12-day China Essence Tour & Yangtze River Cruise
Highlights: Victoria Peak, Li River Cruise, Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, Yangtze River Cruise, The Bund,Yu Garden
12 days China essence tour to view top highlights such as Guilin Yangshuo Li River Cruise, Chengdu Giant Panda Base, Chongqing Dazu Rock Carvings, Fengdu Ghost City and Shengnong Stream Yangtze River Cruise, The Bund, Yu Garden in Shanghai and Hong Kong Victoria Peak and more.
Day 1 Arrival/ Hong Kong
Upon arriving in Hong Kong, your local guide will meet you and you will be driven to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax, or explore Hong Kong on your own.
Day 2 Hong Kong/Guilin
Meals: B, L
Places to visit: Victoria Peak, Aberdeen, Repulse Bay
In the morning after having breakfast in your hotel, your guide will meet you and you will be driven to Central for your tram ride up to Victoria Peak, which will give you a fantastic bird’s eye view of Hong Kong. You will then be driven to Aberdeen where you will see an entire community living on small houseboats as they have for centuries. After Aberdeen, you will be driven to Repulse Bay, the most luxurious section of Hong Kong, is famous for its architecture, boutiques, and golden beaches. Then you will be driven to the airport for your flight to Guilin. After you arrive in Guilin Your local guider will meet you and drive you to your hotel for rest.
Day 3 Guilin
Meals: B, L
Places to visit: Tea Plantation, Elephant Trunk Hill, Reed Flute Cave, Cormorant Fishing Show
In the morning after having breakfast in your hotel, your local guide will meet you and you will be driven to the Guilin Tea Plantation located near Yao Mountain. Here you will see how the green tea is picked and processed and to learn Chinese tea culture. You can also try pick your own tea if you like. Then you will go to visit the Elephant Trunk Hill, the symbol of Guilin City. It is also known as Water-Moon Cave because at night the reflection of the moon can be seen though the arch and it looks like it is under the water and floating on the surface of the water at the same time. After having your lunch, you will be driven to the Reed Flute Cave, a natural limestone cave with multicolored lightening. In the evening you will see the show with Cormorant Fishing Show on Li River. Cormorant Fishing is a traditional fishing way that the fishermen use trained cormorants to fish in rivers.
Day 4 Guilin/Yangshuo
Meals: B, L
Places to visit: Li River Cruise, West Street
In the morning after having breakfast in your hotel, your local guide will meet you and you will be driven to the Zhujiang Pier (40 minute drive) to begin your breathtaking Li River Cruise. While cruising down the river you will be amazed by the beauty that passes by. The beautiful karst mountains, ancient villages, and farmers working in their fields as they have for centuries, will make you feel as though you have stepped into a traditional Chinese landscape painting. Upon arriving in Yangshuo, your guide will escort you to your hotel. After checking in you will stroll down the famous West Street.
Day 5 Yangshuo/Chengdu
Meals: B, L
Places to visit: Biking through Yangshuo Countryside
After have breakfast in your hotel you will cycle out to the countryside surrounding Yangshuo. You will be mesmerized by the beauty of the scenery and the ancient villages that dot the landscape. Then you will be driven to the airport for you flight to Chengdu. After arrive in Hong Kong your local tour guide will meet you and escort you to the hotel for rest.
Day 6 Chengdu
Meals: B, L
Places to visit: Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, Wenshu Temple, Wenshu Tea House, Jinli Old Street
Special Cultural Experience: Meet China living treasure, the Giant Panda, firsthand
After having breakfast in your hotel, your guide will meet you and you will be driven to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where you will get a chance to see China’s living treasures first hand and if you wish have your photo taken with a Giant Panda cub. You will then visit the ancient Wenshu Temple and spend some time in its Wenshu Tea House enjoying traditional Chinese tea and absorbing the local culture. After visiting the tea house you will be driven to the Jinli Old Street to mingle with the locals.
Note: Having your photo taken holding a Giant Panda cub has an extra fee which is not included on this itinerary price.
Day 7 Chengdu/Chongqing/ Yangtze River Cruise
Meals: B, L
Today is for your free until your guide meet you and you will be driven to the train station to take a high speed train trip to Chongqing City. Upon your arrival in Chongqing, your local guide will meet you. When it is time to board your Yangtze River cruise ship, your guide will take you to the docks.
Day 8 Yangtze River Cruise
Meals: B, L, D
Shore Excursions: Shibaozhai or the White Emperor City
In the morning after breakfast, your ship will dock for your shore excursion to Shibaozhai or the White Emperor City. The captain will choose based on the weather situation. After your shore excursion, you will board your Yangtze River cruise ship and continue on your cruise through the amazing Three Gorges.
Day 9 Yangtze River Cruise
Meals: B, L, D
Places to visit: Lesser Three Gorges or Shennong Stream
In the morning you will board small vessels for your trip through either the Lesser Three Gorges or the Shennong Stream. Your captain will choose depending on weather situation.
Day 10 Yangtze River Cruise/Yichang/Shanghai
Meals: B, L
Places to visit: Three Gorges Dam
In the morning after breakfast onboard ship, your Yangtze River Cruise ship will dock and you will have an excursion to the famed Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydro electric dam in the world. After lunch onboard ship, you will disembark your ship in the city of Yichang. Upon your arrival in Yichang, your local guide will meet you and you will be driven to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. Upon arriving in Shanghai, your local guide will meet you and you will be driven to your hotel.
Day 11 Shanghai
Meals: B, L
Places to visit: Shanghai Museum, The Bund, Nanjing Road, Yu Garden, Yuyuan Market
After breakfast in your hotel, your guide will meet you and you will be driven to visit the Shanghai Museum, arguably the best museum in China. You will then stroll down The Bund, and nearby Nanjing Road, known as the number one shopping street in China. You will then visit the ancient Yu Garden, which is the only surviving ancient garden in Shanghai. After visiting the garden you will be taken to the Yuyuan Market located outside the garden. The Yuyuan Market is extremely popular with visitors and locals alike.
Day 12 Shanghai/Departure
Meals: B
You will be free on this day until your guide meets you and escorts you to the airport for your flight home.
Price Includes:
Transportation & Private Transfers:Transportation cost covers all the domestic airfare of economy class with airport tax, train tickets between the cities as the itinerary specified.
Transfer between airports, railway station, hotels and scenic spots for sightseeing around the cities that are specified by the itinerary with private air conditioned vehicle with driver and English-speaking guide. Separate arrivals and departures will incur extra charges.
Entrance Fees:
All entrance fees to the scenic spots listed in the itinerary. The final arrangement will be determined by private tour guides depends on the real-time local circumstances wheather are beyond the control of Access China Travel. We will adhere to the original itinerary as accurately as possible.
Normal Meals:
All normal meals as the itinerary specified: B = breakfast, L = Lunch, D = dinner in local restaurant. Breakfasts are served in hotel, breakfasts have Chinese or Western style for your option; Lunches are served in carefully selected quality local Chinese restaurants with best service, your lunches will be ordered by your guide catering to your preferences within normal standard. Dinners as the itinerary specified will be also served in local Chinese restaurants. The meal quotation is normalized. If you have any special request about meals, like vegetarian, famous rare dishes, Indian food or more, please inform us in advance. For the unspecified dinners, you will have dinner on your own. Feel free to ask your local guide for suggestions or recommendation.
Private Sightseeing Escort:
Normal sightseeing activities as the itinerary listed will be escorted with English-speaking guide. The English-speaking guide and driver in each city are with you throughout the entire itinerary around that city. They do not fly with you from one city to another.
Hotel Accommodation:
Hotel service criterion: two adults share on one standard twin/double-bed room; solo traveler who want to occupy one twin/double-bed room assigned is required for extra single supplement rate. A single room is available on prior request at an additional cost; if a recommended hotel unavailable, it will be replaced by one of the same class. All hotels as the itinerary listed serve daily western or Chinese breakfast. All rooms are air-conditioned with private facilities unless specified.
Tour Arrangements:
The tour cost includes the planning, handling, booking, operation and communication charges.
Price Excludes:
International airfare or train tickets for entry or exit China, unless that is noted or required otherwise.Visa Fees, passport application or renewal fee.
Excess Baggage Charges.
Personal Expenses:
Expenses of a purely personal nature such as excess luggage fees, laundry, drinks, fax, telephone call, optional activities (shows) and meals, beverages...
Meals:
Any meal are not specified in the itinerary with "B", "L" or "D".
Any extra cost caused by the changes of natural disasters, fires, weather, government and local authority orders, politics, strikes, war, riots, quarantine, custom regulations; as well as tourist law violation, accident damages or injury incurred out of Access China Travel control.
Gratuities:
Tips to guides, escort, drivers bellman, etc.
