14-Nights Best of China with Yangtze Cruise

14 nights from: $5,975

Best Of China With Yangtze Cruise - Small Group
Travel through China on this Small Group tour, moving between cities and river landscapes by high-speed train, rickshaw and a cruise along the Yangtze. In Beijing you’ll walk the Great Wall, explore the Forbidden City and share a Be My Guest experience with a local family. A Small Group Exclusive tea session in a hutong tea house lifts the lid on Chinese tea culture. In Xi’an you’ll see the Terracotta Warriors, then in Chengdu visit the panda base and learn Sichuan recipes at a cuisine museum. Your journey finishes in Shanghai where you see the Bund, take in the views from Jin Mao Tower and stay at a Stays with Stories hotel in Jing An.

Dining Summary

• 7 Dinner (D)
• 13 Breakfast (B)
• 4 Lunch (L)

• Explore Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu and Shanghai
• Visit the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City in Beijing, the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, and the 'Bund' waterfront, Jade Buddha Temple and Jinmao Tower in Shanghai
• See local people practicing T'ai Chi in the morning, the Three Gorges Dam and the Shanghai Acrobats
• Cruise the Yangtze River and the Three Gorges

• Beijing: Gain insights into this fascinating city during a sightseeing tour of Beijing. See the Great Hall of the People and Tiananmen Square before stepping through the south gate of the Forbidden City. 
• Great Wall of China: Visit the Great Wall of China to marvel at the history of this renowned landmark. 
• Beijing: Sit down together to share Peking duck, Beijing’s signature dish with roots in the imperial kitchens. Watch the crisp roasted duck carved then wrap slices with cucumber, spring onion and sweet bean sauce in thin pancakes.
• Beijing: Hop on a traditional rickshaw and weave through Beijing's ancient alleyways.
• Beijing: Step into a small hutong tea house for a hands-on introduction to Chinese tea. In your small group you’ll learn how to choose tea leaves, follow traditional brewing techniques and hear how places like this once refreshed local residents, as you share stories and questions with your host.
• Beijing: Board a high-speed train to Xi’an, swapping city traffic for smooth, fast travel across the countryside. Settle into your seat, watch fields and townships stream past your window and arrive ready to discover this former imperial capital.
• Fortifications of Xian: Visit the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang and see the terracotta warriors. 
• Xi'an: Visit Xi’an’s Wild Goose Pagoda, a key landmark on the ancient Silk Road. Walk through the surrounding temple complex, see the striking brick pagoda rising above the courtyards and hear how it once stored precious Buddhist scriptures brought from India, linking trade, faith and scholarship in one place.
• Xi'an: Join a Local Specialist for a tai chi lesson in a city park, learning slow, controlled movements alongside local residents. As you follow the sequence you’ll see how this daily practice blends exercise, balance and focus, offering a calm window into everyday Chinese life.
• Chengdu: Head to the Museum of Sichuan Cuisine and get stuck in with a cookery lesson. Try your hand at grinding chilli with a traditional pestle and mortar, explore centuries-old recipes and learn the secrets of bold Sichuan flavors. Finally, tuck in.
• Chongqing: You’ll get to know Chongqing, a major river city built on steep hills above the Yangtze. Busy shopping streets, high-rises and older alleyways sit side by side and hotpot restaurants are packed most evenings, showing you how people here eat, shop and spend their time.
• Visit the cliff-top temple Shibaozhai.
• Yangtze: Cruise on a small motorboat through the magical landscape of the Goddess Stream. 
• Shanghai: Soar to the 88th floor of the striking Jin Mao Tower and take in sweeping views of Shanghai’s futuristic skyline, where skyscrapers rise above the Huangpu River in one of Asia’s most dynamic cities.
• Shanghai: Join a Local Specialist to uncover the contrasts of Shanghai, from its colonial past to modern marvels. Stroll along the historic Bund waterfront and wander through the tranquil classical pavilions and rockeries of Yu Garden.
• Shanghai: Witness a spellbinding performance by the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe, where precision, agility and imagination collide. From high-flying aerials to perfectly timed choreography, this world-class show celebrates the artistry and discipline of Chinese acrobatics with a modern twist.

• Beijing: Visit and have lunch with a local family in their home in one of Beijing's hutongs and gain a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse into their lifestyle.

• Chengdu: At the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, learn how your visit contributes to their conservation efforts to rescue and protect the endangered giant panda of which fewer than 2,000 remain. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land.

• Shanghai: Opened in 1988 as Shanghai’s first Chinese-designed five-star hotel, The Kunlun Jing An has hosted state leaders, dignitaries and international guests. Exceptionally located in the heart of the city’s fashionable Jing An district, it’s just a short walk from the iconic Jing An Temple and West Nanjing Road.

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