Upstream Yangtze River Cruise Tour from Shanghai

Welcome to Shanghai, one of the famous metropolises in China! Your tour guide will wait for you at the airport with your name sign, and then transfer you to the hotel to have a rest. Covering an area of 6,340.5 square kilometers, Shanghai is the center of economy and technological innovation. When you come here, you will visit some landmarks in Shanghai and feel the enthusiasm of the people in Shanghai.

The first stop of today is the Jing'an Temple. It is the oldest temple in Shanghai and its history can be traced back to 247AD. Jing’an Temple covers a total area of 22,000 square meters. If you believe in Buddhism, you can’t miss the Jing’an Temple. In the temple, there is a silver statue of Shakyamuni. It is made in 2009 with a height of 8.8 meters. This statue is made of 15 tons of silver. I believe when you see this statue, you will be surprised at this magnificent design.

Then, you will come to the Yu Garden (closed each Monday), a representative classic garden with the style of South China. When you come here, you may notice the Sansui Hall. In the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912), it was the place for holding official celebrations, and it was also a place for local gentries to discuss something. Besides, you will see the Big Rockery. The rockery is about 12 meters high and is made of 2,000 tons of yellow stones. It has always enjoyed the reputation of “crown rockery” in South China. It has a history of more than 400 years. Although the Big Rockery is not a mountain, its spectacularity is no less than that of a mountain. 

After lunch, you will get to the Shanghai World Financial Center. Covering an area of 14,400 square meters, it is designed in the shape of a square column. Shanghai World Financial Center is built with 101 floors above ground and 3 floors underground. The total height of it is 492 meters. The floor of B2, B1, 2 and 3 of the Shanghai World Financial Center are designed for shopping malls and restaurants; the floors from 7 to 77 are the office areas (The 29th floor is the global financial and cultural communication center.); the floors from 79 to 93 are designed for the hotels; and the floors of 94, 97 and 100 are for sightseeing. When you come here, you can take the fast elevator to the sightseeing hall. It takes only 66 seconds from the floor of B2 to the floor of 95. The speed of this elevator can reach 8 meters per second. Are you interested in it? Come on and have a try!

When you come to Shanghai, you cannot miss the Bund. It is one landmark of Shanghai. As the major attraction in Shanghai, the Bund has attracted many tourists from home and abroad. When you come here, you may notice one building called Customs House, and there is a bell tower on its top. The bell can be heard every day. About this bell, a person called Wei Yunsi must be mentioned. He is the fourth-generation bell guardian of the bell tower on the top of Customs House. In 1982, he became the regular employee of Shanghai Customs. In 1991, he was assigned to take over the work of guaranteeing the normal functioning of the clock. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Wei Yunsi will walk into the bell tower to check the basic situation of the clock to guarantee its normal functioning. 

How can you miss the opportunity to taste Shanghai’s delicious foods? Next, you will visit Nanjing Road, a paradise for gastronomes. There are numerous time-honored delicacies on Nanjing Road, such as Taikang’s biscuits and Shen Dacheng’s cakes. In addition to the foods, there are many stores in this area. Here, you can buy almost everything you want to buy.

the Bund

Jing'an Temple

In the morning, you will be transferred to the train station and take the estimated train D952 08:30/14:43 to Yichang. Yichang is near to the boundary of the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River. Besides, Yichang is the start of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River and it is a crucial stop of the Yangtze River Cruise tour from Shanghai. Your tour guide will wait for you at the train station and then transfer you to the Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal to take the shuttle bus to the wharf for embarking.

In the morning, you can make a schedule for yourself. You can choose to learn Tai Chi from a Tai Chi teacher. Practicing Tai Chi can promote blood circulation. If you are interested in it, you can have a try. Today, you will visit an attraction - Tribe of the Three Gorges. With a total area of 14 square kilometers, the Tribe of the Three Gorges is surrounded by mountains and rivers. When you come here, you will see traditional stilted buildings, ancient sailing ships and unique landscapes. Don’t miss it! Come and enjoy it!

You will enjoy a buffet lunch on board. In the afternoon, you will have a shore excursion to admire the Three Gorges Dam, the largest water conservancy project in the world. It plays an important role in flood control, shipping and electricity generation. After the completion of the Three Gorges Dam, a 600-kilometer-long reservoir is formed. When you come here, you will be shocked at its grandness.

In the evening, there is a captain welcome reception. Enjoy yourself on this pleasant night!

Tribe of the Three Gorges

Three Gorges Dam

After breakfast, you will take a small boat to visit the Shennong Stream. With a total length of 60 kilometers, the Shennong Stream has 17 tributaries along the way. The natural landscape of Shennong Stream is comparable to that of Guilin (The scenery in Guilin is praised as the best in the world). There are many rocks on both sides of the Shennong Stream. Besides, there are more than 60 karst caves along the Shennong Stream. It is a good chance to have close contact with nature.

In the afternoon, the ship will pass through Wu Gorge. With a length of 46 kilometers, the Wu Gorge is the second-longest one of the Three Gorges. Wu Gorge is the most beautiful and it is renowned for its twists and turns. Many ancient poets have praised the stunning natural scenery of Wu Gorge, such as Li Bai and Du Fu. When admiring the beauty of Wu Gorge, you cannot miss the Twelve Peaks of Wu Mountain. The Twelve Peaks of Wu Mountain seem like twelve girls. If there are clouds and mists on that day, Wu Mountain will present you a charming Chinese landscape painting with a sense of mystery.  

When the ship passes through Qutang Gorge, you will see another gorgeous landscape painting. With a total length of 8 kilometers, the Qutang Gorge is the shortest among the three gorges. It is famous for the grandness and steepness of mountains on both sides. Many places of interest, such as the Ancient City of Fengjie, Yufu Tower and Baidi City will be seen when the ship passes through it. Besides, a famous pink wall will also be seen. On the pink wall, there are famous inscriptions, which show the characteristics of Qutang Gorge. Besides, another attraction you cannot miss is the Kuimen scenery, which is printed on the back of the fifth set of 10-yuan banknotes. If you happen to have a 10-yuan banknote, you might as well compare it with the real scenery you will see here.

Shennong Stream

Xiling Gorge

Today, you are free to arrange your time in the morning. Learning Tai Chi is also recommended for you. Tai Chi integrates multiple functions such as mood adjustment, physical fitness, and combat. If you are interested in it, come on and have a try! Then you can enjoy your buffet breakfast. After that, continue admiring the beautiful scenery of the Yangtze River. I believe, you will get surprises from these fabulous landscapes every day.

In the afternoon, a shore excursion to Fengdu “Jade Emperor” will be arranged for you. The Fengdu “Jade Emperor” is designed with symmetrical beauty. It highlights the beauty of Chinese traditional buildings. When you come here and see the layout of the scenic area, you will understand such a kind of beauty. About the “Jade Emperor” in the name of this attraction, it refers to one Chinese god in heaven. The Jade Emperor is the supreme god in ancient Chinese mythology. The ancient Chinese people, even the then emperor regarded him as the supreme ruler of the whole world. When you visit this attraction, you will a super-huge head statue of Jade Emperor on the top of a mountain, which is very spectacular. Seeing that, you may have an image of this supreme god, Jade Emperor.

Later, a visit to Fengdu “Ghost City” will be arranged. If you are interested in it, you can pay the shipping company on board. The Fengdu “Ghost City” is a famed historical and cultural city that originated from the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD). It has a history of more than 2,000 years. In this area, there is a mountain called Pingdu Mountain, which is 287.3 meters above sea level and covers an area of 0.45 square kilometers. It was said that in the Han Dynasty, there were two people called Yin Changsheng and Wang Fangping coming here to pursue immortality. They had learned Taoism for many years and finally both of them became immortals. Hence, Taoists called here one of the blessed places of Taoism. In addition to this legendary story, there are many unique buildings and designs about Chinese nether world in mythology. For example, one of the most famous designs is the Naihe Bridge. On the Naihe Bridge, there is an old lady named Mengpo, who holds a bowl of Mengpo Soup. Every soul has to pass through this bridge and drink the soup, which will make the souls forget everything in their previous lives. After that, these souls can get reincarnated. Are you interested in it? If yes, come on and explore this mysterious place. Many other interesting buildings are waiting for your coming.

Note:

The attractions and cruise routes may change according to different shipping companies. Besides, the routes may also change if the weather is not fine. But don’t worry, no matter which attraction you will visit, I am sure you will be satisfied with this significant Yangtze River Cruise.

Fengdu "Jade Emperor"

Fengdu "Ghost City"

In the morning, your cruise ship will arrive at Chongqing, which means the end of this journey. After the journey, your tour guide will escort you to the airport according to your flight schedule. Thanks for choosing us and hope that we can meet again on your next China tour!

Author: Shuyun Lin

Proofreader: Yan Liu