Compare Family China & the Yangtze by Abercrombie & Kent vs Classic China by Trafalgar
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| Trip |
4 | Great
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4.5 | Great
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| Duration | 12 days | 10 days |
| Price From | $ 5,995 | $ 4,642 |
| Price Per Day | $ 500 | $ 464 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | River cruise | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Luxury | Premium |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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N/A |
| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Airfare included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
10 Breakfasts, 8 Lunches and 6 Dinners |
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| Description |
Walk on the Great Wall and ride back down on a toboggan; visit pandas up close in their natural environment; Ride Like a Local in a pedicab in Beijing; and enjoy a lesson in Mandarin during your Yangtze River cruise. |
Follow in the footsteps of the ancients – up the ornate steps of the Forbidden City and to the ramparts of the Great Wall, snaking its way across the rolling countryside, and through the winding ancient alleys of Beijing’s hutongs to learn about Chinese traditions over a home-cooked lunch. |
Day 1: Arrive Beijing, China
Accommodation: Four Seasons Hotel Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, China’s political and cultural hub. Transfer to your luxurious hotel.
Day 2: Beijing | The Great Wall & Famed Olympic Venues
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Four Seasons Hotel Beijing
Walk or take a cable car to the top of the Great Wall of China. Hop on a toboggan for an exciting ride back down. Later, view the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the “Bird’s Nest,” and the National Aquatics Center, dubbed the “Water Cube.” Gather for a cocktail and a welcome dinner at your hotel.
Day 3: Beijing | Tai Chi and Kung Fu
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Four Seasons Hotel Beijing
Enjoy a morning tai chi class at the Temple of Heaven. Ride Like a Local on a pedicab through a hutong filled with winding alleyways. After lunch, walk in the footsteps of emperors in the Forbidden City and wander Tiananmen Square. Tonight, take in a thrilling Kung Fu show.
Day 4: Beijing/Xian | Dumpling Demonstration
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Shangri-La Hotel, Xian
Fly to Xian and enjoy lunch. Then, enter the Ancient Gate of Xian’s City Wall and cycle or stroll along its ramparts. Tonight, delight in a dumpling-making demonstration at a local restaurant.
Day 5: Xian/Chengdu | Terra Cotta Warriors
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Shangri-La Hotel, Chengdu
Marvel at the legendary Terra Cotta Warriors, thousands of life-size ceramic soldiers “guarding” the tomb of China’s first emperor. Visit a pottery factory and make your own terra cotta soldier. Fly to Chengdu.
Day 6: Chengdu | A Visit with Giant Pandas
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Shangri-La Hotel, Chengdu
Visit the Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center to encounter China’s living national emblem playing in its natural habitat. Attend the Sichuan Opera for a mystifying facechanging performance.
Day 7: Chongqing | High-Speed Train & River Cruiser
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Sanctuary 'Yangzi Explorer'
Enjoy your morning at leisure before hopping on a high-speed train to Chongqing. On arrival, board your river cruiser to begin a three-night voyage on the Yangtze River through the scenic Three Gorges.
Days 8-9: Cruising the Yangtze | Mandarin & Calligraphy
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Sanctuary 'Yangzi Explorer'
Spend two adventurous days on the ship and exploring the shore. On board, young guests enjoy lessons in calligraphy and Mandarin, and have fun with crafts and games, in the company of an engaging A&K Young Explorers Guide.
Day 10: Yichang/Shanghai | Stunning Three Gorges Dam
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: The Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund
Visit the massive Three Gorges Dam Site before lunch on board. Disembark and fly to Shanghai, arriving in the evening.
Day 11: Shanghai | The Blend of Old & New
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: The Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund
Explore the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel by electric cart and visit the glass Skywalk of the World Financial Center for vistas of Shanghai. Stroll in Old Town and visit the Yu Garden. Tonight, gather for a farewell dinner.
Day 12: Depart Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, transfer to the airport and depart for home.
Day 1: Say Ni hao to China
Launch your discovery of China in its cultural heart. Transfer to your Beijing hotel where you’ll meet your Travel Director for a Welcome Reception drink and local appetizers this evening.
Novotel Peace
Day 2: Discover the Icons of Beijing
Delve into Beijing’s rich imperial heritage, beginning your encounter with the remnants of centuries-old dynasties in the world’s largest public space, Tiananmen Square. Tread in the footsteps of emperors, passing through the south gate to the UNESCO-listed Forbidden City, the imperial palace for emperors and their households for over five centuries. Immerse yourself in the ancient rituals, traditions and history of this palace complex before lunch. Continue to the tranquil Temple of Heaven, another UNESCO Heritage Site, once visited by the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to pray for good harvests and divine guidance. This evening, the salty, sweet flavors of succulent Peking Duck take center stage during a Regional Dinner.
Novotel Peace
Breakfast, Lunch, Regional Dinner
Day 3: Journey to the Great Wall
We leave the city behind, bound for the iconic Great Wall of China at Juyongguan. Standing on its ramparts, we look down on the Chinese countryside which its walls successfully defended against marauding nomadic invaders. Watch it snake thousands of miles into the distance as you imagine how these man-made fortifications were built and rebuilt from the 5th century B.C. to the 16th century. Then, walk the Sacred Way past the imposing stone statues that guard the Ming Tombs and remains of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty.
Novotel Peace
Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4: Explore Beijing Connect with Locals Dive Into Culture
A leisurely start to our morning sees us embark on a rickshaw tour around the ancient narrow alleyways of the courtyard Hutong residences. We Connect With Locals, joining a family for a delicious meal of traditional Chinese cuisine at a Be My Guest lunch, followed by a visit to a tea house, where a Local Specialist prepares and serves tea, explaining the historic tea-making ritual. This afternoon, we’ll indulge in a relaxing foot massage at the Foot Reflexology Center.
Novotel Peace
Breakfast, Be My Guest
Day 5: Travel to Xi'an
We fly to Xi’an, which reveals its role as the ancient departure point of the Silk Road. Visit the Great Mosque, one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved mosques in China. According to historical records it was built in 742 during the Tang Dynasty and is a combination of Islamic art and traditional Chinese architecture.
Wyndham Grand Xi'an South
Breakfast
Day 6: Uncover Xi'an's Treasures Make Travel Matter
Descend into Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s subterranean tomb to see his terracotta army for the afterlife, another UNESCO-listed site. For lunch, enjoy a traditional meal of Chinese noodles, then continue with a visit to a Jade factory, the favored stone of emperors and more precious to the Chinese people than gold.
Wyndham Grand Xi'an South
Breakfast, Lunch
Day 7: Onwards to Shanghai Dive Into Culture Stays With Stories
This morning, your choice of activities gives you an opportunity to mimic the graceful movements of a skilled T’ai Chi Local Specialist, or consider joining a cycle tour around part of the ancient City Wall of Xi'an. We Dive Into Culture at a local restaurant, watching a demonstration in the art of making dumplings, with an opportunity to sample these for lunch. Savor the juicy flavors of these boiled, steamed and fried treats, transporting you back to ancient China, before transferring to the airport for our flight to Shanghai. Ascend to the 88-storey Jinmao Tower for panoramic views of the skyscrapers that loom over the most populous city on earth.
SWS The Kunlun Jing An
Breakfast, Lunch
Day 8: Experience Shanghai Dive Into Culture
Stroll down Shanghai’s famous ‘Bund’ with a Local Specialist, admiring the neoclassical colonial buildings that have lined this city’s renowned waterfront since the early 1900s. Learn how this marshland was transformed into one of the world’s most important trading hubs. Then, continue to the winding streets and vibrant markets of Old Shanghai to discover the how the customs and traditional lifestyle of this area have remained relatively unaltered. Enjoy some free time for lunch and shopping in the Old Town before we Dive Into Culture during a visit to a silk museum. This evening, indulge in a performance by the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe.
SWS The Kunlun Jing An
Breakfast
Day 9: Shanghai Your Way
Spend a day exploring the Paris of the East on your terms – shop for delicate Chinese ceramics, or consider joining an Optional Experience to Zhujiajiao, an ancient water town founded more than 1,700 years ago. In its heyday, Zhujiajiao was a bustling market town. Today, old historical buildings such as rice shops, banks, spice stores and even a Qing Dynasty post office can still be found as you stroll down its ancient streets and wander across the many stone bridges that crisscross its canals. This afternoon, you’ll have some free time at leisure before joining your travel companions for a Farewell Dinner.
SWS The Kunlun Jing An
Breakfast, Farewell Dinner
Day 10: Farewell Shanghai
Our mystical encounter with China at its end, take a transfer to Shanghai Airport for your onward flight.
Breakfast
