Classic Yangtze River Cruise with Zhangjiajie

Welcome to China! The first city we will visit is Shanghai. Your tour guide will pick you up and escort you to the hotel. Perhaps for you, Shanghai, one of the most developed cities in China, is most famous for its high-rise buildings and its status as a global financial center. But in fact, Shanghai is also a city with a long history. We will take you to explore another side of Shanghai in the next two days! After you arrive in Shanghai, our tour guide will pick you up at the airport and escort you to the hotel. You can have a good rest to get over the jet lag, preparing for the following 15 Days China Yangtze River Cruise tour!

As one of the most famous cities in China, Shanghai not only has skyscrapers but also many historical sites. Today the first attraction we will visit is the Jing’an Temple. Built in 247, Jing’an Temple covers an area of 22,000 square meters. The temple is famous for its architecture. Now you have a chance to appreciate the ancient architecture of China. When building the temple, the craftsmen took a page from the architectural techniques of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Besides, they also used such patterns with distinctive Buddhist characters to decorate as elephants and lotus. Besides, the layout also follows the traditional Chinese architectural style.

After leaving the temple, we will head to the Yu Garden (closed each Monday), a private garden in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Yu Garden has a history of more than 400 years and is famous for its layout, and plant. When you are wandering in the garden, you will notice countless old trees, Bonsai (trees grown in containers), and flowers. Besides, you are suggested to have a look at the treasure of Yu Garden, Jade exquisite, which is a rock that is about 3 meters high, 1.5 meters wide, 80 centimeters thick. For the rock has many holes, just like the beehive, if you light a stick of incense under this stone, you will see smoke coming from every hole in the stone, which is spectacular.

After lunch, we will head to Shanghai Tower. As a landmark of Shanghai, the tower was built in 1994, and it was known as the highest tower in Asia and the third highest tower in the world. The tower is shaped like a dragon. Some people say that this is because the World Financial Center next to it is like a Japanese saber. Therefore, the designers of Shanghai Tower want the tower in a rotating upward shape to dodge the saber that was chopped down. After arrival, you can take the elevator to the top and have a bird’s-eye view of the city.

You may notice many buildings of different styles not far away. That is our next destination, the International Architecture Exhibition Group of the Bund. The bund used to be the concession where people from many countries lived here. Here, you can see 52 buildings built in Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque, and Chinese styles and so on. Among these buildings, the HSBC Building is one of the most magnificent. It is particularly worth mentioning that the four columns in the hall are hewn from a whole piece of natural Italian marble. These columns are manufactured in Italy, and each column weighs about 7 tons and is transported from Italy to here. It is said that there are only 6 such marble columns in the world, and the other 2 are in the Louvre.

If you are tired, you can also tour Nanjing Road, which is 1,528 meters long. The road covers an area of about 30,000 square meters. You can enjoy the beauty of buildings on both sides of the street and the local food. We highly recommend the smoked fish and meat moon cakes for you. The smoked fish is covered by sugar sauce with an ancestral recipe. While different from the normal Chinese moon cake which is made of flour and nuts, the meat moon cakes are made of flour and meat. I believe that these delicacies will raise your appetite. After the tour, our guide will send you back to the hotel.

Jing’an Temple

Shanghai Tower

Today we will leave Shanghai and take the estimated flight FM9349 09:40/12:30 to Guilin, where the tour guide will pick you up and escort you to the hotel.

After lunch, we will head to the Reed Flute Cave. In China, there is a well-known saying that “Guilin’s landscape is the best in the world, and the landscape in the Reed Flute Cave is the best in Guilin”. The Reed Flute Cave is in the northwestern suburbs of Guilin, 5 kilometers away from the city center. Legend has it that there used to grow a kind of reed, which can be made into a flute. That is why it is called the Reed Flute Cave. After entering the cave, you may notice a splendid landscape made up of many stalactites. There seems to have a magnificent peak, dense forests, and ancient trees. When the sun rises, it looks like a herd of lions dancing in the stone forest. So, the attraction is also called Sunrise in Lion Hill.

Next, we are going to a park named Sun and Moon Twin Pagodas. In the park, there stand two pagodas. They are so tall that seem to reach the sun and moon, so they are called Sun and Moon Pagoda respectively. The Sun Pagoda is more famous, and it has also set three world records, namely, the world’s tallest elevator copper tower, the world’s tallest copper building, the world’s tallest water tower. In addition, you can also see the precious Śarīra (the crystals left after the cremation of Sakyamuni, which is revered as the supreme sacred object in the Buddhist world) on the eighth and ninth floors of the Sun Pagoda. After the tour, our guide will send you back to the local hotel.

Reed Flute Cave

Sun and Moon Twin Pagodas

Today we will head to the Mopanshan dock and tour the Li River by boat. Mopanshan wharf is 35 kilometers southeast of Guilin, and it takes about 50 minutes by car. After arriving at the dock, we are going to have a four-hour Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo. Li River is known for its fast-flowing water. It is said that it has something to do with the princess of the East China Sea Dragon King. A long time ago, the princess was going to the South China Sea to worship a Buddha. On the way, she noticed thousands of people were building the Great Wall, and their living condition was very rough. So, the princess begged the Buddha to do them a favor. Touched by her good deeds, the Buddha gave her a willow branch, telling her that if she waves the branch, stones would transform into birds and animals and follow her to the Great Wall. Unfortunately, when passing by the Li River, she met an old man who revealed the secret. Suddenly, the birds and animals turned to a mountain that blocked the river. When you cruise on the Li River, I believe you will be attracted by the various majestic mountains and beautiful scenery on the way.

Today we will have lunch at the boat. After arriving at Yangshuo, we will head to Yangshuo West Street. With a history of more than 1,400 years, it is the oldest and the most bustling street in Yangshuo. Here, you can see such old buildings as ancient temples, ancient pavilions, former residences of celebrities, and memorials. Most of the buildings in the west street are built in the 1960s and 1970s. And some of them were even in the Ming and Qing (1636-1912) dynasties. Besides, the famous painter, Xu Beihong was also living here. Xu Beihong is to China like Picasso to Europe. If you are also a painting lover, you can take this opportunity to appreciate the former residence of this painting master. After you have finished your tour at Yangshuo West Street, your guide will drive you back to Guilin, which takes about an hour and a half.

Li River

Yangshuo West Street

Today we will take the estimated high-speed strain G2856 11:27/16:00 to Chongqing. Our tour guide will pick you up and escort you to the Chaotianmen Dock, where you will board a cruise ship and begin your Yangtze River cruise at 9 p.m.

In the morning, if you are interested in Tai Chi, you can join visitors and practice that. Many kind people are willing to teach you if you have the slightest idea of what to do. Today we are going to an attraction, Fengdu “Jade Emperor”. Fengdu has been a famous city, and there are so many legends about ghosts and gods. Fengdu “Jade Emperor” is located in Wuyu mountain. Legend says that in the Han Dynasty (202-220), a Taoist named Wang Fangping used to find a way to live forever. After countless days of asceticism, he finally became immortal. After that, he was respected by the people as the Fengdu “Jade Emperor”, that is, the king of ghosts. If you want to tour the palace of the king, you could come here and visit.

Besides, if you want to know more about the mysterious ghost city, you can also have an Additional Shore excursion-Fengdu “Ghost City”, (an extra payment is needed to tour the attraction). Legend has that after people died, they must walk across the Naihe Bridge, forgetting everything they experienced in a previous life. On the left of Naihe Bridge is the Health Bridge, which symbolizes health. And on the right is the Fortune Bridge, which symbolizes fortune. Hope you can be healthy and wealthy after you pass both bridges.

After the free activities in the afternoon, we will return to the cruise, where the captain will hold a welcome reception for us, and you can also enjoy a buffet here.

Fengdu “Jade Emperor”

Fengdu “Ghost City”

After you wake up, you can also join Tai Chi. This morning, we will continue our cruise on the Yangtze River and pass two grand gorges, Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge. With only 8 kilometers long, Qutang Gorge is the most magnificent one in the Yangtze River. When coming into the gorge, you will notice cliffy peaks on both sides as if they are slashed by an ax. The roaring Yangtze River flows quickly. The narrowest section of the river is only one or two hundred meters wide, while the main peaks on both sides of the river can be as high as 1,000-1,500 meters. You will be shocked at the power of the water as it flows over the gorge. As the cruise ship goes further, we can see Wu Gorge. Wu Gorge, also known as Big Gorge, is famous for its beauty. On your way through Wu Gorge, you are sure to be attracted by a unique peak. There is a pillar on it, shaped like a graceful girl. Legend has it that when Yaoji, the daughter of the Queen mother of the West, passed through the mountain, she saw the flood raging. So, she helped people to suppress the flood. After that, she turned to a peak to safeguard the people here. And the peak is called the Goddess Peak.

After having a buffet lunch on the cruise ship, we will take the boat to have a Shore Excursion-Goddess Stream in the afternoon. Goddess Steam, also known as “Beauty Stream,” is 15 kilometers long. There is a Flying Phoenix Peak in the river, which is worth seeing the most. With an altitude of 740 meters, it is located on the west bank of Goddess Stream. The peak is shaped like a flying phoenix drinking water down the river. According to legend, a goddess turned a golden phoenix into a mountain and left it at the stream to accompany her day and night. Besides, you can see the primitive scenery and the wonderful sights here. Among them, the most beautiful is the waters. As the boat drifts in the stream, you can look at the clear turquoise water. I believe you will leave all the worries behind at this moment.

Tonight is our last night on the Yangtze River cruise. The captain will prepare a Captain’s Farewell Banquet for you!

Wu Gorge

Goddess Stream

Our guide will pick you up at the wharf this morning, and take you to tour the Three Gorges Dam Site. The dam is the world’s largest hydroelectric project, and it took 12 years and 95.46 billion yuan to build. The total length of the dam is about 3,335 meters, and the elevation of the dam crest is 185 meters, which can hold half of the Eiffel Tower. Compared with thermal power, the Three Gorges Dam is equivalent to 10 large coal mines with a capacity of 5 million tons. If you want to see this magnificent masterpiece, don’t miss it.

After the tour, the tour guide will drive you to Zhangjiajie which is 448 kilometers south of the Three Gorges Dam, and it takes about 5.5 hours to drive. After arriving in Zhangjiajie, the tour guide will help you to check in. Zhangjiajie may be new to you, but you may be amazed by fact that the mysterious and beautiful scenery in the movie Avatar was filmed at Zhangjiajie.

Three Gorges Dam Site

Three Gorges Dam Site

After breakfast, we will begin our tour in Zhangjiajie. The first attraction is the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. As the first national forest park in China, the park was listed in World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Here, you can enjoy the fresh air as well as natural beauty. The highlight in the park is the Golden Whip Stream. The stream, with a length of 6.5 kilometers, runs through the forest park. And where it passes is called “the most beautiful canyon in the world.” When wandering along the stream, you can see the playful birds and wide animals, grotesque trees, and leisurely fish. Everywhere is full of tranquility. Besides, you may also notice a peak cracking from the middle, which is called “Chen Xiang to save his mother”. Legend has that a child named Chen Xiang wanted to save his mother who was under the foot of the mountain for violating the law of heaven. The young Chen Xiang practiced his skills and finally rescued his mother by splitting the mountain with a sharp ax.

After lunch, we will head to the Yuanjiajie. When coming here, we will up to the hill by taking the fastest and highest sightseeing elevator around the world, Bailong Elevator, and tour the Natural Stone Bridge. Unlike those man-made bridges, the Natural Stone Bridge linking two mountains was formed naturally. When walking on the bridge, you can see tall and straight pine trees and old vines. Besides, the most exciting thing about the bridge is that sometimes when there is fog, you may feel like walking in the cloud! Please be careful when you look down. You may feel a little dizzy when overseeing such a deep valley. Just across the bridge is the Hallelujah Mountains, where the “Avatar” scenes were filmed. In December 2008, Hollywood photographer Hansen took a four-day photo-shoot in Zhangjiajie. And a large number of landscape images later turned into the prototype of the elements of “Pandora” in the American sci-fi blockbuster Avatar. Among them, “South Sky Pillar” became the prototype of “Hallelujah Mountain”. If you are a fan of Avatar, don’t forget to take pictures here! After the tour, we will take a car to Tianzi Mountain in the parking lot of the Natural Stone Bridge. The scenery of Tianzi Mountain is the original scenery of natural beauty. In 1385, The Ming emperor ordered the two generals to lead tens of thousands of well-equipped soldiers to suppress Xiang Dakun, who claimed him a king here. After 40 days of bloody fighting, the false king lost the battle and died under a cliff. To commemorate the false king (after all, he ruled the place for 32 years, and have done a lot of good things for the local people), the local people called the place where he fought and lived Tianzi (in Chinese, the world means the son of Heaven). After the tour, we will take the cable car down the mountain, and the guide will take you back to the hotel.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Yuanjiajie

After breakfast, we will head to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon. Here, you can see not only the beautiful natural scenery but also the historical and cultural attractions. Among all the attractions here, the most famous is the ancient battlefield where Li Zicheng (leader of the peasant uprising in the Ming Dynasty) and Wu Sangui (general in the Ming Dynasty) fought bitterly. Legend has it that Wu Sangui won a victory over Li’s army here, killing thousands of rebels. When you go into the Grand Canyon and look across the mountain, you can see three high and low peaks. Together, it looks like a family of three standing together, welcoming everyone to the canyon for sightseeing. Of the three peaks, the tallest is the father, the shortest is the child, and the middle is the mother.

After lunch, we will head to Baofeng Lake. Baofeng Lake Scenic Area covers an area of 4,100 acres. 380 million years ago, the Wulingyuan area encountered flood, and the seawater immersed, making this place a vast sea. After hundreds of millions of years of washing and cutting by water, it has formed thousands of towering peaks and stones. And Baofeng Lake is its representative. Legend has it that it was once the pool of the queen mother. Whenever she came down to earth, she would bring many fairy maidens to bathe here. When you stand on the lake and look around, you can see the mountains reflected in the water like a mirror. I believe the beautiful scenery will make you forget the time.

After visiting Zhangjiajie, your guide will take you to the airport. And you will take the estimated flight 3U3272 23:00/00:40 to Xi’an, where the tour guide will pick you up and escort you to the hotel. As the ancient capital of 13 dynasties of China, Xi’an with a long history will bring you a new experience.

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon

Baofeng Lake

Today we will arrive in Xi’an at 0:40, so there is no hurry to get up too early in the morning. And this morning we won’t arrange any activities. After lunch, we are going to the Xi’an Old City Wall, the best-preserved ancient wall of China. Because it is wider than the normal wall, Xi’an Old City Wall can even allow cars to drive side by side. After coming to the city wall, you will find that only the southwest corner of the four corners of the city wall is round. There is a saying that the southwest is where the Tianshu star is located, which symbolizes the ancient Chinese doctrine of heaven is round.

After leaving the wall, we will head to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the landmark of Xi’an. The pagoda was built by Xuanzang (the most famous monk in China) to store the scriptures and Buddha statues he took from India. One of the most noteworthy relics preserved at the pagoda is the leaf scroll. Since there was no paper in ancient India, leaves were often used as writing materials. And all 657 scriptures retrieved by Xuanzang were leaf scriptures. Inside the four-story pagoda of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, there are two pieces of leaf scriptures about 40 centimeters long and 7 centimeters wide, which were engraved with dense Sanskrit. After visiting the pagoda, our tour guide will send you back to the hotel.

Xi’an Old City Wall

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

After breakfast, we will drive to visit the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum. The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum is 40 kilometers north of Xi’an, and it takes about 40 minutes by car. Have you ever seen a large contingent of troops buried under the ground? The troops are used to protect the country while the terracotta army is used to protect the tomb of the first emperor in Chinese history. The average height of the army is more than 1.8 meters, and they were all made based on the proportions of real people and horses. Besides, all these warriors have different expressions and postures. It is said that there were thousands of artisans involving in the project. When you come here, you will be amazed by the numerous magnificent terracotta warriors. After the tour, the guide will escort you to the airport. And you will take the estimated flight CA 1224 15:30/18:00 to Beijing，where our tour guide will pick you up and escort you to the hotel.

Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum

Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum

Welcome to Beijing! When we mention Beijing, what do you think of first? If your answer is its long history, then I’m sure you’ll be satisfied with this trip. The first stop we are going to is Tian’anmen Square, which is located in the center of Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China. Nowadays, Tian’anmen Square has become the symbol of Beijing and even China. Tian’anmen Square is 880 meters long and 500 meters wide, covering an area of 440,000 square meters. In the center of the square stand the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall. If you are interested in the founder of new China, you might as well visit the Memorial Hall. I believe you will have a deeper understanding of this great man.

After visiting Tian’anmen Square, we will head to the Forbidden City (closed each Monday). The Forbidden City is the imperial palace where 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties lived. The most amazing thing in the Forbidden City is its exquisite architecture. According to legend, when Liu Bowen (the chief architect) was building the Beijing City Palace, he told the emperor that he dreamed that the Jade Emperor said that there were a thousand palaces in the palace, and the number of mortal palaces cannot exceed the number of palaces in heaven. So, there are only nine hundred and ninety-nine and a half palaces in the Forbidden City.

After lunch, we will head to the Temple of Heaven, which was built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty (1403-1424). The Temple of Heaven is a place where the emperor offers sacrifices to the heavens. In addition, the Temple of Heaven also uses numbers to highlight the majesty of the sky. A saying goes that “When you walk around the Temple of Heaven, there are number nine everywhere.” For example, on the altar of the Temple of Heaven, the number of laps of the stone slabs and steps is nine. In the Chinese view of numbers, “nine” is the number of Heaven. Because the largest number below ten is nine, and ten represents perfection. However, the Chinese know that there is nothing perfect and that excessive pursuit of perfection can lead to disaster. So, they choose nine as the highest number they can reach to.

After visiting the Temple of Heaven, we will head to the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace was a royal garden during the Qing Dynasty in China and one of the four famous gardens in China. After you come here, you can go to the Long Corridor to stroll around. The length of the Long Corridor is 728 meters, and it is also the longest corridor in Chinese gardens. Besides, in 1992, it was recognized as the longest corridor in the world and included in the “Guinness World Records”. On each beam of the gallery, there are more than 14,000 painted pictures, including flowers, birds, fish, insects, characters, and so on. The figures in the painting are all based on Chinese classical works. Enjoy your leisurely stroll along the long corridor!

Temple of Heaven

Summer Palace

Today we will visit another royal tomb, Chang Tomb. The tomb is 55 kilometers north of Beijing, and it takes about 1 hour and 50 minutes by car. According to historical records, after Zhu Di (the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty) took the throne, he attached great importance to the defense of the north and intended to move his capital to Beijing. The most important thing he wanted to do is choose the tomb site for himself in Beijing. When talking about choosing a tomb site, the emperor paid great attention to Feng Shui (Ancient Chinese culture on the choice of burial sites and so on). At that time, a man told the emperor that there was a perfect place in the north of Beijing called Huangtu Mountain. Finally, the emperor chose this place as his tomb site. Besides, Chang Tomb is beloved for its long history. Many heads of state such as Queen Elizabeth II of England and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Prime Minister Joland Persson of Sweden, President Romain Herzog of Germany have all visited here.

After lunch, we will head to the Mutianyu Great Wall. Mutianyu Great Wall is 40 kilometers northeast of the Chang Tomb, and it takes about 1 hour by car. I’m sure you’re no stranger to the Great Wall, but it’s another experience to climb the Great Wall by yourself. When you walk on the Great Wall, with the breeze blowing in the distance, you can see the endless mountains in the distance. At that moment, I believe you will feel the majesty of the Great Wall and the difficulty of building the Great Wall here more than two thousand years ago. There is a saying in China “one who fails to reach the Great Wall is not a hero”. I hope you can successfully climb this section of the Great Wall and be a hero! After visiting the Great Wall, the tour guide will drive you to the hotel.

Chang Tomb

Mutianyu Great Wall

Today we will leave China and return home! The guide will take you to the airport according to your flight. Hope you have a good trip!

Author: Zhang Ziyang