Yangtze Cruise by Explorer

Dates:	Thursday, June 3 to Sunday, June7
Price:	RMB 9,680 p.p.
	Single Supplement: RMB 4,510 Child w/o extra bed: RMB 4,130
Deposit:	Due by April 30
Balance:	Due by May 14

The Yangtze River is the longest river in China and third longest in the world. To Chinese people it means much more: it is the Mother River of the nation. The famed Three Gorges are upstream, with the grand, steep mountains and the great engineering marvel, the Three Gorges Dam, at the eastern end.

Day 1
Take a late morning flight to Chongqing. Upon arrival, we will be met by a local guide to explore Ciqikou Lu, a street lined with old teahouses, temples and shops. In the evening, we will dine on the most luxurious vessel on Yangtze River, The Yangtze Explorer, before settling into our cabins. The ship will set sail on its downstream course through the Three Gorges region of the river (about 402 miles).

Day 2
Wake up on the Yangtze River. For the shore excursion tour today, we will explore the charming river village known as "Ghost City," noted for its elaborate Daoist Temple.

Day 3
Today, we pass all three Gorges. The first is Qutang Gorge, the shortest, narrowest and most dramatic of the three gorges. Next is the Wu Gorge, noted for its sheer, looming peaks. After passing the Wu Gorge, we arrive at Badong and one of the tributaries, the Shennong Stream. We will take an excursion to Shennong Stream in a small boat dragged by “trackers,” before we return to the ship and continue through the majestic Xiling Gorge where we pass through the ship locks of the Three Gorges Dam project.

Day 4
We start the day with a short visit to the Three Gorges Dam project site, one of the largest hydroelectric projects in the world. The ship docks in Yichang before our transfer to the airport for the flight back to Shanghai.