Yangtze River Cruise Tour from Dynamic Hong Kong

Welcome to Hong Kong! Your tour guide will wait for you at the airport with your name sign. After pick-up from the airport, he or she will transfer you to the hotel. Hong Kong is the first stop of this 17-day Yangtze River Cruise Tour. I hope you will like this city! 

Covering an area of 1,106.66 square kilometers, Hong Kong has a population of 7,474,200 and it is the third biggest economic center in the world. As a highly prosperous free port and an international metropolis, Hong Kong enjoys great fame in the world. In Hong Kong, you will visit Victoria Peak, Repulse Bay, and other tourist attractions. Today, you will have a lot of free time, so you can choose to have a rest in the hotel or to visit some tourist attractions by yourself. 

Free Time Suggestion 1: In the evening, you can go to the Temple Street Night Market, the most famous outdoor market in Hong Kong. There are many stalls along the street after 4 pm every afternoon. And it will become livelier from 6 pm to midnight because a lot of customers will come here for shopping and dining during this period. Here you can taste all kinds of unique snacks in Hong Kong, such as Fish Balls, Egg Puffs, and seafood, which are good choices.

Free Time Suggestion 2: You can visit the Lan Kwai Fong in the evening. There are more than 50 bars and restaurants here, such as Dragon-I, Brickhouse, and Kee Club. The name and decoration of these bars here are full of exoticism, and it is known as a special cultural zone in Hong Kong. Now that you have come to Hong Kong, you can come here to experience the nightlife of Hong Kong and relax.

Free Time Suggestion 3: If you want to go shopping, Nathan Road will be your best choice, which is one of the most famed streets in Hong Kong. There are many shopping malls, duty-free shops, and some luxury shops, such as Chanel, Gucci, BVLGARI, and other brands. It can be said that it is a paradise for shopping!

After breakfast, you are going to visit Victoria Peak. You will take the Peak Tram, one of the most famous and the oldest trams in the world, to the top of it, which will be an unforgettable experience! The tram is towed by wire ropes and it climbs from 28 meters to 396 meters above sea level along the hillside. Passengers can overlook the Victoria Harbour along the way. Sitting in the carriage, you couldn’t help leaning backward, which is a little exciting. The tall buildings and dense bushes seem to have fallen aside, and it feels amazing! When you get to the top, you will see the Peak Tower, a famous building on Victoria Peak. Standing on the top of Victoria Peak, you can appreciate the whole scenery of Hong Kong.

Then you will come to Repulse Bay. Located in the south of Hong Kong, the Repulse Bay is the representative of Hong Kong’s beautiful bay and it is called “Oriental Hawaii” The Repulse Bay has a wide and long beach, gentle slopes, and warm waters. It has become a must-visit place for visitors to Hong Kong. It is because of the beautiful seaside scenery here that it has become one of the famous high-level residential areas in Hong Kong.

The last stop of today is the Stanley Market. The stores here sell Chinese handicrafts, clothes, oil paintings, and so on. Here you can buy your favorite products and enjoy the fun of bargaining, which adds to the charm of the Stanley Market. You can take them back as souvenirs or as gifts given to your friends.

In the afternoon, you are free to explore Hong Kong by yourself. 

Repulse Bay

Stanley Market

After breakfast, you will take a flight to Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province. As a famed tourist city, Kunming is also known as the Spring City. Your tour guide will meet and greet you at the airport. After that, you will be transferred to the downtown hotel, about 30 kilometers in southwest of Kunming Changshui International Airport. It takes about 40 minutes by car. After check-in at the hotel, you can arrange your time in the rest of the day.

The first stop of today is the Stone Forest, about 75 kilometers away from the city center. We will drive southeast for about 1 hour and 10 minutes to get there. About 300 million years ago, the Stone Forest was an ocean with a great deal of limestone on the ocean floor. After a long period of geological evolution, the ocean turned into land and the limestone turned into different shapes under the action of rain erosion. The Stone Forest preserves and displays the most diverse karst landforms. Limestone in the shapes of sword, column, mushroom, and tower are typical representatives in the Stone Forest. Besides, there are also karst lakes, karst caves, stalactites, underground rivers, and other landforms, forming a panoramic view of karst landscapes. You will appreciate the beautiful karst landscapes here.

Do you know that Kunming has another name? Kunming has been called the “Spring City” due to its comfortable weather, which is good for flowers’ growth. After lunch, you will come to the Kunming Dounan Flower Market that has been the biggest fresh-cut flower trading market and a famous flower capital in China. The flowers here are sold throughout the country and exported overseas. There are many kinds of flowers, including carnations, roses, lilies, gerbera, and so on. If you like flowers, you can buy some and take them to the hotel. After visiting the Kunming Dounan Flower Market, you will be transferred to the hotel and have a rest. 

Stone Forest

Kunming Dounan Flower Market

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the train station and take the estimated train D8688 08:55/11:02 to Dali. 

After arriving in Dali, you will first visit the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, which are the symbols of Dali. The largest pagoda is the Qianxun Pagoda in the middle. With a height of 69.13 meters, the Qianxun Pagoda shows the architectural style of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). There have four characters on the front wall of the Qianxun Pagoda, which means “guarding the territory forever”. Did you know the origin of these four characters? It is said that Dali became one of the territories of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644); in order to fully express the meaning of keeping this territory forever, these four characters were carved.

You will have a cruise on Erhai Lake in the afternoon. It’s said that it is named “Erhai” because its shape is like an ear (“Er” means an ear in Chinese). Do you think that this name is interesting? As we all know that Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake are very well-known tourist attractions in Yunnan Province. They always appear together in Chinese words. There is an interesting story about them. It is said that a long time ago, a beautiful princess just got married, but her husband went to war. Several years later, he didn’t return and the princess heard that her husband was dead. She was so sad that she began to cry day and night, and eventually, she died in deep sorrow and her tears turned into Erhai Lake. However, before long, her husband unexpectedly returned. When he learned that his wife had passed away, he was miserable and swore to the sky that he would like to transform into a mountain to guard the lake. At that moment, he suddenly became a mountain, that is, the Cangshan Mountain.

Free Time Suggestion: In the evening, you can go to the Dali Old Town, and there is a famed pedestrian street, that is, the Fuxing Road. There are many shops selling marble carvings, small souvenirs with ethnic characteristics, and many local snacks. Besides, there are many bars. You can experience the nightlife here and relax.

Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple

Erhai Lake

In the morning, you will go to the Xizhou Ancient Town. Located 18 kilometers north of the Dali Old Town, Xizhou Ancient Town is an important town for the Bai nationality. And there are many ancient buildings with the architectural style of Bai nationality. When you get there, you will first see two lush trees at the entrance of the old town. The two trees have a long history and Bai people think that they are the symbols of prosperity. Then, you will walk around Xizhou Ancient Town to admire the unique buildings of the Bai nationality and learn about the custom of the Bai people. It will be an unforgettable memory for you.

After Xizhou Ancient Town, you will head to Lijiang. We will continue to drive north about 135 kilometers (about an hour and 45 minutes) to get there. Upon arriving in Lijiang, you will pay a visit to the Lijiang Ancient Town. Among the ancient towns in China, Lijiang Ancient Town is very special, because it does not have an ancient city wall around it, which is different from most ancient towns in China. In ancient China, a city wall was significantly important to defending a city. An ancient town or city without a city wall was like a home without a door. Do you know why there was no ancient city wall around Lijiang Ancient Town? The reason was that the builder of the Lijiang Ancient Town was the Mu family. If the city wall was built, it was like that a frame was added to the surname “Mu” character. In Chinese, the “Mu” character with a frame becomes the “Kun” character (“Kun” means “being trapped” in Chinese). Therefore, the Mu family didn’t build a city wall. 

When you come here, you will visit Lion Hill in the center of Lijiang Ancient Town. When you climb to the top of the hill, you will see the majestic and beautiful Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in north and the panoramic view of Lijiang Ancient Town. This beautiful scenery will surely impress you deeply. After finishing the visit, you will be transferred to the hotel.

Lijiang Ancient Town

Xizhou Ancient Town

This morning, you will go to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, about 20 kilometers away in the north. It takes about 40 minutes to get there by car. The thirteen undulating snow-capped peaks here are like a “jade dragon” flying in the sky, so people gave the name “Jade Dragon Snow Mountain”. When you get there, you will first visit the Blue Moon Valley, located at the foot of the ropeway. If it is sunny, the water here is blue and the valley’s shape is like a crescent moon. From a distance, it looks like a blue moon inlaid at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, so it is called the Blue Moon Valley. After visiting the Blue Moon Valley, you will take the ropeway to the Spruce Meadow, an alpine meadow on the east hillside of the main peak of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. It is also known as the “Valley of Die-for-Love”. It is said that a young couple of Naxi nationality was forbidden to get married due to familial hatred, so they escaped to this place and committed suicide together. You can stand on the meadow to admire the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. 

In the afternoon, you will go to see the Baisha Murals, an art product of the Naxi society in the Ming Dynasty. The creation of these murals lasted for more than 300 years from the early Ming Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty (1636-1912). It was said that the Baisha Murals were created by a group of painters from different nations, including Naxi painters, Han painters, Tibetan Buddhist painters, and Bai painters. With a history of more than 500 years, the Baisha Murals have attracted many tourists from home and abroad.

Finally, you will go to the Shuhe Ancient Town, an important town on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road. The Ancient Tea-Horse Road was an ancient trading road connecting Yunnan with Tibet. Shuhe Ancient Town became a trade center for goods both from Yunnan and Tibet. Compared with other old towns in Yunnan Province, the old buildings in Shuhe Ancient Town are even more natural. You can experience the simple Naxi folk culture, admire the historical relics, and enjoy the wonderful natural scenery here.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Shuhe Ancient Town

After breakfast, you will take the estimated flight G54006 12:15/14:00 to Chongqing. Covering an area of 82,402 square kilometers, Chongqing is the starting point of the Yangtze River Cruise Tour. In ancient China, the emperors would cruise along the Yangtze River to admire the stunning views on the two banks of the river. The Yangtze River Cruise Tour will not only offer you the beautiful scenery of the Yangtze River but also let you experience the same feeling as the ancient emperors.

When you get to Chongqing, you will first visit the Hongya Cave. It is a popular attraction of Chongqing, which is most famous for its peculiar architectural style – a large stilt house complex built on a hillside by the Jialing River. Apart from the attractive view here, you cannot miss the food here. Chongqing Spicy Noodles, Mao Xue Wang (cattle tripe and duck blood curd in chili sauce), Chongqing Hot Pot, and other delicious local food are very renowned in the world. If you like spicy food, you really can’t miss them! 

Then, continue to drive east about 2 kilometers, about 10 minutes, you will get to the Chaotianmen Wharf, where you will begin your Yangtze River Cruise. The cruise ship stops boarding at 20:30 and departs at 21:00 every day and your tour guide will help you go through the formalities and then disembark. There are various facilities and services on board, such as Chinese restaurants, western restaurants, a shopping center, bars, and foot massage. You will have a great time during your Yangtze River Cruise.

Hongya Cave

Chaotianmen Wharf

In the morning, you can arrange your own time. You can sleep until you wake up naturally. After having your buffet breakfast, you can participate in Tai Chi activities on the ship, read a book, or have a cup of coffee.

Today you will have a shore excursion to visit the Shibaozhai Pagoda, one of the best tourist attractions by the Yangtze River. There is an embossment based on the ancient Chinese story of Ne Zha (an ancient Chinese mythological character). It is said that one day, Ne Zha was playing with other children on the beach. Suddenly, he saw the third son of Dragon King of East China Sea, Ao Bing, who was robbing the people. Ne Zha was so angry that he hurt Ao Bing. Later, the Dragon King knew this and he was furious, so he punished Ne Zha’s father and wanted to drown the village where Ne Zha’s family lived as he could control the seawater. At last, Ne Zha smashed the Dragon Palace and caught the Dragon King, which was beneficial for the people.

After the Shibaozhai Pagoda, there is an optional shore excursion at the Fengdu “Ghost City”, which needs extra expenses. If you would like to visit the Fengdu “Ghost City”, you could pay the shipping company directly. The Fengdu “Ghost City” is famous for the buildings and styles of the netherworld. When you get there, you will see the Naihe Bridge. It is said that before a ghost’s reincarnation, he has to drink the Five-Flavored Tea of Forgetfulness, a tea soup that can make the ghost forget his past life, and then he can walk through the Naihe Bridge and can be reborn.

At noon, you will enjoy a buffet lunch and have a rest. In the evening, there is a captain welcome reception. Enjoy this pleasant night!

Shibaozhai Pagoda

Fengdu "Ghost City"

In the morning, you will enjoy a buffet. After breakfast, you can participate in the Tai Chi activities. As a kind of Chinese Kung Fu, Tai Chi can strengthen your body if you keep practicing it.

Today, you will sail through the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, that is, Qutang Gorge, Wuxia Gorge, and Xiling Gorge. The first one you will pass through is Qutang Gorge. With a total length of 8 kilometers, Qutang Gorge is the shortest gorge and it is famous for its steepness. Some of the peaks here are as high as 1,500 meters, towering straightly into the sky. The river channel in Qutang Gorge is narrow, and the average width of the river is no more than two hundred meters. The narrowest part is only tens of meters wide, which adds a bit of thrill to the journey.

Then, you will come to the Wuxia Gorge. With a length of 46 kilometers, Wuxia Gorge is the most beautiful and it is renowned for its twists and turns. Many famous ancient poets have described the stunning natural scenery of Wuxia Gorge, such as Li Bai, Du Fu, Yuan Zhen, and Lu You. When you get there, you cannot miss the Twelve Peaks of Wushan Mountain on both sides of Wuxia Gorge. The Twelve Peaks of Wushan Mountain are beautiful. The unpredictable clouds and fog before raining will greatly add to an atmosphere of mystery. When sailing through the long and winding Wuxia Gorge, you will feel as if you entered a fairyland. Then, you will take a small boat in Wuxia Gorge to take a look at the Goddess Stream, which was named after the Goddess Peak, the most famous peak among the Twelve Peaks of Wushan Mountain. Cruising on the Goddess Stream with high peaks on both sides, you will feel being separated from the outside world.

The last one is the Xiling Gorge. With a length of 66 kilometers, Xiling Gorge is the longest gorge. The famous politician and writer Ouyang Xiu of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) once praised the scenery of Xiling Gorge as the best in the world. Xiling Gorge can be described as a large gorge composed of several small gorges, including Poshui Gorge, Micang Gorge, Baigou Gorge, Dengying Gorge, etc. The Dengying Gorge is famed for its shadow at dust. If you happen to pass through the Dengying Gorge at dust, you can have a look at the shadows of the four stones on the peak here. You can guess whom they look like.

In the evening, there will be a farewell dinner hosted by the captain and a wonderful performance given by the crew. Wish you have an unforgettable night!

Wu Gorge

Goddess Steam

After breakfast, you will have an additional shore excursion which needs extra payment today. You will board a sightseeing ferry sailing through TGP Ship’s elevator. Have you ever heard of it? It is the world’s largest ship elevator with the most high-end technology. It sounds exciting, isn’t it? It’s really worth a try!

Then, you will be transferred to the Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal. The Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal is the end of the Yangtze River Cruise Tour, and hope you have a good time during the cruise. Then, you will be transferred to Yichang railway station. Finally, you will take the estimated train D354 14:46/22:21 to Shanghai. Don’t worry. Your tour guide will prepare the lunch for you and you can take it on the train. When you get to Shanghai, your tour guide will wait for you at the train station with your name sign and transfer you to the hotel to check in. Covering an area of 6,340.5 square kilometers, Shanghai is an international metropolis and is well-known in the world. Hope your Shanghai tour will bring you an unforgettable memory.

The first stop of today is the Yu Garden (closed each Monday), a classical garden in south of the Yangtze River. When you come here, you will notice the Huge Rockery, which is eye-catching. It is the oldest, the biggest, and the most exquisite rockery made of yellow sandstone in China. With a height of about 12 meters, it is made of about 2,000 tons of yellow sandstone from Zhejiang Province, and it enjoys the reputation of the best rockery in the south of the Yangtze River.  

The second stop is Shanghai Old Street. With a total length of 825 meters, the Shanghai Old Street gathered a group of Shanghai’s earliest banks, gold shops, wine shops, and theaters. Today, old-fashioned buildings and shops are restored in the street. Walking into the Shanghai Old Street, you seem to have returned to the prosperous Shanghai more than 100 years ago. When you come here, you can taste local snacks, such as Xiaolongbao (small steamed buns), Green Dumpling (a sweet green rice ball), and Pan Fried Bun.

Then, you will go to the Shanghai Tower. The bottom of the Shanghai Tower is 88 meters deep. And there are 980 foundation piles, which can withstand typhoons of force 16 and earthquakes of magnitude 8. When you get there, you can take the elevator to the high-altitude observatory on the 118th floor. The elevator here has a maximum speed of over 40 miles per hour, making it the fastest elevator in the world. Taking such an elevator, you can not only enjoy the high-altitude scenery but also feel a sense of excitement. You must have a try.

After visiting the Shanghai Tower, you will come to Nanjing Road, one of the ten commercial areas in Shanghai. There are many Chinese time-honored brands. The Cantonese cuisines and Cantonese desserts in Sunya Restaurant, Shanghai-style cakes and cookies in Shen Dacheng Food Store enjoy a high reputation in Shanghai and are all worth tasting. Nanjing Road is a shopping paradise for tourists from home and abroad. And many stores here are still the first choice for people in Shanghai to buy their own New Year goods.

The last stop of today is the Bund, one of the landmarks in Shanghai. At the intersection of the Nanjing Road and the Bund, there is the Chen Yi Square. In the center of the square stands a statue of Chen Yi, the first mayor of Shanghai in the People’s Republic of China. With a height of 5.6 meters, the statue is in the posture of Chen Yi at work to show his diligent attitude. A grand concert will be held in Chen Yi Square every weekend. Besides, there is a fountain in the south of Chen Yi Square. At night, as the lights on the ground change colors, the fountain will also be colored, adding a magnificent view to the Bund.

Shanghai Tower

The Bund

After today’s breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport and take the estimated flight MU9644 11:20/14:05 to Xi’an, the capital of thirteen dynasties in ancient China. When you get there, you will be transferred to the hotel to check in. Today, you can make a schedule by yourself. You can choose to stay in the hotel to have a rest or to visit some attractions by yourself.

Free Time Suggestion 1: If you want to go out, you can go to the Great Tang All Day Mall. With the background of prosperous Tang culture, the Great Tang All Day Mall is the first choice for the exhibition and experience of Tang culture in Xi’an. In the evening, there will be large-scale performances. With the shining of lights, it can better reflect the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty.

Free Time Suggestion 2: When you come to Xi’an, how can you miss local snacks? As we all know, there are many delicious snacks in Xi’an. The Muslim Quarter is a paradise for food lovers. Here you can taste Pita Bread Soaked in Lamb Soup, Biangbiang Noodles, and so on. Don’t miss them!

In the morning, you will visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, the eighth wonder of the world. It’s said that there are more than 8,000 terracotta warriors, but the appearance of each terracotta warrior is different. And their hairstyles and clothing are also different. The reason is that each terracotta warrior is made according to different people from all over the country. When you visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, you will be shocked by this magnificent scene and admire the exquisite skills of the ancient Chinese craftsmen.

After lunch, you will go to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, where the Buddhist texts, Buddhist statues, and Buddhist relics brought back by Xuan Zang (a famous monk in the Tang Dynasty) from ancient India are preserved. It is said that Xuan Zang lost his way in the desert when he traveled to India. At that time, he saw two wild geese flying in the sky. He said to the two wild geese, “I am a monk who went to the west to learn Buddhism. Unfortunately, I lost my way. If you can lead me out of the desert, I will build a pagoda for you when I return to Chang’an (the ancient name of Xi’an).” Miraculously, he walked out of the desert and reached India by following the two geese. When Xuan Zang returned to Chang’an, he presided over the construction of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

Finally, you will visit the City Wall. With a history of more than 700 years, it is the best preserved. Among the four corners of the City Wall, only the southwest corner is round. Why? Some people believe that the City Wall with round corners was first built in the Sui (581-618) and Tang Dynasties and later it was destroyed with only one round corner left. In the Ming Dynasty, it was rebuilt with three square corners.

Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

After breakfast, your tour guide will take you to the airport and you will take the estimated flight CA1232 11:00/13:10 to Beijing, the capital of China. Covering an area of 16,410.54 square kilometers, Beijing is the last stop of your China Yangtze River Cruise tour. When you get there, your tour guide will wait for you at the airport and you will be transferred to the hotel. Today you will have a lot of free time and you can visit some attractions by yourself.

Free Time Suggestion 1: How can you miss local snacks when you come to Beijing? As we all know, Beijing Roast Duck is one of the most famous dishes in the world. And if you are interested in it, you can go to Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant on Wangfujing Street. In addition to Beijing Roast Duck, there are many other delicious snacks on the street. You can find them by yourself. Besides, you can go shopping there.

Free Time Suggestion 2: If you want to relax in the evening, Sanlitun Bar Street will be your best choice. You will see many kinds of bars, CLUB MIX, Destination, Trinity Club, and so on, which are the best places for you to enjoy the nightlife in Beijing.

Free Time Suggestion 3: In the evening, you can go to Qianmen Street, a famed commercial street in Beijing. With a long history, there are many Chinese time-honored brands, such as Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant, Zhang Yiyuan Tea House, and Ruifuxiang Silk Shop.

n the morning, you will visit Tian’anmen Square, which is a must-visit place when you come to China. Tian’anmen Square means a lot to Chinese people. When you come to Tian’anmen Square, you will notice the Monument to the People’s Heroes standing solemnly in the center of the square. It is the biggest monument in China. With a height of 37.94 meters, the Monument to the People’s Heroes is made up of 413 pieces of granite. It is built in memory of the revolutionary martyrs in modern Chinese history.

Passing through the Tian’anmen Gate Tower, you will visit the Forbidden City (closed each Monday). The Forbidden City was the palace of the 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties of China. The Palace of Heavenly Purity was the main palace where the emperors used to live. When the emperor wanted to choose one of his concubines to sleep with him, he would turn over one of the small wooden boards carved with the concubines’ names. When the concubine was selected, she would be naked after a bath and wrapped in a quilt, and then she would be carried to the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Juyongguan Great Wall, about 55 kilometers away. After driving northwest for about an hour, we will get to the Juyongguan Great Wall. As we all know, the Great Wall is one of the seven wonders in the world. And the Juyongguan Great Wall, which was built in the Ming Dynasty, is the most prestigious. With a total length of more than 4,000 meters, the Juyongguan Great Wall is famous for its steepness, and it attracts many tourists from home and abroad every year. There is no cable car. For a hiking enthusiast, climbing the Juyongguan Great Wall is a must-try. You will know the meaning of the old Chinese saying that “One who fails to reach the Great Wall is not a hero”. After finishing today’s visit, you will be transferred to the hotel.

Free Time Suggestion: In the evening, you can go to the Houhai, a part of the Shichahai. It was a prosperous commercial district in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). And now, it is one of the best places for entertainment and relaxation. You can choose to go to the bar street to relax or the South Luogu Lane to eat some snacks.

Tian'anmen Square

Juyongguan Great Wall

This is the last day of your Yangtze River Cruise tour from Hong Kong. Today you will be transferred to the airport according to your flight. I hope you are satisfied with our service, and I hope this journey will bring you an unforgettable memory.

Author: Lin Shuyun

Proofreader: Vivian Zhou