Yangtze River Cruise Tour from Hong Kong

As the first stop of the Yangtze River Cruise Tour, Hong Kong will not disappoint you. Located in the south of China, Hong Kong shares 262 islands with beautiful scenery and abundant fishery resources. There are three main districts in Hong Kong, including Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, and New Territories. Filled with luxury commercial buildings and shopping malls, Hong Kong Island becomes the most prosperous place in Hong Kong. The Kowloon Peninsula does not lose to Hong Kong Island, as it owns the most attractions and characteristic streets. Tsim Sha Tsui, a district of Kowloon Peninsula, is the place with the most tourists. New Territories is the highest place in Hong Kong, sharing a world-famous container wharf called Kwai Tsing Container Terminals.

After arriving in Hong Kong, your tour guide will pick you up at the arrival hall. Don’t worry about where to look for your guide. Once you walk out, you can see your guide passionately waving a striking pick-up card with your name. Then we will take you to the hotel for checking in. The rest of the time, you can either have a good rest in the hotel or hang out.

Suggestions:

We recommend the Temple Street Night Market for you to taste local delicacies. If you want to experience the nightlife of Hong Kong, you can’t miss the Lan Kwai Fong, a street full of various bars, pubs, and clubs. Hope you can enjoy yourself.

After having breakfast in the hotel, your tour will begin with visiting Victoria Peak, the highest mountain on Hong Kong Island. Victoria Peak is also one of the main scenic spots in Hong Kong, with a height of 552 meters. It doesn’t matter if you do not like climbing because the peak tram will take you to the top. Since the opening of Hong Kong, Victoria Peak has been its symbolization and landmark. Standing on the observation deck of Victoria Peak – Sky Terrace, you can see the full extent of Victoria Harbour and Kowloon Peninsula.

Around 1868, Sir MacDonnell, the Governor of Hong Kong, built his summer house in Victoria Peak for its refreshingly cool surrounding. Since then, living in Victoria Peak has gradually become a trend for the rich and the celebrities. It even officially became the privilege of the upper class and foreign embassies in 1904, showing the peak’s remarkably geographical advantage. This privilege was not cancelled until 1947.

Next, you will travel to Repulse Bay. Situated in the south of Hong Kong Island, Repulse Bay is the most representative bay. The beach is crescent, and it is famous for golden sand and limpid water. With charming scenery, it is also one of exclusive residential areas. The water area here is safe all year round without fierce wind and high waves. Therefore, it is a good place for swimming and paddling. Sitting on the beach, you can see many residents enjoying their time and tourists lying under the sunshine. If you get tired, you can walk to the tea houses or restaurants nearby for a rest.

The last stop of today will be Stanley Market. Stanley was originally a sparsely populated small village. Later Stanley became a military post of Britain and the administrative center of Hong Kong. Now, it has become a prosperous and bustling marketplace. Sunny beaches, unique architecture, shopping, and food centers can be all found here. The most important feature of Stanley Market is the styles combining Chinese antique flavor with western cultures. It is not only popular among tourists but also residents. Row upon row of stores sells various products including souvenirs, handicrafts, antiques, etc. Try to bargain with shopkeepers, you will be surprised.

After the tour, you will be drive back to the hotel.

Stanley Market

Repulse Bay

In the morning, you will take the estimated train G408 12:05/15:25 to Guilin. It takes 40 minutes to drive from the train station to the center of Guilin with a distance of 28 KM. After arrival, your tour guide will send you to the hotel. Then, it’s your own time.

Situated in the northeastern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guilin is a city with ancient culture and long history. It owns splendid cultural heritages from the Han (202 BC – 220 AD) to the Qing (1636-1912) Dynasties. Guilin is also famous for its natural landscapes, and there is a Chinese saying goes like “East or west, Guilin landscape is best”. Hope you can enjoy your time in Guilin.

After breakfast, we will drive you to Mopanshan Pier and you will take Li River Cruise to Yangshuo. Located in the southeast of Guilin, Mopanshan Pier is around 28 KM away from the downtown. It will take you 40 minutes.

Now, you will sail on the Li River for about 5 hours. Lunch box is included on the cruise. The cruise starts from Mopanshan Pier in Guilin to Longtoushan Pier in Yangshuo, spanning around 64 KM. The scenery along the way is the essence of Guilin’s natural landscapes. No matter what the weather is, Li River always generously shows her beauty without reservation. On a clear day, you can see the green peaks above the crystal-clear water. On a rainy day, you can enjoy how the rain refreshes Li Rivers. If a fog comes in, you can see a mysterious Li River. Under the veil of mist, mountains were hazy in the distance. Meanwhile, floating clouds are slowly walking through mountains. These consist of a vivid Chinese landscape painting, showing you a perfect combination of mountains and rivers.

Sailing for so long, you might miss the land and want to have a walk. Here we come to West Street, the oldest and the most prosperous street in Yangshuo. West Street is a pedestrian mall, lying in the center of Yangshuo Ancient Town, with a history of more than 1,400 years. In the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), the central government set up an office in the present center of Yangshuo. The street in front of the office was called Shuqian Street. Around the street, there are many alleys in the east, south, and north. The street in the western direction was naturally called West Street. On West Street, you can buy various accessories including batik cloth, kerchiefs, and bags. You can also try some snacks such as rice noodles, Yangshuo stuffed vegetables, and osmanthus cake. The most famous food in Yangshuo is Beer Fish, a spicy and delicious course without any fishy smell. The fish is firstly fried with raw tea oil and then braised with beer. All the ingredients come from Guilin. Apart from this, West Street has more interesting things to be found. Don’t miss them.

At the end of the tour, we will drive you back to the hotel in Guilin.

Li River Cruise

West Street

This morning, you will take the estimated train D1852 10:25/15:06 to Chongqing, a mountain city. Chongqing is a municipality with a total area of 84,200 square kilometers and a population of more than 32 million. It has a history of over 3,000 years and it is a famous historical and cultural city. Chongqing is also famous for its spicy and hot food. Local people believe that the spicier, the better.

Located in the southwest inland of China, Chongqing is the center of economy, finance, technology, and logistics in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Here you will take the Three Gorges Cruise to start your memorable Yangtze River Cruise Tour, appreciating the splendid scenes along the river.   

You will arrive in Chongqing in the afternoon, and your tour guide will send you to the Chaotianmen Pier to take the Three Gorges Cruise. The train station is 22 KM from Chaotianmen Pier, which needs about a 22-minute drive. After helping you check-in, your tour guide will get off the cruise so as to give you full and free time to enjoy the tour. The Three Gorges Cruise stops boarding at 20:30 and sets sail at 21:00. Therefore, you have plenty of time to get familiar with the cruise. There are two types of cruises including ordinary cruises and luxury cruises. You can choose the cruise you like. All the cruises are equipped with fundamental facilities. One of the luxury cruises is called the Yangtze Gold 1, a five-star cruise. With all kinds of business and entertainment facilities like cigar lounge, multi-purpose hall, sauna center, etc, it is honored as a five-star hotel floating in the river. No matter what kind of cruise you choose, it will bring you an unforgettable time.  

You might feel tired after frequent transfers. This morning, you can wake up naturally and then enjoy a breakfast buffet. Or You can wake up early, as usual, to take part in a Tai Chi activity for getting some exercise as well as have a cup of coffee and read a book on the deck. While relaxing, please don’t forget to appreciate the beautiful scenes of the Yangtze River.

During the cruise, a shore excursion is provided. You can visit Shibaozhai Pagoda for free or Fengdu “Ghost City” for an extra fee. (Notice: scenic spots to visit vary with different cruises. All the spots are subject to actual reservation). Shibaozhai Pagoda is built on a boulder. It is said that this boulder was left by Nüwa (the mother goddess of Chinese mythology) after she used this kind of stone to mend the sky. According to legend, in early times, the sky broke and cannot cover the earth. The water from the sky fell down to the earth non-stop. The whole world faced great catastrophe. Nüwa, as the first Goddess in the world, could not bear to see people living in such an awful condition. Therefore, she refined some special stones to mend the sky and save people. After she mended the sky, there was one stone left by the Yangtze River. Later generations called it “shibao”, which means a pretty precious stone. At the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), a man called Tan Hong revolted and claimed to be the “King of Wuling”. As he based his strongholds on this stockade (equals to the Chinese word “zhai”), this place was called “Shibaozhai”.

As for Fengdu “Ghost City”, it is a famous historical and cultural city that originated in the Han Dynasty. Fengdu is called “the capital of netherworld”, a world of ghosts and demons and the home to the dead. It is not only a legendary ghost city but also a treasure house of folk culture and art integrating Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. If you are interested in Chinese cultures of ghosts, you can ask your guide for more information.  

When the shore excursion is over, you will come back to the cruise. At night, a welcome party will be held by the captain tonight. Feel free to enjoy the dinner and the night of Yangtze River.

Shibaozhai Pagoda

Fengdu "Ghost City"

You can start your day tour with a great breakfast buffet or a Tai Chi activity. A lunch buffet is provided on board. Today you will continue your fantastic Yangtze River Cruise Tour. The cruise will sail through three gorges, the Qutang Gorge, the Wu Gorge, and the Xiling Gorge, with a total length of 193 KM. These three gorges are collectively called the Three Gorges. The first two gorges are situated in Chongqing, and the last one belongs to Hubei Province, adjacent to Chongqing. When arriving in the Wu Gorge, you will take a small ship to visit the Goddess Stream. And an excursion, the White Emperor City, is offered in the Qutang Gorge.

High mountains and cliffs cover both sides of the Three Gorges, generally rising 1,000m to 1,500m above the water surface. The narrowest part of the river is less than 100m. The Qutang Gorge is 8 KM long, the shortest gorge of the Three Gorges. It is grand and steep. Along the Qutang Gorge, there is a famous tourist attraction called the White Emperor City. At the end of the Western Han Dynasty, a man, called Gongsun Shu, established a country here and proclaimed himself “the White Emperor”. Since then, the place has been called the White Emperor City. After his death, his followers built a temple called the White Emperor Temple in memory of Gongsun Shu. Because of the beautiful scenery, many literati like to visit this place. The literati not only visit this place but also left a large number of articles and poems about this place. Hence, this place is honored as “the city of the poem” as well. While the Wu Gorge stretches for 45 KM, it is deep and winding. The Wu Gorge is full of jagged rocks and cliffs. Hence it is the most spectacular part of the Three Gorges. Here you will also visit the Goddess Stream. The Goddess Stream is 15 KM long. Due to the strong current and narrow stream, it is an unfrequented valley. As for the Xiling Gorge, with a full length of 66 KM, it is the longest and steepest gorge of the Three Gorges. At the throat of the Xiling Gorge, you can see the Gezhouba Dam, one of the largest hydroelectric stations all over the world. After the completion of the Three Gorges Dam, Xiling Gorge remains a 30-kilometer part of pristine canyon scenery. Before the Gezhouba Dam was built, you could only visit the Xiling Gorge by small boat. Because the water isn't deep enough to support the ship. Right now, thanks to the Gezhouba Dam, you can enjoy the quintessential landscape of the Three Gorges on the cruise.

At night, the captain and the crew prepare a farewell dinner for you. The crews will also play an artistic performance during the dinner.

The Goddess Stream

The Xiling Gorge

Today will be your last day on the cruise, so feel free to enjoy the breakfast buffet. After breakfast, you will go to visit the Three Gorges Dam Site. The site is based on the largest water control project in the world, the Three Gorges Dam. It shows the engineering culture and the water conservancy culture in an all-around way. The Three Gorges Dam Site also provides tourists with multi-functional services such as sightseeing, entertainment, science, and education. It perfectly combines modern engineering with the natural and human landscape. Meanwhile, the observation deck that on the top of the Tanzi Ridge is the best place to appreciate a panoramic view of the Three Gorges Project. You can never miss the chance. There is also an excursion, board sightseeing-ferry sailing through TGP (Three Gorges Project) Ship’s elevator, which needs an extra fee.

Now, it’s time to disembark. Then the guide will meet you at the Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal. After picking you up, the tour guide will send you to the Yichang Railway Station. You will take the estimated train D354 14:46/22:21 to Shanghai, your last stop of China tours with Yangtze River cruise. Your guide will wait for you at the airport and then directly send you to the hotel.

Located in the Yangtze River Delta, Shanghai is the largest economic center and trade port of China. Its climate is warm and four seasons are distinctive. Numerous rivers and lakes make Shanghai rich in natural resources. With an advantageous geographical position and a long history, remarkable efforts have been made to build Shanghai as an international financial center, trade center, and shipping center. Due to its prosperity, Shanghai is also praised as “the Paris of the East”. Shanghai is also a famous national historical and cultural city, and it has an abundant tourism resource, attracting tourists from all over the world. Moreover, the exotic building clusters in the Bund of Shanghai symbolize the centuries-old history of the city, which is a testament to the prosperous capitalism of old Shanghai as well. Although it is deeply affected by western culture, Shanghai never loses its Chinese characteristics. The traditional Wuyue culture (in Chinese, Wuyue is the old name of the Shanghai area around 12th century), a delicate, graceful and refined culture of the south of the Yangtze River, has perfectly blended with various cultures brought by immigrants from different places. In this context, a unique Shanghai-style culture is shaped. As the last stop of the Yangtze River Cruise Tour, we hope Shanghai will leave you the deepest impression.

The Three Gorges Dam Site

The Tanzi Ridge

Good morning. How was your breakfast? Do you like Shanghai food? I hope you will enjoy the light taste of the local food. Then, we will bring you to the Yu Garden (closed each Monday). The Yu Garden lies in the northeastern part of Shanghai. It is a classical private garden in the Yangtze River Delta, covering 20,000 square meters. The Yu Garden was built in the Ming Dynasty, with more than 400 years. The word “Yu” means safeness in Chinese. The owner of the garden called it this way because he wanted his parents and relatives to be safe and happy. The Yu Garden contains more than 40 ancient buildings—pavilions, rockeries, and ponds with traditional Chinese characteristics. The key highlight of the Yu Garden is the Exquisite Jade Rock. The rock is about 3m high, 1.5m wide, and it weighs about 3 tons. The Exquisite Jade Rock is full of holes. And all the holes are connected with each other. If an incense is burnt from the bottom of the stone, then all the holes will eject smoke; if the water is pouring from the top of the stone, then all the holes will gurgle out of water. Such a natural stone is very rare, so it has become the most important treasure of the Yu Garden. Apart from the Exquisite Jade Rock, there are more stunning views in the Yu Garden waiting for you to appreciate.

As the Yu Garden has glutted your eyes, next, you will get a feast for your appetite in the Shanghai Old Street. Stepping onto the Shanghai Old Street, you will feel like you come back to the bustling markets of Shanghai 100 years ago. This multi-functional street enjoys unique characteristics, integrating tourism, shopping, entertainment, and culture. Here you can find a lot of time-honored brands, such as Songyuelou Restaurant, Huxin Pavilion Tea House and Green Ripples Restaurant. Don’t forget to try some guantangbao, known as soup dumplings in English. This wheaten food is famous for its delicious soup. If you like dessert, qingtuan, a green rice ball, will satisfy you. There are various stuffings of the Qingtuan rolls and the most common one is red bean paste. Our lunch will be at a local restaurant on the Shanghai Old Street.

In the afternoon, you will go to the Shanghai Tower, the landmark skyscraper of Shanghai. The Shanghai Tower covers a total floor area of 578,000 square meters, with 127 floors above ground and 5 floors underground. Its height is 632m. Here you can take the fastest elevator in the world. The maximum speed of the elevator exceeds 40 miles per hour (about 64KM per hour). Taking this elevator, you can go to the Top of Shanghai Observatory on floor 118 in a minute, with a height of 546m, to have a 360-degree bird’s-eye view of Shanghai. Don’t forget to take some pictures to record the wonderful time.

Yu Garden

Shanghai Tower

Today, your Yangtze River Tour comes to an end. We hope you have had an unforgettable tour. Your tour guide will send you to the airport and bid farewell to you. We look forward to seeing you again.

Author: Song Qiurui                

Proofreader: Lexie