A China Odyssey

The consummate land/cruise odyssey, with a leisurely 5-night Yangtze cruise upstream

Included Highlights

• All domestic airfares included within China
• Deluxe accommodations throughout
• 20 breakfasts (B), 17 lunches (L), 10 dinners (D or SD-special dinner)
• 6 gala evening events, including cultural shows in Guilin and Hangzhou, classical music & dance concert at Suzhou's finest garden, Shanghai Acrobats, Tang Dynasty Theater, and Peking Duck dinner
• Explore exciting new attractions of postcolonial Hong Kong
• See the astounding art of the acclaimed Shanghai Museum.
• Be among the first to tour Yangtze's new dam, and among the last to see Yangtze gorges before they're submerged.
• Full-day Great Wall and Ming Tombs outing
• Pedicab tour of the seldom-visited Hutong quarter of Old Beijing
• Comprehensive sightseeing

Itinerary

Day 1 Depart USA
Depart on an overnight flight to Hong Kong.

Day 2 Hong Kong
Arrive in the vibrant metropolis, Hong Kong and transfer to your prime-location hotel.

Day 3 Hong Kong
This morning, explore Hong Kong's unique blend of Chinese heritage and colonial influences. Travel via coach to one of its newest attractions, the distinctive Peak Tower Complex, with its array of shops, restaurants, and viewing decks for taking in the superb panoramas. Continue around the island to scenic Repulse Bay, the floating community of Aberdeen, and the shopping mecca of Stanley. The afternoon is at leisure. (B)

Day 4 Hong Kong
The day is yours to shop or perhaps venture out on optional excursions to Kowloon, Macau, the outer islands, night markets, or other favorites of this exciting region. Bestours staff will be on hand to offer recommendations and assist with your plans. (B)

Day 5 Hong Kong/Guangzhou/Guilin
Travel by jetfoil to Guangzhou, the famous old seaport of Canton. If time permits, enjoy an overview of the city's elegant temples, old European estates, and boulevards teeming with shops and famous restaurants. Then fly south to the green hills of Guilin, whose ethereal landscapes have been immortalized by poets and painters throughout the ages. This afternoon, tour the city sights and the immense Reed Flute Cave, filled with impressive grottos, pillars, and inscriptions over 1000 years old. (B,L)

Day 6 Guilin
A full day cruise on the crystalline Li River will immerse you in the extraordinary natural beauty of this unique area. Sail in air conditioned comfort as every turn yields new views of towering stone pinnacles, unusual rock formations, quaint country villages, and fishermen casting their nets or bringing in the catch the traditional way, with cormorants. Return ashore in the late afternoon. Complete the day with a dinner, followed by an entertaining cultural performance. (B,L,SD)

Day 7 Guilin/Hangzhou
Today fly to charming Hangzhou, a silk center acclaimed by Marco Polo as a "heavenly city". (B,L)

Day 8 Hangzhou
The premier sights of this Song Dynasty city are scattered on West Lake, whose placid waters you'll tour today by boat. Also visit other city highlights and shop for Hangzhou's famous silks and teas, before tonight's dinner party and cultural show. (B,L,SD)

Day 9 Hangzhou/Suzhou
Disembark Hangzhou via a Grand Canal cruise to the garden city of Suzhou, capped with a special evening at the Master of Nets Garden with an outdoor performance of music and dance. (B,L,SD)

Day 10 Suzhou/Shanghai
Today we taking a pleasant train ride from Suzhou to Shanghai, enjoying the beautiful countryside of this ridge region. (B,L)

Day 11 Shanghai
Your tour of this city of contrasts features the Yuyuan Gardens, dating to the 15th century, the bustling riverfront Bund, Shanghai Museum, and charming Children's Palace. A thrilling evening at the Shanghai Acrobatics Show completes an exciting day. (B,L)

Day 12 Shanghai/Wuhan
Fly to Wuhan, board your river cruiser, and settle into your comfortable, outside cabin. (B,L,D)

Day 13 Yangtze River Cruise
For four days, you will cruise to antiquities and scenery that could not be  reached by land. Begin with a visit of Yueyang, the dragon boat capital, with a tour of the Tang Dynasty tower and lush Junshan Island with its exotic birds and foliage. (B,L,D)

Day 14 Yangtze River Cruise
Continue cruising toward the Upper Yangtze, stopping to tour the Three Gorges Dam construction site. Then gather on deck for our entry to the Three Gorges. Sail the rushing Xiling Gorge, then weave through the bewitching Twelve Peaks of Wu Gorge. All are brought to life by informal narratives on deck. (B,L,D) 

Day 15 Yangtze River Cruise
Board small vessels for a breathtaking voyage on the Daning River to its Three Small Gorges, each covered with greenery and alive with the calls of birds and monkeys or sail through the beautiful Shennong Stream. Reboard your ship and cut through the narrow Qutang Gorge, flanked by soaring vertical cliffs, before docking in the market town of Wanxian. (B,L,D) 

Day 16 Yangtze River Cruise
Our final day of sailing the Yangtze takes us past orchards and ancient temples that dot the banks and footpaths that gracefully follow the course of the river. Today's tour will present either Fengdu, a folkloric "ghost city", or Wanxian, a Sichuan market town steeped in atmosphere and color. (B,L,D)

Day 17 Chongqing/Xian
Disembark in Chongqing, and fly to Xian, ancient capital of 11 Chinese dynasties. (B,L)

Day 18 Xian
Walk in the steps of ancient traders and travelers on today's sightseeing of Xian, the head of the great caravan route once used for shipping silk and other prized Chinese goods to the West. Tour the archaeological site which so far has yielded some 8000 ancient terra cotta soldiers and horses, each a unique, finely detailed sculpture. Also tour the Provincial Museum, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and City Gate, followed by a delicious dumpling banquet and stage show at Tang Dynasty Theater. (B,L,SD)

Day 19 Xian/Beijing
Fly to Beijing, where your hotel offers consummate luxury in the heart of the city. A Beijing outing presents a view of the city as you board cycle "taxis" and tour the hutongs, a maze of historic homes and mansions. (B,L)

Day 20 Beijing
Walk in the steps of ancient emperors today as you tour the powerful Forbidden City, hidden from public view for over 500 years; and the masterpiece Temple of Heaven, the embodiment of grace and harmony. Enjoy glorious aerial views during lunch at a fine revolving restaurant, before continuing to the Summer Palace, now a favorite recreational spot for locals. The pomp and grandeur of imperial China lives on in these historic landmarks so integral to the nation's soul. (B,L)

Day 21 Beijing
A walk along the Great Wall of China ranks high on the wish lists of many travelers, and your excursion today will confirm that this, indeed, is one of the world's great travel experiences. Linger at the towers and broad promenades, contemplate the spectacular scenery and the lives lost in building this monumental world wonders, which never truly fulfilled its purpose. Also visit the Ming Tombs, before returning to Beijing to crown your day with an unforgettable Peking Duck dinner at a prestigious city venue. (B,L,SD)

Day 22 Beijing/USA
Bid farewell to China as you transfer to the international airport and depart on your selected airline to the United States. (B)

Hotels

Pricing & Departures

For Information & Reservations
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Departs: Thursday	Land Only	Single Supplement	Western LAX?SFO*
2002
Jul 04, 18	$3410	$1220	$960
Aug 01, 15, 29	$3410	$1220	$960
Sep 05, 19	$3840	$1570	$920
Oct 03, 10, 24	$3840	$1570	$920
Nov 07	$3840	$1570	$810
Nov 21	$3840	$1570	$750
2003
Mar 13, 27	$3330	$1150	$775