Why go
For two millennia the Three Gorges were the highway and the barrier of central China — the route of armies, exiles and poets, celebrated in some of the greatest verse in Chinese literature. Li Bai's 'leaving Baidi at dawn' is set here.
The modern dam has raised the water level by over 100 metres, softening the cliffs but creating the ship-lock spectacle: giant barges rising and falling like elevators in the world's largest water lift.
- The 3-day, 2-night cruise from Chongqing to Yichang
- Qutang Gorge — the narrowest and most dramatic
- The Twelve Peaks of Wu Gorge drifting by at dawn
- The Three Gorges Dam ship lock and the dam's observation deck
Practical tips
Choose the ship before the cabin class — the newer Chinese cruise lines are markedly better. The best views are from the foredeck at dawn and dusk. Shore excursions (Shennong Stream, Fengdu Ghost City) add cost but also the best close-up scenery.
Logistics
Boarding is in Chongqing with a full afternoon free first. Disembark at Yichang, visit the dam, then take the high-speed rail onward to Wuhan or continue by plane. The 'presidential' cabins are overpriced; a standard balcony cabin is the sweet spot.
Getting there
- Boarding in Chongqing Chaotianmen port; disembark at Yichang, which has rail to Wuhan
- Length
- 193 km of gorges
- Deepest gorge
- Qutang, ~1,500 m cliffs
- Dam
- World's largest by output
