The Experience

See the best of China on this journey that takes you from modern Beijing, the Great Wall and the many treasures of Xian to the Giant Buddha in Leshan and down the Yangtze on a three-night cruise. Day 1: Arrive Beijing, China Arrive in the capital city and transfer to your centrally located hotel. Four Seasons Hotel Beijing Day 2: Beijing | The Great Wall Walk or ride a cable car to the top of the well-preserved Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, enjoying sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. Four Seasons Hotel Beijing | Meals: B Day 3: Beijing | Homage to Heaven Start the day with a tai chi class at the ancient Temple of Heaven. Afterward, take a pedicab ride through a hutong, a vast yet intimate neighborhood of small winding alleyways. Later, explore Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest public square and a site of great political significance. You also visit Forbidden City, China’s former imperial palace and now a vast museum housing imperial treasures. Four Seasons Hotel Beijing | Meals: B L Day 4: Xian | The Great Silk Road Fly this morning to Xian at the eastern terminus of the Great Silk Road. There, an archaeologist leads you through Yangling Museum to explore the Restoration Lab and recent discoveries from Han Dynasty tombs. After lunch, walk the Great Mosque and remarkable Muslim Quarter. Shangri-La Hotel, Xian | Meals: B L Day 5: Xian | Terra Cotta Warriors Visit the excavation site of the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses, the life-size army created during the Qin Dynasty to protect China’s first emperor in his afterlife; view it all accompanied by an on-site archeologist. Later, enter the Ancient Gate of Xian’s impressive City Wall with the option to cycle along its ramparts. Shangri-La Hotel, Xian | Meals: B L Day 6: Chengdu | Faces of Sichuan Fly to Chengdu and visit the Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center, where you witness the distinctive bear in its natural habitat. Tonight, experience the treasured art of the face-changing Sichuan opera performance. Shangri-La Hotel, Chengdu | Meals: B Day 7: Chengdu | Giant Buddha Travel to the relaxed riverside city of Leshan, where a private boat brings you before the towering, stone-carved Leshan Giant Buddha. Shangri-La Hotel, Chengdu | Meals: B L Day 8: Chengdu to Chongqing | Board the ,˜Yangzi Explorer” See the Buddhist sculptures of the Dazu Caves and visit a family home in a village. Later, board your luxury river cruiser in Chongqing for a three-night journey through the Three Gorges. Sanctuary ‘Yangzi Explorer’ | Meals: B L D Days 9-10: Cruising the Yangtze | Asia’s Great River Spend two days on the Yangtze, passing through the legendary Three Gorges: Xiling, Wu and Qutang. Disembark for shore excursions with expert historians and naturalists, including a visit with a local family. Sanctuary ‘Yangzi Explorer’ | Meals: B L D Day 11: Yichang to Shanghai | Disembark ,˜Yangzi Explorer” Disembark in Yichang. Later, fly to Shanghai and transfer to your hotel on the Bund. The Peninsula Shanghai | Meals: B L Day 12: Shanghai | Pearl of the Orient Visit the traditional water village of Zhujiajiao, where you glide through its main canal on a sampan (wooden boat). Later, attend a Shanghai Acrobatic performance. The Peninsula Shanghai | Meals: B Day 13: Shanghai | Life on the Bund Stroll the streets of Old Town and visit the 16th-century Yu Garden before walking the lively Bund. Tonight, explore studios and galleries in the M-50 Contemporary Art District. The Peninsula Shanghai | Meals: B L Day 14: Depart Shanghai After breakfast, transfer to the airport to fly home. Meals: B