12-Day ~ China Yangzte River w/ Lily Chin (March 2009)
Viking River Cruises
Imperial Jewels of China
Start Date:
March 20, 2009
End Date:
March 31, 2009
Imperial Jewels of China ~ Itinerary
Shanghai, China
Arrival Date:
March 20, 2009
Departure Date: March 23, 2009
Shanghai is spectacular and alive and any trip to this region would not be complete without a stop here. Take a ferry ride and see the spectacular lights, shop for yarn, get a foot massage, have a drink atop the highest hotel in the world, The Grand Hyatt in Pudong or walk the Bund and help some local Chinese tourists practice their English. Everyone here is very friendly and happy to share their culture with you.
Wuhan, China
Arrival Date:
March 23, 2009
Departure Date: March 23, 2009
Visit the Hubei Provincial Museum, where you enjoy the music of ancient bronze bells
Yueyang, China
Arrival Date:
March 24, 2009
Departure Date: March 24, 2009
Today, visit an elementary school sponsored by Viking River Cruises. You are greeted and entertained by the children, then return to your ship. For the next 150 miles, you travel the most scenic stretch of the Yangtze through a spectacular series of limestone ridges known as the Three Gorges.
Three Gorges Dam
Arrival Date:
March 25, 2009
Departure Date: March 25, 2009
This morning, cruise through Xiling Gorge, the longest of the Three Gorges. After lunch, disembark for a tour of the Three Gorges Dam where you learn about this immense engineering masterpiece and what it means for the Chinese people and the Yangtze. Return to your ship and sail through the five-stage locks of the Three Gorges Dam. Dock overnight at Badong.
Three Gorges & Lesser Three Gorges
Arrival Date:
March 26, 2009
Departure Date: March 26, 2009
During breakfast, cruise through Wu (Witches) Gorge, renowned for its magnificent scenery. Then, board a smaller boat for an excursion through the Lesser Three Gorges. Along the way, see fascinating sites including the hanging coffins of the Ba people and the ancient plank road carved into the cliffside. Lunch at Viking’s private scenic stop overlooking the gorges, then sail through Qutang Gorge, the shortest, narrowest and most spectacular of the three large gorges. Dinner aboard.
Shibaozhai, China
Arrival Date:
March 27, 2009
Departure Date: March 27, 2009
This morning, visit Shibaozhai Temple, a 12-story pavilion built in 1650 above the Yangtze. Tour the pavilion and temple before returning aboard for lunch. Cruise along the Yangtze through the night.
Chongqing, China
Arrival Date:
March 28, 2009
Departure Date: March 28, 2009
After breakfast, disembark and enjoy a brief tour of Chongqing, the largest city in western China and an important inland port. Enjoy a visit to the Chongqing Zoo to see the Giant Pandas and other exotic species.
Xian, China
Arrival Date:
March 28, 2009
Departure Date: March 29, 2009
After lunch in a local restaurant, fly to Xian, key city of the Tang Dynasty. From 618 to 907 A.D., this dynasty presided over one of China’s most glorious cultural periods, spreading its influence throughout Asia into Europe and Africa. Tonight, experience the historic grandeur of the era as you dine surrounded by its traditional song and dance.
In the morning, tour the mausoleum where Emperor Qin Shi Huang was laid to rest over 2,000 years ago. See the more than 8,000 life-sized Terra Cotta Warriors, archers and infantrymen that were buried with him; walkways provide a bird’s-eye view of the entire manmade necropolis where the Terra Cotta Army was discovered in the 1970s. Each man and horse is molded with its own distinctive features.
Beijing, China
Arrival Date:
March 29, 2009
Departure Date: March 31, 2009
Beijing is the capital of China and is its most vibrant city. While Shanghai may be compared to New York Beijing is compared to Washington DC. Beijing is not a cruise port since it sits inland 90 miles but in a day you can certainly experience much of what this city has to offer.