Three Gorges Travel Guide

The famous Three Gorges are situated in a 200km long stretch of the river between the towns of Fengjie and Yichang. The lush scenery and rocky cliffs feature the length of this section, the powerful river racing ahead and rushing a little faster through the narrower of the gorges. The first gorge is Qutang Xia. The smallest and shortest of the gorges Qutang Xia is only eight kilometers in length and (for those with sharp eyes) features coffin caves high up on the northern bank. Coffins and artifacts found here are believed to be due to an ancient tribe who would place their dead high up in the mountain caves. The scenery is spectacular and the narrow walls of this gorge make you fully appreciate the power the river possesses.

The second and third gorges (Wu Xia and Xiling Xia) are much longer at 40 and 45 kilometers in length respectively. These gorges tower over the boat, the cliffs’ impressive sheer walls of rock infused with the lush greenery of the area. In some sections the cliffs rise over 900 meters in height.

The Little Three Gorges, situated on a tributary of the Yangtze, are much smaller, narrower and have some dramatic scenery to offer. Situated on a much smaller river as they are only passenger boats can make their way up the narrow gorges and winding river. On both sides impressive stone cliffs are interspersed with surrounding rural scenery and forested areas.

The Three Gorges in their natural state are under threat from the Three Gorges Dam project (due to be completed later this decade) that is predicted to raise the river water levels as far as 150m above their current position. This will not just result in leaving a great deal of the natural scenery under water it will also involve the flooding of many of the cities and villages built on the banks of this stretch of the river.

These future plans are laid out today, markers along the banks of the river showing the predicted future water levels. The numerous towns and cities that are due to be flooded also have brand new cities being built high on the banks above the current position of the old settlements. It is the dam site though that is the amazing feat in engineering. Witness this impressive construction that is already underway as we pass through the end of the Third Gorge and continue on to Yichang.