Depart San Francisco (SFO Airport) at 2:50pm or New York (JFK Airport) at 4:30pm on Air China's Boeing 747 wide-body aircraft and fly (12 hours from SFO or 13½ hours from JFK) non-stop to Beijing. Cross the International Dateline.
Day 2 - Beijing (IM)
Day 2 - Beijing
Meals: In-Flight(IM)
Arrive into Beijing in the evening. You will be met and transferred to Jiangxi Grand Hotel (4 stars).
Day 3 - Beijing (B, L, D)
Day 3 - Beijing
Meals: Breakfast(B), Lunch(L), Dinner(D)
After breakfast, tour Tian'anmen Square, the world's largest and most famous square. Then visit the Forbidden City, where exquisite architecture and a vast glimpse of the staggeringly opulent lifestyles of the Chinese emperors and their concubines. Followed by a tour of the picturesque Summer Palace on Kunming Lake.
Day 4 - Beijing (B, L, SD)
Day 4 - Beijing
Meals: Breakfast(B), Lunch(L), Special Dinner(SD)
After breakfast, visit the Temple of Heaven. Then depart Beijing by deluxe motor coach to explore the Great Wall, one of the seven world wonders. After lunch, take a tour to the Historic Hutong, which is protected by the Beijing Cultural Relics Protection Association. This will give you a chance to experience what China was like before high-rises and shopping malls took over a city. Tonight, enjoy a special Peking Duck Dinner.
Day 5 - Beijing-Wuhan (B, L, D)
Day 5 - Beijing-Wuhan
Meals: Breakfast(B), Lunch(L), Dinner(D)
After breakfast, fly (2 hours) to Wuhan. Visit the Hubei Provincial Museum or East Lake and Yellow Crane Tower. Board a 5-star cruise ship, either the Princess Jeannie, Elaine or Sheena, and set sail in the evening.
Day 6 - Yangtze River Cruise (B, L, SD)
Day 6 - Yangtze River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast(B), Lunch(L), Special Dinner(SD)
Enjoy a full day cruise up the Yangtze. There will be Tai Chi, Cultural Programs, a Crew Show, Dancing and Movies as entertainment while you sail upstream. There will be a special Captain's Party tonight.
Day 7 - Yangtze River Cruise (B, L, D)
Day 7 - Yangtze River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast(B), Lunch(L), Dinner(D)
Enjoy breakfast as the ship navigates through Gezhou Ship Lock and enters Xiling Gorge, the longest of the three gorges. Upon arrival to Sandouping Port, visit the Three Gorges Dam Site and tour the Hydroelectric Plant. Navigate through Three Gorges Ship Lock in the evening.
Day 8 - Yangtze River Cruise (B, L, D)
Day 8 - Yangtze River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast(B), Lunch(L), Dinner(D)
Experience a once in a lifetime adventure when you transfer to a small riverboat and cruise up the tributary Shennongxi Stream for a close-up view of the life of the local minority people. In the afternoon, you will pass through the Bamboo Gorges and the Wu Gorge with its deep zigzagging valley and lush forested mountains. In the evening, the cruise ship will enter Qutang, the third and last of the Three Gorges.
Day 9 - Yangtze River Cruise (B, L, D)
Day 9 - Yangtze River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast(B), Lunch(L), Dinner(D)
After breakfast, embark on a shore excursion to Wanxian City where you'll visit a relocation village, local market and the Wanxian Museum.
Day 10 - Chongqing-Xi'an (B, L, D)
Day 10 - Chongqing-Xi'an
Meals: Breakfast(B), Lunch(L), Dinner(D)
Disembark the cruise ship shortly after breakfast and visit the Chongqing Zoo. After lunch, fly (1 hour) to Xi'an. Lodging at Wan Nian Grand Hotel (4 stars) or similar.
Day 11 - Xi'an (B, L, SD)
Day 11 - Xi'an
Meals: Breakfast(B), Lunch(L), Special Dinner(SD)
After breakfast, the day is primarily devoted to leisurely view the world famous Army of Terracotta Warriors, horses, and chariots buried with the first Chinese Emperor, Qin Shihuang. After lunch, visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. After a Dumpling Dinner, enjoy a traditional Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show.
Day 12 - Xi'an-Shanghai-Suzhou (B, IM, D)
Day 12 - Xi'an-Shanghai-Suzhou
Meals: Breakfast(B), In-Flight(IM), Dinner(D)
After breakfast, fly (2 hours) to Shanghai. Then travel by motor coach to Suzhou. Upon arrival, check into Glamor Hotel (4 stars). The rest of the day is free to explore the city on your own.
Day 13 - Suzhou-Shanghai (B, L, D)
Day 13 - Suzhou-Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast(B), Lunch(L), Dinner(D)
After breakfast, visit the Garden of the Fishing Net Master and the Silk Spinning Factory. After lunch, take City Tour. Then travel by motor coach (1 ½ hours) back to Shanghai. Lodging at Central View Suites Hotel (4 stars) or similar.
Day 14 - Shanghai (B, SL, SD)
Day 14 - Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast(B), Special Lunch(SL), Special Dinner(SD)
After breakfast, visit the Bund. After a special Mongolian BBQ Lunch, tour the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and the Shanghai Municipal History (Wax) Museum. Lastly, visit the emporium-lined Nanjing Road. After a special Farewell Dinner, attend the famous Shanghai Acrobatic Show.
Day 15 - Shanghai-Beijing-SFO/JFK (B, IM)
Day 15 - Shanghai-Beijing-SFO/JFK
Meals: Breakfast(B), In-Flight(IM)
After breakfast, depart Shanghai at 8:10am (if out of SHA Airport) or 11:35am (if out of PVG Airport) on Air China and fly (16 hours) to San Francisco (SFOAirport) with a same day arrival at 12:40pm. (Flight time includes a stopover in Beijing. Your luggage will be transferred automatically to SFO). *Some tours will have the opportunity to travel by Maglev Train to the airport, please click on the following link for details on Maglev Train Disclosure.
If your final destination is New York (JFKAirport), it takes 17 ½hours with a same day arrival at 2:30pm. (Flight time includes a custom inspection in Beijing where you must claim and re-check your luggage). *No Maglev Train available for JFK departure due to different airport in Shanghai (SHAAirport).
Join us for a tour of the picturesque Three Gorges region of the Yangtze River, where you will sail through scenery of astounding natural beauty as you travel upstream aboard a luxurious Five-Star cruise ship, either the Princess Jeannie, Elaine or Sheena. Afterwards, visit Xi'an, home to the renowned army of Terracotta Warriors and the city of Suzhou, also known as "Venice of the Orient." With additional sightseeing in China's capital city of Beijing and exciting Shanghai, this tour is an excellent opportunity to visit the Gorges in a new aspect.
