EXPLORE CHINA & TIBET

Arrive at any time and transfer to the hotel. Enjoy a first taste of Chinese cuisine with a Peking Duck welcome dinner.

Visit key sites of Beijing with a tour of the famed Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven.

Take a walk along the 500-year-old Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China. Spend time exploring the towers, views, and the magnificent structure of this unique wonder. In the evening, board an overnight sleeper train to Xi’an.

Arrive early into Xi’an where we enjoy a leisurely bike ride along the ancient city walls. In the evening, visit the vibrant Muslim Quarter and local markets and opt to try some of the best street food in China.

Visit the famed Terracotta Warriors the archaeological wonder built over 2,000 years ago to protect the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. After, visit a local Village for lunch. Opt to enjoy a Tang Dynasty dinner banquet in the evening.

Fly over the Himalayas to Tibet. Settle into our Lhasa hotel, our home for the next 3 nights before setting out on an orientation walk with a local guide through Barkhor Square.

Enjoy a guided visit to the Potala Palace and the Tibetan Medicine Institute to learn more about Tibetan spirituality and culture. Also visit a Tangka Academy to observe this ancient and intricate art form, considered sacred to Buddhist. The works usually depict a deity, scene, or mandala and are tied directly into Buddhist teaching and meditation.

Visit sacred Jokhang Temple and the historic Sera Monastery, one of the great Tibetan Universities famed for its open debates among monks on the Buddhist doctrines. Later take a cooking class with a local chef and make (and eat) Tibetan momo beef dumplings.

Fly to Chengdu and sample the famed and fiery Sichuan cuisine for dinner in the evening.

Visit the Panda Breeding Centre and learn about and observe these gentle animals. Later, catch a train to Chongqing and board a luxury riverboat for the first night on the Yangtze.

Cruise the Yangtze River with daily shore excursions that can include Fengdu, Shibaozhai, or Wanzhou; sailing through Qutang Gorge/Wu Gorge, Daning River Small Gorges, or Shennong Stream, and sailing through Three Gorges dam ship locks. Relax in comfortable cabins and enjoy onboard activities such as tai chi, tea tasting, and Chinese calligraphy classes.

Cruise the Yangtze River with daily shore excursions that can include Fengdu, Shibaozhai, or Wanzhou; sailing through Qutang Gorge/Wu Gorge, Daning River Small Gorges, or Shennong Stream, and sailing through Three Gorges dam shiplocks. Relax in comfortable cabins and enjoy shipboard activities such as tai chi, tea tasting, and Chinese calligraphy classes.

Enjoy a tour of Three Gorges Dam (dependent on river conditions) before flying to Shanghai.

Enjoy free time to explore on your own. Opt to visit Yuyuan Gardens or the Shanghai Museum. Later, get a behind-the-scenes peek at the famed Shanghai acrobats, visiting their training room, interacting with the artists and learning about this ancient tradition, followed by an awe-inspiring performance.

Depart at any time.