Trip Summary
See China from the water: begin with Shanghai's skyline, ride the high-speed web to Chongqing, board a three-night upstream cruise through the Three Gorges and the new dam's five-stage ship lock, then finish with the Terracotta Army and the Great Wall.
Trip Highlights
- Qutang, Wu and Xiling gorges from the sun deck
- Shennong stream or Goddess stream sampan side-trip
- Three Gorges Dam ship lift / five-stage lock transit
- Chongqing's cliff-side skyline and hotpot at its source
Day by Day
Day 1 — Shanghai
Arrive; the Bund.
Flight in · Shanghaiinternational flights, destination pre-filledBook → Stay · The Bundtwo riverfront nights to startBook → Car rental · Shanghaipick up at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on arrivalBook → 
Day 2 — Shanghai
Yu Garden, Concession lanes; evening HSR prep.
Stay · The Bundtwo riverfront nights to startBook → 
Day 3 — To Chongqing
Morning HSR 7 h (or 2.5-h flight); Hongya Cave night.
Shanghai → Chongqing flightDirect ~3 hBook → Stay · Chaotianmenright at the cruise piers where the rivers meetBook → Car rental · Chongqingpick up at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport on arrivalBook → Day 4 — Board cruise
Chaotianmen pier; sail at dusk.
Yangtze River cruise3 nights Chongqing → Yichang: gorges, Shennong Stream & the Three Gorges DamBook → Day 5 — Gorges day 1
Shibaozhai pagoda or Fengdu; enter Qutang gorge.
Day 6 — Gorges day 2
Wu gorge + sampan stream; evening ship lock.
Day 7 — Dam & disembark
Xiling gorge, dam site visit, Yichang; HSR to Xi'an (5 h) or Wuhan stop.
Stay · Yichang Riversidedisembark night - riverside promenade by the docksBook → Tickets · Three Gorges Damskip-the-line entryBook → Tickets · Yellow Crane Towerskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 8 — Xi'an
Terracotta Army; Muslim quarter.
Yichang → Xi'an trainHSR ~4.5 hBook → Stay · South Gateinside the Ming wallsBook → Car rental · Xi'anpick up at Xi'an North Railway Station on arrivalBook → Tickets · Terracotta Army of Emperor Qinshihuangskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 9 — To Beijing
Wall of Xi'an morning; afternoon HSR; Beijing duck.
Xi'an → Beijing trainHSR ~4.5–6 hBook → Stay · Qianmenaxis-side for the final dashBook → Car rental · Beijingpick up at Beijing South Railway Station on arrivalBook → Tickets · Xi'an City Wall & Forest of Stelesskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 10 — Beijing dash
Forbidden City + Great Wall express or Temple of Heaven only; evening flight out.
Tickets · The Palace Museumskip-the-line entryBook → Flight out · Beijingdeparture flights from Beijing, destination openBook → 
Travel in China