Cruise Down The Yangtze River

The adventure

Mist hangs on the river in the morning as the ship slides into Qutang Gorge, the shortest and most dramatic of the three. The cliffs close in, rising hundreds of metres on either side, and the gorge entrance, known as Kuimen, is so famous it appears on the back of the ten-yuan note.

Over three or four days the scenery keeps shifting: the twelve peaks of Wu Gorge, terraced hillsides, temples clinging to cliffs and new riverside towns rebuilt above the flooded old ones. Small boats take you up the narrower Lesser Three Gorges, where monkeys sometimes appear in the trees. The finale is the Three Gorges Dam, where the ship climbs or drops through a giant staircase of five locks.

Why it’s epic

The Yangtze runs about 6,300 kilometres, the longest river in Asia and the third longest in the world.
The Three Gorges Dam is the world's largest power station by installed capacity.
Its reservoir raised the river so much that more than a million people were moved to new homes.
The Three Gorges stretch for nearly 200 kilometres between Fengjie and Yichang.

What it is

A Yangtze cruise passes through the Three Gorges and the Three Gorges Dam.

How to do it

Cruises run between Chongqing and Yichang in three or four days.

Top tip

Choose a cruise that includes the Lesser Three Gorges excursion.

Need to know

Check China's current visa rules for British passport holders before you book.
Downstream sailings from Chongqing are usually a night shorter than upstream ones.
Spring and autumn bring the best weather; summer is hot and hazy, and fewer ships sail in winter.

Plan this trip

Rough cost: £2,000 to £5,000 per person, including flights from the UK
Time needed: 3 to 4 days
Best time to go: April to May, September to October
Fly into: CKG airport

Flights to China are the main cost; cruise prices vary widely with the ship and cabin.

Make it happen

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Why it’s on my list

Not done yet. If you’ve done it and have tips, tell me about it.