( Victoria Series )

Day 1/Arrival in Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. Pick up from the airport and transfer to the hotel. (No meal)

Day 2/Beijing
Visit Tian'anmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven. Enjoy Peking Duck for dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 3/Beijing
Visit Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall (excluded cable car), Ming Tombs (Spirit Road, Changling Tomb). Stop at the Olympic Park and outsdie view of Bird's Nest (National Stadium) and Water Cube (National Aquatics Center). (B,L)

Day 4/Beijing
Visit the enchanting Summer Palace, and Yonghe Lama Temple. Enjoy Peking Opera after dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 5/Beijing-Pingyao
After a relaxed breakfast at hotel, you will walk through some old "Hutongs" and Nanluogu Lane. Following time is at leisure. Take overnight train to Pingyao with soft sleeper (the 1st class in china, 4 persons sharing one cabin). (B,L)
Accommodation: on the train

Day 6/Pingyao
Arrive in Pingyao, boasting the famous Pingyao Old City which was included in the United Nations World Cultural Heritage in 1997. Transfer to historic hotel/guesthouse by battery carte. The whole day is at leisure. (B)
Pingyao Destination Guide Pingyao Old City is like a huge historical museum. In the center of the Old City, the nearly 200 years old Rishengchang Exchange Shop is the first 'bank' in Chinese history. The well-preserved County Government Office shows a complete picture of the solemn law court and prison of the Qing Dynasty while in Chenghuangmiao Street. The Temple of the City God and the Confucius Temple reveal a glimpse of local folk life. Along the Ancient Ming and Qing Street, the old buildings in antique architecture styles may bring you back to the old China of that time.
Outside the Old City, there are two temples worth visiting: Shuanglin Monastery and Zhenguo Temple. Shuanglin Monastery, 7km from Pingyao, is renowned not for its architecture, but for its painted statues executed during Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, spanning a period of over 1,000 years. Zhenguo Temple, 12km from Pingyao, was first built in the period of Five Dynasties and was renovated in Ming and Qing Dynasties, but still keeps its original styles.
What's more, most of the famous residences of Shanxi Merchants are clustered around Pingyao: Qiao Family Residence, Wang Family Residence, Qu Family Residence, and etc.
Information Link The culture of the Shanxi Merchants
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, many merchants from Taigu, Qixian and Pingyao of the Jinzhong area began to develop their businesses in China's big cities and overseas. Their piaohao (firms for the exchange and transfer of money) once monopolized money exchanged and the monetary lifelines of the whole country, accruing them great fortunes. They came back to heir home villages to build homes to honor their ancestors and show their social status. Now these residences have become historic buildings. These rich merchants and their residences comprise the "Culture of the Shanxi Merchants". Among the homes, the Qiao Family Residence has become the Museum of Folk Customs, and the Qu Family Residence is the Museum of Culture of the Shanxi Merchants.  

Day 7/Pingyao-Xi'an
Day is free to explore the city. Transfer to the railway station in the evening, and take overnight train to Xi'an. (B)
Accommodation: on the train

Day 8/Xi'an
Arrive in Xi'an in the morning. Pick up from railway station and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, climb up the ancient City Wall, actually built on the fortifications of Tang Forbidden City. (B,L)

Day 9/Xi'an
Visit the extraordinary Terracotta Warriors and Horses, stop to visit a mountain village on the back way. Then, visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. (B,L)

Day10/Xi'an-Chongqing
Transfer to the airport and fly to Chongqing, a port city and the starting point for Yangtze River Cruise. Have a Chongqing city tour of the People's Hall and Eling Park getting a panoramic view of Chongqing city proper. Embark on the downstream cruise in the evening. The cruise departs at 21:00. (B)

Day11/Yangtze River Cruise
08:00-10:30: Shore excursion to Shibaozhai (or Fengdu or Wanxian)*
11:00-16:00: Participate activities on board
18:00: Welcome banquet held by capitain
20:00: Dancing & Singing Performance
(B,L,D)
Accommodation: ****American Victoria - Rose

Day12/Yangtze River Cruise
07:00-07:30: Sailing through the Qutang Gorge
09:30-13:00: Excursion to Lesser Three Gorges or excursion to Shennong Stream.
13:30-15:00: Sailing through the Wu Gorge
16:00-18:00: Sailing through the Xiling Gorge (western section)
18:00: Farewell Dinner
20:00: Pass the ship locks of the gorges dam
(B,L,D)
Accommodation: ****American Victoria - Rose

Day13/Yangtze River Cruise-Yichang-Shanghai
08:00-10:00: Shore excursion to Three Gorge Dam
10:00-12:00: Sailing through Xiling Gorge (eastern section)
13:30: Arrive at Yichang Port
Pick up from the port and transfer to the airport. Take an afternoon flight to Shanghai, transfer to the hotel on arrival. (B,L)

Day14/Shanghai
Enjoy 1 hour cruise on Huangpu River, sightseeing of the both sides scenery: on its western shore, the colonial landmarks of the Bund serve as a reminder of Shanghai's 19th-century struggle to reclaim a waterfront from the bogs of this river; on the eastern shore, the steel and glass skyscrapers of the Pudong New Area point to a burgeoning financial empire of the future. Then, climb up Jinmao Tower, the highest building in Shanghai with a height of 420 meters. The rest day is free for your exploration in Shanghai. (B,L)
Shanghai Destination Guide Yuyuan Garden, a well-restored Suzhou-style garden, was specially built fro Pan's parents as a place to enjoy themselves a tranquil and happy time in their old age. The pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters are unique characteristic. Located next to the Yu Garden and also known today as the Yuyuan Garden Market, Chenghuangmiao was built in the fifteenth century during the Ming Dynasty. It filled with antique markets and specialty stores. Nanjing Road is a must-see metropolitan destination, China's No. 1 shopping street, Shanghai's past and present commercial centers.

Day15/Shanghai-suzhou-Shanghai
Today's highlight is a tour to Suzhou, known as "Venice in the East". Enjoy a Boat sailing on the Grand Canal, visit Garden of the Master of the Nets. Then, drive to visit Tongli Water Town. Drive back to Shanghai in the late afternoon. (B,L)

Day16/Leave from Shanghai
Our guide leads the guests to the airport by Maglev (one-way, the luggage will be carried by the clients). TOUR ENDS! (B)
Note: B-Breakfast  L-Lunch  D-Dinner

Hotels (or the same standard):
Beijing: *** Ping An Fu Hotel Beijing
Pingyao: **** Yide Guesthouse Pingyao Ancient Town
Xi'an: **** Bell Tower Hotel Xi'an
Yangtze River: **** American Victoria - Rose Cruise
Shanghai: *** New Asia Hotel Shanghai 

Cruise: American Victoria Rose (VR) for every Wednesday

*Depending on river conditions, alternate excursions may be substituted as follows:
Day 2 Wanzhou or Fengdu, Day3 Shennong Stream