9-Day Yangtze River Cruise: Beijing to Shanghai

Beijing, Chongqing, Yangtze River Cruise, Yichang, Shanghai

Traveler Reviews

Forbidden City in Beijing travel experience

Yangtze River and Three Gorges travel experience

Tour Type: Private Tour

Tour Code: SKY-Yangtze-01

Tour Highlights:

Combine Beijing and Shanghai with a multi-day Victoria cruise on the Yangtze River.
See Beijing's imperial landmarks and Mutianyu Great Wall.
Cruise through the Three Gorges with the listed shore excursions and onboard program.
Finish with Shanghai's traditional gardens, markets and waterfront skyline.

Best Travel Time:
The itinerary is available year-round, with April through November recommended for the most comfortable overall conditions.

From $ 1382

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Tour Itinerary

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Itinerary

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Day 1Beijing

Transfer service to hotel

Meals: No Meals
Recommended Hotel: Citadines Ritan Service Apartment ★★★★

Arrive in Beijing, meet your YUNSKY guide at the airport and transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is free after check-in.

Beijing City View

Day 2Beijing

Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Recommended Hotel: Sunworld Hotel Beijing Wangfujing★★★★

[09:00-09:30] Meet your guide at the hotel and begin exploring historic Beijing.

[09:30-12:30] Walk across Tian'anmen Square and enter the Forbidden City, the former imperial palace at the center of Beijing.

[12:30-14:00] Have lunch at a local Chinese restaurant.

[14:00-16:30] Visit the Temple of Heaven, where emperors once held ceremonies for good harvests.

[16:30-17:30] Return to the hotel. Ask your guide for suggestions if you would like an evening show or a Peking duck dinner.

Forbidden City

Day 3Beijing

Summer Palace, Mutianyu Great Wall, Olympic Park, the exterior of Bird Nest and Water Cube

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Recommended Hotel: Sunworld Hotel Beijing Wangfujing★★★★

[08:00-08:30] Meet your guide at the hotel and leave for the day's Beijing sightseeing.

[08:30-12:30] Visit the Summer Palace, China's largest surviving imperial garden, including a boat ride on Kunming Lake. Continue directly toward Mutianyu afterwards.

[12:30-13:30] Stop for lunch at Xiaolongpu Restaurant, whose listed specialties include fried vegetables, dry-fried beans and sweet corn cake.

[13:30-17:30] Explore Mutianyu Great Wall, choosing between hiking or taking the cable car before walking along the restored wall. On the return to Beijing, stop outside the Bird Nest and Water Cube.

[17:30-18:30] Return to the hotel. Optional evening ideas include a foot massage, Houhai bars or Sanlitun Bar Street.

Mutianyu Great Wall

Day 4Beijing – Chongqing

Fly to Chongqing, Eling Park, Chongqing People's Great Hall

Meals: Breakfast
On Board: Victoria cruise ★★★★★

Keep the morning free, then transfer to the airport for the flight to Chongqing.

Meet your Chongqing guide at the airport. After lunch, visit Eling Park and Kansheng Tower for views across the Yangtze River and the city, then continue to Chongqing People's Great Hall.

Transfer to Chaotianmen Wharf, board the Victoria cruise and prepare to sail from Chongqing at 9:00 p.m.

Chongqing City View

Day 5Yangtze River Cruise

Fengdu Ghost City (optional), Fengdu Shuanguishan National Park, FengYan SanGuo “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” Show(optional)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch& Dinner
On Board: Victoria cruise ★★★★★

Spend the day on the Yangtze. In Fengdu, Fengdu Shuanguishan National Park is the included shore excursion, while Fengdu Ghost City is available as an additional paid visit depending on river conditions. The Captain's Welcome Reception is scheduled in the evening, with Feng Yan San Guo “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” Show offered as another optional shore program.

Victoria Cruise Itinerary: (only for reference, may change by cruise without notice)

[06:30-08:30] Early Bird Coffee and Tea; Practice Tai Chi on board and Buffet breakfast.

[09:00-13:30] Shore excursion—Fengdu Shuanguishan National Park is arranged in the morning. Or take additional shore excursion to Fengdu Ghost City with extra cost. Buffet lunch is served on board.

[16:00-21:30] Late afternoon Captain's Welcome Reception with buffet dinner. In the evening, you can choose to take the additional Shore excursion—FengYan SanGuo “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” Show.

Notes:
1. The cruise shore excursion and docks are subject to the arrangements which might influent by seasons, water levels, cruise canals and climates and subject to change without prior notice. During the cruise, you will receive the schedule from boat for declares the daily programme
2. Service fee to river guide and cruise crew on board is RMB150 per passenger which does not including in fare.
3. The other personal expense such as internet service, laundry, drinks and bar charge etc are not including.

Fengdu Ghost City

Day 6Yangtze River Cruise

White Emperor City, Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, Goddess Stream

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch& Dinner
On Board: Victoria cruise ★★★★★

An optional visit to White Emperor City is scheduled at around 07:30 before the ship passes through Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge. After lunch, take the boat excursion to Goddess Stream, subject to river conditions.

Victoria Cruise Itinerary: (A bit different from the itinerary of other cruises)
06:30 – 07:00 Early bird coffee and tea/ practice Tai Chi at upper deck
07:00 – 08:30 Breakfast (Buffet)
07:30 – 10:15 Optional Shore excursion – White Emperor City (at your own expense RMB295 P.P)
10:45 (Est.) Sailing through Qutang Gorge
12:45 (Est.) Scenic cruising – Wu Gorge
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch (Buffet)
15:15 – 18:15 Shore excursion – Goddess Stream (or Shennong Stream depends on river condition)
19:00 – 20:30 Captain's Farewell Banquet (set-menu table dinner)
21:00 – 21:45 Crew cabaret
(18:00-23:00) Check out and pay for the bills if any

Tips: Excursion trip to White Emperor City, you would take the coach directly to Baidi Temple in 20 minutes' drive. You will have two hours for your White Emperor City visit to appreciate the rich historic story and mysterious land.

Three Gorges

Day 7Yichang – Shanghai

Three Gorges Dam, High speed train to Shanghai

Meals: Breakfast
Recommended Hotel: SSAW Boutique Hotel Shanghai Bund ★★★★

[06:00-07:45] Have breakfast on board before disembarkation.

[07:45-10:45] Disembark at Maoping cruise terminal and join the shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam Site.

After the dam visit, meet your local guide and stop for lunch before transferring to the railway station for the approximately 7.5-hour high-speed train to Shanghai. Your Shanghai guide will meet you at the station and accompany you to the hotel.

Three Gorges Dam

Day 8Shanghai

Jade Buddha Temple, the exterior of Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai Old Street, The Bund

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Recommended Hotel: SSAW Boutique Hotel Shanghai Bund ★★★★

[09:00-09:30] Meet your guide at the hotel and begin the full-day Shanghai program.

[09:30-12:30] Visit Jade Buddha Temple and its seated, jewel-covered Buddha, described as weighing 1,000 kg. Continue to the exterior of Oriental Pearl TV Tower and walk along the Riverside Promenade.

[12:30-13:30] Stop for a local lunch of dim sum and steamed buns.

[13:30-16:30] Explore Yuyuan Garden, then browse Shanghai Old Street and Nanjing Road for souvenirs and silk products. Finish with a walk along the Bund and its historic waterfront architecture.

[16:30-17:30] Return to the hotel. Ask your guide about the optional Acrobatic Show, including the popular ERA production.

The Bund

Day 9Shanghai

Transfer service to airport

Meals: Breakfast

Keep the day free until your airport transfer. A Maglev ride to Pudong Airport can be arranged on request; otherwise, transfer directly by road.

Service Ends

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Tour Price (US$ per person)

Hotel Class	Group Size	Dec. ~ Feb.	Mar. ~ Nov.
Economy Hotel ★★★	2 ~ 5 pax	$ 1752	$ 1902
Economy Hotel ★★★	6 ~ 9 pax	$ 1382	$ 1532
Comfortable Hotel ★★★★	2 ~ 5 pax	$ 1852	$ 2058
Comfortable Hotel ★★★★	6 ~ 9 pax	$ 1483	$ 1688
Deluxe Hotel ★★★★★	2 ~ 5 pax	$ 2142	$ 2354
Deluxe Hotel ★★★★★	6 ~ 9 pax	$ 1773	$ 1984

Price includes:

♦ Domestic flight or high-speed train as specified
♦ Private transfer between the airport or railway station, attractions, and hotels
♦ Private licensed English-speaking guide and driver service
♦ Hotel accommodation with daily breakfast on sharing basis
♦ All attraction entrance fees as specified
♦ Meals mentioned in the itinerary, Chinese local food

Price excludes:

* International Air tickets or Train Tickets to enter or leave China
* Tips to your tour guide and driver on your own discretion
* China Entry Visa Fees
* Personal expenses
* Optional tours, meals, activities and services
* China Life Tourist Accident/Casualty Insurance

Remarks:

※ Prices are valid from Jan 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2027, except Chinese public holidays, local fairs or events.
※ YUNSKY reserves the right to adjust the price caused by exchange rate
※ No guide on the flight and Yangtze River cruise.
※ Recommended hotels are subject to change in actual booking
※ Special requirements should be advised to YUNSKY in advance.
※ YUNSKY reserves the right of final explanation for any change due to the reasons beyond our control.

Useful Information

Why Choose Us

Traveler Reviews Feedbacks & Photos
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5.0

PunkNelson

5.0

Great Hotel stay Very Nice Tour guides Convenient planned daily trips Average selection of restaurant for food though

Kiwimac53

5.0

We were looking for a tour in SW China while in the area for work and found this one. While we wouldn't normally get a private tour but surprisingly it was actually cheaper than most of the group tours in the area and was great value. While I would usually rather keep one guide for the whole tour, as you get to know each other and they get to know what you are interested in, we changed guides 5 times during this trip (fortunately we had the same guide in Kunming at the start and end of the tour which was a real bonus as Murphy, our Kunming based guide, was excellent.) In this case changing guides had the advantage of local knowledge at each site so compensated for the change. Of the 4 guides we had 3 excellent and 1 very good with each of them working hard to look after us and make sure we enjoyed our trip. Vicky, our Dali based guide was also extremely good making our time there a highlight. The tour gives you 2 days at each base ie travel in the morning, have the afternoon and the next day touring the area then drive to the next base. We chose the driving tour as we feel it gives you a better experience of the area and you get to see the locals in action. All the drivers we had were great – they went out of their way to look after us and were very safe, which is saying something for driving in China. While all of the guides were very fluent in English none of the drivers could speak English which was a slight disadvantage as you didn't have the guides with you when traveling between bases but the friendliness and helpfulness of the drivers more than made up for this.
The tour was very well organised and we knew what we were doing from the time we met our guide on arrival at the Kunming railway station to when we walked through security at the airport on our way out. The tour comes with 4,5 and 6 star accommodation choices and we went for the cheapest 4 star option. While the English at the hotels was limited the guides made sure we were checked in and out and took care of any issues (which were minimal). The 4 star option is largely “Chinese style” hotels ie designed for Chinese visitors with breakfast consisting of what many westeners would consider dinner style food but there was always eggs and toast for the less adventurous. The hotels were all clean and comfortable and generally very well located. The Hotel in Kunming (Jin Jang Inn) was a bonus as it seemed higher than 4 star and we stayed there both on our way in and out. As well as breakfast, lunch came with the tour which was enjoyable as the guides choose the restaurants so we got a variety. I got the feeling that most of the restaurants were owned by friends or family or there was some arrangement with the guide, but as you get to formally review each guide and the meals at the end of each stop they work hard to make sure you enjoy the meal and there was always an abundance of food. We tried a range of local cuisine and there was only one meal we didn't think was up to par. You get your own dinner which also suited us as there is invariably a range of restaurants or for the more adventurous there is the street vendors and you can choose what you want. The vehicles we were driven in were all very good- plenty of space and very comfortable.
Being a private tour, while there was a set itinerary, which was diverse and very interesting with something for most people, the guides could tweak it to suit individual interests eg more time at one site and less at another. It is easy to get a bit templed out but overall the itinerary was a good mic of nature and culture. I would thoroughly recommend the tour and the company and we will be looking to the company if/when we go back – Guilin is next on the list as the guides were very happy to discus what they thought we would and wouldn't enjoy based on working with us on this tour,

N2265ZIinfo

5.0

Excellent guides, flexible and knowledgeable travel agent. They speak good English. Our trip was very well organized. We are 100% happy and I can recommend Yun Sky Travel to everybody.

Wesley O

5.0

I contacted Yun Sky Travel for a 13 day China vacation (Beijing/Xian/Yangtze River cruise/Shanghai) and right from the start Bonnie provided me with great choices and package options. Throughout the entire planning and even during the trip Bonnie was there for us following up and making sure everything was perfect. Thank you Bonnie for making our China vacation unforgettable.

Johnf8958

5.0

From the minute I contacted Vicky at Yun Sky Travel to book our holiday, to the time we were taken to Pudong airport for our flight home, the experience was perfect.
My wife and I visited Beijing, Xian and Shanghai and all of our tour guides were fluent in English, very knowledgeable and very friendly.
Thank you Vicky and all at YUNSKY and I will definitely be in contact when I return to China.

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