The Yangtze River (Chángjiāng 长江), over 6,300 kilometers long, is the largest and longest river in China, and the third-longest in the world, next only to the Nile in northeast Africa and the Amazon in South America. And the most impressive section of the river is the Three Gorges (sānxiá 三峡): Qutang Gorge (qútángxiá 瞿塘峡), Wuxia Gorge (wūxiá 巫峡) and Xiling Gorge (xīlíngxiá 西陵峡). The three gorges stretch from Baidicheng (báidìchéng 白帝城)in Fengjie County (fèngjiéxiàn 奉节县), Chongqing (chóngqìng 重庆) Municipality eastward for 192 kilometers to Nanjinguan (nánjīnguān 南津关) in Yichang (yíchāng 宜昌) City, Hubei Province. However, it is not a single entity and most sections are separated by broad valleys. The aggregate length of the gorge section: Qutang, Wuxia and Xiling gorges, is 90 kilometers.


Qutang Gorge (qútángxiá 瞿塘峡)
The westernmost of these, the Qutang Gorge, extends for about 8 kilometers betwween Chijia (chìjiǎ 赤甲) and Baiyan (báiyán 白岩) moutains face each other from opposite sides of the Yangtze. At its meters deep. These land features make the Kuimen Gate (kuíménguān 夔门), the upstream entrance to the Three Gorges, like the “throat” of Sichuan (sìchuān 四川) Province.

Wuxia Gorge (wūxiá 巫峡)
The middle gorge---- the Wuxia Gorge, is 45 kilometers in length from the Daning River (dánínghé 大宁河) in the west to Guangdukou (guāngdùkǒu 光渡口) in the east. This is the longest and most complete of the three, and is often called the “Great Gorge (dàxiá 大峡)". It is renowned for its remote and peaceful landscape beauty and for its changing clouds and rain. The 12 peaks of the Wushan Mountains (wūshāshíèrfēng 巫山十二峰) that flank the Yangtze stand like a continuous screen, a landscape to stir the spirit.

Xiling Gorge (xīlíngxiá 西陵峡)
Stricktly speaking, the easternmost Xiling Gorge consists of two sections. The easterly one stretches 15 kilometers form the Bingshubaojian (Mulitary Books and Precious Sword bīngshūbǎojiàn 兵书宝剑) Gorge at Xiangxi (Fragrant Stream xiāngxī 香溪),via the Niuganmafei (niúgānmǎfèi 牛肝马肺, means “Ox Liver and Horse Lungs”) Gorge, and ends in the Kongling Gorge (kōnglíngxiá 崆岭峡; the easterly one extends 20 kilometers from the Dengying ( dēngyǐng 灯影, means “Lantern Shadow”) Gorge to the Huangmao ( huángmāo 黄猫, means “Yellow Cat”) Gorge at Nanjinguan. Between the two lies the Miaonan Wide Valley (miàonánkuāngǔ 庙南宽谷), the longest valley in the Tree Gorges area.

Three Gorges Dam (sānxiádàbà 三峡大坝)
              
The world-famous Three Gorges Dam (sānxiádàbà 三峡大坝) stands at Sandouping (sādǒupíng 三斗坪), at the point in this valley where Yangtze is at its widest. The Three Gorges Dam project adds the interest of the area, started in 1995 the Three Gorges Dam near Yichang, began, and controversy has surrounded it ever since.
The Three Gorges Dam China is one of the largest construction projects in the world and is due to be fully commissioned and completed by 2009.
Once completed, it will be the largest electricity generating facility in the world. The hydroelectric generators will provide 1/9 of China's total power output.
The Three Gorges Dam China, as well as being hydroelectric supply station, has also been designed to help control the flooding of the Yangtze River Valley. 

Three Gorges
Location：Yichang City to Chongqing Municipality
Tickets:
Little Three Gorges (xiǎosānxiá 小三峡)on Shennong Stream (shéngnóngxī 神农溪): RMB 100
Little Three Gorges on Daning River: RMB 100
Baidicheng: RMB 70
The Dam of Three Gorges: RMB 118 (from July to September) 
Around landscape: Shennongjia (shénnóngjià 神农架) in Yichang city

Local Snakes and Specialties:
In Fengjie County: orange, pickled-vegetable, beef-jerky, bean-curd, etc.
In Yichang City: all kinds of fish and tea, Yichang bonsai and the dishes made by Tujia Nationality (tǔjiāzú 土家族), etc.

It is better to take a ship along the Yangtze River upstream of downstream. Three or four days to travel on Three Gorges is the best choice. Please take enough water, sunbonnet, sunglass, and suntan oil in summer. Bring warm clothes because weather is change to cold at night in spring and autumn.