Essentials - 28 days

Day 1 Arrive Shanghai

On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Day 2 Shanghai

Learn about Shanghai's history through the architecture of the Bund, the French Concession, Pudong and other districts. Visit up-and-coming neighbourhoods filled with art galleries, design shops and stylish new restaurants. Later visit the beautifully maintained Yu Garden, an outstanding example of a classical garden dating from the 16th century, and explore the bustling market area which now surrounds it; ascend the Minshan Tower, one of the world’s tallest buildings, for an astonishing view over the whole city, before visiting the renowned Shanghai Museum.

Day 3 Hangzhou

Visit serene Hangzhou and enjoy private touring around beautiful West Lake, local tea plantations, Buddhist caves and other cultural highlights.

Days 4-5 Huangshan

You transfer to Huangshan by cable car. This world famous range, with its jungle of lofty granite peaks, is one of China’s most famous sights.

Day 6 Huangshan-Beijing

You travel by car to Tunxi airport for your flight to Beijing. On arrival you transfer to your hotel.

Days 7-9 Beijing

During in-depth private touring in Beijing, explore the splendours of the imperial palaces- Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven;  Travel by rickshaw down the narrow hutongs (lanes) of a traditional residential neighbourhood.

One day, take an excursion to a stunning section of the Great Wall with a stop for lunch at Commune by the Great Wall.

Dine on traditional specialties at favourite family-run restaurants, and enjoy reservations at Beijing's most acclaimed restaurants. Visit markets specializing in pearls, silk, food and furniture, and, if desired, explore new art gallery districts that showcase the city's burgeoning contemporary art scene.

Days 10-11 Xian

Private transfer and flight to Xian.

The ancient capital of Xian is a major stop on the Silk Road. See the famed Terracotta Warriors and the massive city walls. Explore a local night market and the lively streets of the Muslim Quarter. Dine on dumplings, a local specialty. Visit the important Big and Small Goose Pagodas. Tour the impressive Shaanxi Provincial History Museum and the Forest of Stele, a fascinating library of tall stone tablets.

Days 12-13 Guilin

Next, fly to Guilin, home to some of China's most breathtaking scenery. Cruise the Li River to Yangshuo, China's most beautiful river journey - passing through a storied landscape of limestone peaks and rice paddies. From Yangshuo, take a motorized rickshaw tour along the backroads of this picturesque region, exploring local villages with your private guide and driver.

Days 14-16 Lijiang

Continue to China's rural, southwestern Yunnan Province. Spend 3 nights at luxury resort in Lijiang - one of China's best-preserved traditional towns, located in the foothills of the Himalayas. Tour the cultural and scenic highlights of the region: Visit minority villages, see ancient Buddhist frescoes, attend a Naxi musical concert, browse the shops and charming streetslining canals in town, and visit monasteries and beautiful parks at the base of the mountains.

Day 17 Lijiang-Shangri-La

You experience a spectacular, all day drive alongside the Yangtze to Shangri-La. On the way you visit the awesome Tiger Leaping Gorge. With a drop of 3900 metres it is said to be the world's deepest gorge.

Day 18 Shangri-La

In Shangri-La, private day trip to Sungtzeling Monastery, a Tibetan village and the old quarter of Zhongdian.

Days 19-21 Lhasa

During your stay in Lhasa, with your expert guide and driver, explore Lhasa, the capital of Tibet and a city steeped in Buddhist spirituality and Tibetan traditions. Visit Lhasa’s most compelling sights, including Potala Palace, the fortress-like Buddhist complex that towers over the city. Tour the most interesting parts of the palace and monastery compound, which is the historic seat of the Dalai Lama. Also, visit ancient Jokhang Temple, the most sacred temple in Tibet and an important and lively pilgrimage site for Tibetan Buddhists, who come to prostrate themselves, spin prayer wheels, and see a revered, life-size sculpture of the Buddha as a boy. If desired, also enjoy a private trek to the DrakYerpa caves.

Additional activities in and around Lhasa can be arranged according to your interests, such as private meditation sessions, visits to homes, guided hikes, visits to important monasteries outside Lhasa, and more.

Days 22-23 Chengdu

You fly to Chengdu where you experience one of the most unique and special moments on this trip – a visit to see the pandas. Sichuan Province is home to China’s most celebrated creature. Find a spot in the shade at a teahouse, observe the local people’s customs and we will experience a 200 year old Sichuan.

Day 24 Chengdu-Chongqing

Travel to the enormous modern city of Chongqing by bullet train. Chongqing is an industrial and commercial hub of an independent municipality with a population of over 30 million.
Here you will board your luxurious Yangtze River cruise ship-Yangtze Explorer for next 3 nights.

Days 25-26 Yangtze Cruise

You cruise the famous Yangtze River in a superbly appointed cruise ship as it winds its way through the spectacular scenery of the Three Gorges. For many people, a cruise along this famous river is a lifelong dream. At 6300km, the Yangtze is the third longest river in the world, made famous today by its spectacular Three Gorges and the controversial Three Gorges Dam. The mist-shrouded landscape of the Yangtze Gorges is as lovely as a traditional Chinese painting. Along the way you stop and visit interesting places.

Day 27 Arrive Yichang-Shanghai

You disembark Yichang and private transfer to the airport for flight to Shanghai.

Day 28 Depart Shanghai

You transfer to the airport for your onward flight.