5 days 4 nights Yichang to Chongqing Yangtze River Cruise is the upstream of the Three Gorges line, taking 1 more day than the downstream. In 2025, all luxury Yangtze River Cruise companies also run the downstream cruise, from Chongqing to Yichang. If you prefer the upstream cruises, please refer to the Chongqing to Yichang Yangtze River Cruise 2025/2025 >>
Yichang to Chongqing Yangtze River Cruise 2024/2025
The Yangtze River cruise from Yichang to Chongqing sails 5 days and 4 nights upstream along the river. During the five-day journey along the essence part, travelers can indulge in a leisurely tour, enjoying the perfect relaxing pace while admiring the modern cities and the natural beauty of the Three Gorges. Highly recommended cultural and historical places of interest with pieces of classic poetry can also be explored. Moreover, one can spend a wonderful time on luxury cruises manned by professional staff.
Let’s check the sample itinerary, popular cruise ships and travel tips at below to start planning your Yichang Chongqing Yangtze River cruise in 2025.
Cruise Itinerary (Yichang to Chongqing)
— 5 days & 4 nights at a quick glance
Day 1: Yichang Embarkation
— Board your ship at Maoping Port, except Yangtze 1
Day 2: Yichang
— Tribe of the Three Gorges, Three Gorges Dam……
Day 3: Wushan - Fengjie
— Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, Shennong Stream……
Day 4: Fengdu or Zhongxian
— Fengdu Ghost City……
Day 5: Chongqing Disembarkation
— Chaotianmen Dock, around 9:00 a.m.
Upstream or Downstream
Besides upstream cruises from Yichang to Chongqing, there are also downstream cruises from Chongqing to Yichang, which offer the same level of enjoyment of nature and culture but save 1 day onboard. More things to be noticed:
1) Time Consuming:
♦ Yichang to Chongqing: 5 days & 4 nights
♦ Chongqing to Yichang: 4 days & 3 nights
2) Shore Excursions:
♦ In most cases, the optional site - Tribe of the Three Gorges, is offered by upstream cruises, so if you are interested in visiting the site, taking the upstream cruises would be a wise choice.
♦ The spectacle live performance - Feng Yan San Guo Show (optional) only provided by downstream cruises. If you are attracted to the performance and would like to listen to the story of Guan Yu(关羽) and the Three Kingdoms, choose downstream cruises!
♦ If you choose to take the upstream ships with Victoria Cruises or Yangtze Explorer, which docks at Fengjie on the third day, you will have a more varied choice of attractions to go ashore. In addition to the classic attraction of White Emperor City, there is also the new hit attraction, called Three Gorges Summit, which offers a panoramic view of the Qutang Gorge, for you to consider.
♦ One of the all-inclusive upstream packages of Yangtze Explorer offers a special treat to the UNESCO World Heritage site - Shennongjia National Nature Reserve, where you will get up to the essence part of the reserve to explore its best nature wonders.
3) Transportation Tips | Ship Embarkation and Disembarkation:
♦ Unlike Chaotianmen Dock, located in the centre of Chongqing downtown, Maoping Port is about 62 km northwest of Yichang city centre (Three Gorges Center Tourist Terminal), taking 1-1.5 hours by car/bus. On the upstream cruise boarding day, cruise companies arrange complimentary shuttle buses at two gathering places, Three Gorges Center Tourist Terminal and Yichang East Railway Station, in the late afternoon. Guests can take a bus there and get to Maoping Port for free. For more tips for ship boarding, please refer to: How to Get to Yangtze Cruise Ports >>
♦ On the last day of the upstream cruise, you will usually leave the cruise at Chaotianmen Dock. The Chaotianmen Dock is still under reconstruction, and no lift is currently available to take you to the exit or the main road. So travelers are required to climb hundreds of steep wooden ladders to reach the exit. If you are physically inconvenienced, please inform your travel consultant in advance, and they can help you with solutions.
With the above information given, if you prefer a downstream Yangtze River Cruise, please check more details at 4 days and 3 nights Chongqing to Yichang Yangtze River Cruise 2025/2025 >>
2025 Popular Yichang to Chongqing Cruise Ships
There are 20+ Yangtze River cruise ships sailing upstream from Yichang to Chongqing in 2025 with high standard facilities and amenities, praised services, delicious food, exciting activities and other entertainments, and recommendations from many cruise travellers and famous websites. Select your ideal ship to cruise from Yichang to Chongqing in 2025.
If you want to see other cruises, you can go and check all Yangtze River Cruise Ships 2025/2025 to have more options.
5 Days & 4 Nights Yichang to Chongqing Yangtze River Cruise Sample Itinerary
Compared to downstream itineraries, different cruise companies offer a wider variety of shore excursions upstream. However, the overall path remains unchanged. In brief summary: Cruise passengers spend two days in Yichang. The first day is for transit and embarkation. On the second day, tourists usually visit Yichang’s top attractions, like the Three Gorges Dam Site, Ship Lift, and Tribe of the Three Gorges. Afterwards, the cruise departs from Maoping Port in the evening and heads towards the Three Gorges highlights. On the third day, most cruise ships will dock at Wu County and Fengjie for onshore exploration, which are the top places to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Wu Gorge and Qutang Gorge. On the fourth day, all cruise ships except the Yangtze Explorer will stop in Fengdu for a nearby attraction visit. After breakfast on the last day, guests will disembark from their 5-day and 4-night cruise vacation at Chaotianmen Dock in Chongqing.
(The information given below is only for your reference. It might change slightly depending on the different cruise companies’ arrangements.)
Yichang to Chongqing Yangtze River Cruise Map (Click to Enlarge)
Day 1 Yichang Embarkation
| Time | Itinerary |
|---|---|
| Afternoon & Evening | Gather at Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal or Yichang East Railway Station to get the arranged bus to Maoping Port for embarkation |
Today’s Highlights & Tips:
- ♦ Yichang City, holding the Three Gorges Dam Site (三峡大坝) and the Gezhouba Hydropower Station (葛洲坝), is reputed as the “City of Hydropower in the World”. In addition, Yichang is a significant place where ancient Chinese culture flourished, and renowned poets created timeless poems, attracting both domestic and international tourists to experience its rich history and natural beauty. Yichang Things to Do >>
Day 1 Yichang Embarkation
Day 2 Yichang (B, L, D)
| Time | Destination | Itinerary |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Yichang City 宜昌市 |
Tribe of the Three Gorges
|
| Afternoon | Three Gorges Dam Site 三峡大坝
|
Today’s Highlights & Tips:
- ♦ The Three Gorges Dam (三峡大坝) is the largest and most complicated hydropower project in the whole world, which was designed and constructed for the benefits of navigation, flood control, river shipping, and tourism, etc. It is an extremely popular site for witness the project of human beings and comfortable sightseeing of natural flowers and floras, flood discharging and so on. Three Gorges Dam details >>
- ♦ Can you imagine a 3,000-tonne ship climbing 113 metres in just 40 minutes like riding a lift? The Three Gorges Ship Lift (升船机) is the world’s largest ship lift project and a technical marvel that provides an unforgettable experience. This is a one-of-a-kind travel experience that will last a lifetime. Don’t miss it!
- ♦ Tribe of the Three Gorges (三峡人家), one of the best complimented scenic spots by foreign cruise visitors and is superb to get close to the particularly tranquil, primitive and nice sightseeing of villages on water, on the mountain and off brook with fine exploration of the interesting folk custom of Tujia minority people. Tribe of the Three Gorges details >>
- ♦ Notice: Yangtze Explorer’s Wuyuan Cave (无源洞) and Shennongjia (神农架) upstream itineraries do not include visiting the Three Gorges Dam Site. So, if you decide that’s the place you would like to explore, don’t choose Yangtze Explorer. Otherwise, the cruise will offer you the most exploratory and meaningful journey with super-5-star one-to-one private service and onboard enjoyments.
Day 2 Yichang (B, L, D)
Day 3 Three Gorges | Wushan - Fengjie (B, L, D)
| Time | Destinations | Itinerary |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Wu County (Wu Gorge) 巫县 (巫峡) |
Shennv Stream
|
| Afternoon | Fengjie (Qutang Gorge) 奉节 (瞿塘峡) |
White Emperor City 白帝城
|
Today’s Highlights & Tips:
- ♦ Wu Gorge (巫峡) is famous for its elegant and serene sightseeing, continuous towering mountains surrounded by clouds and mists, deep gorge cliff, and so on, making it full of poetic romance. That’s why many famous ancient Chinese poets and celebrities have compliment Wu Gorge in their immortal compositions. And Qutang Gorge (瞿塘峡) is featured with the rapid rolling water at the narrow riverway, which makes it majestic and precipitous. Sailing through the gorges offers the best moments to marvel at the fantastic skill of nature and take amazing photos. Three Gorges details >>
- ♦ Shennong Stream (神农溪) is a totally 60 kilometers long. It is very famous for its tranquil and primitive sightseeing. Taking the local small boat to sail on the emerald water, watching the waterfalls, mists and fogs on the surface of the stream, feeling the minority ethnic customs and listening to the local popular tune of the boat tracker… In such a harmonious wonderland, time will be frozen in a wonderful minute to immerse people in the happiness and leisure along the Yangtze River. Shennong Stream details >>
- ♦ Goddess Sky Road (神女天路) and Three Gorges Summit (三峡之巅) are two the rising stars of viewing platforms to enjoy the panoramic view of the Three Gorges.
- ♦ In order to provide visitors with a quiet enjoyment of small boat rowing through lofty mountains and high ranges, different cruise companies choose different tributaries to arrange shore excursions. Besides Shennong Stream, Shennv Stream (神女溪) and Lesser Three Gorges (小三峡) offer the same kind of experience. Shennv Stream | Lesser Three Gorges details >>
Day 3 Three Gorges | Wushan - Fengjie
Day 4 Fengdu (B, L, D)
| Time | Destinations | Itinerary |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime | Fengdu 丰都 |
Fengdu Ghost City 丰都鬼城
|
| Zhongxian 忠县 |
Shibaozhai Pagoda 石宝寨
|
Today’s Highlights & Tips:
- ♦ Shibaozhai Pagoda (石宝寨) is reputed as the “Pearl on the Yangtze River” and one of the world 8 strange structures by the Discovery Channel in America. Its 12-story red pagoda was constructed with wood, leaning the mountain, making this building a great place to seek interesting climbing and an excellent site for sceneries and stories. Shibaozhai Pagoda details >>
- ♦ Fengdu Ghost City (丰都鬼城), the national only one shine for the leader of the underworld and the only place to show the Chinese culture of the afterlife, which gathers the cultures and customs of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, telling people the consequences of doing good and bad things in their lifetime.
- ♦ Besides Fengdu Ghost City, Fengdu County also boosts natural wonders for visitors to explore; for instance, there are Karst Cave - Snow Jade Cave (雪玉洞), Karst landscapes Tiankeng and Difeng at Mt. Wuling Great Rift Valley (武陵山大峡谷) and the verdant Mount Shuanggui (双桂山). More about Fengdu Attractions >>
Day 4 Fengdu or Zhongxian
Day 5 Chongqing Disembarkation (B)
| Time | Itinerary |
|---|---|
| Morning | Leave the ship at Chongqing Chaotianmen Dock (重庆朝天门码头) after breakfast |
Today’s Highlights & Tips:
- ♦ Chongqing (重庆) is a major municipality in China that serves as a hub for politics, economy, culture, technology, education, creativity, and art. In this city built on the mountain landform, you can enjoy facilitated transportation, various local food, such as hot pot, and many worthwhile sites like E’ling Park (鹅岭公园), Hongya Cave (洪崖洞), Ciqikou Ancient Town (磁器口古镇), Three Gorges Museum (三峡博物馆), etc. Chonqing Travel Guide details >>
Day 5 Chongqing Disembarkation
Note:
1. Different Yangtze River cruise ships have unique itineraries and maps, including detailed information about the sites and times from Yichang to Chongqing. Please check your specific favorite ship to see the detailed info.
2. In addition to each day’s shore excursions, Yangtze River cruise companies also arrange diverse and colorful events and activities onboard, including a welcome party, morning Taichi exercises and the cruise’s talented show, etc. Please check details at Yangtze River Cruise onboard experience, 2025 updated>>
3. Except for the shore excursions arranged by the cruise company, tourists are not allowed to leave the ship personally or go on independent journeys during the docking periods. We urge our guests to be aware of this rule of the Yangtze River cruise line and to comply with it. Thank you!
4. About Ship Lift: During the peak season, the Ship Lift activity has been in full swing. Demand exceeds supply. So, a large crowd of people from different ships will be on the boat. In more extreme cases, you may not be able to get a seat but stand. It is recommended to carefully consider joining the program if you are concerned about the impact of a large number of tourists on your experience.
If you still have other information that you are unclear about, don't hesitate to get in touch with our professional travel consultant for help.
If you prefer the upstream cruises, please refer to the Chongqing to Yichang Yangtze River Cruise 2025/2025 >>
How to Plan a China Yangtze Tour?
♦ 2025 Yangtze River Cruise Routes:
- 4 Days Chongqing to Yichang; 5 Days Yichang to Chongqing;
- 4 Days Wuhan to Nanjing; 4 Days Nanjing to Wuhan;
- 10 Days Chongqing to Nanjing; 10 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
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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
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