13 Days China Classic Tour with Li River and Yangtze Cruises
During this tour, we will explore the profound culture of the old and modern China in Beijing, Xian and Shanghai, appreciate the stunning natural scenery in Guilin and Yangsuo, and have a luxurious cruise on the beautiful Yangtze River.
Highlights:
- Visit the popular Golden Triangle cities in China – Beijing, Xian and Shanghai.
- Enjoy the best highlights of Guilin and Yangshuo.
- Have a luxurious cruise on the beautiful Yangtze River.
Brief Itinerary
- Day 1: Beijing Arrival
- Day 2: Beijing
- Day 3: Beijing
- Day 4: Beijing – Xian
- Day 5: Xian
- Day 6: Xian – Guilin
- Day 7: Guilin
- Day 8: Guilin – Chongqing
- Day 9: Yangtze River Cruise
- Day 10: Yangtze River Cruise
- Day 11: Yangtze River Cruise – Shanghai
- Day 12: Shanghai
- Day 13: Shanghai Departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Beijing Arrival
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals:
Upon your arrival, our guide will pick you up from airport and transfer you to your hotel in a comfortable and clean car. Then have a good rest.
Day 2 Beijing
Sightseeing and Activities: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
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. Then enjoy the lunch.
In the afternoon, head to visit Summer Palace , which used to be the summer resort for royal families and emperors.
Day 3 Beijing
Sightseeing and Activities: Mutianyu Great Wall, Sacred Way, Bird’s Nest and Water Cube
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Transfer to Mutianyu Great Wall. Great Wall is one of the greatest architecture projects in human history.
Later, we will transfer to the Sacred Way, the first attraction of Ming Tombs. And then go to Changling, one of the 13 Ming Tombs, which is the Mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Di, the third Emperor of Ming Dynasty. It is the largest, original and the best preserved among the 13 Ming Tombs.
At last, drive back to downtown Beijing and drop at the Olympic Park to take some picture from outside of the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube.
Day 4 Beijing – Xian
Sightseeing and Activities: Temple of Heaven, Hutongs
Accommodation: Xian
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, visit the Temple of Heaven, which is the spot where the Emperor pray for a good harvest. Three blue-tiled cone-shaped roofs of it, already become a worldwide symbol of Beijing.
Then experience old Beijing cultures in Beijing Hutongs. After that, take the high speed train to Xian. And the local guide will wait you at the train station. Then transfer you to the hotel and help you check-in.
Day 5 Xian
Sightseeing and Activities: Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Ancient City Wall, Muslim Quarter
Accommodation: Xian
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today, we will start from the World’s Eighth Wonder, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum.
Then take a stroll along the Ancient City Wall, you can ride a bicycle on the city wall. The Ming City wall is one of the best preserved protection project in ancient time.
And we will taste the local food in Muslim Street and enjoy the local people’s life.
Day 6 Xian – Guilin
Sightseeing and Activities: Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Shaanxi History Museum
Accommodation: Xian
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. As the symbol of the old-line Xian, Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists.
Then visit one of the best museums in China, the Shaanxi Historical Museum. It is a large modern museum at the national level.
After the tour, escorted to catch a flight to Guilin(about 2hrs). And the local guide will wait you at the airport. Then transfer you to the hotel and help you check-in.
Day 7 Guilin
Sightseeing and Activities: Li River cruise, Yangsuo old town, West Street
Accommodation: Guilin
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, take Li River cruise to Yangsuo for about 4 hours. On the twisty Li River from Zhujiang to Yangshuo, it covers hundreds and thousands of grotesque peaks. Breathe the fresh air, feel the gentle breeze and enjoy the spectacular landscapes here. Have lunch on board.
In the afternoon, disembark at the old town Yangshuo and check in hotel. Then explore the ancient town – Yangsuo. It has a history of over 1400 years. Walk around West Street to find a lot of unique shops selling traditional handcrafts, hand-made scarfs, snacks of local flavor etc.
There is an optional activity in the evening – Impression Liu Sanjie directed by famous director – Zhang Yimou.
Day 8 Guilin – Chongqing
Sightseeing and Activities: Elephant Trunk Hill, Reed Flute Cave
Accommodation: cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, drive back to Guilin and visit Elephant Trunk Hill, then move on to Reed Flute Cave, which is the “Palace of Natural Arts” with beautiful stalactite and stalagmite formations illuminated by colorful lights.
After that, drive to airport to board the flight to Chongqing. A local tour guide will pick you up at airport and transfer to the Chongqing Chaotianmen Port to board the cruise. The amazing Yangtze River Cruise will start!
Day 9 Yangtze River Cruise
Sightseeing and Activities: Fengdu Ghost City(optional), Shibaozhai, Captain’s Welcome Party
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. Have an optional shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City if you like. 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 10 Yangtze River Cruise
Sightseeing and Activities: White Emperor City(optional), Three Gorges, Lesser Three Gorges or Shennong Stream, Captain’s Farewell Party
Accommodation: cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Take and optional shore excursion to White Emperor City. Then continue the Yangtze River Cruise through the spectacular Three Gorges – Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge. After lunch, enjoy a shore excursion at Lesser Three Gorges or Shennong Stream. Join the Captain’s Farewell Party in the evening.
Day 11 Yichang – Shanghai
Sightseeing and Activities: Three Gorges Dam Site, Xiling Gorge
Accommodation: Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Take a shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam Site – one of the largest hydroelectric project in the world. Then sail through Xiling Gorge. 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 12 Shanghai
Sightseeing and Activities: Yu Garden, Yu Market, Shanghai Museum, Shanghai World Financial Center, Nanjing Road, Bund
Accommodation: Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, we will first visit Yuyuan Garden and Yuyuan Market. Yu Yuan Garden(or Yun Garden) is a famous classical garden located in Anren Jie, Shanghai. It abuts the Yuyuan Market. Then we will stop at Shanghai Museum. It is the Museum of Ancient Chinese Art with more than 120,000 precious and rare works of art.
Later, drive to visit Shanghai World Financial Center to have a panoramic view of the whole Shanghai and Huangpu River area. After that, head to Nanjing Road and the Bund. In the evening, you can choose to take Huangpu River cruise to enjoy fantastic night view of Shanghai(optional).
Day 13 Shanghai Departure
Sightseeing and Activities: Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, Jade Buddha Temple
Accommodation:
Meals: Breakfast
Morning, head to visit Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, the first kind of exhibition center in China showcasing a city’s development. Then move on to visit the Jade Buddha Temple, which is a venerable and famous Buddhist temple built in 1928.
In the afternoon, we will drive you to the airport for your flight.
Service Included:
- Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
- Meals as listed in the itinerary;
- Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
- Private English-speaking tour guide;
- Private 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.
