Updated 5 October 2026 · LocalKey consultant team
Multi-day Three Gorges cruises run between Chongqing and Yichang: downstream from Chongqing takes 4 days and 3 nights and upstream from Yichang 5 days and 4 nights on Century Cruises' published routes, with stops such as Fengdu, the Qutang and Wu gorges and the Three Gorges Dam. For a single evening on the water in Chongqing itself, the short Chongqing evening river cruise is a separate outing.
What kinds of Yangtze River cruise can you take from Chongqing?
There are two kinds: a multi-day Three Gorges cruise between Chongqing and Yichang (Century Cruises publishes 4 days and 3 nights downstream, 5 days and 4 nights upstream), or the short Chongqing evening river cruise for a single evening on the water.
The Three Gorges cruise market has 14 Chongqing and Hubei companies operating 48 ships, with more ships due in 2026, according to the Chongqing Municipal People's Government. Overseas visitors on Three Gorges cruises rose by more than 60% year on year in the first half of 2026, according to the Chongqing Transport Commission.
For a multi-day cruise, the decision is direction: a downstream sailing from Chongqing to Yichang or an upstream sailing from Yichang to Chongqing. The direction affects where you begin and finish, how the days are arranged, and where the cruise fits within a wider China itinerary.
New-generation ships joined the route in 2026. The Chongqing Municipal People's Government reported that two new-generation cruise ships left Chaotianmen on the Chongqing–Yichang route on 18 April 2026. Xinhua reported that Century Dream began its maiden voyage from Chaotianmen pier 11 on 21 September 2026. Century Dream is 149.99 metres long, has seven decks and 236 cabins, and carries up to 650 passengers.
The Chongqing evening river cruise is a separate short outing on the water rather than a substitute for a Three Gorges sailing. It is useful if you want river views during a stay in the city but do not have several days for a cruise; see our Chongqing night views route for how to use an evening on the river within your city plans.
Where do Yangtze cruises depart in Chongqing?
Chaotianmen is where the 2026 departures on record left Chongqing: two new-generation ships on 18 April 2026 (Chongqing Municipal People's Government) and Century Dream from Chaotianmen pier 11 on 21 September 2026 (Xinhua); Century Cruises' upstream route boards at Maoping Pier in Yichang.
Whichever ship you choose, use the pier stated on your booking confirmation rather than a general map or an older itinerary. Century Dream and Century Voyage offer station pickup and luggage transfer in Chongqing and Yichang from September 2026, which can simplify the change between rail travel, city accommodation and the ship.
For independent arrival, our guide to getting around Chongqing covers the practical route to Chaotianmen; Line 1 has a Chaotianmen station. Allow time for the transfer from your accommodation, luggage handling and any instructions supplied by the cruise operator.
On Century Cruises' upstream route, passengers do not board in Chongqing. They start at Maoping Pier in Yichang, then travel towards the Three Gorges and Chongqing. That makes the upstream direction useful when Yichang follows another part of your itinerary, while downstream is the straightforward choice if you want to begin on the Chongqing riverfront.
The Chongqing–Yichang route also works well after a rail journey from Sichuan. If you are arriving from Chengdu, see Chengdu to Chongqing by high-speed rail before fixing your hotel and boarding arrangements.
How long is a Three Gorges cruise, and where does it stop?
Century Cruises publishes a 4-day, 3-night downstream route from Chongqing to Yichang and a 5-day, 4-night upstream route from Yichang to Chongqing, with the main gorge, river-town and dam visits arranged differently by direction.
| Direction | Duration (Century Cruises published route) | Boards | Typical stops | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downstream Chongqing → Yichang | 4 days / 3 nights | Chongqing | Fengdu Ghost City; optional White Emperor City at Fengjie; Qutang and Wu gorges; Goddess Stream by small boat; Three Gorges Dam and Three Gorges Engineering Museum; optional Ship Elevator | Yichang |
| Upstream Yichang → Chongqing | 5 days / 4 nights | Maoping Pier, Yichang | Three Gorges Dam and Three Gorges Engineering Museum; optional Ship Elevator; Goddess Stream; Wu and Qutang gorges; White Emperor City; Fengdu | Central Chongqing after breakfast on day 5 |
On the downstream sailing, day 1 begins with embarkation in Chongqing, an embarkation dinner and sailing through Chongqing's night views. Day 2 visits Fengdu Ghost City. Day 3 includes the optional White Emperor City visit at Fengjie, the Qutang and Wu gorges, and a small boat excursion on the Goddess Stream at Wushan.
Day 4 is the arrival sequence in Yichang. The published route includes the Three Gorges Dam and Three Gorges Engineering Museum, with the Ship Elevator listed as optional, followed by a transfer to Yichang city. The route therefore combines a long river journey with several organised shore excursions rather than treating the ship as the only activity.
The upstream route reverses the broad pattern. You board at Maoping Pier in Yichang, visit the dam and museum, then continue towards the Goddess Stream, Wu Gorge, Qutang Gorge and White Emperor City before reaching Fengdu. The cruise ends in central Chongqing after breakfast on day 5, so you can start your Chongqing days then. For a wider city plan, see Chongqing itinerary ideas for 2 or 3 days.
For photography from the deck or shore, use our Three Gorges photography guide; you can also browse our photography experience when adding a separate visual focus to a China trip.
In general terms, Century Cruises lists as included: bus transfers, entrance fees for the excursions shown in the itinerary, a professional English guide and the meals shown. Optional tours are extra.
When is the best time for a Yangtze River cruise, and how far ahead should you book?
Century Cruises lists downstream departures from 2 April to 26 November 2027 and from 24 March to 24 November 2028, with no December-to-February departures listed, and its dates are published more than two years ahead.
For the remaining 2026 calendar, the listed downstream departures are 9 October, 30 October and 20 November. The listed upstream departures are 18 October, 8 November and 29 November. Because sailings are published so far ahead, you can match a departure to your China dates early rather than waiting for a late release.
This makes the practical timing decision one of route availability and the shape of your wider China trip. Downstream departures are useful when Chongqing is your starting city and Yichang leads into the next stage. Upstream departures are useful when you are already travelling through Yichang and want to finish in central Chongqing. Check the current departure list before confirming flights, hotels or rail connections.
Century Cruises does not sell online; a specialist confirms pricing and cancellation terms when you book. Start that conversation once your China dates are fixed. The booking conversation should confirm the ship, direction, embarkation point, included excursions, optional activities, transfers and the exact pier information in your confirmation.
Families can also fit the cruise into a longer journey. We can advise on cabins and shore excursions with children or older relatives through China family tours, without assuming that every family needs the same pace or excursion mix.
A cruise can be paired with a land day before or after boarding. For example, consider a Wulong day trip from Chongqing instead of, or before, the river section if your trip needs a day away from the city and ship.
Can you see the Three Gorges Dam and its ship lift on a cruise?
The published Century Cruises routes include the Three Gorges Dam and Three Gorges Engineering Museum, while the Ship Elevator is optional; the ship lift has a maximum lift of 113 metres, takes ships up to the 3,000-tonne class and has a designed passage of about 40 minutes.
The dam visit is part of both the downstream and upstream route descriptions. On the downstream sailing it appears on day 4 before the transfer to Yichang city. On the upstream sailing it appears after boarding at Maoping Pier. The Three Gorges Engineering Museum is included in the same published visit sequence.
Century's optional Ship Elevator visit is to the Three Gorges ship lift described by China Three Gorges Corporation, which sits alongside the ship lock. China Three Gorges Corporation describes the dam crossing through the five-step ship lock as taking at least four hours. The ship lift works alongside the double-lane five-step lock and has a designed passage of about 40 minutes. Its maximum lift is 113 metres and it carries ships up to the 3,000-tonne class. The simple explanation used by China Three Gorges Corporation is that big ships climb the stairs while small ships take the lift.
Operational status can change. The Ministry of Transport reported that the ship lift's sixth planned maintenance closure began on 18 August 2026 and could last up to 42 days. China News Service reported that it reopened on 29 September 2026. Since trial operation began in 2016, it has carried more than 2.65 million passengers.
Check whether your departure includes the optional Ship Elevator visit rather than assuming it is part of every itinerary. The lock and lift are different systems, and Century's route pages list the Ship Elevator as an optional tour. Your specialist can confirm the current arrangement alongside the departure date and excursion programme.
Plan this with LocalKey
As part of our private China tours, we can fit a Yangtze cruise into your own China trip — planned, booked and backed — around your preferred cities, rail connections and time on the river. Use our Chongqing city page to build the city portion, then decide whether Chongqing comes before a downstream sailing or after an upstream arrival.
For Independent travel, choose Independent: travel on your own with the LocalKey app and 24/7 backup. Add-ons are available on demand, including airport pickup, a private car and driver, or a local guide. The guide is an optional add-on.
For Private Guided travel, choose Private Guided: a private guide and driver with car across the trip, including Chongqing days with a guide before boarding, a car to the pier and onward connections from Yichang. We do not operate the ships; we arrange the surrounding journey and booking support.
For a 1:1 plan, speak with a LocalKey specialist through 7×24 WeChat or WhatsApp. We can check the published sailing dates, match the cruise direction to your route, confirm the pier and arrange the land connections around it.
Sources
- Chongqing Municipal People's Government — new Three Gorges cruise ships, April 2026 — verified_on 2026-10-05: https://www.cq.gov.cn/ywdt/jrcq/202604/t20260420_15621054.html
- Chongqing Transport Commission — overseas visitors on Three Gorges cruises, H1 2026 — verified_on 2026-10-05: http://jtysw.cq.gov.cn/zwgk_240/zfxxgkml/jttj/202607/t20260709_15812132.html
- Xinhua — Century Dream maiden voyage from Chaotianmen — verified_on 2026-10-05: http://cq.news.cn/20260922/d65d3eba452a4822a8ee0985aa07da2e/c.html
- Century Cruises — downstream Chongqing to Yichang route — verified_on 2026-10-05: https://centurycruise.com/tours/yangtze-signature-downstream-cruise-3-night
- Century Cruises — upstream Yichang to Chongqing route — verified_on 2026-10-05: https://centurycruise.com/tours/yangtze-signature-upstream-cruise-4-night
- China Three Gorges Corporation — Three Gorges ship lift — verified_on 2026-10-05: https://www.ctg.com.cn/sxjt/xwzx55/zhxw23/2024081107330339623/index.html
- Ministry of Transport — 2026 ship lift maintenance — verified_on 2026-10-05: https://www.mot.gov.cn/xinwen/jiaotongyaowen/202608/t20260820_4222758.html
- China News Service — ship lift reopens, 29 September 2026 — verified_on 2026-10-05: https://www.chinanews.com.cn/cj/2026/09-29/10705502.shtml
- Chongqing Rail Transit — line introduction (Line 1 stations, including Chaotianmen) — verified_on 2026-10-05: https://www.cqmetro.cn/zjwm/jtjs/xljj/default_1.shtml
