Day to day itinerary
Day 1. Departure from Johannesburg
Departure from Johannesburg in the morning, to fly to Hong Kong.
Day 2. Arrival to Hong Kong – time at leisure to relax/explore
Arrival to Hong Kong International Airport. Meet with your Albatros Travel representative for transfer to our centrally situated, 4-star hotel on the Hong Kong Island. After a long flight, the rest of the day is for relaxing - or taking a first look at this incredible city, featuring a skyline that competes with New York’s. Perching on the edge of mainland China, Hong Kong is occupying an anomalous position as a territory straddling two worlds. Since the handover in 1997 Hong Kong has become a ‘Special Administrative Region of China’ and no longer a subject of colonial sovereignty. Past and present fuse to create a capitalist utopia embedded within the world’s largest Communist country. It offers a dense concentration of shops and shopping malls with a cross-pollinated cosmopolitan culture that embraces Nepalese and British cuisines with equal enthusiasm. It is the perfect gateway for travellers to Southeast Asia and China, providing a smooth transition from west to east. As one of the key economies of the Pacific Rim, Hong Kong Island showcases a gleaming landscape of skyscrapers and boasts a highly developed transport infrastructure that makes commuting around it a dream. Hong Kong consists of four sections, Kowloon, Hong Kong Island, the New Territories and the Outlying Islands. Kowloon and the New Territories form part of the Chinese mainland to the north of Victoria Harbour. Hong Kong Island, containing the central business hub, lies on the southern side of the harbour facing Kowloon. The Outlying Islands comprise a composite of 234 islands!
Day 3. Optional full day sightseeing tour of Hong Kong
Today, an optional sightseeing tour to the Hong Kong Island is offered (not included in the program). Visit to the famous Victoria Peak, Repulse Bay, Aberdeen Fisherman Village and Stanley Market – the tour includes lunch.
Day 4. Train to Canton, sightseeing, flight to Chongqing to commence Yangtze River Cruise
A long, exciting day in China is ahead. In the morning, we take the express train from Hong Kong into the ‘real’ Mainland China - to Canton. In Canton – or Guangzhou as it is called in Mandarin Chinese – there will be time for some sightseeing to the Chen Clan Temple, Shamian Island and not least, the huge and highly exotic food market. Later we board the flight to Chongqing, for embarking Century Diamond and commencing our Yangtze cruise.
Day 5. Yangtze Cruise: Fengdu, Snow Jade Caves and Captain’s Welcome Party
We make our first stop in Fengdu to visit the nearby Snow Jade Caves, which were only recently discovered by local farmers. These limestone caves, dating back over 50,000 years, extend over 1.6 kilometres. This evening we have the Captain’s Welcome Party, which includes a lively show given by the crew.
Day 6. Yangtze Cruise: Lesser Three Gorges and Three Gorges Dam
Today, after passing through the Qutang Gorge and the Wu Gorge - the most impressive of the three Great Gorges and also known as the Witches’ Gorge - we offer a spectacular trip on small boats through the shallow waters of the “Lesser Three Gorges”, through steep cliff and against a mountainous backdrop. The banks are lined with bamboo bushes, old trees and streams and in the background we have the huge rock formations. The evening sees our arrival at the Three Gorges Dam – nothing less than the world’s largest dam project. We pass through the five-stage lock to arrive at the foot of the dam. Back on board we are invited to the festive Captain’s Dinner.
Day 7. Yangtze Cruise: Three Gorges Dam, arrive Yichang, fly to Shanghai
This morning we have the chance to visit the Three Gorges Dam. The dam is 2.3 km long and 185 m high. It was put into operation on 20th May 2006 to fill the 600 km long reservoir. Over 1 million people in 13 cities and 1,500 villages had to be re-housed. 26 huge turbines produce 18 million KW/h of electricity annually – equal to the output of several nuclear power plants. After this, we continue our cruise through the Xiling Gorge to Yichang, where we finally disembark. In the afternoon, we fly from Yichang to Shanghai, where we will check-in at our 5-star hotel, situated right at the famous Bund – you cannot stay more central in Shanghai.
Day 8. Optional full day sightseeing tour of Shanghai
Today, an optional sightseeing tour in Shanghai is offered (not included in the program). You will visit the impressive Jinmao Tower to have bird eye view of city, the charming Yuyuang Garden and the old bazaar area, the Jade Buddha Temple, and of course, have a walk on the famous Bund and Nanjing Road. Shanghai, home to almost 12-million people, is today China's largest city and is situated in the centre of the coastline where the Yangtze River flows through its delta into the East China Sea. The name of the city means 'on the sea', and most of the city (including Chongming Island) is only a few metres above sea level, criss-crossed by a maze of natural waterways of the Taihu drainage basin.Shanghai is also China's industrial and commercial capital. It is a busy seaport, as well as a science and technology centre, and has a vibrant business community. Visitors come to Shanghai not for its scenic beauty or history (the city is too young to have cultivated a classical heritage), but those who arrive on business can find plenty of off-duty entertainment and relaxation. Just walking the busy streets and soaking up the vibrant atmosphere is worthwhile, and there are some temples and gardens to visit along with an excellent museum. This great cosmopolitan metropolis has a colourful colonial background which had the edge rubbed off of it during half a century of Communist rule. It was the first Chinese coastal port to be opened to Western trade in 1843, resulting in an influx of British, French and American diplomats and business interests, each of which established their own independent enclaves. In the 1920s and 30s Shanghai was regarded as a glamorous and rather decadent 'in' place to visit. It all ended with World War II and the coming to power of the Communist party, but now, since the early 1990s a dramatic re-building programme has been underway which is aimed at putting Shanghai back on the map as a major international finance and trade centre - the planned World Financial Centre will be the world's tallest building when it is completed in 2008.
Day 9. Departure Shanghai
We transfer to the impressive Shanghai Airport, for commencing our homebound journey.
Day 10. Arrival South Africa
Arrival home to Johannesburg around noon.