Downstream from the Future

Overview

Most China routes open in Beijing. This one opens in a city where almost nothing you can see is older than forty years, and closes at the port that faces the sea. In between, two rivers do the moving. The Li River carries you into Yangshuo instead of a road, and the Yangtze carries you through the Three Gorges for three nights while the country goes past the window. Chengdu sits between the two waters as the flat part: pandas in the morning, an afternoon in a teahouse chair that nobody schedules. The plan gets slower as it goes, on purpose. By the ship days you will notice you have stopped asking what time you arrive.

— LyrikTrip travel designers

Every LyrikTrip journey begins with a conversation. Tell us your dates and how many of you are coming, and we work backward from the sailing date, because on this route the ship sets the calendar and everything else follows it. First reply within four hours; a clear price for your dates within one business day. On this route we will also tell you plainly where the ship cabins and the Yangshuo hotel stand before you are asked for anything.

Why you'll love this trip

The south, at river speed. Electronics markets, the Li River, pandas, the Three Gorges, Shanghai's old lanes, with English-speaking guides city by city.
19 days from a Shenzhen components counter to a deck in the Three Gorges. Ride China at river speed.

Walk Huaqiangbei floor by floor with your guide reading the trade to you: components on one floor, prototypes on the next, finished units above that. By the top floor you understand how a thing gets made here.
Arrive in Yangshuo by water, the full run down the Li River from Guilin, so the karst hills come to you one at a time instead of past a car window.
Sit an afternoon in a People's Park teahouse with a gaiwan, the lidded cup China brews in, refilled as long as you stay. The whole afternoon goes by with nowhere to be next.
Stand at Lizi Ba in the evening and watch a light-rail train run straight through a residential building, at the level of somebody's living room.
Spend three nights on the Yangtze and take the gorges from the deck, standing outside as the cliffs close in at Qutang and stay closed for the length of the passage.
Print a sheet by hand in Shanghai, the woodblock watermark way the city's studios have printed pictures for generations, and take your own sheet home.
Unpack once for four nights in Yangshuo, and three or more nights in every other key city on the route, so eighteen nights come with only six hotel check-ins ashore.

Things to do

Huaqiangbei electronics market, Shenzhen

High-speed rail, Shenzhen to Guilin, Shenzhen to Guilin

Li River cruise boat, the full run, Guilin to Yangshuo

Li River bamboo raft, the Xingping reach, Yangshuo

Teahouse sitting in People's Park, Chengdu

Market visit and Sichuan cooking class, Chengdu

High-speed rail, Chengdu to Chongqing, Chengdu to Chongqing

Chongqing stacked city walking route, Chongqing

Yangtze ship, three nights aboard, Chongqing to Yichang

Three Gorges Summit or Baidicheng, Yangtze

Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge passages, Yangtze

Evening stage performance aboard, Yangtze

Yu Garden: Older than the Skyline, Shanghai

Shenzhen science and technology museum, Shenzhen

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Itinerary

Arrivals

Shenzhen · Day 1 - Day 3

Day 1 · Land in the newest city

Nothing is scheduled today, whatever time your flight gets in. The country you are about to spend nineteen days on starts with its youngest forty years.

Arrival Shenzhen's airport sits on the delta west of the city, and the run in goes through a skyline that did not exist when most of our guests were at school. Whether your order includes the arrival transfer is stated in writing in your quote before you book, because that arrangement is still being settled.

Evening Nothing is arranged. Your guide is reachable, and dinner near the hotel is recommended and booked for you if you want it, on your account.

Day 2 · How a thing gets made

A market first, a museum second, in that order for a reason. See the trade running before you see the city explain itself.

Huaqiangbei electronics market Reels of resistors by the drawer, then boards, then whole units in boxes. The same product is visible at three stages of its life on three different floors. Your guide reads the counters as you pass them, and the walk runs at the pace of your questions rather than a fixed loop.

Shenzhen city exhibition One venue of two, either the urban planning exhibition hall or the industrial museum, both answering the question the morning raises: how did this get here in forty years. The venue for your departure is named in your written confirmation, and it is indoors and seated in parts, which suits the afternoon after a morning on your feet.

Day 3 · The company that flies

One visit in the morning, and the rest of the day is yours. Shenzhen is a city better understood by walking it than by ticking it off.

DJI Sky City visit The headquarters complex of the drone maker founded in this city. We hold no record of the site's admission rules, so what is shown and how long the visit runs is stated in your written confirmation rather than promised here, and your guide has the confirmed arrangement in hand on the day.

Free afternoon The parks, the waterfront and the shopping streets are all within a short ride, and almost nothing you pass was standing forty years ago. Your guide writes down three walks at three different lengths before leaving you to it.

High-speed rail

Guilin · Day 4

Day 4 · Out of the delta

A slow morning, then three hours of railway. The country changes shape through the window, and the second half of the trip begins here.

Free morning Bags go with the vehicle, so the last Shenzhen hours belong to you rather than to a checkout deadline.

High-speed rail to Guilin About three hours. Factory towns and canals give way to fields, and then the limestone towers begin standing up out of them, first one, then a hundred. Seat class for your order is written into your quote before you book.

Guilin, one night A stopover night, not a sightseeing stop. Dinner is recommended near the hotel and the evening is left empty on purpose, because tomorrow is a river day.

Li River cruise

Yangshuo · Day 5 - Day 8

Day 5 · Arrive by water

The whole day is the boat, and the boat is the transfer. Reach Yangshuo the way the town was reached before there was a road.

Li River cruise boat, Guilin to Yangshuo The full run downstream, most of a day. Hills come one at a time, each one changing shape as you pass it, and between them are water buffalo, bamboo and villages with a few boats tied up. Nothing else is scheduled today, so the deck is where the day happens.

Into Yangshuo You step off at the town's own landing with four nights ahead of you in one hotel, which means this is the last time you touch a suitcase until day 9.

Day 6 · The rhythm you pedal

A half day along a small river, at whatever speed you choose. The countryside here is not scenery you look at, it is a distance you cross.

Yulong River ride Paths between rice fields and farmhouses, with the peaks standing at the end of every straight stretch. Bicycle, electric bike or a seated vehicle: three levels of the same route at no difference in price, so the group does not split by fitness.

Riverside afternoon tea Mid-afternoon, tea set out by the water, the peaks standing in the river beside the table. About an hour, and the ride resumes only when the group is ready.

Day 7 · The hill on the money

A light day, with the river taken twice, from a town and from the water. Hold up a banknote and find you are standing inside the picture.

Xingping old town Old street frontage, a working ferry landing and a market street that still sells to the people who live here. About two hours, unhurried, with time to sit down.

Li River bamboo raft, the Xingping reach Down on the quiet water under the Nine Horses cliff, the stretch printed on the back of China's 20-yuan banknote. Sitting a hand's width above the surface makes the hills twice the size they were from the boat. Life vests are provided and the raft carries a few people at a time.

Early night The evening ends by 21:00, because tomorrow starts before the sky does.

Day 8 · Ten minutes of light

Up in the dark, on foot, for one short window at the top. What the light does to these hills is the reason the alarm is worth it.

Xianggong Hill sunrise Stone steps in the dark with headlamps, your guide setting a pace slow enough that nobody arrives out of breath. From the terrace the Li River lies below in a great bend, and the peaks turn silver first, then gold. Twenty people stand up there and you will notice that almost nobody is talking.

Back for breakfast You are back at the hotel while the dining room is still serving, and the rest of the day is deliberately empty.

Free afternoon Sleep, the pool, the town, or the riverside path north of it. Your guide leaves you a short list and stays reachable.

Flight

Chengdu · Day 9 - Day 11

Day 9 · A whole day to move

Nothing is scheduled today except getting to Chengdu. A travel day with room in it is how the next three days stay unhurried.

Road to Guilin airport The drive back out along the river valley, peaks in the rear window for the first half hour, the vehicle and the transfer both included.

Fly Guilin to Chengdu The karst country ends and the Sichuan basin begins, one flight apart. Cabin class for your order is written into your quote before you book.

Evening in Chengdu Nothing is arranged. Your guide recommends and books a first Sichuan dinner near the hotel if you want one, on your account, and warns you honestly about how hot you are ordering.

Day 10 · Morning animals, afternoon chairs

The pandas get the morning because that is when they move. The afternoon gets nothing, because that is what an afternoon in this city is for.

Chengdu panda base Flat, shaded paths between enclosures, in the hours when the pandas are generally awake, eating and climbing rather than asleep in a corner. About three hours, and your guide picks the walking order by where the keepers have put breakfast.

Teahouse sitting in People's Park A bamboo chair under the trees and a gaiwan, the lidded cup China brews in, refilled as long as you stay. Cards at the next table, the ear cleaner's tuning fork ringing somewhere behind you. Three hours are set aside and you will find you use all of them.

Day 11 · Both kinds of backstage

A market, a wok and a theater dressing room, all in one day. What this city is good at happens before the thing is served or performed.

Market visit and Sichuan cooking class You shop with the instructor first, doubanjiang from the barrel, green peppercorns by the handful. Then you cook two or three dishes and sit down to what you made. About four hours, and the pot's heat level is yours to set.

Community Sichuan opera The backstage half comes first, painting and costumes in progress, and then face changing from a few rows away: the mask on the performer's face becomes another one in the time it takes him to turn his head. About two hours, seated.

High-speed rail

Chongqing · Day 12 - Day 14

Day 12 · Flat city, vertical city

Seventy-five minutes of railway between two cities built on different terms. See what a slope does to the way people live.

Kuanzhai Alley Three parallel lanes of old courtyard frontage, restored and now full of shops. It is the most commercial stop on this route and we do not dress it up: your guide takes the side lanes and the courtyards behind the main run, about an hour, then you go.

High-speed rail to Chongqing About 75 minutes, most of it through tunnels and over viaducts, which is itself the first thing to know about the province you are entering.

Lizi Ba monorail An evening viewing stop where the light-rail line goes in one side of a residential tower and out the other, at about the height of somebody's living room, every few minutes. People live in that building and go on living there. No admission is charged at this stop.

Day 13 · Board

A morning on the slope, then the river takes over for four days. This is the point where you hand the pace to the water.

Chongqing stacked city walking route A morning on foot through a city stacked on a slope, where one street's ground floor is another street's eighth. Stairs, footbridges and outdoor escalators, at your own pace. The exact route for your departure is named in your written confirmation.

Board the Yangtze ship Your bags go to the cabin, the city stands up behind the ship in tiers of lights, and the next three nights come with no packing, no check-in and no vehicle.

Day 14 · The river does the moving

One shore stop in the morning, and after that the day is a deck. Nineteen days in, the schedule finally stops being yours to keep.

Fengdu Mingshan hill park A hillside of temples and carved figures built around China's old underworld stories, on the north bank. The cable car up and the shuttle cart across are both in the ship's ticket, so the hill costs you nothing in legs. Roughly three and a half hours ashore.

The deck The banks close in through the afternoon, terraced fields on the slopes, a barge going the other way every so often, tea in the lounge behind you when the wind gets up. Somewhere in that afternoon you will stop checking how far there is to go.

Evening performance The ship's own show in the theater lounge, offered as part of that sailing's program, open to everyone aboard.

Yangtze cruise

Yichang · Day 15

Day 15 · Through the gorges

Two gorges from the deck and one green side valley by small boat. Stand outside for the passages, because the cliffs only do this once.

Three Gorges Summit or Baidicheng The morning ashore is one of the two, set by that sailing's own program. The Summit looks down on the gate of Qutang Gorge; Baidicheng is the walled hilltop town at the same gate, the one a Tang dynasty poet wrote about leaving at first light. Steps either way, roughly three and a half hours.

Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge Qutang is short and vertical, the walls standing straight up out of the water on both sides; Wu is longer and layered, the ridges going back into haze. The ship announces both entrances over the address system, so nobody misses them from a cabin.

Shennv Stream Off the main river onto smaller boats and into a side valley narrow enough that the walls come close on both sides, water flat and green. About 90 minutes.

Flight

Shanghai · Day 16 - Day 19

Day 16 · The dam, then the coast

The ship's last morning is the dam, and the afternoon is a flight east. One river ends and a river mouth begins.

Three Gorges Dam The ship's own morning program at the structure that raised this river and changed every town you passed. The cable car up from Maoping port and the bus on to the Yichang visitor center are both in the ship's ticket. We book your flight only after the ship's arrival time for your sailing is confirmed in writing, and where the two do not fit, the dam program stands and the flight moves.

Fly Yichang to Shanghai An afternoon flight to the coast. Cabin class for your order is written into your quote before you book, and your Shanghai guide meets the group at arrivals.

Day 17 · The oldest city on the newest map

A garden inside the old walled quarter, then four collections in one museum. Shanghai keeps its beginning right under the towers.

Yu Garden and the old city Pavilions, rockery, ponds and a path that never goes straight, laid out so that no view of the garden shows you all of it. About two hours, flat. The lanes outside are the oldest street pattern in the city.

Shanghai Museum Bronzes first, then ceramics, then painting and calligraphy, then the decorative arts. Entry is by timed reservation and the booking system has limited English, so your slot is booked by us. Because the sailing day is always a Friday, this day always falls on a Tuesday, which keeps it off the usual Monday closing day; we still check the museum's published calendar for your week before your dates are confirmed.

Day 18 · Two speeds, one city

Plane trees in the morning, a printing bench after lunch, a commuter ferry at dusk. The last full day is spent at street level.

Former French Concession and Wukang Road Low streets under plane trees, brick houses behind gates, and small shops that open when the owner arrives. Two hours on foot with coffee whenever the group wants it.

Woodblock watermark printing One carved block per color, aligned by eye, pressed by hand, the method Shanghai's studios have used for generations to reproduce paintings. You print a sheet and it comes home with you: on a nineteen-day route it is the one thing you carry out of China that you made.

Huangpu River ferry crossing The working commuter boat rather than a sightseeing cruise, a few minutes across with bicycles and scooters parked around you, old waterfront behind and towers ahead. Two waters started this trip and a third one ends it, and you will feel the trip close itself.

Day 19 · Leave from the river mouth

The morning is yours and the trip ends where the water does. Nineteen days ago you were standing in a components market.

Free morning Bags stay with the hotel until you leave, and the last hours go to whichever street you want to walk once more rather than to a schedule.

Departure Whether your order includes the Shanghai departure transfer is stated in writing in your quote before you book, because that arrangement is still being settled. Your guide confirms the exact hour with you the evening before either way.

Departures

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Hotels

These are sample stays typically included in the itinerary. Final pricing depends on the hotel level selected.

Shanghai

Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel (Shanghai International Resort)

Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel: a luxury garden hotel near Pudong Airport and Disneyland, with free shuttle service to both.

Shanghai

Bellagio by MGM Shanghai on the Bund

A curated hotel option in Shanghai, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Shanghai

Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel

Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel, in Dapuqiao near Tianzifang, steps from Metro Line 9 and the Expo site.

yangshuo

Yangshuo Ancient Garden Boutique Hotel

A characterful Yangshuo stay with a countryside feel, suited to travellers who prefer charm over a standard city hotel.

Chengdu

Hilton Chengdu Chenghua

A practical Chengdu base for travellers who want easy city access, relaxed days out, and a comfortable return after sightseeing.

Chengdu

Atour Hotel Chengdu Taikoo Li Chunxi Road Pedestrian Street

A simple Chengdu stay near Chunxi Road, good for travellers who want easy walks, food stops, and short city transfers.

chongqing

Chongqing Marriott Hotel

A reliable Chongqing stay for travellers who want comfort after exploring the city’s hills, rivers, bridges, and night views.

Chongqing

Wuyu Sky Garden Hotel

A curated hotel option in Chongqing, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Shenzhen

Kempinski Hotel Shenzhen

A Nanshan hotel beside the Houhai commercial district, with easy access to Shenzhen's western business and cultural areas.

Chongqing

Pagoda Hotel Chongqing Jiefangbei

yangshuo

Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

A peaceful riverside retreat for travellers who want Yangshuo's karst scenery to feel close, quiet and unhurried.

Shanghai

Atour S Hotel Shanghai Hongqiao Centre Aegean

Atour S Hotel in Hongqiao: steps from Aegean Place and Metro Line 10, six km from the National Exhibition and Convention Center.

Guilin

Sheraton Guilin Hotel

Sheraton Guilin Hotel is located by the Li River, offering comfortable rooms and easy access to Guilin’s attractions.

Chengdu

The Temple House

Boutique luxury hotel inside a restored Qing-dynasty courtyard near Taikoo Li with one of Chengdu's strongest design statements.

Shenzhen

Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen

Located in Futian CBD, close to major landmarks and metro lines. Featuring 500+ elegant rooms and suites with exclusive Horizon Club services.

Yichang

The Westin Yichang

A curated hotel option in Yichang, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Yangshuo

Yangshuo Elite Garden

Located in central Yangshuo near West Street and the Li River, Yangshuo Elite Garden Hotel is a comfortable four-star hotel offering convenient access to the area’s main attractions.

Shanghai

Atour S Hotel Shanghai Lujiazui Pudong Avenue

Atour S Hotel Shanghai Lujiazui: a stylish stay in Pudong, minutes from the Bund, Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai Tower.

Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin is near Guilin Railway Station, offering comfortable stays and convenient facilities for business and leisure travelers.

chengdu

Mercure Chengdu Chunxi Taikoo Li

A convenient Chengdu base near Taikoo Li and Chunxi Road, close to shopping, dining, and city sights.

Shenzhen

The Langham, Shenzhen

The Langham, Shenzhen is a luxury hotel in Futian CBD, featuring elegant rooms, fine dining, and premium facilities.

Shanghai

Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel (Shanghai International Resort)

Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel: a luxury garden hotel near Pudong Airport and Disneyland, with free shuttle service to both.

Shanghai

Bellagio by MGM Shanghai on the Bund

A curated hotel option in Shanghai, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Shanghai

Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel

Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel, in Dapuqiao near Tianzifang, steps from Metro Line 9 and the Expo site.

yangshuo

Yangshuo Ancient Garden Boutique Hotel

A characterful Yangshuo stay with a countryside feel, suited to travellers who prefer charm over a standard city hotel.

Chengdu

Hilton Chengdu Chenghua

A practical Chengdu base for travellers who want easy city access, relaxed days out, and a comfortable return after sightseeing.

Chengdu

Atour Hotel Chengdu Taikoo Li Chunxi Road Pedestrian Street

A simple Chengdu stay near Chunxi Road, good for travellers who want easy walks, food stops, and short city transfers.

chongqing

Chongqing Marriott Hotel

A reliable Chongqing stay for travellers who want comfort after exploring the city’s hills, rivers, bridges, and night views.

Chongqing

Wuyu Sky Garden Hotel

A curated hotel option in Chongqing, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Shenzhen

Kempinski Hotel Shenzhen

A Nanshan hotel beside the Houhai commercial district, with easy access to Shenzhen's western business and cultural areas.

Chongqing

Pagoda Hotel Chongqing Jiefangbei

yangshuo

Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

A peaceful riverside retreat for travellers who want Yangshuo's karst scenery to feel close, quiet and unhurried.

Shanghai

Atour S Hotel Shanghai Hongqiao Centre Aegean

Atour S Hotel in Hongqiao: steps from Aegean Place and Metro Line 10, six km from the National Exhibition and Convention Center.

Guilin

Sheraton Guilin Hotel

Sheraton Guilin Hotel is located by the Li River, offering comfortable rooms and easy access to Guilin’s attractions.

Chengdu

The Temple House

Boutique luxury hotel inside a restored Qing-dynasty courtyard near Taikoo Li with one of Chengdu's strongest design statements.

Shenzhen

Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen

Located in Futian CBD, close to major landmarks and metro lines. Featuring 500+ elegant rooms and suites with exclusive Horizon Club services.

Yichang

The Westin Yichang

A curated hotel option in Yichang, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Yangshuo

Yangshuo Elite Garden

Located in central Yangshuo near West Street and the Li River, Yangshuo Elite Garden Hotel is a comfortable four-star hotel offering convenient access to the area’s main attractions.

Shanghai

Atour S Hotel Shanghai Lujiazui Pudong Avenue

Atour S Hotel Shanghai Lujiazui: a stylish stay in Pudong, minutes from the Bund, Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai Tower.

Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin is near Guilin Railway Station, offering comfortable stays and convenient facilities for business and leisure travelers.

chengdu

Mercure Chengdu Chunxi Taikoo Li

A convenient Chengdu base near Taikoo Li and Chunxi Road, close to shopping, dining, and city sights.

Shenzhen

The Langham, Shenzhen

The Langham, Shenzhen is a luxury hotel in Futian CBD, featuring elegant rooms, fine dining, and premium facilities.

Shanghai

Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel (Shanghai International Resort)

Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel: a luxury garden hotel near Pudong Airport and Disneyland, with free shuttle service to both.

Shanghai

Bellagio by MGM Shanghai on the Bund

A curated hotel option in Shanghai, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Shanghai

Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel

Pullman Shanghai Zhongganghui Hotel, in Dapuqiao near Tianzifang, steps from Metro Line 9 and the Expo site.

yangshuo

Yangshuo Ancient Garden Boutique Hotel

A characterful Yangshuo stay with a countryside feel, suited to travellers who prefer charm over a standard city hotel.

Chengdu

Hilton Chengdu Chenghua

A practical Chengdu base for travellers who want easy city access, relaxed days out, and a comfortable return after sightseeing.

Chengdu

Atour Hotel Chengdu Taikoo Li Chunxi Road Pedestrian Street

A simple Chengdu stay near Chunxi Road, good for travellers who want easy walks, food stops, and short city transfers.

chongqing

Chongqing Marriott Hotel

A reliable Chongqing stay for travellers who want comfort after exploring the city’s hills, rivers, bridges, and night views.

Chongqing

Wuyu Sky Garden Hotel

A curated hotel option in Chongqing, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Shenzhen

Kempinski Hotel Shenzhen

A Nanshan hotel beside the Houhai commercial district, with easy access to Shenzhen's western business and cultural areas.

Chongqing

Pagoda Hotel Chongqing Jiefangbei

yangshuo

Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

A peaceful riverside retreat for travellers who want Yangshuo's karst scenery to feel close, quiet and unhurried.

Shanghai

Atour S Hotel Shanghai Hongqiao Centre Aegean

Atour S Hotel in Hongqiao: steps from Aegean Place and Metro Line 10, six km from the National Exhibition and Convention Center.

Guilin

Sheraton Guilin Hotel

Sheraton Guilin Hotel is located by the Li River, offering comfortable rooms and easy access to Guilin’s attractions.

Chengdu

The Temple House

Boutique luxury hotel inside a restored Qing-dynasty courtyard near Taikoo Li with one of Chengdu's strongest design statements.

Shenzhen

Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen

Located in Futian CBD, close to major landmarks and metro lines. Featuring 500+ elegant rooms and suites with exclusive Horizon Club services.

Yichang

The Westin Yichang

A curated hotel option in Yichang, used as the shared route hotel resource.

Yangshuo

Yangshuo Elite Garden

Located in central Yangshuo near West Street and the Li River, Yangshuo Elite Garden Hotel is a comfortable four-star hotel offering convenient access to the area’s main attractions.

Shanghai

Atour S Hotel Shanghai Lujiazui Pudong Avenue

Atour S Hotel Shanghai Lujiazui: a stylish stay in Pudong, minutes from the Bund, Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai Tower.

Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin

China Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel Guilin is near Guilin Railway Station, offering comfortable stays and convenient facilities for business and leisure travelers.

chengdu

Mercure Chengdu Chunxi Taikoo Li

A convenient Chengdu base near Taikoo Li and Chunxi Road, close to shopping, dining, and city sights.

Shenzhen

The Langham, Shenzhen

The Langham, Shenzhen is a luxury hotel in Futian CBD, featuring elegant rooms, fine dining, and premium facilities.

Included / Excluded

What's Included

Intercity transportSix segments: high-speed rail Shenzhen to Guilin, about 3 hours · the Li River cruise boat Guilin to Yangshuo, the full run · flight Guilin to Chengdu, with the Yangshuo to Guilin airport road transfer · high-speed rail Chengdu to Chongqing, about 75 minutes · the Yangtze ship Chongqing to Yichang, 4 days 3 nights downstream · flight Yichang to Shanghai
Cabin classRail seat class and air cabin class are being finalized. Until they are settled, every quote states in writing the rail class and the air class for that order, and no order is taken without them in writing
Hotels ashore15 nights at your chosen level, four-star, five-star or quality boutique, breakfast included: Shenzhen 3 · Guilin 1 · Yangshuo 4 · Chengdu 3 · Chongqing 1 · Shanghai 3. Hotels are named in your written confirmation
Yangtze ship3 nights aboard on the Chongqing to Yichang downstream sailing, on the operator's single ticket: cabin, all meals aboard and that sailing's whole shore program. That program: Fengdu Mingshan with hill cable car and shuttle cart · either the Three Gorges Summit or Baidicheng, one of the two per that sailing's program · Shennv Stream · the Qutang and Wu gorge passages from deck · the Three Gorges Dam with the Maoping port cable car and the bus to the Yichang visitor center · one evening stage performance offered by the operator
GuideLicensed English-speaking guide on all touring days ashore in each city. Whether one of our own guides also rides the ship with the group is being finalized: until it is settled, every quote states in writing whether the ship segment is guided by our own guide
VehicleAir-conditioned private vehicle for all listed touring ashore in all cities, and for the Yangshuo to Guilin airport road transfer on day 9
Airport transfersBeing finalized. Until the arrangement is settled, every quote states in writing whether that order includes the Shenzhen arrival transfer on day 1 and the Shanghai departure transfer on day 19
Tickets & experiences, ShenzhenHuaqiangbei electronics market, floor by floor with your guide reading the trade · the city exhibition on day 2, one venue of two, named in your written confirmation · the DJI Sky City visit on day 3, the admission arrangement stated in your written confirmation
Tickets & experiences, Guilin & YangshuoThe full Li River cruise boat run on day 5 · the Yulong River ride on day 6, bicycle, electric bike or seated vehicle at no difference in price · the riverside afternoon tea on day 6 · Xingping old town on day 7 · the Li River bamboo raft on the Xingping reach on day 7 · the Xianggong Hill sunrise on day 8, admission and viewing terrace included
Tickets & experiences, ChengduThe panda base on the morning of day 10 · the gaiwan teahouse sitting in People's Park on day 10, tea included · the market visit and Sichuan cooking class on day 11 · the community Sichuan opera on day 11, backstage visit and face changing up close · Kuanzhai Alley on day 12
Tickets & experiences, ChongqingThe Lizi Ba monorail viewing stop on the evening of day 12, no admission charged there · the stacked city walking route on the morning of day 13, the route named in your written confirmation
Tickets & experiences, ShanghaiYu Garden and the old city on day 17 · the Shanghai Museum on day 17, with the timed reservation booked by us · the former French Concession and Wukang Road on day 18 · the woodblock watermark printing workshop on day 18 · the Huangpu River commuter ferry crossing on day 18
Meals15 hotel breakfasts ashore, days 2 to 13 and days 17 to 19. Aboard, the operator's ticket includes dinner on day 13, all three meals on days 14 and 15, and breakfast on day 16. Ashore, one arranged lunch: the dishes you cook in the day 11 class. Two tastings that belong to their experience rather than being meals: the tea at the day 10 teahouse sitting and the day 6 riverside afternoon tea
InsuranceTravel accident insurance. The sum insured and what it covers are stated in your written confirmation

Not Included

International flightsFlights into Shenzhen and out of Shanghai
VisasThe markets this route is sold to need no visa for this trip. For any guest who does need a Chinese visa, the visa fee and the processing are not included
MealsEvery lunch and dinner not listed above: recommended and booked by your guide, on your account
In-park transport ashoreNo cable car, shuttle cart, sightseeing bus or in-park ferry is arranged anywhere on land, and none is in the base price. The Xianggong Hill sunrise on day 8 is reached on foot by stone steps. The cable cars and shuttle carts named in the ship row above are the operator's and are in the ship's ticket
In-venue spendingSpending inside museums, exhibition halls, markets and shops, including purchases at Huaqiangbei and at the DJI Sky City visit, and any paid photography or paid interactive item inside a venue
Early arrival and late departureNights before day 1 and after day 19, and the transfers for them. Priced separately at the time of choosing
Optional add-onsThe Shenzhen science and technology museum on the morning of day 3, sold only as an add-on and never added into the base plan; the rail and air class upgrade; the ship cabin upgrade; extra nights before or after. Each is priced separately at the time of choosing
PersonalGratuities · single or extra-room difference ashore · single cabin difference aboard · laundry · communications · personal spending

Special Notes

Several things on this route follow a ship's calendar, a supplier's confirmation or a policy window. Here they are, told straight.

Bookings are not open yet — three things have to be real first. One, the sailing date and cabins confirmed in the ship operator's system for your departure. Two, a Yangshuo property contracted and named. Three, the rail seat class and air cabin class settled and stated. Until all three are done we take no orders and no deposits. Tell us your dates and we will write to you on the day it opens.
Departure dates are set by the ship — the four-day three-night downstream sailing this route uses leaves Chongqing on Fridays, and day 13 of this plan is the sailing day, so departures are Sundays. In this selling season that means six Sundays: October 4, 11 and 25 · November 1, 8 and 15, 2026. The October 18 departure is not open: that week's ship is assigned to a long-haul sailing and each date is checked against the operator's own calendar before it opens.
No December departures — that ship winters after November 27, 2026, and the other ship on this river runs a five-day four-night sailing, which would make the whole plan twenty days and a different route. The last departure of this season is November 15 and it ends on December 3.
The ship cabin — the operator holds no allocation for us. Cabins are booked by named passenger, first come first served, and confirmed only in the operator's system, so no cabin type is promised in advance. A cabin upgrade is priced separately at the operator's published difference for your sailing and is confirmed the same way.
The Yangshuo hotel — no property is contracted yet for those four nights, so this page states the level and breakfast and nothing further. It is named in writing before you are asked for anything.
What day 16 protects — that day runs the ship's morning dam program and then the afternoon flight to Shanghai. Your flight is booked only after the ship's arrival time for your sailing is confirmed in writing, and where the two do not fit, the dam program stands and the flight moves, never the reverse.
The national holiday week — October 1 to 7 is a national holiday in China. The October 4 departure spends its first four days inside that week, in Shenzhen, and quotes for that departure state the holiday crowding in writing before you pay.
No cable cars on land — nothing in the land program uses a cable car, a shuttle cart or a sightseeing bus, and the Xianggong Hill sunrise on day 8 is stone steps on foot, before dawn. The cable car and shuttle cart at Fengdu and at the dam belong to the ship's ticket, not to the land plan.
Three visits we describe no further — the DJI Sky City visit, the Shenzhen city exhibition and the Chongqing stacked city walking route are in your base price as arrangements, and each is named in detail in your written confirmation rather than here. We hold no record of the DJI site's admission rules, the exhibition venue is one of two and not yet fixed, and the Chongqing route's stops are not yet set. We would rather under-describe them than sell you a detail we cannot back.
Visa window — the 30-day visa-free policy currently runs through December 31, 2026. This season's last departure ends on December 3, 2026, inside that window. Order by order we check your 19 days plus any other days in China against it before you pay.
US passports — this route is not sold to US passport holders in this selling season, and we say so before any quote goes out. Two structural reasons: Shenzhen has no direct air service from that market, and 19 days is longer than the ten-day visa-free transit policy allows, so those guests would need a tourist visa. Guests who entered China under that ten-day transit policy cannot take this trip either, for the same stay limit. No workarounds.
Confirmation and changes — the confirmation-time commitment and the change and refund terms are being finalized with our ground partners and with the ship operator. Until they are settled, each quote states in writing its own confirmation deadline and its change and refund conditions. Worth knowing either way: this route holds one cruise segment with no held allocation, so a date change touches the ship first and the land arrangements second.

Is Nineteen Days Your Length?

Fewer than nineteen days?

The route comes apart at the water. Shenzhen with Guilin and Yangshuo stands on its own, and so does Chengdu with the Yangtze and Shanghai. Tell us your dates and how many of you are coming, and we cut days rather than cut the pace.

Good to Know

Group: Private, just your party. From 1 guest. No fixed maximum party size.
Pace: Seven stops in 19 days. Shenzhen 3 nights · Yangshuo 4 · Chengdu 3 · Shanghai 3 · Guilin and Chongqing 1 night each · 3 nights aboard the ship. One whole day given to the Guilin to Chengdu move, and the Li River day is itself the transfer
Effort: Walking days rather than climbing days. One pre-dawn start, day 8, up stone steps on foot. Nothing on land uses a cable car or a shuttle cart. The Chongqing morning has stairs and slopes throughout
Ports: Shenzhen in, Shanghai out. Whether your order includes the day 1 arrival transfer and the day 19 departure transfer is stated in writing in your quote
Visas: Visa-free entry for days, checked order by order against your dates. France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece. The UK. The Nordic countries, central Europe and Ireland. Canada, Australia and New Zealand. This route is not sold to US passport holders this season
Language: Licensed English-speaking guides on all touring days ashore, city by city. Whether our own guide also rides the ship is stated in writing in your quote
Payment: When this route opens for booking: From 1 guest. A 10% deposit (minimum $399) locks your dates. The balance is due 14 days before departure. "Or similar" never means a quiet downgrade
Season: Selling window October to December 2026. Departures on Sundays only and none in December: October 4, 11 and 25 · November 1, 8 and 15. The October 18 departure is not open

Your Private Concierge

Jenessa

Private China Route Concierge

“A bilingual planning desk for tailor-made China journeys.”

Our China team tunes pacing, hotels and local hosts around each route style.

20+

Years

300+

Trips Designed

24/7

On-Trip Care

Step 01

Tell us what excites you

Not your dates and budget — your curiosity. Where have you always wanted to go? What do you want to feel? We start there.

24h

First concept delivered

Step 02

We design it around you

Your specialist builds the itinerary from scratch — routes, hosts, hotels, and experiences you won't find anywhere else.

100%

Private, never off-the-shelf

Step 03

Lock it in with 30%

When the plan feels right, a 30% deposit holds your trip. Balance due 30 days before departure.

30%

Deposit to confirm

Step 04

Travel. We handle the rest.

Your Trip Pack arrives before you fly. On the road, your concierge is one message away — for the expected and everything you didn't plan for.

24/7

Support throughout your journey

Cancellation terms agreed in writing

English-speaking concierge

Secure payment via Stripe

Guest Reviews

4.9 / 5 · from 523 verified reviews

Emily Carter

🇺🇸 Seattle, USA

Perfect for couples

“My partner and I had an amazing time in China. Everything was arranged for us — transfers, hotels, guides. No stress at all.”

May 2026

Claire Brooks

🇬🇧 London, UK

Great for families

“Traveled with my two kids and had zero issues. The team made sure the pace wasn't too rushed and included things the kids would enjoy. Communication was easy throughout. Will definitely use them again for our next Asia trip.”

Apr 2026

Laura Bennett

🇨🇦 Toronto, Canada

Alisa made the whole experience easy

“Alisa was our point of contact throughout and she was brilliant — patient, knowledgeable, and always quick to reply. The trip itself was wonderful. Beijing and Guilin were highlights.”

Mar 2026

Mark Henderson

🇺🇸 Denver, USA

Good service, minor hiccup but sorted quickly

“Really good service. There was a small mix-up with one of our restaurant bookings but it got sorted quickly. The rest of the trip was seamless.”

Feb 2026

Rebecca Miller

🇺🇸 Boston, USA

Really listened to what we wanted

“Really helpful team. They listened to what we wanted and delivered. Beijing and Xi'an were incredible.”

Jan 2026

China Ready

We've solved the hard parts. Here's everything a first-time Western traveler needs to know before arriving.

Do this before you fly

VPN & Internet Access

What's blocked

Google, Gmail, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and most Western news sites are inaccessible in China without a VPN.

Download before you leave

It's nearly impossible to download a VPN once inside China. Install and test at home. Recommended: Astrill (most reliable), Mullvad, ExpressVPN — subscribe to at least two in case one stops working.

Hotel Wi-Fi tip

Some hotels block VPN connections on their Wi-Fi. Use your phone's mobile data as a hotspot if the VPN drops.

Good news

WhatsApp works perfectly through a VPN, so your messaging stays unchanged. Apple iMessage and Signal also work.

Your concierge sets this up on Day 1

Paying in China

China is cashless

Alipay and WeChat Pay are used for almost everything — restaurants, taxis, markets, tickets. Cash is rarely accepted in cities.

International cards now work

Foreign Visa/Mastercard can now link directly to Alipay (set up in minutes, $5,000 single transaction limit). Your concierge walks you through the setup on your first morning.

Carry some cash

We recommend ¥500–800 RMB in cash for the rare vendor that won't accept digital payment, and for small towns.

Booking this trip

Your deposit and balance are charged via Stripe — the same trusted platform used by Airbnb and Booking.com. USD billing, no surprise conversion fees.

We handle the paperwork

Visa & Entry

Do you need a visa?

Most US, UK, EU, Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand passport holders need a tourist (L) visa for stays over 10 days. We provide a visa invitation letter with every booking — it significantly speeds up approval.

240-hour visa-free transit

Citizens of 55+ countries (including USA, UK, most of EU, AUS, NZ, Canada) can enter China visa-free for up to 10 days if transiting through eligible ports. This covers our 12-day itinerary only if you have a confirmed onward flight.

Processing time

Apply 4–6 weeks before departure. Standard processing: 4–7 business days. Express (3 days) and same-day options available at most Chinese consulates.

What we provide

Visa invitation letter, hotel confirmation for all nights, suggested itinerary document — everything the consulate needs, formatted correctly.

Our responsibility, always

Safety & Practical Tips

Is China safe?

China consistently ranks among the safest countries for foreign tourists. Violent crime against visitors is extremely rare. Cities have extensive CCTV coverage and a visible police presence.

Emergency numbers

Police: 110. Ambulance: 120. Your concierge is your first call for any non-emergency situation — she has local contacts for every city on the itinerary.

Health & medications

Bring a full supply of any prescription medication. International pharmacies exist in major cities but may not carry your brand. Travel insurance is required — we can recommend policies that cover China specifically.

Language

English fluency outside hotels and tourist sites is limited. Your guides all speak English. We provide a printed pocket card with essential Chinese phrases and emergency contacts for every traveler.

Before You Book

Everything worth knowing before you book.

Nineteen days is a long trip. Is it going to feel like a march?

It is built the other way round. Four cities hold three or more nights each and Yangshuo holds four, so eighteen nights come with only six hotel check-ins ashore. Three of those nights are on a ship, where nothing is packed at all. The Guilin to Chengdu move gets a whole day with nothing else on it, the Li River day is itself the transfer, and day 8 and day 19 both end at midday on purpose. There is exactly one early start in nineteen days.

Can I book this today?

Not yet, and we will not take a deposit to hold something we have not secured. Three things must be real first: your sailing date and cabins confirmed in the ship operator's system, a Yangshuo hotel under contract and named, and the rail seat class and air cabin class settled in writing. Send us your dates now and we write to you the day the route opens, with the departure list and a price for your dates.

What cabin do we get on the Yangtze ship?

We do not promise a cabin type in advance, and here is why: the operator holds no allocation for us, so cabins are booked by named passenger, first come first served, and are only real once confirmed in the operator's own system. What is fixed either way is the rest of the ticket: three nights aboard, every meal aboard, and that sailing's whole shore program, from Fengdu to the Three Gorges Dam, including the cable cars and shuttle carts on the ship's side. An upgrade is priced separately at the operator's published difference and confirmed the same way.

We want the sunrise on day 8. What if the morning is grey?

The sunrise is a viewpoint, not a guarantee: we take you up before dawn on the day it is scheduled, and no one can promise the sky. We do not sell a weather outcome and we do not move the day around forecasts, because the walk up is dark either way and the terrace is where it is. What holds whatever the sky does: the great bend of the Li River below you at the quietest hour of the day, admission and the terrace included, a pace set slowly enough that nobody arrives out of breath, and an afternoon left completely free afterwards.

I hold a US passport. Can I join?

Not on this route in this selling season, and we tell you before quoting rather than after. Two structural reasons: Shenzhen, the entry city, has no direct air service from the US, and 19 days is longer than the ten-day visa-free transit policy allows, so a US guest would need a tourist visa for the whole stay. The same stay limit rules out anyone already in China under that ten-day transit policy. If you hold a second passport from a visa-free market, that changes the answer, and we check it with you before anything is charged.

Huaqiangbei electronics market

Shenzhen city exhibition

DJI Sky City visit

High-speed rail, Shenzhen to Guilin

Li River cruise boat, the full run

Yulong River ride

Riverside afternoon tea

Xingping old town

Li River bamboo raft, the Xingping reach

Xianggong Hill sunrise

Chengdu panda base

Teahouse sitting in People's Park

Market visit and Sichuan cooking class

Community Sichuan opera

Kuanzhai Alley

High-speed rail, Chengdu to Chongqing

Lizi Ba monorail

Chongqing stacked city walking route

Yangtze ship, three nights aboard

Fengdu Mingshan hill park

Three Gorges Summit or Baidicheng

Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge passages

Shennv Stream

Three Gorges Dam

Evening stage performance aboard

Yu Garden: Older than the Skyline

Shanghai Museum

Wukang Road: A Loose Walk

Woodblock watermark printing

Huangpu River ferry crossing

Shenzhen science and technology museum

01. Huaqiangbei electronics market

02. Shenzhen city exhibition

03. DJI Sky City visit

04. High-speed rail, Shenzhen to Guilin

05. Li River cruise boat, the full run

06. Yulong River ride

07. Riverside afternoon tea

08. Xingping old town

09. Li River bamboo raft, the Xingping reach

10. Xianggong Hill sunrise

11. Chengdu panda base

12. Teahouse sitting in People's Park

13. Market visit and Sichuan cooking class

14. Community Sichuan opera

15. Kuanzhai Alley

16. High-speed rail, Chengdu to Chongqing

17. Lizi Ba monorail

18. Chongqing stacked city walking route

19. Yangtze ship, three nights aboard

20. Fengdu Mingshan hill park

21. Three Gorges Summit or Baidicheng

22. Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge passages

23. Shennv Stream

24. Three Gorges Dam

25. Evening stage performance aboard

26. Yu Garden: Older than the Skyline

27. Shanghai Museum

28. Wukang Road: A Loose Walk

29. Woodblock watermark printing

30. Huangpu River ferry crossing

31. Shenzhen science and technology museum

01. Huaqiangbei electronics market

02. Shenzhen city exhibition

03. DJI Sky City visit

04. High-speed rail, Shenzhen to Guilin

05. Li River cruise boat, the full run

06. Yulong River ride

07. Riverside afternoon tea

08. Xingping old town

09. Li River bamboo raft, the Xingping reach

10. Xianggong Hill sunrise

11. Chengdu panda base

12. Teahouse sitting in People's Park

13. Market visit and Sichuan cooking class

14. Community Sichuan opera

15. Kuanzhai Alley

16. High-speed rail, Chengdu to Chongqing

17. Lizi Ba monorail

18. Chongqing stacked city walking route

Shenzhen · Day 1 - Day 3

Guilin · Day 4

Yangshuo · Day 5 - Day 8

Chengdu · Day 9 - Day 11

Chongqing · Day 12 - Day 14

Yichang · Day 15