12 Days Yangtze River Panorama Tour (Nov. 22 - Dec. 03, 2016)

Ni Hao! Welcome to Chongqing, the Mountain City of China! Upon arrival, you will be met by local tour guide and driver at the arrival hall of Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport or Chongqing North Railway Station who is holding a sign on which says your name.

Then, you’ll be transferred to Chongqing Chaotianmen Port and board luxury Century Paragon in the late afternoon. Your lifetime Yangtze River cruise starts at 21:30!

(Suggestions: If you take flight, you’d better choose flight arrived in Chongqing before 17:00; if by train, you’d better take a train arrived in Chongqing before 18:00. If arrived in the morning, you can take half day Chongqing tour with us. Please feel free to tell us your likes and needs.)

• Century Paragon Cruise Ship

• Chongqing Chaotianmen Dock

In the morning, you can enjoy lectures of the Yangtze River and Three Gorges Dam Project as well as other cultural activities on Century Paragon.

After lunch, take shore excursion to Shibaozhai Pagoda, a 12-story wooden pagoda which rests against the rock wall of mountain, where you can also climb up to the top for a panoramic view of the winding river, village and countryside.

In this evening, enjoy Captain’s Welcome Reception Party and Crew Cabaret Show for entertainment. The captain and the entire management team invite you for a Cocktail Reception in the lounge before dinner. While after dinner, enjoy an evening of China going through traditions and highlights of the Yangtze River area folklore which are performed by the talented staff.

• Shibaozhai Pagoda, a Pearl of Yangtze River

Century Paragon will sail through the spectacular Qutang Gorge followed by the magnificent Wu Gorge before lunch.

In this afternoon, you will have the excursion at Shennv Stream (Goddess Stream). Changing from your Century Paragon into a smaller boat you will cruise up the newly created waterways between well-wooded hills and sheer cliffs where you can enjoy spectacular sceneries and see the most famous hanging coffin. 

Returning back to your Century Paragon, you will continue cruising in direction to Three Gorges Dam Side through 5-stage of ship locks.

• Shennv Stream with Primitive Gorge Scenery

• Magnificent Qutang Gorge

After an early breakfast, you will join the shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam Site, the world’s largest hydropower project, located at the middle of Xiling Gorge in Yichang. Marvel at the largest dam in different angles, learn more background history of Three Gorges Dam Project and enjoy beautiful landscape around.

Upon return to your Ship Century Paragon sails through the natural beauty of the Xiling Gorge and go through Gezhou Dam.

• World-famous Three Gorges Dam

Century Paragon is sailing along the middle reaches of the might Yangtze River before your ship arrival in Wuhan Port. Either leave yourselves in the library, swimming pool, gym, or enjoy the reading and relaxing onboard. Of course you could join the variety of onboard activities!

Touring at Chu River & Han Street around 16:00 after arrived in Wuhan. Then the grand Han show will amuse you at night between 20:00-21:30. (Please Note: Dinner is on your own upon your interests at Chu River & Han Street.)

Chu River and Han Street is the longest commericial pedestrian street at 1.5 kilometers in Wuhan Central Cultural Zone, which encompasses tourist attractions, business, commercial and living accommodation. Chu River and Han Street feature a combination of landscape, ecological projects, cultural exhibition as well as shopping centers.

Han Show: Directed by the world's greatest show mastermind Mr.Franco Dragone, the Han show is a creative masterpiece blending world leading technologies and performance taht challenges physical boundaries. The Han Show Theater shapes like a red lantern. This state-of-the-art theater is purpose-built for the Han Show featuring moving seats and a huge stage pool. It brings the audience a splendid sensory experience with 3 levels of performance: aerial, aquatic and immersive stage.

• Chu River and Han Street

In the morning, disembark your ship Century Paragon after your breakfast around 08:30 for a city tour to the Hubei Provincial Museum, one of the top ten museums in China and well-known East Lake area. It mainly includes three parts: Chime Bells Exhibition Hall, the Chu (a state in the Spring and Autumn Period) Culture Exhibition Hall, and the Comprehensive Exhibition Building.

Later, pay a visit to Hubu Alley with a history of 400 years. Located on Ziyou Road in Wuchang, Hubu Alley is well-known for a variety of local foods with distinctive Wuhan style. At present, there are over 30 different kinds of breakfast foods and snacks. Being here, you will dazzled by the various foods and complain about the stomach space. (Note: Lunch is on your own upon your interests at Hubu Xiang Street.)

After lunch, you will be followed trip to Shouyi Square which is located in Wuchang district. There are more than 100 streets in the square. There are also many buildings of the revolutionary age, like Red Tower, Wuchang Shouyi Memorial Hall, Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Bronze Statue and so on.

Upon return to your ship Century Paragon enjoy dinner onboard.

• Hubei Provincial Museum

After breakfast, enjoy a bus tour to Jingdezhen Town, the world-famed Porcelain Capital of China. The whole day tour takes about 9 hours.

Jingdezhen has a 1700-year history of ceramic making and a rich cultural heritage. In its long and glorious history, a brilliant art and craft has been handed down masters have been brought up in a number of dynasties. Jingdezhen porcelain has been formed its own four special features – “as thin as paper, as white as jade, as bright as a mirror, and as sound as a bell”. During today’s trip, you’ll fully explore the history and culture about ceramics, learn how pottery is made, talk about with the ceramic artists…

After the tour, come back to Century Paragon and continue sailing.

• Jingdezhen Porcelain Town

After an early breakfast, you will join in a shore excursion to Mount Jiuhua (Mountain of the Nine Lotuses). The Mount Jiuhua trip takes about 5 hours.

Mount Jiuhua (Jiuhuashan) is located in Anhui Province, near Yellow Mountain in the south. It owns the reputation of international Buddhist temple for Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and known as one of the four famous mountains of Chinese Buddhism, along with Mt. Emei in Sichuan, Mt. Wutai in Shanxi and Mt. Putuo in Zhejiang. Mt. Jiuhua was originally known as Jiuzi Mountain, and due to the shape of lotus nine peaks, hence change the name to Jiuhua Mountain in Tang Dynasty. It contains 99 peaks and the highest one is about 1342 meters above sea level, followed by Tiantai Peak. Observant Buddhist make a pilgrimage to climb Greater Tiantai Peak which is regarded as Jiuhuashan’s most important.

Upon return to your ship Century Paragon enjoy dinner.

• Mount Jiuhua

The delicacy brunch will be served in the Globe restaurant. Complimentary Morning Coffee, tea, home baked cookies and Taichi exercise onboard will leisure the beginning of your day.

After morning onboard activities, Century Paragon will arrive in Yangzhou for the shore excursion around the city. You may visit the famous Heyuan Garden and a relax walking along "Dongguan Ancient Street" to explore China's Southeast typical tradition and custom element.

Get back to ship for dinner and enjoy the themed cruise activities of Caribbean Pirate Night.

• Heyuan Garden in Yangzhou

After breakfast on Century Paragon, guests will disembark around 09:00 am from the Shanghai International Harbor.

Our local tour guide and driver will pick you up at the harbor and take you to explore Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center to see why Shanghai became a modern, vibrant and cosmopolitan city from a shabby fishing village. Besides that, you’ll have an overview of the ambitious plan for future.

Next is a wonderful visit to Jade Buddha Temple. Owning the largest jade Buddha in the world and numerous religious artifacts, ancient statues and Buddhist scriptures, the very pure land in the crowded downtown is a quiet place for nice break in this busy city.

• See the Future of Shanghai in Urban Planning Exhibition Center

• Jade Buddha Temple

Take a full day sightseeing to explore the past and present of Shanghai at once. First stop is Yu Garden, a shining star among all dotted ancient Chinese gardens in Jiangnan which fully embodies the traditional design of architecture. Jagged pavilion with elegant decoration, glittering pools with roving fish, sprouting pine trees, all these pleasant scenes refresh your mood.

Adjacent to the garden is the Yuyuan Bazaar where you can savor tasteful local snacks and explore elaborate traditional Chinese handicrafts and art works. Next, drive several kilometers to see the modern face of Shanghai from the observation deck on the 88th floor of Jinmao Tower.

You will then transfer to another popular landmark of Shanghai – Nanjing Road which is shopping paradise as well as a great place to take a wonderful walk to experience the local modern atmosphere. Lastly, you will stop at the Bund. Originally the towpath for transporting, the Bund transformed into a feverish trading district. Stroll along the Bund, feel the perfect fusion of Chinese culture and Western culture, and seize the stunning Shanghai skyline with your own eyes.

Optional activity: attend an entertaining and breathtaking Acrobatic Show, including balls of death, balance of chairs, hula hoops, juggling benches, walking in the air, etc.

• Walk through the Zigzag Bridge of Yu Garden

• Night View of The Bund

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up from the hotel to the airport in time for the scheduled flight to your next destination, or back home. Before that, you can take a rest at the hotel or go for a walk nearby.