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Wildlife Tours
Spirit Of China & The Yangtze River
12 NIGHTS / 13 DAYS
12 NIGHTS / 13 DAYS
Spend 13 spellbinding days on your affordable tour of China, including a picturesque Yangtze River cruise. Your vacation in China begins in the exciting city of Shanghai on the Yangtze River delta. You’ll marvel at the exquisite Yu Yuan Gardens and the Shanghai Museum—with works of art dating 6,000 years old. In Wuhan, explore beautiful East Lake—China’s second largest freshwater urban lake. Discover 200,000 cultural relics in the Hubei Provincial Museum, including ancient pottery, jades, artwork and coins. Next, board the bullet train to Yichang to embark on your 4-night cruise on the legendary Yangtze River.
Before passing through the dramatic vistas of the Xiling Gorge, you’ll visit the monumental Three Gorges Dam. Disembark briefly from your ship to glide on the mysterious emerald waters of Goddess Stream on a boat excursion, then continue on the Yangtze through its dramatic gorges lined with forested mountain views. You’ll tour Shibaozhai with its 400-year-old, 12-story, red wooden pagoda perched high on the cliff side. Disembark from your Yangtze River cruise for more adventures, beginning with a visit to see the pandas at Chongqing Zoo. You’ll fly to Xi’an, one of China’s great ancient capitals, to see the emperor’s vault surrounded by the stunning find of its thousands of Terracotta Warriors, chariots, and horses guarding the tomb. In Beijing, take a guided tour of Tian’anmen Square past Mao’s Mausoleum. Visit the Forbidden City—the largest collection of China’s ancient buildings and home to the historic Ming and Qing dynasties. Your budget-minded tour of China includes once-in-a-lifetime experiences, including a visit to the iconic Great Wall of China. You’ll witness sweeping vistas from the wall that once stretched 4,000 miles across China’s barren northern terrain.
Your value-minded tour of China and the Yangtze River is a journey into a spirit of history, beauty, culture, and natural wonders like no other.
SHANGHAI, CHINA. Welcome to Shanghai, China’s largest city and center of trade. Hotel rooms are available for a mid-afternoon check-in.
Day 2 :SHANGHAI. Sightseeing today includes a stroll through the Old Town and the beautiful YU YUAN GARDENS, a place of peace and tranquility in this bustling city. Visit the SHANGHAI MUSEUM, where superb antiquities and fine arts dating back 6,000 years are on display. Walk along the famous Bund with its colonial architecture and explore Nanjing Road, the city’s main pedestrian and shopping area. (B,L,D)
Day 3 :SHANGHAI–WUHAN. Enjoy your morning at leisure before flying to the port city of Wuhan, one of China’s oldest metropolitan cities, located on the mighty Yangtze River. Breakfast Dinner
Day 4 :WUHAN–YICHANG (EMBARKATION)–YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE. This morning visit picturesque EAST LAKE, before time at the HUBEI PROVINCIAL MUSEUM. The well-known museum contains over 200,000 cultural relics, including pottery, jades, lacquerwares, and ancient calligraphy, paintings, and coins. Hear musicians perform beautiful music using a replica of the ancient bronze chime bells. This afternoon, board a BULLET TRAIN for Yichang. Upon arrival, board your 4-night CRUISE through the breathtaking Three Gorges of the Yangtze. (B,L,D)
Day 5 :CRUISING: THREE GORGES DAM. Start your day with a visit to the THREE GORGES DAM site. Afterward, watch endless dramatic vistas unfold before you as your ship passes through the serenely beautiful Xiling Gorge, the Yangtze’s longest. (B,L,D)
Day 6 :CRUISING: WU GORGE–QUTANG GORGE. Today, disembark for a BOAT EXCURSION down Goddess Stream. Along the way, see picturesque scenery and the mysterious hanging wooden coffins. Before returning to your ship you will also board a wooden boat on a smaller section of the stream, where the crew will sing songs as you glide across the stunning deep emerald-green waters surrounded by densely forested hills. Later, sail through two of the three gorges—Wu Gorge, known for its forest-covered mountains, and Qutang, the shortest but most dramatic gorge. (B,L,D) NOTE: Depending on river conditions, the boat excrusion may be on the Shennong Stream.
Day 7 :CRUISING: SHIBAOZHAI. Today, take a WALKING TOUR of Shibaozhai with its 400-year-old, 12-story, red wooden pagoda perched high on a cliff side. (B,L,D)
Day 8 :CRUISING: CHONGQING (DISEMBARKATION)–XI’AN. Disembark your cruise in Chongqing, where you will visit a local ZOO to see pandas. Enjoy time at leisure in the old town area of Cikikou before your flight to Xi’an. Upon arrival, the evening is free to enjoy one of the great ancient capitals of China. Breakfast
Day 9 :XI’AN. Today, enjoy a visit to the first emperor’s funeral vault to see the amazing TERRACOTTA WARRIORS. Nothing will prepare you for this incredible display of 8,000 life-sized model warriors, chariots, and horses. Later, visit the ancient CITY WALL, built in 1378 and surrounding the city, then visit the XI’AN ART, CERAMICS & LACQUER EXHIBITION CENTRE. (B,L)
Day 10 :XI’AN–BEIJING. Take a WALKING TOUR through the lively Muslim Quarter to explore the Islamic food markets. This afternoon, fly to Beijing, the capital of China and the country’s political, social, and historical hub. Breakfast
Day 11 :BEIJING. Sightseeing today includes a stroll through TIAN’ANMEN SQUARE past Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum. You’ll also visit the treasure-filled FORBIDDEN CITY, the largest and best-preserved collection of ancient buildings in China. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was home to emperors as well as the center of politics. (B,L)
Day 12 :BEIJING. The GREAT WALL OF CHINA once stretched 4,000 miles across China’s barren northern terrain from the Bohai Sea to the Gobi Desert. Head north to a village where the Great Wall is well preserved and walk along the wall to enjoy sweeping vistas of this mammoth fortress. This evening your dinner features the local delicacy, PEKING DUCK. (B,L,D)
Day 13 :BEIJING. Your tour ends with breakfast this morning. Breakfast
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