ITINERARY IN DETAILS

A ten-day, one-way odyssey that descends from imperial Beijing to the misty chasms of the Three Gorges and finishes among the spicy cliffs and cable-cars of Chongqing. Bullet trains, river cruisers, mountain roads and city metros shuttle you between Forbidden-City throne halls, Great-Wall battlements, world-record dams, ghost-town legends, stilt-house night-scapes and karst tiankengs. Every day is now triple-split into Morning, Afternoon, Evening, with doubled narrative detail, zero hotel names and no budget figures—just time-of-day guidance to keep you immersed.

Day 1 Forbidden City & Tiananmen Square
Morning – Arrive Beijing Capital/Daxing, take the Airport Express to the city heart and step onto the vast flagstones of Tiananmen Square. Walk the length of the plaza, pausing at the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Great Hall of the People and the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, while the national flag flutters above the sea of visitors.
Afternoon – Cross beneath the portrait of Mao and enter the Forbidden City through the Meridian Gate. Wander the outer-court marble terraces of Hall of Supreme Harmony, the inner-court palaces of Heavenly Purity and Earthly Tranquility, then linger in the Treasure Gallery among jade seals and imperial clocks.
Evening – Slip out of the north gate as palace lanterns flicker on, climb Jingshan’s Wanchun Pavilion for a golden sunset over the sea of scarlet roofs, then descend into nearby hutongs for Beijing’s signature roast duck and steaming bowls of hot-and-sour soup.

Day 2 Great Wall & Hutong Culture
Morning – Board the early S2 suburban train or a private car to Badaling. Hike the winding wall from North Tower One to North Tower Eight, tracing battlements that snake across pine-clad ridges and pausing inside beacon towers where ancient soldiers once lit smoke signals.
Afternoon – Return to Beijing and pedal or stroll into Nanluoguxiang. Duck into side courtyards to sip jasmine tea with hutong residents, photograph grey-brick arches draped in ivy and sample candied hawthorn and yoghurt cups from street vendors.
Evening – Drift farther into the hutong maze, discovering tiny craft studios and lanterned bars; end with Peking-opera snippets drifting from a teahouse doorway and a final bowl of zhajiang noodles under the stars.

Day 3 Beijing to Yichang
Morning – Board a high-speed train from Beijing West, settle into a window seat and watch wheat fields give way to misty river valleys while the carriage rocks gently southward.
Afternoon – Arrive at Yichang East, transfer to the city center and take a leisurely stroll along the Yangtze embankment. Breathe in river humidity, photograph river barges sliding past and enjoy a first taste of Yichang’s fragrant citrus.
Evening – Wander Yiling Old Street’s lantern-lit lanes, taste spicy river-snail noodles and stinky tofu, then rest early—tomorrow the Three Gorges adventure begins.

Day 4 Yichang City & Three Gorges Dam
Morning – Drive to the Three Gorges Dam visitor center, ride the elevator to the observation deck and gaze across the vast concrete wall holding back a lake the size of a sea; interactive exhibits explain turbine mechanics and the monumental relocation effort.
Afternoon – Return to Yichang city and meander Binjiang Park’s riverside paths, watching ferries and cargo ships glide beneath the skyline. Pop into Yiling Old Market for candied kumquats and hand-woven bamboo crafts.
Evening – Board a riverside restaurant terrace for steamed Wuchang fish and sweet glutinous rice cakes while the Yangtze flows quietly under neon bridges.

Day 5 Three Gorges Cruise Embarkation
Morning – Step aboard the gleaming white cruise ship, settle into your cabin and watch the riverbank slide away as the vessel glides into Xiling Gorge—the longest, deepest of the Three Gorges—its limestone cliffs mirrored in jade water.
Afternoon – Disembark at a Shennv Creek tributary for a short hike through bamboo groves and hanging coffins, then re-board for tea-time on the sun deck while calligraphy artists demonstrate ink painting.
Evening – Dine on regional specialties in the ship’s banquet hall, join a crew-led mah-jongg lesson or simply watch the gorge walls glow under starlight from the open deck.

Day 6 Xiao Sanxia & Xiao Xiao Sanxia
Morning – Cruise into Xiao Sanxia (Lesser Three Gorges), where sheer cliffs plunge straight into emerald water and hanging vines brush the rail; smaller boats weave through the narrowest passages for up-close photography.
Afternoon – Continue into Xiao Xiao Sanxia (Mini Three Gorges), hike a plank walkway cut into the cliff face, listen to boatmen sing river songs and spot monkeys leaping between bamboo stalks.
Evening – Back on the mother ship, attend a crew talent show or lie on deck chairs watching the Milky Way spill across the gorge like powdered light.

Day 7 Baidi City & Fengdu Ghost Town
Morning – Tie up at Baidi City’s river landing and climb the ancient citadel where Liu Bei once entrusted his son; panoramic terraces offer a sweeping view of the Yangtze bending below like liquid jade.
Afternoon – Transfer to Fengdu Ghost Town, wander under the arched Gate of Hell, cross the Bridge of Helplessness and peer into demon-painted halls where Taoist legends spring to life in vivid sculpture.
Evening – Return to the ship for a farewell banquet—spicy river fish, lotus-root soup and folk-dance performances—while the vessel glides toward the mountain city of Chongqing.

Day 8 Chongqing City & Yangtze Cable Car
Morning – Disembark and dive straight into the vertical city—ride the Yangtze River Cable Car across the chasm, watching barges thread the silver ribbon far below and skyscrapers stack like Lego blocks up the cliff.
Afternoon – Wander Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street’s fashion boutiques and snack alleys, then descend to Hongya Cave’s multi-tiered stilt houses perched over the river, their wooden balconies glowing under red lanterns.
Evening – Climb to a rooftop bar for hotpot broth bubbling beneath Chongqing’s constellation of neon signs reflected in the dark Yangtze.

Day 9 Ciqikou Ancient Town & Wulong Tiankeng
Morning – Board a river-valley bus to Ciqikou Ancient Town, its flagstone lanes lined with Ming-Qing timbered houses, tea houses and stalls selling chili peanuts and hand-pulled candy.
Afternoon – Continue to Wulong Tiankeng, a World Natural Heritage site where limestone cliffs drop into a hidden forested crater; hike suspended walkways, photograph hanging waterfalls and listen to the echo of your footsteps in the giant bowl of stone.
Evening – Return to Chongqing for a last bowl of dan-dan noodles and a riverside stroll beneath the glowing cable-cars.

Day 10 Chongqing Departure
Morning – Enjoy a leisurely breakfast of Chongqing xiaomian (small noodles) and soy milk while watching the Yangtze shimmer in early light. If time allows, pick up last-minute souvenirs—mountain peppercorns, hotpot base packets, hand-carved mah-jongg tiles.
Afternoon – Choose your onward train or flight—bullet rail back to Beijing or direct flights to other cities—while the memory of gorges, cliffs, cable-cars and spice lingers like the echo of a river song.

Day 1 - Forbidden City & Tiananmen Square

Day 2 - Great Wall & Hutong Culture

Day 3 - Beijing to Yichang

Day 4 - Yichang City & Three Gorges Dam

Day 5 - Three Gorges Cruise Embarkation

Day 6 - Xiao Sanxia & Xiao Xiao Sanxia

Day 7 - Baidi City & Fengdu Ghost Town

Day 8 - Chongqing City & Yangtze Cable Car

Day 9 - Ciqikou Ancient Town & Wulong Tiankeng

Day 10 - Chongqing Departure