Day 1, Sunday, USA/Beijing
Depart from the US on a Cathay Pacific Airways trans-Pacific flight to China.

Day 2, Monday, En Route
Cross the international Date Line.

Day 3, Tuesday, Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, capital of the Peoples' Republic of China, where you are met by your Pacific Holidays Tour Manager. After clearing immigration and customs, transfer to the Palace Hotel Wangfu, in the heart of Beijing.

Day 4, Wednesday, Beijing
You begin your China adventure with one of its most memorable sights, as you travel into the mountains north of the city for a walk on the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. En route to the Wall, visit the impressive Ming Tombs. The evening features a special dinner at a local restaurant with a course of authentic Peking duck.

Day 5, Thursday, Beijing
A full day of sightseeing acquaints you with the wonders of the 3,000-year-old city. You visit Tian An Men Square, the courtyards and ceremonial halls of the legendary Forbidden City, and Beihai Park. The day concludes at the Li Family Restaurant, where dinner is prepared from secret recipes inherited from an ancestor who cooked for the imperial family of the Qing Dynasty.

Day 6, Friday, Beijing
In the morning visit the Summer Palace, where the emperors escaped the intense heat of the city. An imperial style lunch at Bei Hai Fangshan Restaurant is followed by a visit to the Temple of Heaven and a rickshaw ride through the old Hutongs (traditional residential lanes), where you can observe firsthand the lives of the residents. At night, attend a Peking Opera performance at a local theater.

Day 7, Saturday, Beijing/Xian
Depart Beijing by air for Xian, an ancient capital city at the eastern end of the fabled Silk Road, where you are met and transferred to the Hyatt Regency Hotel. If time permits, visit the Great Wild Goose Pagoda and the Provincial Museum, followed by a feast of delicate dumplings.

Day 8, Sunday, Xian
A truly majestic sight - the splendid mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang Di, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, and his incredible army of 6,000 life-sized terra cotta warriors, horses and chariots - is a highlight of your visit to Xian. A private on-site lecture by a scholar illuminates the history you are viewing. En route, stop at the Hua Quing Hot Springs, a Tang Dynasty imperial resort. Tonight's feast is enhanced by a performance of Tang Dynasty songs and dances.

Day 9, Monday, Xian/Chongqing
Transfer to the airport for a morning flight to the mountain city of Chongqing, and check in to the Harbor Plaza Hotel. In the afternoon visit Pipa Hill and other sights, and end the day with a famous Sichuan hot pot dinner.

Day 10, Tuesday, Chongqing
Today you experience the lush rural scenery of central China as your overland excursion to the Dazu Grottoes provides the rare opportunity to see thousands of fascinating stone carvings depicting religion and daily life in ancient China.

Day 11, Wednesday, Chongqing/Yangtze River
In the morning, board a Victoria Cruise ship for an unforgettable cruise along China's vital waterway, the Yangtze River.

Day 12, Thursday, Yangtze River
The cruise continues. By mid-day, the ship docks at the town of Fengdu, where a shore excursion takes you to Mingshan Hill, with temples containing hundreds of statues of ghosts and devils.

Day 13, Friday, Yangtze River
The cruise continues, as you dock in the moring at Badong for an excursion by small motorized sampan down the Shennong Stream. Then sail on through the Yangtze's breathtaking Three Gorges - the Qutang, Wu and Xiling.

Day 14, Saturday, Yangtze River/Wuhan
Today, you arrive at the the world's largest and most controversial project - the Three Gorges Dam. Disembark at the city of Yichang and transer overland to Wuhan, an important city in central China. Check in Shangri-La Hotel.

Day 15, Sunday, Wuhan/ Shanghai
After a morning flight to cosmopolitan Shanghai, transfer to the Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel. In the afternoon, you tour the busy waterfront along the Bund, the lively commercial area around Nanjing Road, the Jade Buddha Temple, and Yu Garden at the center of old Shanghai.

Day 16, Monday, Shanghai/ Suzhou/ Shanghai
Travel by car/bus to Suzhou, a city known for the intricate private gardens of the Chinese nobility. You visit the gardens as well as a busy section of the fabled Grand Canal, Tiger Hill and the Silk Embroidery Institute before returning to Shanghai.

Day 17, Tuesday, Shanghai
Today's sightseeing includes a visit to the Shanghai Museum and the Orient Pearl television tower in the borough of Pudong for lunch. The afternoon is free, but in the evening you enjoy the famous acrobatic show.

Day 18, Wednesday, Shanghai/ USA
Board the return flight to US. Or take the Guilin and Hong Kong Extension.
*(Or continue to Guilin and Hong Kong on the 23-day program.)

Day 18, Wednesday, Shanghai/Guilin
Fly to the beautiful city of Guilin, and transfer to the Sheraton Hotel.

Day 19, Thursday, Guilin
The highlight of your visit to Guilin is a cruise down the Li River with spectacular scenery that has inspired centuries of Chinese painters and poets. Enjoy a box lunch on board before docking at the town of Yangshuo, where you are free to explore on your own or shop at the dockside flea market before returning overland to Guilin. Dinner is at a popular Guilin restaurant.

Day 20, Friday, Guilin/Hong Kong
A morning of sightseeing takes you to the illuminated Luti Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill. Later today, you fly to Hong Kong where you are met and transferred to the Island Shangri-La Hotel.

Day 21, Saturday, Hong Kong
Today begins with a midday dim sum brunch at Luk Yu Tea House, one of the best Cantonese restaurants in Hong Kong. In the afternoon you enjoy the many sights of this bustling city, including the Stanley Market, Aberdeen's floating restaurants and the sampans where many residents live, and a tram ride up Victoria Peak. You dine at the Peak at the Café Deco Bar & Grill overlooking the lights of Hong Kong, the Kowloon Peninsula and the Fragrant Harbor.

Day 22, Sunday, Hong Kong/ Macau/ Hong Kong
A hydrofoil takes you in the early morning to nearby Macau, the former Portuguese colony, where you visit the Old Fort, Penha Hill, and Barrier Gate on the border of the Peoples' Republic of China, the Bishop's home along the Praia Grande, the ruins of the historic Church of St. Paul, and Lou Lim Leoc Chinese Garden. After lunch at Pousada De Sao Tiago, return to Hong Kong by hydrofoil in the late afternoon. This evening, visit Lei Yue Mun Fishing Village before enjoying a farewell seafood dinner.

Day 23, Monday, Hong Kong/ USA
Board Cathay Pacific Airways flight to the USA, arriving home the same day.