10 Day China Ethnic tour

Brief Introduction:
The southwest part of China is an area with diverse and colorful cultures, filled with different minorities and beautiful scenery. Cruise on the picturesque Li River in Guilin, then travel to Lijiang and see Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Experience the timeless folk customs of the Zhuang, Bai, and Naxi peoples.

Day 1 Arrival / Hong Kong
Arrive in Hong Kong, a vibrant metropolis, our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel.

Day 2 Hong Kong / Guilin
Enjoy a day of exploring in this dynamic metropolis until your afternoon flight to Guilin, the most scenic city in China, where our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel.

Day 3 Guilin
The highlight of any tour to Guilin is a cruise down the tranquil and picturesque Li River. Along the river, you will be inspired by the breathtaking peaks and pinnacles, crystal-clear water, and serene pastoral rice paddies and water buffalo. You will feel like you have stepped into a traditional Chinese landscape painting. The boat will arrive in quaint Yangshuo in the afternoon. After strolling through its famous West Street, you will be driven by private vehicle back to Guilin (a 1.5-hour drive).


Day 4 Guilin / Kunming
Today's excursion will bring you to Elephant Trunk Hill, the symbol of Guilin, Fubo Hill, where you can have a bird's-eye view of the whole city from the peak, and colorful Reed Flute Cave. You will then take an afternoon flight to Kunming, "The Spring and Flower City".

Day 5 Kunming
A full-day trip to the Stone Forest will show you the natural wonder of limestone karst formations formed over 270 million years ago.

Day 6 Kunming / Dali
Take a morning flight to Dali, a historical and cultural city inhabited by the Bai people. Today's visit to this lovely city will include a cruise on the vast Erhai Lake, and a visit to Xizhou Bai Ethnic Minority Village to see the Bai's flair for architecture and elegant living. Later you will visit the Three Pagodas, an emblem of the city, and then the Dali Ancient Town, first established in 1382 AD.

Day 7 Dali / Lijiang
Drive to the city of Lijiang (a 3-hour drive). Along the way, stop at Heqing and Xinhua Village. Upon your arrival at Lijiang, visit the Ancient Town, home to over 22 different ethnic minorities, and Lion Hill, where you can enjoy a bird's eye view of the ancient town and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the distance.

Day 8 Lijiang
Witness the unique scenery and culture of the Lijiang area. Visit Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, followed by a trip to the Baisha Mural Paintings, and Black Dragon Pool Park.

Day 9 Lijiang / Kunming
Fly back to Kunming. In the afternoon, tour West Hill and Dragon Gate where you can enjoy the natural beauty of blue skies, clear water, and graceful fishing boats. Later in the afternoon visit the Bird and Flower Market to see how the local people live.

Day 10 Kunming / Departure
It is time to say goodbye and head to the airport for your flight home.

12 Days Mysterious Tibet Tour & Beijing

Visit Tibet, the roof of the world. With Beijing as a starting point, see the Holy City of Lhasa and explore rarely-seen temples and markets outside the capital. A once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Day 1 Arrival / Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, where your private guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel.

Day 2 Beijing
Historic Beijing has long been China's political and cultural center. Today Beijing's grandeur will unfold before your eyes as you visit some of the city's greatest sights. See Tiananmen Square, and the powerful Forbidden City, hidden from public view for over 500 years. In the afternoon, visit the bejeweled Summer Palace.

Day 3 Beijing
A walk along the majestic Great Wall will be one of the highlights of your trip. Take ample time to stroll along this world wonder and contemplate history, then see the Sacred Road to the Ming Tombs before returning to the city.

Day 4 Beijing
After breakfast, you will visit another of Beijing's historic landmarks, the splendid Temple of Heaven, built in 15th century. The afternoon will be yours to explore this ancient city on your own.

Day 5 Beijing / Lhasa
Take a morning flight to Lhasa, nicknamed the “Sunlight City” with an elevation of 3650 meters (12,000 feet) above sea level. Upon arrival at Gonggar airport, you will be met by your local guide and transferred to your hotel in Lhasa city (a 2-hour drive). You will be able to view the Giant Stone Buddha carved into the side of a mountain en route. After checking into your hotel, rest awhile to help you adjust to the high altitude.

Day 6 Lhasa
This will be a day of extraordinary experiences in  this holy land. Your visits today will include Lhasa's cardinal landmark, the Potala Palace, the former winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, and then the revered 7th-century Jokhang Temple. Later, walk around the flourishing Barkhor Street, where you can enjoy bargaining with the local Tibetan vendors for handicrafts which are rarely seen anywhere else in the world.

Day 7 Lhasa
Visit Norbulingka Park, built in 1751 AD as a summer palace for the Dalai Lama, and Drepung Monastery, the largest monastery of the Gelugpa Sect in Tibet. You will then visit Sera Monastery, which houses three colleges built in the 15th and 16th centuries, and is famous for its "Buddhism Sutra Debates".

Day 8 Lhasa / Gyantse
Take an unforgettable journey outside of Lhasa. Drive from Lhasa to Gyantse (a 5.5-hour drive). Along the way you will see the beautiful Yamdrok Lake, one of the three holy lakes of Tibet, and then visit a Tibetan family. After your arrival in Gyantse, you will tour Palchor Monastery with three Sects of Buddhism - Sakyapa, Kagyupa and Gelugpa - living harmoniously under one roof.

Day 9 Gyantse / Shigatse
After breakfast, frive from Gyantse to Shigatse (a 1.5-hour drive) to visit Tashilumpo Monastery which is the oldest and largest Gelugpa monastery in Tibet, founded by the Panchen Lama. In the afternoon, wander the free market.

Day 10 Shigatse / Lhasa
Drive back to Lhasa (a 6-hour drive). The trip will take you along the Yaluzangbu River, and you can enjoy the beautiful view of the valley en route. After a rest in Lhasa, a farewell dinner will be arranged at a typical Tibetan restaurant for you to enjoy local food with Tibetan singing and dancing.
Day 11 Lhasa / Beijing
Fly back to Beijing, where you will be met and escorted to the hotel by your local guide.

Day 12 Beijing / Departure
You will be escorted to the airport for your flight home.

10 Day China Highlights Tour

Come explore this ancient country, from the majestic Great Wall and mysterious Terracotta Warriors, to the stunningly beautiful Li River and dynamic Bund. Discover the unique and ancient charms of this vast country.

Day 1 Arrival / Beijing
Arrive at China's capital city, Beijing, where our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel.

Day 2 Beijing
Historic Beijing has long been China's political and cultural center. On your first day visit some of Beijing's greatest sights - Tiananmen Square, the awe-inspiring Forbidden City, hidden from public view for over 500 years, and in the afternoon, continue your tour to the bejeweled Summer Palace.

Day 3 Beijing
A walk along the majestic Great Wall will be one of the highlights of your trip. Take ample time to stroll along this wonder of the world and contemplate history. You will also visit the Scared Road to the Ming Tombs before returning to the city.

Day 4 Beijing / Xi’an
On this day you will visit another of Beijing's wonders, the splendid Temple of Heaven built in 15th century. In the afternoon fly to Xian, China’s ancient capital city.

Day 5   Xi'an
Explore the glories of the ancient city of Xi'an, including the 2,000-year-old life-size Terracotta Warriors protecting the tomb of China's first emperor, QinShihuang. You will also enjoy strolling along the Ancient City Walls, considered to be the largest and best-preserved city walls in the world.

Day 6   Xi'an / Guilin
Continue to explore the marvels of this ancient city including the Shaanxi Provincial Museum and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda which houses Buddhist sutras brought back from India by the famous monk Xuan-zang in the Tang Dynasty. Fly to Guilin, the most picturesque city in China.

Day 7 Guilin
Enjoy a full day of scenic cruising on the tranquil Li River. Along the river, you will be inspired by breathtaking views of peaks and pinnacles, crystal-clear water and serene pastoral views of rice paddies and water buffalo. Cruising along the Li River is like walking into a traditional Chinese painting.

Day 8 Guilin / Shanghai
On this day you will visit Elephant Trunk Hill, the symbol of Guilin. Then see Fubo Hill, where you can have bird's-eye view of the whole city from the summit. Next stop will be to colorful Reed Flute Cave. Later in the day, you will be escorted to the airport for your flight to cosmopolitan Shanghai, one of the greatest seaports in the world.

Day 9 Shanghai
Shanghai is China's financial capital. A thrilling day of sightseeing will give you a chance to witness Shanghai's uniqueness. Stroll along the waterfront Bund and crowded Nanjing Road, visit the beautiful Yu Garden and bustling Yuyuan Market, and explore the stunning Shanghai Museum. Your thrilling day will be concluded with an evening acrobatic show at the Shanghai Centre Theatre.

Day 10 Shanghai / Departure
Say "zai jian" (goodbye) to China. You will be escorted to the airport for your flight back home.

9 Day Best of China

China, the "Middle Kingdom", is a vast country with a long history and splendid culture. China is a great country that has undergone dramatic changes in the last two decades. Experience China’s past and its present - stand on the majestic Great Wall, see the awe-inspiring Terracotta Warriors, and feel the rhythm of the dynamic metropolis of Shanghai.

Day 1 Arrive / Shanghai
Arrive at cosmopolitan Shanghai, China's financial capital, where our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel.

Day 2  Shanghai / Beijing
You will be free to rest until our local guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to Beijing. Our guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. In the afternoon, you will tour the exquisite Summer Palace, the most splendid imperial garden in China.

Day 3  Beijing
Historic Beijing has long been China's political and cultural center. Explore some of Beijing's greatest sights. Your first stop will be Tiananmen Square, where in 1949, Chairman Mao declared the founding of People's Republic of China before 3 million onlookers. Next, stroll through the magnificent 600-year-old Forbidden City, the largest integral imperial palace in the world. In the afternoon, you will marvel at another of Beijing's landmarks - the splendid Temple of Heaven, built in the 15th century.

Day 4 Beijing
A full-day excursion will take you to the majestic Great Wall, which was built over 2,000 years ago. You will have plenty of time to linger at this wonder of the world and contemplate history. Before returning to the city, visit the famous Sacred Road to the Ming Tombs.

Day 5 Beijing / Xian
Visit the narrow alleys and courtyard homes of Beijing's hutongs by rickshaw. In the afternoon, you will fly to Xi’an, China’s ancient capital.

Day 6 Xi’an
Start your Xi’an exploration with visits to the incredible life-size Terracotta Warriors protecting the mausoleum of the China's first emperor, QinShihuang. In the afternoon, enjoy strolling along the Ancient City walls, considered the largest and best-preserved ancient city wall in the world, and then visit the Bell Tower, built in 1582. Your exciting day will conclude with a savory dumpling dinner and the colorful Tang Dynasty show.

Day 7 Xian / Shanghai
Continue to explore the marvels of this ancient city including the Shaanxi Provincial Museum, exhibiting over 3,000 historical relics, and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda which houses the Buddhist sutras brought back from India by the famous monk Xuan-zang in the Tang Dynasty. Later take an afternoon flight to Shanghai, where our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy at your leisure.

Day 8 Shanghai
Enjoy a thrilling day of sightseeing featuring Shanghai's unique charm. Stroll along the waterfront Bund and crowded Nanjing Road. Visit the elaborate Yu Garden and bustling Yuyuan Market, and explore the stunning Shanghai Museum. End the day with a wonderful acrobatic show at the Shanghai Centre Theatre.

Day 9 Shanghai / Departure
It is time to say goodbye and return home with lifetime of unforgettable memories.

13 Day Classic Tour

Stand on the majestic Great Wall, stare in wonder at the Terracotta Warriors, sail through the amazing natural art gallery that is the Yangtze River, and stroll along the historic Bund. With this tour, you will have a better understanding of this great country and have a lifetime of unforgettable memories.

The Yangtze River, is the longest river in Asia and the third longest in the world. The headwaters of the Yangtze are situated at an elevation of over 16,000 feet in the Kunlun Mountains in the southwestern section of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau.
Flowing south through Sichuan into Yunnan, the Yangtze then heads northeast across central China through Sichuan, Hubei, Anhui, and Jiangsu provinces to its mouth in the East China Sea north of Shanghai over 3,720 miles away. The river has over 700 tributaries. The climate ranges from 96 degrees in the summer to cold, brisk temperatures in the winter.
Approximately 350 million people inhabit the Yangtze River region. There is plenty of wildlife along the river as well, including Tibetan antelopes, Mongolian gazelles, and snow leopards.
The waters of the Yangtze are generally used for rice and wheat irrigation. It also has enormous, inexhaustible hydroelectric resources. In 1994 construction began on the Three Gorges Dam near Yichang; the dam is scheduled for completion in 2009. Named for the Three Gorges (the Qutang, Wuxia, and Xiling Gorge) this project will be the largest electricity generating facility in the world. The hydroelectric generators will provide 1/9 of China's total power output.

There are 4 general cruising routes:

1. Starting from Chongqing and ending in Yichang: downstream
2. Starting from Chongqing and ending in Wuhan: downstream
3. Starting from Wuhan and ending in Chongqing: upstream
4. Starting from Yichang and ending in Chongqing: upstream

Time length for difference sailing routes:

Day 1 Arrival / Beijing
Upon arrival at China's capitol city of Beijing, our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel.

Day 2 Beijing
Historic Beijing has long been China's political and cultural center. Explore some of Beijing's greatest sights: Tiananmen Square, where Chairman Mao declared the founding of People's Republic of China before 3 million onlookers in 1949, and stroll through the magnificent 600-year-old Forbidden City, the largest and grandest ancient imperial palace in the world. In the afternoon, marvel at another of Beijing's landmarks - the splendid Temple of Heaven, built in the 15th century.

Day 3 Beijing
A full-day excursion will take you to the majestic Great Wall, built over 2,000 years ago and stretching over 6,400 kilometers. You will have ample time to linger at this wonder of the world and contemplate history. Before returning to the city you will visit the Sacred Road to the Ming Tombs.

Day 4  Beijing / Xi'an
After breakfast,  visit the old narrow alleyways and courtyard homes in the hutongs by rickshaw. In the afternoon, fly to Xi’an.

Day 5   Xi'an
Start your Xian exploration with a visit to the incredible life-size Terracotta Warriors, protecting the tomb of the first Chinese emperor, QinShihuang. In the afternoon, enjoy strolling along the Ancient City walls, considered the largest and best-preserved city walls in the world. In the late afternoon, visit Xi’an's Bell Tower, built in 1582.

Day 6   Xi'an / Chongqing / Embark Regal China Cruise Ship
Continue your exploration of Xi'an with visits to the Shaanxi Provincial Museum. Later, visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda which houses Buddhist sutras brought back from India by the famous monk Xuan-zang in the Tang Dynasty. Later you will fly to Chongqing, where you will be escorted to board the Regal China Cruises ship to begin your cruise down the Yangtze River.

Day 7 Yangtze Cruise
Depart Chongqing at 08:00AM. On the first day of your cruise, you will have a shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City, which shows China's ghost culture - a place for punishing the devil and awarding the good.

Day 8 Yangtze Cruise
On this day the cruise ship will sail through the first of the famous Three Gorges, the Qutang Gorge. It is the most dramatic gorge with peaks up to 1,240 meters high along the rolling river. Your ship will then continue to the Wu Gorge, which is the deepest and most mysteriously beautiful of the three Gorges. In the Wu Gorge you will disembark and board smaller vessels for the unique shore excursion to Shennong Stream, a small tributary of the Yangtze that is famous for its picturesque scenery, crystal clear water, steep ridges and peaks, thick vegetation and wild flowers, flying birds, a plank road built along the cliffs and the ancient hanging coffins. After reboarding the ship, you will enter Xiling Gorge, the longest of the Three Gorges, with many ancient temples hidden amongst the crags.

Day 9 Yangtze Cruise
Tour the massive Three Gorges Dam project, the largest hydroelectric dam in the world. After its completion in 2009, the water level in the reservoir will rise to 135 meters above sea level.

Day 10 Yangtze Cruise / Disembarkation / Wuhan /Shanghai
Disembark in Wuhan at 11:30 AM. Your private tour guide will meet you and escort you to the airport for your flight to Shanghai, China's most cosmopolitan city.

Day 11 Shanghai
Enjoy a thrilling day of sightseeing featuring Shanghai's unique charm. Visit the elaborate Yu Garden and bustling Yuyuan Market, and explore the stunning Shanghai Museum. Later in the afternoon, visit the Jade Buddha temple which houses an exquisite milk-white jade Buddha brought to China in the 19th century by a Chinese monk. Your thrilling day will be concluded with a wonderful acrobatic show at the Shanghai Centre Theatre.

Day 12 Shanghai
On your second exciting day in Shanghai you will visit the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the highest TV tower in Asia and the third highest in the world. With a height of 468 meters, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower has become the symbol of new Shanghai. In the afternoon you will visit the Children's palace, a center for children to carry out their extracurricular activities. Then stroll along the waterfront Bund and crowded Nanjing Road.

Day 13 Shanghai / Departure
Depart this ancient land with a lifetime of unforgettable memories.
Note: The itinerary of the Yangtze Cruise above is for your reference only - it may vary from one cruise to another.