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152 For complete itinerary details and videos, visit vikingcruises.com.au IMPERIAL JEWELS OF CHINA 14 day cruise/tour with 11 guided tours Day 1 Shanghai, China Fly to Shanghai, China's largest city, then check in to your hotel. See the modern financial district juxtaposed with the older sections of the city. Day 2 Shanghai, China This morning, tour Old Shanghai and travel along the elegant Bund, stopping to admire some of its historic buildings and city views. Spend some time at the exquisite Yuyuan Garden, dating back to the Ming Dynasty. After lunch in a local restaurant, tour the Shanghai Museum. The Legend of Kung Fu Witness one of Beijing's most renowned stage shows, which has traveled around the world. (B, L, D) Day 3 Shanghai, China After breakfast, prepare for your flight to Wuhan. Upon arriving, transfer to your ship docked close to Wuhan's historic waterfront. You are welcomed aboard with a Western meal. (B, L, D) Day 4 Wuhan, China Today visit the Hubei Provincial Museum, where you hear the chimes of ancient bronze bells and view fascinating relics from 400 BC. (B, L, D) Day 5 Jingzhou, China After a morning of sailing, arrive in Jingzhou. Visit an elementary school sponsored by Viking Cruises where you are greeted and entertained by the children. Tang Dynasty Dinner & Show Indulge in a sumptuous meal accompanied by dances and music from the Tang Dynasty. (B, L, D) Day 6 Three Gorges, China 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. (B, L, D) Day 7 Three Gorges, China 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. (B, L, D) Day 8 Shibaozhai, China This morning, visit Shibaozhai Temple, a 12-story pavilion built in 1650 along the Yangtze. Tour the pavilion and temple before returning aboard for lunch. Enjoy Yangtze River scenery as you cruise this afternoon and through the night. (B, L, D) Day 9 Chongqing, China After breakfast, disembark and enjoy a brief tour of Chongqing, the largest city in western China and an important inland port. Visit the Chongqing Zoo to see the giant pandas and other exotic species. After lunch in a local restaurant, fly to Xian, key city of the Tang Dynasty. From 618 to 907 AD, this dynasty presided over one of China's most glorious cultural periods, spreading its influence throughout Asia into Europe and Africa. (B, L, D) Day 10 Xian, China After breakfast, tour the mausoleum where Emperor Qin Shi Huang was laid to rest over 2,000 years ago. See the thousands of life-sized Terracotta Warriors, archers and infantrymen that were buried with him, each man and horse molded with its own distinctive features. Walkways provide a bird's-eye view of the entire necropolis where the Terracotta Army was discovered in the 1970s. (B, L, D) Day 11 Xian, China Today, fly to Beijing, China's imperial capital, whose rich history dates back more than 3,000 years. Check in to your hotel and dine there; enjoy free time this evening. (B, L, D) Day 12 Beijing, China After breakfast, travel to the Badaling Hills. There, you behold one of the most impressive and best-preserved sections of the Great Wall of China. This 4,000-mile-long series of sandstone and earthwork fortifications was built and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century AD, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore its winding pathways and marvel at the panoramic views from its ramparts. After a lunch of local specialties, visit the Sacred Way, a tree-lined avenue guarded by massive sculptures of elephants, lions and camels leading to the Ming Dynasty tombs. (B, L, D) Day 13 Beijing, China This morning visit the enormous Tiananmen Square, which can accommodate over one million people. Then, tour Beijing's Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Made up of nearly 1,000 buildings, it is the world's largest surviving palace complex. Walk its grounds among the opulent palaces, pavilions, courtyards and imperial gardens within the 26-foot-high walls. (B, L, D) Day 14 Beijing, China After breakfast, check out of your hotel and proceed to the airport for your return flight. Or, continue your China journey with three nights in Hong Kong. (B) T E R R A C O T TA WA R R I O R S , X I A N Key Example of Optional Shore Excursion