China
Comprehensive Insight
Cruises

Shanghai to Shangri-La

Tour Code: SS
Prices start from: $5,280 ex Australia

20 Days Experience the magical best of many worlds old and new

This China travel tour, with an extended cruise from Shanghai to Chongqing, offers a great opportunity to see some of the country's premier sites and cities of interest in comfort. The nine-day Yangtze River cruise is twice as long as offered in many other tours of Asia. Back on land, stroll through the streets of charming rural towns, enjoy the majesty of the towering cliffs and magnificent scenery, and experience the astonishing culture, history and beauty that is unique to this region.

Visited Places:

Day

1

THU: AUSTRALIA/SHANGHAI

Depart Australia on your Cathay Pacific Airways flight to Shanghai via Hong Kong. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to the Grand Central hotel for three nights.

2-3

FRI-SAT: SHANGHAI

See the colonial concessions along the Bund for a spectacular view of Shanghai “yesterday and today”. Enjoy the sound and light show in the tunnel ride across the Huangpu River to Pudong, stopping at Jin Mao Tower, one of the world’s tallest buildings, for a panorama of the city. Stroll the twisting alleyways of Chinatown and visit Yu Garden, followed by a Shanghai river cruise. Next day enjoy a full day cruising beneath stone bridges at Zhouzhuang, where tile-roofed houses crowd the canals. Evening acrobatic show.

Meals: Breakfast 2 | Lunch 2 | Dinner 1

4

SUN: YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE

A day at leisure to explore for enjoy bargain shopping. This afternoon, transfer to your Victoria Cruise ship ‘Prince’ for a nine-day voyage along the world’s third-longest river – the mighty Yangtze.

Meals: Breakfast 1 | Dinner 1

5

MON: NANJING

Nanjing is an attractive city with many parks and broad boulevards lined by poplar and sycamore trees. Excursions include Dr Sun Yat-Sen’s mausoleum and a Qing Dynasty-style bazaar surrounding a Confucian temple.

Meals: Breakfast 1 | Lunch 1 | Dinner 1

6

TUE: HUANGSHAN (Yellow Mountain)

A full day in some of China’s most beautiful countryside – emerald rice paddies, tea plantations and traditional villages, inspiration to Chinese poets and painters through the centuries. (Jiuhuashan or Mountain of the Nine Lotuses may be substituted, subject to weather or road conditions.)

Meals: Breakfast 1 | Lunch 1 | Dinner 1

7

WED: WUHAN

Wuhan, one of China’s largest cities, is “a passageway to nine provinces”. Visit the Hubei Provincial Museum.

Meals: Breakfast 1 | Lunch 1 | Dinner 1

8-11

THU-SUN: YANGTZE THREE GORGES

Sail the mighty Yangtze River, marvelling as steep cliffs rise from the water’s edge to form fantastically-shaped pinnacles. Cruise to Chongqing through the three gorges of Xiling, Wu and Qutang, the most stunning stretch of river. Shore excursions include the Three Gorges Dam site, the Daning River or Shennong Stream and Fengdu (Subject to variation due to water levels and navigation authority advice.)

Meals: Breakfast 4 | Lunch 4 | Dinner 4

12

MON: ARRIVE CHONGQING/KUNMING

Disembark at Chongqing and transfer to the airport for your flight to Kunming for one night at the Kai Wah Plaza Hotel, Kunming.

Meals: Breakfast 1 | Lunch 1

13

TUE: KUNMING/LIJIANG

Fly to Lijiang, located near the border with Tibet and centre of the Naxi minority people. Spend three nights at Crowne Plaza Hotel Lijiang. The old city is a “living museum” with ornately carved buildings and a maze of cobbled streets crowded with Naxi women in traditional dress. Sightseeing includes Black Dragon Pool Park set against Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

Meals: Breakfast 1 | Lunch 1 | Dinner 1

14

WED: LIJIANG

Visit Yufeng Lamasery and admire the 500-year-old camellia tree. Take a chairlift up Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and walk through the spruce forests that thrive at this 3,000 metre height. This evening enjoy dance and song by local minority nationalities.

Meals: Breakfast 1 | Lunch 1

15

THU: TIGER LEAPING GORGE/ZHONGDIAN

A scenic drive to the First Bend of the Yangtze River before continuing to Tiger Leaping Gorge. Spanning 16 km, the gorge reaches 3,900 metres from its waters to snow-capped mountain peaks. Continue through forest reserves alongside the upper reaches of the Yangtze, to Zhongdian, a peaceful land situated at 3,200 metres on the Tibetan border. Spend two nights at the Tibetan-style Gyalthang Dzong Hotel.

Meals: Breakfast 1 | Lunch 1 | Dinner 1

16

FRI: ZHONGDIAN

Full day at the 300-year-old Gadan Songzalin Monastery. Visit Napa Lake Reserve with its blossoming flowers and lush grassland dotted with sheep and cattle. Stop at the city market en route to a typical Tibetan village to visit a local family for a traditional dinner and folkloric dance performance.

Meals: Breakfast 1 | Lunch 1 | Dinner 1

17

SAT: ZHONGDIAN/KUNMING

Fly back to Kunming for two nights at the Kai Wah Plaza Hotel, Kunming.

Meals: Breakfast 1 | Lunch 1

18

SUN: KUNMING

Full day at the Stone Forest, one of China’s most remarkable natural phenomena – 80 hectares of bizarrely-shaped limestone cliffs, formed by erosion after the sea bed was thrust up 270 million years ago. Returning to Kunming, stop at the colourful Bird & Flower Market, now protected under Kunming’s preservation plan for the Old Town Quarter.

Meals: Breakfast 1 | Lunch 1 | Dinner 1

19

MON: KUNMING/AUSTRALIA

Your China travel tour ends today as you transfer to the airport for your overnight Cathay Pacific flight home.

Meals: Breakfast 1

20

TUE: ARRIVE AUSTRALIA

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

  • Economy class airfare to/from China
  • China domestic economy class air travel
  • 10 nights 4-5 star hotel accommodation and 8 nights onboard a 5 star victoria Cruises ship ‘Prince’
  • 18 buffet breakfasts, 17 lunches, 13 dinners, 8 morning/afternoon tea/coffee onboard cruise
  • 3 evening cultural shows with transfers to/from your hotel
  • All specified transfers, sightseeing and entrance fees and shore excursions on Yangtze Cruises
  • Professional English-speaking guides
  • China visa for Australian passport holders
  • Travel kit including a 424-page Odyssey China book and cabin bag
  • Departure taxes, security charges and fuel surcharges (Subject to change)
  • Land content prices – From arrival transfer at the start of the tour until the departure transfer at the end of the tour on any arrival/departure flight and Date. Excludes air travel to/from China

Important Notes

 = Guaranteed Departure

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UNPARALLELED HIGHLIGHTS

Shanghai – Home of the World Expo 2010. Visit the observation deck of the Shanghai Tower, Jin Mao Tower, one of the world’s tallest buildings. Take an exhilarating 430kmh ride on the world’s fastest train, the Shanghai Maglev. Enjoy the fun sound and light show in the Bund cable car tunnel ride.

Yangtze Cruises – Cabins with private balcony aboard your Victoria Yangtze River Cruise

Lijiang – Accommodation in a fine example of traditional naxi-style architecture in the heart of the old town. Spectacular world class song and dance ensemble featuring local performers

Fact File:

  • Flying on Cathay Pacific Airways to/from China via Hong Kong
  • Prices ex SYD, MEL, BNE, ADL or PER
  • Ex PER passengers travel on Singapore Airlines
  • Guaranteed 4-5 star hotel accommodation. Maximum 3 persons in a room
  • Triple share consists of two single beds plus a rollaway/fold-up bed. Prices on application
  • Triple share is not available on the cruise
  • Child fare (2-11 years) is 75% of adult twin share costs
  • Tours start from 9.00am and finish at 4.30pm
  • Extra nights available in Shanghai from $226 and kunming from $156 per room per night
  • Good level of fitness required due to high altitude and walking over uneven ground in Huangshan, Kunming and Lijiang regions
  • Prices based on twin share per person
  • Deposit is $440 per person