14 DAYS Beijing, X ian, Chongqing, Wanxian, Yichang, Wuhan, Guilin, Shanghai, Suzhou

Day 1 Fri: North America / China
Depart today and begin your exploration of several of China’s most fabulous areas.

Day 2 Sat: Arrive Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China, which is over 3,000 years old. You are welcomed at the airport and escorted to RAFFLES BEIJING HOTEL. Afternoon is at leisure.

Day 3 Sun: Forbidden City with Tiananmen Square & Summer Palace
Visit the Forbidden City, the 250-acre palace containing more than 9,000 rooms. Closed to the common people for centuries, it was only opened to the public in 1949. Also visit Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world. Later, explore the Summer Palace, the retreat of China’s royal families for over 2,000 years. Tonight you are welcomed to the Middle Kingdom with a Peking Opera show, including a backstage visit. (BLD)

Day 4 Mon: Great Wall Excursion
The highlight of your stay in this ancient capital is a visit to the Great Wall. It is easy to see why the Great Wall, built 2,300 years ago and extending 3,750 miles, can be seen by astronauts from space! You will also visit the Ming Tombs, including a nice walk on the Sacred Way, which was regarded as the formal entrance to the Tombs. Also visit the Tomb of Emperor Zhudi, founder of the Forbidden City. Tonight you will enjoy a traditional Peking Duck dinner. (BLD)

Day 5 Tue: Hutong Tour / Temple of Heaven / Xian
You will tour some of Beijing’s thousands of hutongs, or ancient city alleys. The hutongs were built as part of a city building plan that followed the etiquette systems of the Zhou dynasty, which had specific protocols regarding how residential areas should be set up. Visit the Temple of Heaven, possibly the country’s most popular symbol. It was believed to be the closest place to heaven and was where the emperors would communicate with the gods. Later, fly to Xian, once the largest city in the world. Xian was the national capital for eleven Chinese dynasties and a major link between Asia and Europe. You will be met and transferred to SOFITEL ON RENMIN SQUARE XIAN (BLD)

Day 6 Wed: Terra Cotta Warriors
Xian captured the interest of the world in 1974 with the discovery of the astonishing third-century BC burial sites of the first emperor to unite China, Qin Shi Huangdi. Visit the archaeological site to see thousands of Terra Cotta Warriors, which have been standing guard over the Imperial Tomb for 2,000 years. Also visit Shan’xi Provincial Historical Museum. In the evening, enjoy a Tang dynasty dinner show. (BLD)

Day 7 Thu: Xian / Chongqing
Fly to Chongqing, skirted on three sides by rivers and nicknamed the “Capital of the Mist.” Your tour gives you an idea of Chongqing’s rich historical past, including such sites as the General Stilwell Memorial Hall. Also visit the Panda Hall. Evening board the luxurious Orient Royal Cruises YANGZI EXPLORER. (BLD)

Day 8 Fri: Wanxian
The city of Wanxian received its present name during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), and became a foreign treaty port in 1902. Wanxian was a main center for East Sichuan merchandise. At the markets, visitors can see local produce and seasonal delicacies, such as mountain mushrooms or live eels. (BLD)

Day 9 Sat: Qutang Gorge / Wu Gorge / Shennong Stream / Xiling Gorge
Your river journey begins in the Qutang Gorge, which the river has carved out between sheer precipices of overhanging mountains. Here you will see the original site of the famous Fenbi Wall, the ruins of ancient cliff roads and the Mengliang Steps. Take an excursion by boat up Shennong Stream, enjoying the vistas of Parrot Gorge and Dragon Boat Gorge with their breathtaking scenery. Return to the cruise ship and continue through the wondrous Wu Gorge, a meandering landscape of dazzling peaks and rocks forming a whimsical gallery of natural beauty. After visiting the Three Gorges dam site, scheduled for completion in 2009, pass through Xiling Gorge, famous for its strangely shaped cliff faces and rock formations. The largest of the Three Gorges, it offers the “mountains beyond mountains” scenery of classic China. (BLD)

Day 10 Sun: Yichang / Wuhan / Guilin
Disembark in Yichang and proceed to Wuhan in time to connect to your flight to Guilin, one of the most gorgeous areas in China. It is set amidst jagged, vertical limestone mountains and the soft crop-green banks of the Li River. Check in to GUILIN DAEWOO SHERATON HOTEL (Water View Room). This afternoon, visit the Reed Flute Caves. (BLD)

Day 11 Mon: Li River Excursion
The beauty of this part of China is most fully appreciated from the decks of a slow-moving boat on the Li River as you glimpse some of the mystery of this ancient region. Visit the village of Yangshuo this afternoon, a quiet and picturesque town in the heart of this scenic beauty. Yangshuo is also home to one of the best antique and craft markets in China. (BLD)

Day 12 Tue: Guilin / Shanghai
Fly to Shanghai, “the Paris of the East”—China’s most westernized and largest city. Upon arrival, you are met and transferred to THE WESTIN SHANGHAI. Your afternoon tour of Shanghai includes a visit to Yu Yuan Garden, the Temple of the Jade Buddha and a drive along the famous Bund, the wide, tree-lined avenue along the Huangpo River and the former “Wall Street” of foreign powers. Later, enjoy a performance by famous Chinese acrobats. (BLD)

Day 13 Wed: Suzhou Excursion
Enjoy a day trip to Suzhou by train. Often called the “Venice of the East” because of its network of waterways and canals, which are graced by 300 bridges that date back to the Ming dynasty, Suzhou is an important city renowned for its historical and cultural heritage. Ride on the Grand Canal, China’s ancient commercial waterway. Visit the garden of Net Master and Panmen Gate to appreciate what is perhaps the finest example of the classical style of the silk-spinning process in China. (BLD)

Day 14 Thu: Shanghai / North America
Leave the Orient behind today and board your flight home, filled with memories of your exciting journey into the many marvelous treasures of ancient China. (B)