Cruising on the largest river of China can be a most memorable trip. Discover the amazing Yangtze River with us: you can enjoy yourself in the terror of the Ghost City of Fengdu, the spectacle of the Three Gorges, the unique architecture of Shibaozhai, the fun of drifting on the Shennong Stream and the wonder of the Three Gorges Dam.

Usually there are two major itineraries of the Yangtze River cruises: Chongqing-Yichang (about three days' cruise) and Chongqing-Wuhan (about five days' cruise). Each itinerary will offer two or three chances of shore excursions, including visits to both beautiful scenery and historic relics of the gorgeous Yangtze River.

Chongqing to Wanxian

Your down-stream Yangtze River cruise departs from Chongqing, a famous historical and cultural city in Southwest China. The Chaotianmen Dock of Chongqing is where the ship docks and awaits its passengers. After leaving Chongqing the ship heads to its first stop: Fengdu. A shore excursion offers you the chance to visit the renowned Ghost City of Fengdu. It is a place where almost everything is associated with the devil and hell. Here, traditional Chinese religious architecture and ghost culture wait to be explored.

After Fengdu, the ship takes you to Zhongxian, a county full of historic relics of northeast Chongqing. Shibaozhai (Precious Stone Stronghold), built in the Ming Dynasty, is the most spectacular attraction. Here, the pavilion reputed as being one of the eight wonders of world architecture has attracted the admiration of numerous visitors.

The next stop is Wanxian, where the city dock is one of the ten largest docks along the Yangtze River and also the second largest of Chongqing.

Wanxian to Yichang

Cruise Ships head to Yunyang and Fengjie after Wanxian. Yunyang is famous for the historic relic Zhangfei Temple and Fengjie for Baidi City (White Emperor City). Then the spectacular highlight of the cruise comes into view: the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River (Qutang Gorge , Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge).

The Three Gorges all have their unique characteristics, with numerous historic relics along the banks, such as the ancient plank road and the mysterious suspended wooden coffins. Some ships may stop at the Daning River between Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge. This gives visitors the chance to change to sampans to drift along the three little gorges of the Daning River. The ship may instead stop at Badong the county between Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge, for visitors to drift along the Shennong Stream, which is full of natural beauty and historic relics. The trackers towing the boat upstream form a unique scene of the Shennong Stream.

After drifting on the Shenning Stream, the shore visit to the Three Gorges Dam in Sandouping can be a remarkable one. You will have a chance to learn about the great project of the Three Gorges Dam from close up.

After the Three Gorges Dam you will see another project, the Gezhouba Dam in Yichang. When the ship cruises out of Nanjin Pass, at the east end of the Xiling Gorge, the river shows a different scene.

Yichang to Wuhan

The stop after Yichang is Jingzhou, the cradle and central area of Chu culture (the culture of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River). The ancient city wall of Jingzhou with its well-preserved moat is regarded as the second largest city wall in China. The relics housed in the Jingzhou Museum located in the city give an excellent insight into Jingzhou and Chu culture.

Several hours after Jingzhou the cruise ship arrives at its destination: Wuhan. It has many scenic spots, like the Yellow Crane Tower, Hubei Provincial Museum and the East Lake, which are well worth a visit.

Some Yangtze cruise ships reach Jiujiang, where Mt. Lushan and Poyang Lake can be admired.

Note: Different cruise ships often have different ports of calls. Please take note of the itineraries before making your booking.

Get more scenery of Yangtze River Cruises, please refer to the Scenic Spots by Ports.