BEIJING
On Arrival in Beijing you will be met and transferred to the BEIJING HOTEL www.chinabeijinghotel.com situated in the Wangfujing district, the historic, cultural and shopping heart of the city. Spend four nights here. As everyone will be arriving at different times, no arrangements have been made for this evening. You will be free for dinner and to relax after your international flight, to recover from any jet lag.

BEIJING – Hutongs, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City
Meet your tour leaders and fellow travellers at breakfast. Morning visit to discover a disappearing world in the Hutongs, the city’s ancient courtyard houses, where we take a trishaw ride to look at daily Chinese life and to enjoy tea at a private family home. After lunch at a local restaurant we visit Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world, flanked by an assortment of historical buildings, including Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum, the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the Great Hall of the People. From Tiananmen Square we take a walk through the Gate of Heavenly Peace to visit the symbolic centre of the Chinese universe. Completed in 1420, The Forbidden City, where 24 emperors ruled for 500 years, is the world’s largest palace and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you can marvel at the marble bridges, winding lanes, stately courtyards and magnificent halls containing rare treasures. The welcome dinner tonight is at the renowned restaurant, Quanjude, where you will be introduced to their famous roasted Peking Duck

BEIJING - Cloisonne Factory, Great Wall, Kung Fu Show
We start our day with a visit to the cloisonné factory to see how this famous traditional enamelware is made. Known as the “Blue of Jingtai” in China, with a history of over 500 years, the “blue” was the typical colour used for enamelling and “Jingtai” was the title of the 7th Ming Emperor. A great variety of cloisonné products are produced such as vases, jars, bowls, plates and boxes. Take a scenic drive through the countryside to visit the Great Wall, the world’s largest man made structure, symbol of China and one of the seven wonders of the world. This incredible structure meanders through China’s northern mountain ranges for a distance of approximately 6,400 km (4,000 miles). We visit the Mutianyu section of the wall, which lies in a dramatic hilly setting and is visited by fewer tourists. A cable car ride is followed by a short climb onto the wall, where you will be able to walk along the wall with its series of watch towers. Later this afternoon, you will witness the remarkable Kung Fu show with its dazzling display of martial arts dance and acrobatics. You are free for dinner tonight.

BEIJING Temple of Heaven, Tongrentang Medicine Museum
After breakfast we visit the intricately decorated 15th century Temple of Heaven, one of China’s best examples of traditional architecture, in a huge complex of ancient buildings and parkland, where you may see local people doing their morning exercises, practicing Tai Chi, dancing and singing. Traditional Chinese medicine has been practised in China for thousands of years and historically has played an important role in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Visit the Tongrentang Chinese Herb Medicine Museum for a fascinating insight into this ancient art of healing. Lunch at a local restaurant with free time for the rest of the afternoon.

BEIJING - Rotary meeting with Beijing Club, Flight to XIAN This morning you will be at leisure to explore the excellent shopping in the Wangfujing District. Lunch time meeting with the Rotary Club of Beijing, so don’t forget to bring your Rotary club’s banner for exchange. After the meeting we transfer to the airport for our flight to Xian, capital of the Middle Kingdom for 11 dynasties and historic gateway to the Silk Road. Visit the Hanyang Tomb, mausoleum of Liu Qi, the fourth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty and his queen. Built in 153 BC, the huge tomb covers an area of 20 sq kilometres and the Outside Pits Exhibition Hall, China’s first underground museum, was opened in 2006. Check in at the GRAND MERCURE HOTEL for two nights. Free for dinner this evening. www.mercure.com/mercure/fichehotel/gb/mer/5974/fiche_hotel.shtml 

XIAN - Terra Cotta Warriors & Horses, Wild Goose Pagoda, Tang Dynasty Show
Today’s main excursion will be to modern China’s greatest archaeological discovery – the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses, which silently guarded the tomb of China’s first Emperor for over 2,200 years. In 1974 a local farmer discovered the first of three massive earth and timber vaults, while digging a well. The extensive excavation, still in progress, has yielded over 6,000 life-sized terra cotta warriors, each individually sculpted with the physical characteristics of the human models. Archers, infantrymen, horses and bronze chariots have also been unearthed. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the impressively tall Wild Goose Pagoda, in the grounds of the still-active Temple of Thanksgiving, built in the 7th century to store the scriptures brought back from India by Monk Xuan Zang. After work, locals fly kites, stroll in the huge park and practice tai-chi. This evening, attend a feast of culinary and cultural delights with a special Dumpling (dim sum) dinner, followed by the Tang Dynasty show, a colourful performance of music and dance which will give you a greater understanding of China’s golden age.

XIAN – flight to GUILIN - Waterway Night Cruise
Enjoy a leisurely morning, followed by an early lunch before transferring to the airport for the flight to Guilin, regarded as the country’s most picturesque city. Two crystal clear rivers meander through the city, encircled by towering karst limestone peaks which have inspired artists and poets for centuries. Mid afternoon arrival to check in at the GUILIN SHERATON HOTEL www.sheraton.com/guilin for two nights. A waterway network around the city to link four lakes and two rivers was completed in 2002 and we take a night cruise trip to explore this waterway with its colourful lights. There will be time to browse the extensive street markets of Guilin.

GUILIN – Yangshuo – Li River cruise - Water & Light Show Impressions Liu Sanjie
We take a coach ride to Yangshuo to explore the beautiful Li River and its surroundings, aboard a bamboo raft. The breathtaking scenery will give us a taste of a life far removed from the concrete metropolis. We could see water buffalo in the fields, peasants reaping rice, school children and fishermen on rafts, with surprises around each bend. We visit a local farmer’s home and have lunch at a riverside restaurant. Free for dinner this evening before attending a performance of Impressions Liu Sanjie, the world class musical and light show using the natural mountains and water as the setting. Directed by the famous Zhang Yimou, who was responsible for the spectacular opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, it is performed by a cast of 600 local villagers and fishermen from the Zhuang and Yao minority groups. Return to Guilin for overnight.

GUILIN / PING-AN - Longshen
After breakfast, we transfer by coach to Ping An Village located high amongst the rice paddies of the impressive Longji Terraces, dating back over 600 years. Check in at LI-AN LODGE, www.lianlodge.com an exclusive small boutique hotel perched high above the rice terraces. There are no roads and no traffic in the village and you will have to take a leisurely walk climbing a number of steps to get to the top. For those not able to climb the many steps, there are porters who will happily carry you up in a sedan chair. (Not included in price) Your lodge has spectacular views over the sculptured valleys of the Longji Terraces. At leisure this afternoon to explore this fascinating area with its beautiful views. Lunch and dinner at the lodge.

PING-AN / GUILIN - Reed Flute Cave, Pearl Museum, Flight to CHENGDU
Morning at leisure to take a walk, or just to relax in the beautiful surroundings. Free for lunch in the village before returning to Guilin, where we visit the Reed Flute Cave with its stalactites and stalagmites in dazzling colours, followed by a visit to the Pearl Museum. After dinner at a local restaurant, we take a one hour evening flight to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province. This city is the gateway to Tibet and famous for its cuisine. Many believe the Sichuanese cuisine with its spicy peppers and strong flavours to be the best in China. Spend two nights at the TIBET HOTEL www.Tibet-hotel.com 

CHENGDU – Giant Panda Reserve, Wenshu Monastery, Sichuan Opera
This morning we visit the Giant Panda Nature Reserve. This conservation and research centre, founded in cooperation with the WWF has become the most important of the Sichuan Giant Panda sanctuaries. The giant pandas remain on the seriously endangered list despite successful breeding programmes in China. We also visit the Wen Shu Monastery, constructed during the Sui dynasty in 605BC, destroyed during the Ming era and rebuilt during the Qing dynasty. The flagstoned courtyards of this, still functioning Bhuddhist monastery, are filled with statuary and bronze incense burners. There will be free time for lunch and for shopping in the colourful market before visiting Renming Park with its year round floral displays, ponds, terraces and a teahouse, where we learn the do’s and don’ts of Chinese tea drinking. Here you may also observe locals enjoying services such as neck and shoulder massage, shoe cleaning – they even offer an ear cleaning service. This evening we will see a unique Chinese art form, the immensely popular Sichuan Opera, which portrays local legends. Bianling, the trick of face-changing, allows each actor to portray many characters. Singing, music and acrobatics are all part of this performance.

Day 12
Tue 15 Sep
Tue 06 Oct
(B, L, D)

CHENGDU / Flight to CHONGQING –Yangtze Museum, Great Hall, Ciqi Kou Town- YANGTZE CRUISE
We take a morning flight to the port city of Chongqing, at the junction of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers. The modern Yangtze Museum will be an introduction to the Yangtze River, its history and the people who live along its banks. We visit the Great Hall of the People with its auditorium seating 4,000, the architectural symbol of Chongqing. The traditional houses and shops of Ciqi Kou Ancient Town, a famous porcelain production centre during the Ming era, are today tea bars, artists’ studios and Shu embroidery workshops. After dinner in the city, we board the 5 Star cruise ship, MV PRESIDENT No1 for the start of your Yangtze River cruise. www.yangtzecruises.cn/1/President_Cruises1.asp 

YANGTZE CRUISE – Shore excursions to Shibaozhai Pagoda or Fengdu
The Yangtze River originates on the Tibetan Plateau and traverses a distance of 6270 km (3900 miles) before flowing into the East China Sea near Shanghai. It is the third longest river in the world, after the Amazon and the Nile and has been the lifeline and major commercial thoroughfare in China for millennia. Your cruise ship At 90 meters long, with a maximum capacity of 188 passengers, the 5 star MV President No1 is one of the largest cruise ships on the Yangtze. Comfortable air conditioned cabins all have en suite facilities, the public areas include a large lounge offering panoramic views, wide walking decks and a beautiful sun deck, offering unlimited photo opportunities of the magnificent passing scenery. There are bars, a coffee shop, observation areas, gymnasium, sauna and massage rooms as well as a beauty parlour, clinic and shopping centre. The ship’s restaurant offers a variety of Chinese and international foods. On board entertainment includes the teaching of calligraphy, martial arts (tai chi) and folk dance. There will be presentations on Chinese painting and lectures on China’s culture and history, as well as entertainment by the crew. We stop at Shibaozhai, a rural river town, for a shore excursion to see the 400 year old 12 storey wooden pagoda, built entirely without nails. Depending on water levels, the excursion may instead dock at Fengdu – China’s City of Ghosts, to visit temples and shrines dedicated to the gods of the underworld.

YANGTZE CRUISE – Shore excursion to Shennong Stream
A day of incredible views awaits you as you pass though the gorges, where you can see centuries old pagodas perched on steep cliffs, in mist shrouded mountains. Today’s highlight will be an exciting trip up the Shennon Stream to do an excursion in small pea pod boats. Finally, pass the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydroelectric project, being built in the Xilling Gorge, the longest of the three gorges on the Yangtze River. Completion of the dam is scheduled for 2009. Tonight, enjoy a Farewell Banquet and show on board. Cruise itinerary subject to change due to weather conditions, captain’s decision or other factors beyond our control.

YANGTZE CRUISE – Shore Excursion to Three Gorges Dam Project YICHANG flight to SUZHOU
Your remarkable Yangtze cruise finishes in Yichang. Disembark after visiting the Three Gorges Dam project. Take an afternoon flight to Shanghai, where you will be met and transferred to the town of Suzhou, famous for silk production and classical Chinese gardens. Check in at the GARDEN VIEW HOTEL with its charming courtyard gardens for two nights. www.szrj-h.com Free for dinner this evening.

SUZHOU – Tongli Watertown, cruise, Embroidery Research Centre, Garden Night Show
Pay a visit to the fascinating Tongli Watertown, with its 1000 years of history, criss crossed with canals and bridges dividing the town into seven islands and 40 bridges. After lunch, take a cruise and visit the embroidery research centre. Suzhou embroidery, one of the best types in China, is renowned for its unique workmanship, perfected over a period of 2600 years. After dinner at a local restaurant, attend an unusual Garden Night Show in the Wangshiyuan Garden, depicting Chinese drama performances and folk instruments.

SUZHOU – Silk Factory /SHANGHAI – Oriental Pearl Tower, Urban Planning Centre, Acrobatic show
Morning Visit to a silk factory, to learn about the processing of silk, from the pulling of the threads from the cocoon, to the finished article of clothing. After lunch, take the high speed train to the dynamic cosmopolitan city of Shanghai. On arrival, visit the Oriental Pearl Tower, the highest tower in Asia, for spectacular views of the modern city below. See the amazing scale model of Shanghai when we visit the Shanghai Urban Planning Centre, which illustrates the true scale of Shanghai and its ongoing building boom. Check in at the JIN JIANG HOTEL listed as a protected historic building, conveniently situated close to Huai Hai Rd, the Champs Elysees of Shanghai. http://jj.jinjianghotels.com/en_about.asp Spend three nights here. This evening we attend a spellbinding performance by the renowned Shanghai acrobatic group.

SHANGHAI – Jade Buddha Temple, Tea Ceremony, the Bund, Former French Concession, Xintiandi
Visit the Jade Buddha Temple, dominated by a 2m seated Buddha, made of a single piece of white jade, wearing a robe of precious gems from Burma. Attend a tea ceremony, practice your bargaining skills in the Yuyuan Market, visit Xintiandi with its last remaining “stone gatehouses”, the Bund on Shanghai’s waterfront, a cashmere factory and the former French concession, with its tree-lined streets, old villas, shops and cafes, with free time for lunch. Our farewell dinner will be held this evening, as we will be attending a Rotary meeting on the last night of the tour. The dinner will be held in our hotel’s beautifully decorated Old Shanghai Moon Restaurant.

SHANGHAI – Rotary dinner meeting
At leisure today to do some more exploring on your own of this beautiful city and perhaps do some shopping. This evening we will be transferred to the Regent Hotel where we will attend the dinner meeting of the Shanghai Rotary Club. This will be another opportunity to address a Chinese club and exchange banners.