Compare Majestic China & Yangtze River 14 Days 12 Nights by Affordable World vs China – Panda Conservation Adventure by Discover Corps
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 14 days | 6 days |
| Price From | $ 1,999 | $ 2,995 |
| Price Per Day | $ 143 | $ 499 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | River cruise | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Standard |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Airfare included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
5 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches and 5 Dinners |
| Description |
Join us on an epic 12 night journey to China to see the best of this vast and intriguing nation, past and present. Experience the bustling capital of Beijing where skyscrapers tower over ancient hutongs, visit the awe-inspiring Great Wall, and sail along the storied Yangtze River on a luxury cruise boat. Cap your adventures with a visit to the 2,000 year old Terracotta Army at Xian and time in energetic Shanghai, China’s powerhouse. Discover the best of China with Affordable World Tours. |
China’s 1.3 billion people have witnessed an extraordinary change of pace as the face of their country has seen rapid economic expansion. However, the pull of tradition remains strong. We’ll bring you together with residents of the bustling capital city of Beijing and go beyond the city boundaries to share a homemade meal with a welcoming local family. You'll also see China from two completely different points of view - the bustling metropolis of Chengdu and the conservation hub of Dujiangyan. |
Days 1 & 2: USA - Beijing
Accommodation: The Great Wall Hotel Beijing or similar
Depart from the US and head overseas for an adventure of a lifetime. Spend the night aboard as the jetliner glides across the International Date Line.
Our local guide is there to greet us as we arrive in Beijing, the economic and political center of the nation. Transfer to the luxury accommodations provided for a good night’s rest.
Day 3: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: The Great Wall Hotel Beijing or similar
Spend the day free or take the tour to visit the Great Wall, which is one of the man-built architectures that can be seen from the low orbit of the earth. The Great Wall is a massive defensive structure built to keep intruders from invading the mainland. It stretches an impossible 4000 miles across China's north, covering nine provinces. An enormous undertaking that originally began under Qin Shi Huang (first emperor of China) in 200 B.C., the Great Wall was not completed until the Ming Dynasty in 1640. This morning you have plenty of time to walk along its ancient path and experience part of China's fascinating history.
Optional Tours: Great Wall & Sacred Way $49 pp
Day 4: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: The Great Wall Hotel Beijing or similar
Optional Tours: Forbidden City (only available for purchase prior to trip departure date**) $28 pp
Today, we start our Beijing Capital tour with Qianmen Street. Qianmen Street was a commercial and entertainment hub due to its convenient location, connecting the Imperial Palace with other communities in Beijing. In the run-up to the 2008 Olympics, the street underwent a rejuvenation to restore the streetscape to that of the early 20th. A visit to Tiananmen Square, the world-famous and historic Tiananmen Square, or “Gate of Heavenly Peace”. Located in the heart of Beijing, Tiananmen Square was once the main gate to the Imperial Palace during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Today, it is home to the Monument to the People’s Heroes, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, National Museum of China, and the Great Hall of the People. Afterwards, we drive by the famed Olympic Site and have a photo stop at Olympic National Stadium (the Bird's Nest), Olympic National Aquatics Center (the Water Cube) and National Center for the Performing Art. In the afternoon, you have the opportunity to explore the home to Ming and Qing emperors, Forbidden City. Comprised of 800 buildings covering 720,000 sq. meters, it is the world's largest palace complex.
**For those travelers joining the Forbidden City optional tour - your passport is required for entry. Please note if your passport does not match the passport on file for your reservation, you will be denied entry at the Forbidden City and your ticket will be nonrefundable**.
Day 5: Beijing-Yichang-Yangtze River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Victoria Anna
Board a short flight to Yichang,the cultural and economic center of the western Hubei Province. Upon arrival , we board our ship sets for our Yangtze River adventure.
Day 6: Yangtze River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast at hotel or on cruise , Lunch and Dinner at Local Restaurant
Accommodation: Victoria Anna
Arrive at Sandouping, you can stay on board and rest or take the optional shore excursion to explore the Three Gorges Dam Site, located in the middle of the Xiling Gorge. Wonder at the magnitude of the dam and then cruise upstream, traversing the 5-stage Three Gorges Dam locks and breathtaking Xiling Gorge, the longest of the Three Gorges.
Day 7: Yangtze River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast at hotel or on cruise , Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Victoria Anna
Depending on the weather today, enjoy a memorable excursion to cruise along the serenely beautiful gorges of the Goddess Stream or Shennong Stream, two tributaries of the Yangtze. Afterwards, rejoin the cruise ship to glide past the elegant Wu Gorge, renowned for its vertical cliffs and 12 mist-shrouded mountains. Enter the final gorge, Qutang Gorge, the shortest but most impressive of the three.
Day 8: Yangtze River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast at hotel, Lunch and Dinner at Local Restaurant
Accommodation: Victoria Anna
Today, you can choose to stay on board or go ashore to visit either the Jade Emperor scenic area near Fengdu or the extraordinary Shibaozhai pagoda*, a 12-story wooden pagoda built 400 years ago without the use of a single nail and filled with Chinese art that rises from the banks of the Yangtze.
*Visting site will be determined by local weather conditions.
Day 9: Yangtze River Cruise-Chongqing-Xian
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Grand Noble Xian or similar
Our Yangtze River journey comes to an end as we dock in Chongqing, a scenic cliff-side city that overlooks the conflunece of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers. Transfer to Xian, the capital of Shannxi Province, one of the oldest cities in China. Xian is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China with more than 3100 years of history. The city was known as "Chang'an" before Ming Dynasty. Xian is the eastern teminus of the Silk Road and home to the Terra Cotta Warriors. Upon arrival in Xian, we will drive into town, passing through its massive City Wall, the best preserved defensive wall structure on earth and have a picture stop at Drum Tower and Bell Tower. In the evening, don't miss the chance to taste the local famous dumpling banquet.
Optional Tours: Dumpling Banquet $28 pp
Day 10: Xian
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Grand Noble Xian or similar
Spend the day free or take the tour to witness the famous "Terra Cotta Warriors." The serendipitous discovery of the Terra Cotta Warriors in 1974 has drawn throngs of visitors to Xian each year, and ranks as one of the world's most important recent archaeological finds. Three excavation pits have been opened to the public with a fourth underway. Spend some time admiring the fine troops, horses, and carriages in battle formation. After lunch, the motorcoach takes us back inside city limits to visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. It is rated as a National Key Cultural Relic Preserve as well as an AAAA Tourist Attraction. Tonight, take the opportunity to enjoy the cultural musings of the Tang Dynasty Show, a song and dance performance which reflects the rich cultural history and prosperity of the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
Optional Tours: Terracotta Warriors, First Qin Emperor's Mausoleum & Big Wild Goose Pagoda $55 pp
Tang Dynasty Dinner Show $59 pp
Day 11: Xian-Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Pullman Shanghai Jing'an Hotel or Similar
Board a flight to Shanghai, the largest metropolitan center of China. She is a bright pearl at the mouth of the Yangtze River and China's largest economic center.
Day 12: Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Pullman Shanghai Jing'an Hotel or Similar
This morning, we visit the Shanghai Museum and view the exhibits of ancient Chinese art. Designed by a local Shanghai Architect, the current building was completed in 1993 and resembles the shape of a bronze cooking vessel. Afterwards, we visit City God Temple Bazaar, the Nanjing Road and the Bund. Spend the afternoon to relax at the hotel or take the optional tour to Lujiazui Finance and Trade Development Zone and a ride on Huang Pu River Cruise. In the evening, do not miss the opportunity to experience the exciting Chinese Acrobatics Show (with dinner).
Optional Tours: Lujiazui FTDZ & Huang Pu River Cruise $25 pp
Acrobatics Show with Dinner $40 pp
Day 13: Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Pullman Shanghai Jing'an Hotel or Similar
Spend the day free at leisure or take an optional excursion to the charming water village of Suzhou. Suzhou, often known as the “Venice of the Orient”, is a historic city located at the heart of the Yangtze Delta in the southern part of the Jiangsu Province. Beautiful stone bridges, pagodas, and classical gardens line the canals that cover 42 percent of the city.
Optional Tours: Suzhou One Day tour (min 6 pax) $62 pp
Day 14: Shanghai-USA
Meals: Breakfast
All good things come to an end. Board a return flight back home and bid farewell to China.
Day 1: Arrive and Enjoy a Sichuan Hotpot
Meals: Dinner
A warm welcome awaits at Chengdu International Airport where we’ll introduce you to your Discover Corps group. We’ll then whisk you away to your four-star hotel in Dujiangyan for a traditional welcome dinner. Enjoy a free evening to recharge before the morning's activities.
Day 2: Visit the Dujiangyan Panda Breeding Research Center to Begin Volunteering
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Your hands-on experience with the pandas begins today! We’ll introduce you to the conservationists at the Dujiangyan Panda Research Center who will introduce you to the pandas before your work begins. Your first task will be to help feed the pandas their bamboo breakfasts – an incredible way to start the day. After your own lunch, you will clean the fencing of the pandas gardens, clean their enclosures, break bamboo shoots for the pandas, and more to help the center. After volunteering, walk around the neighborhood before a local meal for dinner.
Day 3: Continue Lending a Hand at the Dujiangyan Panda Research Center
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
On your second day of volunteering, you’ll have the choice to help clean the enclosures before experiencing the magic of hand-feeding the pandas for a second time. These friendly animals will be familiar faces by now as you learn how to make special cakes for them and continue to provide the special care they need. Today, you’ll receive a certificate of recognition of your efforts.
In the late afternoon, head to the bustling city of Chengdu and enjoy dinner before a free night to explore the lively atmosphere of the city or relax in your hotel.
Day 4: Experience a Cooking Class with a Local Family
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Spend today joining a local family in the nearby markets gathering ingredients before a cooking class in their home. Learn how to make a number of Sichuan favorites before enjoying your lunch together. In the evening, watch a performance of a traditional Sichuan act of face changing, as well as other local performances.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Visit the Unforgettable Terracotta Warriors
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Hit the road this morning for the 1.5 hour drive to the Terracotta Warriors. Marvel at the over 6,000 warrior sculptures, each with a different face, and learn more about their importance in teaching us about ancient China. For lunch, sample the unique flavores of Hui Muslim food before a bike ride around the top of Xi'an's ancient city walls.
Day 6: Depart from Xi'an or Continue on to The Great Wall of China Optional Extension
Meals: Breakfast
It's time for those on the six-day trip to say their goodbyes before being transfered to the airport for their flight home. If you're staying with us for The Great Wall of China extension, you'll hop on a flight to Beijing for your first adventure.
