Welcome to Shanghai!

• Upon arrival at Shanghai Pudong Airport, Shanghai Hongqiao Airport or Hongqiao High-Speed Rail Station, meet the local transfer service and travel to your hotel.

• Guests arriving on flights or trains within approximately two hours of each other may be transferred together, so some waiting time may be required.

• Hotel check-in is available after 2:00 PM.

Meeting Points

Shanghai Pudong Airport

• Terminal 1: Inside Gate 10 on the arrivals level

• Terminal 2: In front of Starbucks on the arrivals level

Shanghai Hongqiao Airport

• Terminal 2: In front of KFC on the arrivals level

• Guests arriving at Terminal 1 should take the terminal shuttle to Terminal 2

Hongqiao High-Speed Rail Station

• Follow the connecting walkway to the meeting point at Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2

Accommodation: Shanghai Sanjiagang Greenland Hotel or similar
Meals: None

• After breakfast, travel to Wuzhen, a picturesque historic water town often described as one of China’s last traditional waterside communities.

• Explore its atmospheric waterways and historic streets before visiting a health and home experience centre.

• Continue to Hangzhou, traditionally celebrated as a “paradise on earth.”

• Visit the modern City Balcony, overlooking the Qiantang River and Hangzhou’s Asian Games landmarks, before continuing to the famous West Lake Scenic Area.

• Stroll beside the lake and enjoy views associated with some of West Lake’s celebrated sights, including Three Pools Mirroring the Moon and Leifeng Pagoda.

Accommodation: Hangzhou Pujing Garden Hotel or similar
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

• Begin the day with a visit to Longjing Tea Village, where you can experience Hangzhou’s traditional tea culture and sample Longjing tea.

• Continue to Nanjing, one of China’s historic ancient capitals.

  Visit Dongshuiguan Heritage Park, where historic city walls, waterways, bridges and gates come together in one fascinating heritage precinct.

• Later, explore the lively Confucius Temple area beside the Qinhuai River. Filled with restaurants, tea houses and shops, this historic district remains one of Nanjing’s most popular cultural areas.

Accommodation: Nanjing Wanghai International Hotel or similar
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

• After breakfast, visit the historic Grand Bao’en Temple, one of Nanjing’s important Buddhist heritage sites.

• View a crystal inner-painting exhibition before continuing to a jade exhibition centre.

• After lunch, travel to Wuxi and discover the famous “Two Gardens and One Ancient Town”:

  • Xihui Park

  • Jichang Garden

  • Huishan Ancient Town

• Enjoy the traditional architecture and garden landscapes of Jiangnan before visiting a Yixing purple clay teapot museum.

Accommodation: Wuxi Huayi Mingdu Hotel or similar
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

• Begin the day at picturesque Lihu Park, where landscaped gardens meet the waters of Lake Tai.

• The park uses seasonal plants and waterfront scenery to showcase the changing character of Jiangnan throughout the year.

• Visit a Taihu Pearl Centre before travelling to Suzhou.

• Upon arrival, view historic Panmen Gate, one of Suzhou’s ancient city gates. Together with the surrounding waterways, bridges and canals, the area reflects more than 2,500 years of Suzhou history.

Accommodation: Vienna International Hotel Suzhou or similar
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

• After breakfast, visit a silk factory before continuing to Jinji Lake Scenic Area, representing the modern side of Suzhou.

• Admire views of contemporary landmarks including the Gate of the Orient and Suzhou’s distinctive modern architecture.

• After lunch, return towards Shanghai and visit a gemstone centre and traditional Chinese wellness centre.

• Later, explore The Bund, where Shanghai’s historic waterfront architecture faces the modern Pudong skyline across the Huangpu River.

Accommodation: Shanghai Sanjiagang Greenland Hotel or similar
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

• After breakfast, transfer to the railway station and board a high-speed train from Shanghai to Yichang. The Shanghai–Yichang rail ticket is included in the tour.

• Upon arrival in Yichang, transfer to the cruise terminal and board your Yangtze River cruise, marking the beginning of your journey through the famous Three Gorges.

• Over the coming days, the cruise travels upstream from east to west through some of the Yangtze River’s most dramatic scenery, including:

  • Xiling Gorge, known for its steep mountains and historically challenging waterways

  • Wu Gorge, celebrated for its elegant mountain landscapes

  • Qutang Gorge, the shortest but one of the most dramatic sections of the Three Gorges

• After boarding, settle into your cabin and prepare for the multi-day cruise towards Chongqing.

Accommodation: Victoria Cruises, Gold Cruises or similar
Meals: Breakfast

• Wake up aboard the Yangtze River cruise and enjoy breakfast as your Three Gorges journey continues.

• Optional Excursion – Tribe of the Three Gorges

  • Guests may choose to join the cruise company’s recommended optional excursion to Tribe of the Three Gorges, located within the scenic Xiling Gorge area.

  • The attraction combines natural gorge scenery with traditional local culture and performances inspired by the historic Ba and Chu cultures of the Yangtze River region.

  • Optional excursion: CNY 295 per person

  • Booking: Available onboard at the cruise reception

• Guests who do not participate may remain onboard according to the cruise company’s arrangements.

• After lunch, visit the famous Three Gorges Dam, one of the major engineering landmarks along the Yangtze River.

  • The visit provides an opportunity to see the scale of the hydroelectric project and learn more about its role in navigation, flood control and power generation along the river.

• Optional Excursion – Three Gorges Ship Lift

  • Guests may also choose to join the cruise company’s optional Three Gorges Ship Lift experience.

  • The ship lift is designed to help vessels pass through the major elevation difference created by the Three Gorges Dam and offers a different perspective on the engineering of the dam complex.

  • Optional excursion: CNY 295 per person

• Afterwards, return to the cruise and continue sailing through the western section of Xiling Gorge, enjoying the mountain and river scenery from onboard.

• In the evening, enjoy the Captain’s Welcome Dinner, followed by onboard entertainment arranged by the cruise company.

Accommodation: Yangtze River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

• After breakfast, join an included excursion to either:

  • Shennong Stream, or

  • Goddess Stream

• The exact destination depends on the cruise company’s operational arrangements and docking schedule.

• These tributary excursions provide a closer look at the narrower waterways and mountainous landscapes surrounding the Three Gorges region.

• After the excursion, return to the cruise and continue sailing through Wu Gorge, a scenic section of the Yangtze known for its steep mountain peaks and misty river landscapes.

• Enjoy the views from onboard as the vessel passes through the gorge.

• After lunch, continue through Qutang Gorge, the third of the major Three Gorges sections on this upstream itinerary.

• Its narrow waterway and steep cliffs create one of the most dramatic landscapes of the cruise.

• Optional Excursion – White Emperor City

  • Guests may choose to join an optional excursion to White Emperor City, a historic site overlooking the Yangtze.

  • The area is known for its cultural heritage, historic remains and elevated views of the surrounding gorge landscape.

  • Optional excursion: CNY 295 per person
    Booking: Available onboard at the cruise reception

• After the excursion, return to the cruise and continue the journey upstream.

Accommodation: Yangtze River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

• After breakfast, arrive in the Fengdu region, an area known for its historic and natural attractions along the Yangtze.

• Depending on the cruise company’s actual docking arrangements, the included morning excursion will visit one of the following:

  • Shuanggui Mountain: A scenic and cultural area in Fengdu featuring landscaped surroundings and local historic attractions.

  • Snow Jade Cave: A natural limestone cave attraction known for its underground formations.

  • Shibaozhai: A historic riverside site featuring distinctive traditional architecture built against a steep rock formation.

  • The actual excursion will depend on the cruise operator’s schedule on the day.

• After lunch, guests may choose to join an additional optional excursion to either:

  • Fengdu Ghost City: A long-established cultural attraction associated with traditional Chinese folklore and historic temples.

  • Wuling Mountain Grand Canyon: A scenic natural area featuring mountain and canyon landscapes.

  • The final destination depends on the cruise company’s docking arrangements.

  • Optional excursion: CNY 295 per person

• Return to the cruise after the excursion.

• In the evening, enjoy an onboard social and entertainment program as the cruise continues towards Chongqing.

Accommodation: Yangtze River Cruise
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

• Enjoy breakfast onboard as the cruise approaches Chongqing, marking the end of your Yangtze River journey.

• The cruise is expected to arrive at the pier at approximately 8:00–9:00 AM.

• After disembarkation, join the scheduled transfer from the cruise terminal to Chongqing Airport.

Important Flight Information

• Yangtze River cruise schedules can be affected by:

  • Changes in river water levels

  • Weather conditions

  • Navigation conditions

  • Cruise-company operational arrangements

• Because the actual docking time may therefore be delayed, guests are strongly advised to book departing flights after 1:00 PM.

• Please also note that the Yangtze cruise itinerary is indicative. Daily excursions, docking locations and the order of activities may be adjusted by the cruise company according to actual operating conditions.

Meals: Breakfast