Itinerary
- Day 1
Departure
Your journey to China starts with your flight. You'll be heading out today, so make sure you have your documents ready and get to the airport with plenty of time before departure.
- Day 2
Shanghai
After you land in Shanghai, your guide meets you at the airport. You'll take the Transrapid train into the city, then head up to the 88th floor of Jinmao Tower for views of the skyline before grabbing dinner. From there, transfer to your hotel to settle in for the night.
- Meals
- Dinner
Included Activities
- Transrapid ride from airport to Shanghai city center
- Visit to viewing platform on 88th floor of Jinmao Tower
Landmarks/POIs Jinmao Tower 
- Day 3
Shanghai
This morning you'll walk through Shanghai's old town with its narrow streets and traditional wooden buildings. Next, check out Yu Garden and its landscaping, then grab some local snacks at the snack street. You'll spend time in the former French protectorate area with its galleries and bars. Later, head to the Bund for a walk along the waterfront. In the evening, you'll have a cocktail with views of Pudong across the river.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Stroll through Shanghai old town
- Visit to Yu Garden
- Exploration of snack street near Yu Garden
- Walk through former French protectorate
- Visit to the Bund waterfront promenade
- Cocktail in a bar on the Bund with skyline view
Optional Activities
- Evening lights tour in Shanghai - 220 RMB per person (minimum 10 participants)
Landmarks/POIs Yu Garden The Bund Huangpu River - Day 4
Shanghai to Beijing
Start the day heading to Zhujiaojiao water village, often called the Venice of Shanghai for its Ming and Qing dynasty bridges. After that, you'll take the high-speed train to Beijing, which covers about 1,318 kilometers in roughly four and a half hours. Once you arrive, transfer to your accommodation and get settled.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to water village of Zhujiaojiao
- High-speed train journey from Shanghai to Beijing
Landmarks/POIs Zhujiaojiao 
- Day 5
Beijing
Begin at the Summer Palace, a UNESCO site with classical buildings and Kunming Lake. Then explore Beijing's hutongs (traditional alleyways) and visit a local family home to see how people live here. Later you'll head north to see the Bird's Nest Olympic Center and then reach the Great Wall. You'll stay there to watch the sunset after most other tourists have gone, which gives you a more peaceful experience.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to Summer Palace of Empress Dowager Cixi
- Stroll through Beijing hutongs (traditional alleyways)
- Visit to a family home in the hutongs
- Stop at Bird's Nest Olympic Center
- Visit to Great Wall of China
- Sunset viewing on Great Wall
Landmarks/POIs Summer Palace Kunming Lake Bird's Nest (National Stadium) Great Wall of China - Day 6
Beijing
Start your morning at the Temple of Heaven, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its distinctive blue-tiled buildings and temple complex. Then go to Tian'anmen Square and explore the Forbidden City, the former imperial palace where emperors ruled until 1911. Before dinner, head up Coal Hill for views over the city. For dinner tonight, you'll have the famous Peking duck.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Peking duck)
Included Activities
- Visit to Temple of Heaven
- Exploration of Tian'anmen Square
- Visit to Forbidden City
- Walk through imperial palace grounds
- View of curved rooftops from Coal Hill
- Peking duck dinner
Landmarks/POIs Temple of Heaven Tian'anmen Square Forbidden City Gate of Heavenly Peace Coal Hill - Day 7
Beijing to Xi'an
Take the high-speed train to Xi'an. When you arrive, visit the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, a Buddhist site. In the evening, you'll walk through the old town where the Hui Muslim minority runs markets and stalls. You'll try biangbiang noodles for dinner, a typical Xi'an dish, then explore the city's lit-up monuments at night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Typical Xi'an biangbiang noodles)
Included Activities
- High-speed train journey from Beijing to Xi'an
- Visit to Small Wild Goose Pagoda
- Evening stroll through Xi'an old town
- Walk through street of lights and illuminated monuments
Landmarks/POIs Small Wild Goose Pagoda - Day 8
Xi'an
After breakfast, you'll bike along Xi'an's twelve-kilometer city wall with its huge stone blocks and watchtowers. Then head to the Terracotta Army site, which holds about 150 life-size terracotta figures from the tomb of China's first emperor, dating to 210 BC. You'll also see the bronze chariot with horses displayed in the museum.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Bicycle tour along Xi'an city wall
- Visit to Terracotta Army
- Museum visit with bronze chariot and horses display
Landmarks/POIs Xi'an City Wall Terracotta Army - Day 9
Xi'an to Chongqing
Travel by train to Chongqing where your Yangtze River cruise starts. Upon arrival, visit Eling Park for city views, then take the single-track light rail to the city center and walk through Jiefangbei pedestrian zone. Check into your cruise cabin and spend the rest of the day relaxing on your ship.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- High-speed train journey from Xi'an to Chongqing
- Visit to Eling Park
- Light rail ride to city center
- Walk through Jiefangbei pedestrian zone
- Check-in to cruise cabin on Yangtze River boat
Landmarks/POIs Eling Park Jiefangbei Pedestrian Zone - Day 10
Fengdu
After breakfast, visit Fengdu ghost town where the temple mountain rises as a peninsula from the river. The old town was flooded, and the Daoist and Buddhist temples here earned it the name 'City of Ghosts,' making it a historically and culturally significant stop on your journey.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to Fengdu ghost town and temple mountain
Landmarks/POIs Fengdu - Day 11
Three Gorges
Navigate through the Three Gorges landscape with its dramatic rock formations shaped by the river over millions of years. You'll pass through the Wu and Qutang gorges, then transfer to a smaller boat to explore side arms with their bright green water and steep, jungle-covered walls. Visit Baidicheng (City of the White Emperor), a UNESCO cultural monument based on legend and designed as a landscape recreation area.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Passage through Wu Gorge and Qutang Gorge
- Transfer to smaller boat for side arm exploration
- Visit to City of the White Emperor (Baidicheng)
Landmarks/POIs Three Gorges Wu Gorge Qutang Gorge City of the White Emperor (Baidicheng) - Day 12
Yangtze River to Zhangjiajie
See the Three Gorges Dam in Xiling Gorge, a massive engineering structure. Tour the museum and park there for good views of the dam itself. Your ship docks in Yichang and then you'll continue by bus to Zhangjiajie.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to Three Gorges Dam museum and park with views of the dam
Optional Activities
- Visit to world's largest ship elevator at Three Gorges Dam - 290 CNY per person
Landmarks/POIs Three Gorges Dam Xiling Gorge - Day 13
Zhangjiajie
Head to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the inspiration for Avatar's floating mountains. Take the cable car up to Tianzi Mountains and walk along winding paths in the clouds, surrounded by towering rock pillars. Use the shuttle to Yuanjiajie for hiking through the stone pillar landscape. Return via a glass elevator that descends the rock face. At dinner, you'll reflect on the day's impressions.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
- Cable car ride up Tianzi Mountains
- Walk along winding paths above the clouds
- Shuttle bus to Yuanjiajie
- Hike through stone pillar landscape
- Glass elevator descent along rock face
Landmarks/POIs Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Tianzi Mountains Yuanjiajie - Day 14
Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang
Start with a thrilling walk across the glass bridge 300 meters above the ground. Then continue by bus to Furong Zhen, a charming village with traditional stilt houses and a waterfall. In the afternoon, drive to Fenghuang (the 'phoenix city') and walk through the old town at night with lantern-lit reflections in the river, traditional boats, narrow alleyways, and the smells of fried tofu and spices.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Walk across glass bridge of Zhangjiajie
- Visit to Furong Zhen village with traditional stilt houses and waterfall
- Evening stroll through Fenghuang old town
Landmarks/POIs Glass Bridge of Zhangjiajie Furong Zhen Fenghuang - Day 15
Fenghuang to Longsheng
In the morning, take a boat trip on Tuojiang River through Fenghuang where old houses reflect in the water, giving you a photogenic view of the city. Then drive to Longsheng and ride a shuttle bus about 100 steps up to your accommodation. Later you'll have a culinary adventure at dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Boat trip on Tuojiang River through Fenghuang
Landmarks/POIs Tuojiang River Longsheng Rice Terraces - Day 16
Longsheng to Yangshuo
Watch the sunrise over Longsheng's rice terraces. Hike for about one and a half hours on narrow paths through the terraces, taking in the far-reaching landscape views. After a short rest, drive back down into the valley and then on to Yangshuo. You'll pass through a landscape filled with karst cones and rocky peaks. By evening, sit back and enjoy dinner with mist rising over the scenery.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Sunrise viewing over Longsheng rice terraces
- Hiking through rice terraces on narrow paths with viewpoints
Optional Activities
- Liu Sanjie impression show in the evening - 350 CNY per person (minimum 2 participants)
Landmarks/POIs Longsheng Rice Terraces Yangshuo Karst Mountains - Day 17
Yangshuo
Start with a leisurely bamboo raft ride on the Yulong River for one to one and a half hours, floating traditionally past bizarre karst mountains. Follow that with a bike ride through the countryside, passing rice fields and wildflower meadows where you might see farmers harvesting or drying rice. Later, have traditional Chinese tea at a teahouse where you'll learn about tea preparation and its ceremonial importance.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Bamboo raft ride on Yulong River (approximately 1 to 1.5 hours)
- Bicycle tour through rice fields and wildflower meadows
- Tea break in traditional teahouse with tea preparation lesson
Optional Activities
- Short hike through karst landscape (available for those not participating in bike tour)
Landmarks/POIs Yulong River - Day 18
Yangshuo to Hong Kong
Take the high-speed train to Hong Kong via Shenzhen. Once you arrive, freshen up at your hotel and explore Hong Kong at night. Walk along the harbor with its colorful, glittering skyline views. Check out Temple Street night market with its lights, street vendors, and food stalls. End with a traditional Cantonese dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Traditional Cantonese dinner)
Included Activities
- High-speed train journey via Shenzhen to Hong Kong
- Harbor promenade stroll with skyline views
- Visit to Temple Street night market
Landmarks/POIs Victoria Harbour Temple Street Night Market - Day 19
Hong Kong
Enjoy a half-day city tour in Hong Kong. Visit Victoria Peak observation tower for views of Victoria Harbour and Kowloon. Drive along Hong Kong's southern bays with a stop at Repulse Bay's crescent-shaped beach, reminiscent of the French Riviera. See Aberdeen's floating village with its mix of modern yachts and traditional houseboats. Have typical dim sum for lunch and the rest of the day is yours to explore.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Dim sum (typical Hong Kong lunch))
Included Activities
- Half-day city tour in Hong Kong
- Visit to Victoria Peak observation tower
- Drive along Hong Kong's southern bays
- Stop at Repulse Bay
- Visit to Aberdeen floating village
- Dim sum lunch (typical Hong Kong lunch)
Landmarks/POIs Victoria Peak Victoria Harbour Kowloon Repulse Bay Aberdeen - Day 20
Hong Kong
On your last day, take a discovery tour through Hong Kong's most authentic neighborhoods. Ride the famous double-decker streetcar through the city, ending in Sheng Wan, the oldest district. Walk through medicine stores, Ginseng Street, teahouses, antique shops, and the old Man Mo temple. Visit the world's longest 800-meter escalator route to the zoological and botanical gardens and the former governor's house. Tour the financial district with its Feng Shui-designed buildings. You'll have free time before a farewell dinner and then head to the airport for your return flight.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Farewell dinner)
Included Activities
- Double-decker streetcar tour through Hong Kong
- Walking tour of 'Sheng Wan' district with medicine stores and Man Mo temple
- Escalator route to zoological and botanical gardens
- Visit to former governor's house
- Tour of financial district with Feng Shui buildings
Landmarks/POIs Man Mo Temple Zoological and Botanical Gardens - Day 21
Return Home
After you land, make your way individually back to your hometown and end your journey.
