Tibet Plus Yangtze River


14 Days

B: Breakfast | L: Lunch | D: Dinner

Day 01
U.S.A.-Beijing
Board Air China (Boeing 747-400 aircraft) flight leaves U.S.A. in the afternoon. Cross International Dateline.

Day 02
Arrive Beijing
Arrive Beijing in the evening. Met by your guide and transfer to your hotel. /International Hotel

Day 03
Beijing (B)
Free on your own.

Day 04
Beijing-Lhasa (B,L,D)
Fly to Lhasa in the morning. Locked away in its mountain fortress of the Himalaya, Tibet has long exercised a unique hold on the imagination of the West: "Shangri-La," "the Land of Snows," "the Roof top of the World". Tibet is mysterious in a way that few other places are. Lhasa, the holy city is the capital of Tibet. Free for the afternoon for high altitude adjustment. /Holiday Inn

Day 05
Lhasa (B,L,D)
Visit the most imposing attraction of Lhasa—Potala Palace, once the center of Tibetan government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lama. One of the architectural wonders of the world, this immense construction has thousands of rooms, shrines and statues. Followed by Jokhang Temple, the spiritual heart of the city. The golden-roofed Jokhang is 1300 years old. It was built to commemorate the marriage of Tang Princess Wencheng to King Songtsen Gampo.

Day 06
Lhasa (B,L,D)
Visit Drepung Monastery which dates back to the early 15th century. It was the largest of Tibet's monastic towns in its time and, some maintain the largest monastery in the world. Sera Monastery and Norpulingkha—the summer resort for the Dalai Lama. Visit Barkhor Street which essentially a pilgrim circuit and also a hive of market activity, an astounding jamboree, a Tibetan-style stock exchange.
All around the circuit are shops, stalls, teahouses and hawkers. We also might stop in a local Tibetan home for milk tea.

Day 07
Lhasa-Chengdu-Chongqing (B,L,D)
Fly from Lhasa to Chengdu and make the same day connection to Chongqing. /Board Yangtze Angles Cruises (www.ccotccom) for the night

Day 08
Yangtze River-Fengdu (Ghost City) (B,L,D)
Start your cruise at 9:00am. Shore excursion to Fengdu, one of the Yangtze's spectacular sites, Fengdu, with temples constructed on the Mingshan Hill by the river bank and many statues of ghosts and devils in the temples, the city is known as "the Ghost City". Return to the cruise for a spectacular journey through Wu Gorge with misty peaks and pillars and Qutang Gorge, the shortest but most dramatic gorge among the three.

Day 09
Shennong Stream (B,L,D)
Today experience a lifetime adventure to the 60-kilometer Shennong Stream. Transfer to a small boat up the tributary crystal-clear water Shennong Stream for a close-up view of the awesome Lesser Gorges. Return to the cruise and pass through the Dam Ship Lock. Followed by a visit to Three Gorges Project Site with brief lecture about Gezhouba Dam and on spot visit. Passing through Xiling Gorges, the longest and fiercest of the famed three with great rapids and rock formations.

Day 10
Three Gorges Dam (B,L,D)
Visit Three Gorges Dam.

Day 11
Arrive Wuhan-Shanghai (B,L,D)
Arrive Wuhan around noon. Visit Provincial Museum with clock show. Fly to Shanghai. /Ocean Hotel

Day 12
Shanghai (B,L,D)
Shanghai—"Paris of the Orient". It is one of the four most populated cities in the world. Visit waterfront BUND, the center of Shanghai. Nanking Road with hundreds of big shopping stores and little boutiques. Just walking around this area will give you a close view of ordinary people's life. Followed by Jade Buddha Temple where it houses two of the biggest pieces of Burma Jade Buddha Statues.
/Acrobatic Show in the evening

Day 13
Shanghai (B)
Today is free on your own.

Day 14
Shanghai-U.S.A. (B)
Be transferred to the airport for Air China flight and arrive U.S.A. the same day around 2:30pm.