Yangzi Explorer

Downstream
Destinations
Chongqing to Yichang
Cruise Duration
4 days/3 nights
Upstream
Destinations
Yichang to Chongqing
Cruise Duration
5 days/4 nights
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Yangzi Explorer

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  • Highlights
  • Downstream Itinerary
  • Upstream Itinerary
  • Ship Facilities
  • Inclusions/Exclusions
  • Important Info

Highlights

Baiheliang Underwater Museum (White Crane Ridge)
816 Underground Project
Shennongjia
Qutang Gorge
Wu Gorge
Xiling Gorge
Three Gorges Dam

Enjoy the magnificence of the Yangtze River in total luxury aboard the gorgeous Yangzi Explorer

Imagine a leisurely luxury cruise through the heart of China absorbing the history, culture, and traditions to be found along the full stretch of the magnificent Yangtze River. You’ll find it aboard the stylish Yangzi Explorer. Newly built in 2025 to accommodate just 148 passengers, the only all-suite cruise ship on Yangtze River offers an experience in understated luxury, providing a 1:1 ratio of staff to guests for the ultimate in attentive service. Travel either up or downstream and take advantage of the opportunity to view and visit the river’s highlights along the way, including Baiheliang Underwater Museum (White Crane Ridge), beautiful Shennongjia, the Qutang, Wu, and Xiling Gorges, and the Three Gorges Dam. Back onboard, savor the chance to relax totally between shore excursions, either on the ship’s deck or in your beautifully appointed suite. Inclusive of a selection of onboard meals, shore excursions, entertainment, with the option to add on activities, cruising with the Yangzi Explorer is a wonderful way to experience the river and China at its best.


Cruise Boat Stats

Year Built: 2025
All-Balcony Suites:74
Passenger capacity:148
Passenger decks:5
Crew: 141

Cabin Information

Room TypeCabins
Celestial & Imperial Suite2 | 105 m2
Jade & Mandarin Suite2 | 89 m2
Ambassador Suite12 | 40 m2
Deluxe Suite58 | 31 m2

Downstream Itinerary

Day 1 - Depart Chongqing

Afternoon:
Embarkation at Chaotianmen Port
(Complimentary Transfer Services from Chongqing Airport or Chongqing Railway Station for Embarkation.)

Evening:
Dinner Buffet
Brief Safety Orientation; Captain’s Welcome Reception

Meals included: Dinner

Day 2 - Cruise the Yangtze River (Fuling & Zhongxian)

Morning:
Coffee, Tea, Tai Chi Lesson, Breakfast

Excursions:
Option A: the 816 Underground Project
Option B: White Crane Ridge Underwater Museum + A local market

À la carte Lunch

Afternoon:
Feel free to unwind and enjoy your afternoon by taking part in the onboard experiences.

Evening:
Dinner Buffet

Night Excursion:
Option A: “The War Fire of Three Kingdoms” Show
Option B: Zhongzhou Old Alley Walk

Late-night Snacks

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3 - Cruise the Yangtze River (Wushan)

Morning:
Sail the Qutang Gorge
Coffee, Tea, Tai Chi Lesson, Breakfast

Excursions:
Option A: Hike the trail of Wushan Goddess Sky Road
Option B: Go on the Daning & Madu River Adventure
Option C: Enjoy Bamboo Angling (Seasonal)

Lunch Buffet
Navigate the Wu Gorge

Evening:
À la carte Dinner

Three Gorges Ship Lift
(subject to water level, weather, maintenance conditions)
Live Music Onboard

Late-night Snacks

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4 - Disembark in Yichang

Morning:
Coffee, Tea, Breakfast
Complimentary Self-guided Visit to Huangling Temple
Disembarkation

Excursions:
Option A: Three Gorges Dam Visit
(Three Gorges Project Museum, Memorial Park of the Interception)
Option B: Visit to Qu Yuan Temple & Hubei Three Gorges Resettlement Museum

Farewell Lunch at Juweng Restauranat in Yichang

Transfer to Yichang Airport or East Railway Station for your departure to next destination.

Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch

Upstream Itinerary

Day 1 - Depart Yichang

Pre-Cruise Excursions (if reach the meeting point by 2pm)
Option A: Three Gorges Dam Visit
(Three Gorges Project Museum, Memorial Park of the Interception)
Option B: Visit to Qu Yuan Temple & Hubei Three Gorges Resettlement Museum
 
Afternoon:
Embarkation at Huangling Temple Port
(Complimentary Transfer Services from Chongqing Airport or Chongqing Railway Station for Embarkation.)
Complimentary Self-guided Visit to Huangling Temple

Evening:
Dinner Buffet
Three Gorges Ship Lift Transit
Brief Safety Orientation; Captain’s Welcome Reception
(subject to water level, weather and maintenance conditions)

Meals included: Dinner

Day 2 - Cruise the Yangtze River (Shennongjia)

Morning:
Coffee, Tea, Tai Chi Lesson, Breakfast

Excursions:
A full-day tour of UNESCO Heritage - Shennongjia
(Visit Shengnongjia Guanmenshan Scenic Area)

Evening:
Dinner Buffet
Live Music Onboard
Late-night Snacks

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 3 - Cruise the Yangtze River (Fengjie)

Morning:
Coffee, Tea, Tai Chi Lesson, Breakfast

Navigate the Wu Gorge and Qutang Gorge

Lunch Buffet

Excursions:
Option A: Visit the historic White Emperor City
Option B: Light trekking along Poetic Trail in Qutang Gorge
Option C: Reach the Three Gorges Summit for stunning views
 
Evening:
À la carte Dinner
Live Music Onboard
Late-night Snacks

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4 - Cruise the Yangtze River (Zhongxian)

Morning:
Coffee, Tea, Tai Chi Lesson, Breakfast

Excursions:
Option A: Marvel at the ancient wooden architecture of Shibaozhai (Precious Stone Fortress)
Option B: Explore Xituo Ancient Town
Option C: Discover Huanghua Island Wetland & Archaeological Park

Lunch Buffet

Onboard Activites

Evening:
À la carte Dinner
Crew Cabaret
Live Music Onboard
Late-night Snacks

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5 - Disembark in Chongqing

Morning:
Coffee, Tea, Breakfast

Disembark in Chongqing around 9am and you will be transferred to Chongqing Airport, Railway Stations or downtown Chongqing for your onward journey.

Meals included: Breakfast

Ship Facilities

1. Suites
Yangzi Explorer has 4 Celebrity Suites, 12 Ambassador Suites, and 58 Deluxe Suites. Each suite has its own balconies and amenities, including private bathroom, hairdryer, safety deposit box, minibar, fridge and LCD satellite TV. Free Wi-Fi and welcome house wine are available for suites, together with a limited complimentary laundry and shoeshine service.

2. Restaurants and bars
Onboard all passengers have access to a number of restaurants and bars, including:

  • Dynasty Palace: The main restaurant onboard, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, from buffet style to a-la-carte featuring Chinese cuisine and international influences.
  • Amber Restaurant: It offers an exclusive dining experience for guests of the Ambassador and Celebrity Suites. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it presents a curated menu that blends classic favorites with modern culinary artistry.
  • Sunset Hotpot House: Authentic hotpot for lunch and dinner with stunning panoramic views. It is complimentary for guests staying in the Celebrity Suites, while other guests may enjoy the experience with an additional fee.
  • Petrus Restaurant: An exclusive private dining journey for both lunch and dinner. One complimentary seating per cruise is reserved for Celebrity Suite guests, while other guests may partake by making a supplementary reservation.
  • View Lounge: Boasting panoramic views, this is the perfect space to relax, connect, and engage in cultural exchange.
  • Explorer Bar: Overlooking the river’s ever-changing scenery, it is a lively social hub, serving morning coffee, afternoon tea, and evening live music. The perfect space to relax.
  • Velvet Lounge: This exclusive retreat for guests staying in the Ambassador and Celebrity Suites offers a private space with a selection of snacks and beverages available throughout the day.

3. Leisure facilities
Unwind on this relaxing river cruise by taking full advantage of the onboard leisure facilities, including:

  • Tang Theatre: The main venue for the welcome safety briefing, lectures, documentary show, performances, and cooking class.
  • Explorer Deck: Soak up the sunshine and relax with other travelers in between shore excursions and other onboard activities, including the daily Tai Chi lesson on the sunshine deck.
  • Ning Spa: A haven of relaxation and tranquility on the cruise, offering beauty treatments, Traditional Chinese Medicine thearapy, and body massages in the individual treatment room and suites.
  • Fitness Centre: Keep active with the latest professional equiment found in the ship’s gym.
  • Kids’ Fun Corner: The dedicated space for children aged 2-12 years old is a world of imagination and excitement.

Inclusions / Exclusions

Inclusions:

  • Onboard accommodation based on double/twin occupancy in a Deluxe Suite on cruise boat
  • Admission fees: to sightseeing spots and activities as specified
  • Selected onboard activities as specified (Tai Chi, cultural activities, and onboard entertainment)
  • Meals: as specified in the itinerary
  • Transfer service in Chongqing and Yichang.
  • Travel Agency Liability Insurance during the tour
  • Government taxes and fees.

Exclusions

  • Any personal onboard spending of laundry, drink, telex, phone calls, beauty treatments, and other miscellaneous services
  • Gratuities to river guide, service staff and cruise director, and any other personnel
  • Any upgrades to a different floor or suite
  • China visa fees
  • This cruise does not include travel insurance. Please purchase travel insurance before your trip to provide for any unforeseen circumstances.

Important Information

  1. All times on the schedule are estimated and are subject to change due to weather and navigation conditions.
  2. All shore excursions departure times and duration are approximate and may subject to change if considered unsafe to operate.
  3. As the sailing port is to be finalized, you are advised to contact the cruise company before boarding to confirm the specific port of your cruise ship.
  4. Your disembarkation port may change due to weather and water levels on the day of your trip. Please keep your phone turned on. We need to reach you at all times. We highly recommend contacting ChinaTours.com or your cruise company on your boarding day to get the most accurate port information.
  5. Alteration of Itinerary: If unforeseen circumstance beyond our control require us to make relevant changes to the cruise itinerary, we reserve the right to cancel or change the sailing date, etc. Where it is necessary to change the accommodation, ChinaTours.com reserves the right to substitute it with accommodation of at least a similar standard. We make changes on the conditions that:
    • Events happened out of our control, such as war, fire, epidemics, health risks, typhoon,earthquake and other actual or potential severe weather conditions, etc. Under these conditions, extra fares will be charged if there any additional costs are incurred.
    • River conditions are subject to change. Due to any potential events, we reserve the right to alter programs to maintain the spirit of the cruise with concern for safety and in response to actual conditions during sailing. Unused services are not refundable.

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Oct 2026 • Couples

Our quick visit to Xi’an with Nancy was amazing! We covered so much in 1.5 days her endurance to cover everything we wanted to see was impressive. We learned so much with her at the Terra-Cotta Warriors Museum and all the sights. We felt very well taken care of and our driver was entertaining with his singing.
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Angela D
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Reviewed on Oct 21, 2026
Tripadvisor score A great way to travel through China

Oct 2026 • Couples

ChinaTours helped us curate a private trip based on where we wanted to travel, and took care of all of the bookings and transportation. The guides were also quite helpful with navigating the day to day itinerary. They made the whole trip enjoyable and stress free. Would definitely recommend!
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Reviewed on Oct 18, 2026
Tripadvisor score Excellent!

Oct 2026 • Friends

Eric was an amazing guy! Very helpful and did his job 100% perfectly!
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Reviewed on Oct 16, 2026
Tripadvisor score Trip to Xi’an

Oct 2026 • Friends

Our tour to Xi’an with Kobe was amazing. Xi’an is a wonderful city with so much to see and experience, beautiful sights, amazing food (thanks to Kobe’s recommendatios), so much history and wonderful people. We had some free time and we wanted to visit Daxingshan Temple and see a show in Xi’an and Kobe helped us with arrangements and recommendations again. We had wonderful time in Xi’an and with China Tours, they made the whole experience smooth and worry free for us.
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Reviewed on Oct 16, 2026
Tripadvisor score Amazing time in Xi’an with our tour guide!

Oct 2026 • Couples

We spent a couple of days in Xi’an with our tour guide Kobe. He was really amazing, from picking us up at the airport in the arrival to taking us to amazing places throughout the city. Kobe is very fun and entertaining, always having a really interesting fun fact to share or an incredible food recommendation to try. I had the best noodles of my life thanks to him. Thanks for the amazing time here!
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Tripadvisor score ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazing Guilin & Yangshuo Trip!

Oct 2026 • Couples

We just returned from an unforgettable trip to Guilin and Yangshuo. Dora organized everything perfectly, and Tony was an awesome guide—fun, knowledgeable, and made the whole experience incredible. The scenery was breathtaking, and the trip ran seamlessly from start to finish. Highly recommend! Thank you, Dora and Tony!
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Nataliia M
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Reviewed on Oct 13, 2026
Tripadvisor score Best tour Xi”an

Oct 2026 • Friends

We had an absolutely wonderful experience with Eric tour guide! Everything was perfectly organized, and our guide was incredibly professional, knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive. We learned so much about the history, culture, and traditions of China while having an amazing time. Our guide went above and beyond to make sure we felt comfortable, happy, and well taken care of throughout the entire tour. Every detail was handled with care, and the experience exceeded all our expectations
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Reviewed on Oct 07, 2026
Tripadvisor score What a great trip…

Sept 2026

What an amazing holiday! Just completed the 14-Day Beijing-Xi’an-Chongqing-Yangtze River-Zhangjiajie-Shanghai Tour. We were travelling with my two children and older parents in-law who have mobility issues so ChinaTours organised a private tour for us. Was a little nervous at first as they didn't have a physical shop (in Australia) that I could go to but am so happy with the result. Communication was great and everything happened exactly as they said it would. Their guides were amazing, so friendly, relaxed and flexible. Just great people with all inside knowledge about when to go to avoid the crowds! We went for the upgraded accommodation and travel option and I was glad I did, the rooms and amenities (such as gym and sauna) were just the thing I needed after a day of sight-seeing. I must say that I was a bit worried that the kids would never want to go home! Thank you Michael, Dong, Kelly, Jennie and Kelly for the amazing memories!
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