12 Days Shanghai-Beijing-Xian-Yangtze-Shanghai Small Group Tour

Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia and the third-longest in the world. Being a dividing line between North China and South China, it traverses eleven provinces and cities from west to east with many stunning scenery and ancient cultural sites along the river. Besides the thrilling Cruise, this tour also includes China’s three popular triangle cities: Beijing, Xian, Shanghai.

Highlights:

  • Stroll along the mysterious Forbidden City and the majestic Great Wall in Beijing.
  • Admire the Terracotta Warriors and Xian Museum to explore the old history and fantastic culture of China.
  • Explore both the old history and modern prosperity of China.
  • Have a luxurious cruise on the beautiful Yangtze River.

Brief Itinerary

  • Day 1: Shanghai Arrival
  • Day 2: Shanghai – Beijing
  • Day 3: Beijing
  • Day 4: Beijing
  • Day 5: Beijing – Xian
  • Day 6: Xian
  • Day 7: Xian – Chongqing
  • Day 8: Yangtze River Cruise
  • Day 9: Yangtze River Cruise
  • Day 10: Yichang – Shanghai
  • Day 11: Shanghai
  • Day 12: Shanghai Departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Shanghai Arrival

Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation:
Meals:

Upon arrival, met by tour guide and transferred to your hotel. Free at leisure for the rest of the day.

Day 2 Shanghai – Beijing

Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, take the bullet train to Beijing which will take about 5.5 hours. Upon arrival, met by tour guide and transferred to you hotel. Free at leisure for the rest of the day.

Day 3 Beijing

Sightseeing and Activities: Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, Kung Fu Show
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Tiananmen Square in Beijing

We will start the tour form the center of the city – Tiananmen Square. Go north through the square and you will reach the Forbidden City. As the largest and best-preserved ancient wooden structure in the world, it has more than 8,000 pavilions and thousands of historic treasures. Have a la carte lunch at a decent local restaurant.

In the afternoon, head to visit the royal altar of the Ming and Qing dynasties – the Temple of Heaven. Then have a fantastic Chinese Kung Fu Show at the Red Theatre in the evening.

Day 4 Beijing

Sightseeing and Activities: Badaling Great Wall, Sacred Way, Bird’s Nest
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast

Sightseeing and Activities: Badaling Great Wall, the Sacred Way
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast

Get up early and have a big breakfast at hotel because there is no good restaurants for lunch during the journey.  Drive to visit Badaling Great Wall. After that, drop by a jade factory before heading for the Sacred Way. See the grand stone archway, several animals’ sculptures, and stone pavilions while you are marching along this 4-mile stone path. See the appearance of Bird’s Nest on the way to your hotel.

Day 5 Beijing – Xian

Sightseeing and Activities: Summer Palace, Beijing hutong
Accommodation: Xian
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Visit the Summer Palace in the morning. Have a hearty lunch at a decent local restaurant.

In the afternoon, take a rickshaw to trace the old Beijing hutong alleys, narrow but original. Then fly to city of Xian. A local tour guide will pick you up at airport and transfer you to your hotel.

Day 6 Xian

Sightseeing and Activities: Terracotta Warriors, local family visit, Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show
Accommodation: Xian
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Terracotta Army, Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum, Xian

Today visit the world famous Terracotta Warriors. The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. After that, visit a local family and have a home-made lunch.

After that, visit the Xian Museum and the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. At night, enjoy the famous Dumpling Dinner and Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show.

Day 7 Xian – Chongqing

Sightseeing and Activities: the City Wall, Ciqikou Ancient Town
Accommodation: Chongqing
Meals: Breakfast

Today visit the City Wall. Then take the flight to Chongqing. Picked up at airport and transferred you to visit Ciqikou Ancient Town if time allows.

After that, check-in the cruise and start the amazing Yangtze River Cruise.

Day 8 Yangtze River Cruise

Sightseeing and Activities: Shibaozhai
Accommodation: Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy the spectacular view from the deck. Morning have a cup of coffee or practise Tai Chi on the deck. At around 16:00pm, there is an excursion to Shibaozhai to visit a 12-storey wooden pavilion built in the Ming Dynasty. After back to the cruise, join the Captain’s Welcome Party and have a buffet dinner.

Day 9 Yangtze River Cruise

Sightseeing and Activities: Shennong Stream
Accommodation: Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Continue the Yangtze River Cruise through the spectacular Three Gorges – Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge. After lunch, enjoy a shore excursion to Shennong Stream. Join the Captain’s Farewell Party in the evening.

Day 10 Yichang – Shanghai

Sightseeing and Activities: Three Gorges Dam Site
Accommodation: Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Take a shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam Site – one of the largest hydroelectric project in the world. Disembark at Yichang and be transferred to airport for your flight to Shanghai. The Shanghai local guide will pick you up from airport and escorted to your hotel.

Day 11 Shanghai

Sightseeing and Activities: Shanghai Museum, Yuyuan Garden, the Bund, Huangpu River cruise
Accommodation: Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today we will visit Shanghai Museum to learn Chinese history, culture and art. Then off to the Yuyuan Garden to enjoy the classical Chinese garden with trees, flowers, ponds, bridges, rocks, pavilions, and halls.

Have a la carte lunch at a decent local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit the bund, which is located along the Huangpu River. Then have a short cruise on the Huangpu River.

Day 12 Shanghai Departure

Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation:
Meals: Breakfast

Hotel-airport transfer is on your own arrangement. Service ends.

Service Included:

  • Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
  • Meals as listed in the itinerary;
  • Accommodations: hotels based on twin occupancy as specified(Except day tours);
  • Sharing English-speaking tour guide;
  • Sharing vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with skilled driver;
  • Service charge & government taxes;
  • Luggage transfers between airports and hotels;
  • Domestic train tickets of soft sleeper.

Service Excluded:

  • Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
  • Chinese visa fees;
  • Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
  • Single room supplement;
  • Tips to guides and drivers;
  • Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
  • Personal travel accident insurance;
  • All optional programs.