General Tours > Historical China, Tibet and the Yangtze - 2008 Departures

Historical China, Tibet and the Yangtze - 2008 Departures 15 Days starting from $3,934 Countries Visited: China, Tibet   Length: 15 Days Type: Fixed Departure Dates Category: Uncategorized Operator: General Tours Tour Code: GT-25     Printer Friendly Version Send this page to a friend

About This Tour

Our General Tours World Traveler Ship... Victoria Katarina. One of Victoria Cruises premier ships with spacious cabins, floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies – for spectacular views every moment of your 3-night cruise. The stunning scenery of the Yangtze is just one highlight of this vacation – which we’ve designed to showcase China’s best cities along with the spiritual grandeur and natural beauty of Tibet. You’ll enjoy incomparable value on this escorted tour with deluxe hotels, all sightseeing and 36 meals.

What's Included Itinerary Dates & Prices Sightseeing Highlights SPECIALS World Traveler Small Ship Cruising A comprehensive escorted vacation that is one of our best-loved tours of China. Spend four days in Lhasa with our expert Tibetan guides. Join museum curators in Xian for a private session to Touch Antiquity… artifacts thousands of years old. Enjoy the rare experience of feeding Pandas in Sichuan Province. Our premier, all-balconied Yangtze cruise ship and city-center deluxe hotels, including the newest 5-star hotel in Lhasa provide travelers with excellent value. 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites #WHS# HOTEL INFORMATION: Westin Hotel Hotel Class: Deluxe Set up in two high-rise towers, the Westin Hotel of Beijing has 486 rooms for guests to relax in. All guest rooms are equipped with internet access, TV, telephone, climate control, minibar, and free daily newspaper. Guests can enjoy the hotel’s restaurants or local cuisine, as well as the fitness center, spa, and nearby shopping. Holiday Inn Crown Plaza Hotel Class: Deluxe The 433 splendidly decorated rooms include marble bathrooms, individually controlled air-conditioning systems, color television with satellite TV, a private bar and coffee-making facilities. Brahmaputra Grand Hotel Hotel Class: Deluxe Brahmaputra Grand Hotel Lhasa has more than 200 guest rooms and elegant Chinese and Western-style restaurants. The hotel's 225 guest rooms include independently controlled air-conditioning, broadband network, personal safe, and satellite TV. Sofitel Hyland Hotel Hotel Class: Superior First Class The Sofitel Hyland Hotel is in the center of the commercial district of Shanghai close to regional shopping, on Nanjing Road. All 401 rooms include air-conditioning, mini-bar, radio, satellite TV, telephone, and voicemail. Additional amenities include bar, restaurant, WiFi internet, beauty salon, fitness center, massage center, and sauna. Sheraton Hotel Hotel Class: Deluxe Sheraton Xian Hotel is in a central location near the Xi’an city wall. Enjoy our serene surroundings even though we are only minutes away from the city center. Relax in our 418 spacious and comfortable guest rooms (with wireless internet access) or take a swim in our indoor heated pools.   Day 1 - Beijing Check-in to your deluxe hotel, located near Tiananmen Square. Sunworld Dynasty Hotel Day 2 - Beijing Explore the Forbidden City#WHS# with your expert guide. Full-day touring also includes the Summer Palace#WHS#, Beijing’s 2008 Olympic venues and Tiananmen Square, where you meet a master kite maker and try your hand at this traditional pastime. Meals B,L Day 3 - Beijing Walk the Great Wall#WHS# and visit the Ming Tombs#WHS#, burial site of 13 Chinese emperors. Meals B,L,D Day 4 - Beijing / Xian / Touch Antiquity Visit the 15th century Temple of Heaven#WHS#, then fly to Xian, ancient capital of China for 13 dynasties and your deluxe hotel near the ancient city walls. At the Xian City Museum, you’ll Touch Antiquity as you join staff in a private session to handle and examine ancient relics recently unearthed. Sheraton Hotel – Meals B,L Day 5 - Xian / Terra Cotta Warriors See China’s most important archaeological discovery: thousands of life-sized terra cotta warriors#WHS# and horses that have guarded the tomb of China’s first emperor for 2,000 years. This evening, enjoy a dinner of savory dumplings, a culinary specialty of the region. Meals B,L,D Day 6 - Xian / Chengdu / Feed the Pandas Fly to Chengdu, an ancient city and the capital of Sichuan Province. Visit the Chengdu Panda Breeding Station for an up-close encounter with these elusive animals and for the once-in-a-lifetime experience of feeding a panda. This evening, enjoy the Sichuan Opera, known for the artistry of its “face-changing” actors who can subtly change their masks and make-up 10 times in 30 seconds! Enjoy deluxe accommodations in the heart of the city. Crown Plaza Hotel – Meals B,L,D Day 7 - Chengdu / Lhasa, Tibet Fly to Tibet and transfer to the newest deluxe hotel in Lhasa. Brahmaputra Grand Hotel – Meals B,L,D Day 8 - Lhasa Visit Drepung Monastery, founded in 1416 and now the largest in Tibet, the beautiful Sera Monastery and Norbulinka – summer palace of the Dalai Lamas. Meals B,L,D Day 9 - Lhasa Today’s touring offers deeper insight into the life, culture and spirituality of Tibet. Visit the Potala Palace#WHS#, former home of the Dalai Lama. Explore the lively Barkhor Market and the nearby Jokhang Monastery, a center of Buddhist pilgrimage for centuries. Later, spend time with a master artist to learn about Thangkas – colorful, finely detailed religious paintings that have long been a Buddhist tradition. This evening, you’ll sample traditional Tibetan cooking. Meals B,L,D Day 10 - Lhasa / Chengdu / Chongqing / Embark Victoria Katarina Fly to Chongqing and board the beautiful Victoria Katarina on the Yangzte. Meals B,D Day 11 - Cruising / Shibaozhai Today’s excursion takes you to Shibaozhai to visit the 12-story Qing Dynasty temple on a cliff overlooking the Yangtze. Meals B,L,D Day 12 - Cruising / Three Gorges and Lesser Gorges Cruise Qutang Gorge, the narrowest of the Three Gorges. Later, journey up the Danning River through the spectacular canyons of the Lesser Gorges before passing through Wu Gorge. Meals B,L,D Day 13 - Cruising / Three Gorges Dam / Shanghai Visit the Three Gorges Dam itself before passing through its locks. Disembark in Yichang and fly to Shanghai and your deluxe hotel on Nanjing Road. Sofitel Hyland Hotel – Meals B,L Day 14 - A FreeStyle Day in Shanghai Customize your vacation by choosing one of these pre-paid excursions: • Classic City Tour • City of Architecture: See the old and new of this constantly changing city. • Cultural City Tour: Tour Shanghai’s Jewish heritage district, and the Shanghai Museum • A Day in the Life: Visit local markets with a city resident to shop for ingredients for a cooking class and lunch. This evening, enjoy a festive farewell dinner. Meals B,L,D Day 15 - Shanghai Your program with us finishes after breakfast or extend your stay with our FreeStyle Travel in Asia. Meals B To speak to one of our live, experienced travel consultants, Call us now at 1-800-942-3301. Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.           Touring Date Land Only Land + Air Single (Land Only) Single (Land + Air) 3/27/2009 - 4/11/2009 $4,634 Call Us Call Us Call Us 4/10/2009 - 4/25/2009 $4,930 Call Us Call Us Call Us 4/10/2009 - 4/25/2009 $4,634 Call Us Call Us Call Us 4/10/2009 - 4/25/2009 $5,314 Call Us Call Us Call Us 4/10/2009 - 4/25/2009 $4,034 Call Us Call Us Call Us           World Traveler Small Ship Cruising A comprehensive escorted vacation that is one of our best-loved tours of China. Spend four days in Lhasa with our expert Tibetan guides. Join museum curators in Xian for a private session to Touch Antiquity… artifacts thousands of years old. Enjoy the rare experience of feeding Pandas in Sichuan Province. Our premier, all-balconied Yangtze cruise ship and city-center deluxe hotels, including the newest 5-star hotel in Lhasa provide travelers with excellent value. 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites #WHS# CURRENT SPECIALS: Save $200 to $920 per couple on Exotic World Journeys Double your AAA or AARP Member Benefit and save up to $920 per couple on any 2009 "It's Time to Go" vacations when you book and deposit by December 31, 2008! Valid on the following destinations: Western, Central & Eastern Europe, River Cruises, Russia, Middle East, Africa, Central & South America, China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam & India. Call an agent for discount amounts per itinerary. Not a member of AARP? Receive 5% off the land rate on tours booked by Dec. 31, 2008.  Offer not combinable with AARP discount.

Note: All prices are per person, double occupancy, subject to availability. These pages are not endorsed or supported by the tour operator in any way. All information presented is based on promotional material provided by the tour operator. All prices, itineraries, accommodations and dates are subject to change without notice and at any time by the tour operators. Availability is limited and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. The prices on this website are not guaranteed. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in pricing. Please call us toll free at 1-800-942-3301 to confirm availability and pricing.

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