| Itinerary |
| Day 1: HONG KONG |
| Independent arrivals into Hong Kong. Ten years on from being handed back to China, this cosmopolitan city is an exciting starting point for our 11 day adventure. We stay at a centrally located five-star hotel for two nights and this evening we enjoy a welcome dinner. |
| Day 2: HONG KONG/ BORDER CROSSING |
| Free morning to explore. There is time to visit Victoria Peak for stunning views of the island, take in some shopping at one of the many malls or visit Causeway to marvel at the awe-inspiring sky scrapers, such as the Bank of China or HSBC buildings. Lunchtime departure to cross the border before we meet our private train, the Shangri La Express. After settling into our cabins, there is time for a drink in the bar car before enjoying dinner in the restaurant car. |
| Day 3: GUILIN |
| Early morning arrival in the enchanting city of Guilin, where we spend the day sightseeing. Situated on the Li River in some of the finest scenery in the world, our day includes a cruise on the river amongst the strange karst rock formations that feature on the cover of so many books about China. We also visit the 600,000 year old Yudi Lan (Reed Flute) Cave on the outskirts of the city. |
| Day 4: SHILIN |
This morning is spent relaxing on board the train as we make our way to Shilin. After lunch on the train we visit the beautiful Stone Forest with its magnificent stone masterpieces and various strange and steep intricate formations. An old local saying claims that 'If you have visited Kunming without seeing the Stone Forest, you have wasted your time.' Late afternoon we start our transit over one of the world’s most spectacular railway lines. Completed in the 1970’s, the line to Chengdu tortuously passes over many precariously perched bridges and over deep ravines before plunging into yet another tunnel.
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| Day 5: CHENGDU |
| Today we can relax on board the train, before arriving into Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province and the centre for traditional Chinese medicine within this vast country. Also the home of the Giant Panda, we will have the opportunity to visit the Giant Panda Breeding Research Institute and get close to these remarkable rare creatures. |
| Day 6: CHONGQING |
| Chongqing is famous for its hot Sichuan cuisine and worldfamous hotpot dishes. Street vendors as well as restaurants feature exciting spicy delicacies and hopefully we will have the opportunity to sample this wonderful food on our day touring the old part of this city. Early evening we transfer to a five star Victoria Cruises river boat for our three night cruise through the Three Gorges. |
| Day 7: THREE GORGES CRUISE |
| Today we take an excursion to Shibaozhai, visiting the twelve storey Qing Dynasty 182 feet (56 metres) wooden temple that was built against a rectangular cliff or Fengdu Ghost City situated on Ming Mountain. |
| Day 8: THREE GORGES CRUISE |
| Today we pass through the 8 km Qutang Gorge, the narrowest and most spectacular of the three gorges, with its steep imposing mountains. Perilous peaks along both sides of the Gorge tower towards the sky, some reaching up to a height of 4,291 feet (1,500m). We transfer to a small boat to take a side trip into one of the smaller gorges before entering the western part of the 43 mile (70) km Xinling Gorge. |
| Day 9: THREE GORGES/ YICHANG – FLIGHTS TO SHANGHAI |
| We visit the Three Gorges Dam project before passing through the eastern Xinling gorge in time for our lunchtime arrival in Yichang. This afternoon we board a flight bound for Shanghai. Upon arrival in this vibrant city we transfer to a centrally located hotel for a two night stay. |
| Day 10: SHANGHAI |
| Today we have time to visit the Shanghai Museum reputed to be ‘the best museum in the country’, The Bund. Once the most important financial centre in Asia, it still retains a proud heritage with superb colonial architecture and the Yuyuan Garden. Designed in the Ming Dynasty, this wonderful retreat is an ancient park of rock formations, pavilions, towers, and man-made lotus gardens. We also have the chance to experience the famous Nanjing Road. |
| Day 11: SHANGHAI |
| There is free time for further exploration before departure transfers to Shanghai airport. |
