The Yangtze and the Imperial Cities
Shanghai · Yangtze · Chongqing · Xi'an · Beijing · 12 days
Four days of river cruising, plus Shanghai, Xi'an and Beijing.
Twelve days from Shanghai to Beijing, with four days of Yangtze cruising in the middle. You start in Shanghai, travel by high-speed train to Yichang and board there. After the Three Gorges you leave the ship in Chongqing and continue to Xi'an for the Terracotta Army and to Beijing for the Great Wall. Four nights on board in an outside cabin with full board. Accommodation in hotels of local 4-star category, the ship in local 5-star category. Minimum number of participants: 2. Group size maximum 15.
from 1.590 € per person in double room
Single supplement from 640 € · Dates on request
International flights are not included and must be booked separately.
Dates & Conditions for this trip
Departures 2026: 14 Oct | 21 Oct | 11 Nov. Prices for 2026 departures differ, please enquire.
Shore excursions during the cruise may change depending on weather and navigation conditions.
Price varies by departure date. Non-binding indication per person in a double room, as of 08/2026, subject to change. The binding tour price is confirmed in your individual offer.
International flights are not included. On request we will quote flights at the current fare.
Minimum number of participants: 2. If this number is not reached, we may withdraw from the contract up to 20 days before departure. Group size maximum 15.
The specific hotels are named in your individual offer. Changes within the stated local category remain reserved.
Day by Day.
Arrival in Shanghai
Arrival at Shanghai airport. Your local guide meets you and takes you to the hotel. Depending on arrival time there is room for your own exploring.
Old town, Shanghai Tower and the Bund
A round through the old town shows how Shanghai looked towards the end of the Qing dynasty, with the Yu Garden in its middle. Then the Urban Planning Exhibition Centre on People's Square, or alternatively the Shanghai Museum, followed by the Shanghai Tower with its view from 561 metres. To close, the Bund, with the trading houses of the colonial era on one side and the Pudong skyline on the other, and a walk along Nanjing Road.
By train to Yichang
Shanghai lies where the Yangtze meets the East China Sea. Today a good seven-hour journey by high-speed train takes you upriver to Yichang, where your ship is waiting in port. You take your outside cabin and begin four days on China's largest river.
Through the Three Gorges
The voyage passes through the Three Gorges, which differ markedly from one another, from narrow and steep passages to gently rising banks with fields and orchards. Planned excursions include the Three Gorges Dam, a boat trip on a tributary and the Snow Jade Cave at Fengdu or the Xiao Guan Shan Folk Culture Park. The excursion programme may change depending on weather and navigation conditions.
Chongqing and on to Xi'an
Breakfast on board, then arrival in Chongqing, with over 30 million inhabitants the largest city in China. You leave the ship and go to the observation deck of Raffles City, where the swing over the city can be booked locally for an extra charge. Afterwards transfer to the station and on by high-speed train to Xi'an. If time allows, the evening is free for a first walk through the old town.
Terracotta Army
The Terracotta Army of the first emperor Qin Shi Huang was among the first Chinese sites on the UNESCO list. You see the three excavated pits and the hall with the bronze chariots. In the afternoon the Great Wild Goose Pagoda in the Temple of Great Maternal Grace and the Great Mosque in the old town. As the end of the Silk Road, Xi'an has brought many cultures together since the Han dynasty.
City wall and journey to Beijing
After breakfast the city wall of Xi'an. Then transfer to the station; the express train takes about five hours to Beijing, followed by the transfer to your hotel.
Summer Palace and Great Wall
The Summer Palace on Kunming Lake, known for the Marble Boat and the 700-metre corridor. In the afternoon to the Great Wall at Mutianyu, north of the city and less visited than other sections. By cable car up to the wall, returning to Beijing in the evening.
Tian'anmen, Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven
The day begins on Tian'anmen Square with the mausoleum and the Monument to the People's Heroes. Behind the Gate of Heavenly Peace lies the Forbidden City, where you see the halls of the Outer Court and the smaller buildings of the former private quarters. In the afternoon the Temple of Heaven in the south of the city.
Departure
Depending on your flight time, transfer to the airport for your return or onward journey.
Sample program, subject to change. Minimum number of participants: 2.
What is included.
Included services
- Accommodation as per programme in a double room with bath or shower and WC, breakfast daily, full board during the cruise
- Four nights on board in an outside cabin with bath or shower and WC, including three lunches, three dinners and four breakfasts
- Local German-speaking guides in Shanghai, Xi'an and Beijing
- English-speaking guide on board during the Yangtze cruise
- Transfers, admissions and sightseeing as per programme
- Rail journeys as per programme, high-speed train, 2nd class
- Air-conditioned vehicles of local standard
Not included
- International flights, arrival in Shanghai and departure from Beijing
- Visa, where required for your nationality. We advise on current entry and visa requirements with the offer
- Personal expenses
- Meals and drinks not listed in the programme
- Tips for guides, drivers and porters
- The swing at Raffles City in Chongqing and other optional activities
Send an inquiry
Tell us your wishes regarding date, route, and group size. We will get back to you personally with a suitable proposal.
Mon–Fri 9:00–18:00 · Response usually on the next working day