Impressions of China and the Yangtze

Day 1 London
Begin with Titan’s VIP Home Departure Service® to London Heathrow or Gatwick Airport for your scheduled British Airways or another leading airline overnight flight to Shanghai.

Day 2 Shanghai
Arrive in Shanghai and meet your Uniworld representative on arrival and transfer to the Pudong Shangri-La Hotel for the next two nights.

Day 3 Shanghai
Included Excursion: Shanghai city tour, dim sum lunch and Shanghai Acrobats show
Long a bustling commercial centre, Shanghai has become one of the world’s most exciting cities, brimming with spectacular skyscrapers designed by world-famous architects.
This morning, you will stroll along the Bund, Shanghai’s famed waterfront promenade and get a sense of its 19th-century roots. Then enjoy a traditional dim sum lunch and after, you will have time to browse through the intriguing shops in the district. This evening enjoy a performance by the world-renowned Shanghai Acrobats.

Day 4 Shanghai – fly to Yichang
Included Excursion: Shanghai Museum
Begin the day with a visit to the Shanghai Museum, a stunning contemporary structure that houses treasures of Chinese art ranging from ancient bronzes from the Shang and Zhou periods, exquisite jades, calligraphic works from many dynasties and Ming and Qing furniture. Later, fly to Yichang, where you will board the luxurious ship, the new Century Legend or Century Paragon.

Day 5 Cruising the Yangtze River
Included Excursion: Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam is the world’s largest hydroelectric project, and it is changing the landscape and the economy of the nation. It is designed to both generate power to fuel China’s economic growth and control flooding on the Yangtze, which has been enormously destructive over the centuries.
Visit this astonishing feat of modern engineering before setting sail along the most scenic section of the storied Yangtze, the Three Gorges. As you enter the Three Gorges, you will leave behind the modern industrial world and become immersed in a land of Chinese fairytales, where you can almost imagine dragons swooping down from the lovely, mist-shrouded peaks. Captain’s Welcome Reception this evening.

Day 6 Cruising the Yangtze River
Included Excursion: Lesser Gorges riverboat cruise
Today get a close-up view of the splendid landscape as you board a small boat and cruise along a tributary to the Yangtze to explore the exceptionally beautiful Lesser Gorges. Here, mysterious caves dot the mountain sides and crystalline waterfalls descend down emerald covered hills.

Day 7 Cruising the Yangtze River – Shibaozhai
Included Excursion: Shibao Pagoda
Shibao Pagoda, whose red walls and yellow gate are a Yangtze River landmark, was built into the side of a hill in the 18th century. Although the temple is 12 stories tall, only its top three stories tower above the rock itself. Make a wish and climb the stairs; legend has it that the higher you climb, the more likely it is that your wish will come true. Captain’s Farewell Dinner tonight.

Day 8 Cruising the Yangtze River – Chongqing – fly to Beijing
Included Excursion: Chongqing city tour and zoo
This morning disembark the ship in Chongqing, the booming capital of western China and the fourth-largest metropolis in the nation.
Enjoy a tour of the city and a visit to the zoo, where amongst other animals to be seen here, you can enjoy watching the lively young giant pandas frolicking in their enclosure.
This afternoon fly to Beijing, where you will be transferred to the deluxe Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Take a refreshing dip in the hotel’s heated pool or simply enjoy the glittering lights of Beijing’s Financial Street, which lies right outside your hotel.

Day 9 Beijing
Included Excursions: The Great Wall; Kung Fu show at Beijing’s Red Theatre
Start the morning with a visit to one of the nation’s most iconic sights; the UNESCO World Heritage designated Great Wall of China.
Walk along the top of the wall to appreciate just how formidable a barrier it would have been to the nomadic mounted warriors who confronted it over the centuries. Marvel at the great slabs of granite that were transported and wrestled into place by hand, without the aid of modern machinery.
Back in Beijing, spend the evening at the Red Theatre, taking in a spectacular show that combines kung fu prowess with acrobatics and dance; it is considered the best performance in town. The young performers represent the best and most talented Kung Fu practitioners in the country and the show explains the cultural signifi cance of kung fu in China.

Day 10 Beijing
Included Excursions: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, hutongs tour with home-hosted lunch, and Peking duck Farewell Dinner with complimentary wine
Your last full day begins in broad Tiananmen Square, which is both the heartbeat of modern Beijing and a gateway to the wonders of imperial China. Chairman Mao’s mausoleum borders the square, as does the Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that houses innumerable treasures of the Qing and Ming dynasties.
Your next stop will take you to the backbone of Old Beijing – the ancient residential lanes and alleyways known as the hutongs. Take a ride on a rickshaw for a behind-the-scenes tour of these historic neighbourhoods, where you can still see the regions traditional courtyard homes.
Later you are invited to join a family in their home for a delicious traditional lunch. This evening, enjoy a Farewell Dinner of succulent Peking Duck, a signature dish of the city, since imperial times the perfect ending to your memorable journey.

Day 11 Beijing – London
Check out of your hotel and transfer to Beijing airport for your British Airways or another leading airline flight home. Arrive at London Heathrow or Gatwick Airport where our staff will meet you and our transport will transfer you to your own front door.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please note:
A visa is required for China
The order of sightseeing is subject to change

Titan Travel have a reputation for innovative and enthralling escorted holiday itineraries, and through the guidance of their founding principles, “quality, service and value” which have remained unchanged since the 1970′s, their expertise and experience are second to none.

Titan Travel strive to ensure that aspect of their holidays whispers quality, before you fly, you get to appreciate a comfortable, chauffeur-driven transfer from your front door to the airport with our peerless VIP Home Departure Service, check-in assistance and complimentary porterage. All international flights are with world-renowned scheduled airlines and cruises with acclaimed operators. Touring holidays are expertly designed by the product team to present a comprehensive, imaginative introduction to the destination of choice yet still offer plenty of time for relaxation. The services of a tour manager or cruise manager are included throughout. When you return to the UK, you are met in the arrivals hall of the airport and shown to your VIP Home Departure Service vehicle, waiting to return you to your front door.

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