21 Days Enjoy the Scenic Yunnan and Mighty Yangtze River

Summary

Itinerary Highlight
Day 1 Arrive in Beijing
Day 2 Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Beijing National Olympic Stadium
Day 3 Beijing: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Peking Roast Duck Lunch, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace
Day 4 Beijing-Xian: Nanluoguxiang, Beijing to Xian by high-speed train
Day 5 Xian: Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum, Drum & Bell Tower, Tang Dynasty Show, Dumpling Banquet
Day 6 Xian-Guilin: Xian to Guilin by Flight, Xi'an Ancient City Wall, Big Goose Pagoda
Day 7 Guilin-Longsheng: Guilin to Longsheng, Longji Rice Terrace Scenic Area, Minority Village
Day 8 Guilin: Li River Cruise,West Street
Day 9 Guilin-Kunming: Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill, Guilin to Kunming
Day 10 Kunming-Dali: Kunming to Dali by Flight, Erhai Lake Cruise, Dali Ancient Town
Day 11 Dali-Lijiang: Dali to Lijiang by car, Lijiang Ancient Town
Day 12 Lijiang: Yulong Snow Mountain, Yufeng Temple, Baisha Mural
Day 13 Lijiang to Shangri-la
Day 14 Shangri-la: Songzanlin Lamasery, Potatso National Park
Day 15 Shangri-la to Kunming by Fliht:Stone Forest
Day 16 Kunming-Chongqing: Kunming to Chongqing by Flight, Three Gorges Museum
Day 17 Yangtze River Cruise: Yangtze Cruise, Fengdu, Mingshan Hill, Shibaozhai
Day 18 Yangtze River Cruise: Daning River Small Gorges, Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, White Emperor City
Day 19 Yichang-Shanghai: Three Gorges Dam, Xiling Gorge, Yichang Museum, Fly to Shanghai
Day 20 Shanghai: Yuyuan Garden & Bazaar, Shanghai Museum, Nanjing Road, The Bund, Huangpu River Night Cruise
Day 21 Shanghai Depature 

Day 1 Arrive in Beijing

Upon on your arrival, our guide will meet you at Beijing Airport with a welcome signage "China Private Tour". And then, drive you to your hotel in Beijing downtown. The rest day is free on your own to explore the city or recover the jetlag.

Day 2 Beijing

In the morning, our guide will pick you up at your hotel lobby. Your tour starts with visiting Mutianyu Great Wall, it about 70KM far way from downtown. There is an old saying "If you haven't climbed the Great Wall, you haven't seen China." Many of your friends who visited China before might have told you this. It is indeed an experience of life. As one of the best-preserved parts of the Great Wall, Mutianyu section of Great Wall used to serve as the northern barrier defending the capital and the imperial tombs. It's known for its beautiful surroundings - dense woods and rich pastures changing colors with the seasons of a year. 

Your lunch is offered near the Great Wall in a local Chinese restaurant.

After lunch, the Sacred Way, affiliated with the Ming Tombs, is a main attractions arranged for you. The Ming Tombs lie in Changping County, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) northwest from the urban area of Beijing. It is actually a tomb cluster of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), including thirteen emperor's mausoleums, seven tombs for concubines and one grave for eunuchs.  

On the way back to your hotel, you are fortunately to pass by the famous Bird's nest and the Water Cube. You can take their exterior photography photographs to keep track of the two grand constructions and leave a pleasant memory here.

Day 3 Beijing

In the morning, our guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at appointed time. The first place for Beijing is Tiananmen Square, Tiananmen Square is the geographical center of Beijing City. It is the largest city square in the world, occupying an area of 440,000 square meters (about 109 acres), and able to accommodate 1,000,000 people at one time.

After sightseeing, walk into the Tiananmen you will meet the one of the world’s 5 most important palaces – Forbidden City. The Forbidden City, also named the Palace Museum, shares the honor of being one of five world-famous palaces with the Palace of Versailles in France, Buckingham Palace in England, the White House in the U.S. and the Kremlin in Russia.

Have lunch at the local famous Peking Roast Duck restaurant, taste the most famous duck in Beijing and try some local cuisine in Beijing.Roast duck — or Peking Duck, as it's often known — has been served in Beijing for around 600 years, according to Liu. First served by palace chefs during the Ming dynasty, it has royal pedigree.

In the afternoon, drive about 6km to next imperial site - Temple of Heaven. The temple was constructed in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and was enlarged during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It is the grandest cult architecture complex in the world and a masterpiece of the Chinese people created in ancient times. It covers 2,700,000 square meters (667 acres). Emperors of the two dynasties used to worship the heaven and pray for rich harvests, as the feudal emperors thought they were the son of the heaven. 

At last, you will head to visit Summer Palace, it is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces in Beijing, China. It serves as a popular tourist destination and recreational park. Mainly dominated by Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, it covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometres (1.1 sq mi), three-quarters of which is water.  After 1949, the Summer Palace briefly housed the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China. Many of Mao Zedong's friends and key figures in the Communist Party, such as Liu Yazi and Jiang Qing, also lived there. Since 1953, many major restoration and renovation works have been done on the Summer Palace, which is now open to the public as a tourist attraction and park.

After dinner, you will be taken back to your hotel.

Day 4 Beijing-Xian

In the morning, check out from your hotel. Our guide will take you to start the Beijing hutong tour. Hutong is a window into Beijing folk life. Drive you to Nanluoguxiang Hutong, it's one of the best preserved historical areas in downtown Beijing, is famous for its hutong and siheyuan courtyards. Recently the popularity of Nanluoguxiang has increased noticeably with tourist numbers on the rise after 2008 Olympic Games. You will do a short walking along the authentic Beijing Hutong. Will give you a deep impression of the local residents’ live. You will have lunch at local family, to taste the home cooking style.

After lunch, transferred to Beijing West Train Station for the train to Xi'an. It takes around 5 hours. 

Once arrived at Xi'an train station, you will be greeted by our guide at the exit of the train station with a welcome signage “China Private Tour". Our guide will take you have a dinner at local restaurant. After dinner, you will be taken back to your hotel in Xian.

Overnight in Xian.

Day 5 Xian

In the morning, our guide will meet you at the pointed time. Today, you will visit the highlights of Xi'an city.

Firstly, drive you to Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses Museum, it known as “the eighth Wonders of the world”, the museum shows a surprisingly high level in sculpture which is listed as the most significant discovery of the 20th century. Up to now, there has discovered a total of 179 accompanying burial pits of different connotations and various shapes in Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum area. The discovery of these pits has provided all important significance in the research of the burial system of the Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum, the characteristics structures and characteristics of the burial pits. However, what makes people feel amazing is that of all the burial pits, none has been found survived from being burnt down. 

Your lunch is arranged at local restaurant with tasting local cuisine. Such as Liangpi, it is made from rice, this cold noodle dish is a summer favourite through Shaanxi province as well as other places around China.

After lunch, drive you back to the Xian downtown, keep going to visit the Drum Tower & Bell Tower, which is the largest bell tower in structure and shape and the best-preserved one in China. The Drum and Bell towers located in the center of the ancient city of Xian, are two of its most famous symbols.

At night, you will have a Xi'an Dumpling Dinner, which is famous in Xi'an. Our guide will lead you to Shaanxi Grand Opera House and help you find your seat for the most famous Xi'an Dumpling Dinner within the Opera House.In Xian, a must for visitors to try is the delicious dumplings. While tasting those dumplings, customers will be astonished by the cooks' smart cooking methods include steaming, boiling, pan-frying, deep frying, and roasting. It seems that all of the indigenous meat and vegetables can be used for the dumplings' stuffing, such as pork, mutton, beef as well as celery, radish, cabbages, etc. Nowadays, by the cooks' continuously improving, the dumpling has been one of the local best foods to entertain visitors from home and abroad..

After dinner, you will enjoy the local colorful and splendid Tang Dynasty Dance Show, which is a performance of music and dance that imitate the Tang Dynasty over one thousand-year ago. The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show, a wonderful performance of the ancient music and dance, is a must when you visit Xian.

Drive you back to your hotel.

Day 6 Xian-Guilin

In the morning, first drive you to visit the Ancient City Wall. This wall represents one of the oldest and best preserved Chinese city walls, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. Now it is 12 meters tall, 12-14 meters wide over 14 kilometers in length with a deep moat surrounding it. You can walk, or even cycle on the wall. Its south gate is the largest with a suspension bridge. Most of the tourists choose the south gate for sightseeing. 

Continue to visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, also named Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. It is a Buddhist pagoda located in southern Xi'and became the symbol of the old-line Xi'an. It was built in 652 during the Tang dynasty and originally had five stories. The structure was rebuilt in 704 during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, and its exterior brick facade was renovated during the Ming dynasty. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda attracts numerous visitors for its fame in the Buddhist religion and its simple but appealing style of construction. It is rated as a National Key Cultural Relic Preserve. One of the pagoda's many functions was to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and traveler Xuanzang.

In the afternoon, transfer to Xian airport for your flight to Guilin. Upon arrival, our Guilin local guide will pick you up at the exit of airport with a signage "China Private Tour" and take you to your hotel in Guilin.

Day 7 Guilin-Longsheng

Pick up from your hotel in the morning, drive you to visit Longji Rice Terrace. It takes around 2 hours from Guilin downtown. With trekking for a while, we could see the stunning Longji Terraces. More than 700 years, the brave and smart local residents developed and built the paddies into hillsides surrounding their villages. With such a long history, the area is still being used for growing premium quality rice by Yao and Zhuang villagers. The rice terraces are built into the hillsides and look like great steps cut into the slopes as they wind around the mountainsides, which becomes a great natural view for tourists from all over the world.

Today, you will have a authentic lunch in the minority village to try some local food and know the dinning culture of minority enthnic group.

After lunch, free on your own to explore the Minority Villages and also walk into the rice terraces to take some good pictures. You will have chance to see locals working in the fields, children playing in the village as well as women in national costume weaving or doing needle works under the roof, ect.

Dirve you back to Guilin City at a suitable time. After dinner, you will be taken back to your hotel.

Day 8 Guilin

Today, you will take a cruise along the Li River to enjoy the charming view and explore Yangshuo City. 

In the morning, you will take a boat cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo (5 hours). And you will have a lunch on the boat. From Guilin to Yangshuo, the prominent landforms are karst peak clusters. The Li River flows around these mountains to form valleys. The scenery is the best in Caoping, Yangdi and Xingping. There are beautiful scenes of Nine Horses Fresco Hill, Yellow Cloth Reflection, and Half Side Ferry. The Li River landscape's appearance varies at different times of the year, from different viewpoints, and during different climates. 

Today, you will have a buffet lunch on board.

After disembarkation, we will drive you to see the picturesque countryside of Yangshuo-West Street, it is the oldest street in Yangshuo with a history of more than 1,400 years. Situated at the center of Yangshuo County, the street has become, since the 1980's, a window of eastern and western culture and the biggest 'foreign language center' in China.

Drive you back to your hotel in Guilin.

Day 9 Guilin-Kunming

In the morning, first drive you to visit the Reed Flute Cave. It is a natural limestone cave in Guilin, Guangxi Province of China and has been one of the most interesting attractions for over 1200 years in Guilin. It is also known as "the Palace of Natural Arts". The place is called Reed Flute Cave because of the abundance of reed plants present outside the cave. The reeds are used by the locals to make flutes.

Then, drive you to visit the Elephant Trunk Hill (Xiangbishan), it is regarded as the symbol of Guilin. The name was chosen because the hill looks like a giant elephant dipping its trunk into the river. The green water of Li River in front of it and the clear spring at the foot make Elephant Trunk Hill one of the most famous hills in Guilin City. The Elephant Hill has several features: - Water Moon Cave (Shuiyue dong), Elephant's Eye Stone, and Pagoda for Puxian and Yunfeng Temple.

After lunch, transfer to Guilin Airport to catch your flight to Kunming. Upon on your arrival, our Kunming local guide will meet you at the exit of airport with a welcome sign "China Private Tour", drive you to your hotel. The rest day is free on your own to explore the city.

Day 10 Kunming-Dali

In the morning, you will be transferred to the airport for a short flight to Dali, the ancient political, economic and cultural center of Yunnan area. When you arrive in Dali, head to Erhai Lake where you board your boat and spend a couple of hours cruising on the beautiful fresh water lake. This lake is one of the seven largest lakes in China and is located at 2000m above sea level. It is filled by 18 streams from the Cangshan mountain range behind Dali that gets a good covering of snow every winter. There are several scenic spots around the lake including several islands on the lake itself. 

You will have lunch at local restaurant with authentic food.

Next, drive you back to Dali city center to visit Dali Ancient Town, which is one of famous ancient towns in China. As a major stop on the Ancient Tea Horse Road, or Southwest Silk Road, it is a town full of historic sites and traditional culture. Compared to the Old Town of Lijiang, Dali Ancient Town is smaller, but less crowded and more elegant.

After dinner, you will be taken back to your hotel in Dali.

Day 11 Dali-Lijiang

In the morning, our guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel and drive about 4 hours to Lijiang. Upon on your arrival, our guide will take you to have lunch at local restaurant.

After lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, then explore a well-preserved ancient city - Lijiang Ancient Town. Three old districts in this small city retain a special character of Naxi and Han construction and Naxi customs, arts and culture. It was a former trading town and a stop for traders carrying goods on the “Chama Road” trails. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 following an earthquake and reconstruction in 1996 that returned the city to a more ancient look.

You will be transferred to your hotel after the tour ends.

Day 12 Lijiang

Pick up from your hotel in the morning and drive around half an hour to Yulong Mountain. Yulong Snow Mountain also know as "Jade Dragon Snow Mountain" near Lijiang, in the Yunnan province and has the southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. Looking from the city of Lijiang Old Town in the south which is nine miles (15 kilometers by Asia standards) away, the snow and fog covered mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds, hence the name. 

You will have lunch after Yulong Snow Mountain at a nearby local restaurant.

In the afternoon, pay a visit for Yufeng Temple. The temple is one of the well known lamaseries among five in Lijiang. The highlight of Yufeng temple is a 500 year old Camellia in the Northern courtyard. This tree has an intricate pattern of twisted stems, and shows thousands of flowers. a less respectable age of only 200 years.

Next, visit Baisha Mural. As one of three ancient towns, Baisha has its unique aspect that there are many Mural Paintings in temples. Most of the temples were built from the early days of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and the Mural Paintings were created at the same time, over the course of about 300 hundred years. In Lijiang, it was an era of rapid economic development, mutual acculturation of multinational culture, and the growth of religions. 

After dinner, you will be taken back to your hotel in Lijiang.

Day 13 Lijiang to Shangri-la

In the morning, our guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel and drive about 4 hours to Shangri-la. Upon on your arrival, our guide will take you to have lunch at local restaurant.

After lunch, you will be taken back to your hotel in Shangri-la. The rest day is free on your own to explore Shangri-la.

Day 14 Shangri-la

In the morning, pick up from your hotel. The tour start with visiting the Songzanlin Lamasery. This is the largest Tibetan Buddhist temple complex in Yunnan Province. It is called the Little Potala Palace. In 1993, it was listed as a Key Provincial Protection Unit of Cultural Relics by the government of Yunnan Province.This lamasery was constructed in 1681 by the Dalai Lama. It has a history of over 320 years. It covers an area of 333,333 square meters. The lamasery is built on the slope. It extends from the foot to the top of a mountain, with an imposing and elegant shape. It takes the pattern of the Potala Palace in Lhasa and hence has another name “Small Potala Palace”.

You will have a lunch at local restaurant.

In the afternoon, you will visit Potatso National Park.  It is located in the southern part of the “Three Parallel Rivers” world natural heritage area, which belongs to the Heng Duan Mountain range – the one mountains that goes from North to South in China. The park is about 20 kilometers east from Shangri-La City, with a total of 300 Square kilometers. The highest point of this national park is about 4160 meters above sea level . The lowest point is about 3280 meters above sea level. This is the 1st National Park of China that to meet International Union for Conservation of Nature standards.

After dinner, you will be taken back to your hotel.

Day 15 Shangri-la-Kunming

In the morning, pick up from your hotel and transfer to Shangri-la airport for your short to Kunming. 

Upon on your arrival, our guide will take you to have lunch directly.

In the afternoon, you will visit Stone Forest. Yunnan Province is the famous stone topography of Shilin, meaning “stone forest.” Covering an area of three-hundred square kilometers (or 186 miles) the stone forest is a massive otherworldly landscape of karst formations over 270 million years old. Over the millennia seismic activity and water and wind erosion have carved the present-day limestone formations.Two of the smaller individual stone forests, Naigu Stone Forest and Suogeyi Village, are a part of the South China Karst, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After the tour, you will be taken back to your hotel.

Day 16 Kunming-Chongqing

Free on your own until our driver pick you up from your hotel and transfer to Kunming Airport for your flight to Chongqing. Upon on your arrival, our Chongqing local guide and driver will meet you at the exit of the airport with the welcome sign "China Priavte Tour". Our guide will take you to have lunch first.

After lunch, pay a visit for Three Gorges Museum. This place is dedicated to the famous dam and to the Yangtze River although there are some exhibits connected to the war years. 

When you are done with this, the ship will be waiting for you to take you on the cruise.

Day 17 Yangtze River Cruise

As the largest water system in China, Yangtze River is historically, economically and culturally important to the country. It has numerous tributaries including Min River, Han River, Jialing River, Gan River, and Huangpu River.

You will have an excursion to Fengdu, visiting either the "Ghost City" known for its statues of ghosts and devils onMingshan Hill, or the new relocation village, built for families who have moved as a result of the Yantgze's rising waters brought by the Three Gorgres Dam.

Optional Excursion to Shibaozhai (river conditions permitting), visiting the impressive 12-story pagoda. Known as "The pearl of the Yangtze", it is one of the gems of Chinese architecture. The 18th Century red wooden temple is an architectural delight full of Legends and beautiful stories. Climbing on the top, you can have a panoramic view of the Yangtze River. Inside the pavilion, there are steles and inscriptions of past dynasties of each floor. Visitors can also admire the spectacular Yangtze River from the windows of each floor.

Day 18 Yangtze River

Continue your voyage on Yangtze River through hidden reefs and tumbling rapids. Take an excursion through the Daning River Small Gorges, which are narrower than the Three Gorges but also impressive. Enter Wu Gorge known for its forest-covered mountains and cliffs so sheer that the sun barely penetrates the precipices.Wu Gorge is famous for its zigzags, weird peaks, rising mists and beautiful sights.

Then sail through Qutang Gorge, the shortest, narrowest and most dramatic gorge. The combination of narrow canyons among high mountains with several switchbacks in only 8 kilometres creates spectacular vistas, and the Qutang Gorge is often considered the most beautiful of all the Three Gorges. Although it is primarily famous for its scenery, the Three Gorges region is also a historically and culturally important location in China.

Optional excursion to White Emperor City (river conditions permitting), an ancient city overlooking the western end of Qutang Gorge. Many relics housed in the Baidi Temple such as ancient architectures, a stele forest, ancient suspended wooden coffins, painting and calligraphy works by celebrities of different dynasties.

Day 19 Yichang-Shanghai

This morning you will visit the Three Gorges Dam at Sandouping, the largest hydroelectric power project in the world. As well as producing electricity, the dam is intended to increase the Yangtze River's shipping capacity and reduce the potential for floods downstream by providing flood storage spaceLater sail through the Three Gorges Dam ship locks.

Sail through Xiling Gorge, the longest (41 miles) and the deepest of the Three Gorges. Because of numerous reefs and odd-shaped stones existing in rapid shoals, it is also well known for its danger. Scenery along the Xiling Gorge is spectacular. Some renowned streams, springs, stones and karst caves can be found along this section.

In the afternoon, you will have a chance to visit the Yichang Museum if time permits. There are three main exhibition halls in the museum with a total area of 920 square meters displaying altogether 617 pieces of relics, 230 photos and drawings and 100 pieces of text. Then the cruise finish and we will drive you to Yichang airport for the flight to Shanghai. You can have a comfortable sleep in a cosy hotel of Shanghai.

Day 20 Shanghai

Today, after breakfast. The first stop for the tour is Shanghai Museum. It houses a comprehensive collection that perfectly showcases the Middle Kingdom’s millennia old history. Spread over five floors, covers most of the major categories of Chinese art with a collection of 12, 300 pieces in 21 categories of valuable cultural relics.

Next you will visit Yuyuan Garden, it not only regarded as best private garden in Shanghai but also the best in southeast China.The garden enjoyed a history over 400 years since its first establishment by Pan Yunduan who had intended to bring happiness and pleasure to his parents and relatives.

And then walking to nearby to Yuyuan Bazaar, there are many small streets and lanes where vendors sell their products and food stuffs to the tourists and local people.It is an ideal place for you to find some specialists.

Your lunch is arranged at Nanxiang Dumpling House to try the most famous Shanghai Xiaolongbao(soup dumpling). A favorite of dim sum eaters around the globe, are considered to be a Shanghai specialty, rumored to have originated here in the 19th century. Legend has it that this world-renowned snack started out as an experiment by a cake shop owner in Nanxiang who decided to try out a riff on his popular steamed bread. 

After lunch, drive you to The Bund. The Bund is a waterfront area in central Shanghai.When you come here, you can embrace the best cityscape, feast on the rich architectural fashions and know why Shanghai is glorified as "Paris of the East". There are a number of attractions in the area, such as Shanghai World Financial Center, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Century Park, Century Boulevard, Jinmao Tower etc. It is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Shanghai.

Walking with your guide to Nanjing Road, another popular landmark of Shanghai. It is a shopping paradise as well as a ideal place tootake a wonderful walk to explore the modern atmosphere of the city.

You will have a dinner before cruise, the last thing for today is Night cruise along the Huangpu River. When traveling in Shanghai, you should not miss a cruise tour on the Huangpu River. It is the best way to admire Shanghai's classic skyline views of colonial architecture and modern skyscrapers along the river.

After the cruise, you will be taken back yo your hotel in Shanghai.

Day 21 Shanghai Depature

Our driver will pick you up from your hotel lobby at appointed time, dirve you to airport for your flight to next destinastion or back home. Your 16 Days China Highlights Tour comes to end. Have a pleasent trip!

Price Per Person in US Dollars

Price Includes 1. All transfer and city transportation 2. Air-conditioned car or van 3. Hotels specified in the itinerary, all based     on two persons sharingone standard room; 4. Meals specified in the itinerary: Western     breakfast in hotels Chinese lunch and     dinner in local restaurants 5. Sightseeing: All arrangements mentioned     in the itinerary will be covered All first     admission/entrance fees in the itinerary 6. Tour guide: Conducted by a professional     tour guide

Price Excludes 1. International air-tickets 2. Airport departure tax. 3. International or domestic air tickets which     are not listed in the itinerary. 4. Insurance coverage of personal loss, illness     or damages incurred during your trip 5. Tips to the tour guide and driver 6. Meals not specified in the itinerary. 7. Personal expenses: phone bills, laundry,     optional tours, postage, excess baggage     charge, entertainment fees out of the     itinerary. 8. Single Room Supplement.