Compare Legendary China & Yangtze River Cruise by YMT Vacations vs China – Panda Conservation Adventure by Discover Corps
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| Trip |
4 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 12 days | 6 days |
| Price From | $ 1,499 | $ 2,995 |
| Price Per Day | $ 125 | $ 499 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Standard |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
5 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches and 5 Dinners |
| Description |
Experience the mystique and culture of the Far East with YMT’s new China Tour which includes a Yangtze River cruise! You’ll spend 3 nights and see all the main sights in Beijing including Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace and the Forbidden City. Visit the Great Wall of China where you’ll walk along an ancient path and discover one of the world’s most intriguing architectural marvels. Then it’s on to Xi’an to see the more than 8,000 figures that make up the Terracotta Warriors. Then, fly to Chongqing to see Giant Pandas before embarking on a remarkable 3-night Yangtze River Cruise with panoramic views of the world’s third longest river, complete with three included shore excursions. The final stop is Shanghai for 2 nights and more included sightseeing featuring the French Concession and Shanghai Museum. Three internal flights in China. |
China’s 1.3 billion people have witnessed an extraordinary change of pace as the face of their country has seen rapid economic expansion. However, the pull of tradition remains strong. We’ll bring you together with residents of the bustling capital city of Beijing and go beyond the city boundaries to share a homemade meal with a welcoming local family. You'll also see China from two completely different points of view - the bustling metropolis of Chengdu and the conservation hub of Dujiangyan. |
Day 1
Depart for Beijing China
✦ Overnight in flight
Note: Depending on the time of your outbound flight, you may depart one day earlier.
Day 2
Arrive Beijing
Those who booked air with YMT will be transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.
✦ Beijing International Hotel, Beijing or similar
Note: 2017 tours will not have the included welcome dinner due to later arriving flights.
Day 3
Full Day Beijing Sightseeing
Today we’ll show you the highlights of Beijing, (sometimes referred to as Peking, which was its old name), and the capital city of The People’s Republic of China. This is one of the most populous cities in the world with over 20 million inhabitants. You’ll visit Tiananmen Square, overlooked by the Mausoleum of Chairman Mao, were in 1989 student protests led to the Tiananmen Square Massacre. Next, we’ll visit the Forbidden City, a 250-acre complex, comprising more than 9,000 rooms. After an included lunch, you’ll visit the famous Summer Palace and its park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (B, L)
✦ Beijing International Hotel, Beijing or similar
Day 4
Full Day Excursion to the Great Wall of China
Today we visit a section of the Great Wall at Badaling. Enjoy an included Chinese lunch at a nearby restaurant and a photo stop at the “Birdsnest” Stadium and the “Watercube” from the 2008 Olympics. (B, L)
✦ Beijing International Hotel, Beijing or similar
Day 5
Xi’an
This morning transfer to Beijing airport for your early flight to Xi’an (flight approx. 2 hours). Visit the Tang Dynasty Art Museum and, after an included lunch, enjoy a Chinese calligraphy lesson. (B, L)
✦ Aurum International, Xi’an or similar
Day 6
Full Day Xi’an Sightseeing
Xi’an was once the most important city in Asia as the end of the Silk Route. Today it is home to the world-famous Terracotta Army, considered by many to be the 8th Wonder of the Ancient World; Discovered by farmers in 1974, there are over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses. After an included lunch, visit the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 709. (B, L)
✦ Aurum International, Xi’an or similar
Day 7
Chongqing
This morning you will fly to Chongqing (flight approx. 90 mins). You will take a panoramic sightseeing tour and visit Ciqikou, where travelers and locals alike mix in the steep and narrow pedestrian streets. Here shops sell porcelain, other handicrafts, and gifts, while restaurants and tea shops give visitors a look at what many areas of Chongqing were like before it became a vast metropolis. Other visits today include the Chongqing Zoo to see the Giant Pandas and the Three Gorges Museum. After an included dinner, you will transfer to your Yangtze River cruise ship, Victoria Anna your floating hotel for the next 3 nights. (B, D)
✦ Yangtze River cruise ship, Victoria Anna
Day 8
Yangtze River Cruise
This morning wake up to the sights and sounds of the Yangtze River, the third-longest river in the world, and history and culture thrive along its banks.. This morning, there is an included shore excursion to visit Fengdu Ghost City. This afternoon we also stop at Shibaozhai where you may take an optional excursion. (B, L, D)
✦ Yangtze River cruise ship, Victoria Anna
Day 9
Yangtze River Cruise
Today is the day of the gorges – the 3 Gorges to be precise; Guang, Gorge, Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge. You cruise by some spectacular scenery today and enjoy an included excursion to a nearby stream or tributary. Later there is an optional excursion to visit the White Emperor City, a National Heritage Site full of historical temples and gates. (B, L, D)
✦ Yangtze River cruise ship, Victoria Anna
Day 10
Yangtze River Cruise & Shanghai
This morning there is an included shore excursion to visit The Three Gorges Dam. At over 600 feet high and 1.5 miles long, this is the largest hydroelectric complex in the world. Late morning you disembark in Yichang and after an included lunch at a local restaurant, take an afternoon drive to the city of Wuhan from where you board your evening flight to Shanghai (flight approx. 2 hours). (B, L)
✦ Ocean Hotel, Shanghai or similar
Day 11
Shanghai Sightseeing
You will visit the French Concession (a French territory of the city until 1946), Old Shanghai, and the Shanghai Museum to see some of its collection of ancient Chinese art. After lunch on your own, it’s over to the Pudong area, famous for its skyscrapers and night time illuminations. Your tour will end with a visit to The Bund, the river embankment, to enjoy a stroll with locals and visitors. This final evening, your Tour Director will be hosting a farewell dinner. (B, D)
✦ Ocean Hotel, Shanghai or similar
Day 12
Shanghai
Transfer to Shanghai airport for your flight back to the U.S. (B)
Important notes:
Yangtze River cruise ships: Victoria Cruises' Victoria Anna. All on board accommodation is superior cabin(Victoria Anna) with private facilities. All of our tours feature cruises aboard Victoria Anna. Victoria Cruises have an excellent reputation and specialize in serving North American guests and, like YMT, are members of the United States Tour Operators Association. The Victoria Anna takes up to 266 guests and Ship facilities include 2 restaurants, 2 elevators, 2 lounges, 3 bars, a gym, library, beauty salon, massage room and gift shop. Ask your travel consultant for the ship fact sheet for more information. Please note that the river cruises have a recommended additional crew gratuity of $25 p/p USD which is additional and will be added to your on board account.
Arranging your air travel: We recommend that you book your air to China with YMT. Please ask your Travel Consultant for more information.
Activity level: Some of the sightseeing on this tour requires extended periods of walking and standing, walking over rough or uneven ground, climbing steps, several airplane flights, getting on and off boats and buses and generally navigating busy tourist sites. While this shouldn’t pose a challenge to most guests, please consider before booking that this is an active tour.
Included meals: Hotel breakfasts will generally be a mix of Chinese and international dishes. All lunches and dinners stated in the itinerary will be in local restaurants (eg. outside the hotel) and will be Chinese dishes. In Beijing and Shanghai, western style food is generally available (at your own cost); however in other areas, availability of western style food may be very limited. The Yangtze River cruise restaurants can be buffet or waiter service with Chinese and some international food.
Passports and Visas: A passport and a valid Chinese tourist visa (extra charge) is required to participate in this tour. Getting a Chinese visa is straightforward. Unless you live near a Chinese consular office, YMT recommends you use one of the many visa agencies that offer a convenient and hassle free service. Contact a local visa agency for full application requirements and fees or alternatively visit www.china-embassy.org. We suggest applying for visas 60 days before travel.
*or similar accommodations
Please note that this is a proposed itinerary; the actual itinerary may vary due to season, special events, or weather. Because our tour arrangements are often made a year or more in advance, YMT Vacations reserves the right to alter the itinerary. Itinerary changes are made to improve your vacation experience, as well as respond to any unforeseen circumstances that mandate alterations. By their nature, all tour vacations involve a certain level of physical activity. While YMT tours have been designed with our guests in mind and are not physically demanding, this tour does include walking and periods of standing during the sightseeing visits. You will also encounter steps and some uneven ground along the way, particularly at older, historical sights.
Day 1: Arrive and Enjoy a Sichuan Hotpot
Meals: Dinner
A warm welcome awaits at Chengdu International Airport where we’ll introduce you to your Discover Corps group. We’ll then whisk you away to your four-star hotel in Dujiangyan for a traditional welcome dinner. Enjoy a free evening to recharge before the morning's activities.
Day 2: Visit the Dujiangyan Panda Breeding Research Center to Begin Volunteering
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Your hands-on experience with the pandas begins today! We’ll introduce you to the conservationists at the Dujiangyan Panda Research Center who will introduce you to the pandas before your work begins. Your first task will be to help feed the pandas their bamboo breakfasts – an incredible way to start the day. After your own lunch, you will clean the fencing of the pandas gardens, clean their enclosures, break bamboo shoots for the pandas, and more to help the center. After volunteering, walk around the neighborhood before a local meal for dinner.
Day 3: Continue Lending a Hand at the Dujiangyan Panda Research Center
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
On your second day of volunteering, you’ll have the choice to help clean the enclosures before experiencing the magic of hand-feeding the pandas for a second time. These friendly animals will be familiar faces by now as you learn how to make special cakes for them and continue to provide the special care they need. Today, you’ll receive a certificate of recognition of your efforts.
In the late afternoon, head to the bustling city of Chengdu and enjoy dinner before a free night to explore the lively atmosphere of the city or relax in your hotel.
Day 4: Experience a Cooking Class with a Local Family
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Spend today joining a local family in the nearby markets gathering ingredients before a cooking class in their home. Learn how to make a number of Sichuan favorites before enjoying your lunch together. In the evening, watch a performance of a traditional Sichuan act of face changing, as well as other local performances.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Visit the Unforgettable Terracotta Warriors
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Hit the road this morning for the 1.5 hour drive to the Terracotta Warriors. Marvel at the over 6,000 warrior sculptures, each with a different face, and learn more about their importance in teaching us about ancient China. For lunch, sample the unique flavores of Hui Muslim food before a bike ride around the top of Xi'an's ancient city walls.
Day 6: Depart from Xi'an or Continue on to The Great Wall of China Optional Extension
Meals: Breakfast
It's time for those on the six-day trip to say their goodbyes before being transfered to the airport for their flight home. If you're staying with us for The Great Wall of China extension, you'll hop on a flight to Beijing for your first adventure.
