Tour Description

Discover the cityscapes of Beijing and Shanghai, Xi'an's Terracotta Warriors and the rare giant pandas of Chengdu on this mesmerising encounter with China, which includes a leisurely cruise along the Yangtze River.

Priced From:

$ 11950pp ^*

From: 2025-07-13

To: 2025-10-12

Start Location: Beijing, China (Peoples Republic)

End Location: Shanghai, China (Peoples Republic)

Trip Type: Asia

Tour Advisors

Tiffany McCrea-Lennon

Managing Director

Russell Mein

Travel Specialist

Caitlin Lennon

Travel Coordinator

Michelle Baldwin

Travel Specialist

Gaylyn Murdoch

Administration Manager

Holly Skene

Travel Co-ordinator

Kim Thomas

Broker

Itinerary

Say Ni hao to China

Day 1

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Novotel Peace

Journey to the “Northern Capital” – a land of emperors, epic monuments and the cultural heart of China. On arrival in Beijing, you’ll be transferred to your hotel where you can relax before meeting your Travel Director for a welcome drink and appetisers at a local restaurant.

Journey to the Great Wall

Day 2

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Novotel Peace

Visit the iconic Great Wall of China at Juyongguan this morning – its stone ramparts and walls snaking thousands of miles into the distance to defend the empire against nomadic invaders since 5th century B.C. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure and this evening for dinner indulge in a regional dinner of succulent Peking Duck – a must during any visit to Beijing.

Discover the Icons of Beijing

Day 3

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Novotel Peace

Surround yourself with the grandeur of Beijing’s landmark Great Hall of the People, Qianmen Gate and the mausoleum of Mao Zedong as you walk through one of the world’s largest public areas, Tiananmen Square. Delve into China’s imperial heritage, passing the south gate into the frozen-in-time Forbidden City – once home to emperors and their households and today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch, indulge in a relaxing foot massage at the Foot Reflexology Centre to ease you into an evening at leisure or consider joining an Optional Experience.

Explore Beijing's Hutong and onwards to Xi'an Connect with Locals

Day 4

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Wyndham Grand Xi'an South

Navigate the ancient alleyways of the courtyard Hutong residences, weaving through lively neighbourhoods on the back of a traditional rickshaw. Stop at the home of a local family where you’ll Connect With Locals, enjoying a Be My Guest experience with lunch of traditional Chinese cuisine, then visit a nearby tea house. Here, you’ll delve into the art of chayi, joining a Local Specialist who’ll share first-hand the age-old ritual of tea-making. Leave Beijing behind, bound for Xi’an, an ancient departure point on the Silk Road.

Marvel at the legendary Terracotta Warriors Make Travel Matter

Day 5

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Wyndham Grand Xi'an South

Descend into the subterranean tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang to view his legendary army of Terracotta Warriors and Horses, followed by a delicious traditional meal of Chinese noodles. Your final stop today is to a Jade factory where you’ll admire the favoured stone of emperors, more precious to the Chinese people than gold.

Take the bullet train to Chengdu Dive Into Culture

Day 6

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Rhombus Park Auro

This morning, your choice of activities gives you an opportunity to join a Local Specialist in their T'ai Chi practice or embark on a cycle tour around part of the ancient City Wall of Xi'an. Get stuck in to the ancient art of dumpling making next, with an opportunity to sample the juicy results for lunch, then transfer to the railway station for your high-speed bullet train trip to Chengdu. On arrival in the hometown of the giant panda, you’ll Check in to your hotel and savour the leisurely pace of local life on your terms.

See the Giant Pandas of China Make Travel Matter

Day 7

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Rhombus Park Auro

Witness the ground-breaking work being done by the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding this morning. Join a Local Specialist and learn how this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports the non-profit research breeding facility which rescues and protects the endangered giant panda, of which fewer than 2,000 remain. Afterwards, return to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure.

Discover the cuisine of Sichuan Dive Into Culture

Day 8

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Rhombus Park Auro

Indulge in the bold and spicy flavours of local cuisine as you Dive Into Culture and learn about regional cooking practices at the Museum of Sichuan Cuisine. Experience the art of grinding chili into powder using a Qing Dynasty pestle and mortar, and discover ancient kitchenware, books and manuscripts faithfully recording the history of Sichuan culinary cultures. Immerse yourself in the intoxicating scents wafting through Restaurant Alley, pay tribute to the Kitchen God before attempting to create your own culinary magic under the guidance of a local chef. Stomach and soul sated after a delicious encounter with Chengdu, you’ll have an afternoon to relax, explore further or perhaps take the opportunity to do some shopping.

Board your Yangtze River Cruise

Day 9

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Victoria Jenna, Victoria Sabrina

Rub shoulders with the locals during a visit to People’s Park with its beautiful Chinese gardens, lake and tea houses. Gain insights into the day-to-day lives of the locals who spend their free time in tranquil surrounds indulging in a leisurely game of mah-jong, a quiet nap or neck massage. Venture to lively Jinli Old Street next, crossing beneath the imposing archway into a world of intricate handicraft, paintings and calligraphy. Stroll along the narrow street whose façades were modelled on the architectural style of a traditional old town in western Sichuan Province, then transfer to the railway station for a high-speed bullet train ride to Chongqing. Here, you’ll enjoy a city orientation tour with dinner before boarding your Yangtze River Cruise.

Cruise the Great Yangtze River

Day 10

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Victoria Jenna, Victoria Sabrina

Disembark this morning for a short visit to Shibaozhai, home to a striking 12-storey cliff-top temple built in the 19th century. Stretch your legs and climb up to the temple, passing through the red pavilion that leans against the steep peak—now an island due to the rising waters of the Three Gorges Dam. You may choose to visit Fengdu’s ‘Ghost City’ on an Optional Experience. Explore eerie temples and shrines depicting China’s vision of the afterlife and hear the legend of two officials-turned-immortals. This evening, another Optional Experience awaits. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms retells the epic battle for dominance between three dynasties, with stunts, acrobatics and cutting-edge visual effects. Feel the excitement and intensity of the Three Kingdoms era come to life in this thrilling open-air show.

Sail through the imposing Three Gorges

Day 11

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Victoria Jenna, Victoria Sabrina

Wake up to another day on the Yangtze. This morning, choose one of two Optional Experiences: visit the White Emperor City, where rulers and poets once admired Qutang Gorge, or head to Chijia Mountain’s peak for sweeping views from the top of the Three Gorges. Return to your cruise and journey through Qutang Gorge’s towering cliffs, past Wu Gorge’s misty peaks, and into Xiling Gorge’s dramatic landscapes. Swap the ship for a small motorboat this afternoon and explore the Goddess Stream, gliding past sheer limestone cliffs covered in lush greenery—you’ll gain another perspective on this mighty river.

Onwards to Shanghai Stays With Stories

Day 12

Duration: 1

Accommodation: The Kunlun Jing An

View the engineering marvel that is the world's largest hydroelectric project, the Three Gorges Dam, before disembarking your cruise ship and transferring to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival into China's biggest city, check into your hotel and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

Discover Vibrant Shanghai Dive Into Culture

Day 13

Duration: 1

Accommodation: The Kunlun Jing An

Shanghai’s famous ‘Bund’ waterfront is the first stop on a day of sightseeing with a Local Specialist. Admire the ornate neoclassical colonial buildings and skyscrapers that have sprung up from this former marshland, then Dive Into Culture during a visit to a silk museum. Embrace the tranquillity of the famous Yu Garden next, with its pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters. Then, enjoy some free time for a local lunch of soup dumplings perhaps and shopping in the Old Town, a treasure trove of winding streets and vibrant markets that was once enclosed by the ancient walled city of Shanghai. Our final stop this afternoon is a visit to the Jade Buddha Temple, built in 1928 after the original temple was destroyed during the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. Admire the beauty of its precious jade Buddha statues made out of crystal-clear white jade, before you settle into an evening performance by the world-renowned Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe.

More Treasures of Shanghai

Day 14

Duration: 1

Accommodation: The Kunlun Jing An

Ascend to the 88-storey Jin Mao Tower for panoramic views of the skyscrapers that loom over the most populous city on earth. Then embark on a walking tour with a Local Specialist through the Shanghai French Concession, for an exhilarating encounter with the opulent age of French colonial China. Wander through the narrow alleyways, past elegant villas and apartments dating back to the early 1900s when the territory was proclaimed a French settlement. Later this morning, you’ll see where the First Conference of the Communist Party took place in Xin Tian Di, whose charming antique façades hide a 21st century world of bars, cafés, boutiques and theme restaurants. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure, letting the sights and sounds of Shanghai infuse every sense or consider joining an Optional Experience. Say a fond farewell to newfound friends this evening during dinner.

Farewell to China

Day 15

Duration: 1

Our epic encounter with China at its end, take a transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

Dates & prices

Start Date: 2025-07-13

End Date: 2025-07-27

twin

Child Price: 10850

Adult Price: 11950

triple

Child Price: 10850

Adult Price: 11950

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 15498

Start Date: 2025-07-27

End Date: 2025-08-10

twin

Child Price: 10850

Adult Price: 11950

triple

Child Price: 10850

Adult Price: 11950

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 15498

Start Date: 2025-09-14

End Date: 2025-09-28

twin

Child Price: 11325

Adult Price: 12425

triple

Child Price: 11325

Adult Price: 12425

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 16142

Start Date: 2025-10-12

End Date: 2025-10-26

twin

Child Price: 11325

Adult Price: 12425

triple

Child Price: 11325

Adult Price: 12425

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 16142

Best of China with Yangtze Cruise

Tour Advisors

Itinerary

Dates & prices