Romantic China Tour

This day is all about arriving in the city of Shanghai. You will be given a cell phone that will be at your disposal during the tour and you have to give it back upon your departure from China.

The City God Temple

The daily tour of the Shanghai starts with the visit to Shanghai World Financial Centre. This is one of the tallest structures in the world and it was finished in 2007. It is a mixed purpose building and that means that there are various shopping malls, apartments and offices in it. It is also famous for its observation platform that is on the height of 474 metres which makes it the tallest in the world. The next stop is a very modern part of the Shanghai called The Bund . Here you will see some interesting buildings made in the western European style and there are also many lively and quite exclusive shops along the way there. Yuyuan Market is just next to the Yuyuan Garden and it is also near the City God Temple. It is a very lively place that is abundant with various goods that can be bought as souvenirs. Also it is an ideal place to feel the pulse of the modern city. After that, the tour visits the Shanghai Museum. This is the biggest, and by many the most important museum in China and it offers you to see the artefacts of art and culture from all of the Chinese history periods. Also, there are some travelling exhibitions there as well and it definitely deserves some time for the visit. The lunch will be served at the local Restaurant . Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch

Most of the Shanghais people were born and grown up in the Shikumen style buildings. The term means literally the stone gate. The housing style greatly changed since 1990’s but these Shikumens are now turned in to bars and cafes so you will have the chance to see how the Shanghai once looked like. The lunch is served at the local restaurant and you may enjoy some original local dishes there. After this the tour goes to the cruise ship that will take you to the cruise trip on the Yangtze River. Meals: Breakfast and a Chinese lunch

--Three Gorges Dam, the largest water conservancy project ever undertaken by man and it has been a dream for several generations of Chinese people. The construction of the dam formally began in 1994. The body of the dam has been completed in 2003, and the whole construction will be competed in 2009. It will be 2,335 meters long, 185 meters high, 18 meters wide on the top and 130 meters wide at the bottom. The tourists can get access to the top of the dam and enjoy different kinds of photo opportunities.

--Shennong Stream is another tributary of the Yangtze River, and its fast-flowing, crystal clear water runs southwards through deep gorges. The stream races past large and small karst caves, flocks of swallows, sheer cliffs, deep gorges, waterfalls, three-colored springs, rapids, the ancient plank path, a suspended coffin in the cliff, groups of ancient tombs and marvelous karst formations.

--Shibaozhai, literally means Stone Treasure Fortress, Located in Zhong County, it was first built in Qing Dynasty in 1750. Shibaozhai is one historic site that will look much different in 2009. The wooden architecture stands on the riverside. It is built by catch upon a rectangular rock with sheer cliffs with a height of 56 meters and 12 stories. And every floor of the wooden structure contains interesting artifacts. Each of the 12 floors of Shibaozhai is dedicated to a famous general of the Three Kingdoms period (220-265AD), a local scholar or a renowned Chinese poet.

- Ciqikou Old Town: This lively old area has been partly restored, and remains an authentic and busy community. The old wooden houses and narrow streets furthest from the river are mostly unimproved, closer to the river there are craft and souvenir shops, teahouses and music, and lots of local food and snacks. The locals certainly love their food – this is a good chance to try some.
- Panda Room in Chongqing Zoo: Located in the western suburbs of the city, Chongqing Zoo occupies an area of 45 hectares. There are some rare animals including Golden hair monkeys and South China Tigers. In Panda Room, visitors can see the giant and lesser pandas and their offspring.In the mornings, many local people practice Tai chi at the zoo. Join them if you wish.

This day is predicted for visiting the Lijiang city and the tour starts with the Baisha Village. This is one of the villages inhabited by the Naxi minority. It is so special because of its long murals which depict many historic scenes connected to the Naxi, Tibet and Han. It also combines influences of the Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. After this village, the tour goes to the Lijiang Ancient Town. It is one of the true gems amongst the cities as it is one of the rarest and best preserved minority cities in China. It is quite crowded during the day and evening so the early morning is the best time for an easy visit. The last stop of the day is The Jade Dragon Mountain. This lovely mountain is over 5500 metres high and it has some 13 peaks. It looks simply marvellous and is a real eye opener. There is an option of going on the mountain by using cable car and it is advised to walk slowly and wear warm clothes when going there. The day ends with the lunch at the local restaurant where you will be served a traditional Naxi dishes. Meals: Breakfast and a lunch

The first and the only stop of the day is the Shuhe ancient town. It is also known under the name of Longquan Village and it is a home to one of the minority groups. It looks like it is frozen in time and it is one of the most peaceful places in all of the China. The lunch will be served at local Restaurant. Meals: Breakfast and a Lunch

This is the day of the departure. Just after the breakfast you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight home.