Images of China
The original Yangtse cruise from Shanghai, the imperial capitals and China’s pandas
In Brief
| Flight - 1 night. Shanghai - 3 nights. Cruise - 8 nights. Chengdu - 1 night. Xian - 2 nights. Beijing - 3 nights. |
Day 1 Fly overnight from London Heathrow to Shanghai.
Day 2 On arrival, visit the Bund and Nanjing Road, then transfer to the 4-star Sunrise on the Bund Hotel for three nights.
Day 3 A city tour including Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple and Huangpu River cruise. Evening acrobatic show.
Day 4 Free day. Optional day excursion by rail to Suzhou including the Garden of the Master of the Fishing Nets, the Lingering Garden, a short canal cruise, a silk factory, ancient Pingjiang Street and lunch - £49.
Day 5 Visit the Shanghai Museum. Embark on the MS Sophia.
Day 6 Arrive in Nanjing for an excursion to the Ming Dynasty City Wall Museum and a Qing Dynasty style bazaar surrounding a Confucian Temple.
Day 7 Sail to Wuhan arriving in the evening.
Day 8 Visit Guqin Terrace, surrounded by water on three sides and offering fine scenery.
Day 9 A day of sailing on the Yangtse.
Day 10 Reach Yichang and sail through the Gezhouba Dam. Visit the Three Gorges Dam site project and traverse the new dam.
Day 11 Sail through Wu Gorge with an excursion to the Daning River and Lesser Gorges and later enter the Qutang Gorge.
Day 12 Visit Fengdu and sail upstream.
Day 13 Disembark in Chongqing and travel by road to Dazu to visit the Buddhist Caves. Continue to Chengdu for overnight at the 4-star Minshan Hotel.
Day 14 Visit the Panda Breeding Research Centre, then fly to Xian. Two nights at the 4-star Grand Mecure Hotel.
Day 15 Visit the Terracotta Army and Great Wild Goose Pagoda. Special City Wall ceremony and later, evening Tang Dynasty dinner and show.
Day 16 Fly to Beijing and visit the Summer Palace with a short lake cruise. Three nights at the 4-star Radisson Blu and Peking Opera performance.
Day 17 A full-day excursion to the Great Wall and Sacred Way.
Day 18 Visit the Forbidden City and Tian An Men Square, then the Temple of Heaven. Peking Duck dinner.
Day 19 Return flight, reaching Heathrow the same day.
Travel in China
Our 4 and 5-star hotels generally include a restaurant, bar/coffee shop and English speaking reception staff. Accommodation is in air-conditioned rooms with private facilities, hairdryer, telephone, mini-bar and satellite TV with tea making facilities and complimentary mineral water. Included meals in China are at the hotel or in local restaurants and generally offer a selection of Chinese dishes with a drink. When internal flights are during meal times, separate meals will not be provided pre/post flight. Transportation is in private air-conditioned vehicles with local guides accompanying all tours (except on flights).
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