China Brilliant Tour 2007

Day 1

Place & Transport: Arrive in Beijing, Flight not included
Today's Activities: Airport to Hotel Transfer (Beijing)
Detailed Itinerary: You'll be met on arrival in Beijing. On the way to the Guangzhou Hotel, your guide will explain tomorrow's arrangements. Spend the rest of the day exploring the nearby streets, or resting and catching up on your jetlag. Beijing is a city of amazing contrasts – an ancient capital with some incredible historical sites, and a bustling modern metropolis getting ready to host the 2008 Olympics.

Day 2

Place & Transport: Beijing
Today's Activities: Temple of Heaven, The Tian'anmen Square, The Forbidden City, Kungfu Show
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: Early risers can join the locals at Taiji practice, and enjoy watching as they sing to each other. After breakfast our guide will brief the group before you head out for Tian'anmen Square, the world's largest public square, which is closely linked to Mao Zedong, and the Forbidden City, from which the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties governed for over 500 years. Later you'll visit the Temple of Heaven, where the Emperors prayed for good harvests and rain, or gave thanks for the harvest. Enjoy a spectacular Chinese kung fu performance this evening.

Day 3

Place & Transport: Beijing
Today's Activities: The Great Wall -Badaling Section, Ming Tombs, Sacred Way (Ming Tombs)
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner
Detailed Itinerary: Leave town at 8am for the drive (a bit under two hours) to the Badaling Section of The Great Wall, which stretches for over 6000 km, and was originally built to protect China from the barbarians. You can walk and climb at your own pace, or enjoy spectacular views from the cable car. Before returning to the city you'll enjoy visiting the Dingling (one of the Ming tombs), and the attractive tree-lined Sacred Road, bordered by stone statues, along which the Emperors once trod to conduct their sacred ceremonies. Dinner tonight is at Wangfujing Roast Duck Restaurant, where you'll eat the some of the best 'Peking Duck' in Beijing.

Day 4

Place & Transport: Beijing to Xian, Flight No. TBA
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Beijing), Airport to Hotel Transfer (Xian), Hutong Tours in Rickshaw, Xi'an City Wall
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: Your last stop in Beijing is a trip through the Hutongs by rickshaw. This maze of narrow alleyways winding around the Forbidden City is fast disappearing, and you'll get a precious glimpse into their distinctive culture as you zigzag through them, drop into a primary school and a flea market, and have lunch with a local family featuring delicious Chinese dumplings. Those who are interested can learn how to make this traditional Chinese food. Later you will be transferred to the airport in time for your flight to Xi'an, where your guide will meet the group at flight arrivals (look for the China Highlights Travel sign), and take you to the Bell Tower Hotel, and, for the energetic, a half-hour's hike along the Ancient City Wall. (Bikes can be rented for around 20 yuan/hour).

Day 5

Place & Transport: Xian
Today's Activities: Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses(include golf carts), Bell Tower, The Big wild Goose Pagoda, Tang Dynasty Show
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: Spend today visiting some marvelous historical sites in and around this most ancient of cities, which was the national capital for over 1,000 years, and the starting point of the Silk Road. Despite a lot of modern development Xi'an remains a charming city, and you'll enjoy visiting the Bell Tower, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Then out to see the incredible Terra cotta Warriors. This evening there's an option to go to the colorful Tang Dynasty Show at Tang Yuegong, which features songs and dances from the Tang period.

Day 6

Place & Transport: Xian to Chongqing to Yangtze, Flight No. TBA
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Xian), Airport to Cruise pier transfer (Chongqing), Departs Chongqing at 10:00pm., Shaanxi Historical Museum, Ciqikou Old Town
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Dinner
Detailed Itinerary: Spend the morning at one of the best museums in China, the Shaanxi Historical Museum. Among the 400,000 items on display are treasures from many of the Dynasties, including some magnificent bronzes and porcelain, many of which have never been on permanent display before. After a simple lunch at a local restaurant you'll fly Chongqing. On arrival enjoy a tour to Ciqikou Old Town, with its old wooden houses, local pier and tea houses. After dinner at a local restaurant you'll be transferred to the pier to board your luxury Yangtze River cruise ship, ready for your cruise along the mighty Yangtze, said to be the cradle of Chinese civilization.

Day 7

Place & Transport: Yangtze
Today's Activities: Shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City (8:00-10:00am).

Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner
Detailed Itinerary: The 'Ten Thousand Li River' goes by many local names, and to the Chinese it is simply Chang Jiang (Long River). The old saying goes "If you haven't traveled up Chang Jiang, you haven't been anywhere" because the river winds through some of China's most spectacular scenery. This morning you'll disembark at Shibaozhai, a 12 storey red wooden pagoda which rests against the rock wall, where you can also climb up the spiral staircase to the top for a panoramic view of the winding river, the village and the countryside. In the late afternoon, you have the option of visiting the temples of White Emperor City (Baidi City).

Day 8

Place & Transport: Yangtze
Today's Activities: Shore excursion to Shennong Stream(1:30pm-5:30pm).

Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch, Chinese Dinner
Detailed Itinerary: Today, in the western Wu Shan (Witch Mountains) you'll enter the world-famous Three Gorges, and enjoy a 4-hour "soft adventure" to the 60 km tributary, Shennong Stream. As you travel in a smaller boat up the newly created waterways between well-wooded hills and sheer cliffs you can see enjoy spectacular scenery, and see a clearly visible hanging coffin. Later, you'll be transferred to an armada of "peapod" boats (small open sampans) manned by a team of rowers. As the stream becomes shallower they'll tow the boat by rope to the top of small rapids.

Day 9

Place & Transport: Yangtze to Yichang to Shanghai, Flight No. TBA
Today's Activities: Airport Transfer (Yichang), Airport to Hotel Transfer (Shanghai), Shore excursion to The Three Gorges Dam Site. Arrive in Yichang at 1:00pm.
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: After an early breakfast the shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam site provides a different kind of photo opportunity. After a farewell lunch on board our local guide will meet you and escort you to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. You'll be bet in Shanghai, and our guide will provide a brief introduction during the drive to the Shanghai Ocean Hotel. The rest of the day is your own, to explore this, the largest city in China, with its phenomenal mixture of space-age buildings, gorgeous shops, and the remnants of the old Concession areas Nanjing Road and the Bund. Shanghai has a buzz that is all its own!

Day 10

Place & Transport: Shanghai
Today's Activities: Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai Museum, Jade Buddha Temple, Oriental Pearl TV Tower
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
Detailed Itinerary: Today you visit the lovely old Yuyuan Garden, the Shanghai Museum, which has rivals the Shaanxi Museum in Xi'an and is well worth a visit, the Jade Buddha Temple, and the famous Oriental TV Tower (also known as the Pearl Tower, for its distinctive shape). The second-highest platform provides wonderful views over Shanghai and the Huang Pu River, and those with a good head for heights can choose to buy a ticket to continue on to the very top.

Day 11

Place & Transport: Depart Shanghai, Flight not included
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Shanghai)
Meals: Breakfast
Detailed Itinerary: Your time is your own, until you are ready to be transferred to the airport for your departure.

Note: If you choose to stay on in Shanghai for a few extra days, or arrive a few days early in Beijing, please let us know, and we'd be happy to extend your hotel bookings, or arrange additional tours for you.