4 days Downstream Yangtze River Cruise Tour (Chongqing to Yichang)

Upon arriving in Chongqing in the afternoon, meet your local guide or driver at the airport or train station exit. You will be transferred in a comfortable, air-conditioned private car directly to Chongqing Chaotianmen Port to board your cruise between 17:00–20:00. With the cruise departing at 21:00, your 4-day, 3-night Yangtze River downstream cruise adventure officially begins.

Warm tips for boarding:

Confirm Your Pier: If not using our transfer service, contact your travel advisor in advance or on the morning of boarding to confirm your specific pier, as Chongqing Chaotianmen Port has 13 sub-piers.

Be Prepared for Changes: Boarding times and piers may change due to cruise line schedules, water levels, or weather. Stay updated with your travel advisor.

The itinerary for the Yangtze River Cruise may vary depending on the specific cruise line and ship you choose.

Begin your first day on the Yangtze River, the longest river in China, with a peaceful morning. Wake up leisurely and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee on the sundeck or join a Tai Chi session led by a master to start your day with mindfulness.

Your morning adventure includes a shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City, a fascinating site steeped in mythology and folk culture, known as the "home of the dead" and sacred to Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.

In the afternoon, you may opt for a shore excursion to Shibaozhai Pagoda (optional, extra fee), a magnificent wooden structure with the most floors of its kind in China, and a highlight of Chongqing and the Three Gorges region.

For those staying onboard, plenty of activities await! Attend a Yangtze River History and Culture Lecture to deepen your knowledge of the river, join the Captain’s Welcome Party to meet fellow travelers, or simply enjoy evening entertainment designed to make your journey unforgettable.

Today, you will sail through the spectacular Three Gorges.

Follow your guide's live interpretation and soak up the breathtaking scenery of exquisite peaks and uniquely shaped rocks along the two banks of the Yangtze River as you drift through Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, and Xiling Gorge.

In the morning, there is an optional shore excursion to White Emperor City (extra fee) while passing through Qutang Gorge. White Emperor City, also called Baidi City, is another jewel of the Yangtze River, housing numerous relics such as the hanging coffins of Qutang Gorge, cultural artifacts from the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and ancient poetry inscriptions.

Today's adventures also include a side excursion on smaller boats to the Little Three Gorges or a pea-boat ride along the verdant Shennong Stream (depending on the season). The picturesque scenery of towering green cliffs and misty mountains on both sides has inspired countless poets and artists to create enduring Chinese paintings and poetry.

Tonight, enjoy the Captain's Farewell Party and a wonderful cabaret night show, accompanied by a dinner featuring local cuisine. 

Today, you will have an early breakfast, complete the check-out procedure, and disembark at Maoping Port in Xiling Gorge. Your shore excursion continues to the world-famous Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydropower station in the world, with an annual energy output of 84.7 billion kilowatt-hours, a remarkable achievement of modern China. (Optional experience with an extra fee: You can choose to enhance your trip by taking a sightseeing boat through the Three Gorges Dam Ship Lift, the world’s largest ship lift, for a closer view of the massive dam.)

After sightseeing at the dam site, take the tourist bus arranged by the cruise company to Yichang Three Gorges Cruise Terminal, concluding your enjoyable Yangtze River cruise. You are expected to arrive at the terminal around 12:30–13:30.

Warm Tips:
Early Checkout: Regardless of whether you take the Ship Lift, you will need to complete the checkout process early in the morning.

Dam-Only Visit: If you opt for the dam visit only, a coach will take you from Maoping Port to the Three Gorges Dam for sightseeing, and you will arrive in Yichang downtown by approximately 12:30.

Dam & Ship Lift Experience: If you choose to include the Three Gorges Dam & Ship Lift, you will first switch to a sightseeing boat to pass through the Ship Lift, followed by sightseeing at the dam site. You will then arrive in Yichang downtown around 13:30.