| 15 Days Beijing - Xi'an - Luxury Yangtze Cruise - Yunnan (Tour code: CH1503) | |
| Themes:History, culture, nature, minorities | |
| Destinations: Beijing - Shaanxi Xi'an - Hubei Yichang - Yangtze River Cruise - Chongqing - Yunnan Lijiang - Shangri-la | |
| please contact us for group price |  |
| Destination | Beijing |
| Activities | Our group arrives in Beijing, where we meet with our guide, and begin our sightseeing programme immediately at the Summer Palace to see the beautiful grounds and also see the Long Corridor and the Marble Boat. Later we leave the busy street and go on a Hutong rickshaw tour to experience what all of Beijing used to look like. The Hutongs are Beijing's traditional houses. Later we check-in at our hotel and rest. |
| Attractions | Summer Palace, Hutong Rickshaw Tour |
| Meals | Lunch |
| Accommodation | 3* hotel |
| Destination | Beijing |
| Activities | We begin our day at the Temple of Heaven, both to see the beautiful landmark building dating back to 1420, and also to experience the lively park surrounding the temple, where people come to do Tai Chi and other morning activities. Later we visit a pearl shop before we stroll across Tian'anmen Square and on to the Forbidden City, a marvel of Ming Dynasty architecture. In the afternoon we return to the hotel. |
| Attractions | Temple of Heaven, Tian'anmen Square, Forbidden City |
| Meals | Breakfast and lunch |
| Accommodation | 3* hotel |
| Destination | Beijing - night train |
| Activities | After breakfast we check out and head to the Great Wall of China at the Mutianyu Section to see this stunning 6000 kilometer long man-made construction. We take the cable car up and enjoy the fantastic wall. Before returning to downtown Beijing we visit a silk shop, and if time permits we spend some time at one of the local markets where you can buy all sorts of souvenirs. In the evening we go to the train station to catch our soft sleeper train to Xi’an. |
| Attractions | Great Wall at Mutianyu |
| Meals | Breakfast and lunch |
| Accommodation | Night train, soft sleeper berths |
| Destination | Xi'an |
| Activities | In the morning we arrive in Xi’an, and after meeting with our local guide there is time to find breakfast on your own before we drive out of town to visit the breathtaking Terracotta Army, built by hundreds of thousands of people in 221 B.C. by order of Emperor Qin. On the way we stop at a factory making replicas of these impressive clay figures. After having seen what by many is named the most important archeological find of the 20th century we return to downtown Xi'an and check-in. |
| Attractions | Terracotta Army |
| Meals | Lunch |
| Accommodation | 4* hotel |
| Destination | Xi'an |
| Activities | Today we take in all of Xi'an's famous sights; the City Wall, a jade shop, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, the Bell Tower and Drum Tower square, which we walk across to reach the lively Muslim Quarter. The Muslim Quarter comes to life in the afternoon when venfors set up shop in the street. In here we also watch a short shadow puppet performance inside an old courtyard, before returning to the hotel. |
| Attractions | City Wall, Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Bell and Drum Tower Square, Muslim Quarter, Shadow Puppet Performance |
| Meals | Breakfast and lunch |
| Accommodation | 4* hotel |
| Destination | Xi'an - Yangtze River |
| Activities | Today we embark on a journey that will take us to the Yangtze River. We go by high-speed train to Wuhan where we change to another high-speed train for Yichang. Yichang is the port city where our cruise ship awaits. We arrive in Yichang in the afternoon and have time for a little pre-cruise shopping before we board our ship. |
| Attractions | Yangtze River |
| Meals | Breakfast and dinner |
| Accommodation | 5* M.S. Yangtze Gold |
| Destination | Yangtze River |
| Activities | We are now on board our cruise ship. Ship routines are often slightly different from cruise line to cruise line, but our Luxury 5* M.S. Gold Yangtze Cruise is amongst the very best on the river. Cabins are 25 square meters (225 square feet) with private bathroom and balcony and the ship offers many activities. Every day we will go on an excursion according to the ship schedule. |
| Attractions | Yangtze River |
| Meals | Breakfast, lunch and dinner |
| Accommodation | 5* M.S. Yangtze Gold |
| Destination | Yangtze River |
| Activities | Excursions and activities according to ship’s schedule (today usually Qutang Gorges). You should also make sure to check out the ship's many activities, such as massage, library, bar and much more. |
| Attractions | Yangtze River |
| Meals | Breakfast, lunch and dinner |
| Accommodation | 5* M.S. Yangtze Gold |
| Destination | Yangtze River |
| Activities | Excursions and activities according to ship’s schedule (today usually Fengdu Ghost Town where it is said that the souls of the departed must pass to enter the afterlife). Tonight we will begin our approach to Chongqing's port, so make sure to get out on deck and see the impressive city's light at night. |
| Attractions | Yangtze River |
| Meals | Breakfast, lunch and dinner |
| Accommodation | 5* Yangtze Gold |
| Destination | Yangtze River - Lijiang |
| Activities | After disembarkation in the morning we drive straight to the airport to fly to Lijiang in Yunnan Province. Lijiang is located high up in the mountains north of the provincial capital of Kunming, an area home to many minority groups. After arrival we drive to Black Dragon Pool to see some of Lijiang's world-famous scenery, and then on to the Dongba Minority Museum, before we check-in at our hotel at the beginning of Lijiang Ancient Town. |
| Attractions | Black Dragon Pool, Dongba Minority Museum, Ljiang Ancient Town |
| Meals | Breakfast and lunch |
| Accommodation | 4* hotel |
| Destination | Lijiang |
| Activities | In the morning we travel by cable up to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain to see the incredible views of Yunnan's stunning nature. We're back in Lijiang sometime after lunch, and the rest of the day is free to relax or explore Lijiang's fascinating Old Town on your own. |
| Attractions | Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Lijiang Old Town |
| Meals | Breakfast and lunch |
| Accommodation | 4* hotel |
| Destination | Lijiang - Shangri-la |
| Activities | We head farther up into the mountains and also deeper into Tibetan territory as we drive to Shangri-la. On the way we stop and visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge, and then continue to Shangri-la Ancient Town, a largely Tibetan town surrounded by lush nature. Inside the old town we see the Guishan Prayer Wheel, the largest such wheel in this part of the world. Later we check in at our hotel and rest. |
| Attractions | Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shangri-la Old Town, Guishan Prayer Wheel |
| Meals | Breakfast and lunch |
| Accommodation | 3* hotel |
| Destination | Shangri-la |
| Activities | Today we visit the Pudacuo National Park to enjoy more of the amazing landscape, before we later visit a Tibetan family to see how the locals live up here, far away from any major cities. The rest of the day is free to explore Shangri-la on your own. |
| Attractions | Pudacuo National Park, Tibetan family home visit |
| Meals | Breakfast and lunch |
| Accommodation | 3* hotel |
| Destination | Shangri-la - Chongqing |
| Activities | After breakfast we visit the active Songzanlin Temple, one of the most important temples of Tibetan Buddhism outside Tibet itself. Later we continue to beautiful Napa Lake, before we drive to the airport and to fly to Chongqing. After arrival we check in at our hotel and rest. |
| Attractions | Songzanlin Temple, Napa Lake |
| Meals | Breakfast and lunch |
| Accommodation | 4* hotel |
| Destination | Chongqing - home |
| Activities | After breakfast we have free time until it is time to go to the airport. After check-in formalities it is time to begin our journey home after a spectacular trip through China. |
| Attractions | None |
| Meals | Breakfast |
| Accommodation | Not incl. |
| Price information | |
Please contact us for group price.
Luxury upgrade: available
Luxury Upgrade Policy: A luxury upgrade option is available with many of our tours. In accordance with our quality benchmark, upgrade options are divided into four categories: 1. Available - upgrade possible at all destinations in tour itinerary. 2. Partially available - upgrade not possible at one or more destnations in tour itinerary. 3. Not recommended - available or partially available, but not recommended (see Hotel Policy). 4. Not available - luxury upgrades are not possible on many of our trademark specialty tours to remote or developing regions. These tours are deeply genuine and authentic.
Keeping our guests' comfort in mind, we prefer to stay in a 2* or 3* hotel in or close to the attraction, rather than a 4* or 5* hotel much further away. Genuine China Tours' all-encompassing hotel policy is that we will never pick a hotel only because of its price. All our partner hotels must live up to a strict quality test that includes: 1. Geographical location - the location of our chosen hotel is of great importantce, both in large cities, where traffic congestion can play a vital role in the handling of the tour, and also on tours to remote villages, where the right choice of village or hotel can mean a world of difference to the tour. 2. Quality of hotel - including room size and cleanliness, quality of breakfast, ease of getting in/out and more. 3. Local environment - local environment should include local sights (when possible), be in the vicinity of local markets/night markets (if any) and have access to shops and convenience stores (if any). 4. Design and layout of hotel - we prefer hotels with history and atmosphere, especially if these have relevance with the sight(s) at the destination. 5. Value for money - any hotel must pass requirements 1-3 and 5. If a hotel passes all five requirements it becomes a Priority Hotel. |
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| Price including |
International tour leader for duration of the tour Local English-speaking guides at all destinations Domestic flights as in itinerary Train travel as in itinerary All ground transportation in bus All entrances, cruises and shows as listed in itinerary Tips for guides and drivers Travel agency responsibility insurance All government taxes |
| Price not including |
Flights to/from China Personal expenses Anything not listed in itinerary |
| Important tour information |
Detailed tour information will be sent upon request. Please note that the more information you can give us about the group(s) you plan, the more accurate can we make the quotation and detailed tour information. We offer a wide range of services at all prices, but all of them bear our quality touch. Please get in touch with one of our expert tour designers with any questions you have - We know. We've been. |
| Genuine China Tours is an officially registered travel agency operating under the laws of the People’s Republic of China. Guests are required to follow rules and regulations set forth by existing laws of the country, including behavior respectful of local customs and manners. Tour designs and quotations may not be used in connection with other travel agencies. Genuine China Tours cannot be held responsible for any inconvenience caused by weather, traffic, government policies or other situations outside GCTs control. |