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Best of China with Yangtze Cruise
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Length
14 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 29, 2026 to OCT 13, 2027
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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
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.
$6,357.35
Overview
Travel through China on this Small Group tour, moving between cities and river landscapes by high-speed train, rickshaw and a cruise along the Yangtze. In Beijing you’ll walk the Great Wall, explore the Forbidden City and share a Be My Guest experience with a local family. A Small Group Exclusive tea session in a hutong tea house lifts the lid on Chinese tea culture. In Xi’an you’ll see the Terracotta Warriors, then in Chengdu visit the panda base and learn Sichuan recipes at a cuisine museum. Your journey finishes in Shanghai where you see the Bund, take in the views from Jin Mao Tower and stay at a Stays with Stories hotel in Jing An.
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 411-2238
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Day
1Say Ni Hao to China
Welcome to Beijing, China’s political and cultural heart and home to over 21 million people. After landing you’ll transfer to your hotel and meet your Travel Director and fellow small group travelers. This evening you come together for dinner of typical northern Chinese dishes.
- Meals Included:
- Dinner
Accommodations: Novotel Peace -
Day
2Discover the Icons of Beijing
Join your small group and Travel Director for a city tour. You’ll stand in Tiananmen Square, see the Great Hall of the People and walk through the gates of the Forbidden City. Later you visit the Temple of Heaven and see how locals use the surrounding park. This evening is free. You might ride the subway to explore the city further, browse Wangfujing’s snack street or walk past the illuminated landmarks along Chang’an Avenue. Or you may choose an Optional Experience to see the Legend of Kung Fu Show.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Novotel Peace -
Day
3Journey to the Great Wall
This morning you’ll join your Travel Director to walk a section of the Great Wall of China, then visit a jade workshop to see how craftsmen cut and polish this prized stone. The afternoon is free in Beijing. You might visit the Summer Palace or climb Jingshan Park for views across the city. Or you could choose an Optional Experience traditional foot massage, rooted in Chinese reflexology and popular in Beijing after long days on your feet. In the evening you’ll share a Peking duck dinner, the city’s signature imperial dish. After dusk, join your Travel Director for a stroll through Qianmen night market.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: Novotel Peace -
Day
4Explore Beijing’s Hutong and Onwards to Xi’An
You’ll ride by rickshaw through Beijing’s hutong lanes to see traditional courtyard homes, then enjoy a Small Group Exclusive visit to a small tea house for an introduction to Chinese tea. Later you’ll join a local family for a Be My Guest experience and taste home-style Beijing dishes. In the afternoon you board a high-speed train to Xi’an and watch the landscape change outside your window. This evening is free. You might walk the ancient city walls, visit the Drum and Bell towers or try Xi’an’s famous dumplings, or choose an Optional Experience walk through the Muslim Quarter night market with tastings and local beer.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Accommodations: Wyndham Grand Xi'an South -
Day
5Marvel at the legendary Terracotta Warriors Make Travel Matter
You’ll travel outside Xi’an to see the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, standing in silent ranks after more than two thousand years. On the way back towards the city you’ll stop for a Chinese noodle lunch, tasting one of the region’s staple dishes. Later, visit the Wild Goose Pagoda and its surrounding temple complex, an important landmark on the old Silk Road. This evening is free. Take a chance to relax at the hotel or grab some food with your fellow Small Group travelers, or choose an Optional Experience Tang Dynasty Show with dinner.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Accommodations: Wyndham Grand Xi'an South -
Day
6Take the bullet train to Chengdu Dive Into Culture
Start your day right with a Dive into Culture experience, joining a Local Specialist for a tai chi lesson in a city park and learning the slow, focused movements locals practise every day. Later, board a high-speed train to Chengdu. After arrival and hotel check-in the afternoon is free. You might visit People’s Park for tea, wander Kuanzhai Alley or Jinli Ancient Street, or try classic Sichuan dishes in a local restaurant. In the evening you can explore at your own pace or choose an Optional Experience Sichuan Opera performance, with music, costume and the famous face-changing scenes.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Rhombus Park Auro -
Day
7See the Giant Pandas and Discover the Cuisine of Sichuan Make Travel Matter
You’ll visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding with a Local Specialist on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, seeing how teams care for these endangered animals as you watch pandas rest, play and feed in leafy enclosures. Later you’ll head to the Sichuan Cuisine Museum for a Dive into Culture cooking class. You’ll learn to balance bold Sichuan flavors as you chop, stir-fry and season classic dishes, then sit down together with your Small Group to enjoy the dinner you’ve helped prepare.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: Rhombus Park Auro -
Day
8Discover the cuisine of Sichuan Dive Into Culture
You’ll start the day with a walk through Chengdu’s People’s Park, passing Chinese gardens, the lake and busy tea houses where locals spend their free time. Later you’ll take the train to Chongqing. Join a city orientation with your Travel Director, stopping for a photo at Liziba, where the monorail runs straight through a residential building, before walking through the Jiefangbei area around Kuixinglou and Daijiaxiang. In the evening you’ll see Hongyadong lit up above the river then sit down to a Chongqing hotpot dinner at a local restaurant. Afterwards you’ll board your Yangtze River cruise, settle into your cabin and step out on deck to see the city lights along the river before your journey upstream.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: Victoria Cruise Anna -
Day
9Cruise the Great Yangtze River
Take a shore excursion to Mountain Shuanggui near Fengdu. Depending on river conditions, an alternate excursion may be substituted to Shibaozhai, with its impressive wooden pagoda. You may choose to visit Fengdu’s ‘Ghost City’ on an Optional Experience. Explore eerie temples and shrines depicting China’s vision of the afterlife and hear the legend of two officials-turned-immortals. This evening, another Optional Experience awaits. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms retells the epic battle for dominance between three kingdoms, with stunts, acrobatics and cutting-edge visual effects. Feel the excitement and intensity of the Three Kingdoms era come to life in this thrilling open-air show.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations: Victoria Cruise Anna -
Day
10Sail through the Imposing Three Gorges
Wake up to another day on the Yangtze. This morning, choose one of two Optional Experiences: visit the White Emperor City, where rulers and poets once admired Qutang Gorge, or head to Chijia Mountain’s peak for sweeping views from the top of the Qutang Gorge. Return to your cruise and journey through Qutang Gorge’s towering cliffs, past Wu Gorge’s misty peaks, and into Xiling Gorge’s dramatic landscapes. Swap the ship for a small motorboat this afternoon and explore the Goddess Stream, gliding past sheer limestone cliffs covered in lush greenery—you’ll gain another perspective on this mighty river. Back on board, a Captain’s Farewell Dinner and show of local music, singing and dancing round off your final night on the river.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Accommodations: Victoria Cruise Anna -
Day
11Onwards to Shanghai Stays With Stories
Make an early start and head up to the top deck of your Yangtze cruise ship to see the vast Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydropower project built over several decades. Later you’ll disembark and fly to Shanghai, then ride up to the 88th floor of Jin Mao Tower for panoramic city views. This evening you’ll check in to your Stays With Stories hotel, The Kunlun Jing An, one of the first Chinese designed five-star hotels and once a base for visiting dignitaries. Your evening is free. You might find a local spot for classic Shanghai dishes or explore the bars and restaurants nearby, or choose an Optional Experience dinner at Spacelab, a space-themed restaurant where dishes arrive via looping metal tracks.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: The Kunlun Jing An -
Day
12Discover Vibrant Shanghai Stays With Stories
Join a city tour of Shanghai, starting at the Bund to see its historic riverfront buildings set against the modern skyline. You’ll visit a silk factory to learn how silk is produced, then walk through Yu Garden with its classical pavilions, ponds and rockeries. There is free time in the Old Town to find your own lunch and explore the lanes. Later you’ll visit the Jade Buddha Temple to see its carved statues and active worship halls before heading back to the hotel. This evening, settle into an performance by the world-renowned Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: The Kunlun Jing An -
Day
13Discover Shanghai Your Way
Today, you’ll have a full day to explore Shanghai as you please. You might return to the Bund, shop along Nanjing Road, wander the lanes of Tianzifang or cross to Pudong to walk between its towers. You can also choose one of today’s Optional Experiences. Visit the Shanghai Museum and former Jewish Ghetto to see key artworks and streets linked to the city’s 20th century history. Or travel out to Zhujiajiao water town, crossing stone bridges and narrow lanes before lunch in a local restaurant. Tonight, sit down to dinner and raise a glass with your small group to your journey through China and along the Yangtze.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Accommodations: The Kunlun Jing An -
Day
14Farewell to China
Check out of your hotel this morning, and transfer to the airport for your onward journey. Say goodbye to your Travel Director and Small Group, taking with you the sights of China’s cities, the Yangtze River and the moments you’ve shared along the way.
- 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
* CHINA: USA passport holders require a visa for China. Visa must be obtained prior to departure . We recommend applying 60 days prior to departure.* IMPORTANT: Please see important visa details sent with your invoice.* TRANSFERS: Complimentary transfers from Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) or Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) are available on the arrival day of the itinerary or in conjunction with a pre-trip accommodation booked through Trafalgar. Complimentary transfers to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) or Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) are available on the departure day of the itinerary or in conjunction with a post-trip accommodation booked through Trafalgar.* INTERNAL FLIGHTS: This tour has an included internal flight; any excess luggage charges are at your own expense.* LUGGAGE ALLOWANCE: Each guest is permitted one bag with maximum dimensions of 58 linear inches (147 cm), the total of length, width, and height - and a weight not exceeding 44 lbs (20 kg). Guests may also bring one personal item, such as a purse, backpack, or similarly sized item that fits comfortably under the seat in front of them or the overhead compartment weighing no more than 15 lbs (7kg).* IMPORTANT: Minivans or minibuses may also be used depending on the group size. Motorcoaches without toilet facilities are used; the Tour Director will ensure to arrange regular stops on longer journeys to ensure guests' comfort throughout the tour.* GROUND HANDLER: This Trip is Operated by LAND - Beijing Central Tours and SAFARI, CRUISE - Victoria Cruises.* 3-NIGHT YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE: There is a flat service charge of approximately RMB$150 per guest to be paid at the start of the cruise to cover services provided by waiters, housekeeping staff and porters. This service charge does not include a gratuity for the Cruise Director, Local Guides and any additional special services which can be offered at the guest's discretion. This river cruise is operated by Victoria Cruises sailing on Victoria Jenna. The ship embarks in Chongqing in the evening and disembarks in Yichang in the morning.* 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.