DAYS 1 – 4Beijing, China Upon arrival on Day 2 you are transferred to your luxury hotel. The next day, begin exploring the city that was once the capital of Kublai Khan’s empire. Stroll across Tiananmen Square, one of the largest city squares in the world and the spiritual heart of China. Explore fascinating historic sites such as the Forbidden City, a 250-acre complex that was home to 24 emperors, and is the world’s largest palace complex. More than 200,000 laborers worked to build it, but only the royal family and their households were allowed inside. We, however, will enjoy special VIP access to the Chong Hua Palace where the elite once entertained with poetry and tea. Witness the finest expression of an art form at the Summer Palace gardens, the best-preserved imperial garden in China. Stroll atop the Great Wall. Learn the mythology and symbolism behind the paired mythical beasts lining the Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs, and the ultra-modern architecture built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Ride a rickshaw through old winding hutongs and meet with a local family delighted to have you as their guest.
St. Regis Hotel, Beijing
DAYS 5 & 6 Xi’an Xi’an was once the eastern end of the Silk Road and the most important city in Asia, vying with Rome and later Constantinople for the title of greatest city in the world. With more than 3,100 years of history, we will find it everywhere here, including underfoot. At the Han Yangling Museum, we may have the opportunity to watch archeologists working to uncover artifacts from a royal mausoleum right below you through a glass floor. Also visit the Shaanxi Historical Museum to view the Tang Dynasty Murals, its collection of ancient Chinese artifacts, and most famously, the Army of Terra Cotta Warriors. More than 7,000 life-sized terra cotta soldiers, chariots, and horses have been excavated so far at the tomb of emperor Qin Shi Huang.
Shangri-La Hotel, Xi’an
DAYS 7 – 10Chongqing, Yangtze Cruise & Shanghai Board the luxurious M/V Victoria Jenna, one of the newest ships on the Yangtze, for a three-night cruise. The Yangtze is the third longest river in the world after the Nile and the Amazon. History and culture thrive along its banks and we encounter spectacular landscapes and fascinating folklore around every bend. Admire the incredible Three Gorges and Little Gorges scenery. Depending on the river’s water level, explore oddities like Shibaozhai’s 12-story wooden pagoda built entirely without nails, or Fengdu, the “city of ghosts” where it seems spirits and demons outnumber the town’s residents. Onshore, examine Gezhou Dam, the largest public works project in China since the Great Wall, before we board our flight to Shanghai.
M/V Victoria Jenna; Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai
DAYS 11 & 12 Shanghai On one side of the Huangpo River lies the Bund, the colonial past of Shanghai. On the Pudong side lie the skyscrapers of Shanghai’s future. Explore both during our time here. Find serenity and watercolor vistas in Yu Yuan Garden, a classical masterpiece from 1577 located in Shanghai’s Old Town. Enjoy an evening performance of Chinese acrobats, renowned for their limber gymnastics and amazing stunts. Admire the two exquisitely carved white jade Buddhas at the Temple of the Jade Buddha, still a sanctuary for Zen Buddhist study and meditation. Examine extraordinary Chinese art and artifacts from bronze ware to calligraphy at the contemporary Shanghai Museum in People’s Square.
Pudong Shangri-La Hotel, Shanghai
DAY 13Shanghai & Depart for Home On Day 13 those with limited time will be transferred to the airport for their flights home or on to their next destinations.
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“The Xian soldiers were great-wish we could have spent a little more time there. I liked occasional evening activities, especially in Kunming and Shanghai.”
- Paul Marsted“Everything about the trip was fabulous. I have dreamed for years of going to China and this was for me the trip of a lifetime. As a single traveler I felt safe, well cared for, and always included. Much of the credit goes to the Travel Director, Jane. I will recommend Travcoa to my family and friends.”
- Mary Bess Peterson“China was a kaleidoscope of contrasts: horse-drawn carts in downtown Xi’an; a woman with a broom sweeping the wide boulevard in Beijing; village life along the Yangtze and new high-rise condos; cell phones everywhere and friendly Chinese youth eager to converse with us in English.”
- E. Elaine Erbey