Highlights of China with Yangtze Cruise – Shanghai Stay

Travel from the UK on an overnight flight to Beijing.

This afternoon, you’ll land in Beijing, China’s vast, lively capital, and be welcomed by your local tour manager and city guide upon arrival, before heading to your downtown hotel for dinner.

After breakfast, begin your day in Beijing with a visit to Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world, before exploring the Forbidden City, the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties between 1420 and 1911, and the first UNESCO World Heritage Site of the tour. This magnificent palace encompasses 114 buildings, including an important imperial library, and showcases centuries of history and culture.

Continue to the striking Temple of Heaven, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, where emperors once held ceremonies to pray for good harvests. This complex of ritual buildings is set amid gardens and ancient pine woods, and its overall design symbolises the harmony between earth and heaven, a concept central to Chinese cosmology.

At lunchtime, enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine at a local restaurant, followed later by a chance to sample Beijing’s most famous dish, Peking roast duck, at the historic Quanjude restaurant, which has been serving this specialty for more than 150 years.

There should be some time this afternoon to relax or to explore at your own pace.

Following breakfast, today’s wish-list highlight is a visit to the Great Wall of China, at Badaling. This remarkable fortification, stretching over 1,500 miles across northern China, was originally constructed more than 2,000 years ago. You can choose to walk up to the wall or, if you’d prefer, take a cable car ride up (at your own expense), where the views from the top are breathtaking.

Returning to Beijing, your guide will take you to Qianmen Street. This pedestrian thoroughfare is lined with mock-period frontages. It was once part of the imperial route to the Temple of Heaven and later became one of the city’s busiest commercial hubs. As you wander, observe the former craftsman workshops, theatres, and warehouses sitting alongside popular outlets.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before visiting the Summer Palace, the former summer retreat of China’s emperors and their families. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is positioned around the vast Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, and is renowned for its landscaped gardens, ornate pavilions, pretty bridges and the famous marble boat.

Next, visit a traditional Chinese tea centre, where you’ll take part in a tea ceremony experience. A skilled tea master will prepare three classic varieties, such as green, black, and oolong, while explaining their origins, distinctive qualities, and traditional health benefits. You’ll then have lunch at a local restaurant.

Later, board your first high-speed train for the journey to Xi’an. On arrival, you’ll be met and transferred to your centrally located hotel.

This evening’s dinner features a speciality of Xi’an, a selection of delicious local dumplings, the region’s signature dish.

When you’ve had breakfast, you’ll experience another unforgettable excursion on this tour – a visit to the world-famous Terracotta Army. Buried over 2,000 years ago to guard the mausoleum of Qin Shihuang, China’s first emperor, this extraordinary site was unearthed in 1974 and revealed thousands of life-sized warriors, horses, and chariots, each uniquely detailed down to their armour and expressions. It remains one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.

In the afternoon, explore the Muslim Quarter, one of Xi’an’s most well-known cultural and culinary districts. Your tour manager will introduce the area’s history and food culture, including landmarks such as the Great Mosque. Before returning to your hotel, take some time to view the Bell Tower from the outside and capture some photos. Your hotel is just a 15-minute walk, so you can return later on if you wish.

Dinner will be at leisure, either at your hotel or a nearby restaurant. You can then choose to witness the grandeur of ancient China with the Xi’an Tang Dynasty Show, a spectacular performance that brings to life the music, dance, and culture of the Tang Dynasty. This spectacle features traditional costumes, dance, and live music, highlighting the culture of China’s Tang Dynasty.

Have breakfast before travelling to Xi’an City Wall, one of the oldest and largest city walls in China, originally built in the 14th century during the Ming Dynasty.

Next, visit the Small Goose Pagoda, a Buddhist pagoda constructed over 1,300 years ago during the Tang Dynasty, known for its slender brick design and historical significance as part of the Jianfu Temple complex.

After lunch, board a second high-speed train to Chengdu. Upon arrival, meet your local guide and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Enjoy breakfast, then join your tour manager for a visit to the Panda Research Centre, one of China’s leading conservation facilities dedicated to the protection of the giant panda. Chengdu is known as the ‘home of the panda’, and this centre plays a vital role in breeding, research, and education. You can observe pandas in a carefully designed, natural environment and, depending on the season, may even see young cubs alongside the adults.

Return to the city to explore People’s Park, a green space popular with locals for morning exercise, games, and socialising. Here, you’ll join the tradition of drinking tea in a classic teahouse, and see the famous Marriage Corner, where parents gather to share details about their unmarried children in the hope of arranging a match.

Later, discover Kuanzhai Alley, a quarter dating back to the Qing dynasty. The district combines traditional courtyard architecture with teahouses, restaurants, and small shops. It’s an ideal place to sample local snacks, enjoy some free time to explore, and take photographs before lunch at a local restaurant.

In the evening, experience a traditional Chinese hot pot dinner, a popular and social way of dining, where a simmering pot of broth is placed at the table, and a variety of meats, vegetables, and noodles are cooked together and shared.

Today, after breakfast, head to the Wenshu Temple, one of Chengdu’s best-preserved Buddhist monasteries and an active place of worship. Known as the spiritual heart of the city, the temple complex includes peaceful gardens, opulent halls, and surrounding markets.

Later, travel on another high-speed train to Chongqing, at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. On arrival, discover Chongqing’s striking cityscape during a half-day tour. Travel into the heart of the city, Jiefang Bei (Liberation Monument). This monument is a major landmark and the central point of the downtown area. It was originally built in the 1940s to commemorate China’s victory in World War II.

Take a short ride on the famous Liziba Monorail, where the track runs directly through a residential building before visiting Kuixing Pavilion, which offers views over the city and a close-up look at Chongqing’s distinctive “8D architecture,” with buildings connected on multiple levels.

This evening, have dinner at a local restaurant before a short panoramic drive through Chongqing to see the illuminated skyline.

Later, board your Victoria Cruises ship for a three-night sailing along the Yangtze River, the longest river in Asia. There are optional excursions that you can book during your journey.

Your first breakfast onboard is followed by some time sailing downstream and observing daily life along the banks. A shore excursion will take you to Mount Shuanggui, near Fengdu. This site is known for its centuries-old temples, peaceful grounds, and literary connections.

Lunch will then be served back onboard, and you can take advantage of the spacious viewing decks and enjoy the on-board lectures. This evening, a Captain’s welcome reception will be followed by a buffet dinner with the option to enjoy an additional shore excursion.

Today, after breakfast, your cruise takes you into the dramatic landscapes of the Three Gorges, one of China’s most famous natural wonders. You’ll sail first through the Qutang Gorge, the narrowest and most remarkable stretch, bordered by sheer cliffs that rise from the water. Next comes the Wu Gorge, renowned for its forested peaks often covered in mist.

Later, you’ll transfer to a smaller vessel for a leisurely excursion along the Goddess Stream, a tranquil tributary lined with steep cliffs and lush vegetation.

Returning to your ship, you’ll continue into the Xiling Gorge, the longest of the three, stretching for 41 miles, and the deepest, with towering limestone walls and dramatic bends in the river.

Enjoy a Captain’s farewell dinner on your final evening.

After breakfast on board, you’ll disembark for a guided visit to the Three Gorges Dam, an extraordinary feat of modern engineering. Spanning the Yangtze River at Sandouping in the Xiling Gorge, it is the largest hydroelectric power station in the world. Later, transfer to Yichang station to board a final high-speed train to Suzhou.  A packed lunch will be provided for your journey. On arrival in Suzhou, you’ll travel to your centrally located hotel, set on a pedestrian street close to a wide choice of restaurants and cafés.

This evening, dinner is at leisure, giving you the chance to relax and explore local dining options at your own pace.

Enjoy breakfast in your hotel before visiting the Lingering Garden, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Suzhou’s most celebrated classical gardens.

A 40-minute cruise along Suzhou’s ancient canals follows, gliding past whitewashed houses with black-tiled roofs and stone bridges, a setting that has earned the city its nickname, the ‘Venice of the East’. Today's visits also include a Silk Factory and Silk Museum, where you can learn about Suzhou’s ancient silk production.

Have lunch at a local restaurant, featuring traditional Suzhou cuisine, before a short transfer to Shanghai. On arrival, check into your centrally located hotel, with dinner at leisure.

After breakfast, head on over to the Oriental Pearl Tower, a symbol of Shanghai’s skyline, and travel up by lift to the observation deck, sitting at 259 meters, to see the city from above and take photos. Head back down to the Shanghai Urban History Development Museum at the base, housing interactive displays and lifelike wax figures that depict the city’s evolution from a small fishing village into a buzzing metropolis.

Next, stroll along the Bund, Shanghai’s famous riverside promenade, where colonial-era buildings sit opposite the futuristic skyscrapers of Pudong. Afterwards, enjoy some free time on East Nanjing Road, a pedestrian street and the most well known in China, perfect for shopping. Lunch is served at a local restaurant with traditional Chinese dishes.

This evening will be at leisure, or you can experience the magic of Shanghai after dark with an evening cruise along the Huangpu River, where the city’s skyline and Bund are illuminated. Glide past the futuristic skyscrapers of Pudong, including the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower, while admiring the colonial-era architecture lining the Bund. This hour-long cruise offers incredible photo opportunities and a relaxing way to see the city at night with a knowledgeable guide.

Have breakfast at the hotel this morning and continue sightseeing at your own pace. 

You can also choose to join an optional city tour of Shanghai. Begin at Fuxing Park, where you can observe locals engaging in morning exercises, singing, and social activities. Next, explore the Xintiandi district, a lively commercial and entertainment area developed from renovated Shikumen (Stone Gate) houses. These unique residences, originating in the late 19th century, feature stone-framed gateways, black wooden doors, and small inner courtyards. Stroll through the narrow alleys, or Nongtang, which were once the heart of Shanghai’s community life, before stopping for lunch to taste Shanghai Xiaolongbao (delicate soup-filled dumplings with thin wrappers and rich, flavourful broth).   

Return to the hotel later on for another evening at leisure in Shanghai.  

Once you’ve had breakfast this morning, you’ll be free to explore or unwind at leisure. If you’d prefer to recharge, you can make the most of the hotel’s steam rooms or perhaps soak up city-wide views from its sleek bar area.  

Those in favour of a more active day’s exploration can find plenty more memorable highlights with a return to the ultra-modern Pudong district. Of particular interest is the Pudong Art Museum, which showcases the evolution of Chinese artwork throughout the centuries, and Century Park, a 140-hectare urban oasis in heart of the district. If you were impressed by Shanghai’s skyline earlier in the week, this is also the perfect opportunity to see each towering skyscraper up close. 

It’s another easy-going day on China’s east coast, and after breakfast at the hotel, you can spend it however you see fit. If you haven’t already, why not head to the elegant Puxi district, west of the Huangpu River. This charming neighbourhood, which is known for its Ming-Dynasty gardens and colonial-era enclaves, is considered the classical heart of Shanghai by many, and it’s ideal for a leisurely afternoon’s exploration. 

Enjoy a final morning and afternoon at leisure in Shanghai, ticking off any remaining wish-list sights once you’ve had breakfast. Later tonight, you’ll travel independently by pre-arranged private taxi to Shanghai airport for your overnight flight home.  

Land in the UK early today.