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14-Nights Best of China with Yangtze Cruise from $6,633
Trafalgar
OFFER ID 1675902
Best Of China With Yangtze Cruise
Travel through China on this Small Group tour, moving between cities and river landscapes by high-speed train, rickshaw and a cruise along the Yangtze. In Beijing you’ll walk the Great Wall, explore the Forbidden City and share a Be My Guest experience with a local family. A Small Group Exclusive tea session in a hutong tea house lifts the lid on Chinese tea culture. In Xi’an you’ll see the Terracotta Warriors, then in Chengdu visit the panda base and learn Sichuan recipes at a cuisine museum. Your journey finishes in Shanghai where you see the Bund, take in the views from Jin Mao Tower and stay at a Stays with Stories hotel in Jing An.
Dining Summary
- 7 Dinner (D)
- 13 Breakfast (B)
- 4 Lunch (L)
- Beijing: Visit and have lunch with a local family in their home in one of Beijing's hutongs and gain a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse into their lifestyle.
- Xi'an: Join a Local Specialist for a tai chi lesson in a city park, learning slow, controlled movements alongside local residents. As you follow the sequence you’ll see how this daily practice blends exercise, balance and focus, offering a calm window into everyday Chinese life.
- Chengdu: Head to the Museum of Sichuan Cuisine and get stuck in with a cookery lesson. Try your hand at grinding chilli with a traditional pestle and mortar, explore centuries-old recipes and learn the secrets of bold Sichuan flavors. Finally, tuck in.
- Beijing: Gain insights into this fascinating city during a sightseeing tour of Beijing. See the Great Hall of the People and Tiananmen Square before stepping through the south gate of the Forbidden City.
- Great Wall of China: Visit the Great Wall of China to marvel at the history of this renowned landmark.
- Beijing: Sit down together to share Peking duck, Beijing’s signature dish with roots in the imperial kitchens. Watch the crisp roasted duck carved then wrap slices with cucumber, spring onion and sweet bean sauce in thin pancakes.
- Beijing: Hop on a traditional rickshaw and weave through Beijing's ancient alleyways.
- Beijing: Step into a small hutong tea house for a hands-on introduction to Chinese tea. In your small group you’ll learn how to choose tea leaves, follow traditional brewing techniques and hear how places like this once refreshed local residents, as you share stories and questions with your host.
- Beijing: Board a high-speed train to Xi’an, swapping city traffic for smooth, fast travel across the countryside. Settle into your seat, watch fields and townships stream past your window and arrive ready to discover this former imperial capital.
- Fortifications of Xian: Visit the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang and see the terracotta warriors.
- Xi'an: Visit Xi’an’s Wild Goose Pagoda, a key landmark on the ancient Silk Road. Walk through the surrounding temple complex, see the striking brick pagoda rising above the courtyards and hear how it once stored precious Buddhist scriptures brought from India, linking trade, faith and scholarship in one place.
- Chongqing: You’ll get to know Chongqing, a major river city built on steep hills above the Yangtze. Busy shopping streets, high-rises and older alleyways sit side by side and hotpot restaurants are packed most evenings, showing you how people here eat, shop and spend their time.
- : Visit the cliff-top temple Shibaozhai.
- Yangtze: Cruise on a small motorboat through the magical landscape of the Goddess Stream.
- Shanghai: Visit Jin Mao Tower and take in panoramic views of Shanghai from 88 floors up.
- Shanghai: Join your Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour of Shanghai. See the famous Bund waterfront and Yu Garden.
- Shanghai: Enjoy a performance by the world-famous Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe.
- Chengdu: At the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, learn how your visit contributes to their conservation efforts to rescue and protect the endangered giant panda of which fewer than 2,000 remain. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land.
- Explore Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu and Shanghai
- Visit the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City in Beijing, the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, and the 'Bund' waterfront, Jade Buddha Temple and Jinmao Tower in Shanghai
- See local people practicing T'ai Chi in the morning, the Three Gorges Dam and the Shanghai Acrobats
- Cruise the Yangtze River and the Three Gorges
- Shanghai: Stay at The Kunlun Jing An, one of Shanghai’s first Chinese designed and built five-star hotels, once a base for visiting dignitaries and international guests. This landmark hotel in Jing An sits a short walk from Jing An Temple and West Nanjing Road, so you step straight out into one of the city’s key districts.
Whats Included
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.
- Train from Beijing to Xi'an, from Xi'an to Chengdu and from Chengdu to Chongqing.
- Flight from Yichang to Shanghai.
14 nights from $6,633 per person
Trafalgar Tours: Best of China with Yangtze Cruise
Day 1 - Say Ni Hao to China
Journey to the “Northern Capital” – a land of emperors, epic monuments and the cultural heart of China. On arrival in Beijing, you’ll be transferred to your hotel where you can relax before meeting your Travel Director for a dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodations: Novotel Peace
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 - Journey to the Great Wall
Visit the iconic Great Wall of China at Juyongguan this morning – its stone ramparts and walls snaking thousands of miles into the distance to defend the empire against nomadic invaders since 5th century B.C. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure and this evening for dinner indulge in a regional dinner of succulent Peking Duck – a must during any visit to Beijing.
Accommodations: Novotel Peace
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 - Discover the Icons of Beijing
Surround yourself with the grandeur of Beijing’s landmark Great Hall of the People, Qianmen Gate and the mausoleum of Mao Zedong as you walk through one of the world’s largest public areas, Tiananmen Square. Delve into China’s imperial heritage, passing the south gate into the frozen-in-time Forbidden City – once home to emperors and their households and today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch, indulge in a relaxing foot massage at the Foot Reflexology Center to ease you into an evening at leisure or consider joining an Optional Experience.
Accommodations: Novotel Peace
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4 - Explore Beijing's Hutong and onwards to Xi'an Connect with Locals
Navigate the ancient alleyways of the courtyard Hutong residences, weaving through lively neighborhoods on the back of a traditional rickshaw. Stop at the home of a local family where you’ll Connect With Locals, enjoying a Be My Guest experience with lunch of traditional Chinese cuisine, then visit a nearby tea house. Here, you’ll delve into the art of chayi, joining a Local Specialist who’ll share first-hand the age-old ritual of tea-making. Leave Beijing behind, bound for Xi’an, an ancient departure point on the Silk Road.
Accommodations: Wyndham Grand Xi'an South
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5 - Marvel at the legendary Terracotta Warriors Make Travel Matter
Start your day at a Gallery, where you’ll explore China’s artistic legacy. Dive into Culture at a traditional calligraphy class, where you’ll try your hand at Chinese writing, an art form dating back to the Han Dynasty. Then, step into history at the Yaodong cave dwellings on this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience — ingeniously crafted from Loess earth, these eco-friendly homes have sheltered families for centuries. After lunch, marvel at the UNESCO-listed Terracotta Warriors standing guard over Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s tomb.
Accommodations: Wyndham Grand Xi'an South
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 6 - Take the bullet train to Chengdu Dive Into Culture
This morning, your choice of activities gives you an opportunity to join a Local Specialist in their T'ai Chi practice or embark on a cycle tour around part of the ancient City Wall of Xi'an. Later at a local restaurant, you will be watching a demonstration in the art of making dumplings, with an opportunity to sample these for lunch. Savor the juicy flavors of these boiled, steamed and fried treats, transporting you back to ancient China, then transfer to the railway station for your high-speed bullet train trip to Chengdu. On arrival in the hometown of the giant panda, you’ll check in to your hotel and savor the leisurely pace of local life on your terms.
Accommodations: Rhombus Park Auro
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 7 - See the Giant Pandas of China Make Travel Matter
Witness the ground-breaking work being done by the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding this morning. Join a Local Specialist and learn how this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports the non-profit research breeding facility which rescues and protects the endangered giant panda, of which fewer than 2,000 remain. Afterwards, return to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure.
Accommodations: Rhombus Park Auro
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 8 - Discover the cuisine of Sichuan Dive Into Culture
Indulge in the bold and spicy flavors of local cuisine as you Dive Into Culture and learn about regional cooking practices at the Museum of Sichuan Cuisine. Experience the art of grinding soybean for Tofu, and discover ancient kitchenware, books and manuscripts faithfully recording the history of Sichuan culinary cultures. Immerse yourself in the intoxicating scents wafting through Restaurant Alley, pay tribute to the Kitchen God before attempting to create your own culinary magic under the guidance of a local chef. Stomach and soul sated after a delicious encounter with Chengdu, you’ll have an afternoon to relax, explore further or perhaps take the opportunity to do some shopping.
Accommodations: Rhombus Park Auro
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9 - Board your Yangtze River Cruise
Rub shoulders with the locals during a visit to People’s Park with its beautiful Chinese gardens, lake and tea houses. Gain insights into the day-to-day lives of the locals who spend their free time in tranquil surrounds indulging in a leisurely game of mah-jong, a quiet nap or neck massage. Venture to lively Jinli Old Street next, crossing beneath the imposing archway into a world of intricate handicraft, paintings and calligraphy. Stroll along the narrow street whose façades were modeled on the architectural style of a traditional old town in western Sichuan Province, then transfer to the railway station for a high-speed bullet train ride to Chongqing. Here, you’ll enjoy a city orientation tour with dinner before boarding your Yangtze River Cruise.
Accommodations: Victoria Jenna
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10 - Cruise the Great Yangtze River
Step off your Yangtze cruise to visit Shuanggui Mountain near Fengdu, a national scenic area known for its forested slopes, osmanthus trees and centuries-old temples, with paths that lead up to courtyards, stone inscriptions and views over the Yangtze River. Back on board you’ll continue your journey along the Yangtze. Later you may choose an Optional Experience to Fengdu’s ‘Ghost City’, with temples and shrines depicting China’s vision of the afterlife and the legend of two officials-turned-immortals. In the evening another Optional Experience is the open-air Romance of the Three Kingdoms show, retelling battles between rival dynasties with stunts, acrobatics and strong visual effects.
Accommodations: Victoria Jenna
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11 - Sail through the imposing Three Gorges
Wake up to another day on the Yangtze. This morning, choose one of two Optional Experiences: visit the White Emperor City, where rulers and poets once admired Qutang Gorge, or head to Chijia Mountain’s peak for sweeping views from the top of the Qutang Gorge. Return to your cruise and journey through Qutang Gorge’s towering cliffs, past Wu Gorge’s misty peaks, and into Xiling Gorge’s dramatic landscapes. Swap the ship for a small motorboat this afternoon and explore the Goddess Stream, gliding past sheer limestone cliffs covered in lush greenery—you’ll gain another perspective on this mighty river.
Accommodations: Victoria Jenna
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12 - Onwards to Shanghai Stays With Stories
Make an early start this morning and ascend to the top deck of your cruise ship to enjoy the views of the vast Three Gorges Dam – the largest dam in the world with a production timeline that spanned decades. After disembarking at Maoping Port you’ll have another great photo opportunity to get shots of the dam before transferring to Yichang Airport to catch your flight to the city of Shanghai. This afternoon you’ll check in to your Stays With Stories hotel, The Kunlun Jing An. You might choose to unwind at the hotel, visit Jing An Temple and nearby Jing An Park or take a stroll along West Nanjing Road.
Accommodations: The Kunlun Jing An
Meals: Breakfast
Day 13 - Discover Vibrant Shanghai Dive Into Culture
Shanghai’s famous ‘Bund’ waterfront is the first stop on a day of sightseeing with your Travel Director. Admire the ornate neoclassical colonial buildings and skyscrapers that have sprung up from this former marshland, then Dive Into Culture during a visit to a silk museum. Embrace the tranquility of the famous Yu Garden next, with its pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters. Then, enjoy some free time for a local lunch of soup dumplings perhaps and shopping in the Old Town, a treasure trove of winding streets and vibrant markets that was once enclosed by the ancient walled city of Shanghai. Our final stop this afternoon is a visit to the Jade Buddha Temple, built in 1928 after the original temple was destroyed during the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. Admire the beauty of its precious jade Buddha statues made out of crystal-clear white jade, before you settle into an evening performance by the world-renowned Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe.
Accommodations: The Kunlun Jing An
Meals: Breakfast
Day 14 - More Treasures of Shanghai
Ascend to the 88-storey Jin Mao Tower for panoramic views of the skyscrapers that loom over the most populous city on earth. Then embark on a walking tour with a Local Specialist through the Shanghai French Concession, for an exhilarating encounter with the opulent age of French colonial China. Wander through the narrow alleyways, past elegant villas and apartments dating back to the early 1900s when the territory was proclaimed a French settlement. Later this morning, you’ll see where the First Conference of the Communist Party took place in Xin Tian Di, whose charming antique façades hide a 21st century world of bars, cafes, boutiques and theme restaurants. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure, letting the sights and sounds of Shanghai infuse every sense or consider joining an Optional Experience. Say a fond farewell to newfound friends this evening during dinner.
Accommodations: The Kunlun Jing An
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 15 - Farewell to China
Our epic encounter with China at its end, take a transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
Meals: Breakfast
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
Fine dining, on-site bars or lounges and room service with extended hours are characteristic of deluxe establishments. Guest services usually include valet parking, concierge services, baggage assistance and laundry services. Other on-site facilities often include shops and boutiques, full service spas, full fitness facilities with pools and tennis courts. Business amenities may include available up-to-date technology and support staffs available for services. Attention to detail is apparent in the guestrooms which typically have stylish furnishings, quality bedding and bath products and often provide an evening turn down service.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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Land & Sea Vacations
1719 Route 10 East - Suite 215
Parsippany, NJ 07054
USA
(973) 503-0550
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