Begin your discovery of Beijing with a guided visit to Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest public square and the symbolic heart of modern China. Surrounded by landmarks such as the Great Hall of the People and the Monument to the People’s Heroes, it’s a powerful introduction to the nation’s past and present.
From here, step into the awe-inspiring Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed complex that once housed 24 emperors across the Ming and Qing dynasties. Wander through palatial halls and serene courtyards as your guide reveals the rich symbolism behind its ancient treasures.
This afternoon, choose to delve deeper into local life with an optional tour of Beijing’s hutongs — narrow alleyways where traditional courtyard homes reveal centuries of community culture (surcharges apply). Conclude your day with a quintessential dining experience: a Peking duck banquet at a local restaurant, savouring the city’s most famous dish.
Leave the city life behind as you strike out for the utterly breathtaking Great Wall of China. Travel to Juyong Pass, carving an imposing line through the valley of the Changping District. Surrounded by mountains on either side, this is one of the most historically significant and impenetrable segments of the Great Wall. Admire the vast mountain scenery as you walk along this architectural wonder, then continue to a local jade factory for the opportunity to witness a traditional trade and maybe purchase a handcrafted souvenir.
This evening, you might like to watch an acrobatic kung fu performance (surcharges apply).
Travel time: Driving – approx. two hours
Great Wall of China visit
After breakfast, meet in the lobby and transfer to the station for your train bound of Xi’an. Board your high-speed G-train in Second Class seats.
On arrival in Xi’an, you’ll be met and transferred to your Shangri-La hotel for check-in. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure before the option to join a night tour to experience the city’s evening atmosphere (surcharges apply).
Travel time: Train – approx. five hours
High-speed G train trip (bullet train)
Wake to breakfast and the promise of an adventurous day in Xi’an, where China’s dynastic legacy is built into the 14th-century city walls.
Start your day at a Terracotta Warriors workshop, where artisans craft detailed replicas of the famous army. Then, continue to Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum to admire the real thing. One of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th-century, this vault of terracotta-sculpted warriors is credited to the rule of unified China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Since its unexpected discovery, archaeologists have pored over the individual faces and assembled masses of these solemn statues in search of historic insights.
Savour lunch at a local restaurant before you’re transferred to Xi’an Xianyang International Airport (XIY) for your flight to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG). On arrival, you’ll be transferred to your luxury Shangri-La accommodation in Pudong, set in the heart of this dynamic city.
Travel time: Flight – approx. 2.5 hours
Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum visit
Spend the day in the heart of Shanghai, beginning with a stroll through Yuyuan Bazaar, where cobbled streets are lined with shops selling herbal medicines, handicrafts, Chinese tea and local snacks. Step into the Yu Gardens, a serene example of classical Chinese landscaping, featuring jade rock formations, goldfish ponds and elegant pavilions, built by Ming-era governor Pan Yunduan as a retirement gift for his father.
Next, visit the Bund, where Shanghai’s colonial history unfolds along the waterfront. Admire buildings from 1850s trade houses to 1920s Art Deco landmarks, including banks, hotels and the iconic customs house. Explore a local silk mill to see the production of luxurious silk from silkworm to finished fabric.
For a different perspective, consider an optional Huangpu River cruise (surcharges apply).
Tonight, enjoy a dinner together with your tour group to celebrate your time in the Magic City.
Say goodbye to Shanghai as you make your own way to the airport for your flight to Yichang, the gateway to the Yangtze’s Three Gorges. On arrival, you’re met and driven to Maoping Port to embark the Victoria Sabrina, your home for the next four nights.
Settle into your Superior Cabin on the Observation Deck. Boarding typically runs from late afternoon into early evening, leaving time to find your cabin and get your bearings before dinner.
As the ship pulls away from the dock, settle in for an evening cruising through a dramatic landscape of mountains and shimmering waters, the first taste of scenery that will define the days ahead. Set sail down one of the world’s longest rivers through a dramatic landscape of mountains and shimmering waters. After your welcome briefing, you may spend the rest of your day however you please, soaking up the spectacular scenery as you go.
Travel time: Driving – approx. two hours / Flight – approx. two hours
Three-night Yangtze River cruise aboard the luxury Victoria Sabrina
One-way internal economy class flight from Shanghai to Yichang (YIH)
An amenity package kicks in from this morning, including morning coffee and tea service, a welcome fruit plate, nightly turndown and a daily happy hour in the Executive Lounge. After a filling buffet breakfast, prepare to step ashore for a closer look at the imposing Three Gorges Dam.
A feat of engineering at 2,335 metres long and 185 metres tall, this gargantuan structure stands at the heart of discussions of clean energy and environmental impact. As the world’s largest hydroelectric power plant – its generating capacity reaches a jaw-dropping 22,500 megawatts – the dam’s complex, and at times controversial local history, is well worth exploring.
Here, choose to join an excursion to uncover the unique combination of cultures showcased at the Tribe of the Three Gorges, where you can witness an ancient fishing practice, as well as historic waters believed to make for the best brewed tea (surcharges apply).
This evening, join your fellow travellers for the Captain’s Welcome Banquet, where a delectable feast awaits on board.
Rise and shine for another day on the serene Yangtze River. Today, turn your attention to the Goddess Stream, where towering Wu and Qutang Gorges frame an awe-inspiring picture of China’s natural wonder – one so beautiful it features on the back of the 10-yuan bill.
Taking a smaller boat along this narrow stretch of hidden beauty, you’ll have the chance to unearth the Ancient Plank Road and dizzying Meng Liang Stairway, pausing to consider the ancient traditions of the region as you look high up the limestone cliffs to the hanging coffins tucked above.
You may choose to join an optional tour of the White Emperor City on Baidi Mountain, a picturesque site of ancient importance (surcharges apply).
Dense greenery houses abundant wildlife, including the cunning macaque. By the time you return to your vessel, the steep slopes and peaceful wilderness will be hard to forget.
Start the day at your own pace, with coffee and tea served early, before docking at Fengdu for a shore excursion to Xiaoguanshan Ancient Folk Culture Park. Relocated Ming and Qing dynasty homes, the Tianfo Temple and an old town gate have been rebuilt here after being submerged by the Three Gorges Dam project, preserving a slice of local history that would otherwise have been lost.
This evening, the Captain hosts a farewell banquet, your last night onboard before disembarking tomorrow.
Disembark the Victoria Sabrina at Chaotianmen Dock this morning and transfer to the InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City, where an early check-in means your Classic City View Room is ready as soon as you arrive.
The rest of the day is yours. Chongqing rewards a bit of wandering: its hillside layout, sprawling night skyline and famously fiery hotpot make it one of the more distinctive cities on this itinerary. Whether you spend the afternoon resting up after four nights on the water or head out to explore, the choice is entirely yours.
One night of five-star luxury at the Intercontinental Chongqing Raffles City
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home, bringing an end to a journey that’s taken you from Beijing’s palaces to the temples and gorges of the Yangtze.