12-day Family China Yangtze Cruise Tour

Day 1Arrival in Beijing

Upon arrival in Beijing, your guide will meet your family and escort your family to check in hotel. The rest of the day is for your free relax around the city on your own.

Day 2Beijing

Your today's family tour starts with a morning strolling across the world's grandest city central square, Tiananmen Square, witnessed many historical events and significant celebrations through over 500 years. Then you will enter from its south gate to the Forbidden City, the world's largest palace complex where the emperors and his family had once worked and lived. And then have a overlook of the forbidden city at the top of Jingshan Park.

Go on a visit to Beijing Hutongs - the old lanes and courtyard houses. Take a rickshaw or bike to explore Beijing's charming lanes. The visit to a local family, who've lived in the Hutongs for generations, offers a local perspective of history, and is a highlight of the Hutongs for most.

Options: Peking Opera for night show and Beijing Roast Duck for dinner.

Day 3Beijing

After breakfast, you will pay a morning visit to the world's greatest man-made projects, the Great Wall at Badaling section, set up as a military fortification more than 2,000 years ago. Then vist the Sacred Road of Ming Tomb, and Dingling Tomb, the ancient emperor's mausoleum group of the Ming Dynasty with underground palace.

On the way back to Beijing downtown, you will have a stop for an outside look of two famous Olimpic venues: Bird Nest (National Stadium) and Water Cube (National Aquatics Center).

Day 4Beijing/Xian

After breakfast, your family and you will be driven for a morning visit to the Beijing Zoo filled with animals from China and around the globe, this is a favorite spot of children and will introduce them to China’s native animals.

After that you will then be driven to the station for your bullet train (5 hours) to Xian. When you arrive in Xian your local guide will meet you and your family will be driven to check in your hotel.

Day 5Xian

After breakfast, you will be transfered to visit the incredible Terracotta Warriors. Then visit the Terracotta Warriors factory where your family can learn about how to make terracotta works. In the afternoon, you will go on to Xian Ancient City Wall for a walk, a biking and a bird’s eye view of this ancient capital.

Day 6Xian/Chongqing

After a morning visit to Shaanxi History Museum. You will then be driven to the airport for your flight to Chongqing. Upon your arrival in Chongqing, your local guide will meet you. When it is time to board your Yangtze River cruise ship, your guide will take you to the docks.

Day 7Yangtze Cruise

This morning you and your family will have an orientation onboard ship, and if you wish you can attend lectures about Chinese culture, history, and traditional medicine. Later in the day you will visit the Fengdu Ghost City. The city is located on a mountain overlooking the Yangtze River. It is the center for China's ghost culture and is an extremely interesting series of temple complexes. It is not a scary site and will not frighten children. Then visit Shibaozhai Temple.

Day 8Yangtze Cruise

In the morning your ship will begin to cruise through the first of The Three Gorges. You and your family will visit the Shennong Stream on this day. You will board smaller boats to cruise down the stream. Mountains steeply rise on either side of your boats and the area is filled with exotic flora and fauna. It is a wonderful trip. Your guide will sing local ethnic minority songs to you during your cruise. In the evening your ship with pass through the massive 5 Stage Ship's Lock, part of the Three Gorges Dam. They are an incredible feat of engineering and it is very interesting to watch your ship pass through them.

Day 9Yichang/Shanghai

In the morning you and your family will disembark to visit the largest hydroelectric dam in the world. The Three Gorges Dam is incredible. From the observation area of the dam, you can learn about the dam's construction and get great photos of the dam itself. You will then head to Yichang, where your guide will meet you and you will be driven to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. When you and your family arrive in Shanghai, your local guide will meet you and you will be driven to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax.

Day 10Shanghai

After breakfast, you will start a full day tour in Shanghai to visit the Shanghai Museum, Town God's Temple, Shikumen and Nanjing Road. Then you will have a bird view of Shanghai city on the top of Jinmao Tower and enjoy coastal sight at the Bund of Shanghai.

Acrobatic performance for night show option.

Day 11Shanghai/Suzhou/Shanghai

After breakfast, will drive to visit the Humble administrator's Garden, the most well-known of Suzhou's four famous gardens. Then visit the No.1 Silk Factory and see the entire process of how silk is produced from silkworm, to finished product. After that you will be driven back to Hangzhou to visit the Pan Gate and for a relax walk on the Pingjiang Street.

After the day tour, you will take a night high speed train (0.5 hour ) from Suzhou to Shanghai. When you arrive in Shanghai, will meet you and transfer you to hotel for rest.

Option: Grand Canal Cruise for 1 hour. The cruise is a nice break from walking and your boat will cruise under stone bridges and past ancient houses and shops.

Day 12Shanghai Departure

You and your family will be free until your guide meet you and you are driven to the airport for your flight back home.