Chinese Cultural and Waterways Tour

Depart U.K

Arrive in Beijing: On arrive you will be met and transferred to your hotel. (-/-/-)

Beijing: Full day of sightseeing, including: the Tiananmen Square in the center of Beijing, which is said to be the biggest square in the world. It is 880 meters from north to south, and 500 meters from east. Lying at the center of Beijing, the Forbidden City, called Gu Gong in Chinese, was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Now, it is known as the Palace Museum. The Summer Palace in northwest suburban Beijing is the largest and most complete imperial garden existing in China. It was first built in the 12th century as an imperial palace.

Beijing: Tour to the Great Wall and Ding Mauseleum. Mutianyu Great Wall winds 1.4 miles through lofty mountains and high ridges, many sections of which are made of granite. The unique structure makes the wall almost indestructible. Here in Dingling (Ding Mausoleum) lie buried Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and his two empresses. The mausoleum was first built in 1584 and completed in 1590.

Shanghai: Transfer to airport for flight to Shanghai where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. 3 nights accommodation in Shanghai. (Standard 4 star hotel - Best Western New Century Hotel **** or the same class or Deluxe 4 star hotel - Hotel Equatorial Shanghai or the same class.)

Shanghai: Full day tour. Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, Nanjing Road and the Bund.

The Jade Buddha Temple in west Shanghai was built to house two jade Buddha statues, brought all the way from Burma by a monk. Yu Garden, a classical garden in downtown Shanghai, boasts a history over 400 years. Each pavilion, hall, stone and stream in the garden is expressing the quintessence of South China landscape design from Ming and Qing Dynasty. Located along the Huangpu River, the Bund shows off Shanghai's outstanding foreign buildings, most of which were erected before 1937.

Nanjing Road is the main shopping street of Shanghai and one of the world's busiest shopping streets.

Shanghai: Private car to Suzhou. Visit the Lingering Garden, Tiger Hill, Grand Canal Cruise and Silk Factory. Lingering Garden is one of the four most famous gardens in China. The garden was first built in the 21st year of the reign of Wanli (1593) by Xu Taishi as his private residence. Tiger Hill, known also as Surging Sea Hill, is a large hillock covering some1,4100 square metres (over three acres) and is 36 metres (118 feet) in height. Climbing the hill, you will find a number of historical sites some of which can be traced back over 2500 years to the founding of Suzhou. The Grand Canal, or the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal, was a giant irrigation project of ancient China. With a history of over 1,400 years and a length of 1,794 kilometers, it is one of the world's oldest canals and is the longest man-made river in the world.

Yi Chang: Transfer to airport for your flight to Yichang, where you will be met and transferred to the pier to join your 4 star cruise.

Yangtze River: Three Gorges cruise on the Yangtze River.

Yangtze River: Three Gorges cruise.

Yangtze River: Three Gorges cruise.

Xian: Arrive Chongqing. You will be met and transferred to the airport for the flight to Xian where you will be met by one of our representatives on arrival. Half-day tour to the City Wall and Big Wild Goose Pagoda. The City Wall of Xian is the most complete one that has survived in China, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. Big Wild Goose Pagoda, situated in the Da Ci'en Temple, is one of the famous Buddhist pagodas in China about 4 kilometers from the urban center.

2 nights accommodation in Xian. (Standard 4 star hotel - Mandarin Hotel**** or the same class or Deluxe 4 star hotel - Mercure on Renmin Square **** or the same class)

Xian Tour to the Terracotta Warriors and Shannxi Historial Museum. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. The Shaanxi History Museum is a museum located in Xi'an , China , housing over 300,000 items (murals, paintings, pottery, coins; bronze, gold, and silver objects).

Guilin : Transfer to airport for flight to Guilin where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. 2 nights accommodation in Guilin. (Standard 4 star hotel - Guilin Park Hotel **** or the same class or Deluxe 4 star hotel - Guilin Bravo Hotel **** or the same class)

Li River: Li River Cruise to Yangshuo. Lunch will be included on board. The 83-km-long waterway from Guilin to Yangshuo boasts the largest and most beautiful scenic area in China. The landscape is decorated with rolling hills, steep cliffs, fantastic caves, and lined with bamboo.

Hong Kong: Transfer to airport for flight to Hong Kong where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. 2 nights accommodation in HKG. Standard 4 star Hotel - InterContinental Grand Stanford 5 star Hotel - Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel.

Hong Kong: Half-day Hong Kong Island Orientation Coach Tour

Depart from Hong Kong

Arrive in the U.K.