Across China · rooted in Chengdu
Journey west from Shanghai through Suzhou’s classical gardens to a Three Gorges cruise on the Yangtze. Sail through Wu and Qutang gorges, with shore visits to the Three Gorges Dam and Shennv Stream, before exploring Chongqing’s teahouses, old streets and riverside views. Finish in Chengdu with People’s Park, Sichuan opera, the Panda Base and Sichuan Cuisine Museum. Across eleven days, city walks and cultural visits frame a stretch of travel through the river landscapes of central China.
What makes this route special
Explore Shanghai's Yuyuan Garden, Old Town, Xintiandi and Jade Buddha Temple.
See Suzhou's Lingering Garden, Panmen Gate and Huqiu Hill.
Travel by high-speed train from Suzhou to Yichang and board the Three Gorges cruise at Maoping.
Visit the Three Gorges Dam and take a small-boat trip on Shennv Stream.
Sail through Wu and Qutang gorges and visit Fengdu Snow Mountain Cave.
Continue through Chongqing to Chengdu, with People's Park, Sichuan opera and the Panda Base listed.
Your day-by-day itinerary
Arrive in Shanghai
Meet your driver at Shanghai airport and transfer to Holiday Inn Express Shanghai Zhenping. The evening is free for check-in and rest after your journey. No guided sightseeing is planned on arrival day. The hotel is named for the Shanghai stay, while the full trip includes ten nights in twin-share rooms. Use today to settle in before exploring the city, and share your flight details when enquiring so the pickup arrangement can be confirmed.
- Transport
- Chartered airport transfer.
- Guide
- Guide arrangement for arrival will be confirmed; airport pickup is by driver.
- Accommodation
- Holiday Inn Express Shanghai Zhenping; Shanghai night allocation will be confirmed.
Shanghai's Old Town and Contemporary Lanes
Explore Yuyuan Garden and Shanghai Old Town in the morning, then continue to Xintiandi’s stone-gate lanes and Jade Buddha Temple. The day moves from a classical garden and lively local streets to architecture shaped by the city’s international past. Inside the temple grounds, take time to appreciate the quieter atmosphere and the jade Buddha. An English-speaking tour guide accompanies the day. Return to your Shanghai hotel for the evening; the exact night-by-night hotel allocation will be confirmed with your booking.
- Transport
- Private transport for the trip.
- Guide
- English-speaking tour guide.
- Accommodation
- Shanghai hotel; property and night allocation will be confirmed.
Suzhou Gardens and Historic Gates
Travel from Shanghai to Suzhou for a day at the Lingering Garden, Panmen Gate and Huqiu Hill. The garden is known for carefully framed views and Taihu rockeries; Panmen brings together the city’s old water and land defenses, while Huqiu is associated with its leaning pagoda. Holiday Inn Express Suzhou Changjiang is planned for the night. The transport mode from Shanghai and the day’s exact order will be confirmed with your travel arrangements. Expect walking through garden paths and historic grounds.
- Transport
- Transport mode is not specified for the Shanghai–Suzhou leg; confirm in the quote.
- Guide
- Guide arrangement for the Suzhou sightseeing day will be confirmed.
- Accommodation
- Holiday Inn Express Suzhou Changjiang.
Rail to Yichang and Board the River Cruise
Board the high-speed train from Suzhou to Yichang, scheduled 10:00–15:54. After arriving, transfer to Maoping to board the Three Gorges cruise. The journey shifts from rail travel to river scenery in a single day, so the station-to-port connection and boarding time are important. Your cruise cabin and embarkation details will be confirmed with the final quote. Keep essentials with you during the transfer and allow time for station and port procedures. The evening is spent aboard the vessel.
- Transport
- High-speed train Suzhou–Yichang, 10:00–15:54; transfer to Maoping and cruise boarding.
- Guide
- Guide arrangement for the rail and boarding day will be confirmed.
- Accommodation
- Three Gorges cruise; cabin details will be confirmed.
Three Gorges Dam
Go ashore to visit the Three Gorges Dam, with chartered transport planned for the excursion. From the dam area, take in the scale of the engineering works and the broad reservoir landscape held between steep banks. A cultural program and Victoria Fashion Show are also planned, though the exact schedule will depend on the cruise program. Return to the ship for the next night aboard. The day combines an outdoor visit with time on the vessel; shore access and sailing times will be confirmed before departure.
- Transport
- Shore excursion by chartered bus; cruise sailing is part of the route.
- Guide
- Guide arrangement for the shore excursion will be confirmed.
- Accommodation
- Three Gorges cruise; cabin details will be confirmed.
Shennv Stream and the Gorges
Take a smaller boat through Shennv Stream, then return to the cruise and sail through Wu Gorge and Qutang Gorge. The narrow waterway reveals green slopes, sheer cliffs and the changing shapes of the Three Gorges. Local stories add another layer to the scenery, while the approach to Kuimen at Qutang Gorge is one of the route’s most dramatic passages. Boarding the smaller craft may involve steps or movement between boats. Enjoy the river views from the deck and follow the crew’s guidance during excursions.
- Transport
- Three Gorges cruise and transfer to a small boat for Shennv Stream.
- Guide
- Guide arrangement for the river excursion will be confirmed.
- Accommodation
- Three Gorges cruise; cabin details will be confirmed.
Fengdu Snow Mountain Cave
Visit Fengdu Snow Mountain Cave on a shore excursion, then join the captain’s farewell dinner aboard the cruise. Inside the cave, look for varied rock formations and underground features; walking surfaces and steps can be uneven. The evening meal marks the close of the river portion of the trip. Dinner arrangements and any onboard meal inclusions will be confirmed with your cruise details. Return to the vessel for the final river night before disembarking in Chongqing.
- Transport
- Cruise and shore excursion to Fengdu Snow Mountain Cave.
- Guide
- Guide arrangement for the shore excursion will be confirmed.
- Accommodation
- Three Gorges cruise; cabin details will be confirmed.
Disembark and Explore Chongqing
Disembark at Chongqing port and explore the Jiaotongguan Teahouse, Liziba light-rail viewpoint and Ciqikou Ancient Town. Later, see Hongya Cave illuminated above the river. At the teahouse, the covered-bowl tea tradition offers a glimpse of everyday local life; at Liziba, watch the train pass through the apartment block from the viewing area. Check in at Hampton by Hilton Chongqing Guanyinqiao. The schedule is full, with walking through the town and evening streets; local transport arrangements will be confirmed for your date.
- Transport
- Disembarkation at Chongqing port and local sightseeing transfers; mode not detailed.
- Guide
- Guide arrangement for Chongqing sightseeing will be confirmed.
- Accommodation
- Hampton by Hilton Chongqing Guanyinqiao.
Continue to Chengdu and People's Park
Continue to Chengdu, where the day includes station pickup, a visit to People’s Park and traditional tea-drinking, followed by the Shufeng Yayun Sichuan opera performance. At the park, watch locals gather for tea, conversation and games before experiencing the color and movement of Sichuan opera. Holiday Inn Express Chengdu Wuhou is planned for the night. The route does not specify how you travel from Chongqing to Chengdu or give the station schedule; this connection will be arranged with your quote.
- Transport
- Travel from Chongqing to Chengdu, with arrival pickup. Transport and departure times will be confirmed in your travel proposal.
- Guide
- Guide arrangement for the Chengdu visits will be confirmed.
- Accommodation
- Holiday Inn Express Chengdu Wuhou.
Pandas and Sichuan Cuisine
Visit the Chengdu Panda Base in the morning, when pandas are often more active, then continue to the Sichuan Cuisine Museum in the afternoon. Around three hours are suggested for the panda visit. At the museum, discover the ingredients and traditions behind Sichuan cooking; a hands-on activity may be available as part of the visit. The day is spent in Chengdu and involves walking around the base and museum. Your final hotel night and any workshop details will be confirmed with the trip arrangements.
- Transport
- Private transport for the trip.
- Guide
- Guide arrangement for the Chengdu visits will be confirmed.
- Accommodation
- Chengdu hotel; property will be confirmed.
Airport Transfer
A driver airport transfer is planned for departure. Your recent nights are in Chengdu, but the airport and pickup point will be confirmed once your flight is known. There is no sightseeing or guide service scheduled today. Allow sufficient time for the airport journey, especially if traveling at a busy hour, and ask about breakfast timing if your flight leaves early. This is the final day of the Shanghai, Suzhou, Yangtze River, Chongqing and Chengdu journey.
- Transport
- Driver airport transfer; airport and pickup time not specified.
- Guide
- Driver airport transfer; no sightseeing guide.
- Accommodation
- No overnight accommodation; departure day.
What your proposal covers
- Private group transport and the planned shore-excursion transfer.
- Ten breakfasts.
- Entrance fees for the planned attractions.
- English-speaking guiding on nine days.
- Ten nights in twin-share rooms. Named hotels include Holiday Inn Express Shanghai Zhenping, Holiday Inn Express Suzhou Changjiang, Hampton by Hilton Chongqing Guanyinqiao and Holiday Inn Express Chengdu Wuhou. Cruise cabin details and the final Chengdu hotel will be confirmed.
- Lunches and dinners, except where separately confirmed in the quote; cruise meals are not itemized in the inclusion list.
- International flights.
- Personal expenses.
Payment & cancellation
| Payment due | Share of trip price |
|---|---|
| On trip confirmation | 30% deposit |
| One month before the trip | 70% balance |
| Time before arrival | Cancellation fee |
|---|---|
| More than 45 days | Only costs incurred for flights, cruises and other exceptional services. |
| 45–30 days | 25% |
| 29–16 days | 50% |
| 15–7 days | 80% |
| Less than 7 days | 100% |
| Percentage fees are based on the total trip price. | |
Questions and answers
VISAS
For the latest information on visa procedures, processing times and requirements, please kindly refer to website https://consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA/
INSURANCE
We will arrange essential insurance coverage for your trip to Mainland China. Meanwhile, we strongly recommend you purchase separate comprehensive travel insurance to cover trip cancellation, medical expenses, luggage loss, repatriation and other associated additional costs. As a minimum requirement, the insurance policy must include medical coverage, which including medical evacuation and repatriation. For this part, you are free to select your preferred insurance provider.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
If you are traveling during a Chinese public holiday, please note that while tourist attractions remain open, they may be crowded with domestic visitors. Festivities often span several days, during which some businesses may close, and coach, air, and train services could be impacted. The major Golden Week holidays occur annually around 1 to 5 May and 1 to 7 October.
ACCOMMODATION
Your accommodation is chosen for its convenience, comfort, or character. Hotels are generally of a four-star standard in major cities. Please note, there is no international classification system, so facilities and quality may differ from those in your home country.
LUGGAGE
Each traveller is permitted a maximum of two pieces of luggage: one suitcase with a maximum weight of 20kg and one piece of hand luggage with a maximum weight of 5kg. This requirement applies to domestic trains and flights. We recommend packing only what you can carry independently, as you will be responsible for handling your luggage on and off trains or air-checked. Please note: If your luggage exceed the limits, kindly inform your travel designer in advance, and we will arrange a suitable vehicle for you.
TRAVEL MONEY IN CHINA
We recommend having access to multiple sources of money while traveling. A combination of payment methods, including mobile payment apps, cash, and cards, will offer the most security and flexibility. Mobile payment apps like WeChat and Alipay are often more widely accepted than international cards or cash in China. You will need an internet connection when in China to use the apps.
