Yangtze River Cruise Departure

Chongqing is the upstream departure point for Yangtze River cruises through the Three Gorges to Yichang. The journey takes between two and four days depending on the vessel, and it remains one of China's great travel experiences despite the changes wrought by the Three Gorges Dam, which raised water levels by up to 175 metres and altered the character of the lower gorges.

Luxury cruise ships and no-frills passenger ferries both make the run. The scenery builds gradually: the river broadens and the hills close in, then the gorge walls rise sheer from the water. The Little Three Gorges on the Daning River tributary, explored by smaller boats from Wushan, are worth the detour. Most itineraries include a visit to the dam itself near Yichang. Book berths in advance for the best cabins on popular routes.

things to do sight
A story
The Three Gorges — Qutang, Wu, and Xiling — were for centuries among the most celebrated landscapes in China, inspiring thousands of paintings and poems. Writers described the gorge walls as "clouds that do not part, sun and moon that rarely shine." The dam has raised water levels significantly, drowning the most dramatic sections of the lower gorges and altering the experience permanently. But the scenery that remains is still extraordinary, and the scale of the dam itself is worth seeing.