Shanghai – Yangtze River Cruise – Chongqing – Chengdu – Xi’an – Beijing
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Shanghai – Yangtze River Cruise – Chongqing – Chengdu – Xi’an – Beijing
Arrival at Shanghai International Airport. Meet your guide, then transfer and check-in at the hotel in Shanghai. Free time and dinner on your own.
Jinling Purple Mountain Hotel Shanghai***** or similar
Breakfast，Lunch
After breakfast, visit the Shanghai Museum (closed on Mondays), which houses important collections illustrating the chronological evolution of Chinese art. Its eleven galleries contain some of the finest collections of paintings, bronzes, sculptures, ceramics, calligraphy, jade, furniture from the Ming and Qing dynasties, coins, seals, and minority arts.
After lunch, visit the Yu Garden, built in the 16th century. It was designed with circular shapes symbolizing the heavens: winding paths, circular doorways in the pavilions… every detail is meaningful. Earth mounds represent hills, small streams stand for rivers, the pond becomes the sea—depicting a miniature world.
To finish the day, visit the Jade Buddha Temple (Yufosi), home to two magnificent jade Buddha statues. Also, visit a silk workshop to learn about the ancient history of Chinese silk.
Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel.
Optional: Dinner cruise on the Huangpu River
Jinling Purple Mountain Hotel Shanghai***** or similar
Breakfast，Lunch，Dinner
After breakfast, transfer to the train station and depart by high-speed train for Yichang. Lunch on your own. Upon arrival, transfer to the port to board the cruise ship. Presentation of the cruise and check-in to your cabin. Dinner on board.
Overnight on board.
Breakfast，Lunch，Dinner
Breakfast on board. In the morning, optional excursion to the Tribe of the Three Gorges – €38/p (to be booked on site). Lunch on board. In the afternoon, visit the gigantic Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydroelectric project, operational since the early 2000s. Observe the complex lock system. Cruise navigation continues. (Optional visit by Ship Lift at the Three Gorges Dam – €38/p to be booked on site). Dinner and welcome show.
Overnight on board.
Breakfast，Lunch，Dinner
Breakfast on board. Cruise through the Three Gorges to admire the breathtaking scenery. Lunch on board. Cross the Wu and Qutang Gorges. The Wu Gorge stretches 45 km and features twelve iconic peaks, each named for the impressions they inspire—such as Goddess Peak, Flying Phoenix Peak, Climbing Dragon Peak, and Gathering Cranes Peak. The steep slopes often block out sunlight, giving the gorge a mystical atmosphere.
(Optional visit to the Mini Three Gorges and the ancient town of Dachang – €36/p to be booked on site).
Further upstream, the Qutang Gorge—only 8 km long—is the shortest but most dramatic of the three. Its steep limestone cliffs soar up to 1,200 m above the river and narrow the waterway to just 100 meters wide, forcing the current to rush through rapidly. The area is a maze of hills, cliffs, rocks, and caves.
(Optional visit to the White Emperor City – €38/p to be booked on site).
Dinner and dancing evening.
Overnight on board.
Breakfast，Lunch，Dinner
Breakfast on board. Visit Fengdu, also known as the “Ghost City,” home to numerous tombs, temples, and monasteries dedicated to Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Lunch on board. (Optional visit to Shuangguishan Mountain – €20/p to be booked on site). Continue cruising downstream on the Yangtze River. Dinner and dancing evening.
Overnight on board.
Breakfast，Lunch，Dinner
Breakfast on board. End of the cruise and disembarkation in Chongqing. Visit the Panda Zoo. Lunch, then transfer to the train station for your high-speed train to Chengdu. Upon arrival in Chengdu, dinner at a local restaurant and transfer to the hotel.
Dorsett Chengdu Hotel***** or similar
Breakfast，Lunch，Dinner
After breakfast, visit the old town of Jinli and Kuanzhai Xiangzi (“Wide and Narrow Alleys”) in the city center. This historical area is composed of three alleys: Wide Alley, Narrow Alley, and Well Alley. Together, they form a miniature and symbolic representation of ancient Chengdu. Today, they offer a perfect mix of history, fashion, leisure, and gastronomy.
After lunch, transfer to the train station for your high-speed train to Xi’an.
Dinner at a local restaurant and transfer to the hotel.
Grand Barony Xi’an***** or similar
Breakfast，Lunch
After breakfast, depart for Lintong District, located 35 km east of Xi’an, where the Terracotta Army was discovered in 1974. This archaeological site, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, is part of the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi. The emperor began construction of his tomb as soon as he came to power, and intensified it in 221 BC after unifying China. The construction involved over 700,000 workers over 38 years. The life-sized statues, averaging 1.86 meters tall and weighing about 300 kg each, include infantrymen, cavalry, archers, bronze chariots, and horses—each with unique features.
After lunch, visit the Small Wild Goose Pagoda and a renowned jade workshop.
Overnight at the hotel.
Optional activity: Dumpling banquet with Tang Dynasty dance performance
Grand Barony Xi’an***** or similar
Breakfast，Lunch，Dinner
After breakfast, transfer to the train station for your high-speed train to Beijing. Upon arrival, lunch followed by a visit to the Summer Palace, the former imperial garden of the Qing Dynasty. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Summer Palace showcases natural beauty and the grandeur of royal gardens. The entire complex covers nearly 2.7 km².
Dinner at a local restaurant and transfer to the hotel.
Xiyuan hotel Beijing***** or similar
Breakfast，Lunch
After breakfast at the hotel, depart to visit Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world. Located in the heart of the city, it once served as the main gate to the Imperial Palace during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Facing the Forbidden City (closed on Mondays), the square spans nearly 40 hectares. On the north side, the red walls of the Forbidden City rise on either side of the majestic Tiananmen Gate.
Visit the Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace or “The Red City” by the Chinese. It was the residence of 24 emperors and spans 72 hectares, with over 9,000 rooms. After the fall of the empire in 1912, the Forbidden City was gradually opened to the public.
After lunch, visit the Temple of Heaven, built in the 15th century during the Ming Dynasty. It was part of a system of altars located in the four cardinal directions of Beijing—dedicated to Heaven, Earth, the Sun, and the Moon. Under the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911), the site was expanded to become the largest temple complex in China, covering 273 hectares. The site is known for its symbolic design, harmonious colors, and architectural perfection.
Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel.
Optional activity: Peking duck dinner and night tour of Beijing
Xiyuan hotel Beijing***** or similar
Breakfast，Lunch，Dinner
After breakfast, visit the Great Wall at Juyongguan, located in the Changping District. Its name originates from an expression dating back to the Qin dynasty. During that time, Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s soldiers were tasked with constructing this section of the Great Wall. To meet labor needs, they brought in low-cost workers, including immigrants and convicted criminals.
After lunch, visit the Lama Temple, the largest Tibetan Buddhist temple in Beijing and one of the best-preserved in China. Also known as Yonghe Temple, it boasts over 300 years of history and holds three world records: the tallest wooden Buddha, the trio of bronze Buddhas representing the past, present, and future, and the hill of 500 Arhats.
You will also take part in a class on the art and culture of Chinese tea.
Dinner at a local restaurant and transfer to the hotel.
Xiyuan hotel Beijing***** or similar
Breakfast
Breakfast at the hotel. Free time.
Depending on your flight schedule, transfer to the airport for your return flight to London.