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6 Days Ancient Xian & Yangtze Cruise Tour

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS TOUR

  • Discover the UNESCO World Heritage Site Terracotta Warriors, depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor in China;
  • Enjoy a leisure stroll or biking on the Ancient City Wall and then wander leisurely on the lively Muslim Quarter to hunt for snacks;
  • Take a 5-hour high speed train from Xian to Chongqing; aboard a luxury Yangtze River cruise with interesting arrangement from Chongqing to Yichang;
  • Relax yourselves with endless scenic sightseeing along the beautiful Three Gorges and take shore excursions to explore the cultural and natural sites along the way;
  • Take a walk to witness the Three Gorges Dam and marvel at the world famous project which generates the biggest amount of hydroelectric power.
  • Go with this all-inclusive package with totally worry free trip, including transportation, accommodation, dinning, sightseeing, activities...everything is included at the best value.

Sampling Itinerary Day by Day

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Day 1 Xian Arrival

Pick you up at the airport / railway station and escort you to the hotel

Ni Hao! Welcome to Xian, the ancient capital of China for 13 dynasties! Upon arrival, you will be met by our local guide at the arrival hall of Xian Xianyang Airport / train station and escorted to your hotel. The rest of today is free on your own to explore the city with more than 3,000 years.

Arrival Ideas: There are more than 130 international and domestic cities well linking with Xian by air. Also, travelers can take high speed trains to Xian from Beijing (about 4.5~6hrs), Shanghai (about 6~7.5hrs), Luoyang (about 1.5hrs), Zhengzhou (about 2.5hrs), etc.

Day 2 Xian (B, L)

Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Ancient City Wall, Muslim Quarter

In this morning, drive about 40km to the Eighth Wonder of the World - Terracotta Warriors and Horses which was founded in 1974 by local farmers and later listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. Get into the living historical classroom to witness one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in the world. Visit the three pits containing more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses and know the history of Qin Dynasty (221-207BC), the emperors and the funerary art.

Next, drive back to Xian downtown for some leisure time on the Ancient City Wall, the largest and best-preserved existing ancient city wall in China. This rectangular city wall is 13.75km in length, 12m in height and 15-18m in width which takes about 4 hours’ walking for the circuit. Standing on the ancient wall, you can enjoy panoramic view of Xian City. Then, you’ll be followed a trip to Muslim Quarter where you can taste different local food and snacks and explore Muslim culture.

Optional activities: 1) Take a relaxing cycling trip on the Ancient City Wall (about 2 hours); 2) Enjoy a brilliant Tang Palace Dance Show (usually from 20:00 to 21:00) after a hearty dumpling dinner.

Walk along Muslim Quarter to Taste Some Snacks

Relaxing Stroll on Xian Ancient City Wall

Terracotta Warriors and Horses, the Eighth Wonder of the World

Day 3 Xian & High Speed Train to Chongqing & Board Yangtze Cruise (B)

Da Cien Temple, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda; 5-hour high speed train to Chongqing

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel. First, you’ll head to Da Cien Temple with a history of 1350 years. The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda with seven-story at a height of 64.5 meters is the famous building in the temple. This pagoda was built by the famous Buddhist master Xuan Zang (the prototype character for Tang Seng in the famous Chinese novel “Journey to the West”) to preserve precious Buddhist relics, scriptures and figures of Buddha he bought back from India during the early Tang Dynasty. (Please note: It charges extra 30 Yuan to visit or climb up the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.)

Next, take an educational trip to Shaanxi History Museum with more than 370,000 pieces of cultural relics. Ramble in the modern exhibition halls to appreciate the relics such as bronzes, porcelains, terracotta armies, paintings, murals, currencies dating back from the Zhou to the Tang Dynasty period (1100BC to 907AD).

After tour, your guide and driver will escort you to the train station for your a high speed train to Chongqing (about 5 hours). In the late afternoon, you’ll be transferred to Chongqing Chaotianmen Port to board your ship during 18:00~21:00. Your 4-day relaxing downstream Yangtze River cruise will sail at 21:00!

Tips for boarding: 1) Please call the ship one day ahead or at least in the morning on the boarding day to have clear idea about which pier you are going to use; 2) There are 13 sub-pier of Chongqing Chaotianmen Port that tell the exact pier to your driver to avoid too much walking; 3) The boarding time and departure piers may change based on the ship line, water level, season, weather and other factors. Please pay attention to the important info your travel consultants sent to you before your boarding.

Shaanxi History Museum

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda

Chongqing Chaotianmen Port for Yangtze Cruise

Day 4 Yangtze River Cruise (B, L, D)

Shibaozhai Pagoda, Captain’s Welcome Party

In this morning, wake up leisurely and enjoy the gentle sunshine shining over the tranquil Yangtze River. You can either follow the Taichi master to play Taichi on the sundeck or enjoy a cup of coffee to stretch your mood to start your beautiful day. It will be colorful and interesting no matter you stay onboard or go shore excursions at river stops.

Onboard you will enjoy different kinds of cultural activities and entertainment, like attending a Yangtze River History and Culture Lecture to know deeply about the third longest river in the world, taking part in the Captain’s Welcome Party to make new friends, or having great fun at the wonderful evening shows with sing, dance and music.

Also, you will follow a local English-speaking tour guide and make a shore excursion to Shibaozhai Pagoda, a pearl of Yangtze River in Zhongxian County. Reputed as one of the eight extraordinary architectures in the world, this 12-story, 16th century red wooden pagoda leans against the side of the rocky and craggy hill about 200 meters tall. Climbing up to the top of Shibaozhai, you can not only visit the Buddhist temples and halls but also have panoramic view of Yangtze River. (Please note: Comfortable shoes are highly recommended since there will be many stairs to climb up the pagoda.)

Optional excursion: Have a shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City today with an extra fee. Called “the Homeland of Divine Comedy in China”, it consists of buildings, structures, dioramas and statues related to the afterlife in hell. Entering this “City of Ghosts”, you will know many mysterious stories about underworld and cruel tortures and different kinds of devils and Chinese demons. (Please note: the visit to Fengdu Ghost City requires much walking and comfortable shoes highly recommended!)

Breathtaking Autumn Scenery of Yangtze Gorge

Shibaozhai Pagoda, a Pearl of Yangtze River

Fengdu Ghost City

Day 5 Yangtze River Cruise (B, L, D)

Three Gorges, Shennv Stream, Captain’s Farewell Party

Today you will sail through the spectacular Three Gorges! Follow the guide’s live interpretation and soak up the breathtaking gorge scenery passing by as you drift through Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge respectively.

On this day, take an enjoyable shore excursion to Shennv Stream (Goddess Stream), a tributary of the Yangtze River in Wushan County. You will be switched to a smaller boat to sail down this primitive stream running in a narrow side gorge where you will have close-up views of steep mountains and hanging coffins high on the cliffs as well as hear some of the local history. Besides, you will be entertained with local music and dance offered by the Tujia ethnic group.

In this evening, enjoy the well-prepared Captain’s Farewell Party with all your mates onboard and have a pleasant dinner together.

Optional excursion: Enjoy a shore excursion to White Emperor City today with an extra fee. Located at the entrance of Qutang Gorge, this excursions gives you the chance to know Romance of the Three Kingdoms and offers the best pot to appreciate the magnificent “Kui Gate”.

Shennv Stream with Primitive Gorge Scenery

Magnificent Qutang Gorge

Breathtaking Wu Gorge Scenery

Day 6 Yangtze Cruise to Yichang & Yichang Departure (B)

Three Gorges Dam

After breakfast, you’ll go through a check-out procedure and disembark at Maoping Port. Then, take a morning shore excursion to visit the world-famous project - Three Gorges Dam. The dam is the largest hydropower station in the world with an annual energy output of 84.7 billion kilowatt-hours. The Three Gorges Dam includes three areas: the dam itself, a hydroelectric, and a system of locks. The height of the Three Gorges Dam is 185 meters (607 ft) above the sea level. The dam is about 2,300 meters (7,546 ft) long and about 115 meters (377 ft) wide. With a water capacity of 39.3 billion cubic meters, the dam will hold a huge reservoir which will efficiently prevent flooding in the middle and lower portions of the Yangtze River. (Optional experience: you can choose to sail through the world’s largest ship lift - Three Gorges Dam Ship Lift to very closely marvel at the huge dam which is a totally fresh and exciting experience for travelers.)

After the dam visiting, you’ll take the tourist bus arranged by the cruise company transferring you to Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal around 12:30~13:30. Here you’ll be picked up and escorted to Yichang Airport / train station for your flight or train to next destination.

Tips & Note: No matter you take Ship Lift or not, you’ll do check out procedure in this early morning. (1) Only dam visiting: you’ll take bus from Maoping Port to Three Gorges Dam for sightseeing. You’ll arrive at Yichang downtown around 12:30. (2) Dam & Ship Lift Experience: travelers who are interested in Ship Lift will first switch to a sightseeing boat to sail through the Ship Lift and then visit Three Gorges Dam Site. You’ll arrive at Yichang downtown area around 13:30.

Departure Ideas: You can take flights from Yichang Sanxia Airport to Shanghai, Xian, Beijing, Guangzhou and Hangzhou, etc. Or you can take high speed trains from Yichang East Railway Station to Wuhan (about 2hrs), Shanghai (about 8hrs), Beijing (about 7.5hrs), Hangzhou (about 7.5hrs), Chengdu (about 7hrs), Guangzhou (about 7hrs) and more cities.

World-famous Three Gorges Dam

Recommended Add-on Options

+ 3 more days to explore the capital city of China - Beijing

Get into the imperial capital city whose story goes back at least 3000 years.

Beijing’s opulent royal palaces, temples and magnificent walls and gates make it the first tourist destination in China. A wealth of history, both ancient (Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace) and more recent (Tiananmen Square, Bird’s Nest & Water Cube) will inspire your imagination. A visit to the Great Wall, the longest manmade structure in the world, is absolutely essential.

Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests of Temple of Heaven

+ 2 more days to visit the largest metropolis in China - Shanghai

Experience the past, present and future of China all at once!

The Huangpu River splits Shanghai into two districts: Pudong and Puxi. The Pudong skyline with stunning tall buildings like Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center and Oriental Pearl TV Tower gives you a flourishing scene of modern Shanghai. On the Puxi side, walk along the Bund to get a taste of old Shanghai. What a huge contrast!

Tall Buildings in Pudong New District

+ 2 more days Chengdu Leisure Life Experience & Giant Panda Visit

Immerse yourself in the Land of Abundance and Hometown of Giant Pandas!

You’ll totally enjoy the ancient culture and slow pace of living when having close contact with the cute pandas in Chengdu Panda Base, sipping tea in the hundred-year-old teahouse in Renmin Park, seeking for Three Kingdom culture in Jinli Old Street, exploring Ancient Shu Civilization in Jinsha Site Museum...

See National Treasures in Chengdu Giant Panda Base

Quotation Includes:

  • Entrance fees of the scenic spots as listed in the itinerary.
  • Meals as specified in the itinerary.(Exceptions: If the western breakfast is not available in some of the hotels, breakfast would be either Chinese breakfast or Chinese and western breakfast.)
  • Hotels: Hotel Based on two persons sharing one room with twin beds or a king size bed; All hotels as listed in the above itinerary serve daily western or Chinese breakfast; Please note double bed room is on request basis which is subject to Hotel's availability and re-confirmation upon check-in.
    Service, room facilities and breakfast might be not up to standard in some remote areas.
  • Transportation: Flights or train as listed in the itinerary.
  • Sightseeing As listed in the Itinerary will be escorted with English-speaking guide;
  • Service of local guide and van is for a maximum of 8 hours during the full day individual tour packages.

    * Please note that our English-speaking guide and driver provided for you in each city or area will not fly with you from one city to another.

  • Private Transfers between airports, hotels and scenic spots while sightseeing in each city or area by private air-conditioned vehicle with driver and English-speaking guide as listed in the itinerary.
  • Service Charge (the planning, handling, operational and communication charges) & Government Taxes.
  • Luggage Transfers between airports, trains and hotels.

Price excludes:

  • Flights (Economy class) not as listed in the itinerary.
  • Accommodation not as listed in the itinerary.
  • Visa Fees: Please make sure that you have got your valid passport and visa before your entry to China. We can send you a free official invitation letter to assist you in obtaining your visa after the reservation deposit is received.
  • Sightseeing not listed in the itinerary.
  • Meals not listed in the itinerary.
  • Personal expenses such as room service, internet charge, laundry, drink, fax, telephone call, optional activities, etc.
  • Gratuities, tips to guides, drivers, bellboys, etc.
  • Excess Baggage Charges.
  • Life Tourist insurance. Please kindly note that the full coverage travel insurance from your country of origin should be purchased in advance on your own.
  • Optional activities.

Read what other travelers think about this China trip / Yangtze cruise trip. We only accept reviews from actual, confirmed travelers who purchased the tour / activity from us, so you can be sure the reviews are unbiased and authentic.

Hi Tracy,

My husband and I had a great time in Yunnan. We enjoyed every place we visited and the food we tried.

The guides are knowledgeable and thoughtful. Drivers are professional and reliable. The itinerary is efficient with a lot of culture elements combine with beautiful sceneries.

We are very happy with the entire trip.

Thank you for making this arrangement for us.

Best regards,

Crystal

Crystal - March 4, 2024‚ , 

Dear Evelyn,

We are having a wonderful time onboard the ship. Even though the ship is delayed for one day due to weather, the cruise company managed it so well that we're able to complete the original itinerary. That's a great achievement.

The staff onboard are excellent, I think it's a 6-star service.

Yes, the tour to Qu Yuan's hometown is a wonderful surprise for my wife especially and myself, it's like a bonus :-)

Hope you have a nice day.

Brgds

H. C. Chong

Chong - December 8, 2023‚ , 

Here are recent candid photos of this China trip / Yangtze cruise trip. If you want to share your own tour photos, simply email your photos to info@yangtze-river-cruises.com with your Booking ID Number. Thanks in advance for sharing!

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Walk along Muslim Quarter to Taste Some Snacks
Relaxing Stroll on Xian Ancient City Wall
Terracotta Warriors and Horses, the Eighth Wonder of the World
Shaanxi History Museum
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
Chongqing Chaotianmen Port for Yangtze Cruise
Breathtaking Autumn Scenery of Yangtze Gorge
Shibaozhai Pagoda, a Pearl of Yangtze River
Fengdu Ghost City
Shennv Stream with Primitive Gorge Scenery
Magnificent Qutang Gorge
Breathtaking Wu Gorge Scenery
World-famous Three Gorges Dam

Essential China Travel Information & Service

To help you have a further understanding of your tour, we provide some essential travel information like your tour guides, drivers, private cars/vans, accommodations and meals that you could know more about how is your China Yangtze cruise tour going. All the experience will be vivid and memorable in any time in any destination.

Your Private Tour Guide

China Tour Guide

The tour guides in all destinations are qualified, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and responsible!

All of our guides in every destination are locals. They will be greeted you punctually upon arrival at airport, train stations or cruise ports. And escort you to your hotel and tourist attractions and make you have full understanding about the local life, scenic spots as well as show you the fun places for more featured activities and things to do according to your time and interests.

“All our guides, especially those who we had a chance to spend more time with (Guilin, Chengdu, Lijiang, Zhangjiajie) were great. Always very accommodating, punctual and attentive.” - Review from Zane, Canada

Your Private Driver & Car

China Tour Driver & Car

Taking our private transportation will make you comfortable, relaxed and worry free!

All our drivers are licensed with many years’ driving experience. They are always polite, friendly and helpful, glad to offer more service you may need during the transfer. Our vehicles are air-conditioned, non-smoking, clean and expertly maintained. We use different types of cars/vans to guarantee your comfort. Besides, there is need to worry about your luggage for we use vehicles with extra space for your luggage.

"With respect to the drivers, we can state that they are excellent drivers and very friendly. They are pleasant with smiling face and helpful too." - Review from Pedro Corro‚ USA

Comfortable & Homelike Hotel

China Tour Accommodation

In each destination, we guarantee you a comfortable stay!

The hotels we choose are based with star rating, great location, well-pointed facilities and high quality service and guests’ feedbacks. Choices are a lot and you could decide where to stay on your own. When taking a Yangtze River cruise, you are guaranteed a comfortable cabin or suite with private balconies to enjoy breathtaking scenery.

“All the hotels were comfortable and in good locations. The food was generally good with a wide choice of both western and Chinese choices for breakfast. The room sizes even with the extra bed for Jessica were also fine.” - Review from McHale, USA

Dining, Meal & Local Food

China Tour Dining & Food

On Yangtze River cruise, you are offered three meals (usually buffet with western and Chinese dishes) each day. In other cities of China, breakfast and lunch usually are included in your tour packages. You’ll dine in local restaurants, follow local customs and enjoy local dishes. The food quality and dining environment will suit for your taste. If you have any suggestions or special requirements (vegetarian or food allergies), just let your travel consultants and guides know. They will arrange the suitable food and restaurants for you. Recommended evening dining options are: Peking Roast Duck in Beijing, Dumpling Dinner in Xian, and Hot Pot in Chengdu etc.

“We had very good breakfasts in all the hotels and were given a substantial lunch every day.” - Review from John, United Kingdom

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