15 Days Best of China Tour with Yangtze & Rural Villages Visit

Welcome to Beijing! Clear the customs and retrieve your baggage by yourself upon arrival, be greeted by our tour guide in the Arrival Hall who is holding a sign on which says your name; transferred by your private car/van to your hotel downtown. The rest of the day is your own time.

Today you will first visit the world's biggest city plaza, the Tiananmen Square; then walk to the marvelous "Egg" (National Centre for the Performing Arts) to take some pictures from its outside; subsequently, go to the Forbidden City, the most complete imperial palace in China; and later proceed to the impressive Temple of Heaven. After the sightseeing tour, be driven back to your hotel.

Hall of Supreme - Typical Architecture of Forbidden City

With the old saying “One who fails to reach the Great Wall is not a hero”, today you will visit the famous Great Wall (Badaling Great Wall Section) for about 1.5 hours hiking. Along the way, you can see ancient watchtowers and enjoy the stunning mountain views. Judging by the physical conditions, you may return by cable car or descend by chairlift. Then move to the Sacred Way, the first scenic spot to enter the Ming Tomb. Walking through the 7 km’s solemn road decorated by splendid architectures, you come to the Changling to explore further of the tomb.

On the way back to your hotel, you might make a stop at the Beijing Olympic Village to take some photos of the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube from the outside.

For the dinner, we prepare you with the typical local food-Peking Roast Duck to end today's tour!

Summer Scenery of Mutianyu Great Wall

After breakfast, you will marvel at the exquisite Summer Palace, the imperial garden.

Then head to visit the Drum Tower dating from 1420. Ascending the big Drum Tower, you will have a bird's eye view of the surrounding communities of Hutongs and Siheyuan from here. And then move on to an ordinary family courtyard home for a tea break. Afterwards, take a rickshaw to visit the most famous Hutongs keeping the original layout in the Shichahai area. Then move on to the Prince Gong's Mansion.

After the tour, our guide will escort you to the airport and take the flight to Xian.

Longevity Hill & Kunming Lake of Summer Palace

In the morning be picked up at your hotel then driven to the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses; the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century, It is one of the most popular tourist spots not to be missed by any visitor to China. After lunch, move on to visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the Ancient City Wall; enjoy the local specialty Dumpling Dinner served in a fine restaurant in the evening.

Terracotta Warriors and Horses, the Eighth Wonder of the World

Today will be free until your guide picks you up to the airport and flight to Guilin. After arriving in Guilin city be met and transferred to your hotel in Guilin. After a little bit rest and a local lunch, head to visit the Elephant Trunk Hill, the symbol of Guilin city, and the Reed Flute Cave.

Elephant Trunk Hill, the symbol of Guilin, got its name because it looks like an elephant drinking water. The round opening that would be under the elephant’s trunk is known as Water-Moon Cave because at night the reflection of the moon can be seen through the arch and it looks like it is under the water and floating on the surface of the water at the same time.

Reed Flute Cave known as the Palace of Natural Arts is is a fantastic cave decorated by peculiar-shaped stalactites, stalagmites, and rock, being in Guilin urban area.

The Famous Elephant Trunk Hill

After breakfast today, you’ll be driven to Zhujiang Pier (40-minute drive) to start your boat cruise down the picturesque Li River, which is the highlight of any visit to Guilin, until you get to Yangshuo County. Along the river, you’ll be inspired by breathtaking views of peaks and pinnacles, crystal-clear water and picturesque pastoral views of rice paddies and water buffaloes. Visitors feel they have stepped into a traditional Chinese painting. After checking into your hotel in Yangshuo, free to explore the beautiful town and its famous West Street.

Guilin Li River Landscape

After breakfast today, take an about 1.5 hours drive to the Guilin airport, and take a flight to Chongqing. After arriving in Chongqing city be met and transferred to the Chongqing downtown. Your tour guide and driver will take you to the Chongqing zoo to see the Giant Panda, and then visit the Ciqikou Old Town, if time permits.

Then, you'll be transferred to the Cruise pier, and board the ship in the late afternoon. Your lifetime Yangtze River Cruise starts! (Note: the aboarding time changes based on the cruise ships, season, water level, weather, etc.)

Chongqing Zoo

Today you will embrace your first shore excursion site-Shibaozhai Pagoda. With 278 kilometers away from Chongqing, Shibaozhai is a pearl on Yangtze River. As the gem of Chinese Architecture, the 12-story, 18th Century red wooden temple is an architectural delight full of Legends and beautiful stories. Climbing on the top, you can have a panoramic view of the Yangtze River.

Optional Site: Some cruise ships make the shore excursion to the Fengdu Ghost City instead. Also called as the City of Ghosts, it endows kinds of mysterious stories about the underworld cruel tortures and kinds of devils. Enter inside, you can find more devil statues and vivid cruel scenes.

Note: Once you told us which excursion site you choose, we’ll arrange the right cruise ship for you at great rates.

Shibaozhai Pagoda, a Pearl of Yangtze River

Each day is a flesh new. Today, you have shore excursion to Shennv Stream by smaller vessels. Known for the original virgin valley of Yangtze, it attracts you with the peaceful stream and stunning nature site you never seen before.

Optional Site: Some cruise ships make the shore excursion to the Shennong Stream instead. Having a great culture, Shennong Stream is more famous and mature. The riverside sceneries, boat tracker and unique local ethnic culture will give you a different cruise experience.

Note: Once you told us which excursion site you choose, we’ll arrange the right cruise ship for you at great rates.

Shennv Stream with Primitive Gorge Scenery

After breakfast, you’ll go through a check-out procedure and disembark at Maoping Port. Then, take a morning shore excursion to visit the world-famous project - Three Gorges Dam. The dam is the largest hydropower station in the world with an annual energy output of 84.7 billion kilowatt-hours. The Three Gorges Dam includes three areas: the dam itself, a hydroelectric, and a system of locks. The height of the Three Gorges Dam is 185 meters (607 ft) above the sea level. The dam is about 2,300 meters (7,546 ft) long and about 115 meters (377 ft) wide. With a water capacity of 39.3 billion cubic meters, the dam will hold a huge reservoir which will efficiently prevent flooding in the middle and lower portions of the Yangtze River. (Optional experience: you can choose to sail through the world’s largest ship lift - Three Gorges Dam Ship Lift to very closely marvel at the huge dam which is a totally fresh and exciting experience for travelers.)

After the dam visiting, you’ll take the tourist bus arranged by the cruise company transferring you to Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal around 12:30~13:30. Then, you will be escorted by our local guide and driver to the Yichang East Railway Station and take your bullet train to Shanghai. Upon arrival, be met by our local guide at the arrival hall of Shanghai train station and escorted to your hotel in downtown area by a private, comfortable and non-smoking vehicle. Have a nice sleep in Shanghai!

Tips & Note: No matter you take Ship Lift or not, you’ll do check-out procedure and take your luggage away from the ship in this early morning. (1) Only dam visiting: you’ll take bus from Maoping Port to Three Gorges Dam for sightseeing. You’ll arrive at Yichang downtown around 12:30. (2) Dam & Ship Lift Experience: travelers who are interested in Ship Lift will first switch to a sightseeing boat to sail through the Ship Lift and then visit Three Gorges Dam Site. You’ll arrive at Yichang downtown area around 13:30.

World-famous Three Gorges Dam

Today you will first visit the magnificent Yu Garden. Right out of the Yu Garden, you can observe local people's life at the Yuyuan Market (Yu Garden Market). Proceed to the Temple of Jade Buddha. Take a stroll or shop in the famed Nanjing Road and then down to the Bund alongside the Huangpu River to explore the modern aspect of Shanghai. Drive to the Pudong New Area to enjoy a bird's eye view of Shanghai from the Jinmao Tower.

Be transferred to airport for your flight to Huangshan. Upon your arrival at city of Huangshan (Tunxi), our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at your own leisure.

Jade Buddha Temple

After breakfast, you will be driven to Huangshan Scenic Area (1.5-hour drive) which is famed as “A Wonderland” or “Heaven on Earth”. You will first take a cable car at Yungu Station to the mountain top. After check-in and lunch, you will view Brush Pen Peak, tour Lion Peak and the beautiful Xihai Grand Canyon and enjoy the sunset glow at the Cloud Dispelling Pavilion. You will stay overnight at the summit.

Yellow Mountain

Early getting-up rewards you of the magical Huangshan sunrise. After breakfast, you will set out to Begin-to-Believe Peak to see the bizarre stone formations and pine trees wreathed in the spectral folds of mist.

Then you will take a cable car to descend the mountain and head to Xidi and Hongcun. Listed as a World Heritage site, the two villages inspire visitors with charming idyllic views, ancient Hui-style dwellings, peaceful lanes, long-held traditions and simple & happy countryside life.

After, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Shanghai where your local guide will meet and escort you to your hotel.

Hongcun Ancient Village

After breakfast, be free until the tour guide escorts you to the airport to your next destination, or back to home.