Silk Road & Yangtze River

Itinerary
 

Day 1    Arrive at Beijing
Today you arrive at Beijing – China’s political and cultural center. Your English-speaking local guide will meet you at the airport and escort you to your deluxe hotel. You may choose to stay in the hotel to enjoy the hotel amenities or choose to explore Beijing on your one. 

Day 2    Beijing                                                                                   B, L, SD

An exciting day starts with a stroll along the ancient promenades of one of the world’s great wonders, the Great Wall. Built to protect China from invaders, this winding barrier of brick and stone could circle the world with a wall eight feet high. Later, visit the legendary Ming Tombs, resting place of 13 emperors. Later, you will visit the Summer Palace, a former summer resort for the royal family. This evening you are invited to a “Peking Duck” dinner.

Day 3    Beijing                                                                                   B, L

Today you will ride on a trishaw through the back streets of old Beijing. Enjoy tea with a local family. After lunch, visit impressive Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world, and the Palace Museum, known as the Forbidden City. The complex of imperial palaces was home to the emperors for over 500 years in the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Day 4    Beijing / Urumqi                                                                     B, L, D

Fly from Beijing to Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.  You will take a city tour before checking into the five-star Hoi Tak Hotel.

Day 5    Urumqi                                                                                    B, L, SD

Today’s ascension up Tianshan Mountain takes you to beautiful Heavenly Lake. You’ll stop at Red Hill on the Urumqi River for a panoramic view of the city and the 9-story hillside Zhenglong Pagoda. Enjoy a special roast lamb dinner.

Day 6    Urumqi / Kashgar                                                                    B, L, D

This morning fly to Kashigar. Kashgar is a fabled city with a rich mix of peoples and cultures. Mosques and veiled women give it a Middle Eastern flavor. Today you will visit the vast Id Kah Mosque to the tomb of Abakh Khoja in the country lanes. Then visit a workshop where traditional carpets are made. You also tour the old town, a warren of twisting alleys and whitewashed walls. Overnight accommodation at the Friendship Hotel (Local Best).

Day 7    Kashgar                                                                                 B, L, D

Today you will visit the colorful Sunday Bazaar. In this teeming market, you can buy anything from herbal medicines to carpets, from a cradle to a camel.

Day 8    Kashgar / Urumqi / Turpan                                                     B, L, D

This morning you will fly back to Urumqi. Then drive to the oasis town of Turpan. Located in a low-lying area with a reputation of being both hot and windy, Turpan was an important stop on the Silk Road. After checking into the best local hotel, explore the ancient ruins of Jiaohe, a Han Dynasty garrison town decimated by the ravages of Chingghiz Khan and his Mongol hordes. Also visit Emin Minaret Tower, the most famous mosque in China. Overnight is at the local best Oasis Hotel.

Day 9    Turpan                                                                                   B, L, D

Full day tour to the ancient ruins of Gaochang, Astana Graves, the Flaming Mountain, the Karez underground irrigation system.

Day 10   Turpan / Dunhuang                                                               B, L, D

Full day tour to visit the Bezekli Thousand Buddha Caves and the Grape Valley. This evening, transfer to the railway station to take the overnight soft-sleeper train to Dunhuang. 

Day 11   Dunhuang                                                                              B, L, D

Arrive in Dunghuang in the morning. Dunhuang, an oasis town in the Gansu Desert, was an important center of ancient Buddhist art and the location of the Mogao Caves and their grottos filled with art treasures. Visit scenic Crescent Moon Lake and the Singing Sand Dunes, called “rumbling sands” by Marco Polo. Spend the rest of the afternoon marveling at the Mogao Grottos, an archaeological treasure trove of 10 centuries of wall paintings and Buddhist texts in Chinese, Tibetan and Central Asian languages. Overnight is at the local best Silk Road Hotel.

Day 12   Dunhuang / Xian                                                                     B, L, SD

This morning, you will fly to Xian, the starting point of the Silk Road and the capital of ancient China for eleven dynasties. Check into the five-star Hyatt Hotel, then tour the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the Drum Tower. Be our guests at a special 12-course Dumpling Dinner and enjoy the Tang Dynasty Show in the magnificent Tang Theater.

Day 13   Xian                                                                                          B, L, D

View marvels of antiquity. Today’s tour includes the Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s breathtaking legions of Terra-cotta Warriors and Bronze Chariots. Meet local farmers in a village where former President enjoyed his visit.

Day 14   Xian / Chongqing                                                                     B, L, D

Fly to Chongqing and embark on a cruise along the Yangtze River, the third largest river in the world.

Day 15    Fengdu                                                                                   B, L, D

Onboard activities include a lecture on the art of calligraphy and a massage demonstration and daily Tai Chi lesson in the morning. Today’s excursion site is Fengdu. Known as the “Adobe of Devil,” Fengdu and nearby Pingdu Mountain attract tourists with their temples and shrines dedicated to the gods of the underworld.

Day 16   Shennong Stream                                                                    B, L, D

Sail through the spectacular Qutang Gorge, the smallest of the three Yangtze gorges.  After passing through the Qutang Gorges, you will arrive at Badong in the morning. From Badong take a shore excursion to Shennong Stream. During this breathtaking journey, you may see the ancient roads, precipice coffins, and golden-haired monkeys. Return to the Yangtze and pass through Wu Gorge, famous for its lofty Twelve Peaks and then on to the fabled Xiling Gorge. Finally you will sail through the dramatic Three Gorges Ship Lock.

Day 17   Three Gorges Dam, Yichange / Shanghai                                 B, L, D

Today you will take an excursion to the widely talked about Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydroelectric project. Disembark at Yichang. Your local tour guide will meet you at the pier and assist you for your flight to Shanghai, the most cosmopolitan city in China. Evening tour of Xin Tian Di, the hottest new entertainment district in Shanghai. Overnight is at the five-star Hua Ting Hotel & Towers.

 Day 18 Shanghai                                                                                     B, L, D

Today you will stroll along the Bund, a riverside promenade with grand colonial buildings, then visit Yuyuan Garden and the Shanghai Museum which houses a collection of 120,000 cultural relics. Meet students at the Children’s Palace. In the evening, enjoy a thrilling Acrobatic Show.

Day 19   Shanghai                                                                                    B

You have whole day free to explore Shanghai on your own.

Day 20   Shanghai                                                                                    B

Bid farewell to Shanghai and transfer to the airport for your flight home.