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HOTEL CHECK-IN-DATES

2008 Beijing to Shanghai
June 8, 28
July 18
August 7, 27
September 6, 16, 26
October 6, 16, 26

2009 Beijing to Shanghai
Apr 8, 18, 28; May 8, 18; Jun 7; Aug 26; Sep 5, 15, 25; Oct 5, 15

2009 Shanghai to Beijing
Apr 19, 29; May 9, 19, 29; Jun 18; Sep 6, 16, 26; Oct 6, 16

Viking Century Sky

1-888-942-3301

Certain restrictions apply. All rates in U.S. dollars. Prices, savings offers, and other terms subject to change without notice. Images, logos, photographs etc. on this page is copyrighted by Viking River Cruises. It is presumed to be accurate and is subject to change without notice.

You’ll discover the many faces of China, from her imperial treasures in Beijing and Xian, to bustling Shanghai and the unique beauty of the Yangtze’s gorges. On this voyage, you’ll also experience the “Roof of the World,” Lhasa, Tibet, nestled at the foot of Mt. Everest. You’ll visit Jokhang Temple, considered the holiest temple of Buddhism; Potala Palace, former home of the Dalai Lamas, and much more. Truly, this is an adventurer’s journey of a lifetime. Roof of the World is a 16-day/15-night cruisetour with fares starting from $4,099. On your 3-night Yangtze River cruise, you’ll sail aboard the best ships on the river. Delight in the passing scenery, whether through the lounge’s panoramic windows, from the sun deck or from the comfort of your cabin’s private balcony. Our onboard meals, prepared under the watchful eye of our European management, offer a mix of Western meals and Chinese menus designed by celebrity chef, Martin Yan.

Our English-speaking guides will take you to famous landmarks such as the Forbidden City as well as hidden gems like Sera Monastery. Enjoy cultural highlights such as tea with a Tibetan family, a Chinese acrobatic performance, the Peking Opera and a Tang Dynasty dinner show.

Day 1 Beijing
Begin your journey in exotic Beijing
Welcome to Beijing, China’s former imperial capital with many noted monuments and historic sites. We’ll meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.* After check-in, you have free time to relax.

Day 2 Beijing
Stand where emperors did years ago
After breakfast, visit Tiananmen Square, which spans 100 acres, and the Forbidden City, with its elegant palaces, pavilions and landscaped gardens. Stroll through its expansive courtyard, once open only to nobility. After lunch in a local restaurant, tour the 700-acre Summer Palace. Be awed by its landscaped grounds and take a dragon boat ride across the lake. Tonight’s treat is a Peking Duck dinner; then enjoy the artistry of the famed Peking Opera. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 3 Beijing
Take a walk along the historic Great Wall
After breakfast, take a motorcoach to the Great Wall of China and walk along its famous ramparts. A local lunch is followed by a visit to the Sacred Way, where you walk among the huge animal sculptures that flank the tree-lined avenue to the Ming Tombs. Dinner is in a local restaurant. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 4 Beijing, Xian
Enjoy a savory taste from the Tang Dynasty
See traditional Chinese life during your rickshaw tour along Beijing’s hutongs, narrow alleyways. Then visit a silk carpet workshop and see this time-honored art in person. After lunch, fly to Xian, China’s legendary home of the Tang Dynasty from 618-907 A.D. Tonight, experience the glory of this cultural period at a banquet with traditional song and dance. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 5 Xian
Meet 6,000 terra cotta warriors, face to face
Today you tour Xian’s archaeological wonder of 6,000 life-sized terra cotta warriors buried with Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Get a bird’s-eye view of the army, each soldier and horse molded in incredible detail. Then, tour the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a majestic 7-story square tower and a holy place for Buddhists. After a local dinner, visit the marketplace for a nighttime tour. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 6 Xian, Lhasa
Make a pilgrimage to a sacred city
Morning free time in Xian. After lunch, fly to Lhasa, economic, spiritual and cultural center of Tibet. Experience Tibetan culture with a family-hosted tea followed by dinner at a local restaurant. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 7 Lhasa
Visit Buddhism’s holiest temple
Today visit the 1,300-year-old Jokhang Temple, with its Buddhist worshippers. After a local lunch, explore the maze-like Barkhor Market in old Lhasa and tour the Tibetan Museum to learn about local history and culture. Tonight, enjoy a traditional Tibetan dinner. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 8 Lhasa
Visit the former palace of the Dalai Lama
This morning, you tour the extraordinary 13-story Potala Palace, winter home of the Dalai Lama since the 7th century. Later, visit the Sera Monastery, an active temple with three colleges for monks in training. Lunch and dinner are in a local restaurant.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 9 Lhasa, Chongqing
Continue your eye-opening Tibetan journey
After breakfast, fly to the mountain city of Chongqing to embark Viking Century Sky.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 10 Shibaozhai
Amazing architecture on the hillside
This morning cruise the Yangtze, and after lunch visit Shibaozhai Temple. Built into the cliffside, this red pavilion is a gem of Chinese architecture from the Qing Dynasty. Climb up high to see amazing river views below. Dinner is served aboard; cruise through the night. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 11 Three Gorges, Lesser Three Gorges
Glide past the Yangtze’s breathtaking cliffs
During breakfast, sail through the spectacular scenery of Qutang Gorge, the shortest and narrowest of the three large gorges. See an ancient plank road carved into the mountains and the mysterious hanging coffins of the Ba people. You then board a smaller boat for an excursion through the picturesque canyons and mountains of the Lesser Three Gorges. Stop for a barbecue lunch and take in the natural beauty. Return to your ship and cruise through the most scenic area of the Yangtze—the Three Gorges. This afternoon, sail through Wu (Witches) Gorge, renowned for its 12 cloud-covered towering peaks. Dinner is served aboard as you sail through the 5-stage locks of this engineering marvel.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 12 Three Gorges Dam, Three Gorges
Tour the engineering marvel that will forever change China
After breakfast, disembark and tour the monumental Three Gorges Dam, scheduled for completion in 2009. The afternoon is highlighted by the Xiling Gorge, the longest of the gorges with the best scenery. Cruise through the night. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 13 Jingzhou
Meet local children at our sponsored school
After breakfast, travel to this rural village’s elementary school, sponsored by Viking River Cruises. The children will warmly welcome you and love to share stories and photos. Return to your ship for meals and scenic cruising. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 14 Wuhan, Shanghai
Discover China’s historic treasures
Disembark and tour the Wuhan Museum before your flight to Shanghai, China’s largest city and a modern metropolis. After checking in to your hotel, the rest of your day is at leisure. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 15 Shanghai
A thoroughly modern city alive with culture
Explore Shanghai today from Old Shanghai to the more modern riverfront Bund district. A local lunch is followed by a visit to the Shanghai Museum; see its ancient ceramics, bronzes and other artifacts. Dine in a local restaurant, then be awed by the dexterity of Chinese acrobats at tonight’s performance. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 16 Shanghai
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and we’ll take you to the airport for your return flight.* Or, add to your China experience with one of our fully escorted land packages. Explore bustling Hong Kong and quaint Guilin. Or, encounter the scenery and people of Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. Breakfast included.

Note: Schedules and activities subject to change dependent upon water levels, port accessibility and weather. Passengers must be able to climb ramps for ship embarkation/disembarkation; these have a number of steep steps. Tours include up to 1-2 mile walks over steps and uneven ground. For passenger safety and enjoyment, you should be in good physical condition to participate in all tours. Ships and destinations in China do not have facilities to accommodate wheelchairs or physically challenged passengers.

*Airport meet & greet transfers included when air is purchased from Viking River Cruises.

Port sequence, tours and times may vary.
 

► ADD 4 NIGHTS IN HONG KONG & GUILIN (2008)

Discover more of China with this 4-night escorted land tour you add before your river cruisetour (for itineraries beginning in Shanghai) or after your cruise (for itineraries ending in Shanghai).

HONG KONG & GUILIN DAY BY DAY
DAY 1 Guilin
After lunch in Shanghai, fly to Guilin where you’ll be escorted to your hotel. Dine at your hotel and your evening is free.

DAY 2 Hong Kong
After breakfast, board a small boat to see local village life along the Guilin’s breathtaking Li River. Then, take a walking tour of the Yang Shuo village. Next, fly to Hong Kong and check in to your hotel. Enjoy evening free time to explore; tonight’s dinner is on your own.

DAY 3 Hong Kong
Your half-day city tour takes you to the top of Victoria Peak. Travel around Hong Kong Island to visit the floating city of Aberdeen. Take afternoon free time to further explore the island or go shopping. Tonight, try one of Kowloon’s fine restaurants for dinner.

DAY 4 Hong Kong
You have a full day to explore Hong Kong on your own. Take a ferry across Victoria Harbor and visit other islands. Stroll Kowloon’s unique markets, or tour one of the city’s museums.

DAY 5 Hong Kong
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and we’ll take you to the airport for your return flight.

ALL THIS IS INCLUDED IN YOUR EXTENSION FROM $1,399 PER PERSON*:

• 3 nights Hong Kong and 1 night Guilin at centrally located 5-star hotels

• 2 tours with private English-speaking guides: Hong Kong city tour & Aberdeen sampan ride; Guilin/Li River with Yang Shuo shopping tour

• 7 meals: 4 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 1 dinner†

• All intra-China flights & appropriate transfers

• English-speaking escort

• Airport meet & greet transfers included when air is purchased from Viking River Cruises

On the reverse itinerary, start by flying to Hong Kong, Guilin, and finally to Shanghai for your Shanghai to Beijing cruisetour. Hong Kong extension price includes $20 intra-China air taxes/fees.

If you purchase Viking River Cruises trans-Pacific air in conjunction with your cruisetour and extension, additional air charges may apply. Call for details.

*Single supplement $699.

†On pre-cruise extension, 4 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 2 dinners.

► ADD 6 NIGHTS IN VIETNAM (2008)

Discover Vietnam with this 6-night escorted land tour you add after your cruisetour (for itineraries ending in Shanghai).

VIETNAM DAY BY DAY
DAY 1 Hanoi
Transfer to your deluxe hotel. Upon arrival, you’ll see some of Vietnam’s capital before arriving at your hotel. See the infamous Hoa Lo Prison, known by American prisoners captured in Vietnam as Hanoi Hilton. You’ll then be treated to an amusing water puppets performance, an art form unknown beyond this region until the 1960s.

DAY 2 Hanoi
Your guided tour of Hanoi stops at Ho Chi Minh Museum, which highlights the past and the future. Then, visit Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, where the ruler lived from 1958-1969. After lunch, take a rickshaw ride through the lively Old Quarter. In this maze of streets, see traditional shops and tube houses filled with merchandise.

DAY 3 Danang, Hoi An
After breakfast, fly to Danang. From here, drive past historic China Beach and see the incredible five peaks of the Marble Mountains. Arrive in Hoi An, a culture-filled city of central Vietnam and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Free time allows you to stroll the city’s pedestrian-friendly streets.

DAY 4 Hoi An
Today is dedicated to sightseeing in this picturesque town. During your half-day walking tour, see a variety of architectural styles in the Quan Cong Temple, Phuoc Kien Pagoda and Quan Dong Pagoda. You’ll also visit the Tran Family Chapel and Phung Hung House. See the Japanese Covered Bridge and visit the Sa Huynh Museum, with exhibits of ancient artifacts. Afternoon free time; shop for hand-tailored clothing.

DAY 5 Saigon
Today you fly to Saigon, Vietnam’s largest city, known today as Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, you’ll tour the city to see noted sights including Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office and City Hall. The architecture here has interesting French influences. You have some free time to explore on your own.

DAY 6 Mekong Delta
Today you have a full-day excursion on the Mekong Delta aboard the Cai Be Princess, an elegant wooden boat that takes you from Cai Be to Vinh Long. You’ll tour the colorful floating market of Cai Be and visit local workshops that produce a variety of local delicacies. You then explore some of the smaller islands nestled in the canals surrounding Mekong Island and have lunch in a fruit orchard. Stop at An Binh Temple before ending your tour at Vinh Long. Return to Saigon, and the rest of your day is at leisure.

DAY 7 Saigon
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and we’ll take you to the airport for your return flight.  

ALL THIS IS INCLUDED IN YOUR EXTENSION FROM $1,699 PER PERSON*:

• 2 nights each at centrally located 4-star Hanoi Hilton Opera, Hoi An Life Heritage Resort & Saigon Sheraton (or similar)

• Daily breakfasts, 1 lunch

• Guided city tours of Hanoi, Hoi An & Saigon; Danang sightseeing & Vietnam countryside

• Guided tour of the Mekong Delta from Cai Be to Vinh Long

• All intra-Asia flights and appropriate transfers

• English-speaking escort throughout

• Airport meet & greet transfers included when air is purchased from Viking River Cruises 

Vietnam extension price includes $30 intra-Asia air taxes/fees.

If you purchase Viking River Cruises trans-Pacific air in conjunction with your cruisetour and extension, additional air charges may apply; call for details.

*Single supplement $699.