China Private Tour of Beijing Yangtze River and Shanghai

Detailed Itinerary

• Day 1. Reach Beijing. Beijing Hutong.   
• 
  Arrive at Beijing airport.
  Be picked by private vehicle and English-speaking tour guide from Beijingservice.com.
  
• If time permit, we will drive to Hutong area to discover the daily life area of old Beijingers. Most Beijing Hutong were built during the Yuan (1206-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1908) dynasties surrounding the Forbidden City. Man-powered rickshaw is arranged to help travelers to discover Hutong alleys.
  Be transferred to hotel for check in. Remainder of the day is at leisure.
  
•   , ,
• Day 2. Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace.  
• 
  English speaking tour guide and private vehicle will pick you up from hotel at 08:30am.
  Dive to visit Tiananmen Square. Being the biggest downtown square, Tiananmen Square is one of the most important places of China.
  From the north end of Tiananmen Square, we will enter the Forbidden City. Worked as imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties, Forbidden City is believed covers 9999 rooms. The whole complex is rectangular in shape. We will visit the main buildings along central axis.
  
• Have lunch in a nice local restaurant.
  Then we will drive to Temple of Heaven. This is the sacrificial building complex of Ming and Qing Dynasty. The emperor came to the temple to pray for ample harvests and good weather in each winter. Visit Temple of Heaven for about 1 hour.
  
  At the end of the day, we will drive to visit a former imperial garden Summer Palace. Built in 1750, Summer Palace combines natural scenery (Kunmingg Lake and mt.Wanshou) with traditional Chinese culture (halls pavillions and long corridors).
  You will be transferred back to hotel after the sightseeing.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 3. Ming Tombs, Badaling Great Wall  
• 
  After delicious breakfast in hotel, you will be met by tour guide in hotel lobby at 08:30am.
  Drive one and half hours to Changping district to discover Imperial Tombs of Ming Dynasty. With a usual name Ming Tombs, this is the final resting place of 13 emperors and 23 empresses of Ming Dynasty. Today, we will visit the biggest one - Changling, this is the tombs of Yongle Emperor and her Empress - the dauther of famous general Xuda.
  
• After lunch in Changping, , we will drive to visit Badaling Great Wall.
  Built between the 7th century BC and 17th century BC, The Great Wall is part of the defensive project of ancient China.
  Badaling Great Wall was built in 1505 during Ming Dynasty. Being the best preserved and most visited one, Badaling Great Wall is 7600 meters long and 1000 meters above sea level,commanding a strategic position in ancient times.
  Take sightseeing on Great Wall for 1.5 to 2 hours before driving back to downtown Beijing.
•   Breakfast, Lunch,
• Day 4. Beijing to Chognqing.  Yangtze River Cruise start.    
• 
  Be met from hotel in Beijing and transfer to airport take morning flight to Chongqing.
  
• Chongqing local tour guide meet you in waiting hall of Chongqing Jiangbei International airport.
  
  If time permit, we will drive to visit Ciqikou Ancient Town, downtown area or Eling Park of this River City, before being transferred to cruise port on Yangze River.
  
  Most cruise ship start the cruising in the evening.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, , Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Day 5. Yangtze River Cruise.   
• 
  This is a sailing day on Yangtze River.
  If you are a early bird, Taichi Exercise is available on deck led by a Taichi master at around 06:30am.
  Travelers may enjoy the sightseeing of natural scenery along Yangtze River, and discover the bank of Yangtze River with shore excursion included in the itinerary.
  
• Usually the ship also arrange optional shore excursion, which needs extra payment. Travelers may dedide based on your wish.
  
• After buffet dinner, you may enjoy evening show offered by the crew.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Day 6. Yangtze River Cruise.   
• 
  After buffet breakfast at 07:00, travelers may enjoy the natural scenery along the Yangtze River.
  Today we will sail through Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge.
  Qutang Gorge is the shortest but the most marvelous one within the three gorges along Yangtze River.
  This is one of the best places to take photo, especially the Kuimen Gate. Please prepare your camera in advance.
  Wu Gorge is regarded as the most beautiful gorge on Yangtze River. Winding 46 km from DaNing River to Badong County, Wu Gorge is known for the magnificent peaks, especially the Twelve Peaks.
  
  
• There is a shore excursion included in the itinerary based on ship and date.
  
• In the evening, there is a captain banquet served.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Day 7. Three Gorges Dam,   Reach Yichang.   Reach Shanghai.  
• 
  Enjoy scenery on Yangtze River after delicious breakfast on board.
  Today we will take a shore excursion to the famous Three Gorges Dam. Being the largest hydroelectric project in the world, the dam formally began in 1994. The body of the dam was completed in 2003 and competed in 2009.
  Passengers will be transferred across the Three Gorges Bridge, which leads to the top of Three Gorges Project to take a bird view of the dam.
  You will be be transferred to the pier 9 for after reaching Yichang.
  
• Be met by our local tour guide and transferred to airport to connect flight or fast train to Shanghai.
  
• Be picked up by private vehicle and transfer to hotel in downtown Shanghai for checking in.
•   , , , , , ,
• Day 8. Yuyuan Garden, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Nanjing Road, the Bund, Acrobatic Show  
• 
  Be picked up from your hotel at 08:30 am.
  Drive to visit Yu Garden Being a very good Suzhou style gardens in southern China, Yugarden covers pavilions, halls, chambers, towers, ponds and rockeries, presents more than 40 scenic spots.
  
  Move on to Oriental Pearl TV Tower -the world's third tallest TV and radio tower. We will take a bird view of Shanghai from the tower.
  
  
• Have lunch in local restaurant, then we will visit Nanjing Road. Being one of the earliest commercial street of China, Nanjing Road is a good place for shopping.
  Proceed to visit the Bund. Being a famous waterfront and regarded as the symbol of Shanghai, the bund is know for the 52 various buildings of different architectural styles including Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and the Renaissance.
• Enjoy Acrobatic show in the evening before being transferred back to hotel.
  This acrobatics show is performed by Shanghai Magic Troupe and New Shanghai Circus Troupe. It is the only acrobatics show which performs every day start at 19:30.
•   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Day 9. Departure.  
• 
  Be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the airport to connect homeward flight.
•   Breakfast, ,