8 Days Leisure Tour to Zhangjiajie & Yangtze River

Ni Hao! Welcome to Zhangjiajie, the surreal world of Avatar! Upon arrival, you’ll be met by our local guide at the arrival hall of the airport / train station and escorted to your hotel in Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Area by a private, comfortable and non-smoking vehicle. The rest of today is on your own to explore this amazing city.

Arrival Ideas: Travelers can take flights to Zhangjiajie from Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Changsha, Guangzhou and more cities in China. Also, trains are well linked Zhangjiajie with Changsha (2.5 hrs), Yichang (4.5 hrs), Wuhan (5 hrs), Guangzhou (5.5 hrs), Shenzhen (6 hrs), etc.

Today, after breakfast, you will be met by our guide and driver and then driven to start your exciting visit to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. You will first take the cable car up to Huangshizhai to appreciate the wide forest park on its peaks. The village site has an altitude of 1080 meters, which is praised for its similar charm of pillar forest of Colorado in the USA. Enjoying the flat the wide visual environment, it is so far the largest natural viewing deck for visitors for a perfect admiration of its various rising stones and hills. Enjoy your fresh walk to visit the top famous sights including Star Picking Stand, Five Finger Peak, and so on, and find those looking like bridge piers, etc. from a distance. Take cable car to get down.

Later, change your angle to explore the famous Golden Whip Stream deep in the valley. This totally 7.5 kilometers long brook is one of the most beautiful places in the whole forest park area. Take an inspiring roam along the whispering pristine water on the paved path to immerse into tranquil wonderland with fresh air, colorful blooming flowers in different seasons, lush vegetation, etc. and be prepared to encounter with some wild monkeys.

After that, take a sightseeing bus to exit the park and be driven to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon for about 40 minutes. Now, its your bold moment to take the challenge and walk on the transparent Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge to feel like walking on the clouds, which is the world longest and highest glass-bottomed bridge so far in the whole universe, with total length of 430 meters and height of 400 meters above the deep valley.

After the visiting, be driven for another 40 minutes back to your hotel in Wulingyuan. Have a good sleep!

Pristine Water & Serene Valley of Golden Whip Stream

Huangshi Village

World's Highest & Longest Glass Bridge in Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon

After an early breakfast, unveil the exploration of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the Pandora World in "AVATAR" and a UNESCO World Natural Heritage since 1992! First, go to the Ten-mile Gallery. This leisure journey leads you through a captivating valley filled with storytelling landscapes. Take a sightseeing tram in and stroll back out to fully immerse in the captivating landscape.

Next, take Bailong Elevator up to Yuanjiajie to admire the symbolic Hallelujah Mountain that inspired "Avatar" and appreciate towering sandstone columns floating amidst lush forest. Then, take a sightseeing bus to Tianzi Mountain for its grotesque rocky peaks shrouded in drifting mist. There are four breathtaking sceneries: peak forest, cloud sea, sunrise and winter snow. Appreciate the majestic stone forests and peculiar peaks, including Yuyi Peak and Fairy Flowers. If energy permits, visit the Warriors Training Horse for the unique scene of dozens of peaks standing, resembling a proud steed and a warrior holding reins. Finally, ride the exhilarating and scenic Cable Car down to the park exit.

After the visit, be escorted to your hotel in downtown Zhangjiajie. Have a good sleep!

Optional Activities: 1. Visit Kongzhong Tianyuan (1~2 hours) popular for photography and features breathtaking views of terraced fields amidst towering peaks and the majestic Bailong Elevator. Lower platforms offer close-up views of "Avatar" peaks, but needs a half-hour's walk. Cautiously walk in rainy and snowy days. This optional visit needs a sightseeing bus transfer (extra payment). 2. Watch Tianmen Fox Fairy Show (20:15-21:50), an excellent large-scaled musical drama with real landscape background and stage, telling a touching story.

Our Customers at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Yuanjiajie - The Pandora World

Tianzi Mountain

Tianzi Mountain

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel and transfer you to the railway station for your train to Yichang. Then, be transferred to Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal for a bus arranged by the cruise company heading for Maoping Port for embarkation. Your lifetime Yangtze River cruise starts!

Tips for boarding: 1) All Yangtze cruise companies will arrange free transfer service at Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal / Yichang East Railway Station during 16:00~21:00. You could choose either one to take the tourist bus to Maoping Port. If you take a train arriving at Yichang East Railway Station, you can take the bus at the exit directly. (2) 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; (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.

Yichang Maoping Port for Embarkation & Disembarkation

Good morning! Wake up leisurely and enjoy the gentle sunshine over the tranquil Yangtze. You can either follow the Taichi master to play Taichi or enjoy a cup of coffee to start a beautiful day!

Enjoy various entertainment onboard, like attending a Yangtze River History and Culture Lecture, enjoying seasonal themed activities, meeting new friends at the Captain's Welcome Party, having fun at the wonderful evening show, etc.

Today, you will take the arranged tourist bus to visit the global famous Three Gorges Dam. It is the largest hydropower station in the world, with an annual energy output of 84.7 billion kilowatt-hours. 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, it can hold a huge reservoir to efficiently prevent flooding in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze. Take your time to appreciate this great project from different angles and learn more at the project museum.

After dinner, take part in the Captain’s Welcome Party to make new friends and enjoy the hospitable welcome from the captain and all the cruise team. Enjoy your joyous party and have a sound sleep!

Optional Experience: 1) Three Gorges Dam Ship Lift: Take a tourist boat to sail through this world’s largest ship lift with an elevation of about 113 meters (370 ft), which is totally fresh and exciting! (with an extra fee)
2) Tribe of Three Gorges: It is like a dreamland and extremely favored by foreign travelers. Get close to the particularly tranquil and primitive sightseeing of villages on water, on mountain and off brook with fine exploration of interesting folk custom of Tujia minority people. You won’t miss their wedding ceremony part. (with an extra fee)

Play Taichi in the Morning

World-famous Three Gorges Dam

Three Gorges Dam - 185 Observation Deck

Three Gorges Dam in Summer

Three Gorges Dam Ship Lift

Three Gorges Dam Ship Lift New Experience

Tribe of The Three Gorges

Today, you'll sail through the spectacular Three Gorges! Soak up the breathtaking gorge scenery as you drift through Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge respectively.

You'll switch to a smaller boat to take an enjoyable shore excursion to Shennv Stream (Goddess Stream), a tributary of the Yangtze River. Sail down this primitive stream to closely marvel at steep mountains and hanging coffins high on the cliffs, hear local history, and appreciate featured dance and music by Tujia ethnic people!

After dinner, you can either join in the cruise night shows for further happiness, have a relaxing drink or enjoy the river breeze quietly Good night!

Optional Excursion to White Emperor City: This cultural and historic site at the entrance of Qutang Gorge tells the touching stories of the “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” and is the best spot to appreciate the magnificent “Kui Gate” on the 10 RMB note! (with an extra fee)

Our Customer Visiting Magnificent Qutang Gorge

Qutang Gorge

Breathtaking Wu Gorge Scenery

White Emperor City

Shennv Stream with Primitive Gorge Scenery

This morning, start your fresh day by a healthy Taichi practice on the Sun Deck or a cup of refreshing early bird coffee! Appreciate the rural sightseeing of the counties and countryside along the Yangtze River bank

You will go to visit Fengdu Ghost City onshore, which is about 2,000 years old and called “the Homeland of Divine Comedy in China”. In this “City of Ghosts”, you will see a series of temples, shrines, palaces, pavilions, and more traditional styled architecture complex. The colorful statues and story scenes of afterlife in hell displayed show the underworld, cruel tortures, different kinds of devils, Chinese demons and the traditional Chinese belief: pure spirits would be rewarded, and sinful ones would be subject to severe punishments. (Please note: Fengdu Ghost City visit requires much walking and comfortable shoes are highly recommended!)

At evening, enjoy the well-prepared Captain’s Farewell Party with all your mates onboard and have a whale of time of the last night onboard!

Yangtze River Cruise

Beautiful & Tranquil Yangtze River

Fengdu Ghost City

Welcome to Chongqing, the famous Mountain City in China! This morning, your ship will arrive at Chongqing Chaotianmen Port around 09:00. After breakfast, go through the check-out procedure and disembark. Upon arrival, your guide and driver will pick you up at the port and escort you to Chongqing Jiangbei Airport / train station to catch your flight / train to the next destination / home. Tour ends!

Departure Ideas: You can take a flight from Chongqing to Xian, Guilin, Zhangjiajie, Lhasa, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Kunming, Lijiang, etc. Also, you can take a high speed train from Chongqing to Chengdu (1-1.5hrs), Guiyang (2hrs), Kaili (3hrs), Xian (5.5hrs), Changsha (5.5hrs), Kunming (5hrs), Zhangjiajie (6hrs), Tongren (Fanjingshan, 4hrs), etc. in China.

Chongqing, the Magic 8D Mountain City in China