Classic China & The Yangtze

This journey begins in 2,000-year-old Beijing, China’s modern-day capital.  Experience its legendary sites:  Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, and, of course, the Great Wall.  A tour highlight is a special inside look at communal life along Beijing’s ancient alleyways or hutongs, fast disappearing as the city rushes to modernize.  Continue to Xian, site of the recently excavated terra-cotta army of nearly 8,000 life-size warriors, called the Eighth Wonder of the World. Then board our Victoria Cruises ship at Chongqing for a three-night cruise on the Yangtze, one of the world’s longest and busiest rivers. Witness daily life along its shores and see the spectacular Three Gorges and the much-heralded new dam. Our tour concludes in Shanghai, a dazzling city that epitomizes 21st-century China. Discover the European-influenced Bund, the Children’s Palace, and the renowned Shanghai Museum with its priceless collections. Also available is an optional three-day post-tour extension in Nanjing, China. 

Highlights include:

• an exclusive Penn State group limited to 24 guests;
• round-trip air transportation from select gateway cities—all flights within the itinerary are included in the price;
• 12 nights accommodations: 3 nights aboard a Victoria Cruises Premier ship, 9 nights delux and superior first class hotels.
• 29 meals (12 breakfasts, nine lunches, and eight dinners).