Odysseys Unlimited

Day 1: Depart U.S. for Beijing, China

Day 2: Arrive Beijing We arrive in the Chinese capital and transfer to our hotel. After time to relax we meet our tour director for a walking tour of the area surrounding our hotel. Dinner is on our own.

Day 3: Beijing After this morning’s briefing with our tour director, we begin our discovery of this 2,000-year-old city at vast – and infamous – Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City, seat of imperial power during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). Tonight we enjoy a traditional Peking Duck dinner at a local restaurant. B,D

Day 4: Beijing/Great Wall Our day begins with a rickshaw ride through Beijing’s ancient back roads and alleys (hutongs). Here we visit the home of a local family for a rare glimpse of the traditional communal life­style that is fast disappearing. Then this afternoon we encounter the Great Wall, the incredible collection of ancient defense installations (and UNESCO World Heritage site) that stretches almost 4,000 miles and where we visit the Mu Tian Yu section by cable car. B,L,D

Day 5: Beijing This morning we tour the splendid Temple of Heaven complex where China’s emperors once worshipped. Later this afternoon we tour the Summer Palace, the former royal retreat with beautiful gardens and temples that is now a park attracting both visitors and locals. B,L

Day 6: Beijing/Xian This morning we fly to Xian, once among the world’s greatest cities that devolved into a provincial backwater until the accidental discovery of the Terra Cotta Warriors in 1974 – considered among the most significant archaeo­logical finds of the 20th century. This afternoon we tour Xian’s ­impressive nine-mile city wall and moat. Tonight we attend a Tang Dynasty dinner show. B,L,D

Day 7: Xian Our day begins at Wild Goose Pagoda (c. 652 CE), among China’s most acclaimed Buddhist temples. Then after a special dumpling lunch we visit the museum hous­ing the renowned Terra Cotta Warriors, the more than 7,000 life-sized soldiers created to guard China’s first emperor in the afterlife. We see these astounding pieces, each with an individually sculpted face, stand­ing in military formation in three separate vaults. The entire complex is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. B,L,D

Day 8: Xian/Chongqing This morning we fly to Chongqing, where we visit the zoo housing the beloved pandas, and the Stilwell Museum dedicated to World War II General Joseph Stilwell. Following dinner at a local restaurant, we board our Victoria Cruises ship and set sail this evening. B,L,D

Day 9: Yangtze Cruising – Fengdu Prized for its haunting natural beauty, the Yangtze is one of the world’s busiest and longest (3,600 miles) rivers. This morning we visit one of its most popular towns, the “ghost city” of Fengdu. Significant for its preservation of Chinese afterlife culture, Fengdu's associations with the otherworldly date back nearly two thousand years. On board this afternoon a river guide tells us about the Yangtze and the Three Gorges Dam then we enjoy a talk on Chinese medicine. Tonight: Captain’s Welcome Dinner. B,L,D

Day 10: Yangtze Cruising – Qutang Gorge/Lesser Gorges/Wu Gorge/Xiling Gorge After traversing Qutang, the shortest of the Three Gorges, mid-day we disembark in Wushan to board a small ferry for an excursion along the Daning River to the stunning Lesser Gorges. Lined with sheer cliffs and steep mountains, the Lesser Gorges recall scenes from ancient Chinese scroll paintings. Back on board our Yangtze ship late afternoon, we enter beautiful and tranquil Wu Gorge, then reach the scenic western section of 42-mile long Xiling Gorge, with swift rapids and churning whirlpools. Later tonight we enter the locks of the immense Three Gorges Dam. B,L,D

Day 11: Yangtze Cruising – Three Gorges Dam/Xiling Gorges/Shanghai We tour the site of the immense Three Gorges Dam Project this morning then continue cruising through Xiling Gorge and Gezhouba Dam to Yichang. Here we disembark and fly to Shanghai, the “Paris of the East.” B,L

Day 12: Shanghai Our day begins with a walking tour of the Xin Tian Di shopping and entertainment area of reconstituted traditional homes. We continue on to be­loved 16th-century Yu Yuan Gardens, whose plantings, courtyards, and pavilions create the illusion of moun­tains, caverns, and lakes.  After lunch together we tour the acclaimed Shanghai Museum of ancient Chinese art and artifacts. Tonight we dine on our own then attend an acrobatics show. B,L

Day 13: Shanghai This morning we visit the Bund, the mile-long riverside embankment where foreign investors – and their buildings – once held sway over Shanghai. Still one of the city’s most popular attractions, the Bund draws visitors and locals alike. Then the remainder of the day is at leisure; your tour director will help you find your way from here, perhaps to the bustling Nanjing Road shopping district … to the Oriental Pearl TV Tower for a bird’s-eye view of this dynamic city … or to a scenic boat ride along the Huangpu River that bisects Shanghai. Tonight we toast our China adventure at a farewell dinner. B,D

Day 14: Depart for U.S. We depart Shanghai for our return flights to the U.S. B

Please note: This trip involves full days of sightseeing and significant amounts of walking on stairs and uneven surfaces. You should be in good physical ­con­dition to enjoy the tour to the fullest.