Yangtze River Facts

The mighty Yangtze, largest river in China, is said to be the cradle of Chinese civilization. The ‘Ten Thousand Li River’ flows 6.300 kilometres 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 famous simply as Chang Jiang (LongRiver).

The 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 (WitchMountains) it meets the world-famous Three Great Gorges, renowned for their dramatic beauty, cultural treasures, religious and historical sites, and now for the building of the controversial Three Gorges Dam.

The stunning scenery makes the Three Gorges cruise along the Yangtze a ‘must do’, alone or as part of a longer trip, particularly against the backdrop of the rising waters, newly navigable tributaries and of course, the Dam itself, 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. (25% of China’s ocean cargo enters the river between Shanghai and the sea.)

Chang Jiang has always been a major means of transport, with a colorful and exciting history. Ships were hauled bodily through some of the more dangerous reaches by ‘trackers’ working from narrow paths cut into the steep cliffsides.The pilots and captains, picking their way through the whirlpools, rocks and wildly fluctuating water levels have achieved legendary status.

These days, however, you can cruise the Yangtze in comfort!

We offer ships and cruises for every taste and budget, ranging from top end five star luxury through four and three star comfort to economical local ferries. Ships sail between Chongqing, Yichang and Wuhan, taking in various sites and shore excursions along the way.

We hope you enjoy browsing these pages, and they guide you to the right Yangtze Cruise for you. We’ve gathered a lot of information, and we keep it up to date. Our experienced Travel Advisors will respond quickly to questions sent through the form on this page.

Alternatively you can go straight to our Booking Form, and again our Travel Advisors will be delighted to help you, and ensure that your Yangtze Cruise is everything you want it to be.