China Tours, Yangtze River Cruising, Mekong River Cruises, Vietnam Tour, Cambodia Travel
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30 ARRIVE & EXPLORE IMPERIAL BEIJING Day 1. Arrive Beijing. Be met on arrival and transferred to your luxurious hotel. After settling in, the remainder of the day is yours to spend at leisure. Later this evening, get to know your APT Tour Director and fellow travellers at a Welcome Reception. Three Night Stay: Raffles Beijing, in a Business Room. Day 2. Beijing, Freedom of Choice. Your sightseeing begins today with a tour of Tiananmen Square. Enlarged to four times its original size in the 1950s, Tiananmen is the world's largest city square. After the tour, head to the World Heritage-listed Forbidden City, the largest surviving palace complex on earth. Located within the Imperial City of Beijing, the Forbidden City was home to 24 Chinese emperors between 1420 and 1924. Entrance to the city was once at the sole discretion of the emperor, but today visitors are able to access this extraordinarily preserved site. After some time to look around you will transfer to the World Heritage-listed Summer Palace, rebuilt for by Emperor Guangxu for Empress Dowager Cixi following the destruction of the Old Summer Palace by French and British troops in 1860. Here you will find a variety of palaces, gardens and pavilions, as well as Longevity Hill and manmade Kunming Lake. Explore the gardens with a local guide then board a traditionally styled boat for a private cruise along the shores of the Summer Palace. Admire the scenery of gardens, parklands and palaces as you are served tea and cakes. Following dinner at leisure back in Beijing, you may choose to attend a fascinating Peking Opera show at Qianmen Liyuan Theatre, watch an exhilarating Kung Fu Show at the Red Theatre or explore Silk Alley market. BL EXPERIENCE THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA Day 3. Beijing, Great Wall of China. Today, set out for the Great Wall of China, which winds its way from the Yellow Sea up into the Gobi Desert for more than 6,000 kilometres. Be captivated by the magnitude of this 8th-century monument as you wander along an unrestored and rarely visited stretch of the Badaling section. Later, enjoy a chef-prepared buffet lunch and free-flowing beverages overlooking the wall, prepared just for APT guests. Travel back to Beijing this evening and indulge in an authentic Peking Duck banquet served with all the traditional accompaniments. BLD YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE Day 4. Beijing, Yichang, Embark Ship. After the morning at leisure, transfer to the airport and fly to Yichang. On arrival, transfer to your luxury river ship and settle in for your cruise along the Yangtze River. Four Night Stay: the luxurious Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer. BLD Day 5. Xiling Gorge, Three Gorges Dam. Cruise along the Yangtze River through China's most picturesque area, the spectacular Three Gorges region. Pass through the longest of the Three Gorges, Xiling Gorge, cruising through Yellow Ox Gorge and under Huangling Temple, built around 770 BC – 476 BC and set amid groves of orange and pomelo trees. Later this afternoon, arrive at the Three Gorges Dam and take a tour of the world's largest engineering project. After the Captain's Welcome Reception this evening, enjoy a special Welcome Dinner on board with your fellow guests. BLD Freedom of Choice TM – Sightseeing Freedom of Choice TM – Dining Signature Invitation Explore an unrestored section of the Great Wall of China, before enjoying a private buffet lunch overlooking the wall MOST POPULAR TOUR 13 Day Best of China Beijing to Shanghai 8 Night Small Group Journey | 4 Night Luxury River Cruise www.aptouring.com.au