Day 1 – Shanghai
Disembark your ship and drive to the futuristic Jinmao Building - an 88-story skyscraper offering panoramic views of Shanghai. Continue to the Jade Buddha Temple, home to two precious white jade statues of Buddha. Following lunch, check into your hotel where you will have the rest of the day at your leisure.
Hotel: The Langham Shanghai Xintiandi or similar
Day 2 – Shanghai to Chengdu
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Chengdu. Enjoy a light meal onboard. Upon arrival, visit Wuhou Temple, dedicated to Zhuge Liang, perhaps the most well-known historic figure in China. Continue to Jinli Ancient Street, one of the most popular pedestrian streets to experience local culture. Check into the hotel and enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure.
Hotel: The Ritz-Carlton Chengdu or similar
Day 3 – Chengdu
After breakfast, drive to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The base replicates the panda’s natural habitat in order to provide the best environment for breeding and preparing pandas to be released into the wild. After lunch, drive to Sanxingdui Museum, home to an important archaeological discovery which changed the world’s understanding of ancient history and culture of southwest China. Return to the hotel and enjoy a buffet dinner on site.
Hotel: The Ritz-Carlton Chengdu or similar
Day 4 – Chengdu to Xian
Following breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Xian. Upon arrival, visit the Ancient City Wall of Xian, the only complete city wall extant in China. After lunch, continue to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, one of China’s most revered pagodas. Following your visit, check into the hotel and enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure.
Hotel: Wyndham Grand Xian South or similar
Day 5 – Xian to Beijing
Following breakfast, drive to the Terracotta Warriors Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch, transfer to the airport for your flight to Beijing. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel where you will have the rest of the day at your leisure.
Hotel: China World Hotel or similar
Day 6 – Beijing
After breakfast, visit Tian’anmen Square, the largest public square in the world. Then, visit the Forbidden City -- a sprawling complex that includes temples, Imperial houses and pavilions and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch, continue to the Temple of Heaven -- an outstanding example of Imperial architecture. Return to the hotel and enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure.
Hotel: China World Hotel or similar
Day 7 –Beijing
After breakfast, drive to the Great Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore this amazing series of walls first constructed over 2000 years ago to ward off northern nomads. Following lunch, continue to one of the Ming Tombs, where you will learn about the burial rituals employed during the Ming dynasty before returning to your hotel. Enjoy some time to freshen up before a Peking duck dinner at a renowned restaurant.
Hotel: China World Hotel or similar
Day 8 - Departure
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your onward journey.