Yangtze River Cruise

Still Worth It

...and it certainly would have been wonderful to see the Three Gorges before they started filling that dam.

Alas, there is just too much of the world to see, and not enough time since we have to work to pay for our travels....

...So we didn't get to cruise the Yangtze River until the dam was over three quarters full.

Planning A Yangtze River Cruise Still Worth It or Not?

Tour Operator Says Yangtze River Cruise Still Worth It

• Because we were a small group we could fly into Yichang which deleted a 4 hour bus ride from Wuhan. We flew in directly from Xian after visiting its terracotta warriors. The Yichang airport is smaller and the planes serving it tend to be smaller too, so big groups might not be able to do this. All the more reason for trying independent small group tours like we love taking.
  
  

• The upriver cruise was less crowded.
  
  
  Our crew told us that this is generally the case. Our ship could hold 200 passengers. On our cruise there were only 60 passengers.... On the downriver return, they were expecting 190.

  It was very nice not having so many people to bump into; the dining room was less crowded; getting on and off the boat was faster and easier; and the crew was more relaxed and had more time to spend with us.....
  
  

  
  Don't think you'll be alone on the river.... there will be many other boats. At some excursions, you'll have to troop through other boats to get ashore. There may be small and then even smaller boats to catch for excursions up the lesser gorges, and buses to board.
  

  They'll have plenty of buses or boast, no matter how many are on your cruise, but a smaller number of passengers makes this seem like a more custom tour.... and that's what WE like!!!
  
  

• On the upriver cruise, we had more time to see the sights, but not so much that we got bored. There are still sites like the Lesser Three Gorges to explore that are beautiful and places like the Ghost City of Fengdu to visit. Now that the water has risen behind the dam, they will also take you up the Mini Three Gorges... river valleys that were previously unnavigable. So with the dam, we've lost some things and gained some. Getting up into those lesser gorges alone makes the Yangtze River Cruise still worth it.
  
  
  

Yangtze River Cruise Still Worth It for A Rounded View of China

But... if we had it to do again, we'd try to get to the caves and grottos of Baoding Shan and Dazu with their Tang Dynasty carvings. It's two hours from Chongqing, and it would be a long drive for a day trip, but we'd try it because that's just the kind of adventure we love. And organizing your own small group custom tour is all about having the adventure that YOU love. Create your own China experience with Ctrip! China's leading online travel agency.

Our late night flight from Chongqing took us to Guilin so we could explore the amazing karst landscape we had dreamed of seeing there.

Our travel tip here is that even with the Three Gorges Dam finished and filled, a Yangtze River Cruise is worth considering when you're planning your visit to China... whether you join a pre-packaged group tour or organize your own small group custom tour.

Happy travels... even if you don't travel the world... just remember that life is a journey... embrace and enjoy it!   Judy and Mark

New! Comments