YANGZI EXPLORER

4 NIGHTS TO YANGZI EXPLORER

DAY ONE | DEPART YICHANG

Welcome on board the Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer.

This afternoon, board Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer at Settle into your room before joining your fellow Maoping Pier and prepare for your cruise upstream guests in the Explorer Bar for a welcome drink. through this stunning section of the River, famous for its impressive scenery and historic and Tonight, there is an optional embarkation dinner* cultural importance to . and a welcome safety briefing.

Please note that your passport or local ID is required Later in the evening, the 7 Wonders of China for check-in, and that your photograph will be taken documentary will be shown in the Tang Theatre. for security identification purposes.

SANCTUARY YANGZI EXPLORER

Items marked * incur an additional charge. YANGZI EXPLORER

DAY TWO | & DAM PROJECT

Start your morning with an early bird tea or coffee After lunch, depart Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer and and a traditional Tai Chi lesson, led by our certified visit the Three Gorges Project Dam Site and Exhibition Tai Chi Master and work up an appetite for the buffet Centre. Spanning 2,335 metres in length and 181 breakfast. metres in height, the dam is the largest and most expensive engineering project in the world. While the This morning’s lectures are Chinese Medicine and dam’s 32 generators will produce enough clean energy Chinese foot reflexology demos in the Tang Theatre. to reduce China’s reliance on coal, the project has also Guests will also have the option to go on an excursion caused much controversy. During construction, 13 to the Tribe of the Three Gorges* or The Three Gorges cities, 140 towns, 1,352 villages, over 600 industrial Ship Lift tour.** factories and more than 1,200 archaeological projects were submerged. Tribe of the Three Gorges is located in the Xiling Gorge, surrounded by spectacular mountains and twinkling Afterwards, we sail through Xiling Gorge – once the waters. Visitors will enjoy watching songs and dances most dangerous part of the river. Enjoy the view of in this scenic spot, as old sailboats moor below the river where the river widens and sweeps through towering houses on stilts. Visitors will also watch maids groves of orange and pomelo trees. This is the perfect wash clothes in the brook and fishermen cast their introduction to the relaxed pace of the Yangtze River. nets in the misty distance. This evening we have prepared a special Captain’s The Ship Lift of the is an elevator for welcome reception and a delicious a la carte dinner. ships weighing up to 3,000 ton. The lift is in essence a Tonight, show off your singing skills with some karaoke, hydraulic seesaw which lifts and lowers boats through before a live band perform in the Explorer Bar. the dam, keeping the water level stable. The lift means that ships will now pass through the dam in less than * Optional at CNY290 per guest. 40 minutes as opposed to the four hours it previously took. ** Optional at CNY350 per guest.

Guests will then enjoy a delicious lunch on board.

TAI CHI YANGZI EXPLORER

DAY THREE | SHENNONG STREAM, WU &

This morning, early bird tea and coffee is available Back on board, lunch is served. This afternoon, in the Explorer Bar. Begin the day with Tai Chi guests are encouraged to appreciate the practice before a buffet breakfast. scenery from the Sun Deck as we sail through the spectacular and Qutang Gorge, This morning’s shore excursion is a unique complimented by informative commentary. ride along the Shennong Stream on a sampan - a traditional longboat rowed by expert Tujia Relax and enjoy the on board activities. During boatmen. As we gently float through this stunning the afternoon, you will be able to listen to cultural riverine gorge flanked by verdant forest, you’ll lectures. Following the sail through the Qutang see evidence of early settlements in the form of Gorge, there will be an optional excursion to White stowed high within the limestone King Town* (please note, this is dependent on the cliffs. number of guests interested).

Before returning from Shennong Stream we will Tonight, indulge in an a la carte dinner in visit a traditional trackers village1, where you will the Dynasty Dining Room. A talk on the 816 have a chance to catch a fascinating glimpse of the Underground Project in the Tang Theatre will leave traditional, rural Chinese community (dependent you well equipped for tomorrow’s excursion. on weather and water level). You’ll find mud huts as homes, basic kitchens where the meat The onboard entertainment tonight is a movie is dried on hooks and coffins in the bedroom. And, complete with popcorn, and a live band while there are satellite dishes, villagers still pride performance in the Explorer Bar. their heritage.

SAMPAN

Items marked * incur an additional charge 1 This activity will not take place between the end of May and beginning of September due to low water levels YANGZI EXPLORER

DAY FOUR | FULING

Start the day with a session of Tai Chi before The White Crane Ridge Underwater Museum will breakfast. take you some 148 feet under water to admire the river bed and the intricate ancient rock carvings left For guests sailing mid-March to May and mid- there many years ago. Learn about the Yangtze river, September to November, this morning you can its flora and fauna, while enjoying this fascinating choose to experience one of the following two museum. After visiting The White Crane Ridge activities: The 816 Underground Project or the Underwater Museum, you can choose to move on White Crane Ridge Underwater Museum. to the local market or the Ancestral Library. The local market will give insight into the region’s rich culinary The 816 Underground Project is the world’s culture. This is a daily market where farmers meet to largest artificial military cave, an intriguing secret, buy and sell a variety of goods, including of course hidden in the mountains of Fuling. Over a whole array of pickles - which Fuling is famous for. 50 years ago, more than 60,000 constructers, The Ancestral Library contains rare collections of came to Jianzishan, an uninhabited place among ancient books with unique Chinese characteristics. mountains and forest, to start work on a top secret Guests can witness different cultural forms of construction project of a monumental scale. entertainment including folk songs, acrobatics and tai The work continued for 17 years and was nearly chi presentations. completed when the government decided to suspend it, before any nuclear material could be A lunch buffet is served followed by on board produced. Now as the secrets of military caves are activities such as a dumpling cooking revealed, you will be able to look at the true face of class. We’ll also introduce you to the ancient 816 project hidden for 50 years. Chinese board game - Mahjong.

816 UNDERGROUND PROJECT YANGZI EXPLORER

DAY FOUR | FULING DAY FIVE | DISEMBARK IN CONTINUED CHONGQING or guests sailing between mid-May and mid- Enjoy a tea or coffee with an international buffet September, enjoy on board activities this morning. breakfast before disembarking in Chongqing for After lunch, choose to experience either the 816 your onward journey. Underground Project or the White Crane Ridge Underwater Museum and a visit to a local market.

Tonight, we’ll treat you to a sumptuous farewell dinner, ‘A Taste of China’, before a live band performance in the Explorer Bar.

DYNASTY DINING ROOM