Upstream Yangtze River Cruise Tour from Nanjing

Today you will arrive in Nanjing and start your expected Upstream Yangtze River Cruise Tour from this city. As the capital of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing is an important central city of eastern China recognized by the State Council of China. Covering a total area of 6587.02 square kilometers, it has a population of more than 8.5 million. Besides, it is the only megalopolis in the Yangtze River delta and even in the eastern part of China. Upon arrival, your private guide will wait for you at the airport with your name sign holding in his/her hands. Then the guide will take you to the hotel downtown to check in. After that, you can have a good rest. If you are not tired, you can explore the city on your own.

This morning, we will come to visit the first stop of your Yangtze River cruise in Nanjing, which is the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum. Located at the foot of Zijin Mountain, it covers a total area of more than 1.7 million square meters. It is recognized as one of the largest mausoleums of emperors in ancient China. Completed in 1405 after 24 years’ construction since 1381, it is the tomb of the emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and his empress. It is called Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum because that Zhu Yuanzhang put fealty (“xiao” in Chinese) on the top priority during his reign. Then let us know about the story of emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. He is the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty and he was born in a poor family. In the last years of the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), he joined the insurrectionary army to fight against the tyranny of the Yuan emperor. At last, he established the Ming Dynasty and became the first emperor of this dynasty. During his reign, he worked hard on government affairs and developed agricultural business. In doing so, the Ming Dynasty was in prosperity during his reign. Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is a representation of exquisite stone craving arts in the early years of the Ming Dynasty. In addition, it was enlisted in the World Culture Heritage in 2003. I believe it will never disappoint you if you come to visit.

The next destination this morning is Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. It is located just next to Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum. Constructed in 1929, it is the tomb of Sun Yat-sen, which is the pioneer of the democratic revolution in modern China. Sun Yat-sen is a revolutionary who fights against the feudal Qing Dynasty (1646-1912) and advocates democracy. Since 1904, he has established many revolutionary organizations, such as Tongmenghui and Xingzhonghui, to publicize his “Three Principles of the People”: Principles of Nationalism, Principles of Democracy, and Principles of People’s Livelihood in detail. After the Wuchang uprising in 1911, Sun Yat-sen and his comrades established The Provisional Government of the Republic of China, and he was elected as the provisional generalissimo. It is his most remarkable achievement during his life. Because of this, he was greatly advocated by people in China and even around the world. Thousands of people come here to pay a formal visit to Sun Yat-sen’s Memorial Hall every day, including the leaders of China and other foreign countries such as Mao Tse-tung and the former Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon.

Then you can enjoy your lunch and get ready for the attraction this afternoon. 

This afternoon, we will go to Confucius Temple. It is one of China’s four largest Confucius Temples, and another three are Confucius Temple in Beijing, Confucius Temple in Qufu, and Confucius Temple in Jilin. Confucius is the most famous thinker who established and developed Confucianism. Covering a total area of 26,300 square meters, the Confucius Temple is an ancient architectural complex constructed in symmetric style. There are three major complexes in the temple: Confucius Temple, an academy, and an examination hall. It has become a remarkable attraction in Nanjing. The screen wall here is a must-see place. It has a length of 110 meters. Constructed in 1575, it can be regarded as one of the most attractive screen walls in China. In ancient China, the pool in front of Confucius Temple is called “Panchi”. Generally, the pool is an artificial one. However, the “Panchi” here in front of Nanjing Confucius Temple is a natural one, which is a part of the Qin Huai River. You will see many tourists take photos here. 

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

Confucius Temple

In the morning, you will leave Nanjing and take the estimated train D2213 10:19/15:31 to Yichang to start your Yangtze River Cruise. After a tasteful lunch on the train, you will arrive in Yichang in the afternoon. You will see your guide with a smile on her face and your name sign holding in hands. Your guide will take you to Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal. Then you can take the Shuttle bus to the wharf and board the Yangtze River cruise. Since now, you can start to explore the grand Yangtze River. Have a good sleep on the cruise ship.

In the morning, you can enjoy a nice sleep. If interested, you can join in the activity to do Tai Chi with Chinese masters on the deck. It is also good for your health if you learn and do it every day. With the refreshing wind, you will feel relaxed.

Today we arrange for you a self-paying attraction which is Tribe of The Three Gorges. It is located at Xiling Gorge, the most spectacular one among the Three Gorges. It covers 14 square kilometers, together with stone steles, lakes, and caves in the scenic area. It is famous for its rapid water, remarkable stones, and sweet spring. There is a spring that is famous around the country for its sweetness. The spring is called “Hama Quan” in Chinese. There is a large stone that looks like a frog sitting there. The frog in Chinese is Hama. And the spring is located in front of the stone. The spring water is so sweet that can be used to make wine and to boil tea. The legend says that the Sage of Tea named Lu Yu came here to taste the water and boil tea. Lu Yu said that Hama Quan is the fourth sweetest one around the world. Since then, this spring became famous around the world. In addition, many famous poets came here to visit and to write odes for the spring.

After the Buffet Lunch on the cruise, we will visit the Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric plant in the world. It is a project in China used to control floodwaters and to generate power. Now it is also a comprehensive sightseeing area. There is an exhibition hall that shows the history of the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. It displays different pictures and facilities during the construction process, which can help you know more about the dam. In addition, there are four park areas, Tanziling Park, 185 Viewing Platform Park Zone, Dam Crest Scenic Area, and Interception Memorial Park. The Tanziling Park is the best place to overlook the whole dam area. You will feel the grandness of this project. The 185 Viewing Platform is named because its altitude is the same as the top of the Three Gorges Dam, which is 185 meters high. 

After that, you will continue your cruise. Don’t miss out on the beautiful scenery on the way. You can attend the Captain’s Welcome Reception at night to relax and indulge yourself in happiness. 

Three Gorges Dam

Tribe of The Three Gorges 

This morning, we will take a small boat to visit Shennong Stream, which is natural steam with a length of 60,000 meters. In addition to the beautiful natural scenery, the stream is also famous for the cliff and the remarkable mountain along the stream. The water of this stream comes from 17 brooks and 8 falls. Taking a boat and wandering on the steam, you will be surprised by the magical nature. Buffett, the former richest man in the world, once visited Shennong Stream. After returning home, he still missed the beauty here. Later, he invited the tour guide at that time as a guest in his talk show.

This afternoon we will continue our Yangtze River cruise. Today we will pass the Three Gorges, one of the most beautiful areas in the world. It is well-known because of its unique and grand natural and cultural attractions. In detail, the Three Gorges are Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, and Xiling Gorge from the west to the east. Today we will pass Wu Gorge and Qutang Gorge. Wu Gorge is the most spectacular one for the grand cliff and winding river. At Wu Gorge, there is Goddess Steam, which is famous for its narrow river channel and rapid water. Qutang Gorge is the shortest but the most precipitous one in the Three Gorges. You will immerse yourself in this charm of natural beauty today.

Shennong Stream

Three Gorges

After the buffet breakfast in the morning, you can appreciate the beautiful scenery alongside the river on the cruise. Standing on the deck and experiencing the natural landscape in the distance, you will be surprised at the grandness of the Yangtze River.

After lunch, we will go to Fengdu “Jade Emperor”. It is a place to worship the Jade Emperor, the most important god in the legends of ancient China. Combining different elements of Chinese culture, it represents the combination of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. It also shows Chinese long history to all the tourists. There is a hall that is used to worship the three important Gods in Chinese tradition. The three Gods are the incarnation of happiness, fortune, and longevity. Therefore, many people come to worship these three gods and hope that they and their families can enjoy happiness and fortune for the rest of their life. 

You can also go to Fengdu “Ghost City” if you want. This is a self-pay excursion tour. Covering 2,190 square kilometers, the Fengdu “Ghost City” is a famous historical and cultural city in the Han Dynasty(202BC-220AD). It is famous for the buildings in the netherworld, such as the Bridge over the Abyss. It is a bridge existing in Taoism and folk stories. According to the Chinese folk culture, people must walk across the bridge to reincarnate after death. There is an old woman called Mengpo standing on the bridge holding a bowl of soup. After drinking it and walking across the bridge, the death will forget all the things that happened when he was alive. Then he can realize reincarnation without any sorrow. Besides, the Fengdu Ghost City is a treasure house of folk art represented by the combination of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. So here you can see many buildings in different styles. 

Please kindly note that the self-pay excursion tour needs to be paid for on the cruise ship after boarding. Besides, there will be different shore excursions if you choose different cruises. You can consult us to book the most suitable cruise for you so that you can enjoy your favorite excursion tour.

Fengdu "Ghost City"

Fengdu "Jade Emperor"

This morning the cruise will arrive in Chongqing. It marks the end of your Yangtze River tour. I believe you have had a memorable tour and hope you are satisfied with our service. Then you will be transferred to the airport to back home and say goodbye to your guide. That’s our pleasure to accompany you on this tour and provide warm service for you. I wish you have a happy homebound journey and sincerely hope that we can meet each other again in other cities in China.

Author: Liu Jingjing

Proofreader: Betsy He