YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE

YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE :

The Yangtze River cruise passes through three spectacular river gorges in the middle of China.

How the Three Gorges differ Listings are in downstream order:
Qutang Gorge : It is 8 kilometers (5 miles) long, making it the shortest of the three gorges. It is also the narrowest and has the highest peaks.
Wu Gorge : This one measures 44 kilometers (28 miles). It is the widest gorge, and has the most tranquil surrounding setting.
Xiling Gorge : It's the longest (66 kilometers or 40 miles in length). Before the nearby Three Rivers Gorge dam was built, Xiling Gorge had treacherous rapids, whirlpools, rocks, and shoals that trashed small boats and, occasionally, large ships.

The dam is by far the biggest in both size and hydroelectric power generation. It's an astonishing engineering feat.You pass through its incredibly large locks in your ship. The Three Gorges Dam is a Hillman Wonder Bronze Medal winner.Unfortunately, from the tourist's perspective, it is raising the river water level behind it so high that formerly breathtaking rapid currents of the Yangtze River are all but disappearing. And, the water is permanently inundating some scenic and cultural riverside attractions (and forced over a million people to relocate).

Much of the stunning natural beauty of the sheer gorges remains. And, the visit to the new dam and its locks have substantially added to the cruise's appeal.The Yangtze River cruise is still so exceptional that the sightseeing losses the dam caused should definitely not discourage travelers from making the voyage. Think of the marble statue Venus de Milo. She lost her arms but still is an object of beauty.Those on the Yangtze are tinier (normally about 100 cabins) than those on the vast majority of sea-going cruise vessels. The experience is more personal, which makes it easier to get to know fellow passengers.