Grand Tour of China

Day 1 Fly overnight from London Heathrow to Beijing. Day 2 Transfer to the 4-star Radisson Blu Hotel for a stay of three nights. (D) Day 3 Visit the Forbidden City and Tian An Men Square, then the Summer Palace with a short lake cruise. (B, L) Day 4 Visit the Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall at Mutianyu. Peking Duck dinner. (B, L, D) Day 5 Travel by high-speed train to Pingyao (4 hrs). Visit Shuanglin Temple. Spend two nights at the historic special-category (4-star equivalent) Yunjincheng Hotel. (B, D) Day 6 Full-day tour of Pingyao's old town including the city wall. (B, L) Day 7 Travel by train to Xian (3 hrs). Transfer to the 4-star Titan Times Hotel for two nights. (B) Day 8 Visit the Terracotta Army and Great Wild Goose Pagoda. Shadow Puppet play and later, Dumpling dinner and show at Shaanxi Opera House. (B, L, D) Day 9 Fly to Shanghai and visit Nanjing Road and the Bund. Transfer to the 5-star Hotel Sunrise on the Bund for three nights. (B) Day 10 Visit the Yu Garden, old town area, Jade Buddha Temple and Shanghai Museum. Evening acrobatic show. (B, L, D) Day 11 Optional day excursion to Hangzhou by high-speed train. Visit the West Lake, Six Harmonious Pagoda, Meijiawu Tea Garden and the former residence of Mr Hu Xueyan. (B) Day 12 Travel by high-speed train to Suzhou. Visit the Garden of the Master of the Fishing Nets and Lingering Garden, take a boat ride on the canals and visit a silk factory. Overnight at the 4-star Aster Hotel. (B, L) Day 13 Fly to Yichang and transfer to the MV Century Paragon for a four-night cruise. (B, D) Day 14 Pass through Xiling Gorge and the Three Gorges Dam lock. Visit the dam project site. (B, L, D) Day 15 An excursion to the Shennong/Shennv stream or Lesser Gorges. Cruise through the Wu Gorge and Qutang Gorge. (B, L, D) Day 16 Continue cruising and visit Shibao Pagoda. (B, L, D) Day 17 Arrive in Chongqing. Disembark and visit the old town. Continue to Chengdu by fast train for two nights at the 5-star Minshan Hotel. Evening Sichuan Opera. (B, D) Day 18 Visit the Panda Breeding Research Centre, home to more than 50 pandas, and Jinli Street. (B, L) Day 19 Fly to Guilin for overnight at the 4-star Guilin Bravo Hotel. A half-day cruise on the scenic Li River. (B, L) Day 20 Visit the Reed Flute Caves. Fly to Hong Kong for two nights at the 4-star Kowloon Hotel or 5-star Harbour Grand Hong Kong. (B, L) Day 21 A tour of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, including the historic Victoria Peak funicular, a sampan ride, a crossing by star ferry and a tram ride. Day 22 Late evening overnight flight to London. Day 23 Arrive Heathrow in the morning.