Discover China

The improvement and integration of air services in China combined with a special tariff negotiation has enabled this arrangement, in conjunction with the national carrier, Air
China, combining in just two weeks the great cities (Beijing, Xian and Shanghai) with cruises through the dramatic Yangtse Gorges and the stunning scenery of the Li River. Home to the ‘Last Emperor’ Pu Yi, and the nation’s capital, Beijing’s greatest treasures are revealed in the Imperial Palace in the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. The Great Wall initiated by the first Emperor and revived during the Ming Dynasty protected both cities from the invading Mongols. This truly spectacular engineering achievement (even if not allegedly visible from space, as recently revealed by the first Chinese astronaut) fully justifies its name locally as the ‘Wall of 10,000 li’ (one li being equivalent to 500m). At Xian the army of life-size Terracotta Warriors stand in military formation in infantry battle order. Arrayed in pits and made of local clay, with no two faces alike, they reveal bowmen, foot soldiers, cavalry, war chariots and bronze weapons.

Today sheer cliffs and steep rugged mountains rise on either side of the turbulent, misty Yangtse, creating one of nature’s most marvellous sights. The river scenes are enlivened by stories and legends and encapsulated by poets and painters, immortalised in particular by the Tang dynasty poet Li Bai who wrote “…day dawns and we leave White Emperor City towering in the mist, one whole day to reach Yichang, as my frail craft scuds past soaring mountains…”

A contrast to these natural phenomena is provided by passage through the 5-stage ship lock of the world’s largest dam and one of the most spectacular feats of engineering undertaken in modern times. With the completion of the second phase of the dam navigation is easier and the change less than expected with the natural symmetry of the Xiling, Wu and Qutang gorges being retained. We would nonetheless recommend undertaking this cruise before the completion of the dam’s final stage in 2009 that will significantly raise water levels in the gorges. In winter the Yangtse is quieter than during the main summer season but often subject to misty conditions.