Yangtze River Panorama Cruise

After breakfast, the cruise stops at Fengdu Port, and we’ll take an excursion to Fengdu Ghost City. Fengdu served as a vital waterway hub along the Three gorge area of the Yangtze River since ancient times, featuring dangerous rapids and frequent shipwrecks. And thus, it was given the function of ‘harboring the souls of the dead’. In addition, the rugged and secluded terrain of the mountain itself matched the imagination of the "underworld," so it gradually evolved into a famous ghost city. The scenic area includes some most iconic sights and temples in the “underworld”, such as the Bridge of Helplessness, a place in Chinese folk mythology where ghosts must pass through to be reincarnated, and the terrifying afterlife system, the Eighteen Levels of Hell, as well as the actors playing the ‘gods’ of the underworld. After the visit, go back to the cruise. 

In the afternoon, you’ll also have a chance to visit the captain’s pilot house! And there is a lecture about the Three Gorges. A professional guide will explain the historical changes of the Three Gorges, the stories of immigrants, and the local Ba-Chu culture, allowing you to gain a deeper understanding of the Three Gorges. Afterward, you can soak up the postcard-perfect river views on the cruise or go for some interesting cultural activities. Tonight, continue to stay overnight on board.

► Optional Activity: War Fire of Three Kingdoms Show 
At dusk, if you are interested, watch a fantastic live landscape performance, themed around the legendary story of Guan Yu in the Three Kingdoms period (220 to 280 AD). The breathtaking show blends martial arts, equestrianism, and acrobatics.

Please note: The show is subject to cancellation due to the weather or other events, and it can be replaced with other activities.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cruise: Century Legend (5-star)

In the early morning, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, along with delicious pastries, while looking out at layers of mountains shrouded in a thin mist, and the shimmering sunlight on the water. Before a hearty breakfast, take part in morning exercise like Taichi. This morning, if you are energetic, choose your preferred onshore excursions. 

► Optional Excursions: White Emperor City or the Summit of the Three Gorges 
The White Emperor City is not only a historical temple complex where many famous events happened during the Three Kingdoms era, but also a cultural gem, as some well-known Chinese poets like Li Bai and Du Fu left their popular poems. What’s more, the image on the back of the CNY 10-yuan banknotes is taken from this location, and you can climb up to enjoy the breathtaking views of the Kuimen Gate! The Summit of the Three Gorges, situated at the highest point of the Qutang Gorge, offers a stunning panoramic view. Overlook the towering mountains covered with lush forests stretching endlessly on both sides, and the mighty Yangtze River rushing through sheer cliffs and the gorge. After the visit, go back to the cruise.

Today, the cruise is going to sail through two of the Three Gorges, the Qutang and Wu Gorges, the most unmissable highlight on the tour. Admire the magnificent Qutang Gorge from another perspective. As the shortest but most dangerous section of the Three Gorges, the 8-km-long (5-mi) Qutang Gorge has the narrowest part of only 100 meters (328 ft.) wide, with the red cliffs on both sides reaching up to 1,500 meters (4,921 ft.), making it feel like passing through a "narrow strip of sky" when sailing through it. The cruise through Qutang Gorge takes only 20 minutes, so be sure to stand on the left side of the deck early to get a complete view featured on the CNY 10 banknote. The Wu Gorge, showcasing a 45-kilometer-long (30-mi) ‘Landscape Gallery’, is the most beautiful part of the Three Gorges, which is lined with dark green mountains, often shrouded in mist, and features 12 peaks of varying shapes. Here is also the border of Chongqing and Hubei. In the afternoon, you are free to arrange your time to participate in various cultural activities on board and enjoy afternoon tea.

★ Unique Experience: Sail through the Five-stage Ship locks of the Three Gorges Dam

The cruise continues sailing, and at around 8 pm., you’ll experience the thrilling moment of seeing the cruises going through the lock chambers in sequence, like a large “staircase”, to lift up or down, with a 113-meter-high (371-foot) drop. The whole process takes about 3-4 hours, and each lock chamber can accommodate four cruises passing at the same time.  

Tonight, let the misty Three Gorges wash away your daytime stress and wish you a good dream!

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cruise: Century Legend (5-star)

After breakfast, disembark for an excursion to wonder at the spectacular Three Gorges Dam, where you can not only closely watch the world’s largest operating hydroelectric facility from the observation platform, but also learn about the moving stories and the engineering technologies behind the great project. The dam measures about 2,335 meters long (7,661 ft.) and 185 meters (607 ft.) high, and it can contain at most 39.3 billion cubic meters. Let’s step into the River Closure Memorial Park, which retains the partition wall left over from the diversion construction, more than 100 concrete blocks, and large machinery such as a 77-ton loading and unloading truck and a flat-bottomed boat. In the Three Gorges Dam Project Museum, you’ll also learn about how the dam was built, and about 1.3 million people who had to leave their homeland and immigrated to other places. Finish the visit and return to the cruise. 

Today, the cruise passes through the Gezhou Dam, and sails through the Xiling Gorge, the last and also the longest of the Three Gorges. The 76-km-long (47-mi) narrow gorge features majestic peaks, treacherous shoals, unique caves, and secluded valleys. Standing on the deck of the cruise ship, you can watch the sheer cliffs recede on both sides, listen to the roaring river, and green mountains and crystal water just fill your eyes. In the afternoon, attend a lecture about the Three Gorges Dam and the ship lock, to get a deep insight into how it solved the navigation problem on the Yangtze River waterway. After the buffet dinner, enjoy a Crew Cabaret Show at night.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cruise: Century Legend (5-star)

This morning, choose an onshore excursion destination according to your interests. Xiongjia National Archaeological Site Park offers you a glimpse into the stunning burial history and culture of the Chu State about 2,200 years ago, which is even 200 years earlier than the famous Terracotta Warriors. Especially in the Chariot and Horse Exhibition Hall over the excavation site, you can see breathtaking remains of warhorses and the weathered chariots on a grand scale. Unlike the clay models of the Terracotta Warriors, these are all real horse skeletons and chariots. Some historical bronze ware and jade articles also showcase a once luxurious royal life. 

Alternatively, you can choose to visit the Jingzhou Museum & Ancient City Wall. The museum houses a rich collection of cultural relics, featuring lacquerware, bamboo slips, and bronzes from the Warring States (475 – 221 BC), Qin, and Han dynasties (221 BC to 220 AD). The highlights include a 2,100-year-old male dried corpse, whose teeth are still complete and skin is flexible, and a bronze sword of a Chu King, representing the peak of bronze casting techniques at that time. Then go to the Jingzhou Ancient City Wall, one of the best-preserved city walls in China, with nine city gates, two gate towers, as well as the hidden Soldier Caves and Barbicans. 

Finish the visit, return to the cruise, and the rest of the day is free for you to spend your time on board, like enjoying a movie in the theater. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cruise: Century Legend (5-star)

This day, disembark and explore the landmark of Wuhan City, the iconic Yellow Crane Tower standing on the banks of the Yangtze River, one of the three most famous ancient towers in South China. With 5 layers of upturned eaves extending outwards, the traditional Chinese tower, covered with golden glazed tiles, and supported by 72 round columns, offers not only the impressive architecture but also ceramic murals, calligraphy and painting exhibitions, and ancient building models inside. Climbing the tower to the top, you can enjoy panoramic views of the Yangtze River Bridge and the three parts of Wuhan, and the river view intertwines with the city skyline, creating excellent photo opportunities. 

Then visit the Hubei Provincial Museum to dive deep into the ancient culture of the Spring and Autumn period (770 - 476 BC) and the Warring States period (475 - 221 BC). You can marvel at the Zeng Houyi Chime Bells, a large group of bronze bells that served as ritual music instruments; the legendary 2,500-year-old bronze sword of Goujian, dubbed the ‘No. 1 sword’ under the heaven, which was surprisingly almost rust-free, and the blade remained sharp when it was unearthed. Another unmissable treasure is the blue and white porcelain plum vase of the four loves, made in Jingdezhen, a masterpiece of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). The ‘four loves’ refer to ancient Chinese scholars’ love for four plants of orchid, chrysanthemum, lotus, and plum blossoms, symbolizing spiritual purity, resilience, and quiet nobility.

After the visit, go back to the cruise, and tonight, you can enjoy a Line Dance Party with classical music in the bar. Wish you a good time!   

Meals: Wuhan-themed Specialty Breakfast and Lunch, Dinner
Cruise: Century Legend (5-star)

The cruise sails to Jiujiang today! After a hearty breakfast, enjoy your full-day onshore excursion. You can either choose to visit the Jingdezhen Porcelain Town or Mt. Lushan. Known as the“Porcelain Capital”, Jingdezhen has been producing porcelain for centuries, and even the country’s English name “China” is said to originate here. This morning, you can wander in the sea of porcelain in the Ancient Kiln & Folk Customs Museum, where various patterns made of broken porcelain shards on the ground, ceramic bottles and jars piled up, and even the trash cans are made of porcelain. Strolling with the guide, you can not only visit several ancient kilns to learn about their inside structures but also witness professional masters handmake the antique-style porcelain from wheel-throwing to trimming, painting, and glazing. In the afternoon, browse a large porcelain market to find interesting ceramic products from everyday items to decorative porcelain, such as bowls, plates, chopsticks, cups, soup spoons, jars, vases, coffee cups, and even earrings and necklaces. If you want to buy some as souvenirs, go further in. The deeper you go, the cheaper it gets.

If you choose Mt. Lushan, be ready to embrace its astonishing natural beauty and immerse yourself in the forested peaks, cliffs, waterfalls and lakes. Take a cable car from the hill’s foot to the top, and hike to the Flower Path Park, where the first thing that catches the eye is the shimmering, clear waters of the harp-shaped Ruqin Lake, surrounded by pine-covered peaks. Then head to the Jinxiu Valley, which is shrouded in mist all year round, resembling a fairyland. A 1.5-km-long (0.9-mi) U-shaped stone walkway winds its way along a cliffside, where you can take in stunning panoramic vistas of the Yangtze River and Jiujiang city. After enjoying a Jiangxi-style lunch, the afternoon is schedule for a visit to Meilu Villa, a 20th-century European-style villa built on the mountainside, once served as a summer resort of Chiang Kai-shek and his wife Song Meiling. 

After finishing either of the excursions, go back to the cruise. Tonight, enjoy a Live Music Masquerade before falling asleep!

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cruise: Century Legend (5-star)

After breakfast, you can choose to spend the whole day visiting Mt. Jiuhua, one of the most famous and sacred Buddhist mountains in China, or explore the Golden Ksitigarbha Temple. Mainly enshrining the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, Mt. Jiuhua is said to be his early practice center. The legend goes that Kim Gyo-gak (696-794 AD), a prince from the ancient Korean Silla Kingdom, became a monk at the age of 24 and traveled to China. He ultimately spent 75 years in ascetic practice on Mt. Jiuhua. Due to his extraordinary spiritual practice and the profound vow that “if the hells are not empty, I shall not become a Buddha”, a miraculous phenomenon occurred after his death: his body remained incorrupt for three years, with his joints resonating like golden locks! Since then, he has been regarded as a manifestation of Ksitigarbha, and the 006Dountain is highly worshipped by Buddhists.

The guide will first accompany you to explore the founding and the leading temple of Mt. Jiuhua, the Huacheng Temple, which is hailed as the origin of over 90 Buddhist temples on the mountain. Featuring white walls and brown tiles, the temple with layered, staggered gable walls, exudes a rustic yet elegant charm. Upon entering the four-courtyard temple complex, you can enjoy its serenity and solemnity. The wood and stone carvings are also exquisite, especially the "Nine Dragons Coiling a Pearl" caisson ceiling in the Great Buddha Hall, a masterpiece of craftsmanship that will leave you in awe. In front of the temple is a crescent-shaped release pond, a habitat for pigeons and pilgrims. In the afternoon, you’ll take a cable car to the Centenarian Palace and pay homage to one of the "living Buddhas", where the body of Zen Master Wuxia has remained incorrupt for over 4 centuries, who passed away at the age of 124! Afterwards, visit attractions such as the Hall of Five Hundred Arhats, Dongya Zen Temple, and Zhiyuan Temple. 

If you feel too tired for a full-day trip to Mt. Jiuhua, then choose to explore the magnificent Golden Ksitigarbha Temple under the foot of Mt. Qishan, closer to the downtown area. You’ll be amazed at its seven-courtyard layout, arranged along the central axis, resembling an imposing miniature imperial palace.

After returning to the cruise, have a grand dinner and enjoy Karaoke on board.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cruise: Century Legend (5-star)

In the morning, go for an onshore excursion to the Mt. Niushou Cultural Park, which boasts the Buddha’s Crown Sacred Realm as the core area, renowned for housing the Buddha's skull relic. The enshrine structure is built atop an abandoned mine, with three floors above ground and six to nine floors underground. Its large dome resembles the Buddha's robe, the smaller dome resembles the Buddha’s hair bun, while the base is shaped like a lotus flower supporting precious jewels. Inside, there is a gorgeous 360° rotating white marble reclining Buddha, and the Thousand-Buddha Hall contains 1,343 dazzling golden Buddha images. Besides that, you can also climb up the 88-meter-high (289-foot) Buddha's Crown Pagoda, a Tang Dynasty-style building decorated with murals depicting Buddhist stories, offering rich Buddhist culture as well as the stunning panoramic view of distant mountains. After finishing the sightseeing, go back to the cruise and attend some cultural activities on board. Tonight, the crew will try their best to show you their hospitality and service skills.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cruise: Century Legend (5-star)

★ Special Treat: Taste Yangzhou-style Morning Tea

This morning, you’ll have a chance to savor the characteristic Yangzhou morning tea for breakfast. Some must-try dishes include three-ingredient buns, featuring a savory mixture filling of diced pork, chicken, and bamboo shoots; fresh and juicy crab roe soup dumplings, and delicious dried tofu strips braised in umami-rich chicken broth, as well as a cup of refreshing tea.

After enjoying Yangzhou’s culinary delights, disembark, and you’ll go to Yangzhou by car, and take in the natural beauty of the Slender West Lake, the most beautiful landmark of the city. At first glance, you’ll be spellbound by the long, narrow, winding stretch of clear water, with banks lined with willow trees and vibrant flowers. Stroll around it, and every step reveals a new scene, like a slowly unfolding ink-wash landscape scroll. The Slender West Lake once served as the moat of Yangzhou city and a part of the Grand Canal system, connecting the Yangtze and Huai Rivers. During the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907 AD), gardens were gradually built along its banks, adding much charm to the city. You’ll also glimpse various style bridges, such as one of the most elegant Chinese bridges, the Five Pavilion Bridge, with five pavilions built on its piers. After the visit, go back to the cruise, and you’ll enjoy a Photography Sharing Salon and the farewell party at night, sharing your most unforgettable moments.   

Meals: Yangzhou-style breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cruise: Century Legend (5-star)

Today, as the cruise sails to Shanghai, the city that represents China’s modern pinnacle, your 11 days Yangtze River Cruise tour has just drawn to an end! The cruise terminates at Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal. Collect your lifelong memories, check out and disembark the cruise in the morning, and the crew will help you with the luggage. Wish you a pleasant journey! The shuttle bus will transfer you to the Shanghai airport or train station. If you’d like a private transfer to the airport or train station, or a Shanghai city sightseeing tour to explore the magic city blending neck-craning skyscrapers, colonial architecture, and classic Chinese gardens, just contact us!

Please note: The schedule and attractions listed in the above itinerary may be subject to change depending on seasons, water levels, weather conditions, and government restrictions. Please contact your travel consultant for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

If you'd like to travel upstream from Shanghai to Chongqing, the following itinerary is for your reference.

Day 1: Cruise Boarding in Shanghai
Day 2: Yangzhou: Excursion to Slender West Lake i 
Day 3: Nanjing: Excursion to Mt. Niushou Park
Day 4: Chizhou: Excursion to Mt. Jiuhua or Golden Ksitigarbha Temple
Day 5: Jiujiang: Excursion to Jingdezhen Porcelain Town or Mt. Lushan
Day 6: Wuhan: Excursion to Yellow Crane Tower & Hubei Provincial Museum.
Day 7: Yueyang: Excursion to Yueyang Tower & Bianhe Street
Day 8: Jingzhou: Xiongjia National Archaeological Site Park or Jingzhou Museum & Ancient City Wall
Day 9: Yichang: Excursion to Three Gorges Project Museum & Three Gorges Dam Closure Memorial Park
Day 10: Three Gorges: Excursion to White Emperor City or Three Gorges Summit, Watch the “Return to the Three Gorges” show
Day 11: Fengdu: Excursion to Fengdu Ghost City
Day 12: Departure from Chongqing