Day 1 - Day 1 - Welcome to Shanghai
| You’ll be greeted upon arrival and escorted to the 5-star Fairmont Peace Hotel overlooking the Bund. |
Day 2 - Day 2 - Full-day Small Group sightseeing
| The Shanghai Museum, waterfront Bund and Yu Yuan Garden showcase the city’s rich past. Fast forward to the 21st-century in Tianzifang where historic buildings are now home to galleries and eateries. This evening’s Welcome Dinner features regional cuisine and wine. meals b+l+d |
Day 3 - Day 3 - The all-balcony Yangzi Explorer
| Fly to Yichang, board your ship and settle in to your stateroom. meals b+d |
Day 4 - Day 4 - Three Gorges Dam
| After a leisurely morning onboard, tour the Three Gorges Dam. Enjoy Afternoon Tea as your ship navigates through Xiling Gorge. meals b+l+d |
Day 5 - Day 5 - Yangtze's Gorges
| Traditional sampans take you up one of the Yangtze’s most scenic tributaries. Return to the ship and cruise through the dramatic Wu and Qutang Gorges. meals b+l+d |
Day 6 - Day 6 - A shore in Fengdu
| Learn how life in a river town has changed since the completion of the Three Gorges Dam as you explore Fengdu’s New City, built for residents forced to relocate by the river’s rising waters. meals b+l+d |
Day 7 - Day 7 - Fly to Tibet
| Disembark in Chongqing and fly to Lhasa. Upon arrival, transfer to the 5-star Shangri-La Hotel. meals b+d |
Day 8 - Day 8 - Exploring Lhasa
| Delve into Tibet’s spiritual heritage as you visit the summer palace of Norbulingka, Anichanggu Nunnery and Jokhang Monastery, a lovely 4-story timber structure topped with gold. Explore Barkhor Street with its lively and colorful markets. You’ll also meet with a local family in their home and spend time with a master Tangka painter in his studio for an enriching and deeper look into Tibetan life and culture. meals b+l+d |
Day 9 - Day 9 - Experience Kora and tour Potala Palace
| Join Tibetans as they perform Kora, an ancient rite of prayer. After lunch, tour the Potala Palace and Sera Monastery. At a local hospital, a Tibetan doctor offers insight into his use of traditional and Western medicine. meals b+l+d |
Day 10 - Day 10 - Fly to Chengdu
| This evening at the famed Sichuan “face changing” opera, we’ll take you backstage for an exclusive look as these skilled actors apply their intricate make-up. Overnight at the luxurious Shangri-la Hotel. meals b+d |
Day 11 - Day 11 - Encounter a Panda and fly to Xian
| Going behind the scenes this morning with caretakers at the Panda Breeding Center in Chengdu is a rare treat available to few visitors. After this special visit, fly to Xian where you’ll be escorted to the Hilton Hotel, ideally situated within the ancient city walls. meals b+l |
Day 12 - Day 12 - Visit the Terra Cotta Army and City Walls
| Stand in awe before the thousands of terra cotta warriors that were buried long ago to guard the tomb of China’s first emperor. Learn the art of traditional noodle-making at lunch and visit the city’s ancient walls. meals b+l |
Day 13 - Day 13 - Fly to Beijing
| Fly to Beijing and transfer to the 5-star Fairmont Beijing. This afternoon’s visit to the lovely Summer Palace offers a glimpse into Imperial life long ago. meals b+d |
Day 14 - Day 14 - Beijing's Imperial highlights
| Marvel at the grandeur of Tiananmen Square and then step back into the days of the Ming Dynasty as you tour the sprawling Forbidden City, once the exclusive domain of China’s mighty emperors. Then explore by rickshaw through the narrow lanes of a Beijing hutong. Sitting down to lunch with a resident family here in their home offers fascinating insight into daily life in one of the city’s last remaining enclaves of traditional centuries-old courtyard homes. meals b+l |