Best Time to Take a Yangtze River Cruise 2025/2026
When is the best time to go on a cruise on the Yangtze River in China? However, the “BEST” time might be different according to whether you are looking for the months for the most beautiful sightseeing, most comfortable weather, or the best prices.
Actually, all months are good time to enjoy the Yangtze River cruise, and you could get different but great and unforgettable experience if go in different seasons.
Spring and Autumn are two peak seasons for the comfortable weather and best splendid sceneries of the Yangtze River. Summer is the best season for family tour with nice discounts. And winter is the best time to enjoy the low price and less crowded environment.
You can check each season and the detail months to select the best time match your needs and start your visit to Yangtze River cruise in China.
Spring & Autumn – Best Time for the Best Weather & Sceneries
Spring on the Yangtze River is mainly from March to May. The temperature gradually rises up and various flowers blooming lush and verdant to treat your eyes. You could have a really comfortable experience while visiting the shore excursion sites along the river. Although, it rains increasingly during spring, you can also enjoy the warm sunshine and the nice natural view of the Three Gorges and other famous attractions.
Yangtze River spends the best autumn season during September and November. The not too hot and not too cold weather would give you a comfortable and relaxing holiday. There are fewer fresh flowers than in spring season, however, the charming sceneries and view of the countless rich fruits like local oranges covering all the hills on the two banks still are praised by numerous visitors and recorded by their cameras.
However, during the Labor Holiday (around May 1st) and the National Holiday (mainly during late September and Middle October), travellers usually travel to release their pressure, so there would be many people. So if you want to enjoy the Yangtze River cruise, you are suggested avoid such crowded periods.
Summer – Best Time for Family Tours
June to August is the summer season on the Yangtze. Though it is really hot outside, all Yangtze River cruises have been facilitated with advanced central air-conditioners to give you a COOL summer. Moreover, the multiple activities, delicious food and beverages, and luxury cabins and suites are prepared with high standards for your retreat holiday with your children on summer vacation and other family members. Besides, with fewer travellers onboard, you would enjoy the cruise with so nice discounts, better than during the peak seasons.
Winter – Best Time for the Best Prices
It comes to winter during December to the next February along the Yangtze River. during this season, especially in December, the Three Gorges is dyed into fiery red by the full mountains of red leaves, which is really impressive and splendid. In this off season, the level of water becomes low, so there are fewer cruise ships sailing on the Yangtze River.
But to enable you enjoy the still pretty sightseeing of the Yangtze and the Three Gorges, the Victoria Cruises and Century Cruises offer the winter deals with the best low prices, which give you a big saving for enjoying more destinations in China. Furthermore, in winter season, there are much fewer travellers, so you can totally enjoy the Yangtze River cruise with less crowded but more space onboard.
Spring Peach Flowers at Three Gorges
Summer Sunset at Yangtze River
Red Leaves in Autumn
Three Gorges in Winter
Weather of Major Yangtze River Cruise Port Cities
Since your Yangtze River cruise stars and ends at the port cities, knowing about the weather there are better for your preparation of the cruise trip. Let’s see the weather in the major port cities at below.
Chongqing
Chongqing belongs to the subtropical monsoon moist climate zone, with an annual average temperature of 16-18℃. Known as the “hot city” in China, Chongqing has very hot summer with the highest temperature over 35℃ and over 40℃ for extreme conditions. It is also called the “City of Fog”, it usually foggy totally for 100 days averagely every year and moist during four seasons. Check more details about Chongqing weather.
Yichang
Yichang also has a subtropical monsoon moist climate. It has four distinct seasons, with the raining and hot seasons appear at the same time, and the drought and cold seasons the same time. The average precipitation is about 1,245.6mm every year, and annual average temperature is about 16.9℃.
Find a Cruise | Top Recommended Ships & Prices
In the year of 2025, there are over 20 cruise ships sailing on the Yangtze River. And here at below are the most popular ones, recommended by professionals and our delighted Yangtze River cruisers, with reasonable prices, high standard facilities, great services, tasteful food and beverages, amazing shore excursions, rich onboard activities and so forth. Choose your favorite one to see the details of the ship before planning your Yangtze River cruise vacation!
If you have any questions or haven't decided which routes/ships to choose, just tell our travel consultants, they will help to customize your special Yangtze River tour sincerely!
How to Plan a China Yangtze Tour?
♦ 2025 Yangtze River Cruise Routes:
- 4 Days Chongqing to Yichang; 5 Days Yichang to Chongqing;
- 10 Days Chongqing to Nanjing; 11 Days Nanjing to Chongqing;
- 11 Days Chongqing to Shanghai; 12 Days Shanghai to Chongqing. More about 2025 all yangtze river cruise routes & itineraries >>
♦ Best Time to Visit:
- Spring and Autumn are two peak seasons for the comfortable weather and best splendid sceneries of the Yangtze River. More about Yangtze River Weather & Best Time to Visit >>
♦ Transportation Tips:
- Flight to Chongqing/Yichang from Beijing/Guangzhou/Shanghai/Hong Kong……
- High Speed Train to Chongqing from Xian/Chengdu/Guilin/Guiyang/Beijing……; High Speed Train to Yichang from Wuhan/Changsha/Beijing/Shanghai……
- Drive from Yichang to Zhangjiajie/Shennongjia/Enshi…… More about How to Get to Yangtze River Cruise Ports >>
Over 90% cruiser would choose the classic Chongqing-Yichang Three Gorges Itinerary, which only takes 4 to 5 days, as their first encounter with the Yangtze River. Then, they will leave some time to visit surrounding highlights or explore famous landing cities. So, a China Yangtze tour can extend from 4 days to a month, or even more.
To/From nearby Hot China Destinations (Chongqing, Chengdu, Zhangjiajie, Guilin…)
— Chongqing(重庆) is known as the most essential starting point for a classic Yangtze River cruise. The city has gained international recognition in recent years for its unique tridimensional cityscape, 8D transportation system, and cyberpunk-style buildings and architecture, which have attracted a growing number of tourists to the city. Usually, a leisure landscape tour in Chongqing city requires 2~3 days. It’s recommended that you extend your journey to the surrounding UNESCO heritage sites like Wulong - the famous Karst Landscape in blockbuster Transformers (1-2 days) and Dazu - the last monumental works in the history of world grottoes art (1 day).
☛ 4 Days Chongqing Essence Tour with Yangtze River Cruise
Useful Links: 1~3 Days Chongqing Tours 2025 | How to Plan a Chongqing Tour >>
Our Guests Take a Photo with Hongya Cave
— Chengdu(成都), a 1~1.5-hour high-speed train from Chongqing, is known as the hometown of the Giant Pandas and UNESCO’s City of Gastronomy. Take 1~2 days to meet these cuties and keep yourself in the “laid-back” living pace like a local while wandering around parks, museums, ancient pedestrian streets, and temples in the downtown area, you will probably understand why people say Chengdu is a city you don't want to leave. Moreover, Chengdu is the gateway to so many UNESCO world heritage sites, including Jiuzhaigou (3 days), Mount Emei (2 days), Leshan Giant Buddha (1 day), Dujiangyan (0.5-1 day), etc., and astonishing hidden plateau - Western Sichuan (3~7 days).
☛ 8 Days Best of Sichuan with Yangtze Cruise Tour (with Chengdu/Emeishan/Leshan)
☛ 8 Days Beauty Tour to Jiuzhaigou & Yangtze River
Useful Links: 1~7 Days Chengdu Tours 2025 | Top Sichuan Tours 2025 | How to Plan a Chengdu Tour >>
Giant Panda Breeding Research Base in Chengdu
— Zhangjiajie(张家界), a 4.5-hour two-train transfer from Yichang, offers the most distinct and iconic landscape of the Hollywood blockbuster Avatar. Let along adrenalin-pumping Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge and frightening skywalks and sharp zigzag driving roads at Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park, the uncanny natural wonders in Zhangjiajie (3~5 Days) attracting countless adventurers and travel addicts from all over the world!
☛ 7 Days Nature Tour to Yangtze River & Zhangjiajie
Useful Links: 3~5 Days Zhangjiajie Tours 2025 | How to Plan a Zhangjiajie Tour >>
Chona from Philippines visited Tianzi Mountain, Zhangjiajie
— Guilin(桂林), located 4-5 hours away by high-speed train from Chongqing, is renowned for its breathtaking scenery, making it a must-visit destination in China. Generally, Li River, Yangshuo County, and Longji Rice Terraces are the three most popular and separate destinations. For most travelers to Guilin, 3-5 days is enough to cover the highlights by using a private car.
☛ 7 Days Idyllic Guilin & Yangtze River Cruise Tour
Useful Links: 3~5 Days Guilin Tours 2025 | How to Plan a Guilin Tour >>
Claire from UK visited Yangshuo Countryside
From/To Classic China Destinations (Beijing/Shanghai/Xian/Hong Kong/Guangzhou…)
Guests who are visiting China for the first time probably would choose Beijing (the capital of China, recommended travel days: 3~4 days), Shanghai (the largest and most developed and populated city of China, recommended travel days: 2~4 days), Guangzhou (the third biggest city in China, recommended travel days: 2~3 days) or Hong Kong (a convenient transit hub with mainland China, recommended travel days: 2~3 days) as their first stop, as all these four destinations process excellent infrastructure and multi-dimensional transportation networks connecting the whole of China. How to arrange your travel route? Our top-pick China Yangtze Tour itineraries may bring you some inspiration!
☛ (Beijing/Xian/Chongqing/Yangtze Cruise/Yichang/Shanghai) 11 Days China Golden Triangle Tour with Yangtze River Cruise
☛ (Beijing/Xian/Chengdu/Yangtze Cruise/Zhangjiajie/Shanghai) 15 Days China Best Treasure Tour with Yangtze Cruise & Zhangjiajie Landscape
☛ (Hong Kong/Guilin/Chengdu/Chongqing/Yangtze Cruise/Yichang/Shanghai) 12 Days China Splendid Tour from Hong Kong
☛ (Shanghai/Yichang/Yangtze Cruise/Chongqing/Chengdu/Lhasa/Xian/Beijing) 17 Days China Yangtze Tour with Tibet & Giant Panda Visit
☛ (Hong Kong/Guilin/Chengdu/Yangtze Cruise/Zhangjiajie/Shanghai/Xian/Beijing) 21 Days China Holiday with Yangtze River Cruise Tour
Useful Links: Yangtze River Cruise Tour from Beijing | Yangtze River Cruise Tour from Shanghai | Yangtze River Cruise Tour from Hong Kong >>
Check more details about 2025 Top China Yangtze Tours >>
Alexia visited Mutianyu Great Wall
Terracotta Warriors, Shared by Chris
Lujiazui, Shanghai
Travel Yangtze River with China Discovery
Have your own ideas of where and what to discover before, during and after the Yangtze River cruise tour? We China Discovery offers many popular and valuable private China tour packages with Yangtze River Cruise vacation taking you to enjoy wonderful exploration of the best highlights of Three Gorges, Chongqing, Yichang, Zhangjiajie, Chengdu, Xian, Guilin, Wuhan, etc. And our professional travel team with experienced travel expert, local English-speaking travel guide and driver and non-smoking comfortable licensed private vehicle will help you throughout the trip from the planning, navigation, hotel arrangement and scenic spot visiting. So you will have the much better travel experience on and around the extensive Yangtze River. You can check our tour packages to get some inspiration. All tours can be tailor-made according to your group size, time, physical condition, plan, interests, budget and any other special need! Please feel free to contact us to customize your own China Yangtze River Cruise trip or if you need any help!
See Our Delighted Customers on Their Yangtze Cruise Trips
Keep Reading
- All Yangtze River Cruise Ships
- Yangtze Cruise Calendar 2025
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- Yichang to Chongqing Cruise
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- Yangtze River Maps 2025
- Yangtze River Cruise Routes
- Yangtze Cruise Dining & Drinking
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- Possible Port Change in Special Period
Recommended Yangtze River Tours
Top 3 Yangtze River tours chosen by most customers to explore Yangtze River in the best way. Check the detailed itinerary, or tailor your own trip now with us.
7 Days Shanghai & Yangtze Cruise Tour (Upstream)
Shanghai / Yichang / Yangtze Cruise / Chongqing
11 Days China Golden Triangle Tour with Yangtze River Cruise
Beijing / Xian / Chongqing / Yangtze Cruise / Yichang / Shanghai
13 Days Classic China Vacation Tour with Yangtze Cruise
Beijing / Xian / Guilin / Yangshuo / Yangtze Cruise / Shanghai
Start planning your tailor-made holiday to China by contacting one of our specialists. Once inquired, you’ll get a response within 0.5~23.5 hours.
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