Day 1 Arrival / Beijing
Upon arrival at China's capitol city of Beijing, our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel.

Day 2 Beijing (B, L)
Historic Beijing has long been China's political and cultural center. Today we will escort you to explore some of Beijing's greatest sights. Your first stop will be to Tiananmen Square, where Chairman Mao declared the founding of People's Republic of China before 3 million onlookers in 1949. Next, stroll through the magnificent Forbidden City, the largest and grandest ancient imperial palace in the world with a history of over 600 years. In the afternoon, you will marvel at another of Beijing's landmarks - the splendid Temple of Heaven built in 15th century.

Day 3 Beijing (B, L)
A full-day excursion will take you to the majestic Great Wall, which was built over 2,000 years ago and stretches over 6,400 kilometers. You will have ample time to linger at this world wonder and contemplate how ancient Chinese people built the wall entirely by hand. Before returning to the city you will visit the Sacred Road.

Day 4 Beijing / Xi'an (B, L)
After breakfast, you will visit the old narrow alleyways and courtyard homes called Hutongs by rickshaw. In the afternoon, fly to Xian, once the largest city in the world and the capital for 11 Chinese dynasties for a period of over 1,180 years.

Day 5 Xi'an (B, L, D)
Start your Xian exploration with a visit to the incredible life-size Terracotta Warriors, arranged in battle formation to protect the mausoleum of the first Chinese emperor of China, Emperor QinShihuang for over 2,200 years. In the afternoon, enjoy strolling along the Ancient City Walls, considered as the largest and best-preserved City walls in the world. In the late afternoon you will visit Xian's Bell Tower built in 1582 that stands in the center of the city.

Day 6 Xi'an / Chongqing / Embark Regal China Cruise Ship (B, L)
Continue your exploration of Xi'an with visits to the Shaanxi Provincial Museum. On exhibit are over 3,000 artifacts showing the splendor of China's ancient culture. Later, you will visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda which houses Buddhist sutras brought back from India by the famous monk Xuan-zang in the Tang Dynasty. Later you will fly to Chongqing, where you will be escorted to board Regal China Cruises to begin your cruise down the Yangtze River.

Day 7 Yangtze Cruise (B, L, D)
Your cruise ship will depart Chongqing at 08:00AM. On the first day of your cruise, you will have a shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City, which shows China's ghost culture, and it is a place for punishing the devil and awarding the good.

Day 8 Yangtze Cruise (B, L, D)
On this day your cruise ship will sail through the first of the famous Three Gorges, the Qutang Gorge. It is the most dramatic gorge with peaks up to 1,240 meters high along the rolling river. Your ship will then continue to the Wu Gorge, which is the deepest and most mysteriously beautiful of the three Gorges. In the Wu gorge you will disembark and board smaller vessels for the unique shore excursion to Shennong Stream, a small tributary of the Yangtze that is famous for its picturesque scenery, crystal clear water,steep ridges and peaks, thick vegetation and wild flowers, flying birds, plank road built along the cliffs and the ancient hanging coffins. After reboarding the ship, you will enter Xiling Gorge, the longest one of the Three Gorges with many ancient temples hidden amongst the crags.

Day 9 Yangtze Cruise (B, L, D)
You will get a chance to tour the massive Three Gorges Dam project, the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, after its completion in 2009, the water level in the reservoir will rise to 135 meters above sea level.

Day 10 Yangtze Cruise / Disembarkation / Wuhan /Shanghai (B, L)
Disembark the ship in Wuhan at 11:30 AM. Your private tour guide will meet you and escort you to the airport for your flight to Shanghai, China's most cosmopolitan city.

Day 11 Shanghai (B, L, D)
Enjoy a thrilling day of sightseeing featuring Shanghai's unique charm. Visit the elaborate Yu Garden and bustling Yuyuan Market, and explore the stunning Shanghai Museum seeing China's richest collection of ancient artifacts. Later in the afternoon you will visit the Jade Buddha temple which houses an exquisite milk white jade Buddha brought to China in the 19th century by a Chinese monk. Your thrilling day will be concluded with a wonderful Acrobatic Show at the Shanghai Centre Theatre.

Day 12 Shanghai (B, L)
On your second exciting day in Shanghai you will visit the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the highest TV tower in Asia and the third highest in the world. With a height of 468 meters, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower has become the symbol of new Shanghai. In the afternoon you will visit the Children's palace which is a center for children to carry out their extracurricular activities. Then stroll along the waterfront Bund and crowded Nanjing Road.

Day 13 Shanghai / Departure (B)
Depart this ancient land with a lifetime of unforgettable memories.

Note: The itinerary of the Yangtze Cruise above is for your reference, it may vary from one cruiser to another.