Yangtze River travel, tours and Vacation packages

A short guide about Yangtze River

The Yangtze River (or Chang Jiang as called by the Chinese) is the longest river in Asia and cuts a spectacular swathe through some of China’s most breathtaking scenery. From the Tibetan Highlands to the East China Sea, the world’s third longest river, after the Nile and the Amazon, traverses a timeless landscape of deep gorges and towering mountains. Yangtze River cruise tours journey through its most picturesque section, including the fabled ‘Three Gorges’ between Chongqing and Wuhan.

Traditionally considered as the dividing line between North and South China, the Yangtze River is historically, culturally, and economically important to China. Being one of the world's busiest waterways; commercial traffic transports bulk goods such as coal, as well as manufactured goods and passengers, and in 2005 cargo transportation reached 795 million tons. By 2007, there are two dams on the Yangtze River: Three Gorges Dam and Gezhouba Dam, and the third one Xiluodu Dam is under construction. More dams are in planning stage, such as Wudongde, Baihetan, and Xiangjiaba.

The Yangtze Harbour is seen as the cultural origins of southern China, as human activity was found in the Three Gorges area as far back as 27 thousand years ago, initiating debate over the origin of the Chinese people. The Yangtze is home to at least two critically endangered species: The Chinese Alligator and the Chinese Paddlefish. (This is the only other place besides the U.S. that is native to an alligator species.) In December of 2006, the Baiji (Chinese River Dolphin) was declared extinct after an extensive search of the river revealed no signs of the dolphin, although there have been claimed sightings.

The river used as a waterway for commerce, now offers the possibility to cruise at leisure, and the city of Chongqing is located between the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers - the starting point for the Yangtze River cruises. Tourabout has a range of cruising operators that provide a very high standard and cruise through the beautiful and scenic Three Gorges, an area becoming popular as the tourism industry grows in China.