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Best of China with Yangtze Cruise
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Length
15 Days
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Quality
This indicates the overall quality of the tour operator's products. A low rating does not mean it is not good - it just means that it does not include as much, or perhaps is of a more standard quality than the higher quality tours. For example, a 3 star quality rating means that it is a more standard/economical tour, while 5 stars is a very luxurious tour that often includes a lot of amenities. -
Starts in
Beijing (China)
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Ends in
Shanghai (China)
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Available Tour Start Dates
MAR 30, 2025 to OCT 12, 2025
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Activity Level
No Rating Provided
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Language
English
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Guaranteed Date(s)
Yes means that there is at least one tour date that the vendor guarantees will occur. No means that there is not at least one tour date that the vendor guarantees will occur, which usually means that the vendor wants a certain amount of reservations on each tour in order for each one to occur. Of course, the terms and conditions of the vendor do allow for the vendor to cancel guaranteed tour dates for certain reasons (for example, a natural disaster).Yes
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Special Interest(s)
Includes Cruise, Sailing and/or Rail
From
Pricing listed is per person, based on double occupancy, and is the least expensive price for at least one departure date of this tour. Price is for the tour only. Additional items, including but not limited to, airfare (unless noted otherwise), travel insurance, and more, are additional.
$7,861.25
Overview
Discover the cityscapes of Beijing and Shanghai, Xi'an's Terracotta Warriors and the rare giant pandas of Chengdu on this mesmerizing encounter with China, which includes a leisurely cruise along the Yangtze River.
Visited During Tour
Beijing (China) | Chengdu (China) | Chongqing (China) | Fengdu County (China) | Shanghai (China) | Xi'An (China) | Yichang (China)
Dates, Offers & Prices
Tour Itinerary
More Details
Dates, Offers & Prices
The following are Best of China with Yangtze Cruise tour dates available from Trafalgar. Select a bonus offer graphic to view its details, including its terms.
Tour Itinerary
Trafalgar Tour Code 411-1173
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Day
1Say Ni hao to China
Journey to the “Northern Capital” – a land of emperors, epic monuments and the cultural heart of China. On arrival in Beijing, you’ll be transferred to your hotel where you can relax before meeting your Travel Director for a welcome drink and appetizers at a local restaurant.
Accommodations: Novotel Peace -
Day
2Journey to the Great Wall
Visit the iconic Great Wall of China at Juyongguan this morning – its stone ramparts and walls snaking thousands of miles into the distance to defend the empire against nomadic invaders since 5th century B.C. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure and this evening for dinner indulge in a Regional Dinner of succulent Peking Duck – a must during any visit to Beijing.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Regional Dinner
Accommodations: Novotel Peace -
Day
3Discover the Icons of Beijing
Surround yourself with the grandeur of Beijing’s landmark Great Hall of the People, Qianmen Gate and the mausoleum of Mao Zedong as you walk through one of the world’s largest public areas, Tiananmen Square. Delve into China’s imperial heritage, passing the south gate into the frozen-in-time Forbidden City – once home to emperors and their households and today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch, indulge in a relaxing foot massage at the Foot Reflexology Center to ease you into an evening at leisure or consider joining an Optional Experience.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Accommodations: Novotel Peace -
Day
4Explore Beijing's Hutong and onwards to Xi'an Connect with Locals
Navigate the ancient alleyways of the courtyard Hutong residences, weaving through lively neighborhoods on the back of a traditional rickshaw. Stop at the home of a local family where you’ll Connect With Locals, enjoying a Be My Guest lunch of traditional Chinese cuisine, then visit a nearby tea house. Here, you’ll delve into the art of chayi, joining a Local Specialist who’ll share first-hand the age-old ritual of tea-making. Leave Beijing behind, bound for Xi’an, an ancient departure point on the Silk Road.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
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Be My Guest
Being a guest in a local home for a meal prepared with love - enjoying an exchange of conversation and a first-hand look into the local life - was a revolutionary concept for group travel just a decade ago. Enter Be My Guest, Trafalgar’s original local travel experience, born from the idea of enhancing human connections between host (the local) and guest (the traveller).
Accommodations: Wyndham Grand Xi'an South -
Day
5Marvel at the legendary Terracotta Warriors Make Travel Matter
Descend into the subterranean tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang to view his legendary army of Terracotta Warriors and Horses, followed by a delicious traditional meal of Chinese noodles. Your final stop today is to a Jade factory where you’ll admire the favored stone of emperors, more precious to the Chinese people than gold.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Accommodations: Wyndham Grand Xi'an South -
Day
6Take the bullet train to Chengdu Dive Into Culture
This morning, your choice of activities gives you an opportunity to join a Local Specialist in their T'ai Chi practice or embark on a cycle tour around part of the ancient City Wall of Xi'an. Get stuck in to the ancient art of dumpling making next, with an opportunity to sample the juicy results for lunch, then transfer to the railway station for your high-speed bullet train trip to Chengdu. On arrival in the hometown of the giant panda, you’ll Check in to your hotel and savor the leisurely pace of local life on your terms.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Accommodations: Rhombus Park Auro -
Day
7See the Giant Pandas of China Make Travel Matter
Witness the ground-breaking work being done by the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding this morning. Join a Local Specialist and learn how this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports the non-profit research breeding facility which rescues and protects the endangered giant panda, of which fewer than 2,000 remain. Afterwards, return to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Accommodations: Rhombus Park Auro -
Day
8Discover the cuisine of Sichuan Dive Into Culture
Indulge in the bold and spicy flavors of local cuisine as you Dive Into Culture and learn about regional cooking practices at the Museum of Sichuan Cuisine. Experience the art of grinding chili into powder using a Qing Dynasty pestle and mortar, and discover ancient kitchenware, books and manuscripts faithfully recording the history of Sichuan culinary cultures. Immerse yourself in the intoxicating scents wafting through Restaurant Alley, pay tribute to the Kitchen God before attempting to create your own culinary magic under the guidance of a local chef. Stomach and soul sated after a delicious encounter with Chengdu, you’ll have an afternoon to relax, explore further or perhaps take the opportunity to do some shopping.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Accommodations: Rhombus Park Auro -
Day
9Board your Yangtze River Cruise
Rub shoulders with the locals during a visit to People’s Park with its beautiful Chinese gardens, lake and tea houses. Gain insights into the day-to-day lives of the locals who spend their free time in tranquil surrounds indulging in a leisurely game of mah-jong, a quiet nap or neck massage. Venture to lively Jinli Old Street next, crossing beneath the imposing archway into a world of intricate handicraft, paintings and calligraphy. Stroll along the narrow street whose façades were modelled on the architectural style of a traditional old town in western Sichuan Province, then transfer to the railway station for a high-speed bullet train ride to Chongqing. Here, you’ll enjoy a city orientation tour with dinner before boarding your Yangtze River Cruise.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: Victoria Jenna, Victoria Sabrina -
Day
10Cruise the Great Yangtze River
Disembark this morning for a short visit to Shibaozhai to admire its 12-storey cliff-top temple, built in the 19th century. Stretch your legs and climb up to the temple, tackling the red pavilion which leans against the side of the steep peak, now an island due to the rising waters of the Three Gorges Dam. Return to the Yangtze, cruising to Fengdu’s ‘Ghost City’ to explore the mystical shrines, temples and monasteries that are dedicated to the afterlife.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations: Victoria Jenna, Victoria Sabrina -
Day
11Sail through the imposing Three Gorges
Connect with your exquisite natural surrounds as you cruise gently down the Yangtze to the imposing Three Gorges. Squeeze through the narrow Qutang Gorge, admiring its dramatic vistas, before your journey takes you through Wu Gorge, renowned for its quiet beauty, forest-clad mountains, and cliffs so sheer the sun barely penetrates their precipices and finally, Xiling Gorge. A small motor boat will ferry you through the magical landscape of the Goddess Stream, a tributary of the Yangtze – its limestone cliffs covered in greenery provide a tranquil backdrop for your relaxing encounter with this mighty river.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations: Victoria Jenna, Victoria Sabrina -
Day
12Onwards to Shanghai Stays With Stories
View the engineering marvel that is the world's largest hydroelectric project, the Three Gorges Dam, before disembarking your cruise ship and transferring to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival into China's biggest city, check into your hotel and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: The Kunlun Jing An -
Day
13Discover Vibrant Shanghai Dive Into Culture
Shanghai’s famous ‘Bund’ waterfront is the first stop on a day of sightseeing with a Local Specialist. Admire the ornate neoclassical colonial buildings and skyscrapers that have sprung up from this former marshland, then Dive Into Culture during a visit to a silk museum. Embrace the tranquillity of the famous Yu Garden next, with its pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters. Then, enjoy some free time for a local lunch of soup dumplings perhaps and shopping in the Old Town, a treasure trove of winding streets and vibrant markets that was once enclosed by the ancient walled city of Shanghai. Our final stop this afternoon is a visit to the Jade Buddha Temple, built in 1928 after the original temple was destroyed during the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. Admire the beauty of its precious jade Buddha statues made out of crystal-clear white jade, before you settle into an evening performance by the world-renowned Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: The Kunlun Jing An -
Day
14More Treasures of Shanghai
Ascend to the 88-storey Jin Mao Tower for panoramic views of the skyscrapers that loom over the most populous city on earth. Then embark on a walking tour with a Local Specialist through the Shanghai French Concession, for an exhilarating encounter with the opulent age of French colonial China. Wander through the narrow alleyways, past elegant villas and apartments dating back to the early 1900s when the territory was proclaimed a French settlement. Later this morning, you’ll see where the First Conference of the Communist Party took place in Xin Tian Di, whose charming antique façades hide a 21st century world of bars, cafés, boutiques and theme restaurants. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure, letting the sights and sounds of Shanghai infuse every sense or consider joining an Optional Experience. Say a fond farewell to newfound friends this evening during a Farewell Dinner.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Farewell Dinner
Accommodations: The Kunlun Jing An -
Day
15Farewell to China
Our epic encounter with China at its end, take a transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
More Details
Trafalgar is informing us of the following additional details regarding their Best of China with Yangtze Cruise tour:
Travelers Notes
* Day 1: Complimentary transfers from Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) or Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) will operate per flight information details on the first day of the tour or in conjunction with pre accommodation booked through Trafalgar. Guests meet for a Welcome Reception on the first day of the tour, it is not recommended to book flights arriving after 16:00. * Day 15: Complimentary transfers to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) or Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) will operate per flight information details on the last day of the tour or in conjunction with post accommodation booked through Trafalgar.* CHINA: Canadian passport holders require a visa for China. Visa must be obtained prior to departure in person through the Chinese Visa Application Centre. We recommend applying 60 days prior to departure. Please see important visa details sent with your invoice. * PLEASE NOTE: Entry to another country may be refused even if the required information and travel documents are complete.* NOTE: This Trip falls under Tour Deposit Level 2. Please refer to the Deposit, Payment and Cancellations policies on our website.
Pricing listed above for tours is per person, in US Dollars, and is based on double occupancy. Pricing may change for other occupancy types. Pricing is based on the last time the vendor electronically sent us pricing data, which varies by vendor (usually occurs overnight or multiple times throughout each day).
Pricing and availability are subject to change and must be confirmed by one of our travel advisors, who can contact the vendor to do so. Intra-vacation air (also referred to as internal air) is usually based on economy class seating (do not assume otherwise, unless explicity noted otherwise) and may be 100% non-refundable at time of final payment. Air quotes (including intra-vacation airfare) may be subject to change until final payment has been received by the vendor. Flight confirmation may be based on availability. Air reservations may not be able to be confirmed until a passport copy is received by the vendor. The following charges are not included in the vacation price unless otherwise noted: airfare to and from the start of your vacation; airline baggage fees including checked and/or excess baggage fees; Federal inspection fees for the Federal U.S. Customs and Immigrations; International Air Transportation tax; agricultural tax; other per person taxes imposed by government entities; airport taxes and fees, including the September 11th Security fee, passenger facility charges, Federal domestic flight segment fees, and U.S. and international arrival and departure and other government-imposed fees added by the airline and applicable at time of booking; port taxes; passports; visas and vaccinations; tips to your Cruise Director, Local Host, driver, Local Guides, and/or ship's crew; gratuities on ferries, trains, and cruise ships; laundry; telephone; minibar; alcohol, beverages, and food outside of the contracted menu as presented at a hotel or restaurant or onboard your vessel (these extra items will be billed to you before leaving the hotel, ship, or restaurant); airport transfers on non-qualifying flights; optional excursions; additional activities and excursions purchased online; porterage at airports and train stations; Travel Protection; and all other items of a personal nature. Itinerary details are provided by the vendor. Vendors may reserve the right to change itineraries, even on existing reservations. There may be instances where the name of a tour contains a tour length in it, but where there is a version of the tour that is a different number of days in length. You can check the true length of a tour by referring to the length value listed in association with that tour. Destination images displayed on this web page, some which are supplied by the related vendor and some which are not, are intended to simply give a general representation of the region of the world being visited during the tour. Such images are not necessarily of the exact areas being visited during the tour. Hotel details (including, but not limited to: rating/class, descriptions, images, amenities and addresses) are provided by Trafalgar. Hotel amenities may be communicated in shorthand by Trafalgar (for example, if "Laundry" is listed that may only mean that the hotel has an optional fee-based service that would allow for your laundry to be done by their staff). We reserve the right to correct errors.