Early Bird Savings:$500.00/couple

If deposit is received by 12/31/08

TOUR CODE: T9YG17VD

TOUR ITINERARY:

Day 1            Arrive Beijing

Welcome to Beijing! You are met on arrival, and transfer is included from the airport to your luxurious Five-Star Plus Hotel.

Day 2            Beijing

After breakfast and welcome orientation, today's sightseeing includes vast Tiananmen Square abd the ImperialPalace in the once Forbidden City, including the living quarters, museum and jewelry sections.  Tonight , your welcome party features cocktails before a Beijing Duck Dinner.

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Party

Day 3            Beijing   

Today highlights the amazing wonders of the Great Wall at the Mutianyu, including a scenic round trip cable car ride.  Step back into history as you walk along its ancient ramparts.   After lunch, continue on to visit a cloisonne factory where you may observe the skilled artisans.  A stop will be made (if traffic allows) for you to take pictures of the Beijing National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, which hosted the major events of the 2008 Summer Olympics.  This evening, off to see the energetic show "The Legend of Kung Fu", with seats in the front section.

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4            Beijing

This morning, visit the exquisite Temple of Heaven to see locals at morning exercise and enjoy the Temple.  See the Imperial Vault of Heaven with its Echo Wall and the 500-year old Nine-Dragon Cypress.  This afternoon, tour Beijing's old Hutong (narrow lanes) area.  At the DrumTower, see a traditional drum performance.  Then take an old-fashioned pedicab to the picturesque ShichahaiLake area with its 700-year old ached bridges and courtyard-style homes known as Siheyuans.  Tour one of the ancient homes and visit with a local family.  Stop at a Hutong kindergarten (if school is open),

and a vegetable market.

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Day 5            Beijing /Xi'an

Fly to Xi'an, China's ancient capital, and check into your hotel.  Tonight, from your front section seats, enjoy dinner and an entertaining show at the Tang Dynasty Theatre.

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Show 

Day 6            Xi'an

Visit the famed Terra-CottaMuseum and see the legion of terra-cotta warriors, buried with the emperor for over 2,200 years; the Bronze Chariot and the Circle Vision Movie.  Enjoy a dumpling lunch at Defachang Restaurant.  Later, at the ShaanxiProvincialHistoricalMuseum, you will experience our exclusive visit to the private artifact room where you may white-glove handle one of the national treasures from the museum's collection.

Meals: American Breakfast, Special Lunch, Dinner

Day 7            Xi'an/Chongqing

This morning, visit the exquisite Wild Goose Pagoda and Xi'an History Museum before flying to Chongqing.  On arrival, tour the Stillwell museum to see its collection of World War II memorabilia, particularly the Flying Tigers - volunteer American pilots who aided the Chinese before Pearl harbor.  It time permits, see the Giant Pandas at Chongqing Zoo.  Afterwards, embark on the Five-Star Victoria Cruise to begin your Yangtze River experience.

Meals: American Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8            Chongqing/Yangtze Cruise:Fengdu*

At Fengdu, a shore excursion shows the new resettlement town on the south bank, a farmer's home and a local market.  Nightly dining has been reserved at the elegant top deck a la carte dining room.

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

*Alternate shore excursion may visit Wanzhou

Day 9            Yangtze Cruise:Qutang Gorge/Small Gorges Excursion/Wu Gorge/Xiling Gorge

Unforgettable scenery unfolds as you cruise through the first of the fabled Three Gorges:Qutang Gorge, hemmed by towering cliffs. At Wushan, a cruiser takes you up the DaningRiver to view its Small Gorges.  Continue by sampan to the picturesque mini-gorges of the Ma Du River with its clear, swift waters, rock formations, and monkeys and goats along the banks.  Alternatively, your excursion may be on Shennong Stream with its impressive small gorges.  Sail on from Wushan and pass through Wu gorge, celebrated for its TwelvePeaks.  Now cruise through Xiling Gorge, most scenic of all gorges.  Finally, sail through the Three Gorges ship locks.  

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10            Yangtze Cruise:Xiling Gorge/San Dou Ping/Yichang to Shanghai*

At San Dou ping, see the progress at the historic Three Gorges Dam, the worlds largest hydroelectric project. Sail on to Yichang.  After lunch, disembark from your cruise and fly to Shanghai where you check into your Bund and River-view room.

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch

*If direct flight is not available, travel by motor coach to Wuhan and fly to Shanghai.   

Day 11            Shanghai

This morning, an extraordinary day begins as an international expert on Shanghai's history, art and architecture leads you on a half-day walking tour through The Bund and the former French Concession.  In the afternoon, visit the Shanghai museum, including an audio tour highlighting the special features of the museum's collections, and then visit the famous Shanghai carpet factory.  Tonight after dinner, attend a performance of the renowned Shanghai Acrobats, where your reserved seats are in the front section.

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12            Shanghai

Full day at leisure to shop and explore the" Pearl of the Orient", or enjoy an optional tour.

Meals: American Breakfast, Dinner

Day 13            Shanghai/Guilin

This morning, fly to beautiful Guilin.  Check into an Executive Floor room at your elegant hotel.  This afternoon, see dramatic rock formations at Reed Flute Cave and enjoy a scenic round trip cable car ride up Yao Mountain (weather permitting), or Fu Bo Hill for panoramic views of the city.

Meals: American Breakfast, Dinner

Day 14            Guilin/Hong Kong

Delight in a cruise on the upper deck of a deluxe air-conditioned boat along the lovely Li River with lunch on board.  The haunting beauty of Guilin's mist-wrapped monolithic peaks surrounds the river en route to the market town of Yangshuo. Later, fly to Hong Kong.

Meals: American Breakfast, Lunch

Day 15            Hong Kong

A drive around Hong kongIsland includes Stanley Market and fashionable RepulseBay; then a sampan ride of the floating community at Aberdeen.  Drive up to VictoriaPeak for  wonderful panoramic

views.

Meals: American Breakfast

Day 16            Hong Kong

Day at leisure.  Consider an optional excursion to LantauIsland with its beaches, monastery and fishing villages. This evening, join in a farewell dinner party at the Inter-Continental Hotel.

Meals: American Breakfast, Dinner Party

Day 17            Depart Hong Kong

Check out of the hotel.  A transfer is included to the airport.

Tour Pricing Schedule:

Arrival (2009)                Land Only                Single Supplement

Apr 15                             $6,998                        $3,400

May 13, 18                     $6,998                        $3,300

Jun 3                               $6,888                        $3,100

Jul 6                                $6,788                        $3,000   

Aug 10                            $6,788                        $3,000

Sep 7, 21                       $7,588                         $3,600

Oct 5, 12, 19, 26           $7,588                         $3,700

Tour Package Features:

-- All intra-China air and land transportation

-- Inclusive of all intra-China transfers between airports and hotel, baggage handling, hotel taxes and service charges

-- Escorted by our professional, bilingual Tour Manager

-- 13 nights in the following Five-Star Plus Hotels:

   Beijing - Ritz Carlton Hotel

   Xi'an - Shangri-La Hotel

   Victoria Cruises (Junior Suite Accommodations)

   Shanghai - Hyatt on The Bund

   Guilin - Sheraton Hotel (Executive Floor)

   Hong Kong - Inter Continental Hotel (Harbor View Room)

-- 3 nights on Victoria Cruises Five-star Yangtze Cruise ship in Junior Suites with private balcony, international cable TV, and full culinary meal services

-- Welcome orientation, welcome cocktail reception and dinner party

-- Most meals including American breakfast daily

-- Comprehensive sightseeing, special cultural activities and performances as noted

-- Inclusive of port charges, shore excursions, and local land transfer fees

-- Complimentary PDT carry-on bag

 Special Notes:

-- Early bird savings are applicable to final payment and valid only when deposit and final payments are received on due dates

-- Preferred accommodations subject to change to similar luxury class hotels

-- Land only includes initial arrival and final departure transfers in Asia, intra-China domestic flights

-- Transpacific air available at attractive rates

-- Government-imposed taxes and fees apply and are additional.

-- Land only prices are subject to change 

more..

	For payment, trip cancellation, please refer to the Terms & Conditions
	For more information, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-865-6221 or email to us at info@chinacustomtours.com