kilometers away in the western outskirts from the city centre and features beautiful waterways, arched stone bridges, ancient streets paved with stone, you will take a gondola style boat cruise along its water lanes. Transfer back to down town in the afternoon and take a walk at Xintiandi area, a district composed of an area of reconstituted traditional mid-19th century shikumen ("stone gate") houses on narrow alleys. 

Optional night activity:

The ERA Acrobatic Show is a fascinating show that tells a story from ancient times till present day. This show includes surprising feats, live music, complete plots and other spectacular features.

Day 12 Shanghai departure (B)

Free at leisure, transfer to the airport for the flight home or to your next destination. Welcome back to China next time! 

Service Ends