➤ Arrival Beijing - Transfer to your hotel and meet your guide:

➤ Itinerary: We will be greeting you at the airport from where you will be transferred by private car and English speaking guide to your hotel. The approximately 1 hour journey to your hotel is a perfect opportunity to ask the guide any initial questions you might have. The guide will provide assisstance with checking in to the hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax from the long flight or start to explore the city with the help of your personalised Trip Guidebook we send you before the trip. The area around your hotel is perfect for an introductory walk to soak up the local atmosphere.

➤ Overnight at the Days Inn Forbidden City 3*. A good standard modern hotel with some character and an unbeatable location close to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

➤ Meals included: None.

➤ Beijing - Great Wall at Mutianyu and the Ming Tombs:

➤ Itinerary: Today we will be showing you one of China’s most famous sights - the Great Wall. At over 4,000 miles long there is a lot of Wall to see but we will be taking you to one of the better and less touristed sections at Mutianyu 70km from Beijing. The drive to the wall averages 2 hours and will take you from your hotel in the centre of Beijing through the rapidly expanding suburbs and on into the beautiful mountainous countryside to the north east of the city. The Mutianyu section dates back to the 6th century but was largely rebuilt in the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty. It is one of the best preserved sections of the wall largely due to the high standard of construction. The views from on top of the wall are spectacular and helped by Mutianyu having a high density of watchtowers which give a good idea of the scale of the wall as it passes over the mountain ridges. Lunch will be in a restaurant close to Mutianyu village.

On the way back to Beijing we will stop at the Ming Tombs, the burial place of 13 Ming Dynasty Emperors between 1368 to 1644AD some of whom oversaw the construction the the Great Wall section you saw earlier today. The tombs are approached along the Sacred Way lined with giant marble figures and animals who guard the tomb area. After you will be driven back to your hotel with the evening free.

➤ Overnight at the Days Inn Forbidden City 3*.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.

➤ Beijing - Free day to explore the city:

➤ Itinerary: Today is a free day to further explore the wealth of sights Beijing offers. Aside from the main must sees such as the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and Summer Palace the city also offers ample opportunity to shop in markets such as Hongqiao, the Silk Market or our favourite, the vast Panjiayuan antique market (open all week but best at weekends). For those looking for something a bit more sedate we would highly recommend Ho Hai lake for a wander through this area’s ancient residential Hutongs which offer a great opportunity to absorb local culture combined with rest stops with a wide range of small cafes, bars and restaurants nestled amongst the hutong residences. For a more cutting edge experience and perfect for art lovers the 798 district to the east of the city offers an impressive array of galleries, cafes and restaurants.

Late afternoon make your own way to the station for an overnight train onto your next destination of Xian.

➤ Overnight on board a sleeper train to Xian.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Arrival Xian - Transfer to your hotel - The Terra Cotta Army, Big Wild Goose Pagoda & City Walls:

➤ Itinerary: You arrive early in the morning on the overnight train from Beijing. Your guide will take you to your hotel where you will have time to have breakfast, freshen up and, if a room is available, you can also check-in.

Today you will see one of the highlights of China - the extraordinary ranks of the Terra Cotta Army. Created by China’s first Emperor Qin Shi Huang - the fabled “Yellow Emperor” - to provide an imperial court and, of course, an army for the afterlife. Work began in 246 BC and at its height it is said that 700,000 people worked on the project. At some point however this vast undertaking became lost to time and was only rediscovered in 1974 by a farmer digging a well. Excavations have continued since and the three pits unearthed are thought to contain 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses. Several thousand of the soldiers have been pieced back together and make for a uniquely impressive sight today even without their original paint. The Emperor specifically stated that no two soldiers should look alike and all are life sized.

In the afternoon we will visit a relic of the Tang Dynasty, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda built in 652 AD and containing a large volume of Buddhist scriptures which were obtained from India by the eminent monk Xuanzang. After this we finish on Xian’s largest construction, the 13.7 km City Walls which are up to 18 meters thick at the base and 12 meters in height. The walls were constructed during the Ming Dynasty from 1370 AD and replaced an even larger wall. It is possible, if time, to hire bicycles and ride some sections of the wall.

Free time in the evening to explore the city perhaps eating in Xian’s vibrant Muslim quarter, a left over of the Silk Road which began or ended in Xian depending on which way you were heading!

➤ Overnight at the Citadines Central Apart Hotel 3*. A good location and clean modern rooms as well a large roof terrace make this a great value option in Xian.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.

➤ Xian - Free time to explore Xian before departure to Chengdu on the overnight train:

➤ Itinerary: Free time today to further explore the wealth of sights this ancient capital of the Tang Dynasty has on offer. The Drum and Bell Towers located in the centre of the city are particularly easy to visit independently. The Shaanxi Historical Museum, Forest of Steles and the Great Mosque are all worth a visit as well and if you enjoyed yesterday’s visit to the City Walls a great way to get above the busy streets of downtown Xian is to hire a bike to cycle along the wall top. Your personalised Trip guidebook we give you is full of ideas as to how to make the most out of your time here.

Mid-afternoon make your own way to the station for an overnight train onto your next destination of Chengdu.

➤ Overnight on board a sleeper train to Chengdu.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Arrival Chengdu - transfer to your hotel and free time:

➤ Itinerary: Late morning arrival in Chengdu with a transfer to your hotel. With a population topping 13 million and growing (the fifth most populous city in China) Chengdu is the capital of mountainous Sichuan province and the place to come and see Giant Pandas. The city does have charm beyond Pandas though. The people are friendly and the food excellent making Chengdu an easy place to spend a few days. Free time this afternoon to explore the area around your hotel, a fascinating district of temples and small shops. we recommend visiting the Wenshu temple which is also a good place to get a nice cup of Chinese tea!

➤ Overnight at the BuddhaZen hotel 3*. One of our favourite in China this beautiful hotel is built in the Chinese traditional style and has a great location and comfortable rooms.

➤ Meals included: None.

➤ Chengdu the Giant Pandas and a bullet train to Chongqing and the start of your Yangtze River Cruise:

➤ Itinerary: You start today with an early breakfast so that we can get to the Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding while the pandas are active (which is usually only in the morning). Opened in 1987 the base now has over 60 pandas and is considered the best place in the world to see these endangered icons of China.  After the tour a transfer back into Chengdu to the station for a bullet train to Chongqing - a vast city on the banks of the Yangtze River and start point for Cruises downriver. Transfer on arrival in Chongqing to your Yangtze cruise ship. The ship will depart early evening with dinner once underway (note that some cruise ships do not offer dinner the first night in which case we will take you to a local restaurant before boarding).

➤ Overnight on board your Yangtze Cruise Ship.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast and Dinner.

➤ Yangtze River Cruise - Qutang Gorge and Fengdu Ghost City:

➤ Itinerary: Your first full day on board. Navigate the 8km long Qutang Gorge, the Third Gorge of the Yangtze. There will also be a shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City, a temple complex perched on cliffs above the river with commanding views. Perhaps one of the best experiences of a Yangtze Cruise is watching life on the river go by. The Yangtze is very much a working river with a huge amount of boats plying trade between the many towns that run along the banks - many of which have had to be relocated further up the steep river banks due to the rising waters of the Three Gorges Dam. In the evening the crew usually put on a show or other entertainment in the ship’s lounge.

➤ Overnight on board your Yangtze Cruise Ship.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

➤ Yangtze River Cruise - Shennong Lesser Gorges, Wu Gorge, Xiling Gorge and Three Gorges Dam:

➤ Itinerary: The second full day on board your cruise ship with a shore excursion up the tranquil waters of the Shennong Lesser Gorges (occasionally this trip is replaced with a trip up another tributary). You will also sail through impressive Wu Gorge and the West section of Xiling Gorge both of which offer some of the best scenery along the river. During the evening a complete change of scene as the Giant Three Gorges Dam is approached with your ship slowly navigating through the enormous locks.

➤ Overnight on board your Yangtze Cruise Ship.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

➤ Yangtze River Cruise - Three Gorges Dam to Yichang and a flight onto Shanghai:

➤ Itinerary: Your final morning on the ship with a shore excursion to the gigantic and controversial Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest in terms of its ability to generate electricity through its 32 turbines. Aside from electricity generation the dam is designed to aid shipping along the Yangtze as well as reduce the flood potential which has plagued the Yangtze throughout Chinese history. The main structure was completed in 2006 with the height being 181 meters and the width 2,335 meters. The result of the dam has been to create a 600km long reservoir which you have just sailed through!

Return to the ship for the last few hours of cruising along the East section of the 76km long Xiling Gorge, the first gorge of the Yangtze. Arrive at Yichang early afternoon with a transfer direct to the airport for a flight to Shanghai, a city which aims to be a vision of China's future and is hurtling towards it's goal of being China's financial capital. There are few cities in China that are such a testament to China's phenomenal growth of the last few decades and what it to an extent lacks in historical sites it more than makes up with its sheer energy and dynamism providing you with a taste of the New China that is making it's mark on the world stage. Transfer on arrival to your hotel with free time to relax and prepare for your first night on land after several days on the river!

➤ Overnight at the Astor House Hotel 3*. Don’t be put off by the 3* rating - this gem of a hotel has a fantastic location at the end of the Bund and offers rare charm and character.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Shanghai - Half day tour of the Yuyuan Garden, Old Shanghai and The Bund:

➤ Itinerary: Today you will have a half day private tour visiting some of Shanghai’s most famous sights. We will start with the Yuyuan Garden located in the heart of the Old City. The garden was established in 1559 by the son of a Ming Dynasty official who spent 20 years building it up in an effort to please his father. Today the garden showcases the architecture of this period with its pavilions, ponds and rock formations.

Surrounding the garden is Old Shanghai, an area that has been a vibrant commercial centre for over a century and which historically very much represented the “Chinese” part of Shanghai in comparison with the more European areas such as the Bund and the French Concession. Your morning finishes with a walk down the Bund along which the Huangpu River runs and where stands some of Asia’s finest colonial European architecture. Across the river rises Shanghai’s ultra modern Pudong Financial district whose skyscrapers dwarf the once dominant buildings of the Bund. All in all a superb introduction to Shanghai.

Free time in the afternoon and evening when the bright lights and neon really bring Shanghai into its own.

➤ Overnight at the Astor House Hotel 3*.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Shanghai to Guilin by train:

➤ Itinerary: A free morning to further explore Shanghai before making your own way to the station early afternoon for the overnight sleeper train to your next destination of Guilin.

➤ Overnight on board a sleeper train to Guilin.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Guilin - Transfer on arrival to your hotel - free time:

➤ Itinerary: Much of today is spent on the train to Guilin passing through the traditional scenery of south central China, a lush land of villages and farms. Late afternoon arrival in Guilin with a transfer on to your hotel. Guilin is one of China's more pleasant cities and although it has undergone rapid growth in recent years. However, it is still blessed with sights and stunning scenery surrounds the city. A trip down the Li River to Yangshuo is one of the main highlights.

➤ Overnight Bravo Hotel 4*. This hotel has a good location next to Ronghu lake and within easy walking distance to downtown Guilin.

➤ Meals included: None.

➤ Guilin to Yangshuo - a cruise along the Li River passing through the stunning scenery this region is famed for:

➤ Itinerary: After an early breakfast a transfer from your hotel to the wharf to start your trip down the Lijiang River to relaxed Yangshuo. You will cruise through the stunning limestone karst scenery that has made this part of China so famous while having lunch on board the boat. Depending on the river itself the trip can take from 5 to 7 hours but the time just flows by as you pass through some of China’s most iconic scenery one section of which has even be reproduced on the RMB 20 bank note. Aside from the scenery there is plenty of life along the river to observe.

Early afternoon disembark in Yangshuo making your own way to your hotel. Free time to settle in and explore this wonderfully laid back town and its beautiful surrounding countryside.

➤ Overnight at the Hong Fu Palace Hotel 3*. Located in the heart of Yangshuo’s famous West Street this is an ideal base to explore the surrounding area.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.

➤ Yangshuo - A free day to explore the town and surrounding countryside:

➤ Itinerary: A free day in Yangshuo to continue to explore the town and it’s beautiful surrounding countryside. A wide range of local tours and activities can easily be booked locally through the hotel. Such activities include cycle tours, rafting trips, cookery, Tai Chi or calligraphy classes or you can do as so many do here - just relax and take in all the scenery from your hotel or the many cafes and restaurants in town.

➤ Overnight at the Hong Fu Palace Hotel 3*.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Yangshuo to Guangzhou - Continue your journey to by train to Guangzhou:

➤ Itinerary: A free day in Yangshuo before making your own way to Guilin station to catch the evening sleeper train onto Guangzhou (your hotel will be able to arrange a taxi to take you to the station and in most cases the guide who initially met you in Guilin will have given you the train tickets already).

➤ Overnight on board the sleeper train to Guangzhou.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Arrival in Guangzhou - city tour including the beautiful Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family:

➤ Itinerary: You arrive early in the morning on the overnight train from Guilin. Your guide will take you to your hotel where you will have time to have breakfast, freshen up and, if a room is available, you can also check-in. Guangzhou is capital of Guangdong Province, Southern China’s most dynamic and developed commercial center and also the home place of Cantonese culture. It is an attractive city which blends older ‘Canton’ well with its modern financial centre with the vibrant Pearl River providing another point of interest. All these elements will be brought together in your private tour of the city.

Today’s tour covers the Six Banyan Tree Temple (also known as Liurong Temple) whose centre piece is the impressive 17 story Flowering Pagoda dating back to the 3rd Century AD. A more modern construction is the Memorial Hall of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the founder of the Republic of China who was from Guangzhou. It was built in 1931 on the site of his presidential office. Perhaps the architectural highlight of the Guangzhou is the beautifully ornate Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family built in the 19th century and quite unlike other temples you will have seen on your China travels with its colourful and intricate roof carvings. You have the evening free, perhaps to take a Pearl River Cruise or wander the newly restored Shamian Island, the former British and French concession which still has much of its colonial architecture preserved.

➤ Overnight at the Landsman Hotel 3*. A very good, popular mid-range option for Guangzhou. In a good location not far from the station and opposite a beautiful park.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.

➤ Departure from Guangzhou to Hong Kong by Jetfoil Ferry:

➤ Itinerary: After breakfast a transfer to the port at Nansha, about 1 hour outside of the city, for the Jetfoil ferry to Hong Kong. Once you have left the city the journey to the port illustrates well the industrial nature of Guangdong province as you drive through a bleak but productive landscape. At the port you pass through immigration and exit China before boarding the ferry to Hong Kong. The trip takes about two hours through the Pearl River Delta arriving in Hong Kong at the China Ferry Terminal in the heart of Kowloon’s Tsim Sha Tsui tourist district instantly throwing you into the buzz and bustle of this fabulous city and surely the best way to arrive in Hong Kong!

End of services on arrival in Hong Kong or we can book you nights at the Salisbury YMCA Hotel 3* in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

 ✘ International flight tickets are not included in this itinerary. We can arrange these for you if you wish.

 ✔ Yichang to Shanghai economy class

 ✔ Beijing to Xian soft sleeper class (11 hour overnight trip) 1 berth each in a shared 4 berth cabin
 ✔ Xian to Chengdu soft sleeper class (17 hour overnight trip) 1 berth each in a shared 4 berth cabin
 ✔ Chengdu to Chongqing second class (2 hour bullet train trip)
 ✔ Shanghai to Guilin soft sleeper class (24 hour overnight trip) 1 berth each in a shared 4 berth cabin
 ✔ Guilin to Guangzhou soft sleeper class (11 hour overnight trip) 1 berth each in a shared 4 berth cabin

 ✔ Yangtze River Cruise on a 4* ship
 ✔ Li River Cruise Guilin to Yangshuo (group tour)
 ✔ Jetfoil from Guangzhou to Hong Kong (2 hours)

 ✔ 2 nights Beijing - Days Inn Forbidden City 3* (standard room with breakfast)
 ✔ 1 night overnight sleeper train Beijing to Xian (shared 4 berth soft sleeper cabin)
 ✔ 1 night Xian - Citadines Central Apart Hotel 3* (standard room with breakfast)
 ✔ 1 night overnight sleeper train Xian to Chengdu (shared 4 berth soft sleeper cabin)
 ✔ 1 night Chengdu - BuddhaZen Hotel 3* (deluxe room with breakfast)
 ✔ 3 nights Yangtze River - 4* Cruise ship standard twin room with private bathroom and river view.
 ✔ 2 nights Shanghai - Astor House Hotel 3* (deluxe room with breakfast)
 ✔ 1 night overnight sleeper train Shanghai to Guilin (shared 4 berth soft sleeper cabin)
 ✔ 1 night Guilin - Bravo Hotel 4* (standard room with breakfast)
 ✔ 2 nights Yangshuo - Hong Fu Palace Hotel 3* (standard room with breakfast)
 ✔ 1 night overnight sleeper train Guilin to Guangzhou (shared 4 berth soft sleeper cabin)
 ✔ 1 night Guangzhou - Landsman Hotel 3* (standard room with breakfast)

 ✔ Beijing - Airport to Hotel
 ✔ Xian - Train Station to Hotel
 ✔ Chengdu - Train Station to Hotel / Hotel to Train Station
 ✔ Chongqing - Train Station to your Yangtze cruise ship
 ✔ Yichang - Yangtze cruise ship to Airport
 ✔ Shanghai - Airport to Hotel
 ✔ Guilin - Train Station to Hotel / Hotel to Li River cruise boat (group transfer)
 ✔ Guangzhou - Train Station to Hotel / Hotel to the wharf for the Jetfoil to Hong Kong

 ✔ Beijing - Full day private tour to the Great Wall at Mutianyu and the Ming Tombs.
 ✔ Xian - Full day private tour to the Terra cotta Warriors, Wild Goose Pagoda, City Walls.
 ✔ Chengdu - Half day private tour to the Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding.
 ✔ Yangtze river - group excursions to Fengdu Ghost City, Shennong Stream and the Three Gorges Dam
 ✔ Shanghai - Half day private tour to the Yuyuan gardens, Old City and the Bund.
 ✔ Guilin - Li River Cruise Guilin to Yangshuo (group tour).
 ✔ Guangzhou - Full day private tour to the Six Banyan Tree Temple, Memorial Hall of Dr. Sun Yat-sen and Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family.

 ✔ Meals - As indicated in the itinerary.
 ✔ Support - Emergency numbers and contacts for each destination.
 ✔ Guidebook - Our exclusive Trip Guidebook personalised to your trip.
 ✔ Financial Peace of Mind - All monies paid to us are legally protected under UK law.

✘ International Airfare to and from China (we can book these flights on request).
✘ The Chinese visa (we can advise as to how best obtain this visa).
✘ Travel insurance to cover medical treatment in China.
✘ Discretionary gratuities to drivers and guides.