12 Days Beijing Chengdu Yangtze River Shanghai Tour

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival in Beijing

   Welcome to Beijing, the capital of China. After arriving at Beijing Capital International Airport, your private driver will pick you up at the exit and escort you to the hotel for check-in. (Note: If you land at Beijing Daxing International Airport, additional pick-up fees will be charged.)

   Take a short break at the hotel. You are free to wander around and taste local cuisine for the rest of the day.

   Meal: N/A

   Accommodation: in Beijing

2. Day 2: Beijing City Sightseeing
   Touch Ming Glazed Splendor, Experience Authentic Old Beijing Lifestyle

   After breakfast, your Beijing guide will take you on a cultural journey through time and space in the capital city. Starting from Tian’anmen Square, the world's largest city square, it is a venue for important ceremonies.

   About 5 minutes later, enter the Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum. This ancient wooden palace complex, which is the largest and most well preserved in the world, perfectly interprets the essence of traditional Chinese philosophy and architectural aesthetics with its rigorous central axis symmetrical layout. Walking in this royal palace with nearly 9000 rooms, you will enjoy the resplendent glazed tiles and elaborately carved white marbles, and feel the historical imprint of 24 emperors in the Ming and Qing dynasties living here.

   After lunch, we will take you deep into the Beijing hutongs. Experience the authentic old Beijing lifestyle in the courtyard alleys with green bricks and grey tiles. Or learn traditional skills such as making dumplings and paper cuttings from Hutong residents. If you are interested, you can visit specialty stores and select antique crafts.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Beijing

   

3. Day 3: Hike Beijing’s Great Wall
   Hike on the Most Beautiful Section of the Great Wall

   After breakfast today, you will be transferred to hike on the beautiful Mutianyu Great Wall. Compared to the crowded Badaling Great Wall, Mutianyu is unique for its beautiful natural scenery and well preserved 20 enemy towers. You and your family will take a fully enclosed cable car directly to Enemy Building 14, starting your Great Wall hike from here.

   Strolling westward along the winding city walls, one can encounter different magnificent landscapes at every corner. Climb up to Enemy Building 20 and overlook the breathtaking panoramic view of the Yanshan Mountains. Experience a picnic lunch on the y wall. After the tour, you can choose the exciting toboggan down the wall (children will love it).

   After returning to the city in the late afternoon, we will take you to taste the imperial cuisine - Peking Duck. This delicious dish has been loved by emperors, generals, and ministers since the Southern and Northern Dynasties period. You will watch the chef slice the jujube red, crispy and tender roasted duck on site.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Beijing

   

4. Day 4: Beijing to Chengdu by Flight
   Relax with the Slow-paced Life and Make Panda Postcards

   It's time to say goodbye to Beijing. After breakfast, the driver will send you to the airport to take a flight to Chengdu, the hometown of pandas. After arrival, you will be transported by a private comfortable car to the hotel for a brief rest.

   Then the guide will lead you to the unique Panda Post Office. This is not only an excellent place to purchase cute panda souvenirs, but to make postcards by hand and send them to your friends and family. The ubiquitous panda elements are an ideal background for photography.

   In the afternoon, head to the Chunxi Road commercial district to catch a glimpse of the world's largest panda sculpture. Next, we come to the People's Park, which was founded in 1911. This earliest modern park in China perfectly embodies the essence of Chengdu's "slow life". Walking through the garden, listen the gurgling stream and admire the unique sculptures. The most authentic experience is tasting the Lidded-bowl Tea at a century old tea house, watching locals play mahjong, clearing their ears and other daily activities. After that, we escort you back to the hotel.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Chengdu

   

5. Day 5: Panda Tour in Chengdu
   Encounter Cute Giant and Red Pandas, Glimpse the Shu Civilization

   After breakfast, you will be led to the world-renowned Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Here, you will witness these adorable national treasures lazily gnawing on tender bamboo, basking in the sun, or flexibly climbing trees. The specially designed observation rooms allow kids to closely observe the every move of giant pandas. The professional staff also reveals the living habits of these black and white creatures to you.

   After lunch, transfer to visit the mysterious Jinsha Site Museum. This museum, built on the ruins of the ancient capital city of Shu, houses a large collection of precious cultural relics from the 12th century BC. From the exquisite golden mask to Golden Sun Bird, every exhibit tells the glorious history of ancient Shu civilization.

   In the evening, take a walk along the bluestone pavement of Jinli Street, flanked by Ming and Qing style buildings. The lively atmosphere instantly takes you back to the bustling Chengdu of a thousand years ago.

   Optional: If you want to experience the panda culture in depth, choose to participate in panda volunteer program at Dujiangyan Panda Base where you can prepare food and clean the room for these lovely pandas.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Chengdu

   

6. Day 6: Chengdu to Chongqing by High-speed Train
   Free Exploration of the Mountainous City

   After breakfast, your driver will send you to the train station and take a 1.5-hour high-speed train to the “mountainous city” of Chongqing. After arrival, the local driver will pick you up and take you to the city center.

   In the remaining time, you can explore some highlights of Chongqing on your own, such as Liziba Station, where you can see the scene of light rail passing through residential buildings; Ciqikou Ancient Town offers rich cultural experiences and well preserved Ming and Qing architecture, as well as authentic Chongqing food such as Wanzhou Roast Fish.

   Around 6 pm, the driver will transfer you to Chaotianmen Dock to board the Yangtze River cruise. Spend tonight on the ship. Looking forward to tomorrow's trip!

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: on the Cruise Ship

   

7. Day 7: Yangtze Cruise Activities and Shore Excursion
   Practice Tai Chi, Climb a Nail-free Wooden Pagoda

   In the morning, as the first ray of sunshine falls on the Yangtze River, your wonderful cruise begins. Follow Tai Chi master on the deck to practice flowing moves, allowing the body and mind to be perfectly stretched. Then, a cultural expert will tell you about the thousands of years of civilization inheritance in the Yangtze River Basin. During the cruise, you can enjoy a cup of coffee, while admiring the picturesque scenery on both sides.

   After lunch, we will explore the twelve-storey Shibaozhai onshore, known as the "pearl on the Yangtze River". This wooden pagoda, built against the cliff, is entirely constructed of wood, without a single nail. Walking up to its top, one can capture a magnificent view of the Yangtze River.

   If you want to experience a more unique culture, you may want to go to the mysterious Fengdu Ghost City (optional, at your own expense), where various legends about the underworld are passed down.

   After nightfall, a grand welcoming banquet and joyful deck party will bring a perfect end to this fulfilling day.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

   Accommodation: on the Cruise Ship

   

8. Day 8: Three Gorges Adventure
   Navigate through Picturesque Pristine Shennv Stream

   When you wake up, you can enjoy the essence of the Yangtze River landscape - the Three Gorges. The towering peaks and turbulent rivers form a magnificent scenery. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast on the cruise ship.

   The cruise ship sails towards the pristine Shennv Stream. We switch to a smaller boat and navigate through picturesque waterways surrounded by lush vegetation. You also have the opportunity to watch traditional music, dance, and costume performances of the local Tujia ethnic group.

   For those interested in optional activities (for an additional fee), you can explore White Emperor City, the best location for Kui Gate scenery in Qutang Gorge. The back of the 10 RMB is printed with the scenery of Kui Gate. There is a famous historical allusion here, where Liu Bei entrusted his son to Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮).

   Afterward, return to the ship to enjoy lunch and relax. Get ready for the Captain's Farewell Party tonight.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner

   Accommodation: on the Cruise Ship

   

9. Day 9: Yichang to Shanghai by High-speed Train
   ‌Witness Three Gorges Dam's Record-breaking Scale and Views

   After breakfast, get your luggage ready. Your guide will take you off the ship to see the Three Gorges Dam, the biggest hydroelectric project in the world, 2,308 meters long and 185 meters tall. There are three main places to visit. Tangziling is the best spot to view the dam. The 185 Observation Deck on the left side of the dam is the same height as the dam itself, which is why it’s called that. Commemorative Park is further down the Yangtze River and is a great place to take wide photos of the whole dam.

   After the visit, take the bus to Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal. A local driver will then escort you to Yichang East Railway Station for a high-speed train to Shanghai.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Shanghai

   

10. Day 10: Shanghai City Exploration
    Trace Shanghai's Past, Touch Its Sky, Wander Gardens

    Good morning. Meet your Shanghai guide and driver at your hotel lobby and then they will transfer you to visit Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall. This place show thehistorical changes, future development, and overall planning of Shanghai. Through multimedia technology, the exhibition hall vividly demonstrates the urban evolution of Shanghai since its opening in 1843.

    Later, ascend the Shanghai World Financial Center for a panoramic view of the city. You will marvel at the skyline and the Huangpu River. After that, taste the Cantonese cuisine lunch specially arranged for you.

    In the afternoon, have a leisurely visit to the Jiangnan-style Yu Garden. It features elegant pavilions, koi-filled ponds, and traditional Chinese architecture. You will also stroll through the adjacent Yuyuan Market for local snacks and small souvenirs. Then, take a walk to the Bund. As the sun sets, the pointed Gothic roofs and rounded Baroque domes create a beautiful skyline.

    Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

    Accommodation: in Shanghai

    

11. Day 11: Free Day in Shanghai
    You Choose: Water Town, Suzhou Gardens, or West Lake's Poetry

    Today is a flexible day in Shanghai. You can choose how to spend it. Visit the beautiful Zhujiajiao Water Town, or take a side trip to Hangzhou or Suzhou. Another option is to wander through Shanghai’s old streets and maybe learn a few words in the local Shanghainese dialect.

    Zhujiajiao Water Town, in Shanghai’s Qingpu District, is one of the best-preserved old water towns in the Jiangnan area. It’s known for its old buildings, pretty views, handmade crafts, and tasty local food.

    Suzhou is famous across China for its classical gardens, like the Humble Administrator’s Garden and Tiger Hill.

    Hangzhou is known for West Lake and offers both natural beauty and cultural spots, such as Lingyin Temple and Meijiawu Tea Plantation.

    Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

    Accommodation: in Shanghai

    

12. Day 12: Shanghai Departure

    Make the most of your final morning in Shanghai by taking it easy and relaxing. Later, your driver will take you to the airport or train station for your trip home or to your next stop. This is the end of your 12-day China family tour with Yangtze River cruise tour.

    Meal: Breakfast

    Accommodation: N/A