China Odyssey & Yangtze river cruise

- The Tian'anmen Square: The world's largest city square and enduring symbol of China's national pride, surrounded by many imposing buildings including the Heavenly Gate (entry to the Forbidden City), Museums, government buildings and Chairman Mao's Mausoleum.
- The Forbidden City: The Imperial Palace, home to 24 Emperors between 1420 and 1911. Great squares, halls and gates contrast with the intricate networks of side halls, gardens, courtyards and quarters for those who lived in this 'city within a city'. The exhibitions, both permanent and temporary, are also absolutely fascinating. Expect to spend at least 2-3 hours, wear good walking shoes and protection from the weather.
- Hall of Clocks and Watches: Hall of Clocks and Watches set in the Forbidden City，2208 square meters，show us the clock history of the past 200 years.
- Summer Palace : Much-loved summer retreat of the Imperial families, the lovely landscaped gardens, halls, pavilions and corridors are set around the lake and rivers in natural harmony. You can expect to spend 2-3 hours here, including a 10 minute boat ride. Renovations (complete in 2010) mean that an individual section or building may be closed at any one time, but this is a huge site. Wear good walking shoes and protection from the weather.

- Great Wall at Mutianyu: This less-crowded section of the Great Wall is a pleasant drive 90km NE of Beijing. A cable car takes you to a good section (avoiding a very steep climb), where you can walk along the wall, through the watch towers and enjoy superb views as it snakes across the hills and mountains. You can return by cable car, walk down or walk along the wall for about an hour to descend by chairlift. Wear good walking shoes and protection from the weather.
- Roasted duck at Xiushuidian: Roasted duck is claimed to be the most delicious food in Beijing.

- Hutong Tours in Rickshaw: A maze of historic alleyways and old single storey traditional courtyard houses, now fast disappearing. Dotted around the hutong are the Drum and Bell Towers, Kindergarten, Tea House, and local people's houses. Your tour includes a visit with a local family.
- Temple of Heaven: One of the most famous sites in Beijing, this is Ming architecture at its best: beautiful, controlled, and highly symbolic. The surrounding gardens are full of interesting activity, particularly weekend mornings. Wear good walking shoes and protection from the weather.

- The Erdaoqiao Bazaar : Uigur Bazaar is the largest in Urumqi. You'll find a bustling market filled with fruit, clothing, crafts, knives, carpets and almost anything that you can imagine. On Sunday, there are more stalls and more goods to buy than any other day. The old streets around the bazaar are really worth seeing.
- Xinjiang Autonomous Museum: Xibei Road of Urumchi,Provincial Level Comprehensive Hitorical Museum

- Kashgar Old Town: Explore the maze of narrow streets in this oldest residential area of Kashgar. Houses were originally built along a natural slope, and extended over the years with many streets either fully or half-covered. Traditional Uighur life continues here in time-honoured fashion. Visit local families, see potteries, bakeries, embroidery, and local skills. There’s a local Folk Museum, and yes, souvenirs are for sale but these are not rich people, a purchase is better than a gift.
- Zhiren Street: It is close to Id Kah Mosque, an old street with an amazing range of goods being crafted for sale by hand , from strictly utilitarian cookware to exotic musical instruments. There's not much light industry in Kashgar, so everything is hand-made or imported from a very distant place. Copper, metal, porcelain, woodwork, jewellery and other goods are seen to be made and you will marvel at incredible devices like the wooden objects that prevent babies from wetting the bed.
- Id Kah Mosque: This 15th century mosque is one of the largest and busiest in China. As you stroll under the trees in the pleasant courtyards, you glimpse the strength and care of the local community. At midday on Fridays around 10,000 gather to pray and study the Koran, and prayers 5 times/day on other days. You’ll be asked to remove your shoes before entering the Main Hall, which has traditional Islamic pillars,carvings and rugs strewn over the floors. Women are advised to cover upper arms and legs, a scarf is not compulsory, but is seen as a mark of respect.
- Kashgar Minority Nationalities Kindergarten: These enchanting children, 2-6 years old of age, are mainly Uighur and other local groups. They learn to read and write Uighur and Chinese, as well as dancing and singing. Sometimes they dress in traditional costume for performances, other days you will find them practising. Be warned - they LOVE you to join in at the end,with enthusiasm! If you take any gifts (eg pencils, books etc) please give them to the teacher rather than directly to the students.

- Lake Karakuli: A sparkling glacial lake, surrounded by stunning rocky mountains, and snow-covered peaks as high as 7500m (the lake's at 3,600). After eating in one of the collection of yurts at the water's edge you can walk around the lake (about 4 hours), or take a ride by pony, camel or motorbike, or just enjoy the scenery before returning to Kashgar. Camping is available in the yurts (best to come well prepared), and longer treks available by arrangement.
- Visit a local Keerkezi Family: Take advantage of this rare opportunity to experience the life, customs and food of the Keekekezi local people in their ancestral homeland. Have tea and snacks with the family as they welcome you to their world.
- Pass to Lake Kalakuli: The lake is in Kashgar, about 1500 kilometers from Urumqi in southwest Xinjiang, and about 3600 meters above sea level. Mount Muztagata (said to be one of the five most beautiful mountains in the world) provides a beautiful backdrop at 7546 meters with the nearby Gongeer Peaks rising to 7719 meters above sea level.

- Shaanxi Historical Museum: The history of Shaanxi is said to be the history of China, and this museum is quite simply one of the nation's best. Four major galleries in large, Tang-style buildings house a vast and impressive collection, beautifully displayed. Most of the item labels are in English, although some other information on the exhibitions is not, but your guide can help here. Wear comfortable walking shoes.
- Xian City Wall: It is a major landmark, and the best preserved, as well as the oldest and largest of the city defence systems in China.You also can bike along the city wall (the rental fee is included).

- Forest of Stone Steles Museum: A fascinating collection of inscribed stone tablets (steles), from very ancient to quite modern (Han-Qing Dynasties, 206BC-1911). All kinds of calligraphies and scripts tell stories, poems, classics, reports from around the Empire. Other exhibits include early sculptures and objects from Imperial tombs. This was once a Confucian temple, and the architecture and grounds are well worth a visit on their own account.
- Terracotta Warriors: Discovered accidentally in 1974, this incredible army of over 7000 soldiers, archers, horses and chariots in full battle array has guarded Emperor Qin's tomb since 210BC. Each figure is unique, and the painstaking repair and excavation continues in 3 pits which are protected inside huge hangars. 1.5 hours from Xian, there is also an excellent museum and film about the history of the vaults. Photos (no flash) are allowed. Wear comfortable walking shoes.
- Gao's Courtyard(includes Shadow Play): A traditional Chinese dwelling in the Muslim quarter that belonged to the founder of the successful Gao family, who produced many officials, officers and businessmen. The repairs won the 2002 UNESCO Asia-Pacific prize for cultural heritage protection. The courtyard buildings have exhibitions of period furniture, paintings, pottery, porcelain, photos and demonstrations of folk art, including a ‘shadow puppet’ play with traditional music.

- Panda Room in Chongqing Zoo: Here you can see Giant pandas, Lesser pandas, Golden hair monkeys, South China Tigers and some other national protected animals.
- Ciqikou Old Town: This lively old area has been partly restored, and remains an authentic and busy community. The old wooden houses and narrow streets furthest from the river are mostly unimproved, closer to the river there are craft and souvenir shops, teahouses and music, and lots of local food and snacks. The locals certainly love their food – this is a good chance to try some.
--One day tour in Chongqing: You will take the air-condition car to visit the scneic spots,and a guide will accompany you along the trip.

--Fengdu is where the devil lives, according to Chinese legend. They say that spirits go to heaven, and evil goes to Fengdu. The town is overlooked by Ming Shan Hill, home of Tianzi, the King of the Dead. The whole place has an eerie feel to it with deserted streets, tower blocks, empty shops and banks. The only people here are those who make a living from visiting cruise boats.

--Shennong Stream is another tributary of the Yangtze River, and its fast-flowing, crystal clear water runs southwards through deep gorges. The stream races past large and small karst caves, flocks of swallows, sheer cliffs, deep gorges, waterfalls, three-colored springs, rapids, the ancient plank path, a suspended coffin in the cliff, groups of ancient tombs and marvelous karst formations.

--Three Gorges Dam, the largest water conservancy project ever undertaken by man and it has been a dream for several generations of Chinese people. The construction of the dam formally began in 1994. The body of the dam was completed in 2003, and the whole construction will be competed in 2009. It will be 2,335 meters long, 185 meters high, 18 meters wide on the top and 130 meters wide at the bottom.The tourists can get access to the top of the dam and enjoy different kinds of photo opportunities.

- Yuyuan Garden: In the centre of Shanghai next to the Yuyuan Bazaar, this exquisite old 5-acre garden is famous for its design. The paths wander across bridges, past rockeries and miniature lakes, and through pretty halls and pavilions. The trees and shrubs are planted with an eye to providing charming views, and a sense of peace and harmony.
- Oriental Pearl TV Tower plus History museum: Standing by the Huangpu River with 468 meters high, Oriental Pearl TV Tower is the highest TV Tower in Asia (up to the last floor to see Shanghai scenery).It is a new landmark of Shanghai in 21st century.
Beijing part of the Tower, the History Museum is a window of Shanghai open to all the guests at home and abroad. By means of more than 1,300 pieces of cultural relics, literature and pictures, it presents vividly a holistic picture of the long history of Shanghai from the remote antiquity to the liberation of the city in 1949.
- Jade Buddha Temple: An active Buddhist temple, and one of the richest in Shanghai. The main treasures are two statues of Buddha, carved from rare single blocks of white jade adorned with precious stones. The temple is a hive of activity with monks, worshippers and visitors, and photos of the Buddhas are forbidden.
- Yuyuan Market : Located at a very busy marketplace in a complex of traditional-style buildings, backing onto Yuyuan Gardens.You can find everything there from popular local snacks and food, crafts, antiques and souvenirs to Starbucks, tea-houses and some great restaurants. There is a small (reconstructed) Temple (Chenhuang: Temple of the City Gods) in there as well.