Overview
Embark on a majestic journey along the Yangtze River aboard the Yangzi Explorer, one of the world’s most luxurious and technologically advanced river cruises. This vessel, built with state-of-the-art designs and exceptional service, has been the choice of high-profile global leaders, including Warren Buffett and Bill Gates. In 2025, the Yangzi Explorer will be reborn with a newly designed hull that enhances both the comfort and grandeur of this iconic cruise. With its unparalleled space, exclusive shore excursions, and personalized service, this cruise redefines luxury on China’s legendary river.
Highlights
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Intimate and Personalized Service: With a near 1:1 ratio of crew to guests, expect attentive and customized service that makes your journey exceptional.
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Luxurious All-Suite Ship: Each of the 148 rooms is equipped with a private river-view balcony, ensuring a quiet, spacious, and refined experience.
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Exclusive Shore Excursions: Carefully curated shore excursions allow for intimate cultural experiences, taking you deep into China unique history and natural beauty, such as Underground Nuclear Engineering Site etc.
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Pioneering Design: The Yangzi Explorer is the world’s largest cruise ship capable of navigating the Three Gorges Dam lift, offering guests the chance to “ride the elevator” on a cruise, a unique experience in the world.
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Local Flavors: Enjoy gourmet meals prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, offering a true taste of the regions you pass through.
Itinerary
Cruise departure date 2025/2026
2025 9-4, 9-11, 9-18, 9-25, 10-9, 10-16, 10-23, 10-30, 11-20, 11-27, 12-4, 12-11
Day 1 Chongqing
Breakfast ㄨ Lunch ㄨ Dinner✓
Arrival
Arrive independently in Chongqing.You will be greeted by the Yangzi Explorer staff at the airport or train station and transferred to the embarkation point.
Evening On Board
Enjoy a delicious welcome dinner as the stunning night views of Chongqing’s skyline unfold from the deck. The Captain’s welcome cocktail party will kick off your voyage through China’s legendary Three Gorges.
Day 2 Fuling & Zhongxian
Breakfast ✓ Lunch✓Dinner✓
In the morning, the cruise ship docked at Fuling Pier.
Morning Fuling Shore Tours
Line A: Visit the 816 Underground Nuclear Engineering Site
This is a top-secret national defense construction project, mainly used to produce raw materials for nuclear reactors, which lasted 18 years. Due to the need for confidentiality, the area where the site is located was erased from the map until it was declassified in 2002 and gradually opened to the public after 2009.
Line B: Explore the White Crane Ridge Underwater Museum
The White Crane Ridge Underwater Museum is a national key cultural relic protection unit and the world's first underwater museum that can be reached without diving. It records hydrological data for 72 years over 1,200 years since the second year of Guangde in the Tang Dynasty (764 AD), and is called "the only well-preserved ancient hydrological station in the world" by UNESCO.
Evening Zhongxian Shore Tours
Line A: Witness “The Three Kingdoms” Performance
The live performance is mainly tell the spirit of "loyalty and righteousness" as the core and the legendary story of Guan Yu as the main line. The performance was grand in scale and the scene was shocking, bringing a visual feast to the audience.
Line B: Wander Zhongxian Alley
Zhongxian has retained the nostalgia of Bayu and the original Three Gorges style. The quiet city walls, entrenched old tree roots, mottled bricks and tiles, and the old shops that are indispensable in the lives of the elderly have been well preserved.
Day 3 Wushan
Breakfast ✓ Lunch✓Dinner ✓
The Cruise through the Qutang Gorge and Wuxia Gorge, two of the most stunning sections of the Three Gorges, as the landscape transforms before your eyes. After dinner, the cruise ship slowly sailed into the "Xiling Gorge", the most beautiful section of the Three Gorges.
Day Shore Tours
Line A: Hike the Shennv Sky Road
Stroll between the cliffs at an altitude of about 1000 meters, and look out over the millions of years of tender care of the Goddess Peak and the Yangtze River flowing eastward. If the weather and physical strength permit, you can also choose to join the hiking route (sign up in advance at the cruise front desk). During this hiking journey, you will have a different travel experience.
Line B: Boat trip on Wushan Little Three Gorges and MiniThree Gorges
Take a sightseeing boat to visit the beautiful scenery of "Wushan Little Three Gorges". Traveling through the steep canyons, the clear water reflects the blue sky and white clouds. Switch to a small boat to enter the "Mini Three Gorges". There are amazing cliffs on both sides, and the cliffs are covered with green ivy, as if it is a green corridor built by nature for you.
Evening Highlight
Glide through the Three Gorges Dam Ship Lift—a jaw-dropping 113-meter vertical journey.
Day 4 Yichang
Breakfast ✓ Lunch✓Dinnerㄨ
After breakfast, please make sure there is nothing left in the room and leave your luggage at the door of the room or at the front desk. The luggage will be escorted by the staff all the way, so you can still travel without luggage and feel relaxed today.
Line A:VIP tour of the iconic Three Gorges Dam
Including The Three Gorges Dam, which was started at the end of 1994, is one of the largest water conservancy hubs in the world today. The Three Gorges Diversion Memorial Park retains the engineering piles and objects left at the original site of the Three Gorges Dam construction site. And the Three Gorges Project Museum. It is one of the best viewing points for the Three Gorges Dam.
Line B:Cultural journey to the Qu Yuan Memorial and the Three Gorges Immigration Museum
The Qu Yuan Temple was built in the 15th year of the Tang Dynasty (820 AD) to commemorate the great patriotic poet Qu Yuan. It is also one of the best viewing angles to appreciate the majestic Three Gorges Dam in the upper reaches. The museum restores the water storage process of the Three Gorges Dam and creates underwater villages and towns to immerse you in the vicissitudes of the reservoir area during the construction of the Three Gorges Project.
Afternoon
Enjoy a farewell Yangtze Fat Fish Banquet at Juweng Restaurant, featuring a local delicacy, the Yangtze’s famous fat fish.
Departure
After lunch, transfer services provided to the airport or train stationfor your onward journey.
Optionally, continue exploring Yichang at your leisure.
Include
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Cruise Fare: 3-night luxury accommodation aboard the Yangzi Explorer.
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Dining: 3 breakfasts and 6 onboard meals served at designated dining sessions.
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Transfers: Complimentary transportation on the embarkation day from Chongqing’s airport/train station to the terminal, and on the disembarkation day from Yichang terminal to the airport/train station.
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Guided Tours: Onboard narration by experienced English guides plus expert-led excursions at key scenic spots.
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Entrance Fees: Admission to all scheduled attractions—including shuttle bus rides, local transit, and cable car services.
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Activities: All included shore-based activities.
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Insurance: Comprehensive travel accident insurance.
Exclude
- Gratuities.
- Personal expenses:Onboard entertainment, shopping, and any additional premium activities.
Additional Information
- All tourists and staff must provide accurate ID details (name, passport number, mobile number) upon registration and bring the same valid identification when boarding.
- If passengers are unable to complete boarding and check-in procedures on time due to personal reasons or errors in the provided documents, any expenses incurred will be borne by the passengers.
- Please arrive at the designated boarding time. In case of changes (due to hydrological, meteorological, or regulatory conditions), our dedicated team will provide updated transfer arrangements.
- River navigation conditions are complex and unpredictable. The ship reserves the right to adjust or cancel docking or itinerary attractions due to such as hydrological, water level, weather, waterway control, public health. The ship will make appropriate arrangements for the revised itinerary.
- If the tour cannot depart due to ship-related reasons, the ship will notify you of the cancellation 7 business days prior to departure. You may choose to postpone your departure, reroute, or receive a refund.
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Please consider carefully when shopping and consuming locally, pay attention to quality and price, pay attention to food hygiene, and be sure to ask for and keep all shopping receipts.
- Prices quoted are per person. In principle, two people will be accommodated in one room. A single person will occupy a separate room and will be required to pay a single room surcharge (75% of the applicable room rate).
- If three people need to share a room, we can accommodate an extra bed. The third person in the room (with or without an extra bed) will be charged 90% of the applicable room rate for both children aged ≥ 2 years and adults.
- Adults and children are charged the same price; No special discounts are offered. Infants under two years old will be charged 10% of the applicable room rate.
Confirmation Detail
- You'll get confirmation within 24 hours. If you don't receive a confirmation email, please reach out to our customer support (support@realchinatrip.com)
- If the tour is canceled by our company, you will be notified at least 7 working days prior to departure. You may choose to reschedule, modify your itinerary, or request a refund.
Cancellation policy
- 100% of the amount will be charged 0-3 days (inclusive) before sailing;
- 50% of the amount will be charged 3-7 days (inclusive) before sailing;
- 30% of the amount will be charged 7-15 days (inclusive) before sailing;
- 10% of the amount will be charged more than 15 days before sailing.
