17-Day China Landmark Tour-Great Wall . Yellow River. Yangtze River. Huangshan & West Lake

Brief Itinerary: Private airport pick-up, hotel check-in, full day free for rest and time zone adjustment. No sightseeing.

Brief Itinerary: Morning visit Tian’anmen Square, afternoon tour the Forbidden City, evening Peking duck dinner. Attraction Highlights: Tian’anmen Square: The world’s largest urban public square and the symbolic heart of modern China. Home to key national monuments, it stands as the nation’s most important political and cultural landmark. Forbidden City (UNESCO World Heritage): The world’s largest surviving ancient wooden palace complex, imperial home to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Wander grand ceremonial halls, secluded inner courtyards and royal relic exhibitions to discover imperial rituals and masterpieces of ancient Chinese timber architecture. Evening: Taste authentic Peking duck and stroll Wangfujing pedestrian street.

Brief Itinerary: Full-day relaxed Great Wall hiking, cable car included, return to downtown hotel in late afternoon. Attraction Highlights: Mutianyu Great Wall (UNESCO World Heritage): A beautifully preserved, less crowded segment of the Great Wall. Ride the cable car uphill, walk along intact ancient ramparts and overlook rolling layered mountain ridges. Your guide shares stories of ancient military defence systems, with ample stops for photography. This stretch boasts well-maintained watchtowers and spectacular panoramic mountain views. Transfer back to the city hotel late afternoon; your evening is completely free.

Brief Itinerary: Morning visit the Temple of Heaven, afternoon explore traditional Beijing hutong alleyways. Attraction Highlights: Temple of Heaven (UNESCO World Heritage): An imperial sacred complex built for emperors to hold grand ceremonies and pray for abundant harvests. Its distinctive circular wooden structures embody ancient Chinese philosophical cosmology linking heaven and earth. Admire refined ancient wooden architecture and serene garden settings. Beijing Hutong: Wander narrow historic lanes lined with traditional siheyuan courtyard houses, witnessing authentic daily life of local residents. Hutongs preserve the living folk heritage of old Beijing.

Brief Itinerary: Leisure morning in Beijing, flight to Zhongwei, transfer to Shapotou, enjoy desert-Yellow River sunset. Attraction Highlights: Shapotou Scenic Area: Famous for the rare natural spectacle where Tengger Desert sand dunes meet the winding Yellow River. Capture photographs of this dramatic desert-river junction and watch sunset over golden sandbanks and river waters. Overnight at Shapotou resort.

Brief Itinerary: Full-day sightseeing in Shapotou; private overland transfer to Lanzhou in late afternoon. Attraction Highlights: Shapotou Singing Sand Dunes & Yellow River Waterfront: Explore two core zones of Shapotou. The singing-sand desert emits unique humming sounds when sand slides down the slopes. The Yellow River waterfront reveals the mother river carving its path through arid northwest terrain. Optional camel rides and sheepskin raft trips available at your own expense. Train to Lanzhou city late in the afternoon and check into a downtown hotel. Evening free to sample local snacks.

Brief Itinerary: Full-day riverside sightseeing; visit iconic Yellow River landmarks and enjoy illuminated river views at night. Attraction Highlights: Zhongshan Iron Bridge: Known as “the First Bridge over the Yellow River”, a century-old iron pedestrian bridge and the most recognizable city symbol of Lanzhou. Yellow River Mother Sculpture: An iconic statue that symbolises the Yellow River, the mother river nurturing thousands of years of Chinese civilisation. Waterwheel Park: View giant ancient irrigation waterwheels, historic engineering tools that sustained farming communities along the Yellow River, and learn about traditional river agriculture culture. Stroll the illuminated riverbank after dark.

Brief Itinerary: Leisure morning in Lanzhou, flight to Chongqing, evening mountain-city night tour. Attraction Highlights: Hongyadong: A spectacular multi-tiered stilt-house complex built along steep hillsides, representing the unique mountain-city architecture of Chongqing. Its glowing night scenery is one of the city’s most famous sights. Chaotianmen: The riverfront landmark standing at the convergence of Yangtze and Jialing Rivers. Admire the grand river junction and layered nightscape of this mountain metropolis.

Brief Itinerary: Morning ancient town & riverside sightseeing; late afternoon board the Yangtze Three Gorges cruise ship. Attraction Highlights: Ciqikou Ancient Town: Well-preserved ancient Sichuan-style riverside town, retaining traditional folk residences, craft workshops and authentic local street food. Chaotianmen Square: Overlook the grand merging of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers. Transfer to the cruise dock in the late afternoon for check-in and boarding. Overnight on the cruise ship.

Brief Itinerary: Full-day cruising through two gorges; enjoy canyon scenery and on-board leisure time. Attraction Highlights: Qutang Gorge: The shortest yet most precipitous gorge of the Three Gorges, marked by towering sheer vertical cliff faces rising directly from the river. Wu Gorge: Famous for rolling green mountain ridges, mist-shrouded peaks and timeless poetic riverside landscapes celebrated in ancient Chinese literature. Relax on the open deck and enjoy full on-board catering service. Overnight on the cruise.

Brief Itinerary: Navigate Xiling Gorge, take a shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam, then disembark in Yichang for overnight stay. Attraction Highlights: Xiling Gorge: The longest and most magnificent section of the Three Gorges, with rugged mountain banks and ever-changing river scenery. Three Gorges Dam: World’s largest water conservancy project. Visit the viewing platform, ship lock and exhibition hall to understand this monumental modern engineering achievement. Disembark at Yichang port; private transfer to a local hotel for the night.

Brief Itinerary: Relaxed morning in Yichang; take high-speed train to Hangzhou; check in downtown hotel and rest. Attraction Highlights: No sightseeing scheduled today. Enjoy a slow morning with free time to wander nearby streets or finish packing. Private transfer to Yichang East Railway Station. Board high-speed train to Hangzhou East Railway Station (around 6.5 hours). Upon arrival, private transfer to downtown Hangzhou hotel. Settle in and rest to prepare for tomorrow’s full-day sightseeing. Overnight in Hangzhou.

Brief Itinerary: Morning boat tour on West Lake; afternoon visit Longjing tea village and terraced plantations; evening lake sunset. Attraction Highlights: West Lake Cultural Landscape (UNESCO World Heritage): Take a lake ferry to Xiaoyingzhou Island to see Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon, the scene featured on China’s 1-yuan banknote. Stroll along Su Causeway and Broken Bridge, experiencing the quintessential poetic Jiangnan lake scenery. Longjing Tea Village: Visit the renowned birthplace of Longjing green tea. Wander layered green terraced tea fields, visit a family-run teahouse, taste freshly brewed Longjing tea and learn traditional tea farming and processing culture. Enjoy local Hangzhou cuisine for lunch (Dongpo Pork, Longjing Shrimp). Return to West Lake to watch sunset at Leifeng Pagoda. Overnight in Hangzhou.

Brief Itinerary: Leisure morning in Hangzhou; high-speed train to Huangshan North; transfer to Huangshan mountain foot hotel. Attraction Highlights: No sightseeing scheduled today. Free morning for last-minute shopping or short stroll around the city. Private transfer to Hangzhou East Railway Station. Take high-speed train to Huangshan North Station (1.5 hours). Then private transfer to Tangkou (Huangshan South Gate). Check into the mountain-foot hotel and rest well for tomorrow’s full-day mountain hiking. Overnight at Huangshan foothill.

Brief Itinerary: Full-day in-depth Huangshan sightseeing; cable car up and down; stay overnight on the mountain top for sunrise. Attraction Highlights: Huangshan Mountain (UNESCO World Heritage): A legendary mountain celebrated for four wonders: strange pines, grotesque rocks, sea of clouds and hot springs. Ride scenic shuttle and cable car uphill to the core scenic zone. Guest-Greeting Pine, Flying Stone & Bright Summit: Visit Huangshan’s most iconic landmarks. Guest-Greeting Pine is the global symbol of Huangshan. Bright Summit offers the best viewpoint for sea of clouds. Hike the North Sea scenic area to see Monkey Watching the Sea and unique alpine pine forests. Overnight at mountain-top hotel.

Brief Itinerary: Early morning sunrise viewing; finish remaining scenic spots; descend mountain; transfer to Shanghai. Attraction Highlights: Huangshan Sunrise & Sea of Clouds: Witness breathtaking alpine sunrise over rolling peaks and floating sea of clouds, subject to favourable weather conditions. Hundred-step Cloud Ladder & Ao Fish Peak: Explore dramatic rocky trails and spectacular mountain viewpoints before descending by cable car. Private transfer to Huangshan North Railway Station and take high-speed train to Shanghai. Check into downtown Shanghai hotel after arrival.