Discover the Yangtze River

If you have always wanted to experience the ancient cultures of China, you now have the opportunity to do so in comfort and style with Viking River Cruises. You will be placed safely and comfortably on board a state of the art river cruise boat that will take you to all the magical places in this fantastic and ancient country. Best of all, it is incredibly affordable as well.

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Yangtze River with Viking River Cruises

When you book on your Yangtze River tour with Viking River Cruises, you will be able to spend 11 days enjoying China between Chongqing and Nanjing. You will stop in Beijing, see Xian and experience Shanghai. Naturally, you will also get to see the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, the amazing Terra Cotta Army and even Old Shanghai. It is an opportunity to experience one of the oldest cultures in the world. Visit Jingdezhen, where porcelain was invented, as well as Mt. Jiu Hua, which is the most remote Buddhist temple complex in the world. You can enjoy classical elegant gardens in Suzhou and more. This itinerary is a chance to really learn all there is to know about China.

While you are experiencing all these wonders, however, you should also spend some time looking down at the river you will be sailing on. This river is the longest in all of Asia and in fact the third longest river on the planet. Interestingly, the Yangtze flows only in China, which makes it truly unique, as no other river of significant length crosses no borders.

The cultural and historical significance of the Yangtze River cannot be forgotten. There is evidence that human habitation was found here as much as 27,000 years ago. Indeed, it is believed that the Chinese culture itself, known as the Yue people, originated from here. The Yue used every element of the river for their own culture and life, including blackening their teeth to make them look more fearsome to their opponents.

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When we look at the Yangtze River, we see all of the history of China reflected. The country could never have become today without its lifeblood literally flowing through it. The river is known as the Yellow River and the Red River, because it flows in different colours depending on where in the country it is. Its source lies in cold glaciers, and it travels all the way on to the sea. It is along the lines of the Yangtze that the people of what is now China travelled and established their country.

It is also thanks to the Yangtze that the amazing culture of China was able to develop. They were able to use water in their design, infrastructure, art and more. Without the Yangtze River, there would be no porcelain. There would have been no dynamite. There would have been no beautiful gardens. When you travel along the river, in other words, think for a minute of the importance of the water you are travelling on.

Andy Higgs
Andy Higgs

I know what it's like to go from being a crazy backpacker without a care in the world, via being a vaguely sensible parent to being an adventurer once more. In other words, evolving into a Grown-up Traveller.

Like everyone else, I love to travel, have visited a lot of countries and all that but my big thing is Africa.

I also own and run The Grown-up Travel Company as a travel designer creating personalised African itineraries for experienced adventurers

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