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Yangtze River: Waterways and Landmarks of China

Program Number: 6071RJ
Start and End Dates:
5/5/2013 - 5/23/2013; 9/1/2013 - 9/19/2013; 10/6/2013 - 10/24/2013; 10/13/2013 - 10/31/2013;
Duration: 18 nights
Location: China
Price starting at: $3,994.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Adventure Afloat Study Cruise; River Boats
Meals: 48; 17 Breakfasts, 15 Lunches, 16 Dinners    
Meal Options: Gluten Free; Vegetarian    

The rivers of China, one of the most mountainous countries in the world, have connected and delineated its peoples for millennia. The Yangtze (Long River) marks the border between south and north China, its dramatic gorges figuring in myth and legend. The serene waters of the Li River, flowing among mist-enshrouded green mountains, have long inspired Chinese poetry and painting. In this program, learn about China's heritage, contemporary life, its vast and varied terrain, and sail its renowned waterways.




Activity Particulars

Walking up to two miles over uneven terrain, unpaved paths, cobblestones, uneven stone stairs, steep stairs at Yangtze docks, some without railings.



Optional tai chi and Chinese conversation classes when time permits. Group leaders are full-time Chinese Foreign Affairs Office staff, university graduates who are fluent in English, well-educated in safety and protocol, and supported by offices nationwide.



Itinerary At-a-Glance

Beijing (China), 4 nights; aboard Yangtze study vessel, 4 nights; Xi’an, 3 nights; Yangshuo, 3 nights; Shanghai, 3 nights.



Day 1:
Overnight flight from the U.S.A. / cross International Date Line




Days 2-5:
Arrival Beijing (China):

Walk the Great Wall and enter the Forbidden City. Explore "old Beijing" alleys and lanes; chat with courtyard residents at a family-hosted lunch and experience the magnitude of Tiananmen Square.
Lodging: Three-star hotel.



Days 6-9:
On the Yangtze:

After exploring Beijing’s architectural masterpiece, the Temple of Heaven, fly to Yichang to board the Yangtze study vessel. Sailing through the Yangtze’s gorges, examine area history, culture, ecology, traditional medical practices and modern life. Visit river towns and the Three Gorges Dam, and pass through exquisite narrow gorges of a Yangtze tributary on traditional sampans, where you might catch glimpses of red monkeys amongst the trees.



Days 10-12:
Fly to Xi’an:

Talk with students as they introduce you to the campus of Xi’an International Studies University. Experience the wonder of the terracotta army, buried in the tomb of a Qin Emperor 2,200 years ago. After a presentation of Chinese cultural history, explore Xi’an’s unparalleled Museum of History and then savor the special dumplings for which the city is famous.
Newly renovated three-star hotel located within Xi'an's city wall.



Days 13-15:
Fly to Guilin/Yangshuo:

Sail down the Li River, amidst the beautiful karst mountains celebrated in painting and poetry. Learn about Chinese landscape painting at a master’s demonstration. Enjoy the open-air musical, "Third Sister Liu," directed by world-renowned Zhang Yi Mou, and discover traditional Chinese music at a private concert at Guilin Music Institute.
Lodging: Comfortable, centrally located hotel overlooking the River Li.



Days 16-19:
Shanghai / departures:

Stroll along Shanghai’s riverfront for views of colonial buildings and the skyscrapers of new Shanghai across the river. Discover China’s rich art treasures at its famed Art Museum and learn about classic Chinese landscaping at the Ming Dynasty Yu Garden. Visit the newly developed area of Pudong — until recently undeveloped farmland and now a glittering forest of skyscrapers. Enjoy an evening of amazing skill and prowess at a performance by the world-famous Shanghai Acrobatics Troupe.
Lodging: Four-star hotel.



Victoria Cruises

Built in 2002 by the renowned Blohm & Voss shipbuilders of Germany, this ship measures 580 feet long and can sail at speeds of up to 28 knots, making it one of the fastest passenger ships of its kind. It is described by Maritime Telecommunications Network as “one of the safest ships afloat.” Learning amenities onboard include nine state-of-the-art classrooms, a library, computer and multimedia labs and a “student union.” The ship also has a pool, gym and wellness center.


China

From the opening of the Silk Road in the 1st Century BC, marking the beginning of trade between Central Asia and the burgeoning empires in the West, China has inspired global evolution. Six millennia of calligraphy, music, and dance emerged from the behemoth land during a dozen dynasties marked by conflicts of religion, power, and territory. Ruling emperors gave way to Communism and to Modern China, home to a fifth of the world’s population.

Road Scholar Instructors
These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.
China's Cultural History Yang Hongying
Professor Yang Hongying is an expert in the study of foreign language and linguistics at Xi'an International Studies University, where she leads courses in Chinese culture and international studies. She has received numerous teaching awards, and also has received advanced degrees in cultural heritage studies from the Institute of European Studies in Macau, and in education from the University of New South Wales in Australia. Yang has published numerous papers on museum text translations and international culture studies, and has given lectures on Chinese culture and heritage in China, Macau, and Singapore. She has worked with and taught Road Scholar groups for more than 10 years.
 
Meals and Lodgings
   Qianmen Jianguo Hotel
  Beijing, China 4 nights
   Victoria Cruise Lines
  Yangtze Gorges, China 4 nights
   Grand Noble Hotel
  Xi'an, China 3 nights
   Sovereign Hotel
  Guilin (Yangshuo), China 3 nights
   Four Points by Sheraton Daning Hotel Shanghai
  Shanghai, China 3 nights
 Qianmen Jianguo Hotel
Type: Four-Star Hotel
  Description: Originally built in the 1950s, this modernized hotel is located in a traditional district south of Beijing's famous Chan An Avenue and short distance from many of Beijing's historic and monumental sites, including Tian'anmen Square, the Temple of Heaven, and the Forbidden City. It also maintains a well-known theater devoted to nightly performances of Beijing Opera.
  Ship Information: .
  Contact info: 175 Yonggan Road
Xuanwu District
Beijing, NA 100050 China
phone: +86 -10-6301-6688
web: www.qianmenhotel.com
  Room amenities: Air-conditioning, satellite television, free room non-wifi internet access, international direct-dial telephone, safe-deposit box, mini-bar, laundry service, coffee- and tea-making facilities. All rooms are non-smoking.
  Facility amenities: Four restaurants with Western and Chinese cuisine, rooftop bar, business center, fitness center, beauty salon, Liyuan Peking Opera theater.Wi-Fi is availble in the hotel lobby with free cost.
  Smoking allowed: Yes
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior: Program Provider (CAEE) Additional nights pre-program can be arranged by your Program Provider.

 Victoria Cruise Lines
Type: Cruise Ship
  Description: All cabins are exterior-facing Superior Cabins with private balcony, bathtub, and shower.
  Ship Information: First class Yangtze River Cruise ship. All boats in Victoria Cruise Lines have iron, double-bottom hulls and have been built or completely refurbished between 2001-2004. Total capacity of 130-266 persons. See www.victoriacruises.com for additional information.
  Contact info: Woodside , NY 11377
Woodside, NY 11377 USA
phone: 180-034-8808 x4
  Room amenities: Air conditioning, TV, exterior cabins, floor to ceiling glass doors leading to private balcony, private bathrooms with showers. Lower berth single beds. All cabins are non-smoking.
  Facility amenities: Fitness center, laundry service, currency exchange, business center, beauty salon, reading room, shopping,Wi-Fi is not availble.
  Smoking allowed: No

 Grand Noble Hotel
Type: Four-Star Hotel
  Description: Located inside the city walls in the heart of 'downtown' Xi'an, the Grand Noble (formerly known as the Royal Garden Hotel) is close to the city's main attractions, including the Bell Tower and Muslim Section.
  Ship Information: .
  Contact info: 334 DongDaJie (East) Street
Xi'an, NA 710001 China
phone: +86 29 87690000
  Room amenities: Air-conditioning, television, free in-room internet (no wifi) access, mini-bar, hair dryer, room service. All rooms are non-smoking.
  Facility amenities: Free wifi in hotel lobby, laundry service, business center, coffee bar,Wi-Fi is availble in the hotel lobby with free cost.
  Smoking allowed: Yes
  Elevators available: Yes

 Sovereign Hotel
Type: Four-Star Hotel
  Description: Facing the beautiful Li River, this centrally located hotel is close to many of the scenic spots of the area and is convenient for leisurely walks around town.
  Ship Information: .
  Contact info: 28 Guanlian Road
Yangshuo, GU  541900 China
phone: +86 -773-888 9988
web: www.yangshuohotel.net/en/index.asp
  Room amenities: Air conditioning, TV, free in-room internet (non-wifi) access, hair dryer, mini bar. All rooms are non-smoking,
  Facility amenities: Business center, currency exchange, laundry service, bar, restaurant,Wi-Fi is not availble.
  Smoking allowed: Yes
  Elevators available: Yes

 Four Points by Sheraton Daning Hotel Shanghai
Type: Five-Star Hotel
  Description: This five star hotel is in the city center, close to many of Shanghai's highlights and within walking distance of one of Shanghai’s most popular parks where locals gather for traditional exercises and exchange of local news.
  Contact info: No.1928 Gonghexin Road, Zhabei District
Shanghai,  200070 China
phone: +86 21 2602 2222
  Room amenities: Air-conditioning, television, mini-bar, hair dryer, room service, rooms will be no smoking but hotel has smoking areas.
  Facility amenities: AC, daily laundry, indoor swimming pool, fitness center, cafe, bar, restaurants, business center, currency exchange, free wi-fi in hotel lobby
  Smoking allowed: Yes
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights after: Contact your Program Provider. contact your Program Provider;


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
Meet your Group Leader in the hotel lobby at 6:00 pm on the arrival day and join a welcome meeting. Check-in time for your hotel is 2:00 pm You will be staying at Qianmen Jianguo Hotel that night.
  End of Program:
Your program ends at 11:30 am. Check-out time from your hotel is 12:00 pm/noon. You will be staying at Four Points by Sheraton Daning Hotel Shanghai the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required. APPLYING FOR YOUR CHINA VISA: U.S. RESIDENTS: Due to the complexities of obtaining a China visa we strongly urge you to use Road Scholar's designated visa service. Whether or not you use GenVisa, you must submit the following for your application: 1. Your completed visa application form with official photo as described. Tip: if you choose Journalist or Religious Worker as your occupation, your visa could be denied. 2. An official Abbreviated Itinerary with Accommodations information on Road Scholar letterhead and which has your name included. That document will be mailed or emailed to you separately. 3. If you have NOT purchased your international air tickets from Road Scholar and/or if you are NOT using GenVisa, you must also submit a copy of your confirmed international flight information. (If you have purchased your international air from Road Scholar and are using GenVisa, your flight information will be submitted to GenVisa for you.) NON US RESIDENTS: If you are not using GenVisa, some of the requirements may differ. You should check with your Chinese Consulate or with a visa agency you have chosen. If an official letter of invitation from China is required, the Chinese American Educational Exchange (CAEE) can email or mail you one. To request such a letter contact CAEE: email: toc@ix.netcom.com phone: 212 334 1971.
  Parking availability:
n/a
Transportation (For Independent Travelers)
  Train or bus availability: n/a
To Start of Program
  Location:  Beijing
  Transportation to site: If independent flights do not coincide with the designated group transfer or if arrivals are a day or more earlier than the program start date, it is the responsibility of participant(s) to make arrangements to get to the program site. Taking a taxi from the airport to your hotel is very easy. Your Final Information Packet includes a sheet with taxi information and your hotel location in English and in Chinese characters. Just show it to a taxi driver and he will know exactly where to go. Many participants have used this sheet and no one has ever had a problem. Taxi cost between Beijing airport and your hotel is about $30 US (170 Chinese yuan) per car. Taxi cost from Shanghai airport to your hotel is about $40 US (240 yuan). Tip is not expected. (You will need to buy Chinese currency at the airport upon arrival. ATM's and Foreign Currency Exchange desks are easy to locate. All signs include English.) Take taxis at designated taxi stands and make sure the driver turns on the meter. Time to the hotel by car takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour (depending on traffic).
  From End of Program
  Location:  Shanghai
  Transportation from site: Program Only Participants (POP) can take the scheduled airport transfer free of charge if there is room in the transfer vehicle. Alternately, your Group Leader can help you arrange a taxi. Cost is about $40 US (240 Chinese yuan) per car. Tip is not expected.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: In Flight
(Sunday, May 5)
   
 In Transit: International flight

Day 2: Arrive Beijing/Welcome Meeting
(Monday, May 6)
   
 Afternoon: Arrive at Beijing International Airport where your group leader/national guide will be waiting for you. After check-in and a short rest, get together for a Welcome Meeting at your hotel.
 Dinner: at hotel dining room
 Evening: at your leisure.
   
Accommodations: Qianmen Jianguo Hotel
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 3: Forbidden City/China's Land and Peoples/Peking Duck
(Tuesday, May 7)
   
 Breakfast: After optional morning tai ji exercise, enjoy hotel's buffet breakfast.
 Morning: Explore the monumental Forbidden City, seat of the Qing rulers whose reception halls and living quarters contain many of the Qing Emperors' treasures.
 Lunch: at restaurant nearby
 Afternoon: After lunch return to your hotel for a Talk: 'China’s Land and Peoples.'
 Dinner: A Welcome Banquet features one of Beijing's culinary delights: Peking Duck.
   
Accommodations: Qianmen Jianguo Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Great Wall/Tian'anmen Square/Chinese Conversation
(Wednesday, May 8)
   
 Breakfast: hotel buffet
 Morning: This morning depart for a section of the Great Wall outside of the city. Your walk on the wall affords spectacular views of the Wall climbing and cascading over the surrounding mountains.
 Lunch: at a restaurant near the Great Wall.
 Afternoon: Before returning to your hotel visit ‘the heart’ of Beijing -- Tian’anmen Square, about 15 minutes from your hotel.
 Dinner: hotel dining room
 Evening: Get together with your national guide and learn some useful Chinese phrases.
   
Accommodations: Qianmen Jianguo Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Hutongs/Free Afternoon/Beijing Opera
(Thursday, May 9)
   
 Breakfast: hotel buffet after optional morning tai ji
 Morning: Explore a neighborhood of old ‘hutongs’ (residential lanes and alleys) near Beihai Park. While there, visit a local school, families in their homes, and the former residence of Song Qing Ling (political activist and widow of Dr. Sun Yat Sen).
 Lunch: Enjoy a simple lunch hosted by neighborhood families.
 Afternoon: The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure.
 Dinner: at restaurant nearby
 Evening: At a nearby theater, enjoy a taste of Beijing opera, a unique art form that uses brilliant costumes, mannerized make-up, acrobatics and martial arts, various types of falsetto singing, and exuberant percussionists. The performance is presented with English and modern Chinese supertitles above the stage. Chinese Opera is an ‘acquired taste’ for Western ears. For an introduction to Beijing Opera and its traditions, try to see the film ‘Farewell My Concubine.’
   
Accommodations: Qianmen Jianguo Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Temple of Heaven/Yichang/board Yangtze River vessel
(Friday, May 10)
   
 Breakfast: after morning tai ji, hotel buffet breakfast
 Morning: This morning coach to the nearby Temple of Heaven. This architectural masterpiece was begun in the 15th century and symbolizes the relationship between heaven and earth. Walk the extensive grounds to the Temple itself or stay in its environs and enjoy the activities of local people practicing calligraphy and tai ji, playing musical instruments, dancing, or flying silk kites.
 Lunch: en route to Beijing airport
 Afternoon: Fly to the city of Yichang to board your Yangtze vessel
 Dinner: Dinner is at a restaurant in Yichang
 Evening: This evening, board your Yangtze vessel and set sail for 3 days cruising upstream on the Yangtze River (known in Chinese as 'Chang Jiang' or Long River). The rest of the evening is at your leisure.
   
Accommodations: Victoria Cruise Lines
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Three Gorges Dam Site/Xiling Gorge
(Saturday, May 11)
   
 Breakfast: Tai ji on deck followed by ship’s buffet breakfast.
 Morning: This morning, take a short coach ride to the Three Gorges Dam site. From an observation deck, you will have a bird's-eye view of the dam, five-step ship lock, diversion canal, and power station. A nearby exhibition displays a dam model; a briefing will explain this project, one of the largest construction ventures ever.
 Lunch: ship's buffet
 Afternoon: After passing through Gezhou Dam ship lock, enter Xiling Gorge. Though historically Xiling Gorge was the most treacherous, it was made safe during the 1950's when dangerous shoals were dynamited out of the river.
 Dinner: Captain's Reception followed by dinner in ship's dining room
 Evening: Ship's entertainment or Chinese conversation practice with program leader.
   
Accommodations: Victoria Cruise Lines
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Wu Gorge/Sampan excursion/Qu Tang Gorge
(Sunday, May 12)
   
 Breakfast: Before breakfast, review tai ji steps you already know and learn new ones. Then, enjoy boat's buffet breakfast.
 Morning: This morning, pass through Wu Gorge, the most beautiful of the gorges with 12 famous peaks.
 Lunch: ship's buffet lunch
 Afternoon: On this afternoon's excursion, cruise in sampans up a mini-gorge on a pristine tributary of the Yangtze where you may catch glimpses of red monkeys amongst the trees, goats clinging to craggy cliffs, and 'hanging coffins' secured in the cliff face by the Ba people centuries ago. After returning to ship, set sail and pass through Qu Tang Gorge.
 Dinner: in ship's dining room
 Evening: Ship's entertainment or Chinese language practice.
   
Accommodations: Victoria Cruise Lines
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Relocated Village/River Sailing
(Monday, May 13)
   
 Breakfast: morning optional tai ji followed by ship's buffet breakfast.
 Morning: Today visit a new village for relocated families. Explore their agricultural market and visit with a local family.
 Lunch: ship's buffet
 Afternoon: Enjoy sailing on the river, ship's presentations, and Chinese language learning with your program leader.
 Dinner: Captain's Farewell Banquet
 Evening: at your leisure
   
Accommodations: Victoria Cruise Lines
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10: Disembark /Chongqing Pandas/Old Town/ Xi'an
(Tuesday, May 14)
   
 Breakfast: ship's buffet
 Morning: This morning disembark in the city of Chongqing, an important port on the Yangtze. Coach to the Zoological gardens to view the pandas which are indigenous to this part of China only.
 Lunch: in restaurant on the way to Chongqing's Old Town
 Afternoon: Explore Chongqing's old town and visit Ming and Qing Dynasty homes. Then, fly to Xi'an in late afternoon.
 Dinner: at restaurant
 Evening: Join your group leader to practice useful Chinese phrases.
   
Accommodations: Grand Noble Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11: 'Chinese Cultural History'/Get-together with University Students/ History Museum/Dumpling Banquet
(Wednesday, May 15)
   
 Breakfast: Enjoy optional tai ji before hotel buffet breakfast
 Morning: A Talk at Xi'an International Studies University discusses Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism as a way of illuminating the Chinese 'character' and world views.
 Lunch: at University dining room. After lunch, walk the campus and speak with university students to learn about China's new generation.
 Afternoon: Follow Chinese Dynastic history via the exquisite displays of artifacts in China's oustanding Shaanxi Museum of History.
 Dinner: Tonight enjoy an array of special dumplings, for which Xi'an is famous. Some come in shapes of tiny animals, fruits and vegetables and with a myriad of fillings from meat to wild mushrooms.
 Evening: Join your program leader for Chinese conversation practice.
   
Accommodations: Grand Noble Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12: Qin Terra Cotta Warriors Tomb/'English Corner'
(Thursday, May 16)
   
 Breakfast: hotel buffet breakfast
 Morning: Today experience what many refer to as one of the great man-made wonders of the world -- the army of life-size terra cotta warriors and horses buried with a Qin Emperor 2,200 years ago and uncovered by farmers in 1974.
 Lunch: at a restaurant near the warriors site
 Afternoon: Return to your hotel about mid-afternoon. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure.
 Dinner: Dinner at restaurant.
 Evening: At nearby Xi'an International Studies University, join their 'Thursday English corner' for informal chats with students and local citizens who get together once a week to speak in English.
   
Accommodations: Grand Noble Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 13: 'China Since 1949'/Guilin:Yangshuo
(Friday, May 17)
   
 Breakfast: after tai ji practice enjoy hotel's buffet breakfast
 Morning: A talk at your hotel discusses the development of modern-day China from 1949 to the present. Then, depart for Xi'an airport to fly to Guilin.
 Lunch: lunch will be in a restaurant en route.
 Afternoon: After arrival at Guilin, travel by coach (about 2 hrs) to the small town of Yangshuo set amongst the green karst mountains on the beautiful Li River.
 Dinner: at a nearby restaurant
 Evening: Use the evening to stroll about town or join your program leader for Chinese conversation practice.
   
Accommodations: Sovereign Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 14: Chinese Painting/Li River Cruise
(Saturday, May 18)
   
 Breakfast: hotel buffet after optional tai ji practice.
 Morning: Learn about Chinese landscape painting in a demonstration by a Master at your hotel. Following walk to West Street for lunch.
 Lunch: at nearby restaurant.
 Afternoon: Depart for the banks of the Li River, a source of much Chinese landscape painting and poetry. Embark on an afternoon's cruise amid this serene and unique landscape.
 Dinner: This evening is free for you to explore local fare in a restaurant of your own choosing.
 Evening: The evening is at your leisure
   
Accommodations: Sovereign Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 15: Local villages/Free Afternoon/'Third Sister Liu'
(Sunday, May 19)
   
 Breakfast: Morning tai ji is followed by hotel buffet breakfast.
 Morning: Local electric carriages transport you to the nearby countryside where you can explore local villages enveloped by magnificent karst mountains.
 Lunch: Enjoy lunch at a riverside restaurant.
 Afternoon: The afternoon is at your leisure.
 Dinner: Dinner at your hotel
 Evening: This evening, enjoy the open-air musical, 'Third Sister Liu,' directed by the renowned Zhang Yi Mou (the director of Beijing Olympics magnificent Opening and Closing Ceremonies). Set amidst the natural scenery of the Li River and surrounding mountains, Zhang's musical Folk Opera uses actors and singers from local fishing families wearing ethnic costume and singing traditional folk songs in an extraordinary setting.
   
Accommodations: Sovereign Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 16: 'Chinese Music'/fly to Shanghai
(Monday, May 20)
   
 Breakfast: hotel buffet breakfast
 Morning: This morning, on the way to Guilin airport, stop at Guilin Music Institute for an introduction to Chinese music and instruments followed by a private performance.
 Lunch: Lunch at airport or en route
 Afternoon: Fly to Shanghai.
 Dinner: at a local restaurant in Shanghai en route to your hotel.
 Evening: The evening is at your leisure.
   
Accommodations: Four Points by Sheraton Daning Hotel Shanghai
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 17: Shanghai Museum/Xin Tian Di/Bund and Pudong/Acrobatics
(Tuesday, May 21)
   
 Breakfast: hotel buffet breakfast
 Morning: This morning explore the new state-of-the-art Shanghai Museum, home to China's exquisite and unparalleled collection of ancient ceramics, paintings, sculpture, and bronzes. If you like, join your local guide and travel to the museum via Shanghai's new metro -- or go there by coach.
 Lunch: Coach to Shanghai's nearby Xin Tian Di ('New Heaven and Earth') district -- a restoration project that has set a benchmark for Asia. Walk about this renewed and fashionable area; take lunch on your own in one of its many cafes or international cuisine restaurants.
 Afternoon: Depart for a walkabout on the Bund and then cross by coach or underground tram to the east side of Shanghai’s busy Huangpu River to the newly developed area of Pudong – until recently undeveloped farmland and now a glittering forest of skyscrapers. From Pudong enjoy views of classic ‘old Shanghai’s’ waterfront whose art deco and neo-classic buildings date from its colonial past.
 Dinner: at restaurant
 Evening: After dinner at a local restaurant, enjoy an evening of amazing skill and prowess at a performance by the world-famous Shanghai Acrobatics Troupe. Acrobatics has, for thousands of years, been considered one of the 'treasures' of Chinese performing arts and figures in other genres such as Chinese Opera.
   
Accommodations: Four Points by Sheraton Daning Hotel Shanghai
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 18: Yu Garden/Bazaar/Free Afternoon/Farewell Banquet
(Wednesday, May 22)
   
 Breakfast: hotel buffet
 Morning: This morning, explore the 400 year old Ming Dynasty Yu Garden whose classical pavilions, fountains, and arching bridges exemplify traditional Chinese landscaping. After, if time permits, wander through Shanghai's old section and bazaar where you can discover traditional shops or cross a zigzagging bridge to the center of a small pond for a pot of tea at the classic Hu Xin Ting ('Heart of the Lake')Teahouse.
 Lunch: Enjoy a delicious vegetarian lunch supervised by monks at the active Longhua Temple. This imaginative and healthy Buddhist cuisine often uses plants, vegetables, mushrooms and tofu to simulate meat and seafood dishes.
 Afternoon: Enjoy the afternoon at your leisure.
 Dinner: Farewell dinner at restaurant
 Evening: at your leisure
   
Accommodations: Four Points by Sheraton Daning Hotel Shanghai
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 19: Depart for U.S. or Post-Program Travel
(Thursday, May 23)
   
 Breakfast: hotel buffet
 Morning: Depart for Shanghai Airport for international departures or post-program travel
   
Meals Included: Breakfast

Free Time Opportunities
  
  Xi'an City Wall
Take stairs up to the restored city wall for a walk or bike rental. The wall is a wide road that provides views of the city.
  Beilin Museum
Forest of Stone Steles Museum (Beilin Museum) This small, pleasant museum - once a temple and with peaceful gardens-- houses ancient stone tablets with exemplary Chinese calligraphy. It also has a small collection of sculpture and ceramics.
  Herb Market
Explore Xi'an's large herb and wild produce market. A good place to bargain for saffron.
  Guilin (Yangshuo) Bicycle rental
Rent a bicycle in the hotel courtyard and ride out to the nearby countryside on level, lightly trafficked roads.
  Sightseeing
Walk around town or to the banks of the Li River, or shop for folk items and local goods on the street. Visit the local agricultural market, or take a pedicab ride to some of Yangshuo's famous karst formations.
  Shanghai Hall of Urban Planning Center
The Shanghai Exhibition Hall of Urban Planning (not far from the Shanghai Museum) includes archival photos and a vast scale model of Shanghai as projected in 2020.
  Peace Hotel
This art deco hotel built by the Sassoon family has recently been restored. Enjoy the lobby or walk up to the roof and garden bar for spectacular views of the Bund and the Huangpu River and the newly developed Pudong area on the opposite bank.
  Oriental Pearl TV Tower
Built in 1994, situated on the Pudong side of the river, the TV tower offers 365 degree views of Shanghai. Lines can sometimes be quite long.
  French Concession
The former French concession contains mansions from colonial past, many now turned into chic restaurants and pubs, often with garden seating. The area also includes Huaihai Road with upscale shops and the former residence of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, now a small and pleasant museum open to the public.
  Huangpu River Cruise
There are many cruise offerings both night and day and differing in length of time. Ask your local guide in Shanghai how to arrange for tickets. Evening cruises can sometimes be very crowded.
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


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