Day 1/ May 7 Depart CanadaTOUR DESIGN PRESENTS
CHINA, YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE AND TIBET
MAY 7-27, 2013
DAY- BY- DAY ITINERARY
Day 1/ May 7 Depart Canada
Board your overnight flight to Shanghai, China.
Flight: Air Canada
Day 2/ May 8 Arrives Shanghai (D)
Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Tonight, enjoy a Welcome dinner at the hotel with your fellow travelers.
Accommodation: Le Meridian Hotel or similar.
Day 3/ May 9 Shanghai (B, L, D)
Visit the Bund, often referred to as the “Wall Street” of former foreign powers, it is Shanghai’s famous waterfront district, often called the "Museum of Architecture". The Bund is famous for its European style buildings built as a part of original Shanghai International Settlement during the late 19th century, and became the financial center of external trade.
Visit Nanjing Road, Shanghai's main shopping street, famously named one of the World's Seven Great Roads in the 1930s and is the most important commercial street in Shanghai, with hundreds of shops, many with a rich history. Nanjing Road is the world's longest shopping district, around 6 km long. This morning, we also visit Old Downtown (Temple of the City God). Old Downtown has many narrow zigzag lanes, small squares, fish pond and pavilion linked by stone bridges. It collects many favorite local bars, restaurants, tea houses and souvenir shops. After that, we visit Shanghai Museum, one of best museum in the world. It is a comprehensive of art with a collection of finest cultural relics of over 120,000 pieces. The most attraction on display is stone sculptures and carving, bronze-ware, porcelain, calligraphic works & Chinese paintings and ancient furniture. In the afternoon, we visit a Children’s Palace, one of the special schools developed for truly gifted children. Enjoy an acrobatic performance in the evening.
Day 4/ May 10 Shanghai –Suzhou-Shanghai (B, L, D)
After breakfast, enjoy a full day tour to Suzhou by a 90 minutes coach ride, where popular Chinese legend states that, "In heaven there is paradise, and on earth there are Hangzhou and Suzhou". Starting with the highlight of your Suzhou tour, a Grand Canal Cruise, then, followed by a visit to the Panmen Gate. With a history of 2,500 years, this city gate is the most completely preserved part of the ruins of the ancient city of Suzhou. Stepping on the gate, you can enjoy the water and gates, the Wumen Gate Bridge and the Auspicious Light Pagoda, which are popularly called "Three Scenes at the Panmen Gate." Your tour also includes a visit to the Master of Nets Garden, which is among the finest gardens in China. Built over 800 years ago, the garden demonstrates Chinese garden designers' adept skills for synthesizing art, nature, and architecture to create unique metaphysical masterpieces. We return to Shanghai in the evening. Evening enjoy a western set dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 5/ May 11 Shanghai – Xian (B, L, D)
Today we fly to Xian, a city visited by Marco Polo when it had a population of over one million. Many reminders of the past are still evident including portions of the city wall, and the Bell Tower which dates from 1384. Today, we will also visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. And visit the Grand Mosque, the oldest and one of the most renowned mosques in the country.This evening we will have a special dumpling dinner at the Defachang Restaurant.
Accommodation: Xian Sofitel Hotel or similar
Day 6/ May 12 Xian (B, L, D)
Today, enjoy a full day excursion that takes us to the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin, one of China's greatest rulers and the 
builder of the Great Wall. Discovered in 1974, the tomb contains some 6,000 life sized terra cotta warriors and horses, the imperial body guard to the emperor on his journey after death.
The expert of Terra Cotta Warriors Museum will host a presentation for us at their conference room.
After that, we will go to “second terrace” to get a closer look at the Warriors, and to take personal pictures with them. Later we will visit the massive City Wall, the most complete city wall that has survived in China, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. After the extension, the wall now stands 12 meters (40 feet) tall, 12-14 meters (40-46 feet) wide at the top and 15-18 meters (50-60 feet) thick at the bottom. It covers 13.7 kilometers (8.5 miles) in length with a deep moat surrounding it. This evening we are in for a special treat - the Tang Dynasty dinner and show, a wonderful performance of the ancient music and dance.
Day 7/May 13 Xian / Yichang (embarkation) (B, L, D)
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Yichang, the city of your embarkation pier. Upon arrival, you will have a brief city tour. This evening, enjoy a local flavour dinner before you are transferred to pier to embark your ship.
Accommodation: MS Victoria Jenna or similar (depending on cruise schedule)
Day 8/May 14 Cruising (B, L, D)
This morning, visit the Three Gorges Dam Site, the largest of its kind in the world. Sail through the Three Gorges shiplocks and the Xiling Gorge.
Day 9/May 15 Cruising (B, L, D)
Today, you take a shore excursion of the Shennong Stream. The landscape that envelops the Shennong Stream is emerald green and lush. Forestland is untouched, home to many of China’s native wildlife. As you going deeper into the Shennong 
Stream, you will see first-hand the depth of beauty the natural mountains and forests provide. The ship will pass through Wu Gorge and Qutang Gorge in the afternoon.
If river conditions permit, there will be optional excursions to White Emperor City. This little town was chosen in the first century AD by Gong Sunshu, an official turned soldier, as the site of his headquarters. The legend goes that in AD 25 white vapour in the shape of a dragon was seen rising from a nearby well. Taking this as an auspicious omen, Gong declared himself the 'White Emperor' and the town 'White Emperor City'. Remains of the city wall can still be seen on the hill behind Baidi Mountain. The 12-year reign of the White Emperor was regarded as a time of peace and harmony, so after his death a temple was built to commemorate his reign. This temple dates back over 1,950 years.
Day 10/May 16 Cruising (B, L, D)
Shore excursions to Fengdu, known as “Ghost City,” where you’ll visit several temples. Having a history of nearly 2,000 years, Fengdu County has formed a special culture of ghosts and the afterlife. Well known as the resting place of the spirit of the dead, Fengdu is now the most characteristic and reputed historic and cultural town in China. Part of the territory of Fengdu is now submerged in the river due to the Three Gorges Dam Project. The new county of Fengdu has been constructed on the southern bank of the Yangtze River which faces the old county across the river.
Day 11/ May 17 Chongqing – Dazu – Chengdu (B, L, D)
The ship arrives in Chongqing in the morning. After disembarking the ship, you will go on a 2 hours drive to Dazu. Visit the 1200-year-old Dazu Grottoes which is a world culture heritage. The grotto art of Dazu County incorporates elements of the three major religions: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. In the afternoon, drive 4 hours from Dazu to Chengdu. Tonight, eat all you can at the buffet dinner that is served at your hotel.
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Hotel or similar
Day 12/May 18 Chengdu (B, L, D)
This morning after breakfast, you will go on a tour of the Panda Breeding and Research Base. In total there are fewer than 
1000 pandas in the world, of which 80% are distributed within the territory of Sichuan province. The research center has been created and imitated the pandas'
natural habitat in order that they might have the best possible environment for rearing and breeding. Lectures on pandas will be given by a professional, and you will even have the once in a lifetime opportunity to hold the pandas to take pictures (at additional cost). In the afternoon, we visit the Sanxingdui Ruins Museum. It is believed that Sanxingdui was capital of the ancient "Shu culture". Life went on here about 3,000 to 5,000 years ago, equivalent to the late Neolithic Age. This particular discovery, would rewrite Chinese history by unearthing a culture contemporary with the first civilizations of China but that had left no clues in historical records, that seemingly disappeared without a trace and which left artifacts never before discovered elsewhere in China. Enjoy a famous hot pot dinner tonight.
Day 13/May 19 Chengdu (B, L, D)
Today we will visit a tea house and also a local free market to see how Chengdu people enjoy their life, to experience the tea house culture which is so well known in all of China. In the afternoon, we will visit the Wuhou Memorial Temple and museum at the Sichuan University. After the Han Dynasty collapsed in the early 3rd century, the state was divided into three kingdoms, Wei, Shu, and Wu. Competing to reunify the country, the three were locked in war, leaving behind many famous historical remains and tales of heroism. Surrounded by old cypresses and classical red walls, the Wuhou Memorial Temple is a site for people to commemorate the heroes of the Wei Kingdom, and also serves as a museum to the history of the Three Kingdoms Period.
Day 14/ May 20 Chengdu- Lhasa (B,D)
We fly to the city of Lhasa, Tibet today. After arrival, the afternoon is free for your own leisure. You might need sometime to adjust to the local latitude. Dinner will be served at your hotel.
Accommodation: Four Points by Sheraton Hotel or similar
Day 15/ May 21 Lhasa (B, L)
Visit the imposing Potala Palace, once the center of the Tibetan government and the former winter residence of the Dalai Lama. Potala named after a holy hill in South India is a Sanskrit word meaning Buddha of Mercy. Legend has it that in the 7th century, to greet his bride Princess Wen Cheng of the Tang Dynasty (618B.C. - 907B.C.) of China, the then Tibet King Songtsen Gampo built a 9-storey palace with a thousand rooms up on the Red Hill and named it Potala. Visit one of Tibet’s oldest shrines, the Jokhang Temple, which was also believed to be built by Gampo for his princess bride of China, who was a Buddhist. You will spend time in the pilgrim circuit - Barkhor Street, a magical place showing the original outlook of Lhasa. The street was paved by hand-polished stone boards. The rest of the day is at your leisure.
Day 16/ May 22 Lhasa (B, L, D)
Visit the Summer Palace of the Dalai Lama, featuring the largest man-made garden in Tibet. In the afternoon, we visit the Sera Monastery, which is dedicated to the Gelugpa or Yellow Hat Sect, a branch of Tibetan Buddhism, founded by Tsong Khapa. Jamchen Chojey, one of Tsong Khapa's disciples built the monastery in 1419 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The monastery was named Sera which mean wild rose in the Tibetan language, because the hill behind it was covered with wild roses in bloom when the monastery was built. You will enjoy a Western set Dinner at your hotel tonight.
Day 17/ May 23 Lhasa (B, L, D)
Today we take a special trip to a Tibetan’s Home that includes lunch before visiting a typical Tibetan monastery. The final stop today is a Tibetan hospital, where you will learn about traditional Tibetan medicine and therapy.
Day 18/ May 24 Lhasa - Beijing (B, D)
Today you will be on your way after breakfast, flying to Beijing. You will be met at the airport and be transferred to your hotel. Enjoy a buffet dinner tonight at the hotel. Accommodation: Crown Plaza Hotel or similar
Day 19/ May 25 Beijing (B, L, D)
Visit the Great Wall of China, one of the world's architectural marvels that can be seen from space. Originally built 2,000 years ago during the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC), the Wall was designed to keep out foreign invaders—in which capacity it 
succeeded at times and failed at others. Constructed with beacon towers, it also served as an enemy alert system by using smoke systems to warn of approaching enemies. In peacetime, the Wall has proved useful as a highway, transporting people and supplies over large distances. The Great Wall once stretched 4,000 miles across China’s barren northern terrain from the Bohai Sea to the Gobi Desert. Head north to a village where the Great Wall is well preserved. Walk along the wall and enjoy sweeping vistas of this mammoth fortress. We will visit a special part of Badaling section of The Great Wall that is undergoing restoration, there you can help to fix the Great Wall and get a certificate for it. In the afternoon, we will visit the Beijing Olympic Site and take pictures of the Bird Nest and Water Cube you have seen before during the 2008 Olympic Games. Tonight we will see an amazing Kungfu show, the martial art that China is proud to call their own.
Day 20/ May 26 Beijing (B, L, D)
Today, your full day sightseeing starts with a visit to the imperial palace of the Forbidden City. The sacred home to two dynasties of great emperors, the Forbidden City was constructed in the 15th century, and was home to about 24 emperors. You will see various grand temples and halls, but the main highlights are the Three Great Halls and the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The latter hall was traditionally the most important structure used for imperial ceremonies such as the Emperor's birthday. Nearby the Forbidden City is Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world, where the People’s Republic of China was proclaimed in 1949. Then, proceed to the former Summer Palace, a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design, first built in 1750. Situated around Kunming Lake, the natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value. This evening, enjoy a farewell Dinner of the famous Peking Duck.
Day 21/ May 27 Depart China (B, L)
After breakfast, your morning tour will be of the Temple of Heaven. It is an impe
rial sacrificial altar built in the first half of the 15th century, the Temple of Heaven is a dignified complex of fine cult buildings set in gardens and surrounded by historic pine woods. In its overall layout and that of its individual buildings, it symbolizes the relationship between earth and heaven – the human world and God’s world. In the afternoon, your tour comes to an end as you board your homebound flight back to Canada.
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