Splendors of China
September 3 - 15, 2010
$2,990* 

Dreams will come true and everlasting memories will be created as you discover Majestic China with its rich history, exotic architecture and breathtaking landscape!

Tour Highlights

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Day 1 - Friday, September 3: Depart Home

Depart from home town on flight to Bejing, China.

Day 2 - Saturday, September 4: Arrive  Beijing

Plan to arrive at the Bejing airport in the morning where you will be met and transferred to our hotel. Our singles tour begins late this afternoon.

Walk in the footsteps of Emperors in Tiananmen Square; gaze across the vast space to the Great Hall of the People and stand before the massive Tiananmen (Heavenly Peace) Gate. Visit the Monument to the People's Heroes, the Great Hall of the People and Mao Zedong Memorial Hall.

Watch the sunset national flag ceremony at Tiananmen Square, soldiers of the guard of honor come through the gate of Tiananmen Tower, south of the Forbidden City. It isn't long before the music plays the Chinese National Anthem while they ceremoniously lower the flag.

Day 3 - Sunday, September 5:   Beijing

A trip to China would not be complete without viewing the Pandas. So let's pay an early morning 45 minute visit to the Bejing Zoo. The zoo contains a diverse collection of animals, a number of exhibition halls and some sites of historical interest. The zoo is home to around 450 different species and has a population of some 5,000 animals.

Walking shoes today are needed as we explore the fascinating Forbidden City. Magnificent marble courtyards, huge halls, gilded temples and ornate pavilions are a masterpiece of architectural history. The Forbidden City (also known officially as the Imperial Palace Museum) was commissioned by the third Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. The palace was built between 1406 and 1420, but was burnt down, rebuilt, sacked and renovated countless times. The Forbidden City was the seat of Imperial power for 500 years, and is now a major tourist attraction. The total area of the complex is 183 acres, so it takes quite a while to walk through, especially if you want to have a close look at everything. All together there are 9,999 1/2 rooms in the Museum, not all of which can be visited.

After lunch we visit the Summer Palace with its beautiful ornamental plantings, languid willows and painted pavilions surrounding a scenic lake. Located in a northwest suburb of Beijing, the Summer Palace was originally a royal garden and a temporary dwelling palace for emperors of Qing Dynasty, It’s hardly surprising that, during the hot Beijing summers, the Imperial Family preferred the beautiful gardens and airy pavilions of the Summer Palace to the walled-in Forbidden City.

This evening a traditional Peking Duck Dinner completes a very special day. 

Day 4 - Monday, September 6: Beijing - Great Wall

Another Highlight Day - the Great Wall of China! We drive north to the mountains outside Bejing to stroll the ramparts of China’s famed Great Wall at Mutianyu. Among the orchards and pines the Great Wall was built and reconstructed to keep out the Normadic tribes to the North. Mutianyu section of the Great Wall is linked to the Gu Bei Kou section on the east and the Badaling section on the west. It was used to serve as the northern barrier defending the capital and the imperial tombs.

Why walk up when we can take a cable car. There are two cable cars that will take us to the top of Mutianyu Great Wall. At Cable One stop you can take a walk down to the lower car, or up as high as you can to the point where the Wall renovation has stopped. Cable Two will take us up to the top of the Wall, to the East and at a lower elevation than the first. The platforms in this area offer a wonderful view of the wall. as well as access to Zheng Guan Tai gate which is the most famous and most striking of the Mutainyu gates. 

Why walk down when you can slide!!  There is a tobaggon run which is a fun fast way to come off the Wall when  we are done walking the Wall and taking all the photos we want.

Hungry? Watch your lunch being prepared before your very eyes. The longer the noodle, the longer one can expect to live, as told by Chinese custom - so how long will your noodle be!

A quick photo opportunity at the Olympic Stadium before we arrive back at our hotel.

To visit the Night Market is great fun, try out a variety of your favorite food items and take some great photos. You will find vendors screaming to attract customers towards their stall in this noisy market.

Day 5 - Tuesday, September 7: Beijing-Xi’an

This morning we visit the Temple of Heaven one of the most holy places in China for more than five centuries. It was used as a complex of sacrificial buildings for the Ming and Qing emperors, and is one of the largest Beijing royal altars to Heaven, Earth, the Sun, the Moon and other deities or symbolic forces of Nature.

Climb aboard a rickshaw for a fascinating tour of Beijing’s old Hutong district. Ride along an intricate maze of narrow alleys, old houses and hidden courtyards. You can find an old man walking his bird, a housewife bargaining with the vegetable market and children frolicking in a kindergarten. It is a true moment in Beijing daily life.

Then we are transferred to the airport for our flight to Xi’an. Upon landing we are met and transferred to our hotel.

The Xi'an Bell and Drum Tower mark the center of the ancient capital. The wooden Bell Tower, which is the largest and best-preserved of its kind in China, is 118 feet high and stands on a brick base 116.4 feet long and 28.2 feet high on each side. The Drum Tower is located northwest of the Bell Tower. Both are called the 'sister buildings' or 'morning bell and dark drum'.

Tonight let's explore Xian's night market, a large shopping district made up of small lanes and alleys. The buildings are built in the architectural style of the Qing dynasty, and are quite colorful. Many vendors and peddlers set up booths along the narrow streets to sell local crafts and foods. There are also many tea houses where you can relax, have a cup of tea, and people watch.

Day 6 - Wednesday, September 8: Xi’an

A highlight of our tour is the remarkable archaeological site where the Terracotta Warriors, who guarded the tomb of China’s great unifier and first emperor Qinshuang, was discovered. Found by local farmers, so far over 700 warriors, 100 chariots, and 400 horses have been excavated from four pits.

What makes the Terracotta warriors in Xi'an so amazing is that each one is life size and unique. Each soldier was armed with a real bronze weapon and face, clothing and hairstyles had individual characteristics. . The charioteers had fully functional wooden chariots pulled by terracotta horses. Archers, spearmen, infantry, and generals have been excavated. When new, each soldier was covered with paint and had the appearance of a real living man.

Optional Tonight: Enjoy Dinner and the Tang Dynasty Show

Day 7  - Thursday, September 9:   Xi’an - Chongqing

Imagine what life would have been like for Xian's past citizens as you take a morning stroll or bike ride along its massive City Wall. The current six hundred year old wall is the most intact ancient City Wall in China.

Today we fly to Chongqing, the starting point for our Yangtzee Cruise. We will be met at the airport and begin an orientation tour of Chongqing, At first glance, the People's Assembly Hall looks like the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Experience the hall in the early evening when nearby Chongqing People's Square is bustling and thriving. The square is a relaxing casual attraction with a musical fountain and evergreen meadow. The hall roof is adorned with multicolor neon lights providing splendid night photo opportunities.

After dinner (not included) in a local restaurant we will board our luxury cruise, the Victoria Katrina and depart Chongqing.

Day 8 - Friday, September 10: Yangtzee Cruise

For many people, cruising the famous Yangtze River is a lifelong dream. At 3,915 miles it is the third longest river in the world, made famous by its spectacular Three Gorges, and the Three Gorges Dam. To cruise from Chongqing to Yichang is to see and experience all of the most interesting and spectacular highlights of the river. The waters cut through the Wushan Mountains, the river course narrows and the waters become turbulent. Sheer cliffs and steep mountains rise on either side, creating one of nature’s most fantastic sights.

Fengdu is where the devil lives, according to Chinese legend. They say that spirits go to heaven, and evil goes to Fengdu. The town is overlooked by Ming Shan Hill, home of Tianzi, the King of the Dead. The whole place has an eerie feel to it with deserted streets, tower blocks, empty shops and banks. The only people here are those who make a living from visiting cruise boats.

Enjoy the evening entertainment onboard.

Day 9 -Saturday, September 11:   Yangtze Cruise

The Three Gorges stretch for 120 miles. Along the Gorges are many historic sites such as Baidi City, cliff inscriptions, suspended coffins of the Ba Tribe, tombs of the Han Dynasty (prior to 220 AD), and battlefields from the three kingdoms period. Monkeys, mandarin ducks and other water birds can be seen loitering on big boulders in this area.

One of nature's most extraordinary sculptures had been carved along the Yangtze river from Fengjie, Szechuan Province in the east; the San Xia (Three Gorges) - Qutang Xia, Wu Xia, and Xiling Xia. The first of these three masterpieces, Qutang Xia (Qutang Gorge), is the shortest, narrowest, and most dramatic. Two mountains, Chijia Shan (Red Passage) and Baiyan Shan (White Salt), guard the entrance to this gorge like giant castle doors.

Below Wushan is the 25-mile long Wu Xia (Witches Gorge), with cliffs so sheer that the sun barely penetrates the precipices. This middle gorge is best known for twelve unique peaks. Often hidden in swirls of mist, six line the north side of the river and six staggared peaks stand to the south. The most famous, Shennu Feng (Goddess Peak), resembles a kneeling maiden. The final gorge, Xiling Xia (Xiling Gorge), is the longest and the deepest - its cliff walls rise to 4,000 feet. It is actually comprised of seven smaller gorges, whose varied names - Military Books and Precious Sword, Rice Granary, Ox Liver and Horse Lungs, Yellow Ox, Bright Moon, Lantern Shadow, and Yellow Cat- are all based upon ancient legends. At its eastern end are the three locks of the current "big dam" Gezhouba (Gezhou Dam).

Climb into a sandpan and take excursion through the Daning River Small Gorges, which are narrower than the Three Gorges, but very impressive. Enter Xiling Gorge, the longest, and the deepest of the Three Gorges.

In the evening, sail through the Three Gorges Dam ship locks then enjoy the evening entertainment onboard.

Day 10 - Sunday, September 12:  Yichang - Shanghai

This morning we will tour the Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric complex in the world. The Three Gorges Dam towers 600 feet high and stretches over 1.5 miles. The reservoir created by the dam extends nearly 400 miles upstream. The project consists of a river dam, spillway structures, powerhouse, and buildings for navigation.

Upon docking in Yichang we will be transferfed to the airport for our flight to Shanghai where we will be met and driven to our hotel.  The group will meet for an optional dinner in a local restaurant.

Day 11 - Monday, September 13:   Shanghai

Shanghai, the largest city in China, is an amazing mix of the ancient and hi-tech western civilization. It is a multi-cultural metropolis with both modern and traditional Chinese features. Capture the essence of new and old China and experience the centuries of culture and history as we explore Shanghai together.

Walk along the famous Bund past the facades of the colonial buildings lining the Huangpu River and gaze across to the fantastic skyscrapers of the Pudong District on the opposite side. As we cross the Huang River view the Bund from this floating vantage point, see 80-100 year old buildings with diverse architectural styles: Gothic, Baroque, and Romanesque.  Next ascend the Shanghai World Financial Center Observatory Tower, one of the world’s tallest buildings, for an astonishing view over the entire city.

Yu Garden, a classical garden in downtown Shanghai, boasts a history over 400 years. Each pavilion, hall, stone and stream in the garden is expressing the quintessence of South China landscape design from Ming and Qing Dynasty. Over forty spots, divided by dragon walls, wound corridors and beautiful flowers, form an unique picture featuring one step, one beauty; every step, every beauty

Shanghai is rich in jewish heritage past. Visit the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum (former Ohel Moishe Synagogue) which is the memorial hall for the Jewish refugee in Shanghai and the Huoshan Park where stands a Monument which is also for the memory of the Jewish Refugees.

Our evening begins by attending a must-see performance by the award winning Shanghai Acrobats. Witness incredible feats of skill and grace in this world-class acrobatics show. Afterward catch a magical view of Shanghai at night.

Day 12 - Tuesday, September 14:   Shanghai

Today is our opportunity to explore the World Expo 2010 Shanghai China.

World Expo 2010 Shanghai China is the occasion for China to bring the world at home, and for the world to feel at home in China. By dedicating a 5.28-square-kilometer area at the core of the city to exhibitions, events and forums on the Expo theme, "Better City, Better Life," Shanghai hopes to build a powerful and lasting pilot example of sustainable and harmonious urban living.

After a long day at the expo it will be nice to relax over a farewelll dinner with new friends.

Day 13 - Wednesday, September 15:   Depart Shanghai

After our final breakfast together, we will be transferred to the airport for our flights home. Our singles tour of China is at an end.  Zai Jian China!