Itinerary

Day 1

London

Fly from London Heathrow aboard British Airways' non-stop flight to Shanghai.

Day 2

Shanghai         

On arrival in Shanghai transfer to the smart and confortable 4*Lansheng Hotel for a two-night stay. Enjoy a welcome dinner tonight. D

Day 3

Shanghai        

At Yuyuan Garden admire a perfect example of a Chinese garden with enchanting views of pools, rockeries, trees and elegant pavilions. Continue to the Jade Buddha Temple where two milky-white statues are decorated with jewels, and visit Shanghai Museum. Here are ancient, precious artworks such as furniture and handicrafts from remote villages, sculptures, exquisite calligraphy and paintings, bronze vessels and porcelain. Later stroll along the Bund, Shanghai's riverside promenade.  BLD

Day 4

Yangtze Cruise           

The morning is free. This afternoon ride on the new 'bullet train' from Shanghai to Nanjing at 220 miles per hour. Tour Nanjing and see the Ming museum, a Qing bazaar and Confucian temple. Later this evening board the luxurious Victoria Empress for a wonderful eight-night Yangtze River cruise. Unpack in your spacious stateroom and relax on your private balcony as the ship slowly departs upstream on one of the world's greatest journeys. BLD

Day 5

Yangtze Cruise           

Scenic shore excursion to Mount Huang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This jagged, pine-clad mountain is named the Yellow Mountain after the legendary Yellow Emperor who ascended to heaven from here, and there are ancient steps hewn into the rock to prove it. Inummerable paths reward you with glorious views at every turn.   BLD

Day 6

Yangtze Cruise           

A relaxing day spent enjoying the scenery, delicious food and on- board activities. Arrive in Wuhan this evening.  BLD

Day 7

Yangtze Cruise           

Visit the Hubei Provincial Museum this morning, which boasts a vast collection of artefacts from the tomb of a Chu era king - around 2,500 years ago – most notably, elaborate bronze, lacquer and porcelain pieces, swords, and the giant Chime Bells.   BLD

Day 8

Yangtze Cruise           

A free day, with lectures, fine dining and time to unwind. BLD

Day 9

Yangtze Cruise           

This morning disembark to see the Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric power station ever. Progress through the five locks to cruise onwards through the once notoriously dangerous Xiling Gorges, myths and legends lurking around every rocky corner. BLD

Day 10

Yangtze Cruise         

 Explore a tributary today on a scenic excursion by small boat either through Dragon Gate to the Three Little Gorges, or to Shennong Stream. Rejoin your ship to sail beneath the forbidding, misty cliffs of Wu (the Witches') Gorge and Qutang Gorge, the shortest and narrowest of them all, with an optional shore visit to the temple of White Emperor City. BLD

Day 11

Yangtze Cruise           

The ship continues her leisurely progress upstream, with shore excursions to either Fengdu, called the city of ghosts after a couple of hermits whose names said together sounded like 'king of the underworld', or to Shibaozhai which is a lovely 12-storey wooden pagoda set against a cliff, or to the crafts market and museum at Wanzhou. BLD

Day 12

Chongqing, Chengdu           

Disembark after breakfast at Chongqing and drive to Chengdu. En-route admire the extraordinary religious sculptures at Dazu, home to many caves and grottoes in which are thousands of Buddha statues, most dating from between the 9^th and the 13^th centuries. Continue to Chengdu for an overnight stay at the 4*Minshan Lhasa Hotel.  BLD

Day 13

Chengdu, Guilin                  

Visit the Giant Panda Research Base, an institution that aims to protect the wild pandas of the region and increase the numbers of captive – it is home to over 80 pandas. Back in the city see the traditional courtyard houses of Kuanzhai Lanes, preserved from the Qing dynasty, before flying to Guilin for an overnight stay at the 4*Park Hotel. BL

Day 14

Yangshuo                  

Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo along the Li River, through romantic, dreamy landscapes of mountains and mist, phoenix-tailed bamboo shrouding the river banks, farmhouses and fishing villages dotting the fields. Explore Yangshuo and this evening attend an open air son et lumiere show on a lake, with the mountains as a stunning backdrop. Stay two nights at the 5* Yangshuo Resort.  BLD

Day 15

Yangshuo      

Explore the rural charms of Yangshuo today, first climb Moon Hill for fantastic views, and see the 1,400-year-old Big Banyan Tree. Also visit Jiuxian Garden Village, undergoing a unique conservation and regeneration project to preserve its culture and Ming-dynasty architecture.  BL

Day 16

Xian              

Fly to Xian for a 2-night stay at the 4*Bell Tower Hotel. This afternoon visit the first class Shaanxi Provincial Museum where 300,000 objects from every era of Chinese civilisation are displayed. BL

Day 17

Xian              

7,000 terracotta soldiers have stood guard over China's first emperor for over 2,200 years, and they still stand in battle formation in giant exhibition halls erected around the pits where they were discovered in the 1970s. Return to the city centre to visit the immense city wall,  complete with towers and battlements. Tonight attend a performance of Tang dynasty music and dance.  BLD

Day 18

Beijing          

Fly to Beijing for three nights at the 4*Capital Hotel. This afternoon visit the magnificent red and gold Temple of Heaven that represents the meeting point of heaven and earth. Tonight enjoy a Kung Fu show, an enthralling performance of skill, drama and special effects.  BLD

Day 19

Beijing          

Walk the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, a well-restored and less-crowded section with granite battlements and watchtowers looking over dramatic mountain ridges. Returning to Beijing, admire the manicured gardens of the imperial Summer Palace, their elegant bridges and pavilions and the astonishing Marble Boat constructed with no expense spared. Peking Duck dinner.  BLD

Day 20

Beijing          

Tour Tiananmen Square, then enter the Forbidden City, the great palace that housed 24 successive emperors and their thousands of courtiers, eunuchs, concubines and slaves. Continue to Jinshan Park, the imperial gardens, for panoramic views. BL

Day 21

London        

Fly from Beijing to London with British Airways. B