China, Tibet & the Yangtze 2010 - About this Tour

Tour Details | Departure Dates and Pricing

Details

• Duration (with arrival/departure): 15
• Tour Style: Discovery
• Destinations: Beijing, Xi'an, Lhasa, Yangtze River Cruise, Shanghai

Itinerary

• Day 1 - Depart USA Depart from your home gateway city, bound for Beijing.



• Day 2 - Arrive Beijing (3 nights) Welcome to Beijing! On arrival at Beijing Capital International Airport, you will be met by a Trafalgar representative and escorted to your hotel.
  
  Hotel: Sofi tel Wanda



• Day 3 - Beijing sightseeing Your first full day in Beijing takes in many of the major sites, such as historic Tiananmen Square and the ancient Forbidden City, a 250-acre compound of palaces, pavilions, courtyards and gardens. Visit the Summer Palace, a grand complex of majestic buildings and superbly designed gardens, considered among the most beautiful classic gardens in China. This evening, indulge in a traditional Peking Duck Dinner. (Buffet breakfast / Lunch / Highlight dinner)



• Day 4 - Beijing sightseeing & The Great Wall See the sites of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and walk along the Great Wall, which has been built, rebuilt and maintained over thousands of years. After this memorable experience, walk along the Sacred Way, a tree-lined avenue bordered by massive animal sculptures guarding the Ming Tombs. In the evening, enjoy a performance at the Beijing Opera and a traditional Chinese tea service. (Buffet breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)



• Day 5 - Beijing sightseeing – Xi'an (2 nights) Ride in a rickshaw for a behind-the-scenes tour of the hutongs, the ancient alleyways located in the old residential area of Beijing. Enjoy a Chinese Home-Hosted Highlight Lunch with a local family before flying to Xi’an. Tonight, be treated to a sumptuous Traditional Dumpling Dinner. (Buffet breakfast / Highlight lunch / Highlight dinner)
  
  Hotel: Sofi tel Xi’an on Renmin Square



• Day 6 - Xi'an sightseeing Examine the life-sized, awe-inspiring Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses, and then visit Xi’an’s ancient City Wall. In the evening, be treated to a Tang Dynasty Dinner and cultural show. (Buffet breakfast / Lunch / Highlight dinner)
  



• Day 7 - Xi’an – Lhasa (3 nights) Fly to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, which has a fascinating history dating back more than 1,300 years. The former seat of the Dalai Lama, Lhasa embodies the culture of Tibetan Buddhism. (Buffet breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)
  
  Hotel: Brahmaputra Grand Hotel



• Day 8 - Lhasa sightseeing See the early Buddhist Da Zhao Temple, which is embellished with Nepalese and Indian touches and capped by a golden canopy. Next, visit the Tibet Museum, which houses a rich collection of cultural relics. Catch a glimpse into the life of the local people with a visit to a Lhasa family’s home, and cap the day with a Highlight Dinner and traditional folk show. (Buffet breakfast / Lunch / Highlight dinner)



• Day 9 - Lhasa sightseeing Marvel at Lhasa’s Potala Palace, perched atop Red Mountain. Gaze at its jewel collections and wander the chapels as pilgrims make offerings at the altars. Later, visit the Sera Monastery with its perfectly preserved murals and Maitreya, Bodhisattva and Arhat statuary. (Buffet breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)



• Day 10 - Lhasa – Chongqing sightseeing – Yangtze River cruise (3 nights) Fly to Chongqing for a tour of the city and a visit to the giant pandas at the zoo. Then board your elegant Victoria Cruises ship and settle in for a 3-night cruise down the Yangtze River. (Buffet breakfast / Lunch / Highlight dinner)



• Day 11 - Cruising the Yangtze River Depending on water levels, visit either the “Ghost City” of Fengdu or the port cities of Wanzhou or Shibaozhai with its twelve-story wooden pagoda. This evening, join the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail Party. (Buffet breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)



• Day 12 - Cruising the Yangtze River Cruise through the Qutang and Wu Gorges, the Lesser Gorges and the Three Gorges Dam locks. This evening, enjoy the Captain’s Farewell Dinner. (Buffet breakfast / Lunch / Farewell dinner)



• Day 13 - Cruising the Yangtze River Visit the construction site of the world’s largest hydroelectric plant, the Three Gorges Dam. Disembark in Yichang and fly to Shanghai. (Buffet breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)
  
  Hotel: Regal International East Asia Hotel



• Day 14 - Shanghai sightseeing Tour the many splendors of Shanghai. Stroll along the Bund, Shanghai’s famed waterfront promenade, visit the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and the Old Shanghai Museum, and savor a Traditional Dim Sum Lunch at a local restaurant. This evening, enjoy an evening performance of the amazing Shanghai Acrobats. (Buffet breakfast / Highlight lunch / Dinner)



• Day 15 - Depart Shanghai You willl be transferred to Shanghai Pudong International Airport for your return flight home, or continue your vacation with our popular extension to Hong Kong. (Buffet breakfast)
  
  Note: Substitute visits to other sights along the Yangtze River may occur depending on water levels or other uncontrollable factors.
  
  



• Extend your vacation with this exciting post-tour optional extension Hong Kong
  
  Discover the vibrance of cosmopolitan Hong Kong. Included in your 4-day/3-night extension:
  
  • Breakfast daily
  • 3 nights at the Deluxe Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers (or similar)
  • Flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong
  • All transfers
  • Hong Kong half-day city tour


Depart USAArrive Beijing Beijing sightseeingBeijing sightseeing & The Great WallBeijing sightseeing – Xi'an Xi'an sightseeingXi’an – Lhasa Lhasa sightseeingLhasa sightseeingLhasa – Chongqing sightseeing – Yangtze River cruise Cruising the Yangtze RiverCruising the Yangtze RiverCruising the Yangtze RiverShanghai sightseeingDepart ShanghaiExtend your vacation with this exciting post-tour optional extension

Whats Included

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Sightseeing Highlights

• Beijing: Visit Tiananmen Square. Tour the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. See the sites of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Stroll along the Sacred Way, home to the Ming Tombs. Enjoy an evening at the Peking Opera. Be treated to a traditional Chinese tea service. Explore the hutongs by rickshaw. Glimpse into local life during a visit to a family’s home.
• Great Wall: Walk this wonder of the ancient world.
• Xi'an: Explore the excavations of the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses. Visit the famous City Wall. Attend a Tang Dynasty cultural show.
• Lhasa: Enjoy a three-day visit to the capital of Tibet. View the Da Zhao Temple. Visit the Tibet Museum. Glimpse into the life of local people during a visit to a family’s home. Attend a traditional folk show. Explore the Potala Palace. Visit the Sera Monastery.
• Yangtze River Cruise: Sail along the Yangtze River through the Three Gorges. Visit either Fengdu, Wanzhou or Shibaozhai. Voyage down one of the Lesser Gorges aboard a small riverboat. Visit the site of the Three Gorges Dam.
• Shanghai: Stroll the famed Bund waterfront promenade. Tour Old Town. Visit the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and the Old Shanghai Museum. Attend a performance of the Shanghai Acrobats.
• Chongqing: Tour the city and stop at the zoo to view the giant pandas.

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Dining Highlights

• 13 buffet breakfasts
• 10 lunches
• 7 dinners
• Chinese home-hosted highlight lunch with a local family in Beijing
• Traditional dim sum highlight lunch in Shanghai
• 5 highlight dinners in Beijing, Xi’an, Lhasa and aboard ship on the Yangtze River

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First Class Travel Highlights

• Superior to Deluxe hotel accommodation includes two-bedded rooms with private facilities, all hotel service charges and local taxes.
• 3-night luxury Yangtze River cruise in a Standard Stateroom with private balcony onboard Victoria Cruises’ Victoria Anna.
• The services of one of Trafalgar’s top professional Tour Directors.
• Qualified local English-speaking guides throughout the tour.
• All domestic flights within China: Beijing - Xi’an - Lhasa - Chongqing and Yichang - Shanghai.
• All transportation and airport transfers on Day 2 and 15.
* Ship subject to change

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Please Note:
Guaranteed roomshare is not available on this tour.

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