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About This Tour:
Discover China
From ancient wonders to modern marvels, China’s magnificent landscape lies ahead on this grand adventure by land and water.
Save up to £100 per person on selected 2020 Worldwide holidays when booked on or before 31st May 2019.
An early booking discount of a maximum of £100 per person is applicable to all qualifying tours for bookings confirmed between 6th March 2019 and up to and including 31st May 2019. Valid on bookings confirmed between 6th March 2019 and up to and including 31st May 2019. The Early Booking Offer is only applicable to the basic holiday price. Any single supplements, extra services, insurance or upgrades are charged separately and without discount at the time of booking. The Early Booking Offer is only available on bookings made on or before the 31ST May 2019 and does not apply to bookings made after this date. The Early Booking Offer has no cash value and cannot be refunded or exchanged for cash or other denominated vouchers. The Early Booking Offer may only be used once per booking and cannot be used in conjunction with any other Early Booking Offer. The discount will be discounted from your final invoice only, not from a deposit payment.
Tour Description
Imagine some of the best sites of China: the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors, the Forbidden City, the Giant Buddha. Now imagine seeing them all in one fell swoop. This 13-day journey brings this fantasy to life. Beginning in the bustling city of Beijing, you will see Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. You will meander through the historic backroads aboard a traditional rickshaw, and visit one of the great wonders of the world, the Great Wall of China. Next, you will move to Shanghai, where both the ancient and the modern parts of the city await your exploration before you board your luxurious cruise ship, the Goddess II. It is upon this ship that the breathtaking scenery of the Yangtze River comes to life. You will have four days on the water to soak it all in. Upon disembarking the ship, one of the country’s best-preserved Buddhist temples and China’s great pandas lie ahead. The tour wraps up with some of the best ancient sites of Xi’an, including the world-famous Terracotta Warriors. Leave no site unexplored and no stone unturned on this grand adventure through the China’s most beloved destinations.
Tour Photos
Highlights and Inclusions
- Scheduled flights from London to Beijing and from Xi’an to London
- All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
- 4-night cruise on the Yangtze River
- 7 nights' hotel accommodation
- Breakfast every day, 7 lunches and 10 dinners
- Sightseeing tours of Beijing & Xi'an
- Visit to the Great Wall of China
- Excursion to the Terracotta Warriors
- Guided tours of Shanghai & Chengdu
- Visit to the Panda Research Center
- See the Leshan Giant Buddha
Itinerary
Days 1 & 2 - Beijing
Your tour begins with a flight from London to Beijing, arriving into this bustling city on
Day 2. On arrival, you have plenty of time to settle in to this wonderful country.
Day 3 – The Great Wall of China
This morning begins with a rickshaw tour of Beijing's hutongs, or backstreets, known for their association with the city's history.
Later, enjoy a highlight of your holiday, with a visit to the iconic Great Wall of China. You visit the Mutianyu section of the wall, one of the best preserved and most visited parts of this worldfamous structure. This particular section is one of the oldest sections of the wall, and it was first built in the 6th century. After time to explore this magnificent piece of ancient engineering at your own pace, you return to Beijing, pausing en-route at the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube - examples of Beijing's modern architecture - for a photo opportunity. After a busy day exploring Beijing's best attractions, you enjoy a dinner of authentic Peking duck tonight.
Days 4 & 5 – Shanghai’s Secrets
Spend the morning exploring Beijing with a guided tour. Visit Tiananmen Square, the location of the now infamous 1989 uprising and, at over 4 million square feet, the largest city square in the world.
You continue this afternoon to the Forbidden City - a palace and garden complex once inhabited by the Chinese royal family, and now preserved as a testament to China's long history. The incredible complex was built on a grand scale, with 980 buildings spread over 180 acres housing the family, their staff and the royal guard from 1406 to the abdication of the last Chinese Emperor in 1912. Constructed to reflect the Purple Palace, where it was thought god resided in heaven, the Forbidden City's opulence is testament to the Emperor's role as a divine ruler.
Leave the capital behind this afternoon, as you board the high-speed train to Shanghai. On arrival, you are met by a local English-speaking guide, who takes you on a sightseeing tour. Discover the iconic Bund, part of the city's famously futuristic architecture, as well as the French Concession, where distinctive western architecture pays testament to the history of French colonialism in this region. There is also time to soak up the vibrant atmosphere of Nanjing Road, a largely pedestrianised thoroughfare and major shopping centre in Shanghai. Afterwards, dinner is served at a local restaurant.
Continue your tour of Shanghai on Day 5, with a visit to some of the city's hidden attractions. Yu Garden is an oasis of peace amidst Shanghai's lively streets, situated in the older quarters of the city. The extensive gardens are spread out over 5 acres, and have a serene feel, with the typical features of Imperial gardens created by China's former rulers - from ornate pavilions and tranquil pools filled with brightly-coloured fish, to curious stacked rockeries and decadent halls with traditional winged roofs. You also visit the Old City of Shanghai, the Chinese enclave that resisted the influences of the foreign concessions in the aftermath of the Opium Wars, and the Yuyuan Bazaar, a busy shopping quarter adjacent to the city's oldest street.
This afternoon, transfer to Maoping to board the Goddess II cruise ship, for a journey by water through some of China's most dramatic and beautiful scenery.
Days 6-8 – Cruising the Yangtze
Today, your scenic cruise along the Yangtze River begins. You take a shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam today, before your ship passes through the striking Xiling Gorge. On
Day 7, the ship makes its way through the Qutang and Wu Gorges, both renowned for their beauty.
On Day 8 you visit Fengdu Ghost Town.
Days 9 & 10 – Chengdu and its pandas
Disembark from the ship today in Chongqing, where you board the high-speed train to Chengdu. On arrival, you take in the city's highlights, including the Wenshu Monastery, which boasts the title of Chengdu's best-preserved Buddhist temple, and lively Jinli Street. On
Day 10 you have plenty of time at leisure, then enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Following this, you visit the famous Leshan Giant Buddha, an ancient monument that stands over 200ft tall.
Days 11 & 12 – The Terracotta Warriors
Make a visit to the Panda Research Centre this morning, where pandas are studied and cared for. Later, travel to Xi'an, the ancient former capital of China, by rail today. Tonight sit down to a dumpling banquet for dinner. On Day 12you visit the incredible Terracotta Warriors before a guided city tour.
Day 13 – Return to London
Board your scheduled flight from Xi'an to London Heathrow today. Your tour concludes on arrival in the UK.
Rail Your Way
Own your holiday, make it bespoke, especially designed for you. This could be as simple as a variation to one of our existing tours by choosing where and when you want to begin and end your journey. Or something totally unique with your chosen destinations and hotels for the time you want. Rail Your Way allows you to tailor make your holiday so you can have the experience you want.
Ask your rail specialist for details.
Train and Hotel Accommodations
The Presidential Hotel, Beijing
Stay in The Presidential Hotel in Beijing, close to the Fuchengmen Subway Station in the Xicheng District of China's capital city. Boasting three restaurants and a laundry service, the hotel is excellently equipped for your stay in Beijing. Each room includes air-conditioning, a minibar and a kettle.
Xinliang Hotel, Chengdu
Situated in downtown Chengdu, the 4* Xinliang Hotel is housed in a skyscraper close to many of the main shops and attractions of this fascinating metropolis. The hotel itself has two Chinese restaurants along with a magnificent Flowers Banquet Hall, an enormous dining area which serves Cantonese and Sichuan dishes. Other amenities include a chess room, a sauna and even a karaoke bar. The rooms all have air-conditioning, a safety box and a hairdryer.
Ambassador Hotel, Shanghai
The 4-Star Ambassador Hotel has an ideal central location in the heart of Shanghai, with easy access to Shanghai's tourist attractions by Metro. The hotel offers an excellent range of facilities, including a bar, coffee shop and three restaurants, serving Western, Chinese and Cantonese, and Japanese dishes. Leisure facilities include a beauty salon, gym and fitness centre, sauna, steam room and spa offering massage services. All well-appointed rooms are ensuite and air-conditioned and feature a television, safe and minibar.
Tianlang Jincheng Art Hotel, Xi'an
The Tianlang Jincheng Art Hotel is handily located in the centre of Xi'an, making it the perfect base from which to conduct your explorations. The rooms here are comfortable and stylish, and come well equipped with a television, a minibar, and complimentary Wi-Fi. Other amenities on offer at the hotel includes a laundry and ironing service (payable locally), and air-conditioning throughout.
Chinese Railroads
During this tour we travel by the Chinese rail network's modern high-speed trains. These efficient units with streamlined power cars are all air-conditioned, with well-furnished interiors in 'soft seat' class.
Dates & Prices
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Prices are correct at the time of publication, however are subject to change at time of booking. Prices are per person based on double occupancy. Itinerary and accommodations may vary for 2020 departures, please speak with a rail specialist for details.
Foreign Travel Advice
For the latest travel advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office including security and local laws, plus passport and visa information, check www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.