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How to Choose the Yangtze River Cruise Route

Without delving into the details, currently, there are only two operating routes for luxury cruises on the Yangtze River: the classic 4-5 day Three Gorges route (Chongqing-Yichang line) and the 11-12 day Yangtze River panoramic journey (Shanghai-Chongqing line).

Simply looking at these two routes, the choice seems easy to make, and the primary consideration is definitely time, followed by attraction inclinations, travel habits and budgets, etc. However, how do you choose between upstream and downstream? Ever considered including surrounding hot destinations in your travel?

This article gives you a clearer idea of how to plan your 2024 Yangtze Cruise Tour route.

Choose a Cruise Route: Time, Sightseeing & Budgets

Chongqing - Yichang (Three Gorges Route)

Chongqing to Yichang Cruise Route Map

Chongqing Yichang Cruise Route Map

Time: According to the preferences of the past Yangtze travelers, the 4-day Chongqing to Yichang Route (Downstream) and 5-day Yichang to Chongqing Route (Upstream) are the picks of best. If you just head to the luxury river cruise experience, the stunning scenery of the three gorges and the millennium project the Three Gorges Dam. Then this 4~5 days itinerary can fully meet your needs.

Sightseeing: For shore excursions of three gorges cruises, you can refer to the two itineraries below, but for detailed arrangements, which vary from ship to ship, please refer to the specific cruise’s itinerary page, 2024 Yangtze River Cruise Ships >>

Price: In addition to the super 5-star cruise - Yangtze Explorer, which offers one-to-one service onboard, the base price of a Three Gorges luxury cruise typically fluctuates from $350 to $570, including cabins, meals, entertaining activities, arranged shore excursions, guides, cleaning, etc.

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Downstream
Day 1

Chongqing

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Downstream
Day 2

Fengdu & Zhongxian

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Downstream
Day 3

Fengjie & Wu County/Badong

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Downstream
Day 3

Fengjie & Wu County/Badong

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Downstream
Day 4

Yichang

4-day Chongqing to Yichang Cruise

  • Day 1 - Chongqing (Chongqing Embarkation)
  • Day 2 - Fengdu & Zhongxian (Fengdu Attractions, Feng Yan San Guo Show)
  • Day 3 - Fengjie & Wushan/Badong (White Emperor City, Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge……)
  • Day 4 - Yichang (Yichang Disembarkation, Three Gorges Dam)

Three Gorges Cruise - Upstream
Day 1

Yichang Embarkation

Three Gorges Cruise - Upstream
Day 2

Yichang

Three Gorges Cruise - Upstream
Day 2

Yichang

Three Gorges Cruise - Upstream
Day 3

Badong/Wu County & Fengjie

Three Gorges Cruise - Upstream
Day 3

Badong/Wu County & Fengjie

Three Gorges Cruise - Upstream
Day 4

Fengdu

Three Gorges Cruise - Upstream
Day 5

Chongqing

5-day Yichang Chongqing Cruise

  • Day 1 - Yichang (Yichang Embarkation)
  • Day 2 - Yichang (Tribe of the Three Gorges, Three Gorges Dam……)
  • Day 3 - Wushan/Badong & Fengjie (Wu Gorge, Qutang Gorge, White Emperor City……)
  • Day 4 - Fengdu (Fengdu Attractions)
  • Day 5 - Chongqing (Chaotianmen Dock Disembarkation……)

Chongqing - Shanghai Route (Panoramic Yangtze River Route)

Yangtze River Map

Shanghai Chongqing Cruise Route Map

Time: Currently, only Century Legend offers the 11~12 Days whole cruise exploration of Yangtze River. The downstream Chongqing to Shanghai Route takes 11 days and the upstream Shanghai to Chongqing Route takes 12 Days.

Sightseeing: The 11/12-day all-inclusive itinerary takes guests on a journey across half of China, cruising through the breathtaking canyons of the Yangtze River, experiencing the three major Chinese cuisines, exploring eight of China's 5A scenic spots, visiting four major metropolises (Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Chongqing), and nine historical and cultural cities. With this package, you can enjoy a luxurious cruising experience while relaxing in comfort. It's a once-in-a-lifetime vacation opportunity you don't want to miss!

Price: The cost of an 11 to 12-day trip in 2024 starts at $2,200. Though the price may seem high, it includes everything from shore excursions to delicious meals and excellent service. Considering the length of the trip and all-inclusive benefits, it's a fantastic deal.

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Shanghai to Chongqing
Day 1

Shanghai

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Shanghai to Chongqing
Day 2

Yangzhou

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Shanghai to Chongqing
Day 3

Nanjing

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Shanghai to Chongqing
Day 4

Chizhou

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Shanghai to Chongqing
Day 5

Jiujiang

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Shanghai to Chongqing
Day 6

Wuhan

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Shanghai to Chongqing
Day 7

Yueyang

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Shanghai to Chongqing
Day 8

Jingzhou

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Shanghai to Chongqing
Day 9

Yichang

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Shanghai to Chongqing
Day 10

Fengjie

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Shanghai to Chongqing
Day 11

Fengdu

Three Gorges Cruise Tour - Shanghai to Chongqing
Day 12

Chongqing

12-day Shanghai to Chongqing Cruise

  • Day 1 - Shanghai (Embarkation)
  • Day 2 - Yangzhou (Dongguan Street, Slender West Lake)
  • Day 3 - Nanjing (Niushou Mountain, Dodhidharma Cave)
  • Day 4 - Chizhou (Mount Jiuhua)
  • Day 5 - Jiujiang (Jingdezhen Porcelain Town)
  • Day 6 - Wuhan (Yellow Crane Tower, Hubei Provincial Museum)
  • Day 7 - Yueyang (Yueyang Tower, Ancient Bianhe Street)
  • Day 8 - Jingzhou (The Chariot and Horse Mausoleum of the King of Chu)
  • Day 9 - Yichang (Three Gorges Dam, Five-stages Ship Locks)
  • Day 10 - Fengjie (White Emperor City, Three Gorges)
  • Day 11 - Fengdu (Fengdu Ghost City)
  • Day 12 - Chongqing (Disembarkation)

Upstream Or Downstream

When planning a Three Gorges cruise, you may notice that the upstream and downstream itineraries differ only by one day, but the prices remain similar. Therefore, when selecting which cruise line to take, your starting location should be the primary factor to consider.

Starting your cruise journey from Chongqing is generally recommended if your landing city is Chengdu or your last stop is Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin, etc.

If your last stop is in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian in east China, or Changsha, Wuhan, etc., in the central, we recommend you board the cruise in Yichang and take the upstream cruise; You can refer to the map for the specific planning. If you need our help, please feel free to contact us.

Wu Gorge

Breathtaking Wu Gorge Scenery

Do You Have Preferred Yangtze River Cruise Ship?

Apart from the trip length and your China trip plan, you can also choose a cruise route according to your favorite ship. The itinerary of different ship varies. Some ships may cruise along the classic routes only, while there are also ships cruise along the in-depth route.

Check more about All Yangtze River Cruise Ships >>

Check more about How to Choose a Yangtze River Cruise Ship >>

Top Recommended Yangtze River Ships (Chongqing - Yichang)

Top Recommended Yangtze River Ships (Chongqing - Shanghai)

 

Three Gorges Cruise with Hot Destinations in China

As one of China's longest and oldest rivers, the Yangtze River connects numerous popular tourist destinations, such as Zhangjiajie, the filming location of many blockbusters, Huanglong Jiuzhaigou, known as the ceiling of natural scenery. Now that you’re around, it would be a pity not to spend a couple of days hitting up these places that appeal to you.

How to plan transportation and itinerary when connecting to neighboring destinations? You are welcome to refer to our well-formulated itineraries.

Book a tour with us, check 2024 Top Ranked Yangtze China Tours >>

Yangtze River Cruise Tour with Zhangjiajie
Day 1

Chongqing

Yangtze River Cruise Tour with Zhangjiajie
Day 2

Fengdu & Zhongxian

Yangtze River Cruise Tour with Zhangjiajie
Day 3

Fengjie & Wu County

Yangtze River Cruise Tour with Zhangjiajie
Day 4

Yichang/Zhangjiajie

Yangtze River Cruise Tour with Zhangjiajie
Day 5~6

Zhangjiajie

6 Days Chongqing, Yangtze River & Zhangjiajie Exciting Tour

  • Day 1 - Chongqing (Chongqing Embarkation)
  • Day 2 - Fengdu & Zhongxian (Fengdu Attractions, Feng Yan San Guo Show)
  • Day 3 - Fengjie & Wushan (White Emperor City, Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge……)
  • Day 4 - Yichang & Train to Zhangjiajie (Three Gorges Dam)
  • Day 5~6 - Zhangjiajie (Huangshi Village, Golden Whip Stream, Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, Tianzi Mountain……)

Yangtze River Cruise Tour with Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou
Day 1~2

Chengdu

Yangtze River Cruise Tour with Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou
Day 3~4

Jiuzhaigou

Yangtze River Cruise Tour with Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou
Day 5

Chongqing

Yangtze River Cruise Tour with Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou
Day 5~8

Yangtze River Cruise

8 Days Beauty Tour to Jiuzhai Valley & Yangtze River

  • Day 1~2 - Chengdu (Giant Panda, Renmin Park, Jinli Old Street……)
  • Day 3~4 - Huanglong & Jiuzhaigou (Huanglong National Park, Jiuzhaigou Valley……)
  • Day 5 - Chongqing (Three Gorges Museum, Chonqing Rail Transit Line 2, E’ling Park, Hongya Cave……)
  • Day 5~8 - Yangtze River Cruise (Fengdu Attractions, Qutang Gorge, White Emperor City, Wu Gorge, Three Gorges Dam……)

Yangtze River Cruise Tour with Guilin and Zhangjiajie
Day 1~2

Guilin & Yangshuo

Yangtze River Cruise Tour with Guilin and Zhangjiajie
Day 3~6

Yangtze River Cruise

Yangtze River Cruise Tour with Guilin and Zhangjiajie
Day 7~8

Zhangjiajie

8 Days Guilin Yangtze Zhangjiajie Picturesque Nature Tour

  • Day 1~2 - Guilin & Yangshuo (Li River, Yulong River, Yangshuo Town, West Street……)
  • Day 3~6 - Yangtze River Cruise (Fengdu Attractions, Qutang Gorge, White Emperor City, Wu Gorge, Three Gorges Dam……)
  • Day 7~8 - Zhangjiajie (Huangshi Village, Golden Whip Stream, Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, Tianzi Mountain……)

Cruising Yangtze River with yangtze-river-cruises.com

Now that you already know how to choose the best cruise route for you, start browsing Yangtze River cruise ships and book your dream cruise! Still feel confused about your China trip plan? How about leaving all the worried behind and letting us help all your details? Our professional travel experts will help you with the cruise booking, cabin selection, transportation to and off the cruise ports, and every detail from your embarkation to disembarkation.

The tour can be tailor-made according to your group size, time, physical condition, plan, interests, budget and other special need. No matter you want to put port cities (Chongqing or Yichang) into your Yangtze River trip or cover several destinations together or even extend your Yangtze cruise tour all over China, www.yangtze-river-cruises.com can provide you best tour guides and experienced drivers with comfortable private cars in any of the destinations. Our English-speaking tour guide will accompany you all the way, showing you the best traveling route and telling beautiful stories in each of the destination.

Please feel free to contact us if you need any help or customize the tour with free quotation!

Stay on a New Yangtze Cruise

Stay on a New Yangtze Cruise

Play Taichi on Yangtze Cruise

Play Taichi on Yangtze Cruise

 

 

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Not easy to find the right cruise ship/itinerary for you? Please contact one of our Yangtze cruise specialists to save your time and money. Click the right button to send an online inquiry and we will get back to you within 0.5~23.5 hours.

Your can rely on our expert knowledge and endless enthusiasm!

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With one-on-one service, our cruise experts provide 24-hour support and are always patient and friendly to make your travel as easy as possible.