Over 6,300 kilometres long, the mighty Yangtze is the largest and longest river in China, surpassed only by the Nile of Africa and the Amazon of South America. From its birth in the snows of the Tibetan plateau, it swells as it flows from West to East through nine provinces, till, near Shanghai, the mighty Yangtze finally flows into the East China Sea. Between the towns of Fengjie (Sichuan Province) and Yichang (Hubei Province) are the magnificent Sanxia, or Three Gorges (Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge) are regarded as some of the most spectacular scenic attractions in China. Other famous sites include the Fengdu Ghost City, the Daning River Small Gorges, the Three Gorges Dam, etc.
Although the river brings riches and life to a huge area of China, in the past it has often brought death, in the form of devastating floods. Now you can see for yourself, the immense man-made solution to this unpredictable threat. Halfway through Xiling Gorge, you will stop at Sandouping, the site of modern China's most ambitious engineering project; Three Gorges Dam, the biggest water conservation project in the world, a massive structure that provides Hydro-electric power, improved navigability, reliable irrigation and much needed flood prevention for the 15 million people and 1.5 million hectares of farmland in the Jianghan Plain.
