3 Gorges Tour

15 Days to Beijing, Chongqing, Yangtze River Tour, Suzhou, & Shanghai

“Sometimes you have to stop and smell the roses,” this itinerary is a slower paced, and leisurely scheduled. It is perfect for those who like to stop and “smell the roses”, taking in the activities of the day with a few hours rest in their hotel, or exploring the local area; A perfect Itinerary for the retired, or those who like leisurely type of trips. The unique quality of this tour is the combination of its land tour and cruise tour on the Yangtze River. The cruise will go through the Three Gorges Dam, and let you experience the process of going from a higher level of water to a lower level within 3 day 2 nights on a 3/ 4-deck ship. You will also get to visit the famous sights in all the cities, visit a Chinese School, attend a Tang Dynasty dinner show, acrobatic show, etc. You will learn about China’s 5000-year history, culture and people’s life today.

Day 1: International flight from U.S. to Beijing. Meals will be served in flight.

Day 2: Arrive in Beijing; your tour guide will pick you up at the gate. Once our car takes you to the hotel and check in, the rest of your evening is free.

Day 3: In the morning visit the magnificent Temple of Heaven, the largest temple and altar complex in China, where the Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasty worshipped Heaven and prayed for good harvests. After lunch a city tours of Beijing to the center of the city -Tianan-Men Square – the largest open plaza in the world accommodating half a million people at one time. Explore the Forbidden City (Palace Museum), the former Imperial Palace for the 24 Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In the evening, attend a welcome banquet of Peking duck. (BLD)

Day 4: Today you will be a “true hero”, as chairman Mao has once said “you will not be a true hero until you climbed the Great Wall of China. Morning explore the Great Wall of China – one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. On the way back visit the jade factory to see how jade is carved. After lunch drive through the city to get a view of the Olympic village, then come back to the hotel to rest. At night, see the amazing Chinese Acrobatic Show. (BLD)

Day 5: Visit the 800 year-old Summer Palace with the largest garden in China. Here, the royal family of the Qing dynasty came to spend relaxing summers and handle government affairs. Visit Beijing Olympic Village, the Bird nest. Take photos and have fun. (Night Sleeper Train to Zhengzhou). (BLD)

Day 6: Xi’an, which was also known as Changan, was a major ancient capital and has more than 3,000 years of history.

In Xi’an, you will visit the famous Museum of the Terra-Cotta Legion, built as a memorial to Qin Shihuang, the first emperor to unite China. The 8,000 men clay army of warriors and horsemen, complete with weapons, was ordered by the emperor as a young man, and took decades to complete. After lunch walk on the well-preserved Xian city wall and get a bird’s eye view of the city. Enjoy the local specialty special dumpling dinner, followed by a traditional Tang Dynasty Dance Show. (BLD)

Day 7: In the morning, see the Wild Goose Pagoda – a Buddhist pagoda where one of the many functions is to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that was brought from India. In the afternoon visit the Shanxi History Museum, where you will see a showcase of ancient civilizations of the Shan Xi province. Being one of the cities inside Shan Xi province, Xian City was the capital city in thirteen dynasties that in total lasted over 1100 years. Since this museum was opened to the public in 1991, its architectural buildings, internal apparatus, and exhibits have made it famous as a first-class museum in China. (BLD)

Day 8: Morning flight from Xian to Chongqing. Visit the Panda Zoo, where you can see China’s famous Panda playing. Then take a cable car overhead to see the Yangtze River below, followed by a dinner then board for a 4/5 – star cruise on the Yangtze River. (BLD)

Day 9-11: On board the 4/5-star cruise (BLD)

Day 9: Morning shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City; back to the ship before lunch.

Day 10: Shenlong Stream excursion: change to a smaller
boat to see the lesser three gorges; back before dinner.

Day 11: Morning shore excursion to see the Big Dam.
Disembark cruise in Yichang before lunch. Bus tour of Yichang; flight to Shanghai bus to Suzhou (city close by Shanghai known as the Venice of the East) for an overnight stay.

Day 12: Visit a local high school or university for a cultural exchange in the morning. Tour their schools, make friends and exchange emails. After lunch, tour Suzhou on a boat through the canals, as this is the best way to see the traditional Suzhou. Afterward, visit the silk factory and see how silk is made.

Day 13: A visit to the Lingering Garden, originally a classical private garden, it is now one of the four famous gardens in China. After lunch in Suzhou, drive to Shanghai. In Shanghai walk along the bund, the famous waterfront, also the center of Shanghai that houses the business commerce of the city. At night board the Huangpu River Cruise to see the night view along the bund. (BLD)

Day 14: In the morning visit the Jade Buddha Temple, then in the afternoon take a view up to the Oriental TV Tower in the observation level, about 350m from the ground, or from the antenna 468m from the ground – it’s the worlds 3rd tallest TV tower. In the afternoon last chance for shopping on the famous Nanjing Road, the road is lined up with stores, including Americanized restaurants you can choose for your dinner. (BL)

Day 15: sadly we have to say goodbye to friends in China, but will always remember the wonderful memories. Board the International flight back home. (B)