On arrival in Beijing Daxing or Beijing Capital Airport, you will be met in the arrival hall by your local guide and/or National Escort from Wendy Wu Tours. Together with all other group members who may be arriving at a similar time, you will transfer approximately 1 hour to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. A tour introduction will be held in the hotel either this evening or the next. Food and drinks will not be served at this meeting, it is simply an opportunity for your group to meet and learn more about travelling in China.

Walk across Tiananmen Square into the magnificent Forbidden City. Continue to the Summer Palace, former holiday home of the Qing emperors, and explore the beautiful grounds. Whilst here, take a short hike up Longevity Hill for spectacular views over the palace’s Kunming Lake. Today’s sightseeing involves approximately 5-6 hours, predominately on foot. On your way back, stop for a photo at the iconic Bird’s Nest Stadium, home of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The time at the Olympic Village will not include entry to any of the Olympic venues. Please note: The Forbidden City is closed on Mondays. If this day of touring falls on a Monday, your touring in Beijing will be switched around so that the Forbidden City is visited on an alternative day.

Arrive early for a visit to the Temple of Heaven where you can watch the locals as they start their day with dancing, Tai Chi and Mahjong. Next, visit Yandaixiejie, where you will have some free time to explore the Hutongs. Sit down for lunch with a family who call the hutongs home. This morning’s sightseeing is approximately 4 hours. In the afternoon, drive 3 hours to the Simatai section of the Great Wall where you will stay overnight at Gubei Watertown. On arrival, ascend Simatai Great Wall by cable car for spectacular sunset views. Please note: You will need to pack a smaller overnight bag for your trip to Gubei Watertown. Main luggage will be left in safe storage at the hotel in Beijing and picked up on your return.

Rise early to transfer to the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall. Jinshanling is much less frequented by tourists than other parts of the Wall. The stark, yet magnificent surroundings allow you to put yourself in the shoes of those who walked this incredible edifice hundreds of years ago. This once-in-a-lifetime trek on the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall will last 4-5 hours, depending on the speed and capability of the group. You will need to be able to complete the whole trek as the route does not have any pick-up points mid-way. The walk features some extremely steep steps of different heights so it can be tricky to maintain a pace or routine. There are also many walkways where the wall has fallen away giving way to sheer drops which require extra care whilst walking. Underfoot, the pathway is rocky and largely unmaintained; it is strongly advised that you wear sturdy footwear with ankle support if needed. After trekking through the dramatic landscapes and rugged terrain, drive 3 hours back to Beijing where you will have the evening at leisure. Please note, today’s lunch may be a packed lunch.

Transfer to the train station and take the speedy bullet train for 5 hours to Xian. On arrival, explore the Muslim Quarter, Xian’s Islamic center, where there are a myriad of small food stalls selling ample mouth-watering dishes. Have a traditional Xian dinner this evening and enjoy an evening at leisure, possibly soaking up the atmosphere at lively Defu Lane.

Today, view the formidable ranks of terracotta soldiers and horses, lined up in ranks to protect the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. The Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses is located around a 1-hour drive outside of Xian. From the bus park to the museum entrance there is a 15-minute walk. There are electric carts offered by private vendors which can be organised at your own cost. There are no electric carts available for the return from the museum exit to the bus park. Within the museum area the warriors can be seen in three different‘pits’, which are active archaeological digs. The site is large and, towards the summer months, can be hot outside. Sightseeing here involves approximately 2 and a half hours on foot. Visit the Xian Art Ceramics and Lacquer Exhibition Workshop to see smaller models of the warriors being made before returning to the city to cycle on the 14th century city walls, one of the best preserved urban fortifications in the country. You will need to be able to cycle for around 1 hour. Enjoy an evening at leisure.

This morning, take the bullet train for around 3 hours to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province. On arrival, drive 2 hours to the ancient town of Pingle, dating back to the Han Dynasty. Take time to walk through its maze of teahouse-lined streets before walking through Jinji’s dense bamboo forest and taking a walk across the magnificent Jinji Suspended Rope Bridge for vistas of the bamboo forest. Stay overnight in Pingle. In Pingle, you will stay at a basic guesthouse with no facilities for making meals, however, your guide will be happy to give you recommendations of the best places to eat.

Drive 1-2 hours to the forested Sichuanese countryside north of Chengdu. Here, Dujiangyan Panda Centre offers refuge to Giant Pandas with the aim to reintroduce them into the wild. The centre offers one of the most authentic, spacious and natural settings in the country. Later, explore the slopes of Mt Qingcheng, one of China’s most sacred Taoist Mountains. Ascend by cable car to the higher slopes and take a walk around Yuecheng Lake. Drive to Chengdu for an overnight stay.

Drive around 4-5 hours to Chongqing, one of the most important cities on the Yangtze River, where you will visit the porcelain district of Ciqikou. After dinner, board your Yangtze River Cruise ship, home for the next three nights. Please note: The Yangtze River cruise section of your itinerary will not be confirmed by the cruise operators until after you commence your tour as it is subject to local river conditions and water levels. Your Local Guide will do their utmost to keep you informed of any changes but cannot guarantee against delays or – in rare cases – cancellations of sections of your itinerary. Shore excursions are subject to change depending on local conditions. A detailed itinerary will be handed out on the vessel each day. If you do not wish to take part in a shore excursion but you still wish to disembark the cruise ship, there is a mandatory port tax which must be paid by each customer. The port tax amount is approx. USD20-USD30 per person; however, this amount can vary and for security reasons, it is not always possible to disembark at all ports of call. You may be offered cabin upgrades locally which may include some of the amenity package services. Please note that the amenity package benefits start on the second day of the cruise.

As you cruise downstream, nature takes over, revealing some of the world's most dramatic scenery including the Three Gorges themselves. Over the next two days, prepare for one breathtaking panorama after another. Enjoy various shore excursions as well as a side trip to Goddess or Shennong Stream. This is a chance to get a glimpse of life on the river banks.

Visit the Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric dam in the world. Disembark the ship and drive approximately 20 minutes through the surrounding areas (the Coach is not permitted to stop for photos) to the viewing area above the ship locks where you can truly appreciate the scale of this hydroelectric project. There is a small museum and a lookout point here. The sightseeing will involve around 1 hour on foot. Later, transfer to Yichang and board your flight to the cosmopolitan Shanghai, the flight will take approximately 1 hour 50 minutes. Please note flights in this region are subject to change and can often be changed last minute, we aim to ensure passengers are transferred direct from Yichang. However, it may be necessary to transfer 6 hours by road to Wuhan to board your flight to Shanghai.

This morning, take an exciting breakfast tour around some of Shanghai’s most exciting districts, tasting local delicacies, including pancakes and fried bread sticks. Afterwards, wander the pleasant Yu Gardens and the bustling Old Town before visiting the informative Silk Factory. Take a stroll on the colonial Bund and enjoy a farewell Shanghainese meal this evening, as well as a cruise down the Huangpu River to see the neon lights of Pudong.

Any time before your flight is at leisure. You will be transferred from your hotel to Shanghai Pudong or Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, according to the departure time of your international flight. Late check-out is not included. Additional night's before and after your tour can be arranged.