China

Highlights of China: Journeys for Women

Overview

Travel with like-minded women on this well-designed itinerary, ideal for a first glimpse of China. This journey includes a three-night Yangzi cruise and showcases China's major cities and best-known sights - including the Great Wall and Temple of Heaven in Beijing, Terra Cotta Warriors in Xian and Shanghai, China's most dynamic city.

Discuss the role of women in art and design with Melanie Lum, a researcher at the Asian Art Archive
After walking the Great Wall, enjoy a Chinese-style foot massage
Learn about the imperial army's female warriors at the Han Yangling excavation site
View the magnificent, life-size Terra Cotta Warriors in Xian, with special photographic access
Enjoy a special cocktail party celebrating your journey with fellow women travellers aboard the Sanctuary MS 'Yangzi Explorer'
Take an architectural tour in modern Shanghai, led by noted local architect

Itinerary

Day 1: Johannesburg/Beijing, China
Fly overnight to Beijing, the capital and cultural heart of China.

Day 2: Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, where your day is at leisure. The lovely city has undergone a face-lift to its historic monuments, and added stunning buildings, theaters and stadiums by world-renowned architects to its impressive skyline.
The Peninsula Beijing

Day 3: Beijing
Visit Tiananmen Square, a place that conjures deep emotions in locals and visitors alike. Pass through the Gate of Heavenly Peace and follow in the footsteps of emperors to the Forbidden City. Now known as the National Palace Museum, the Forbidden City was the imperial residence of the emperors and their families from the 1400s until 1911. It once housed up to 100,000 people, including servants, soldiers and attendants. After lunch, take a walking tour of the 19th-century Summer Palace and enjoy a private cruise on Lake Kunming, its manicured islands designed to evoke the landscapes along the Yangzi River. Then, join a discussion on women in China today, led by one of Beijing's foremost female journalists (subject to availability). This evening, gather with your fellow travellers for a welcome dinner.
The Peninsula Beijing B L D

Day 4: Beijing
This morning, partake in a tour and discussion on women in art and design, led by Asian Art Archive researcher, Melanie Lum. Travel to the less-visited Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, one of the great wonders of the world. The wall rides the highest point of the mountaintops and provides stunning views of the countryside. Relax and enjoy a Chinese-style foot massage after a long walk along the Great Wall. Spend the late afternoon browsing the tiny shops of the Hongqiao Market.
The Peninsula Beijing B L

Day 5: Beijing/Xian
This morning's visit is to the Temple of Heaven, an exquisite example of Chinese craftsmanship. With its unique circular shape, blue roof and intricate gold inlay work, the Temple of Heaven has been called the single most outstanding example of 15th-century Chinese architecture. Later, fly to Xian, the ancient cradle of Chinese civilization. Explore the Yangling Museum, whose highlight is its 2,000-year-old mausoleum; then visit the Ancient Gate of the City Walls.
Shangri-La Hotel, Xian B L

Day 6: Xian
Meet with a specialist at the Shaanxi Museum to learn about the rule of the great Tang empress Wu Zetian, the only woman to rule China outright as emperor. Visit the magnificent site of the Terra Cotta Warriors; more than 8,000 life-size military figures are said to represent second-century Chinese military might. The site is just a portion of a vast funerary complex, larger than the Great Pyramid in Egypt, which includes the emperor's tomb and satellite tombs of his extended family. This afternoon, explore the markets and winding lanes of the old city quarter, experience exquisite beauty and a warm welcome at its Great Mosque, gain entry to the vault of the Provincial Museum and take in the wonders of ages past.
Shangri-La Hotel, Xian B L

Day 7: Xian/Chongqing
This morning, visit the Han Yangling excavation site. This archaeological dig has yielded a unique cache of female warrior figures, the first evidence of female soldiers serving in the imperial rank. Fly to Chongqing, gateway to the Three Gorges region of the Yangzi River. Visit the Huguang Guild Hall and salute World War II history at the Stilwell Museum. Later, board your river cruiser to begin your Yangzi adventure.
Sanctuary MS 'Yangzi Explorer' B L D

Days 8-9: Cruising the Yangzi River
Sail through history as you travel the magnificent Three Gorges. On-board lectures keep you informed, shore excursions keep you engaged and each day brings something new. Meet with a local family along the Yangzi, and learn about the life of women in farming communities. Visit Wanzhou Primary School, where you witness China's educational challenges firsthand and provide books and shelving for a library to be established at this local boarding school. Enjoy a private presentation by Mei Wah Chao, who worked on China in Revolution, an award-winning documentary film. Rejuvenate in the onboard spa and enjoy a cocktail party with fellow women travellers. As you sail the pristine waters of a tributary river, you also pass the world's largest dam project.
Sanctuary MS 'Yangzi Explorer' B L D

Day 10: Yichang/Shanghai
Before disembarking at Yichang, visit the Three Gorges Project Exhibition Center to learn about this amazing and controversial undertaking that produces 22,500 megawatts of electrical energy. Next, fly to Shanghai, China's most sophisticated city.
The Portman Ritz-Carlton B L

Day 11: Shanghai
Take an architectural orientation tour of Shanghai, led by a noted Shanghai architect and historian. Visit the Yu Garden, a 16th-century, private garden/residence in the heart of Shanghai's old Chinese Quarter, a neighborhood of twisting lanes that boast wonderful boutiques. The phenomenal Ming-period garden architecture, built in traditional Chinese style, includes many ponds, dragon-lined walls and bridges separating the unique garden areas and pavilions. Continue to the Shanghai Museum, considered among the finest museums of Chinese art in the world, and the Urban Planning Museum that houses models of Shanghai's past, present and future. Later, gather for cocktails and dinner.
The Portman Ritz-Carlton B L D

Day 12: Shanghai/Johannesburg
Board your homebound flight.

To Book...

To book, or for more information, call Cecelia or Lindy at the Egypt & Beyond office on tel: 011 678 6165/4777 or fax: 011 678 5789 or e-mail: cecelia@egyptandbeyond.co.za / info@egyptandbeyond.co.za / lindy@egyptandbeyond.co.za