Warriors, Tea Plantations & Yangtze Exclusive

This full day of private guided tour explores Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven with a stop for a deluxe lunch. Tiananmen Square was built in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty and stretches a vast 440,000 square meters. The Forbidden City is the world's largest palace complex with 9,999 buildings. The Outer Court was where the emperor exercised his supreme power over the nation. The Inner Court was where he lived with his royal family. Fourteen emperors of the Ming dynasty and ten emperors of the Qing dynasty reigned here until 1924. The Temple of Heaven was built in 1420 AD during the Ming Dynasty to offer sacrifice to Heaven.

Enjoy a Peking Duck dinner at Dadong restaurant. Voted by locals as the best Peking Duck in Beijing.

Enjoy a full day private guided tour of the Great Wall at Mutianyu, located 45 miles northeast of Beijing. This section winds along lofty, cragged mountains for 1.4 miles and holds a prominent place in Chinese military history. Construction started in the Northern Qi Dynasty (550 - 577) and was restored in the early Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). There is an abundance of natural springs, which feed a great variety of verdant plants and ancient trees. Built mainly from granite with 8m high walls and 5m wide at the top, the wall is notable for its 22 watchtowers that suggest a significant military importance. Next, you will visit The Summer Palace which is a sprawling suburban compound used by royalty as their summer retreat and best known for its stunning grounds around Kunming Lake. The Summer Palace occupies an area of 294 hectares (726.5 acres) of which three quarters are water. Classically designed as an archetypal Chinese garden, it is ranked among the most noted gardens of the world and was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1998. Lunch is included in this tour.

Enjoy a private deluxe dinner at a fine local restaurant. After a delicious meal you will be picked up and transferred by private car to the Liyuan Theatre, for which you have Peking Opera show VIP seats.

The Liyuan Theatre is one of the most prominent ones in Beijing and is located in the Qianmen Hotel. Old Beijing can be found in many objects within the theater; for example the performers’ distinctive make-up, the outdated 8-seaters tables (Baixian Table), attendants serving tea in Tang suits (Chinese garments) and the old-styled stage.  The venue is well equipped for international tourists, offering simultaneous translations for English and Japanese speaking guests as well as English subtitles to help follow the story line. There is also a souvenir shop if you wish to buy some small presents for your loved ones.

A transfer by private car with an English-speaking guide between the airport and city of Beijing or your hotel is provided.

Fly from Beijing to Xi'an today. This direct flight takes approximately two hours.

An airport transfer by private car with an English-speaking guide is provided.

Enjoy a two hour evening walking tour in Muslim Cultural street in Xi'ian - a fascinating area of the city which juxtaposes old against new. Nowadays this district is divided into three parts namely, Beiyuanmen Street, Xiyang Market and Huajue Lane, and gets its fashionable name "Muslim Street". The Drum Tower is to the southern end and the Great Mosque is to the northern end of the district.  The mixture of ancient culture and modern style along with the prosperous scene and tantalizing smells will give you a great insight into the pulse of the city. You'll also get to visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda evening music fountain during your tour and enjoy a deluxe dumpling dinner.

Enjoy a full day private guided city tour with the first stop on as the Terra Cotta Army. Discovered accidentally in 1974, this incredible army of over 7000 soldiers, archers, horses and chariots in full battle array has guarded Emperor Qin's tomb since 210BC. Each figure is unique, and the painstaking repair and excavation continues in 3 pits which are protected inside huge hangars. Continuing with the tour is another visit to the Ancient City Wall. The walls, ramparts, gates and watchtowers from one of the oldest and most complete city defences are still around. Built in the 13th century on the foundations of the original Tang Forbidden City surrounding the city centre you can walk, rent a bike or take an electric cart around the full 14km circuit, with great views of the city on either side. The last leg of the tour is the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. A major Buddhist site, the simple, elegant brick Pagoda stands in the grounds of the attractive Da Ci'en Temple. The Pagoda was built in the 7th century to house the Buddhist materials that Xuanzang (Tripitaka) brought back from his epic journey to India. The Temple complex has several large halls with some great Buddhist statues and murals.

An airport transfer by private car with an English-speaking guide is provided.

Fly from Xi'an to Chongqing.

Transfer between the airport and pier with private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking guide.

This evening you will board the Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer for your cruise to Yichang. After settling into your cabin, the ship will set sail on its downstream course through the Three Gorges region. The total length of this cruise is 660 kilometers (402 miles) and is considered by most Chinese to represent the single most scenic area in all of China. Later in the evening, a documentary about the Three Gorges Dam Project will be shown in the Tang Theatre.

Start your morning with traditional Chinese exercise and work up an appetite for the buffet breakfast. After breakfast, discover the authentic method to preparing tea in China and afterwards learn to make dumplings from a specialized chef.

After lunch, there will be a shore excursion to Fengdu. Mingle with the locals and see how school children receive their early education.

In the afternoon, enjoy a complimentary afternoon tea with pastries in the Explorer Bar, before a lecture presentation introducing the Yangzi River. There is also an optional tour to the Captain's Bridge.

This evening, you will have the opportunity to meet the Captain and other guests onboard, at the Captain's Welcome Reception which will be followed by the Welcome Dinner.

Early this morning, the Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer will enter Qutang Gorge and after breakfast, you will enter Wu Gorge and then cruise Shennong Stream. Disembark from the ship at Badong and board a ferry to a local longboat (sampan) poled by Tujia boatmen.

After lunch, there will be a presentation by an expert on the Three Gorges Dam Project. Following afternoon tea, view Xiling Gorge and later, try Chinese brush painting and calligraphy.

Tonight, enjoy a "A Taste of China" Dinner and afterwards, take in an evening of well-prepared entertainment by the crew members.

After breakfast, you will arrive at the Three Gorges Project Dam Site and Exhibition Centre. The Three Gorges Dam Project was started in 1992 and building was completed in 2009. The dam will be the largest dam on Earth, 1.2 miles wide and 600 feet in height. The dam's 26 generators will generate enough clean energy to reduce China's reliance on coal but it will also submerge 13 cities, 140 towns, 1,352 villages and over 600 industrial factories, more than 1,200 archeological projects and the 1.2 million people that will be resettled as a result of the flooding.

You will disembark the Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer at around midday in Yichang.

Transfer between the airport, hotel or pier with private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking guide.

Fly from Yichang to Shanghai.

A transfer between the airport and your hotel or the city Shanghai with a private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking Guide is provided.

Experience a full day private guided tour of Shanghai visiting the Shanghai Museum, Urban Planning Museum, Nanjing Road, the Bund, cruising on the Huangpu river and enjoying the views from the Oriental Pearl Tower. The museum is an authentic treasure house of ancient Chinese art and holds around 120,000 precious relics. Bronzes, pottery, paintings and calligraphies are distinctive features of the museum's collection. The nearby Urban Planning Hall is a fun and informative introduction to Shanghai’s exciting past and future. Strolling down Nanjing Road, which was once listed as one of the most interesting streets in the world, you will arrive at the historic Bund. Enjoy a cruise on the Huangpud river that divides old Shanghai from the futuristic Pudong, before venturing across the water for a trip up the Oriental Pearl Tower to view the city from above. The majority of this tour is best to be done by foot.

This evening, enjoy a one and half hour walking tour in French Concession & Xintiandi. A deluxe dinner at Jessie Restaurant in XinTianDi will be prepared and served to you.

Transfer to/from train station with private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking guide.

Enjoy the train ride from Shanghai to Hangzhou by bullet train. The journey should take approximately 45 minutes.

Transfer from hotel to train station or vice versa, with private vehicle and guide to assist.

Located in the scenic area of West Lake in Hangzhou, the Impression West Lake Theatre is considered by many one of the most beautiful metropolitan theatres on the planet, boasting a natural backdrop of pristine, clear water and magical, natural mountains.  Staged on the mellow West Lake, this performance dives into the myths and legends of this diverse area.  The special concealable auditorium provides a wide, birds-eyed view of the show.  A sophisticated sound and light system only add to the magic of this wonderful dramatic masterpiece.  This show plays all year long, and creates a unique and unduplicated experience across all four seasons in Jiangnan. This tour includes round-trip bullet-train transfers.

Cruise on the West Lake which is situated on the west edge of Hangzhou city. West Lake is the symbol of Hangzhou as well as one of the most beautiful sights in China. Next stop is the Lingyin Temple/ Monastery of the Hidden Souls. Lingyin Temple is one of the ten most famous ancient Buddhist temples in China. It also houses various Buddhist literature and treasures situated in front of Lingyin Temple. It is famous for its more than 470 stone carvings of Buddhist figures, which dated from the 10th to 14th centuries. And finally the Dragon Well Tea Plantation. It is one of the most famous brand in China, in this Tea Plantation, you can try to pick the tea leaves, taste a nice cup of tea and learn the history and processing procedure of tea. Private vehicle, lunch and driver included.

Transfer from hotel to train station or vice versa, with private vehicle and guide to assist.

Take in the views on your train ride from Hangzhou to Shanghai. The direct train route by bullet train should take approximately 45 minutes. 

Transfer between Shanghai's domestic (PVG) airport and Shanghai train station.