Group Tours:
The Panda Experience
Tibetan Adventure
The Historical Orient
Legendary Yangtze Cruise
China Explorer
China Delights
The Hidden Villages
China in a Week
Golden Waterway Voyage
The Grand Emperor
Winter Special
Other Far East Destinations:
Japan
Nepal
Mongolia
Singapore & Malaysia

China Tour References

China tour along the Yangtze River

An essential part of any China tour is a Yangtze River cruise.  The Yangtze is the longest river in China and the third longest river in the world.  The Chinese name for the river is Chang Jiang, which translated means “Long River,” and that it is at 6,400 km.  A China tour has become increasingly popular as many have long waited to be able to experience the magic and mystique that is the country of China.  Cities are modernizing and the government has relaxed tourism restrictions, making it easier to visit this exotic land.

The Three Gorges

The landscape along the Yangtze River includes the Three Gorges and the Three Gorges Dam.  The three gorges are named Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, and Xiling Gorge, and they extend 193 km along the river.  A cruise down any portion of the Yangtze River will be a spectacular memory from your China tour.  These gorges of the Yangtze are among the top 10 most famous attractions in China and are often visited by China tour travelers.

The river narrows and widens traversing the gorges in ways that promotes unusual and scenic water displays.  The river offers those on a China tour fascinating views of gushing water as the landscape ebbs and flows.  It is a visual masterpiece for the river traveler on a China tour.  Along with the changing flows of water, you will see amazing rock formations and majestic mountains as you glide gracefully past.

The Three Gorges Dam

The Three Gorges Dam project is one of the most formidable undertakings of any country in the world and you can see it from your China tour river cruise on the Yangtze River.  The Yangtze has caused great flooding problems in the past for Chinese residents and the Three Gorges Dam was designed to alleviate that problem.  The project is also supposed to deliver 18.2 gigawatts of power generation which the country very much needs.  In the process, however, many existing towns were relocated and the areas submerged in building the Dam.

The project is scheduled to be completed in 2009.  It underwent Phase Two in June 2003 and currently the water level is at 443 feet above mean sea level (MSL).  In 2009, when the project is finished, the final level of the river will be at 575 feet MSL.  This construction has created new navigational routes and scenic vistas which travelers on a China tour can enjoy.  Sightseers have easier access to the spectacular scenery located within the Lesser Three Gorges area due to navigational changes.

Ports of Call

Fengdu spans a history of 1,900 years and is located on the north bank of the river.  It is sometimes called the “City of Ghosts” as it was the capital of “Ghost State” so named by the Daoists.  Fengdu is a place you must visit on a China tour if you are interested in this time period of history.

Shibaozhai is located on the south bank of the Yangtze River and was built in 1750 as part of the Qing Dynasty.  It is a rectangular rock, standing alongside the river, with precipitous cliffs.

The Lesser Three Gorges and Shennong Stream are two ports who battle each other in a popularity contest.  They are two of the most renowned and stimulating stops along the Yangtze and Three Gorges area.  A China tour would never let a visitor miss one or the other of these stops.

A China tour will take you on the experience of your lifetime.  Touring the significant places and learning about this land is an opportunity that should never be missed.  A China tour will enrich your knowledge of history and move your heart with a desire to learn more about this fascinating nation.