Day 01: Hong Kong Arrival
Welcome to China. Upon arrival, our local guide will take you to your downtown hotel. The rest of the day is on your own to explore the city.
Day 02: Hong Kong (B)
Sightseeings: Victoria Peak/ Aberdeen and Repulse Bay
You will spend half day touring around the city, including visits to Victoria Peak, Aberdeen and Repulse Bay. For lunch time, you will be transferred back to the hotel. The rest of the day is on your own to explore the city.
Day 03: Hong Kong – Kunming (B)
Transfer via: AM flight
The morning is at your leisure before boarding your flight to Kunming and transfer to the downtown hotel.
Day 04: Kunming (B+L)
Sightseeings: Stone Forest/ Golden Temple
Get up early in the morning and drive about 120km to visit Stone Forest. Magnificent stone masterpieces, various strange and steep intricate formations, and countless labyrinthine vistas can be found here and there. After lunch, transfer back to Kunming city. On the way, visit Golden Temple, the largest copper temple in China.
Day 05: Kunming – Dali (B+L)
Sightseeings: Erhai Lake Park/ Three Pagodas/ Dali Ancient City
Transfer via: AM flight
In the morning, you will take morning flight to Dali and transfer to the downtown hotel.
You will begin the day with a visit to Erhai Lake Park, which is renowned as ‘a pearl on the plateau’. Erhai Lake is the largest highland lake next to Dianchi and one of the seven biggest fresh water lakes in China. Afterwards, you will visit Three Pagodas. It is a symbol of the history of Dali City, and a record of the development of Buddhism in the area. After visiting Three Pagodas, you will also pay a visit Dali Ancient City. Its grand city wall, traditional Bai ethnic minority folk houses and marvelous scenery attract many visitors from home and aboard.
Day 06: Dali – Lijiang (B+L)
Sightseeings: Black Dragon Pool/ Dongba Cultural Museum/ Old Town of Lijiang
Transfer via: Private van
In the morning, you spend 3.5 hours on private van driving to Lijiang and check in at the hotel. Then you will visit Black Dragon Pool. With an area of 40 hectares (over 430,000 sqft), and it provides a haven for bird and water-life, with spectacular plants. Afterwards, you will pay a visit to Dongba Cultural Museum, the best place to get a close look at Dongba culture. In the mid-afternoon, visit Old Town of Lijiang, a well-preserved old city of ethnic minorities with brilliant culture.
Day 07: Lijiang – Kunming (B+L)
Sightseeings: Yuhu Village/ Dr. Joseph Rock/ Baisha Mural/ Yufeng Temple
Transfer via: FM flight
You spend today on the site of the Yuhu Village, a simple village of Naxi minority with the former residence of Dr. Joseph Rock, an Austro-American botanist and explorer who lived here off and on from 1922-1949. Your next stop is Baisha Village to visit Baisha Mural. Baisha Mural displayed the different religious cultures and arts forms from Buddhism, Lamaism, Daoism and the Naxi Dongba religion. Afterwards, you will visit Yufeng Temple, one of the Scarlet Sect lamaseries of Lijiang. In the late afternoon, you will take flight back to Kunming and transfer to the hotel.
Day 08: Kunming – Chongqing (B+L+D)
Sightseeings: Ciqikou Ancient Town/ Eling Park
Transfer via: AM flight
Take morning flight to Chongqing. Then you will take stroll along the Ciqikou Ancient Town, with a history of more than 1700 years. While visiting, you will find the local residents dedicated to their traditional way of life, unaffected by modern influences to be found in the larger towns and cities. Your next stop is Eling Park, which was built in 1909. There you will find numerous special plant species. In addition, there is a newly built tower (Liangjiang Pavilion) providing the view of the entire city. After dinner, drive to the dock and get on the ship.
Day 09: Yangtze Crusie (B+L+D)
Shore excursion to Fengdu or Shibaizhai
Day 10: Yangtze Crusie (B+L+D)
Boat excursion to Shennong Stream or cruises through Wu Gorge
Day 11: Yichang – Beijing (B+L)
Transfer via: FM flight
Shore excursion to Three Gorges Dam. Disembarks at Yichang city at around 1 p.m. afterwards, take flight to Beijing and transfer to the downtown hotel.
Day 12: Beijing (B+L+D)
Sightseeings: Tiananmen Square/ Forbidden City/ Temple of Heaven/ Peking Duck Dinner
Today you will visit the Tiananmen Square which is considered as the largest square of the world. Subsequently, you visit the Forbidden City, the most complete imperial palace in China. And later you will also pay a visit to the Temple of Heaven. Temple of Heaven was built in the year 1420 and symbolized the meaning that the emperor can contact with the sky through it.
Tonight, enjoy a Peking Duck Dinner in a famous restaurant.
Day 13: Beijing (B+L)
Sightseeings: Badaling Great Wall/ Spirit Way/ Ming Tombs
After breakfast, you will visit the Badaling Great Wall where you will experience at first hand the wonder of the Great Wall. For lunch you’ll sample some delicious fare in a local restaurant. Afterwards, take a short drive to visit the Spirit Way and one of Ming Tombs. Spirit Way is an impressive marble archway as well as the entrance to the Ming Tombs equipped with many animals and people statues on the left and on the right of the avenue.
Ming Tombs are the representative royal tombs of the Ming Dynasty tombs. 13 emperors of the Ming dynasty from 1368 to 1644 were buried there.
Day 14: Beijing (B+L)
Sightseeings: Summer Palace/ Lama Temple
Today you will start the day with a trip to the Summer Palace, which has a history of over 800 years. All the man-made hills, halls, pavilions and temples, including Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, blend together harmoniously in spite of their individual styles. After lunch, you will also pay a visit to the Lama Temple. It is a typical Tibetan Monastery in Beijing and reveals various architectural styles from Han, Mongolia, Manchuria and Tibet, and the impressive 60-foot Maitreya Buddha, carved form a single sandalwood tree.
Day 15: Leave for home (B)
The morning is at your leisure before boarding your flight back home.
