Family China & the Yangtze

Arrive in Beijing, China’s political and cultural hub. Transfer to your luxurious hotel.

Travel to the less-visited Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China. Walk its ramparts before hopping in a toboggan for an exciting ride back down. Later, view the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the “Bird’s Nest,” and the National Aquatics Center, dubbed the “Water Cube.” Gather for a cocktail and a welcome dinner at your hotel.

Start the day with a morning tai chi class for the family, which you experience at the Temple of Heaven. Ride Like a Local by pedicab through a maze of winding alleyways known as a hutong. After lunch, walk in the footsteps of emperors in the Forbidden City and wander Tiananmen Square. Tonight, take in a thrilling kung fu show.

Fly to Xian and enjoy lunch. Then, stand atop the ramparts of Xian’s City Wall. Tonight, a fun Family Foodie Experience awaits you at a local restaurant, where you learn to make traditional dumplings.

Play archaeologist today with a visit to the site of the legendary Terra Cotta Warriors, where thousands of life-size ceramic soldiers “guard” the tomb of China’s first emperor. Later, visit with artisans at a local pottery factory and enjoy the chance to make your own clay soldier.

Travel by high-speed train to Chengdu, the charming capital of Sichuan Province. Later, attend the Sichuan Opera for a dazzling “face-changing” performance.

In the morning, visit the Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center, where you encounter the adorable giant panda — China’s living national emblem — in a beautiful, sprawling habitat. Later, hop on a high-speed train to buzzy Chongqing. On arrival, board your river cruiser to begin a three-night voyage on the Yangtze River.

Start your morning with tai chi on the deck. Disembark in Fuling to visit the White Crane Ridge Underwater Museum. Descend 150 feet underwater to see centuries-old rock carvings. Continue to a local market to gain insight into local culinary culture. Then, learn about traditional Chinese medicine. Tonight, attend the Captain’s Reception. The next morning, ‘Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer’ navigates the Qutang and Wu gorges before anchoring at Badong, where you board a ferry and travel up Shennong Stream. Transfer to “pea pod” boats poled by Tujia boatmen to view a scenic gorge. The Tujia are members of a local minority culture famed for their boat-building skills; visit their village before returning to ‘Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer.’ Tonight, savor a “Taste of China” dinner and onboard entertainment.

Arrive at the Three Gorges Dam site for a photo stop. Then, fly to Shanghai and transfer to your luxury hotel on the Bund with views of glittering skyscrapers. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

This morning, take part in an interactive kung fu class. Then, pass through the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel by electric cart and visit Shanghai Tower for more remarkable vistas of action-packed Shanghai. Step back in time with a stroll in Old Town and a visit to the beautiful Yu Garden. Tonight, gather for a farewell dinner.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport and fly home.