On arrival in Beijing Daxing or Beijing Capital Airport, you will be met in the arrival hall by your local guide and/or National Escort from Wendy Wu Tours. Together with all other group members who may be arriving at a similar time, you will transfer approximately 1 hour to your hotel. Early check-in is not included. Additional nights’ before and after your tour can be arranged. Please contact our Reservations team to book. An informal Welcome Dinner will be held on Day 1. Late arrivals will receive a box dinner.

Walk across Tiananmen Square into the magnificent Forbidden City and the Jingshan Park. Next, visit Yandaixiejie where you will have some free time to explore the Hutongs and enjoy a local lunch. Sightseeing will be approximately 4 hours. Later, enjoy some free time in the traditional Houhai area. The Forbidden City is closed on Mondays. If this day of touring falls on a Monday, your touring in Beijing will be switched around so that the Forbidden City is visited on an alternative day.

Rise early this morning and transfer 2 hours to the Huanghuacheng section of the Great Wall of China, one of the most picturesque sections. You will need to get on and off a boat, taking you across a lake to where you will begin your walk on the wall. First, you will be given a brief history of the area before having a couple of hours free to walk on the fortified wall. On your return to Beijing, visit the Jade Factory. This evening, stroll around Qianmen Street and Dashilan area. An optional Peking Duck dinner is available this evening (payable locally).

Wander around the beautiful grounds of the Summer Palace, former holiday home of the Qing emperors. Whilst here, climb magnificent Longevity Hill for spectacular views over the palace’s Kunming Lake. Make a photo stop this afternoon at the iconic Bird’s Nest Stadium, home of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The time at the Olympic Village will not include entry to any of the Olympic venues.

Start your day exploring at the Temple of Heaven. Later, board your overnight train to Xian. The overnight train takes approximately 12 hrs (over 1,300km). The cabins are soft sleeper compartments where each cabin consists of 4 shared berths (2 x upper and 2 x lower). Wear comfortable clothes on board to sleep in on the train, and you may wish to take some snacks. Please note you will need to carry your own luggage on and off the train

Arrive in Xian and transfer to your hotel for breakfast. After, take a gentle cycle ride around the nine miles of the Xian Ancient City Wall. Visit the lovely Little Wild Goose Pagoda before seeing the 130,000 fine cultural relics on display in the Xian Museum. This evening, there will be an optional Tang Ever-Bright City Night Tour. Please note, if the hotel rooms are available in the morning, you will be able to check in and refresh before starting the touring in Xian. However, if the rooms are not available, you will begin the touring straight after breakfast and then check in to the hotel after lunch.

Transfer 1 hour to view the formidable ranks of terracotta warriors and horses, lined up in ranks to protect the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. From the bus park to the museum entrance there is a 15-minute walk. There are electric carts offered by private vendors which can be organised at your own cost. There are no electric carts available for the return from the museum exit to the bus park. Within the museum area the warriors can be seen in three different ‘pits’, which are active archaeological digs. The site is large and, towards the summer months, can be hot outside. Sightseeing here involves approximately 2 and a half hours on foot. Next, visit the Xian Art Ceramics and Lacquer Exhibition Workshop to see smaller models of the warriors being made, before returning to explore the atmospheric alleys of the Muslim Quarter. This evening, there will be an optional Tang Dynasty Dancing Show & Dumpling Dinner (payable locally).

Take a 3-hour bullet train to Chengdu, capital of fascinating Sichuan Province. Take a stroll around People’s Park and visit a teahouse for a cup of delicious Chinese tea (tea at your own expense), as well as Matchmaker’s Corner, where parents search for suitable suitors for their children. This evening, stroll around in the Wide and Narrow Alley.

See China’s most famous resident, the Giant Panda. Visit the Panda Conservation Centre where you can learn about China’s celebrated bear. See these lovable creatures in surroundings that mirror their natural habitat. There is an optional Sichuan Hot Pot meal this evening with a Face Changing Show (payable locally).

Fly 1.5-hours to Lijiang, set in the foothills of the magnificent Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Check in and enjoy time at leisure. Overnight altitude: 2,300m

A magnificent mountain, the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain comprise several peaks, the tallest of which is 5,500m. Today, you will explore one of the beautiful high meadows and enjoy the amazing vistas. To avoid the large crowds of people queuing at the same time, the local government’s tourist authority allocates a time to each group. The bus will drive to the base of the mountain, from where you will take a 10-minute chairlift to Yunshaping (Cloud Fir Meadow) at an altitude of approximately 3,200m. From the chairlift, there is a wooden pathway to the meadow, which takes approximately 1 hour to walk. Descend by chairlift and re-board the bus. Later, visit Baisha Old Town to view the fascinating Baisha Frescoes, painted during the early Ming Dynasty, and visit the Mu Family Embroidery School. Sightseeing at Baisha Old Town is leisurely. There are ruthless souvenir sellers near the bus park so be firm to avoid any hassle. Please note, this section of the itinerary is subject to change at late notice. Your local guide will keep you informed of any changes as they are made aware of them. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is at an altitude of 3,200M. All passengers should stay well hydrated to acclimatise to the higher altitude. Daytime altitude: 3,200m Overnight altitude: 2,300m

Today, there is an option to visit the impressive Tiger Leaping Gorge and take a mini-trek (payable locally). Alternatively, you can spend the day at leisure in Lijiang. Overnight altitude: 2,300m

Drive 2 hours to Shaxi, a former ancient market town on the famous Tea and Horse Route, and enjoy some easy sightseeing around the old town. Continue a further 2 hours to the quaint town of Dali. Spend the evening at your leisure.

Enjoy a day at leisure in peaceful Dali. There will be an optional visit to Weibaoshan, one of the fourteen sacred Taoist mountains, for meditation with a Taoist Master.

View the Three Pagodas and wander around Dali’s charming Old Town before heading to lively Foreigners’ Street. Drive approximately 4-hours to Kunming.

Spend the morning exploring the unusual limestone rock formations of the Kunming Stone Forest. Visit Green Lake Park before an evening at leisure in the Wenhua Alley district. Today, there will be an optional Yunnan Impression Show (payable locally).

Board the 7-hour bullet train to Guilin, one of China’s most beautiful spots. This afternoon, you will take a stroll around two of Guilin’s most beautiful lakes, Ronghu and Shanhu, before heading to Zhengyang Pedestrian Street where there are many dining options for your perusal. There is an optional visit to the Sun and Moon Pagodas today.

Today there is an option to take a full day tour of the Longji Rice Terraces at Ping An. Alternatively, you can explore the beautiful scenery of Guilin independently. Please note: The optional tour to Longji involves approximately 4 hours of trekking, depending on the capability of the group. The ground here is uneven and the trek will include steep climbs.

Take a relaxed 4-hour cruise along the Li River to the charming village of Yangshuo where you will spend 2 nights. Around every river bend is a view to take your breath away as jagged peaks loom over rural scenes of lush greenery, grazing buffalos and local fishermen. These are small cruise boats usually holding approximately 100 passengers; with an enclosed dining area on the lower deck and an open viewing area on the upper deck. As it is so popular, there are generally many boats at the docks – please be reassured that the cruise itself will be scenic and relaxing as the boats cruise past unspoilt countryside. Usually the boats depart at 9am from the dock located a 1-hour drive from your hotel. However, when the river level is low they depart from further downstream which would mean a longer drive and an earlier check-out from your hotel. Disembarking from the cruise, your Local Guide will walk with you to your hotel, approximately a 15-minute walk from the river. There are electric carts offered by private vendors which can be organised at your own cost. Take a walk in the idyllic countryside this afternoon. There will also be an option to walk up Moon Hill for spectacular views of Yangshuo. This evening, you may wish to experience the Impression Sanjie Liu show (time permitting, payable locally). Please note, climbing Moon Hill involves a significant number of steep steps.

This morning, take part in a traditional Tai Chi class to learn the skills behind this ancient and spiritual exercise. The rest of the day is at leisure. Explore independently or take part in optional morning countryside cycling trip and/or an afternoon bamboo rafting trip.

Transfer back to Guilin by road, stopping by the Reed Flute Caves enroute. Take the bullet train 5 hours to Chongqing, one of the most important cities on the Yangtze River, where you will visit the porcelain district of Ciqikou. Tonight, board your Yangtze River Cruise ship for a 3-night stay. Please note: The Yangtze River cruise section of your itinerary will not be confirmed by the cruise operators until after you commence your tour as it is subject to local river conditions and water levels. Your Local Guide will do their utmost to keep you informed of any changes but cannot guarantee against delays or – in rare cases – cancellations of sections of your itinerary. Shore excursions are subject to change depending on local conditions. A detailed itinerary will be handed out on the vessel each day. If you do not wish to take part in a shore excursion but you still wish to disembark the ship, there is a mandatory port tax which must be paid by each customer. The port tax amount is approx. USD20-USD30 per person; however, this amount can vary and for security reasons, it is not always possible to disembark at all ports of call. You may be offered cabin upgrades locally which may include some of the amenity package services. Please note that the amenity package benefits start on the second day of the cruise.

A cruise down the Yangtze reveals some of the world's most dramatic scenery. Over the next few days, visit the Three Gorges Dam and enjoy various side trips and shore excursions. Disembark your cruise vessel, travel to Yichang train station and board your 7-hour bullet train to the cosmopolitan Shanghai.

This morning, take a breakfast tour around some of Shanghai’s most exciting districts, tasting local delicacies, including pancakes and fried bread sticks. Afterwards, wander the pleasant Yu Gardens and the bustling Old Town, stroll along the bund and visit the informative Silk Factory. This evening, take a cruise down the Huangpu River to see the neon lights of Pudong.

Today is free to explore the vibrant city of Shanghai independently or you can take an optional day trip to the laid-back water town of Zhujiajiao. There will be no other sightseeing or activities arranged in Shanghai, however, your National Escort will be happy to recommend things for you to do (at your own expense) such as heading up the Jinmao Tower, exploring the impressive Shanghai Museum or taking a ride on the futuristic Maglev Train. This evening, watch a performance of the ERA acrobatic show and enjoy a farewell dinner of Shanghainese cuisine.

Any time before your flight is at leisure. You will be transferred from your hotel to Shanghai Pudong or Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, according to the departure time of your international flight.