Join our Mailing List!

Tuesday, October 20th

We begin our "Ultimate China Expedition-From Fabrics to the Forbidden City" with a non-stop flight from San Francisco International Airport to Beijing, China. This is an overnight flight, and dinner will be served on board the plane. D

Wednesday, October 21st

We will be served a breakfast snack on board the plane before our arrival into BEIJING. Once we pass through customs and collect our luggage, we will be met by our local guide Charlie, who will escort us to our awaiting, private motor coach and stay with our group the entire time we are on our journey. Upon our arrival at the luxurious and centrally located 5-star Crown Plaza Hotel, we will check in and relax before enjoying dinner altogether at our hotel. It will be nice not having to travel outside of our hotel for dinner on the day we arrive. Our dinner will be served in a private room conveniently located in the hotel. We will have an opportunity to meet everyone who has joined us on this journey and hear more about our trip from Sew Many Places founder, JIM WEST, and our guest celebrity quilter, KAYE ENGLAND. B, D

Thursday, October 22nd

This morning following a full buffet breakfast at our hotel, we will depart for TIANANMEN SQUARE and the incredible FORBIDDEN CITY. Our knowledgeable guide Charlie, will provide an extraordinary commentary as we leisurely walk from one area of the grounds to the other. Following this, we will enjoy a tasty lunch before visiting one of the best known shopping places in all of Beijing, SILK ALLEY. Everyday, hundreds of vendors from all over China sell everything from Chinese silk to Tibetan textiles. You will feel like you’ve died and gone to shopping heaven as you stroll from vendor to vendor and floor to floor. It’s a fascinating place to practice your bargaining skills and buy unique items you’ll treasure forever. Charlie and Jim will provide information that will help you identify high-quality authentic goods from cheap knock-offs. Later in the day we will all enjoy a special PEKING DUCK DINNER, sponsored by Sew Many Places. Following dinner we will return to our hotel and the remainder of the evening is at your leisure. For those who might be interested, we will have a local tailor come to our hotel and fit anyone for clothing they would like to have custom made. B, L, D

Friday, October 23rd

This morning, following an early breakfast, we will make our first stop at a Jade Carving Factory. Here we will have the opportunity to witness this ancient Chinese art form from master carvers. There will be time to shop in their spectacular Jade showroom and purchase one-of-a-kind items. We will continue driving until we reach one the most famous Manmade Wonders of the World - THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA. This massive engineering feat began in the fifth century B.C. to defend the Chinese empire against nomads from the north. You have an opportunity to experience China’s magnificent past, firsthand as you take your first steps on the wall and enjoy the spectacular views from high above. This moment will certainly be one of the highlights of your journey. Following our experience on the Wall, we will travel to a government owned Friendship Store where we will have our tasty lunch. In the afternoon, we will visit to a Cloisonné Factory and learn techniques on how Cloisonné is created. Before arriving back at our hotel, we will stop at the OLYMPIC VILLAGE where there will be an opportunity to see the infamous "Birds Nest," along with other recognizable buildings and structures. Because today is quite full, and we’ve been on our feet all day, we have arranged a very special FOOT MASSAGE this evening, following dinner. Your tired muscles will be rejuvenated and you will enjoy blissful relaxation. This will bring our day to a most relaxing close. B, L, D

Saturday, October 24th

Today, following breakfast, we will visit the famous TEMPLE OF HEAVEN. This is one of the most photographed sights in Beijing. We will stroll through a lovely park, taking in all the sights and sounds of the local people. It will be an opportunity to witness everyday life of the Chinese people on a Saturday morning. Near the temple, we will stop at an art store that features work of local students. Here we can purchase original art at a fraction of gallery prices. Our special lunch will take place in the HUTONG NEIGHBORHOOD. This ancient area in Beijing is a vivid contrast to the rapidly changing culture of the modern metropolis of Beijing. We sit in a rickshaw and be taken to the home of a local resident. Here, our hostess will prepare a delicious lunch and show us how to make homemade Chinese dumplings. Following lunch, we will visit a CHILDREN’S PALACE, a school where gifted children learn to perfect their skills in art, music and writing. It’s a full day of extraordinary events, so don’t forget your cameras! Tonight, Kaye will meet with our group and start her quilt project. B, L

Sunday, October 25th

This morning, following breakfast, we will visit a SILK SPINNING FACTORY. No trip to China is complete without a visit to this extraordinary facility. There will be a great opportunity for us to learn how silk is spun from the silk cocoon and eventually made into silk fabric. We will have time to shop in their large showroom for high-quality silk fabric and other silk items. Besides learning about silk fabric, we will also enjoy a fashion show and have a delicious lunch. This afternoon we will visit famous PEARL MARKET, affectionately known as Dirt Alley, where we will have the opportunity to purchase fantastic jewelry and pearls. Tonight we will enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. B, L, D

Monday, October 26th

This morning, following a very early breakfast, we will check out of our hotel and board a flight to the city of XI’AN. The capital of a dozen ancient dynasties, Xi’an is one of the world’s great cultural treasures. Upon our arrival, we will be met by a local guide and driver who will take us to see the famous TERRA COTTA WARRIORS. Life-size infantrymen, archers, military officers and their horses, all rendered in exquisite detail, guard the tomb of the first emperor of China. This is truly an extraordinary spectacle, and one I am sure will be most memorable. We will enjoy a delicious lunch at the museum restaurant and then board our motor coach to visit the WILD GOOSE PAGODA. Later in the afternoon we will check into our luxurious 5-star hotel. Tonight we dine on a sumptuous dinner of special dumplings and enjoy a terrific show: the Tang Dynasty Song and Dance Troupe perform music and dances that originated in China’s Tang Dynasty more than a thousand years ago. Don’t forget your cameras, it will be a special evening to remember. B, L, D

Tuesday, October 27th

This morning, following a wonderful buffet breakfast, we will fly to the city of CHONGQING where we will be met by our motor coach driver and local guide. We will enjoy a tour of the city, which includes a visit to Dr. Stillwell’s Museum and a stop at the local zoo to see the GIANT PANDA’s. During the day, we will have lunch at a local restaurant before driving to our luxurious cruise ship, the President No.1, located on the YANGTZE RIVER. Once on board the ship, we will be shown to our cabins, where we will unpack and call home for the next three nights. Dinner will be served onboard the ship, and we will have a brief orientation about the cruise itinerary. B, L, D

Wednesday, October 28th

Today, following a buffet breakfast, our ship will stop and we will participate on a 2-hour tour to visit the "Ghost City" called FENGDU. We will take a cable car up Ming Mountain where we will visit the Ghost Temple. Legends say that Ming Mountain is one of the 72 graveyards for Taoism. Tao believes when people die, their spirits will gather here. There are temples and statues all over the mountain and there will be time to take photographs and learn more about this ancient civilization. We will return to our ship for lunch and sail through the first and second gorges. Tonight, our ship will sail on the calm waters of the Yangtze River. B, L, D

Thursday, October 29th

This morning, following a delicious buffet breakfast, our ship will dock at SHENGNONGXI, and we will take a small boat to explore the beautiful stream called "Lesser Three Gorges." The Lesser Three Gorges is one of the most exciting and famous stops on the Yangtze River. It is often called the "highlight" of the cruise, even the whole China trip. It always refers to the three separate valleys of the Daning River, namely the "Dragon-Gate Gorge", "Misty Gorge" and "Emerald Gorge". Here sheer cliffs and steep mountains rise on either side, creating one of natural fine arts gallery as natural scenic wonders unfold on both banks of the river. Clear water flows between precarious precipices and peaks covered with green trees and bushes. Here you can board a small junk to enjoy the spectacular views and experience a water-borne sensation you never did before. Its "subtle mountains, clear waters, pretty rocks, dangerous rapids, sharp turns, fantastic caves, and stalactites in various shapes" characterize the natural landscape in the Lesser Three Gorges. Monkeys, mandarin ducks, water birds and fish can be seen in this area. In addition to the continuous natural scenery there are a number of historical places of interest along the way, such as suspending coffin, boat coffin and remains of an ancient plank walkway. The area has been made one of the key nature reserves in China and has become a favorite tourist attraction. We will board our ship in the middle of the day and relax as we sail through the last gorges. This afternoon, Kaye and Jim will host a show and tell, so be sure you have something exciting to show! The evening is free at your leisure to sit on the top deck of the ship and look at the millions of stars as you sail in the moonlight. B, L, D

Friday, October 30th

Following a delicious breakfast, we will have an opportunity to visit the extraordinary Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric power station in the world. We will view a model on the dam site and hear more about the fascinating and remarkable undertaking of flooding the Yangtze River to accommodate this unbelievable endeavor. At the completion of this tour, we will board our cruise ship and sail to YICHANG, where we will disembark the ship and drive to the nearby airport for our flight to one of the most exciting cities in the world- SHANGHAI. Shanghai’s recent growth and economic expansion are staggering, and we will find ourselves caught up in the excitement and energy of this burgeoning metropolis. Upon our arrival at the airport, we will go directly to our luxurious 5-star hotel where we will check in and relax. Tonight we will all enjoy a delicious dinner at one of the nearby restaurants. B, L, D

Saturday, October 31st

This morning following breakfast, we will visit the YUYUAN GARDEN, located in the old part of the city of Shanghai. This will be a relaxing morning, filled with beauty, history and fascination. We will have lunch at a local restaurant and then travel to an ARTS & CRAFTS CENTER, where we will enjoy fantastic shopping opportunities. Our day will also include a stop at the JADE BUDDA TEMPLE and the BUND, a place where esteemed modern architects have built an eclectic collection of some of the world’s boldest buildings. We will also visit PUDONG, the financial center of new China. This evening we will enjoy one of China’s greatest entertainment spectacles: the world famous SHANGHAI ACROBATIC SHOW. B, L, D

Sunday, November 1st

Today following breakfast, we will board our private motor coach for a short journey o the city of SUZHOU, a small and peaceful city based around a system of canals. Suzhou is often referred to as the "Venice of the East." In Suzhou, we will visit the Institute of Suzhou Embroidery, located in the Villa of Secluded Beauty, a garden known for it’s elegant architecture and beautiful scenery. Here we will see how the Chinese arts of gardening and embroidery complement each other. Suzhou embroidery has a history that spans centuries, and is characterized by gorgeous patterns, elegant colors, and rich and meticulous stitching. We will see examples of this art form and watch artisans at work. We will also visit a local SILK SPINNING FACTORY, where we will once again have an opportunity to shop for silk fabrics and learn more about how it is produced. Tonight, we will have dinner at a local restaurant, followed by a FOOT MASSAGE and for those who are interested. B, L, D

Monday, November 2nd

Today is a complete day of leisure. There are many shopping opportunities, unique and fascinating places to visit, and all on your timeframe. For those who might be interested, we will plan an optional tour to visit the Humble Administrator’s Garden. This garden is based on water, and there are many rockeries grounded in the ponds. Surrounding the ponds there are numerous pavilions, terraces, halls and studios. Basically it has preserved its structure from the Ming Dynasty, and the sceneries have not gone through many changes. It represents the historical characteristics and achievements of south-east China's private gardens. We will enjoy lunch together at a local restaurant and take a BOAT RIDE on the Grand Canal in the afternoon. This tour is optional and must be confirmed at final payment time. Tonight, we will all meet and enjoy a special "farewell dinner" as we bring our "The Ultimate China Expedition- From Fabrics to the Forbidden City" to a close. B, D

Tuesday, November 3rd

This morning we will check out of our hotel and take the train (the fastest train in China) to the Shanghai Airport. Our luggage will transfer separately, so we don’t have to worry about taking our large suitcases with us. We will check in at the airport and fly back to San Francisco International Airport. We will arrive on the same day we leave. Lunch and dinner will be served onboard the plane during our flight. B, L, D

This itinerary, pricing and escorts are subject to change. Insurance is available and highly recommended. Space is limited and based on first come, first served. Single rates are available upon request. Please consult the Terms and Conditions located on our website, as they apply once the first deposit is received.