Itinerary
* The following itinerary may vary from season to season.
Day 1 Chongqing: Embark Cruise (D)
Your guide will meet you at the airport, train station, or your hotel in Chongqing. Enjoy dinner featuring local dishes, then transfer to the cruise terminal at Chaotianmen at 6:00 p.m. Settle into your cabin and spend the evening exploring the ship.
Day 2 Yangtze River Cruise (B, L, D)
Spend the day cruising down the Yangtze, China’s longest river. Along the way, enjoy changing landscapes and discover the cultural heritage of the communities that have developed along its banks.
Yangtze cruise ships travel at a relaxed pace, allowing time to enjoy the scenery. Onboard announcements and guest lectures provide information about passing sights and shore excursions, helping you follow the journey even while resting in your cabin.
Here is the cruise ship’s schedule of events:
7:00 - Music morning call
8:00 - Breakfast (buffet)
9:30 - Brief introduction about the itinerary and cruise’s facilities
10:30 - Chinese calligraphy performance
12:00 - Lunch
2:00–4:30 p.m.: Take a shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City. Explore the hilltop temples, shrines, statues, and murals associated with traditional Chinese ideas about the afterlife. The site’s colorful imagery offers insight into local religious beliefs and folklore.
18:00-Welcomgin banquet hosted by the Captain
Day 3 Yangtze River Cruise (B, L, D)
Today will be the second day of your Yangtze River cruise. Here is the day’s schedule of events:
6:30 - Music morning call
7:00 a.m.: Sail into the Three Gorges region, comprising Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, and Xiling Gorge. Watch the cliffs rise on either side of the river as the ship passes through Qutang Gorge. See the video below for a preview.
7:30 - Breakfast (buffet)
8:30-10:00-From the cruise ship, more sightseeing of the Three Gorges Rea, this time you’ll pass through Wuxia Gorge.
12:00 - Lunch
13:00-17:00 - Shore excursion to Shennong Stream. Shennong Stream is a tributary of the Yangtze River, and its fast-flowing, crystal clear water runs southwards through deep gorges. The stream races past large and small karst caves, flocks of swallows, sheer cliffs, deep canyons, waterfalls, three-colored springs, rapids, the ancient plank path, a suspended coffin in the cliff, groups of ancient tombs and marvelous karst formations. There are displays of Chinese art and artifacts saved from the construction of the Three Gorges Dam and the artificial lake. It instructs on the Three Gorges region, the Three Gorges Dam, the history of Chongqing and the surrounding area, Chinese history, and prehistoric times.
18:30-Farewell banquet hosted by the captain
20:30-Party on the cruise ship
Day 4 Yangtze River Cruise-Disembark Cruise and Yichang-departure (B, L)
Here is the schedule for the last day of your cruise:
7:00 - Morning music call
7:30 - Breakfast (buffet)
8:00-10:00 - Shore excursion to Three Gorges Dam: The Construction was begun in the 80's and completed in 2008. It backs up the Yangtze River for 550km, making it the world's largest dam. Because the water rises to a level of 185m behind the dam, millions of people have had to be resettled, bridges moved, and historical relicts secured. The energy production capabilities of the dam are estimated at 84.7 billion kilowatts, equivalent to 18 nuclear reactors. The three single-stage locks guarantee that ship traffic is not delayed.
The Three Gorges Dam is the largest water conservancy project undertaken by man, and various Chinese officials have dreamed about the plan for hundreds of years. It is 2,335 meters wide on the top, and 130 meters wide at the bottom. The views from the top of the dam are stunning, so don't forget to bring your camera!
10:10-11:00 - Sailing through Xiling Gorge: You'll sail into the western section of Xiling Gorge, the longest of the Three Gorges (at 66 kilometers, compared to Wu Gorge at 44 kilometers and Qutang Gorge at 8 kilometers). Xiling Gorge was renowned for its winding waterway that suddenly narrowed into treacherous rapids or skirted over dangerous shoals. Despite the risks (Xiling Gorge was dubbed as a "death passage"). Ships were compelled to pass through its waters regularly, as there was little alternative. It was also for this reason, among many others, that the Three Gorges Dam project was justified.
11:30 a.m.: Disembark in Yichang, where your guide will meet you and transfer you to the airport for your onward flight.
