11 Days Yangtze River & Panda Family Tour

Meals: No Meal
Hotel: In Beijing

Arrive in Beijing, the capital city of China, you will be greeted by our local guide at the airport with TCT signboard. Then our guide will transfer you to check in hotel. Free at leisure for the rest of the day for you to get over the jet lag.

Art in Beijing

Meals: Breakfast, A la carte Chinese lunch
Hotel: In Beijing

Today we start to explore this city treasure by a visit to Tian'anmen Square, the world's largest city center square, the locality of numerous major political and historical events. It is the witness of Chinese development. It is only a walking distance from Tian'anmen Square to Forbidden City, the world's existing largest and most complete ancient wooden structure buildings. You will explore the glorious palace halls and gardens for more than 2 hours in Forbidden City, learning the legendary story of the emperors and how the royal family lived there. You will be stunned by the numerous old art treasures exhibited in halls. A la carte lunch is served at a local restaurant to have a taste of the authentic Chinese food at noon time and have a break at the restaurant.

In the afternoon, we will Temple of Heaven, the existing largest structure for sacrifice to heaven and a place where the emperors prayed for a year of abundance. In the visit of Temple of Heaven, you will be astonished by the exquisite ancient Chinese architectures. Then we move to a less commercial Hutong nearby. A short walking (around 30mins) along the authentic Hutong will give you a deep impression of the local residents’ live. We stop to visit a local family to learn Facial Makeup Painting for Beijing Opera.

Tour ends by driving back to hotel. Please feel free to consult with your local guide about the evening activities in Beijing, such as the night shows of Beijing.

Good to know:
1. Besides facial makeup painting for Beijing Opera, activities also can be arranged In Hutong: Learn Chinese calligraphy and painting; Learn to make traditional handiworks like Chinese knot and Paper-cutting; See an acrobatic display by a Chinese yo-yo master, and learn to make dumplings/kites with a local family.

2. Besides exploring Hutong on foot, you may also try it by bicycle or richshaw. Whichever you prefer, please share with us. We will make it cater your real needs.

Hutong activities

Meals: Breakfast, A la carte Chinese lunch
Hotel: In Beijing

It will be an exciting day today. In the morning, guide will pick you up from your hotel lobby. Today we will visit the must-visit spot in Beijing--- Mutianyu Great Wall, one of the famous sections of China Great Wall. It takes about 2 hours driving from the downtown of Beijing to Mutianyu Great Wall. Mutianyu Great Wall was first built in the mid-6th century during the Northern Qi, making it older than the Badaling section. (*Cable car and slideway are available at Mutianyu Great Wall and included in our itinerary*)

A la carte lunch is arranged at a good restaurant at the foot of Mutianyu. When we drive back to Beijing, we will have a photo stop outside the Bird Nest and Water Cube, which were the famous sites constructed for 2008 Beijing Olympic.

The tour finishes by dropping off at your hotel. If you would like to try local specialty tonight, you could ask for some suggestion about Peking Roast Duck Restaurant.

Good to know:
1. With less commercial and crowds, Mutianyu Great Wall is available to take cable car up and down, or get up by cable car and down by a sled to slide down, which is an exciting option when the weather is nice.

2. Need more time on the Wall, no worries, just tell us when you book this tour, we could arrange a picnic lunch for your family on the Wall.

3. In summer, swimming in the Water Cube is a great choice to cool down and have fun with your beloved children.

Mutianyu Great Wall

Meals: Breakfast, A la carte Chinese lunch
Hotel: In Chengdu

In the morning, check out from hotel and start to visit the last spots in Beijing --- Summer Palace, the existing largest, best-preserved imperial garden in China. The Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake are regarded as the representative of Summer Palace. In the park, you could choose to take a boating trip on the lake, enjoying the beautiful royal garden view. Walk along the Long Corridor--- the longest corridor in the world, admiring the extremely rich and prestigious paintings on the beams of the corridor.

A la carte lunch will be arranged at a local restaurant. Fly to Chengdu in the afternoon, our guide will wait for you in the airport and transfer you to hotel.

Sichuan Opera

Meals: Breakfast, Hotpot lunch
Hotel: In Chengdu

In the early morning, pick up from your hotel and transfer to visit Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding which is about 10 km from Chengdu downtown. This beautifully laid out park is the home of about 80 giant pandas and some other rare animals, such as red panda, black-necked crane, white crane ect.

The best time to visit Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is the morning when the pandas are most active in the day. Depart from hotel early in the morning, and arrive at the center before 09:00 am, then you could have chance to see the pandas feeding at around 09:30 am. After the feeding time, you could choose to visit Panda Museum and watch a 20-minute video at Panda Theatre to learn about the research and breeding of the giant pandas. Then walk along the walkways to watch pandas or other rare animals. Besides, you could also choose to deliver a postcard or other panda souvenir from the Panda Post to yourself or your family and friends. The Panda Post is the only post office who has its own post code 610088 and post date mark.

Have a Chinese lunch with traditional Hotpot at local restaurant.

In the afternoon, have a 1.5 hours driving to Mt. Leshan - has the tallest stone Buddha statue in the world. Walk on Mt. Leshan might give you different unique views of the Giant Buddha. You may also choose to take a cruise (about 30 min) to have an overview of this mountain and the Giant Buddha.

Good to know:
Not so much fond of hotpot, no problem. Please tell us your flavor preference in advance. We will arrange other popular local Chinese food for you accordingly.

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Pandas

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
On Board: Victoria cruise

In the morning we drive to visit Sichuan Cuisine Museum. At the Museum, you will not only realize the history of Sichuan Cuisine, but also have chance to watch the whole procedure of cooking and have a class of cooking Sichuan food as your lunch.

In the afternoon, we walk around the Jinli Ancient Street, which is with elegant style of the architectures on both sides tells what Sichuan looks like during the Qing Dynasty. Then we move to the People’s Park, where locals relax themselves by singing, dancing, playing cards or chess, ect. You could have a cup of tea at local tea house and enjoy the leisure time in the park.

Take high speed train to Chongqing in the late afternoon. Your Chongqing tour guide will wait for you at the station and help you to transfer to Chaotianmen wharf and check-in at the Victoria cruise, which Set sail from Chongqing at 21:00 p.m.

Cooking Class

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
On Board: Victoria cruise

[06:30-08:30] Early Bird Coffee and Tea; Practice Tai Chi on board and Buffet breakfast.

[09:00-13:30] Shore excursion---Fengdu "Jade Emperor" is aranged in the morning. Or take additional shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City with extra cost. Buffet lunchis served on board.

[16:00-21:30] Late afternoon Captain's Welcome Reception with buffet dinner. In the evening, you can choose to take the additional Shore excursion---FengYan SanGuo "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" Show.

Fengdu Ghost City

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
On Board: Victoria cruise 

[06:30-08:30] Early Bird Coffee and Tea; Practice Tai Chi on board and Buffet breakfast.

[07:30-10:15] Activities on board as you like. Or take Additional Shore excursion to White Emperor City with extra cost.

[10:45-13:00] Sailing through Qutang Gorge & Scenic cruising of Wu Gorge, buffet lunch is served on board.

[15:15-21:45] Shore excursion to Goddess Stream. Evening enjoy Captain's Farewell Banquet and the Crew cabaret.

Excursion trip to White Emperor City, you would take the coach directly to Baidi Temple in 20 minutes' drive. You will have two hours for your White Emperor City visit to appreciate the rich historic story and mysterious land.

Qutang Gorge

Meals: Breakfast, A La Carte Lunch, Dinner box
Accommodation: In Shanghai

In the morning, you will firstly visit the Three Gorge Dam (2.5 - 3 hours) - planned to be by far the largest hydroelectric project in the world. After the visiting, the local tour guide will pick you up and transfer to a good local restaurant to have a lunch before being transferred to train station to take high speed rail(about 7.5 hours) to Shanghai. Your Shanghai tour guide will wait for you at the station and help you to transfer to the hotel.

Three Gorge Dam

Meals: Breakfast, A La Carte Lunch
Hotel: In Shanghai

Today we start our day trip to the foot of The Oriental Pearl TV Tower to visit Shanghai City History Museum (The Former Shanghai Wax Museum), where you will know more about the history and development of Shanghai. Then take the elevator up to the 2nd ball of the TV tower, from which you will have a bird-eye view of Shanghai. Go on driving through Lujiazui, the finance & trade zone in Pudong of Shanghai, where you will find many skyscrapers. We will have a view of the modern skyline of Shanghai.

Then back to the Bund, admire the illuminated buildings lining the Huangpu River. From the Bund, you could see the landmark of Shanghai--- the Oriental Pearl TV Tower as well as other high-rise buildings, just on the opposite of Huangpu River. Enjoy a local lunch in a local restaurant nearby the bund.

After lunch, we continue to visit Yuyuan Garden which is a Chinese classic garden in city downtown. Then continue to explore the Shanghai Old Street and Nanjing Road nearby which is the earliest commercial street in Shanghai. Drive back to the hotel, en route you can plan for the night Acrobatic Show, especially the ERA show, which is one of the most popular evening entertainments in Shanghai.

Good to know:
1. Revolving Restaurant Oriental Pearl Tower is at the top of the Tower, soaring at 267 meters above Shanghai’s bustling streets. Enjoying a buffet lunch in this top revolving restaurant is an experience unlike any other, with its breathtaking views of the city in full vision beneath and all around you. If you like to try it, please tell us in advance. We could arrange it to suit your interest.

2. One more free leisure day in Shanghai sometimes is required by our previous customers. If you like to have one more day in Shanghai, just tell us, we will add it into our itinerary.

The Bund

Meals: Breakfast

Free day at leisure and be transferred to the airport for return flight. We can arrange the Maglev train ride to Pudong airport if you are interested in, or we will drive you directly to the airport.

Service Ends