This is a Marco Polo Club Invitational Journey. Trace the winding path of the Yangtze River from its westernmost point in China, bordering Tibet. View awesome landscapes carved from the river's force and the villages that grew up along its path; then board elegant Sanctuary 'Yangzi Explorer,' for a three-night cruise through the scenic Three Gorges to Yichang; then fly to Shanghai, where the river meets the sea.
Tour Director Gerald Hatherly
A&K's China Specialist since 1986, Gerald Hatherly travels 150 days a year honing his expertise in both China's busiest cities and off-the-beaten-path locales. Gerald has been named by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the Greatest Travel Pros on Earth for China every year since 2003.
Speak with a lama at Songzangling Monastery and see a monk's chamber
Visit the home of a Tibetan farming family to glimpse local life
Meditate with a Tibetan master; then visit Dongzhulin Monastery
Attend a dinner and bonfire party with traditional Tibetan singing in Meili
Learn about traditional crafts with a hands-on opportunity in the village of Gonjo
Cruise the Yangtze River for three nights aboard the luxurious boutique ship Sanctuary 'Yangzi Explorer'
Arrive in Beijing and transfer to your hotel.
The Peninsula BeijingFly via Kunming to Shangri-La, formerly known as Zhongdian. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Songtsam Retreat at Shangri-La | Meals: BVisit the Songzangling Monastery, home to 800 monks and the Living Buddha, where you may speak with a lama and see a monk’s living quarters. Wander the streets of Shangri-La’s Old Town and stop to see the work of a local NGO at the Thangka Center. Afterward, visit Dropenling Tibet Handicraft Development Center Tonight, enjoy a traditional music performance or a presentation of Tibetan culture.
Songtsam Retreat at Shangri-La | Meals: B L DPass through extraordinary mountain ranges, cavernous gorges and jade-green valleys, stopping at a Nixi village to see the black pottery craftsmen. After lunch, visit the home of a Tibetan farming family. From the village, there is a great view of the Yangtze River Valley. Continue to a local prayer center where elders gather to worship.
Songtsam Benzilan Lodge | Meals: B L DEarly this morning, walk up a small hill and hang symbolic prayer flags while you burn incense. Back at the lodge, meditate with a Tibetan master. Next, visit 17th-century Dongzhulin Monastery and a nunnery. After a picnic lunch, continue to Meili via the Baima Pass, towering at nearly 14,000 feet above sea level.
Songtsam Meili Lodge | Meals: B L DView the beautiful sunrise on the Meili Snow Mountains and hike the pilgrimage route. Pause for a picnic lunch before returning to your lodge. Tonight, have dinner at your lodge and attend a bonfire party that features traditional Tibetan singing.
Songtsam Meili Lodge | Meals: B L DLearn how to paint a wooden bowl and view traditional lacquer works when you visit the village of Gonjo. After lunch in Benzilan, drive to Shangri-La.
Songtsam Retreat at Shangri-La | Meals: B L DThe land drops in a series of precipitous descents, following the rushing course of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, as it tumbles out of the Himalaya. Admire the region, the land of the treacherous Tiger Leaping Gorge, where the river roars through more than 10 miles of mountain gorge, plummeting 700 feet in places. Visit the village of Shigu en route to Lijiang.
Crowne Plaza Lijiang Ancient Town | Meals: B LVisit a Yuhu village and the home of 20th-century naturalist Dr. Joseph Rock. Watch an Impression of Lijiang performance and have lunch at a local restaurant. Afterward, embark on a walking tour of the Old Town, meander through Mu Palace and look over the rooftops from Wangulou Pagoda.
Crowne Plaza Lijiang Ancient Town | Meals: B LThis morning, explore Lashi Lake and Meiquan village. After lunch, visit Black Dragon Pool Park and the Dongba Institute, a complex dedicated to Naxi culture.
Crowne Plaza Lijiang Ancient Town | Meals: B LFly to Chongqing, gateway to the Three Gorges region, and transfer to the pier to board your luxury river cruiser.
Sanctuary 'Yangzi Explorer' | Meals: B DCruise the mighty Yangtze, enjoying the splendor of its stunning Three Gorges region. Witness a traditional way of life with shore excursions that take you to out-of-the-way villages along the river.
Sanctuary 'Yangzi Explorer' | Meals: BL DAfter a light lunch on board, disembark in Yichang and fly to Shanghai, the final stop of your journey and the point where the Yangtze meets the sea. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Tonight, gather for a farewell dinner.
The Peninsula Shanghai | Meals: B L DFly home or continue to Hangzhou.
Meals: BOct 28-31: Board the Bullet Train from
Shanghai to Hangzhou. Take a boat ride
on West Lake and explore Lingyin Temple.
Visit Long Jing Tea Plantation and meet a
local tea farmer, listen to a talk on Chinese
herbal medicine and watch Impression of
West Lake. You also stop at Wuzhen water
town and take a canal boat ride, see Six
Harmony Pagoda and wander the Botanical
Garden. Return to Shanghai by train.
Four Seasons Hangzhou at West Lake
Prices are in USD, per person, based on double occupancy.
| Oct. 14, 2013 - Oct. 28, 2013 | $8,895 | Deluxe Cabin Main Deck ^ | Limited Availability |
| Oct. 14, 2013 - Oct. 28, 2013 | $8,975 | Deluxe Cabin Xiling Deck ^ | Available |
| Oct. 14, 2013 - Oct. 28, 2013 | $9,055 | Deluxe Cabin Wu Deck ^ | Call for Availability |
| Oct. 14, 2013 - Oct. 28, 2013 | $9,815 | Suite - Wu Deck ^ | Available |
| Oct. 14, 2013 - Oct. 28, 2013 | $9,895 | Suite - Qutang Deck ^ | Available |
| Oct. 14, 2013 - Oct. 28, 2013 | $11,975 | Jade/Mandarin Suite ^ | Call for Availability |
| Oct. 14, 2013 - Oct. 28, 2013 | $12,635 | Celestial/Imperial Suite ^ | Call for Availability |
^ Price is based on seven or more guests; see below for pricing for 2-6 guests.
Deluxe Cabin Main Deck: $11,395 per person
Deluxe Cabin Xiling Deck: $11,475 per person
Deluxe Cabin Wu Deck: $11,555 per person
Suite - Wu Deck: $12,315 per person
Suite - Qutang Deck: $12,395 per person
Jade/Mandarin Suite: $14,475 per person
Celestial/Imperial Suite: $15,135 per person
Post-tour Extension to Hangzhou
4 days from $2,295