11-Day Panda and Yangtze River Cruise Family Tour

Overview

A Yangtze River Cruise is a great addition to your family vacation. Combined with Beijing, Xian and Shanghai, this is truly a China experience to create lasting family memories.

Highlights

  • Hutong Tours in a Rickshaw
  • The Terracotta Warriors and Horses
  • Ciqikou Old Town
  • The Shanghai World Financial Center
  • Shangcheng Acrobatics

Tour Details

Day 1Beijing Arrival

  • Meals: No Meals
  • Hotels: Crowne Plaza Hotel Beijing Chaoyang U-Town   |  Sunworld Hotel Beijing   |  Red Wall Hotel Beijing 
Day 2Beijing

- Tiananmen Square: Tian'anmen Square is the largest city square in the centre of Beijing, named after the Tiananmen (literally, Gate of Heavenly Peace) which sits to its north, separating it from the Forbidden City. It has great cultural significance as it was the site of several key events in Chinese history. As the world's largest city square and enduring symbol of China's national pride, it is surrounded by many imposing buildings including the Heavenly Gate (entry to the Forbidden City), Museums, government buildings and Chairman Mao's Mausoleum.
- The Forbidden City: The Forbidden City was home to 24 emperors between 1368 and 1911.This "city within a city" is a World Heritage Site, and is the largest and the best preserved ancient imperial architecture complex in the world, with great square, halls and gates contrast with intricate halls, gardens, courtyards and quarters. The exhibitions, both permanent and temporary, are all important treasures of ancient China.
- Temple of Heaven: Built in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty, Temple of Heaven is a complex of Taoist buildings where emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties visited for annual ceremonies of pray for good harvests. Located in the south of Central Beijing, it covers an area of 273 hectares. Temple of Heaven was enrolled as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1998.
- Traditional Mongolian Restaurant: Traditional Mongolian Restaurant is located near the Forbidden City. It serves northern Chinese food based on Mongolia cuisine. It brings Mongolia's long and distinguished cultural and literary history. A traditional Mongolian yurt (tent) is available on the third floor but a reservation is needed and a surcharge applies. Live performances of Mongolian music are sometimes preformed in the restaurant.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch at Traditional Mongolian Restaurant
  • Hotels: Crowne Plaza Hotel Beijing Chaoyang U-Town   |  Sunworld Hotel Beijing   |  Red Wall Hotel Beijing 
Day 3Beijing

- The Mutianyu Great Wall(with round way cable car): This less-crowded section of the Great Wall is a about 2.5 hours' drive from downtown Beijing. A cable car takes you to a good section (avoiding a very steep climb), where you can walk along the wall, through the watch towers and enjoy superb views as it snakes across the hills and mountains. You can return by cable car, walk down or walk along the wall for about an hour to descend by chairlift. Wear good walking shoes and protection from the weather.
- Roasted Duck at Fangzhuang: Beijing Roast Duck is renowned as the most delicious food of Beijing while Quanjude Restaurants enjoy a high reputation for its Beijing roast duck. Quanjuede restaurants have developed their own technique and are famous for outstanding quality. Fangzhuang branch is located besides the Temple of Heaven.
- Xin Shuang Quan Restaurant: Xin Shuang Quan Restaurant is near Great Wall of Mutianyu section. This garden style restaurant serves farmhouse dishes, specializing in rainbow trout, sturgeon and salmon. The fabulous taste will leave you with great memories.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch at Xin Shuang Quan Restaurant, dinner
  • Hotels: Crowne Plaza Hotel Beijing Chaoyang U-Town   |  Sunworld Hotel Beijing   |  Red Wall Hotel Beijing 
Day 4Beijing to Xian by Flight.

- Hutong Tour in Xicheng District: Hutong is a maze of historic alleyways with old single storey traditional courtyard houses, which are now fast disappearing. In this one hour tour, you can hop on a rickshaw to ride through the narrow alleys as well as visit a local family then walk on the Silver Ingot Bridge (Yinding Bridge) and find out about the different thresholds of the courtyards.
- Summer Palace: Much-loved summer retreat of the Imperial families, the lovely landscaped gardens, halls, pavilions and corridors are set around the lake and rivers in natural harmony. It is the largest and best preserved imperial garden in China, and also a World Heritage Site.
- Beijing Ba Guo Bu Yi Restaurant: Ba Guo Bu Yi Restaurant is located near Summer Palace in Haidian District. It serves authentic Sichuan cuisine with its traditional Chinese style decor. Recommended dishes include sweet and sour fish, fried pork with celery and Kungpao Chicken.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch at Beijing Ba Guo Bu Yi Restaurant
  • Hotels: Sofitel on Renmin Square Xian   |  Grand Noble Hotel    |  Xian Skytel Hotel 
Day 5Xian

- The Terracotta Warriors and Horses: 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. 1.5 hours from Xian, there is also an excellent museum and film about the history of the vaults. Photos (no flash) are allowed. Wear comfortable walking shoes.
- Xian City Wall with Bicycle: The walls, ramparts, gates and watchtowers form one of the oldest and most complete city defenses still around. Built in the 13th century on the foundations of the original Tang Forbidden City surrounding the city centre, it is a major landmark, and the best preserved, as well as the oldest and largest of the city defense systems in China. We operate this with bicycle. If the weather is not good for biking on the city wall, we will substitute a visit to the Bell Tower. Your guide will be very glad to take you the Bell Tower after you have been to look at the city wall.
- A Wa Shan Zhai Restaurant(Qinling Branch): A Wa Shan Zhai Restaurant was established in 2004, mainly specializes in Hunan and Sichuan cuisine. It provides delicacy by using the material from Shanxi, obtaining a nationwide reputation from customers. It would be a nice choice to dine while traveling the nearby Terra cotta Warriors and Horses.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch at A Wa Shan Zhai Restaurant(Qinling Branch)
  • Hotels: Sofitel on Renmin Square Xian   |  Grand Noble Hotel    |  Xian Skytel Hotel 
Day 6Xian to Chongqing to Yangtze

- Ciqikou Old Town: This lively old area has been partly restored, and remains an authentic and busy community. The old wooden houses and narrow streets furthest from the river are mostly unimproved, closer to the river there are craft and souvenir shops, teahouses and music, and lots of local food and snacks. The locals certainly love their food – this is a good chance to try some.
- Panda Room in Chongqing Zoo: Located in the western suburbs of the city, Chongqing Zoo occupies an area of 45 hectares. There are some rare animals including Golden hair monkeys and South China Tigers. In Panda Room, visitors can see the giant and lesser pandas and their offspring.In the mornings, many local people practice Tai chi at the zoo. Join them if you wish.
- Light Rail Transit Experience : Take light rail transit to travel is a different and fancy experience.
When visitors seat in the rail, they could get the view of Jialing River and natural scenery of the Mountain city –Chongqing.
- Cai Xiang Yuan Restaurant (Yangjiaping Branch): Located close to the Chongqing Zoo, Cai Xiang Yuan Restaurant serves with dishes are cooked with local flavors and ingredients. Cantonese dishes are also available.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch at Cai Xiang Yuan Restaurant (Yangjiaping Branch)
  • Hotels: On the Ship
Day 7Yangtze

--Fengdu is where the devil lives, according to Chinese legend. They say that spirits go to heaven, and evil goes to Fengdu. The town is overlooked by Ming Shan Hill, home of Tianzi, the King of the Dead. The whole place has an eerie feel to it with deserted streets, tower blocks, empty shops and banks. The only people here are those who make a living from visiting cruise boats.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch , dinner
  • Hotels: On the Ship
Day 8Yangtze

--The Lesser Three Gorges are the three separate valleys of the Daning River: Dragon Gate Gorge, Misty Gorge and Emerald Gorge. These lie on the lower reaches of the Daning, which flows into the Yangtze. The gorges are truly spectacular. Sheer cliffs soar up towards the sky from the brown-green water. Mountain tops hover above the ribbon of mist, disconnected from their roots. Its "subtle mountains, clear waters, pretty rocks, dangerous rapids, sharp turns, fantastic caves, and stalactites in various shapes" create the timeless beauty that you see in Chinese landscape paintings. Monkeys, mandarin ducks and other water birds can be seen loitering on big boulders in this area. In addition to the wonderful natural scenery there are a number of historical places of interest along the way, such as a suspended coffin, boat coffin, and remains of ancient plank walkway.
-Also known as the White Emperor City, Baidi City clings to the hills and cliffs of a peninsular jutting out into the river. It is a miniature city of temples and gates on Baidi Hill. The city is well known as "the Poet’s City", because it has been visited by many scholars in the past, who have left many literary relics. It is also known for two famous legends, "The Seven Hundred Connected Barracks were Burned", and "The Orphan who put Trust in Baidi City".

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch , dinner
  • Hotels: On the Ship
Day 9Yichang to Shanghai by Flight.

- Half Day Lantau Island Tour to Po Lin Monastery and Bronze Giant Buddha or Wisdom Path(meals not inclusive, weekdays only): You will be picked up from your hotel by your guide who will accompany you for your tour. The tour will last a time of maximum 5 hours. Round-trip cable car service in Ngong Ping, Lantau Island. Visit Po Lin Monastery and Bronze Giant Buddha or Wisdom Path, this trip is full of Buddhist culture. Your guide and driver will choose the best route for the tour that day based on your hotel's location and the day's traffic conditions.(meals not inclusive)
--Three Gorges Dam, the largest water conservancy project ever undertaken by man and it has been a dream for several generations of Chinese people. The construction of the dam formally began in 1994. The body of the dam was completed in 2003, and the whole construction has been completed in 2009. It will be 2,335 meters long, 185 meters high, 18 meters wide on the top and 130 meters wide at the bottom.The tourists can get access to the top of the dam and enjoy different kinds of photo opportunities.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Hotels: Radisson Shanghai New World Hotel   |  The Bund Hotel Shanghai   |  Kingtown Hotel Plaza Shanghai 
Day 10Shanghai

- The Shanghai World Financial Center: Shanghai World Financial Center is located in Pudong District, reaching a height of 492 meters (1,615 feet). It is now a new landmark of prosperous Shanghai. It was the second tallest building in the world when it was completed in 2007. Its observation deck, at 474 meters (1,555 feet) above the ground, is currently the tallest in the world. The multi-function skyscraper consists of hotels, apartments, restaurants, shopping malls, offices and observation decks.
- Jade Buddha Temple: Built in 1918, Jade Buddha Temple is a very popular Buddhist temple among local people. The main treasures are two statues of Buddha imported from Burma by sea. They were carved from rare single blocks of white jade adorned with precious stones. The temple is a hive of activities with monks, worshippers and visitors.
- Yuyuan Market: Located next to the Yuyuan Garden and also known today as the City God Temple, it was built in the fifteenth century during the Ming Dynasty. The City God Temple is a Taoist temple which is composed of many halls such as the Grand Hall, Middle Hall, Bedroom Palace, Star Gods Hall and etc. The City God Temple has a great influence on the residents of Shanghai. The religious festivals of the temple are considered to be festivals for all Shanghai people.
- Yuyuan Garden: Yuyuan Garden is located in the center of Shanghai old quarters. It was a private garden built in 1559 during the Ming Dynasty, with typical Chinese classic architecture and style. The complex covers an area of 2 hectares, with rockeries, pavilions, ponds and corridors. Yuyuan Garden is surrounding by a busy market place, where visitors can find everything from popular local snacks, handicrafts, antiques and souvenirs to some famous time-honored restaurants.
- Old Shanghai Restaurant: Old Shanghai Restaurant is an old and famous local restaurant which serves typical Shanghai Food as well as different flavors from other parts of China.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch at Old Shanghai Restaurant
  • Hotels: Radisson Shanghai New World Hotel   |  The Bund Hotel Shanghai   |  Kingtown Hotel Plaza Shanghai 
Day 11Shanghai Departure

  • Meals: Breakfast

What's Included & Excluded

Price Inclusion

  • Entrance fees.
  • Meals listed in the itinerary.
  • Private transfers.
  • Private English-speaking guide and driver.
  • Hotels listed in the itinerary.
  • Service Charge & Taxes.
  • China Life Tourist Accident/Casualty Insurance.
  • Luggage Transfers.

Price Exclusion

  • International Airfare or Train Tickets to enter or leave China.
  • China Entry Visa Fees.
  • Excess Baggage Charges.
  • Personal Expenses.
  • Any meals that are not mentioned in the tour itinerary.
  • Single Room Supplement.

from US $2,159 p/p

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