• Collette Vacations
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  • China and Tibet, the Roof of the World featuring a 3-night downstream Yangtze River Cruise

China and Tibet, the Roof of the World featuring a 3-night downstream Yangtze River Cruise

Climb to the rooftop of the world and cruise the Yangtze River downstream for three nights on this 19 day Explorations tour of China and Tibet. Travel aboard the "Sky Train" as it ascends through spectacular scenery to Lhasa, Tibet. Visit the iconic Potala Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tour the Giant Panda Breeding Sanctuary. Enjoy lunch with a farming family at their home in a rural village, outside Xian.

Highlights
Beijing, Fengdu, Three Gorges Dam Project, Terracotta Warriors, Home Hosted Lunch, Train to Tibet, Potala Palace, Giant Panda Breeding Sanctuary, Cooking Class, Kite Master

Collette Experience

  • Enjoy a cooking class in Beijing and create your own Chinese specialty.
  • Visit the Three Gorges Dam which, when completed, will be the largest hydroelectric dam in the world.
  • Board an overnight train to Tibet and the highest train in the world.
  • A guided tour of the Giant Panda Breeding Sanctuary brings you up close to these national treasures.

    • Details

    Tour Operator
    Collette Vacations
    Offer
    Offer valid through 12/31/2009
    Duration
    18 Days
    DayDestinationDescription
    Air 1Overnight Flight Overnight Flight
    Day 2Beijing Arrive Beijing, China - Tour Begins : Join us on a tour of one of the world's most fascinating countries: The People's Republic of China. Your adventure begins in Beijing, the vibrant capital city.
    Day 3Beijing Beijing : LANGUAGE DISCOVERY: Today, your Tour Manager will help you discover the origin and history of the language(s) you will experience on your tour along with key words and phrases that will help you communicate with the locals. A sightseeing tour of Beijing begins with a visit to the expansive and historic Tiananmen Square, the largest square in the world. Continue to the Forbidden City, a vast network of palaces, including five halls, seventeen palaces and numerous other buildings. It was once reserved for China's most powerful rulers and was the Chinese Imperial Palace during the mid-Ming and Qing dynasties. Your afternoon is at leisure before capping off the day with a Peking duck dinner, a specialty in this part of the country.
    Day 4Chongqing Beijing - Chongqing - Board Ship : Fly to Chongqing, a scenic mountain city and your gateway to the Yangtze River. Visit the General Stillwell Museum, his headquarters during WWII, and where the Flying Tigers were born. Continue to Eling Park, built in 1909 with grand views of both the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. Later you will board your ship for your three night downstream cruise along the longest river in China, the mighty Yangtze.
    Day 5Fengdu Cruising - Chongqing - Fengdu : After lunch, arrive in the city of Fengdu. The city was depicted as the "City of Ghosts" in two ancient Chinese works - "Monkey King" and "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio." The origin of the town's extraordinary reputation can be traced back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD). Your visit to the city will include the temples and relocation village.
    Day 6Daning River Cruising - Three Gorges - Daning River : Enter the Three Gorges, one of nature's most extraordinary sculptures. Pass through the Qutang & Wu Gorges. Take an excursion through the Daning River Small Gorge. This evening, sail through the dam project ship locks.
    Day 7Xi'an Cruising - Three Gorges Dam Project - Disembark Ship - Xian : When completed, the twenty-five billion dollar Three Gorges Dam will be the largest hydroelectric dam in the world. Your visit to this project will be memorable. Arrive in Yichang, disembark the ship and drive to Wuhan to board your flight to Xian.
    Day 8Xi'an Xian : The morning is reserved for exploring the fascinating excavation site of more than 8,000 unique terracotta warriors and horses that guard the tomb of China's first emperor. Next, view the 360 degree movie on the discovery of the site and learn more about this extraordinary process.
    Day 9Xi'an Xian : Begin your day with a visit to one of the most famous Buddhist temples in the world, the classical Wild Goose Pagoda. From here you will step into the courtyards of Xian's Islamic Mosque, which reflects the city's gateway to the Silk Road. Enjoy an imperial lunch with 20 courses of dumplings! Later, climb to the top of the ancient city wall and enjoy the views of the city.
    Day 10Xi'an Xian : You will travel to the countryside where you have the opportunity to visit a rural village. You'll meet the locals and learn first hand how they live during a tour of the local school, a visit to a cow farm, and lunch at a farmer's family home. Your visit will give you insight into the day-to-day life of the local villagers in China's interior. This evening you may choose to purchase an optional dinner with entertainment at the Tang Dynasty show.
    Day 11Xining Xian - Xining - Overnight Train : Begin today's adventure with a flight to Xining, located on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Visit the Ta'er Monastery, one of the six famous monasteries of the Gelugpa Sect (Yellow Hat Sect) of Tibetan Buddhism. Following dinner, transfer to the rail station for your overnight train journey to Lhasa, on the highest train in the world, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
    Day 12Lhasa On Board Train - Lhasa, Tibet : Enjoy your day aboard the "Sky Train", a true engineering wonder, as it journeys through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. You will view vistas with yaks grazing in emerald green fields against a stunning backdrop of snowcapped mountains and brilliant blue skies. Three locomotives are required to pull the train over the 16,600 foot Tangula Pass en route to Lhasa. The train is equipped with two oxygen sources in the cabins to help acclimate you to the altitude during your journey. Your estimated time of arrival is 10:30 PM, at which time you'll transfer immediately to your hotel.
    Day 13Lhasa Lhasa : A morning tour of the Jokhang Temple, built in 647 A. D. and the spiritual center of Tibet, showcases the holiest shrine for Tibetan pilgrims. Stroll through Barkhor Street where a myriad of shops and wayside peddlers intermingle with the devotees. This afternoon, visit with a local Tibetan family to gain insight into their simple way of life. Next, tour the Norbilinka Palace, known as the summer palace of the Dalai Lama.. It was from this palace that the present Dalai Lama (XIV) escaped to India in 1959 ahead of the Chinese troops.
    Day 14Lhasa Lhasa : The highlight of your Lhasa visit is the UNESCO World Heritage site known as Potala Palace, which was built in 640 A.D. during the reign of Songtan Gampo, and is considered the greatest monumental structure in Tibet. Destroyed in the 9th century, rebuilt in the 17th century, the palace was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India. It took 7,000 workers and 1,500 artisans and craftsmen more than 50 years to build the adjoining White & Red palaces. After lunch, enjoy a leisurely tour of the Tibetan Museum. This afternoon, enjoy a memorable visit to the Jatson Chumig School which was founded to create a positive environment for orphans and those children who are physically challenged or underprivileged. Meet the children that reside at Jatson Chumig and learn about the organization and the positive impact of the Collette Foundation.
    Day 15Chengdu Lhasa - Chengdu : A morning flight brings you to Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan Province. After lunch, enjoy a stroll through a local market before arriving at your hotel for an evening of leisure.
    Day 16Chengdu Chengdu : See China's national treasure up close when you visit the Giant Panda Breeding Sanctuary where you will learn how these animals are being protected from extinction. The sanctuary is not a zoo but a simulated habitat, and your guided tour allows you the rare opportunity to see the Giant Panda in its natural environment.
    Day 17Beijing Chengdu - Beijing : A morning flight brings you back to Beijing. No visit to China would be complete without seeing the Great Wall. Your walk along a portion of this 3,700-mile marvel at the Juyongguan section will be a tour highlight. Next, walk along the Sacred Way, or Divine Road, which means "the road to heaven", located in the Valley of the Ming Tombs.
    Day 18Beijing Beijing : Explore the world-famous Temple of Heaven, an ornate sanctuary where Chinese Emperors worshipped their gods. You will enjoy seeing the locals doing their morning exercises and perhaps try your skill at Tai Chi ball. Today's highlight is an interactive Chinese cooking class at the Jinshong Cooking School. Visit a local market, learn about traditional ingredients and the art of Chinese cuisine as you create a Chinese specialty with a local chef. Next, it's off to explore old Beijing during a rickshaw tour through the narrow streets and alleys, stopping for lunch with a local family. Afterwards, you will meet a kite master and learn the art of this favorite Chinese pastime. This evening join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner.
    Day 19Tour ends Beijing - Tour Ends : Your tour ends in Beijing but you will carry your memories of China with you as you make the journey home.
    Dates/Pricing

    Click Quote or call us to get additional information on your chosen travel date. Special offers or competitive pricing may be available!

    DatePrice / DescriptionQuote
    May 25, 2010$3,499.00* (USD) / Land OnlyQuote
    July 06, 2010$3,299.00* (USD) / Land OnlyQuote
    September 14, 2010$3,499.00* (USD) / Land OnlyQuote
    October 12, 2010$3,499.00* (USD) / Land OnlyQuote
    Lodging
    Traders Shangri La Hotel
    Century Cruises: Century Star
    New World Hotel
    Qinghai Tibet Train
    Sheraton Four Points
    Chengdu Yin He Dynasty Hotel
    Traders Shangri La Hotel
    Disclaimer
    Note
    Tour prices are Land Only rates based on per person double occupancy. Please call for triple or child occupancy rates. Taxes and fees are additional for tours that feature a cruise; port taxes are not included in the prices shown. Some dates may feature various changes in hotels, sightseeing and inclusions. Please confirm your specific itinerary at the time of booking.
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