The Very Best of China

Day 1 Depart London
Your Tour Manager will be waiting for you in the executive lounge, where you can relax before your flight.

Day 2 Arrive Shanghai
After transferring for your 3 night stay at the Marriott City Centre, you’re free to explore. The hotel is perfectly located, just a short stroll from the central shopping area of Nanjing Road, and the Bund; Shanghai’s spectacular riverfront. In the evening, join your Tour Manager and fellow travellers for a welcome dinner at the start of your amazing journey.

Meals: Dinner.

Day 3 Shanghai
On a sightseeing tour of this dynamic city, you’ll visit the Yu Yuan Garden, Jade Buddha Temple and the famous riverside Bund, with its wealth of historic buildings, which form a striking contrast with the 21st century skyscrapers. The afternoon is free, before meeting up with your group in the evening for the utterly thrilling Shanghai Acrobatics show.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 4 Shanghai
You’re free to do as you please today. Your Tour Manager can point you towards the shopping district, the renovated mansions and cafés of the French Concession area, or the ancient town of Zhujiajiao, with its cobbled streets, canals and old arched bridges.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 5 Shanghai to Xian
You’ll transfer to the airport for your flight to Xian. A thousand years ago, Xian was one of the world’s great
trading centres and it has been the seat of power for some of the most important dynasties in China. After an exclusive welcome ceremony at the imposing North Gate you’ll arrive at the Hilton Xian for a 2 night stay. This evening, there’s an optional excursion to dine on local specialities while watching a traditional Tang Dynasty music and dance show.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 6 Xian
Delving deep into the rich history of this fascinating city, you’ll visit the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 707-709 in the Tang Dynasty, before moving on to the famous Terracotta Warriors. Discovered in 1974, the warriors, horses and chariots date back to 211 BC. Over 8,000 individually crafted figures have been uncovered, and more wait to be excavated.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7 Xian to Chongqing
Today you’ll fly to Chongqing to board the 5* Victoria Anna cruise ship, on the mighty Yangtze. Once you’ve settled into your cabin, you’ll set sail in the evening, heading downstream to explore this famous river on a 3 night cruise.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8 Yangtze
After breakfast you’ll disembark for an
excursion to Shibaozhai. Set against the hillside, the red pavilion rises 9 storeys high and is protected from the rising water of the Yangtze by its own little dam.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 Yangtze
Today we sail through the Three Gorges and enjoy the stunning
scenery of Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge. Travel in a small craft up the Daning River or Shennong Stream tributaries, to enjoy the quiet valley. This is an area rich in history, said to have been inhabited since at least the Han Dynasty and was the location of many battles. Back on board, we sail through the massive Three Gorges Dam ship locks, passing the western side of the Xiling Gorge.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 Yichang to Beijing
After breakfast we have a guided tour of the impressive
Three Gorges Dam, one of the world’s largest ever construction projects, before passing through the eastern part of the Xiling Gorge. Lunch is taken on board before we transfer to Yichang for a flight to Beijing. When your flight arrives into the capital, Beijing, you’ll be taken straight to the impressive Raffles Hotel, for 3 nights, close to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the pedestrianised Wangfujing Street.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11 Beijing
Beijing is regarded as one of the world’s greatest cities and, today, you’ll find out why on a tour of China’s political, educational and cultural centre. You’ll visit Tiananmen Square, which sits at the centre of the city, surrounded by imposing seats of power – the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Great Hall of the People and Mao Zedong Memorial Hall. You’ll then enter the Forbidden City, the Chinese Imperial Palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. For centuries, it was closed off from the outside world, and remains a place of intrigue. After lunch, you’ll continue on to the Summer Palace. The former retreat of China’s Emperors, the palace is set on Kunming Lake, surrounded by landscaped gardens.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Day 12 Beijing
Nothing can prepare you for the experience of visiting the Great Wall of China. At the quieter Mutianyu section, the views of the wall climbing over craggy peaks into the distance are quite spectacular. Originally built to protect the Empire’s northern borders, the wall eventually extended thousands of miles from Shanhaiguan on the east coast to the Gobi Desert in the west.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Day 13 Beijing to Guilin
Today you’ll transfer to the airport for your flight southwards to Guilin. Settle into the riverside Sheraton where you’ll have group dinner this evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 14 Guilin
On a cruise down the Li River, our travellers usually find the tranquillity and mystical beauty of this incredible landscape deeply moving. The vivid reflections take your breath away, and the limestone karst peaks are simply
astounding. You’ll explore the laid back township of Yangshou, before returning through the hills via a local teahouse.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Day 15 Guilin to Chengdu
This morning you visit the intriguing limestone Reed Flute Caves, before your flight to Chengdu arriving for 2 nights in the city.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 16 Chengdu
An early start today as we visit the Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Centre. The centre dedicates itself to the education, research and conservation of the giant panda, the symbolic bear of China. Experience the sheer joy and delight of seeing these rare animals up close and learning all about these beautiful creatures. The rest of the day is free to explore the city and we recommend a visit to the attractive old town area. Tonight you have a farewell dinner with your group to mark the end of a wonderful trip.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 17 Chengdu to London
Your flight home departs today, arriving later the same day.

Meals: Breakfast.

Tour includes:

Local expert guides in resort
All flights specified
London airport executive lounge
Inspirational sightseeing programme
Hotel luggage porterage service
14 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 5 dinners

On a Journey of Distinction, you are not merely a bystander. They believe that the wonders, customs and cultures you experience will live on in the core of your being. They even go so far as to say that one of their holidays will change your life forever.

Their combination of Tour Managers and Local Guides is what makes Journey of Distinction so distinctive. When you’re embarking on a voyage of discovery, it’s reassuring to know that a seasoned traveller is with you every step of the way; planning, organising, checking details and offering their advice and support. Their groups all depart from the UK, and no one joins us along the way, so you have the reassuring constancy of always knowing your travelling companions.

Our Opinion
“Limited to just 25 travellers per departure, every Journeys of Distinction escorted tour has an intimate, personal feel that makes for a more enjoyable experience.”