The mighty Yangtze, largest river in China, is said to be the cradle of Chinese civilization. The ‘Ten Thousand Li River’ flows 6.300 kilometers from the snowy heights of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the East China Sea, just north of Shanghai. It goes by many local names, but to the Chinese it is most common name is simply Chang Jiang (Long River).
An old saying goes “If you haven’t traveled up Chang Jiang, you haven’t been anywhere” because the river winds through some of China’s most spectacular scenery. In the western Wu Shan (Witch Mountains) it meets the world-famous Three Gorges renowned for their dramatic beauty, cultural treasures, religious and historical sites, and most recently for the building of the controversial Three Gorges Dam.
The stunning scenery makes the Three Gorges cruise along the Yangtze a ‘must do’, either alone or as part of a longer trip.The Rising waters means that some sights have been lost but the phenomena has created newly navigable tributaries with amazing new sights and of course, the Dam itself, which is due for completion in 2009. The world’s largest hydroelectric power plant will generate the equivalent of 15 nuclear plants, control the centuries-old problem of devastating floods and allow navigation well into the interior.
General Information
Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – Renminbi ('People's Money') (Y)
Language – Cantonese & Mandarin
Electricity – 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style or with a round pin below
Time – GMT plus eight hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 86