 |
 |
(610) 532-1000 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Worldwide Escorted Bus Tours & River Cruises
Cultural China & Tibet W/ Yangtze W/hong Kong & Mongol
This exciting vacation introduces you to the rich history and cultural treasures of China, Tibet, and Mongolia. Begin your journey with three overnights in vibrant Hong Kong, including a cable car ride up Victoria Peak for panoramic views, a drive to Repulse Bay, and time in the Aberdeen fishing village for a sampan ride on the harbor. On to mainland China, where you’ll marvel at the Three Gorges Dam site on your delightful 4-night Yangtze River cruise, and experience world-famous sites in Shanghai, Xi’an, and Beijing, including the Bund, Yu Yuan Gardens, the Children’s Palace, Dayan Pagoda, Terracotta Warriors, Great Wall, Forbidden City, Imperial Palace, and Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs. High in the Himalayas, explore Lhasa, Tibet’s mystical capital, with visits to the Summer Palace, a local home and monastery, Potala Palace, and Jokhang Temple. Fly to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, where a city tour shows off the sites, you’ll enjoy a Mongolian folklore performance, and inside visits introduce you to the Bogd Khan Winter Palace and Gandan Monastery. Fly to the Gobi Desert and visit Eagle Valley National Park, the largest sand dunes in the region, and a camel breeders camp to learn about the nomadic lifestyle—truly the trip of a lifetime! Notes:- This trip is for travelers who are fit. You will visit regions reaching almost 14,000 ft. in elevation.
- Accommodations in the Gobi Desert are in traditional Mongolian gers with private bathroom and shared shower facilities.
Highlights:
Itinerary:
| Day #1 |
Arrive in Hong Kong, China. Welcome to exciting Hong Kong! Hotel rooms are available for mid-afternoon check-in. (B) |
| Day #2 |
Hong Kong. This morning’s sightseeing begins with a cable car ride up to VICTORIA PEAK for panoramic vistas of this one-of-a-kind port city. Drive by Repulse Bay, a popular beach area, then to the Aberdeen fishing village for a SAMPAN RIDE on the harbor. Next stop is STANLEY MARKET, a narrow street jammed with stalls offering clothing, arts, and crafts. Tonight, consider an optional sunset cruise on Hong Kong’s magnificent harbor. (B) |
| Day #3 |
Hong Kong. Take advantage of a full free day to explore this exciting city. You may wish to join one of our optional excursions to view the giant Buddha on the island of Lantau or to learn about Hong Kong‘s history before the British colonized the area. Shopping is a highlight of Hong Kong with markets, malls, and shops to fit any taste and budget. Your Local Host will be happy to suggest ways to make the most of your day. (B) |
| Day #4 |
Hong Kong–Shanghai. Fly to Shanghai. Welcome to China’s most populous city and center of trade and industry. Hotel rooms are available for mid-afternoon check-in. |
| Day #5 |
Shanghai. Your sightseeing starts at the YU YUAN GARDENS, dating back to the Ming Dynasty. Then, stroll along the Bund, the city’s riverfront boulevard lined with historic buildings, housing, banks, and trade houses. After lunch in a local restaurant, visit the CHILDREN’S PALACE, where talented children study music, dance, and theatre after school. This evening, meet your traveling companions for a welcome dinner followed by a spectacular ACROBATIC SHOW. (B,L,D) |
| Day #6 |
Shanghai–Yichang (Embarkation)–Yangtze River Cruise. Visit the SHANGHAI MUSEUM and a SILK FACTORY before flying to Yichang. Board the Victoria Jenna for a 4-night CRUISE through the breathtaking Three Gorges of the Yangtze. (B,D) |
| Day #7 |
Cruising: Three Gorges Dam Site. This morning, visit the THREE GORGES DAM SITE, where the Chinese progress toward building the largest dam of its kind in the world. After lunch, sail through the Three Gorges ship locks and the Xiling Gorge. (B,L,D) |
| Day #8 |
Cruising: Shennong Stream or Daning River. This morning, disembark for a BOAT EXCURSION down either the Daning River or Shennong Stream, depending on conditions. After lunch, head upstream through the Qutang Gorge, the shortest but most dramatic gorge, and the Wu Gorge, known for its quiet beauty and forest-covered mountains. You can nearly touch the perpendicular walls rising from the riverbanks as your captain negotiates this narrow gap. (B,L,D) |
| Day #9 |
Cruising: Wanxian or Shibaozhai or Fengdu. Depending on river conditions, one of the following shore excursions will be offered: Wanxian, “Gateway to Eastern Szechuan Province,” where you will see an acrobatic show, market, and possibly a school; Shibaozhai with its 400-year-old, 12-story, red wooden pagoda perched high on a cliff; or Fengdu, where you’ll visit Ghost City Temple. (B,L,D) |
| Day #10 |
Cruising: Chongqing (Disembarkation)–Lhasa, Tibet. Bid farewell to your ship’s crew upon arrival in Chongqing, China’s capital during World War II. The city sits high on a hill overlooking the Jialing and Yangtze Rivers. Visit a local ZOO to see pandas before boarding your flight to the holy city of Lhasa, the capital of the mystical Buddhist kingdom of Tibet. The rest of the day is free to rest and adjust to the 14,000-foot altitude. (B,L,D) |
| Day #11 |
Lhasa. This morning, take a brief city tour, then visit the SUMMER PALACE of the Dalai Lama, featuring the largest man-made garden in Tibet. Next, take a special trip to a TIBETAN’S HOME that includes lunch before visiting a typical TIBETAN MONASTERY. The final stop today is a TIBETAN HOSPITAL, where you will learn about traditional Tibetan medicine and therapy. (B,L,D) |
| Day #12 |
Lhasa. Today, visit the imposing POTALA PALACE, once the center of the Tibetan government and the former winter residence of the Dalai Lama. Also, visit one of Tibet’s oldest shrines, JOKHANG TEMPLE, then spend time in the local BAZAAR. The rest of the day is at your leisure. (B,L,D) |
| Day #13 |
Lhasa–Xi’an, China. Today, fly to the city of Xi’an in central China. This evening, enjoy “The Tang Dynasty” DINNER SHOW, featuring a colorful assemblage of classical performances. (B,D) |
| Day #14 |
Xi’an. One of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world when China dominated the silk trade, Xi’an today is an archaeological treasure trove. Sightseeing begins with the nearby DAYAN PAGODA, built in 652 AD, followed by a LACQUER WORKSHOP. Next, visit the enormous tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, accidentally discovered by local farmers in 1974. Marvel at the legion of TERRACOTTA WARRIORS that has been guarding the burial site for 2,000 years. During lunch, enjoy a NOODLE-MAKING DEMONSTRATION by a master chef and learn how Chinese noodles are made by hand. Then, visit the Xi’an City Wall South Gate and learn to write like a local during a traditional Chinese CALLIGRAPHY CLASS. (B,L,D) |
| Day #15 |
Xi’an–Beijing. Today, fly to Beijing, China’s capital city. Enjoy a rickshaw ride through one of Beijing’s HUTONGS, the city’s ancient alleys. Experience life in this historic neighborhood as you are invited into a daycare center and into the courtyard of a family’s home for tea. (B,L) |
| Day #16 |
Beijing. Your full-day sightseeing starts with a visit to the FORBIDDEN CITY and its IMPERIAL PALACE, once the home of China’s great emperors. Nearby is 100-acre TIAN’ANMEN SQUARE, the largest public square in the world. Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant and continue to the former SUMMER PALACE, a complex of pavilions, temples, and galleries set among beautifully landscaped grounds and situated on Kunming Lake. Tonight, experience local culture at the PEKING OPERA, including a behind-the-scenes look at the colorful make-up being applied to the performers. (B,L,D) |
| Day #17 |
Beijing. The GREAT WALL OF CHINA once stretched 4,000 miles across China’s barren northern terrain from the Bohai Sea to the Gobi Desert. Head north to a village where the Great Wall is well preserved and walk along the wall to enjoy sweeping vistas of this mammoth fortress. Then, visit a CLOISONNÉ WORKSHOP and see local artisans use the techniques of this ancient art form to turn pieces of copper into colorful decorative items. After lunch in a local restaurant, take a leisurely walk down the SACRED WAY of the Ming Tombs and marvel at the impressive hand-carved stone statues. This evening is the perfect finale to a great touring adventure as you’re hosted to a special PEKING DUCK FAREWELL DINNER in a local restaurant. (B,L,D) |
| Day #18 |
Beijing–Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Today, fly to Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia. After some time in the hotel, enjoy a city tour that includes Sukhbaatar Square and Zaisan Hill, offering sweeping views of the city. Next, visit the NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM with a rich collection of exhibits covering the history and people of Mongolia. The last stop is the NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, housing fascinating exhibits that showcase the geography, flora, and fauna of Mongolia, as well as dinosaur fossils excavated from the Gobi Desert. (B,D) |
| Day #19 |
Ulaanbaatar–Gobi Desert. Early this morning, fly to the Gobi Desert. Covering most of southern Mongolia, the Gobi is the world’s fourth-largest desert. Visit EAGLE VALLEY NATIONAL PARK and marvel at stunning mountain scenery and the Gobi Glacier. The Gobi supports more than 300 varieties of flora and fauna and several endangered species, including the Snow Leopard and the Bactrian Camel. (B,L,D) |
| Day #20 |
Gobi Desert. This morning, stop at the largest SAND DUNES in the region en route to Bayan Zag. Here, explore the CEMETERY OF DINOSAURS, where the world’s best-preserved dinosaur skeletons and their petrified eggs were excavated. Then, visit a CAMEL BREEDERS CAMP to learn about the nomadic lifestyle and culture, and to try some traditional food. (B,L,D) |
| Day #21 |
Gobi Desert–Ulaanbaatar. Fly back to Ulaanbaatar early this morning. Upon arrival, visit the BOGD KHAN WINTER PALACE and the GANDAN MONASTERY. With more than 150 monks in residence and numerous temples, it is the most important Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. This evening, enjoy a MONGOLIAN FOLKLORE PERFORMANCE featuring traditional musical instruments, throat singing, and dances. (B,L,D) |
| Day #22 |
Ulaanbaatar–Beijing. Today, return to Beijing and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Perhaps join an optional excursion to the Temple of Heaven. (B) |
| Day #23 |
Beijing. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B) |
Hotels:
SHANGHAI Westin Shanghai (D), YANGTZE CRUISE Victoria Jenna, LHASA Four Points by Sheraton (F), XI’AN Golden Flower (SF), BEIJING Westin Beijing (D), HONG KONG Harbour Grand Kowloon (harbor-view room) (D), MONGOLIA EXTENSION: ULAANBAATAR Ulaanbaatar Hotel (F), GOBI DESERT Three Camel Lodge (BA)
|
Pricing Options:
| Depart US | Land-Only |
|---|
| 04/28/2011 | $5,059.00 | | 05/12/2011 | $5,059.00 | | 05/19/2011 | $5,059.00 | | 06/02/2011 | $4,909.00 | | 09/01/2011 | $5,119.00 | | 09/08/2011 | $5,119.00 | | 09/15/2011 | $5,169.00 | | 09/22/2011 | $5,109.00 |
|
|
|
©2005 Flamingo Travel Group
All Rights Reserved
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|