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Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: Beijing, China

Arrive in Beijing and be greeted and escorted to the hotel.

Day 2: Beijing (China)

Featured Excursions: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and Peking Duck Welcome Dinner with wine

Old meets new in Beijing as ancient architecture mixes with modern high rises. The bustling city has been a major cornerstone of Chinese history through the ages. It has been as important military and trading point since Qin Dynasty (202 BC) and the capital of China since Yuan Dynasty (Kublai Khan 1279 AD), with historical buildings around just about every corner. Beijing is also a hub of culture with its temples, art treasures, and opulent palaces at every turn, keeping the city thriving and alive.

Begin your first full day in Beijing with an exciting visit to Tiananmen Square - the heart of Beijing and the largest open city square in the world. Tiananmen Square is the site of many important events in China’s history. Some of the monuments in this area are Tiananmen Tower, the Monument to the People’s Heroes, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, and the National Museum of China (dedicated to Chinese history before 1949). Then, walk through Tiananmen Gate, the “Gate of Heavenly Peace” and the entranceway to the Forbidden City. Pose for a souvenir group photo of you and your travel companions.

The Forbidden City is a 250-acre (97-hectare) complex of palaces, pavilions, courtyards, and gardens. It’s the largest and most complete ancient imperial palace in the world. Construction on the palace was begun in 1406, and 24 emperors have ruled China from within its walls.

Continue on to another Beijing gem, the Summer Palace, which is one of China’s largest and best preserved imperial gardens. In 1998, UNESCO designated the Summer Palace a World Heritage Site, noting that it is “an outstanding expression of the creative art of Chinese landscape garden design, incorporating the works of humankind and nature in a harmonious whole.” You’ll take a boat ride on the lovely Kunming Lake where you’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful natural elements of the Gardens as well as the graceful designs of the pavilions, halls, palaces, temples, and bridges. You’ll have time to take in its beautiful natural elements as well as the graceful designs of its pavilions, halls, palaces, temples, and bridges.

At the end of the day, we invite you to indulge in a succulent Peking Duck Welcome Dinner with wine - a must for any visitor to Beijing where you will receive an exquisite piece of Chinese folk art as a gift. The city’s namesake meal is a truly appropriate way to cap off your day in Beijing, formerly known as “Peking.” (BB, L, Welcome Dinner)

Day 3: Beijing (China)

Featured Excursions: The Great Wall, the Sacred Way, and Kung Fu show at the Red Theater

In the morning, you’ll travel 40 miles (64 km) north of Beijing for a memorable walk on a wonder of the ancient world - the Great Wall. The Great Wall is the longest manmade structure on earth. Original construction began in the third century BC as a way to keep out warring invaders, and additional sections extended the wall over the centuries to its present length of nearly 4,000 miles (6,436 km) - a distance longer than the United States is wide! It’s truly an awe-inspiring site, which will be something you’ll never forget.

After your walk along this historic and awe-inspiring landmark, you’ll travel the Sacred Way, home to remnants of the Ming Tombs. Here, 13 of the Ming Dynasty’s 16 emperors were laid to rest in lavish burial chambers. Ming monarchs made an annual pilgrimage to the tombs to honor their departed ancestors, and the grandeur of the site and its relics convey the importance of ancestor worship to ancient Chinese culture. Then end your day with an evening at the spectacular Kung Fu show.

The best Kung Fu practitioners from all over China perform in this production. Their average age is just 17 years old! Additionally the costumes, set design and special effects are created by some of the best stage directors and designers in China. The performers are not only skilled in Kung Fu martial arts, but are also trained in theatrical presentation. The dancers and acrobats add new dimensions to the exploration of the movements and discipline of Kung Fu. The action is breathtaking and the drama is poignant.

The show has English supertitles shown above the stage to keep you informed of the story line. The actors do not speak; the show is all Kung Fu, dance, and acrobatics. It is the fusion of modern dance with Chinese traditional arts which make this performance unique and spectacular. (BB, L, D)

Day 4: Beijing (China), fly to Chongqing (Embarkation)

Featured Excursions: Hutongs tour with home-hosted lunch and Chongqing Zoo

Today, you will visit a carpet factory, and then after you’ll get an authentic taste of old Beijing on your last day in the city. Ride in a rickshaw for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Hutongs - ancient lanes and alleyways located in the old residential area of Beijing. The Hutongs, which have been around for more than 700 years, offer a fascinating glimpse of traditional Chinese life and architecture - including the area’s famous courtyard houses. While here, enjoy a traditional Chinese lunch with a local family. Later in the day, you’ll fly to Chongqing to visit the pandas before you board your beautiful ship. (BB, L, D)

Day 5: Cruising the Yangtze River, Fengdu

Featured Excursion: Fengdu

The mighty Yangtze is the third-longest river in the world, and your cruise will show you some of its most beautiful sights. Your luxury ship provides the perfect setting for soaking up the breathtaking views of mist-enshrouded mountains and jagged limestone cliffs that surround you on either side as you make your way down the river. You’ll also see bucolic hillside rice paddies, village fishermen at work with their nets, and historic cliff-side carvings.

Today, you’ll visit the bank-side town of Fengdu. This “City of Ghosts” is famous for its gardens, temples, and statues of ghosts, all modeled after the Chinese Hell in Taoist mythology. A place of pilgrimage for nearly 2,000 years, Fengdu became an island accessible only via the Yangtze after the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. Tonight, enjoy a Welcome Reception before dinner. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Reception, D)

Day 6: Cruising the Yangtze River, Lesser Gorges

Featured Excursion: Lesser Gorges

Today’s journey will take you through the first of Three Gorges-Quatang, whose stunning scenery is justly celebrated as some of the most beautiful in all of China.

Today, you’re in for a real treat. You’ll board a riverboat and embark on a voyage through the enchanting Lesser Gorges of either the Daning River or Shennong Stream. This intimate encounter with the area’s striking scenery is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Then, return to your cruise ship and continue down the Yangtze. Today’s journey will take you through Wu gorges, And the dramatic shoals and verdant cliffs of Xiling Gorge, the longest and deepest of the famed Three Gorges, with cliffs that rise around you to heights of up to 4,000 ft (1,219 m).

Later, you’ll sail through the Three Gorges Dam 5-stage ship locks, a true engineering marvel that is sure to impress. Once you’re through the locks, After dinner, enjoy the beautiful Victoria Fashion show. (BB, L, D)

Day 7: Cruising the Yangtze River, Yichang

Featured Excursion: Three Gorges Dam

You’ll begin your day with a visit to the site of the Three Gorges Dam - the largest hydro-electric dam in the world. After more than a decade of construction, the dam body was finished in 2006 (though the final components of the dam’s underground power plant are not expected to become fully operational until 2011 or 2012). The Three Gorges Dam harnesses the power of the mighty Yangtze in order to provide electricity to ever-growing China. In addition, the dam is designed to provide relief from the loss of life and property previously caused by frequent flooding in many riverside cities. An unforgettable Crew Cabaret is waiting for you in the evening. (BB, L, D)

Day 8: Cruising the Yangtze River, Wuhan

Featured Excursions: Wuhan city tour and Hubei Provincial Museum

Tour Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province and the political, economic, cultural, and educational hub of central China. It is also the home of the well-known Hubei Provincial Museum, which you’ll explore today. The museum has collected over 200,000 important cultural relics, including pottery, porcelains, jade, bronze vessels, ancient weapons, and ancient musical instruments. Among these cultural relics, 812 are listed as first-class relics of China, and 16 are considered national treasures. One of its most famous pieces is the Sword of Goujian, which historians believe was owned by Goujian, the King of Yue, who ruled from 496 BC to 465 BC. The sword was discovered in the mid-20th century, and even though it had spent the previous 2,000 years under water, it still had a sharp blade and showed no signs of tarnish when found. Enjoy the Victoria Minorities Show, featuring the costumes and customs of some of the 56 ethnic groups that make up China. (BB, L, D)

Day 9: Cruising the Yangtze River, Huangshan

Featured Excursion: Huangshan Mountain tour

Enjoy a full-day trip to Huangshan Mountain, which boasts eastern China’s most striking natural landscapes. Not a single mountain but actually a string of impressive peaks, Huangshan has long been a favorite subject of traditional Chinese paintings and literature; it also served as a retreat for many Chinese emperors. You’ll understand its longstanding popularity when you take in the views from both the bottom and the top of the mountain. The foothills below Huangshan feature picturesque traditional villages with flooded rice paddies nestled in the shadow of Huangshan Mountain’s towering peaks. The mountain itself is dotted with ancient twisted pines and strange rock formations and shrouded in thick romantic mists. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is truly one of the most beautiful and memorable places in China.

Note: Depending on river conditions, an alternate tour to Jiuhuashan Mountain may be substituted. (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)

Day 10: Nanjing (Disembarkation), bullet train to Shanghai

Featured Excursions: Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Bazaar, and Confucian Temple

Disembark your ship in China’s southern capital, Nanjing. Its massive Ming Dynasty-era city wall and the various monuments and tombs scattered around the city bear witness to the historical importance of Nanjing, which served as the capital city of six Chinese dynasties. The Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, which you’ll visit today, is the resting place of the revolutionary and political leader who is considered the father of modern China. The mausoleum is a tribute to Sun’s life and political philosophy, the Three Principles of the People, which helped overthrow the imperial system of rule in China. Tonight enjoy the Captain’s Farewell Dinner. After dinner, enjoy “Emperor and Empress night” where you can try on traditional costumes of Chinese royalty and have your picture taken. (BB, L, D)

Day 11: Shanghai (China)

Featured Excursions: Shanghai city tour, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai Municipal History Museum visit, and Shanghai Acrobats

Disembark your ship in Shanghai, and continue your journey to some of this sprawling city’s most impressive sights. Begin with a stroll through Old Town - with its teahouses, temples, narrow alleyways, and markets - for a taste of historic Shanghai. Then, it’s on to the Bund, Shanghai’s famed waterfront promenade. Built along the Huangpu River, the Bund features exhilarating street life and beautiful architecture; it’s also an ideal spot for taking pictures of Pudong’s famous skyline. You’ll also visit a silk factory. For lunch, you will have a traditional dim sum meal before you continue on with your tour. Your next stop is the iconic Oriental Pearl TV Tower. One of the tallest towers in Asia at 1,535 ft (468 m), the Oriental Pearl TV Tower provides a bird’s-eye view of Shanghai, the “Pearl of the Orient.” After your elevator ride to the sky-high observation decks, you’ll have a chance to explore the Shanghai Municipal History Museum on the ground floor of the tower. Tonight, be dazzled by the amazing, gravity-defying stunts of the Shanghai Acrobats. (BB, L, D)

Day 12: Shanghai (China), Zhujiajiao

Today you will step from the hustle of the metropolitan city to the calm retreat of one of Shanghai’s most beautiful suburbs. Also known as “Pearl Stream,” Zhujiajiao is a lovely “water town,” whose ancient and varied bridges criss-cross streams and canals overhung with willows dipping their branches in the cool water. Along the stream-sides, houses and their courtyards, some standing for many hundreds of years, provide a beautiful backdrop to your picturesque visit. Tonight, enjoy dinner at your Shanghai hotel. (B, L, D)

Day 13: Shanghai (China), transfer to the airport

Transfer to the airport for your return flight home, or continue with one of our popular extensions. (CB or BB)

Please Note:

• Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.
• Order of sightseeing may change throughout the itinerary.
• Substitute visits to other sites may occur during your trip due to water levels and uncontrollable factors.