China and Hong Kong

The Great Wall is one of the Great Wonders of the World. Built over 2000 years ago, it snakes its way across the mountains for 3,600 miles. After a stroll on the Great Wall we return to Beijing to see the National Stadium (Bird’s Nest of the Olympic games) and to visit the Temple of Heaven. This evening we enjoy a Kungfu Martial Arts Show.

We fly to Xian, once the largest city in the world. Touring includes the Bell Tower and the Great Mosque. Tonight is a special dumpling dinner.

Today we see an incredible sight - the Buried Sculpture Legend of Qin Shi Huang. For his protection in the after-life this emperor of 2,200 years ago buried with him 6,000 life-sized clay figures of warriors and horses. This amazing archaeological find was uncovered just 40 years ago. Tonight enjoy a spectacular performance of Tang Dynasty dances.

After a morning at leisure we fly to Hangzhou. The city curves along lovely West Lake, with graceful pagodas dotting the shore.

We begin with a cruise on tranquil West Lake and a stroll among lakeside pagodas and gardens. We then visit a tea village where you can help the farmers with their harvest, see how tea is dried then served in a formal tea ceremony. Later we visit the 4th-century Lingyin Temple, a monastery that houses a 60-foot wooden statue of the Buddha.

This morning we visit the fascinating Traditional Medicine Museum, which houses hundreds of odd objects related to traditional Chinese remedies. Later we board the bullet train for a scenic journey to Shanghai.

Our city tour begins at the Bund (known as China’s “Wall Street”). We then visit the Old Shanghai Quarter (Temple of the City God) and Garden of Mandarin Yu Yuan - built in 1577 it contains pools, a tea house and a ceremonial zigzag bridge. This evening we enjoy an acrobatic performance.

We visit the ancient water town of Zhujiajiao. The town glimmers like a bright pearl in a landscape of lakes and mountains and is known for its bubbling streams shaded by willow trees, houses with attractive courtyards and unique old bridges. In the afternoon we visit the impressive Shanghai Museum featuring ancient arts.

A morning at leisure in Shanghai before we fly to Yichang and board our deluxe ship for our Yangtze River Cruise.

This morning we visit the site of the massive new Yangtze Dam, which will raise the water level by more than 200 metres. Then we sail through the Three Gorges ship locks and enter the Xiling Gorge, passing areas with intriguing names such as “Precious Sword Gorge”, “Military Books”, “Ox Liver” and “Horse Lung Gorge”.