Imperial Jewels of China

Transcription

1 Imperial Jewels of China An Amazing 13 Day Trip with 11 Guided Tours March 23, 2016 April 5, 2016 This phenomenal itinerary presents China s key highlights in just 13 days. Explore cosmopolitan Shanghai, China s most cutting-edge, modern city. Cruise the legendary Yangtze between Wuhan and Chongqing through the scenic Three Gorges and wildly beautiful Lesser Three Gorges. Tour the Three Gorges Dam, an engineering marvel that has changed the face of China. Visit the necropolis at Xian, where you encounter thousands of Terra Cotta Warriors. In Beijing, explore imperial treasures like the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, and walk through historic Tiananmen Square, the world s largest public venue. The hospitality of distinctive hotels and the fabulous Viking Emerald round out an amazing cruise tour. Book Now and Save $500 on your Airfare Offer Expires 4/30/15

2 2016 Imperial Jewels of China Inclusions: Roundtrip Air Transportation Welcome Cocktail Reception & Dinner 6-day Yangtze River cruise in a veranda stateroom Complimentary wine, beer & soft drinks All arrival and departure transfers while onboard Dinner & Lunch service 2 night Hotel stay in Shanghai Visit 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites 3 night Hotel stay in Beijing Intra-China Airline Flights Fully Escorted 11 guided tours with audio headset Culture Curriculum lectures Port Charges and Taxes Free Internet service All Meals: 12 Breakfasts, 11 Lunches and 11 Dinners (connection speed may vary) Trip Pricing Per Person / Double Cost Single Cost Category D $ 5299 Category D $ 6274 Category E $ 5099 Category E $ 5874 Note: 2% Discount if Paid by Check $500 Air Discount if booked by April 30, 2015 Trip Day-to-Day Itinerary Day 1: Shanghai Fly to Shanghai, China s largest city, then transfer to your hotel. See the modern financial district with the older sections of the city. Day 2: Shanghai This morning, tour Old Shanghai and travel along the elegant Bund, stopping to admire some of its historic buildings and city views. After lunch in a local restaurant tour the Shanghai Museum. Dine in a local restaurant before seeing the world-famous Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe show from the best seats in the house. (BL,D) Day 3: Shanghai & Wuhan After breakfast, prepare for your flight to Wuhan. Once there, visit the Hubei Provincial Museum, where you hear the music of ancient bronze bells, then transfer to your ship, docked close to Wuhanu s historic waterfront. You are welcomed aboard with a Western meal, and set sail this evening. (B,L,D) Day 4: Yueyang Today, visit an elementary school sponsored by Viking River Cruises. You are greeted and entertained by the children, then return to your ship. For the next 150 miles, you travel the most scenic stretch of the Yangtze through a spectacular series of limestone ridges known as the Three Gorges. (B,L,D) Day 5: Three Gorges & Three Gorges Dam This morning, cruise through Xiling Gorge, the longest of the Three Gorges. After lunch, disembark for a tour of the Three Gorges Dam where you learn about this immense engineering masterpiece and what it means for the Chinese people and the Yangtze. Return to your ship and sail through the five-stage locks of the Three Gorges Dam. Dock overnight at Badong. (B,L,D) Day 6: Three Gorges & Lesser Three Gorges During breakfast, cruise through Wu (Witches) Gorge, renowned for its magnificent scenery. Then, board a smaller boat for an excursion through the Lesser Three Gorges. Along the way, see fascinating sites including the hanging coffins of the Badong people and the ancient plank road carved into the cliffside. Return aboard for lunch, then spend the afternoon sailing through Qutang Gorge, the shortest, narrowest and most spectacular of the three large gorges. Dinner aboard. (B,L,D)

3 Day 7: Shibaozhai This morning, visit Shibaozhai Temple, a 12-story pavilion built in Tour the pavilion and temple before returning aboard for lunch. Cruise along the Yangtze through the night. (B,L,D) Day 8: Chongqing & Xian After breakfast, disembark and enjoy a brief tour of Chongqing, the largest city in western China and an important inland port. Visit the Chongqing Zoo to see the giant pandas and other exotic species. After lunch in a local restaurant, fly to Xian, key city of the Tang Dynasty. From 618 to 907 A.D., this dynasty presided over one of China s most glorious cultural periods, spreading its influence throughout Asia into Europe and Africa. This evening, you may choose to dine surrounded by the song and dance of this colorful era, or have dinner and relax at your hotel. (B,L,D) Day 9: Xian In the morning, tour the mausoleum where Emperor Qin Shi Huang was laid to rest over 2,000 years ago. See the life-sized terra cotta warriors, archers, infantrymen and horses that were buried with him; walkways provide a bird s-eye view of the entire necropolis where the Terra Cotta Army was discovered in the 1970s. Each man and horse is molded with its own distinctive features. After lunch, you have free time to further explore Xian. (B,L,D) Day 10: Xian & Beijing Today, fly to Beijing, China s imperial capital, whose rich history dates back more than 3,000 years. Check in to your hotel and dine there; free time this evening. (B, L, D) Day 11: Beijing After breakfast, travel to nearby Badaling Hills. There, you behold one of the most impressive and best-preserved sections of the Great Wall of China, a 4,000-mile-long series of sandstone and earthwork fortifications built and maintained between the 5th century B.C. and the 16th century A.D. that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore its winding pathways and marvel at the panoramic views from its ramparts. After a lunch of local specialties, walk along the Sacred Way, a tree-lined avenue guarded by massive sculptures of elephants, lions and camels leading to the Ming Dynasty tombs. This evening, dine at a local restaurant and relax at your hotel or, enjoy an optional Peking duck dinner, the region s famous dish. (B,L,D) Day 12: Beijing This morning visit the enormous Tiananmen Square, which can accommodate over 1,000,000 people. Then, tour Beijing s Forbidden City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; made up of nearly 1,000 buildings, it is the world s largest surviving palace complex. Walk its grounds among the opulent palaces, pavilions, courtyards and imperial gardens within the 26-foot-high walls. After lunch in a local restaurant, take some free time to explore Beijing on your own or do some shopping. Or, you may choose to tour the Summer Palace, a 700-acre complex of elegant buildings and gardens (complete with man-made Kunming Lake) frequented by the Imperial Court when they wanted to escape the bustle of Beijing. Enjoy your final dinner this evening, or attend an optional Peking opera, a form of traditional Chinese theater. (B, L, D) Day 13: Beijing After breakfast, check out of your hotel and proceed to the airport for your return flight (B).

4 RESERVATIONS & INFORMATION Payment Schedule: $ per person due at time of reservation along with completed Reservation Form, and copy of your valid passport. Make all checks payable to: Viking Travel Service Mail all payments to: Viking Travel Service, 700 Pasquinelli Drive, Suite C Westmont, IL Final payment: Due no later than December 11, 2015 Reservations made after final payment date are subject to availability, late booking fee and any necessary price adjustments Documentation: A valid U.S. passport, valid for a minimum of 6 months from return date is required. Non-U.S. citizens should contact their consulate. Passenger Immigration Form: All passengers are required to fill out a passenger immigration form prior to departure. Price does not include: Items of personal nature, such as passport, phone calls, optional excursions, shipboard gratuities, gratuities for drivers, guides, and anything not specifically indicated as included. Note: Subject to any increases in air taxes, fuel supplements or government fees beyond our control. Air Schedules & Seat Assignment: Group Airfare, minimum of 10 passengers required. Failure to reach this minimum may result in higher airfare. Taxes & fuel surcharges subject to change until tickets are issued. After final payment air tickets are non-refundable. Deviations not allowed. Seat requests cannot be guaranteed; however we will do our best to secure the seating you request. Subject to baggage rules & restrictions. Cancellation Policy: All cancellations must be in writing to Viking Travel Service, 700 #C, Pasquinelli Dr., Westmont, IL This may be done by regular mail or fax. The day cancellation received will determine the actual cancellation date. Unused portions of this package are non-refundable. No show / no written cancellation = no refund. Per Person Cancellation charges if you must cancel for a reason not covered by insurance: Date of deposit to June 15, 2015 = $400 pp Penalty / June 16, 2015 to departure = 100% Penalty Group Cancellation/Travel Insurance: Travel insurance covers trip cancellation due to a covered medical reason, interruption, accident, baggage, medical expense and emergency evacuation. As with all insurance policies, cost of insurance is non-refundable and subject to change at any time. A minimum of 10 passengers required for group insurance. Travel Guard Group Insurance Coverage Maximum Benefits Coverage Maximum Benefits Trip Cancellation 100% of Trip Cost Trip Interruption 150% of Trip Cost Travel Delay $750 (Maximum of $150 per day) Baggage Delay $250 Medical Expenses $25,000 Baggage & Personal Effects Loss $1,500 INSURANCE RATES Optional Insurance based on age and total per person cost Total $4,501 - $5,000. $183. $282. $382. $494. $609. $819. $1,106. $5,001.- $5,500. $206. $319. $432. $558. $688. $923. $1,249. $5,501.- $6,000. $230. $357. $484. $624. $770. $1029. $1,395. $6,001.- $6,500. $277. $431. $585. $752. $930. $1,236. $1,683.

5 IMPERIAL JEWELS OF CHINA RESERVATION FORM MARCH 23 APRIL 5, 2016 Reservation form must be filled out completely, signed and submitted with deposit and copy of passport. Legal Name As it Appears on Your Passport 1. Name: First Middle Last Address: City: State: Zip: Home Phone: Cell: Work: Birthdate: Any physical limitations/ Dietary or Special Requests? Please fill out separate reservation form if not traveling with a spouse. 2. Name: First Middle Last Address: City: State: Zip: Home Phone: Cell: Work: Birthdate: Any physical limitations/ Dietary or Special Requests? PAYMENT INFORMATION Please charge my credit card: Visa MasterCard American Express Discover Card Name of card holder: Card # Expires: Security # Enclosed is deposit for people $ per person = Deposit amount: $ Plus Optional Insurance $ X People = $ Insurance Service Fee $ 7.00 Total amount enclosed: $ Notice: While every effort will be made to adhere to the specifics shown in this or any other publication, certain circumstances may necessitate alterations, therefore; all fares, taxes, fuel surcharges, schedules, hours of arrival and departure and all other information contained herein are subject to change. Bookings made after reservation deadline are subject to availability and late booking fee. Tour pricing and operation is based on a minimum of 15 passengers. Responsibility: Viking Travel Service its affiliated entities and their employees, shareholders, officers, directors, successors, agents, and assigns, own or operate any person or entities which provide goods and services for these trips. Because none of the above maintains any control over the personnel, equipment, or operations of these suppliers, Viking Travel Service assumes no responsibility for and cannot be held liable for any personal injury, death property damage or other loss, accident or delay, inconvenience, or irregularity which may be occasioned by reason of (1) any wrongful, negligent, willful or unauthorized acts or omissions on the part of any of the suppliers or their employees or agents, (2) any defect in or failure of any vehicle, equipment, or instrument owned, operated or otherwise used by any of these suppliers, or (3) any wrongful, willful or negligent act or omission on the part of any other party not under the supervision and control of Viking Travel Service. Additionally, responsibility is not accepted for losses or expense due to sickness, lack of appropriate medical facilities or practitioners, weather, natural disasters, strikes, theft or other criminal acts, war, terrorism, computer problems, or other such causes. All service and accommodations are subject to the laws of the country in which they are provided. Viking Travel Service reserves the right to make changes in the published itinerary whenever, in their sole judgment, conditions warrant, or if they deem it necessary for the comfort, convenience, or safety of the tour. They reserve the right to withdraw any tour announced. Viking Travel Service reserves the right to decline to accept any person as a member of the tour, or to require any participant to withdraw from the tour at any time, when such action is determined by the tour manager to be in the best interest of the health, safety, and general welfare of the tour group or of the individual participant. Viking Travel Service is not liable for any personal effects, same being the sole responsibility of the owner at all times. Payment constitutes acceptance of these terms and conditions. Tour operated by Viking River Cruises and Shared Adventures. I (we) have read, understand and am (are) in agreement with the Terms & Conditions of this vacation package. Signed: Date: E 5186 Reservation form must be filled out completely, signed and submitted with deposit and copy of passport. VIKING TRAVEL SERVICE Shared Adventures Custom Group Travel Division 700-C Pasquinelli Drive - Westmont, IL Tel: Toll Free: