Slow Boat to China
Indulge in a luxury cruise along the mighty Yangzte River, hop on a high-speed train to the picturesque canal town of Suzhou and enjoy two exciting days in the exhilarating metropolis of Shanghai!
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“The best travel experience I've had so far! The guide was very knowledgeable about the destinations and provided us with the best service we could have hoped for. We're already considering our next trip to the South of China!”
C. Hansen
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The Yangtze, one of the longest rivers in the world, has its origin in the vast Tanggula mountains and flows through the middle of China. It is connected to the East China Sea through the great Yangtze River Delta situated on the eastern coast of China.
Starting in Chongqing, one of China's largest cities, we will board the luxury cruise ship and begin an unforgettable voyage on the mighty Yangzte. After four relaxing days, we will continue to one of the most charming canal towns of China, Suzhou, where we will visit the famed Garden of the Master of Nets and explore the narrow cobbled streets and picturesque canals of Suzhou. And we'll finish in style with two exhilarating days in cosmopolitan Shanghai.
Itinerary
| Day 1: Arrive in Chongqing - Pandas at the zoo - Three Gorges Museum - Board cruise ship | Meals: L D |
An Albatros Travel representative will meet you at the airport. Our first stop in this megacity is the city zoo where we'll pay the giant pandas a visit. After lunch we will head to one of the city's central squares where a replica of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing was built a few years ago. The building is now used as the city hall. After a tour of the hall and area, we gain invaluable background information about the majestic Yangtze River at the Three Gorges Museum. After dinner we board the cruise ship and begin our voyage of 2,660km on the fabled Yangtze River.
Accommodation: Victoria Cruise Ship
| Day 2: Yangtze River - Visit the ghost city of Fengdu - Tai chi and other activities | Meals: B L D |
After enjoying a peaceful morning onboard the luxury five-star ship, we make our first port of call at Fengdu, the city of ghosts, in the afternoon. There is no shortage of activities onboard. Enjoy the phenomenal view from the upper deck, sign up for various activities that include tai chi lessons, calligraphy demonstrations and talks on Chinese history and culture.
Accommodation: Victoria Cruise Ship
| Day 3: Yangtze River - Sail through the Three Gorges - Excursion to Shennong Stream | Meals: B L D |
Today, our journey will take us through the second of the Three Gorges, Wu Gorge, which is a narrow passageway with steep cliffs and forest-clad peaks. At the Wushan mountain, we'll transfer to small motorboats and sail down the Shennong stream, a tributary of the Yangtze. In the afternoon, back on the cruise ship,we'll sail through the Three Gorges ship locks.
Accommodation: Victoria Cruise Ship
| Day 4: Yangtze River - Three Gorges Dam - Travel to Wuhan by train | Meals: B L D |
Today we will see the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydroelectric dam. We'll get a closer look at the enormous turbines that power this massive plant. In the afternoon, we disembark from the cruise ship and travel to Wuhan by train. We'll check into our hotel and have dinner nearby.
Accommodation: Wu Han Dorsett Regency
| Day 5: Wuhan tour - Guiyuan Temple - Visit a local market | Meals: B L D |
We start the day in Wuhan with a visit to Guiyuan Temple, one of Hubei province's four largest temples. One of the halls contains 500 golden statues of which no two are alike. It is said that if you count the number of statues corresponding to the years of your age, you can read your future from the last statue's facial expression. We will also call in at that Yellow Crane Tower, known as the symbol of Wuhan city.
After the tower, we will visit a local market and have time to browse through the numerous stalls and do a bit of shopping. After a late lunch, we catch the high-speed train to Suzhou. On arrival, we check into the hotel and have a late dinner.
Accommodation: Suzhou Garden Hotel
| Day 6: Classical Suzhou: classical gardens and silk | Meals: B L D |
With its numerous small canals, low whitewashed houses and peaceful gardens, Suzhou has always been a popular city. Our first stop is the Garden of the Master of the Nets, one of the most famous gardens in Suzhou.
Suzhou has been China’s silk capital since the Tang Dynasty. We’ll visit a silk factory and be introduced to the intricate and labour-intensive process of silk-making. After lunch at the factory restaurant, we carry on to the old city gates. Next we visit the beautiful Suzhou Museum, designed by the Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei, who also designed the glass pyramid in front of the Louvre in Paris. Suzhou Museum has an interesting collection of historical Chinese arts and crafts. You're free to walk around this beautiful canal town for the rest of the afternoon.
Accommodation: Suzhou Garden Hotel
| Day 7: Travel to Shanghai by train - Visit Jin Mao building and the old town | Meals: B L |
After breakfast we'll travel by high-speed train to Shanghai. Our first stop is the incredible Jin Mao building in the Pudong district. From the 88th-floor we'll be able to enjoy phenomenal views of the sprawling metropolis. From Pudong, we journey into Old Shanghai and visit the Yuyuan bazaar and experience a slice of Shanghai history. Shop for trinkets and taste local eats. Next stop is Shanghai's main shopping street, Nanjing Lu, where major designer brands are represented. We'll walk to the Shanghai Museum from here. The museum has an impressive collection of bronze, porcelain, calligraphy, paintings, textiles and sculptures. The museum bookstore is a must for anyone who is interested in Chinese art and architecture.
Accommodation: Shanghai Jiulong Hotel
| Day 8: Explore Shanghai on your own - Farewell dinner | Meals: B D |
Today is a day for exploring Shanghai. Go back to Nanjing Lu and shop to your heart's content, or visit the Yuyuan Garden and have tea at the Huxinting Tea House, or have coffee at one of the many cafés in the French Concession. Have a stroll along the Bund before the farewell dinner. We'll meet back at the hotel and drive to a restaurant serving local specialities for our farewell dinner.
Accommodation: Shanghai Jiulong Hotel
| Day 9: Departure service | Meals: B |
After checking out of the hotel, we will take you to the airport for your onward journey.
Additional information
A child is defined as 12 years or younger and below 1.20m in height.
All rates are based on double occupancy and it is therefore not possible to add additional cots or beds in the cabins.
Included
- Pick up and drop off service at hotel, airport or train station
- Professional local English-speaking guide
- Hotel accommodation and 3 nights on cruise ships
- Transportation according to the programme with car, coach or bus depending on group size
- Meals as stated in the itinerary B = Breakfast. L = Lunch D = Dinner. Breakfast is usually international breakfast buffet combined with local Chinese breakfast. Lunch consists of local Chinese dishes including meat and vegetables. Sometimes lunch is a western-style sandwich if the weather or programme so requires. Dinner is specialised Chinese meals from many different regions in China.
- All entrance fees to the sites mentioned in the itinerary
- Beverages (soft drinks or local beer) within a reasonable limit (2-3 glasses)
- English map of Beijing
- 24hr on-call service in case of emergencies
Excluded
- Anything not in “Included” list above
- Any flights or transportation besides those mentioned in the "Included" list above
- Phone calls or other personal expenses
- Tips - We recommend that the guide receives 2 USD per person per day and 1 USD per person per day for the driver
We reserve the right to make improvements and changes to the itinerary due to local circumstances or events outside our control.
Tour starts/ends:
This tour starts Chongqing and ends in Shanghai.
An Albatros Travel representative will meet you at the airport. This tour includes pick-up and departure services. Please let us know your flight details, including flight number, arrival and departure times, in order for us to arrange your transfers.
Type of vehicles used:
For transfers between destinations we use modern and comfortable vehicles that have air conditioning.
Level of ability required:
This tour does not include any strenuous activity so no particular level of ability is required, however please be prepared for some walking. If you have any concerns or questions regarding disability access, please contact us in advance.
Food and dietary information:
If you have any particular dietary preferences or requirements, please make these clear when you make your booking. Most types of diet can be catered for. We will eat at local restaurants. It’s not a problem to maintain a vegetarian diet in China.
Breakfast at the hotel is usually an international breakfast buffet.
Health and vaccinations:
In general, tourists do not need any vaccinations. Malaria vaccinations are not necessary in most parts of China. However, we advise you to consult with your doctor before travelling. For more information about health and vaccinations, please look at this website.
Baggage and what to bring:
Baggage
For domestic travel by air, the baggage allowance is 20kg (44lbs) per person. Since we do not provide tours with international air travel, please check your airline's website for luggage weight limits.
Adaptors
Flat two pin outlets are used in China. European round two pin outlets can also be used but don't fit perfectly. A plug adaptor can be purchased in most electronic stores.
Visa requirements:
Most travellers need a tourist visa to China. Please consult the Chinese consulate or embassy in your country of residence for visa application. This website may be useful in providing information regarding the application procedure.
Cancellations:
If you need to cancel
We understand that your travel plans sometimes change and we try to be as flexible as possible. However as we have to book accommodation at hotels we are also bound by their cancellation policies. In general, the following rules will apply when cancelling a tour you have booked:
- If cancelling more than 45 days before commencement of our services there is no cancellation fee and we will refund 100% of your money
- If cancelling within 45 to 31 days before commencement of our services: 20 % of the total booking value will be levied
- If cancelling within 30 to 15 days before commencement of our services: 60 % of the total booking value will be levied
- We are unable to offer a refund if cancelling less than two weeks before commencement of our services
For full details of our cancellation terms, please see our general Terms and Conditions.
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