On arrival in Beijing Capital or Daxing International 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. Early check-in is not included. Additional nights’ before and after your tour can be arranged. An informal Welcome Dinner will be held on Day 1. If you miss this due to your arrival time, all information will be provided to you at breakfast the following morning.

Walk through Tiananmen Square and into the magnificent Forbidden City. Sightseeing here will involve approximately 3-4 hours on foot. Enjoy a leisurely stroll in the warren-like hutongs where you will meet a local family. Later, soak up the harmonious ambience of the Temple of Heaven for about 1 hour where you can watch, or take part in, an outdoor dance group. Tonight, eat a traditional Peking duck dinner. 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.

Rise early this morning to avoid the crowds and drive approximately 2 hours northwest of the city to the Juyongguan Pass to take a walk on the Great Wall of China, appreciating the wall itself and the dramatic scenery. Your visit involves walking from the bus to the first section. Once your group has been given an introduction to the Great Wall’s unique history you will have free time to explore at your own pace. Later, visit the Jade Factory, and in the afternoon, stroll through the Summer Palace.

Transfer to the train station and take a 5-and-a-half-hour bullet train to Xian. Wander through the Muslim Quarter and then later this evening, enjoy a delicious feast of traditional Shui Jiao dumplings and a performance of Tang Dynasty dancing. Please be mindful of your valuables in the Muslim Quarter.

Spend the morning viewing the enigmatic ranks of the life-sized Terracotta Warriors. The Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses is located approximately 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 is no electric cart 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 will take about 2 and a half hours to explore. After this, visit the Xian Art Ceramics and Lacquer Exhibition Workshop to see smaller models of the warriors being made. Later, stroll on the beautifully preserved 14th century city walls that enclose Xian’s old town. The local guide will give you time to explore the ancient city walls at your own pace. There are options here to hire a bicycle or an electric cart to drive along the length of the wall (these are offered by private vendors and can be organised at your own expense).

Fly 3 hours to Lhasa, the capital of spiritual Tibet. The afternoon is at leisure to help acclimatise to the altitude. Daytime altitude: 4,000m Overnight altitude: 3,700m

Wander around the Barkhor to see traditionally dressed locals, stalls of religious trinkets and prostrating pilgrims. Inside the Jokhang Temple, the sacred centre of Tibetan Buddhism, the devotion is palpable as queues of people worship in the flickering light of yak butter candles. There will also be a visit to the Sera Monastery, a renowned seat of Buddhist learning. Sightseeing at the Jokhang Temple and Sera Monastery will involve climbing many steps and walking over uneven surfaces in dim light.

This morning, visit the iconic palace of Potala, the largest monastery in the world. Sitting atop Red Mountain, the Potala Palace is painted in a traditional Tibetan blend of deep red and stark white. At the Potala Palace there are over 1000 steps. A small torch can be helpful to make your surroundings clearer. Next, visit Norbulingka, Lhasa’s answer to Beijing’s Summer Palace. Visit a Tibetan arts and crafts shop and enjoy a traditional Tibetan dinner this evening, accompanied by a dance performance. Please note: during the months of October-April, the Tibetan Dance Performance will only run if there are 20 or more people booked to watch the show.

Fly 2 hours Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, where, after a leisurely tour of Jinli Street, there will be a delicious Sichuanese meal to savour. Please note: flights from Lhasa to Chengdu are subject to delay and as such, the visit to Jinli Street could be missed.

Today you will visit China’s most famous resident, the Giant Panda, at the Panda Conservation Centre. See these lovable creatures in surroundings that mirror their natural habitat. It is not guaranteed that you will be able to see the feeding of the younger pandas, as this only happens at the start and end of each day. Sightseeing involves approximately 1 and a half hours on foot and there are electric carts offered by private vendors that can be organised at your own cost. Later, travel 4-5 hours by coach to Chongqing, where you will board your Yangtze River Cruise. Please note that 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. Please be aware that there are a number of steps involved in embarking and disembarking your Yangtze River Cruise Ship, particularly during low tide. If you think this may be an issue, please inform us in advance. 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.

Over the next two days prepare for one breathtaking panorama after another as you marvel at the spectacular scenery of the Three Gorges. Take a side trip to the attractive Goddess or Shennong Stream and enjoy various shore excursions.

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 to board a 2 hour flight to cosmopolitan Shanghai. 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 a flight to Shanghai

Shanghai is China’s great metropolis, where east and west collide on streets lined with futuristic skyscrapers and 10th century temples. Today’s explorations start with the peaceful Yu Gardens and the atmospheric alleys of the old town. Admire the magnificent colonial architecture with a stroll along the historical Bund before visiting the Silk Factory. Sightseeing today involves 3-4 hours on foot. This evening, view the city from the Huangpu River on a panoramic cruise before sampling some traditional Shanghai cuisine.

Any time before your flight is at leisure. You will be transferred from your hotel to Shanghai Pudong or Hongqiao International 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.