22 Days China Adventure Tour with Yangtze River Cruise

Nihao! Welcome to Beijing, the capital of China. Be transferred to the hotel. Relax and get yourself prepared for Natural wonders and Culture Adventure in the coming days.

Spend a whole day to explore Beijing. As the most famous and popular site the Mutianyu Great Wall, we will start early at 7:00 to avoid tourist crowds. After 2hr's driving, you will take a cable car for the panorama of the Wall. It is a fantastic experience to walk on the well-maintained ancient wall. Lunch will be arranged in the courtyard at the foot of the Great Wall.

Drive back to the city and visit the Bird's Nest National Stadium and Water Cube Aquatic Centre en route.

One more a day to explore culture and history in Beijing.

At the early morning, we will pay a visit Tianan Men Square for 30 minutes. Continue the 3hrs in-depth exploration of Forbidden City, where 24 Emperors lived from Ming to Qin Dynasty. Walking around the splendid palace complex might help to understand Chinese history and appreciate palace architecture art.

After Lunch in the local restaurant, make a way to Temple of Heaven,1-2hrs walking through the vast beautiful park to view the granary architecture with oval roof and layers of the Emperors praying for good harvest.

Our final stop is the Summer Palace, a imperial garden consisting of vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces in China. You can take the boat cross the island and then walk over to the temple on the hill. The climb up the stairs might be bit tired but so worth to enjoy incredible view from the top. 

Tomorrow leave Beijing for Shanghai tour.

Morning train to Shanghai, the economic and trade center of China. Your local friendly guide will pick you up and check in your hotel. Afternoon, stroll around the top commercial district Nanjing Road. You might be interested in to local snacks around. At night, we will pay a visit to the Bund, a symbol of Shanghai and world known as the“gallery of international architecture”. Neon lights shine on the modern towers reflecting on the Huangpu River to produce gorgeous atmosphere.

Today we will spend a whole day to explore the beautiful water town of Zhouzhuang, located in Kunshan, Jiangsu. Unlike magnificent watertown of Venice, Zhouzhuang is full of Chinese spirituality for its small bridges, running water winding through, and large courtyards built by thick green bricks and tiles of Ming-Qin Dynasty. Walking around Zhouzhuang, you will feel strong history and culture of south of the Yangtze River with thousand-year accumulations.   

Evening driving back to Shanghai for overnight stay.

This morning, you will catch an express train from Shanghai to Yichang. We will meet you at the train station. After self-helped dinner, your driver will help you board on the Yangtze Cruise. You will have an exciting cruise overnight.

After breakfast you will take a coach to visit Three Gorge Dam Project. Three Gorges Dam Project is a water control project at the three gorges on Yangtze River. It is located in the middle section of Xiling Gorge (one of the three gorges on Yangtze River) near Sandouping Town inYichang City, Hubei Province. Being the world's largest hydropower project, Three Gorges Dam Project has created many "Firsts" such as the most efficient dam in flood control, the most difficult construction work and the largest migration project in the world.

Today sailing through Qutang Gorge, and Wu Gorge.

Qutang Gorge starts from Baidi city in the West and ends in Daxi town in the East with a a length of 8km. Although it is the shortest among the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, it is the most majestic, precipitous, and famous for historical sites, amount of cultural relics, ancient plank roads, and the pink wall with inscriptions on the south bank.

Continuously winding ahead to Wu Gorge, known as“Three Gorge Beauty”for jagged rocks, steep walls, temples and notable former residences all in one like a meandering gallery, full of art atmosphere and retro. 

Optional Activies:

Wushan small Three Gorges, which is the general name of Longmen gorge, Bawu gorge and DiCui gorge, with a total length of 60 km. 

Baidicheng, located in the east of Fengjie County and the west of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. The management committee is 10 kilometers away from the county seat. Yufu county was set up here in the Han Dynasty. It was the political, economic and cultural center and the distribution center of commercial materials at that time.

Enjoy the magnificent views of various shapes of peaks,rolling rills and small towns along the river. 

Optional Activies:

Shibaozhai is a red,wooden tower with 12 floors,leaning against the cliff and facing the River, It is 56meters high,the splendid structure,whose design is exquisite,takes its tendency along the hills and looks like a fairyland.

Ghost City of Fengdu, Located on the Ming Mountain on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, Fengdu County is known to most Chinese as the 'Ghost City'. Having nearly two thousand years' history, the Ghost City combines the cultures of Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism with the mystique of ghosts.

Disembark at Chongqing wharf this morning, then set off to the train station with your local driver. The train ride from Chongqing to Xi'an will take about 5-6hrs. Upon arrival, be met and transferred to the hotel check in. Your wonderful holiday in Xi'an is coming.

Tour starts at 08:00 and then drive 1 hour to discover the incredible Terracotta Warriors with history of 2300 since was built for Grand Emperor Qinshihuang. You will see how tough the soldiers of Qin Dynasty were and explore how the cavalry, chariots and infantry fought over other 6 kingdoms and united the China in one county.

After lunch in the local restaurant, head to ancient architecture and a holy place for Buddhists.- Big Goose Pagoda,The restored Buddha and building are beautiful with spectacular timber work and gilded features are recently built by donors, they make a fine job of explaining the role of Buddhism in China's history.

Afterwards, wandering through the tight and interesting Muslim Quarter Streets to experience the local lifestyle. Street vendors selling all sorts of goods from souvenirs, hand crafted products and local snacks. You need to bargain with the vendors if you are buying goods.

One more day to explore the history and culture in Xi'an.

First we pay a visit to Shaanxi History Museum, a treasure trove for anyone interested in the art facts of Chinese history. Exhibits numerous unearthed cultural artifacts and represents the imposing image of a 13-dynasties capital.

Afterwards, head up to the Ancient City Wall, the most well-preserved city wall and the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. It is an amazing to wander along the city wall with the bird's-eye view of Xi'an. 

Say farewell to Xi'an, you will take an overnight train to the Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet, it's famous as the sun city.   

Please note:

In August, the train tickets from Xi'an to Lhasa is very hard to buy. If there is no tickets, we will use the bullet train from Xi'an to Xining, then soft sleeper train from Xining to Lhasa.

Xi'an to Xining: D2701(08:00-12:12) or similar

Xining to Lhasa: Z6801(13:50-11:20) 

You will arrive in Lhasa today. Our friendly guide and driver will meet you with a welcome board. Then you will set off to the local hotel with your private vehicle. The rest of the day is for you to lessen the effects of altitude sickness, avoid strenuous exercise and have plenty of rest.  

Full day sightseeing in Lhasa. First visit the Tibetan architectural wonder of Potala Palace with 1300-year history, Potala Palace has collected and preserved very rich historical relics such as amount of murals, pagodas, statues, Thangka (scroll paintings), gold books, gold seals, etc. Former Dalai Lama's coffins are preserved in here too.

You will also stop at Norbulingka Park, the site of the Dalai Lama's Summer Palace. Next travel to visit the Jokhang Temple,which is known as the most sacred place in Tibet. Thousands of Pilgrims from all over Tibet come here to pay homage. 

Today is another day to explore Lhasa. The journey will begin with the Medicine King Mountain, where you can have a panoramic view of the Polata Palace. After 3hrs driving to Drepung Monastery, the largest monastery in Tibet, located at the foot of Mount Gephel. It is the Tibetan Buddhism(Gelug) monastery and one of the “Great Three” monasteries in Tibet. You will have an opportunity learning some history and culture of Gelug as well as the magnificent view of a large number of white buildings like a heap of rice lying in the hillside.

Then head to another Gelug monastery-Sera Monastery. There you will successively visit The Great Assembly Hall, Je Dratsang and Me Dratsang in this building. The most interesting activities here is watching monks debating at courtyard by listening them argue some knowledge about Buddhism.

Enjoy a scenic drive to one of Tibet's holy lake-Yamdrok Lake .It is ta sparking turquoise lake flanked by snow-capped peak. On the way you will see local nomad camps, herd of yak and sheep and beautiful mountains scenery before arriving at Gyantse. Enjoy one of the most magnificent buildings in Tibet-the Kunbum Pagoda, housing beautiful paintings ,ancient murals and Buddhist images by Nepalese craftsmen.

Depart from the hotel and take about one hour driving to the next stop Shigatse. Visit the Xialu Monastery, an ancient Buddhist Temple in Tibet. In ancient times, it was also one of the top ten commercial cities in Tubo. After that, we will pay a visit to the Tashilunpo Monastery founded in 15th century by first Dalai Lama Gedun Dropa. There you can visit chapel Jampa, tomb stupas of fourth and tenth Panchen Lama and assemble halls etc. 

Today you will start your journey at the Sakya Monastery, located at the foot of Benbo mountain in Sakya county. It is a monastery of Sakya sect of Tibetan Buddhism and the main monastery of Sakya sect. Then drive you to visit Natang Monastery, known as the "Library of Tibet." Natang temple has a history of more than 400 years, which plays a very important role in the development and inheritance of Tibetan printing culture. After the visiting, we will back to Shigatse for overnight stay.

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel and then we will drive all the way to Tsedang. On the way, you will have an opportunity to experience the Tibetan incense making in the local village. Then proceed the tour to the Mingdruling Monastery, It is one of the six monasteries of the Ningma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The statues painted on the walls of its main hall all have the characteristics of Ningma temple, which is the representative of Tibetan Tantric art.

Full day sightseeing in Tsedang. Sightseeing in the Samye Temple, the first Buddhist Temple in Tibet, The architecture in the temple is arranged according to the Buddhist cosmology. The central Buddha Hall has three styles of Tibetan, Han and Indian, so Sangye temple is also known as Sanyang temple. Next, we will travel to the first palace of Tibet -- Yongbulakang, During the period of Songzanganbu, the palace was changed into a temple. When Princess Wencheng first came to Tibet, she would live here with Songzanganbu every summer. In the fifth Dalai Lama's time, he built a four corner gold roof on the basis of the original Diaolou style building, and changed it into a yellow temple. Then continue the tour to Traduk monastery, one of the first Buddhist temples built in the Tubo Period. The main hall is 45 meters long from east to west and 29 meters wide from north to south. It has 64 pillars and three main Buddhist halls, similar to the form of Dazhao temple in Lhasa. There are 12 Buddhist halls in the Monastery.

Today you will end your memorable holiday in China, we will arrange the airport transfer based on your flight schedule. Wish you have a pleasant journey home!