What to see?
Between the mountain city of Chongqing and the site of the magnificent Three Gorges Dam project, passengers will see and experience all the famed sights of the Three Gorges Region.

Fengdu's Ghost City: with it's long history, many temples, and life-like statues, the Ghost City is bathed in a mystical atmosphere that has earned it a place among China's National Tourist Sights.

Shibaozhai, the beautiful 12-story pagoda, derives its strength from the rock.  Built directly into the mountain, this pagoda, whose name means precious stone, rises 56-meters into the air and was constructed using a technique of interlocking wood.  The exquisite workmanship of Shibaozhai dates back to the Ming Dynasty, roughly 400 years ago.

Beyond it's lively nightlife, Wanzhou is also known for its Hanging Coffin Museum and local acrobatics show.  The combination will leave you with a taste of the Three Gorges Region, both past and present.

Built facing the Yangtze River, Zhangfei's Temple is dedicated to the heroic Three Kingdoms general of the same name.  The green and yellow structure sits directly on solid rock and is said to be the resting place of Zhangfei's decapitated head. 

The Three Gorges stretch 193 kilometers from Chongqing Municipality's White Emperor City in the West, to Yichang's Nanjin Pass in the East, and is composed of the Qutang, Wu, and Xiling Gorges.  The mountainous river landscape mingles the natural and cultural treasures of both banks with the daily activities of local inhabitants to create an unforgettable atmosphere.  From the ancient to the modern, the sights of the Three Gorges have charmed countless visitors from far and wide.

In the Qutang Gorge, the river guides will awe you with the mystery of Bellows Gorge, the history of the Whitewashed Wall, and the cultural legacy of the White Emperor City.  Though short in distance, the Qutang Gorge is grand in landscape.

In the Wu Gorge, you'll brush against the misty clouds that have inspired Chinese artists for centuries.  The Goddess Peak, most spectacular among the Wu Gorge's famed 12 peaks, will leave you breathless under the spell of her beauty.

As you cruise the Dragon Gate, Bawu, and Dicui Gorges of the Lesser Three Gorges, you will be exploring 60 kilometers of matchless, mountainous, verdant growth. The scenery is marked by a jagged skyline of rolling peaks, beautiful, clear, green water where the mandarin ducks swim and play, and sheer cliffs are decorated with flying waterfalls and hanging coffins.

At the Shennong Stream, peapod boats will pull you up the Longchang, Hewu, and Angzhu Gorges.  Shooting back downstream, the peapod boats glide quickly through the clear water.  The untouched and primitive scenes of Tujia minorities riding in old style junks, ancient villages, and hanging coffins, cannot be found in the middle reaches of the Three Gorges, but only along its tributaries.

In the Xiling Gorge, the River Guides will unfold the legend of Shadow Play Gorge, the origin of Military Book and Precious Sword Gorge, the tragedy of the Ox's Liver and Horse's Lung Gorge, and describe the already completed Gezhou Dam.  In addition, our Guides will update you on the opus of Chinese engineering: the Three Gorges Dam Project

Many potential tourists are concerned about the Three Gorges Dam Project.  After the diversion channel around the Dam closes in November of 2002, how will tourist ships get in and out of the Three Gorges?  Will the Three Gorges' many sites be destroyed because of the Dam's reservoir?  After the Dam is completed, ships will use either a series of locks or a "shiplift" to bypass the Dam.  The wonderful sights of the Three Gorges will not be destroyed, but will become even more beautiful: cliffs towering above a peaceful lake.

The Three Gorges Dam will not only produce electricity and prevent flooding, but will also be beneficial to river navigation.  To allow traffic through the Dam site, the Three Gorges Dam Corporation has designed a two-way, five-step ship lock system and a ship elevator system.  Each lock of the five-step ship lock system is the same size as the number one and number two ship locks of the Gezhou Dam, 280 meters long and 32 meters wide.  Due to the final water level of 175 meters above sea level, each of the ship lock's five steps will raise the ships between 22 and 25 meters.  These locks rank with some of the largest in the world and will raise ships an unprecedented total of 113 meters.  Ships will proceed through the series of ship locks one lock at a time.  Upstream traffic will first enter ship lock number one, where the water in the lock is at the same level as water downstream from the dam.  After the ship enters the ship lock, the lock's automatic door closes behind it.  The lower part of the door then opens and exposes the tubing system that brings the water into the lock.  In a matter of 15 minutes, 280,000 cubic meters of water can be flushed into the lock.  When the water level of ship lock number one becomes equal to that in ship lock number two, then the door to ship lock number two is opened and the ship moves into it.  This process is repeated for moving ships through locks 2 through 5.  In this way, ships travel safely past the dam and enter the Three Gorges Region.

Downstream traffic first enters ship lock number five.  After the door closes behind the ship, the lock's water level is drained down to the water level in ship lock number four.  The ship passes through the remaining locks in exactly the same manner.  10,000 ton ships can use the lock system for half the year, but 5000 ton ships can use this system all year round.

The ship elevator will be the same size as the Gezhou Dam's ship lock number three, and so will be used primarily for small or mid-sized ships.  The elevator will raise the ships 113 meters in one step using steel cables to lift the ship in much the same fashion as an everyday high-rise elevator.

As passengers go through the five-step ship lock and the ship elevator, they will be amazed by the feats of modern technology.

Once the Three Gorges Dam is completed, the Gorges will appear before the world with a glorious new face.

The once dangerous Xiling Gorge will become a near placid lake, disturbed only by small waves rolling mildly across the surface.

 The altitude of the Twelve Peaks in the Wu Gorge averages about 1000 meters above sea level.  With the water level in this gorge increasing only 45 meters, all Twelve Peaks, including the Goddess Peak, which looms 900 meters above the water, will remain safe and beautiful.

The average height of the peaks in the Qutang Gorge is more than 1000 meters above sea level.  The steep roof of Kuimen, the famed entrance to the Qutang Gorge, is 350 meters above the river's surface.  The water will only rise 40 meters in this Gorge, drowning the feet of the mountains that make up Kuimen but not affecting the beauty that has made Kuimen "the most beautiful Gorge entrance in the world."

The White Emperor City will become an island.  With its Star-Watching Pavilion partially hidden in the shadows of the trees, it will sit like a beacon over the reservoir's calm lake.

Shibaozhai's twelve story pagoda, protected by its own dike, will also become an island.  Ships will be able to dock directly at the site of the pagoda, making tourist visits much more convenient.

Yunyang's Zhangfei Temple will be rebuilt on higher ground on the other side of the river.

With the raising of the water, the Three Gorges will become a network of  already often visited attractions and previously unknown vistas, made newly accessible by the Three Gorges Reservoir.

The Three Gorges tributaries will also become much more accessible, opening up never before seen areas to tourists.

The Lesser Three Gorges will expand all the way to Dachang and beyond.  The convenience of visiting the Mini Three Gorges, just off of the Daning River, will be greatly increased.  The Three Gorges, the area surrounding Fengjie City, and the Lesser Three Gorges will be the Golden Triangle of Tourism.

The beautiful and clear water of the Fragrant Stream will be enhanced by the reservoir.  East of the river is the birthplace of the patriotic poet Quyuan, who lived over 2000 years ago, during the Han dynasty.  Sights commemorating Quyuan include the Mirroring Wall, Incense-Burner Levelland, and Book-reading Cave.  The upper region of the Fragrant Stream is the home of the ancient and illustrious imperial concubine Wang Zhaojun, famed for both her beauty and her integrity.  The village of Baoping, the Zhaojun Shrine, the Well of the Nanmu Tree, and the Zhaojun Terrace are among the sights of her hometown.

The lower region of the Fragrant Stream, where it meets the Gaolan tributary, is marked by the famous Gaolan Scenic Area and the deep, rare Liang Mountain Gorge.

The Shennong, Jiuwan, Si, and Goddess streams will all be much more accessible to tourists wishing to explore the singular beauty found within their banks.

 Because of the new reservoir, Badong's Gezi River Stone Forest, comparable in beauty to the Stone Forest of Yunnan Province, is another area that will be more easily reached in the future

The landscape and scenic spots of the Three Gorges Region defy both written word and painted picture.  This area has been the subject of countless stories and legends that enhance the richness of the Three Gorges experience.  The Gorges bring to mind the magnificence of Tai Mountain, the mysticism of Lu Mountain, the mist and clouds of Yellow Mountain, and the spirit of Wuyi Mountain. 

Not only a place of great natural beauty, over the years the Three Gorges has been important in the lives of many famous and influential people.  In addition to the great patriotic poet Quyuan and the accomplished Wang Zhaojun, men like Libai, Dufu, Baijuyi, Liuyuxi, Sushi, and Luyou have left their footprints here, along with many beautiful poems and songs.  Sailing through the Three Gorges is the best way to experience and enjoy this cultural heritage.

Whether touring on shore or listening to lectures on the ship, your life will be enriched by the Chinese culture.  Regal China Cruises' Princess Ships have turned their hallways into cultural exposes with pictures and articles describing the history of the Yangtze River region, the life of minorities living along the Yangtze shores, and the habits and habitats of native wildlife.  Through this window of knowledge, you will be able to glimpse both the past and present of the Three Gorges.

Our on-board lectures, which range from Chinese acupuncture, Chinese freshwater pearls, and demonstrations of traditional Chinese instruments, kites, and dough dolls, provide a rare opportunity to learn about Chinese culture up close.

The on-board acupuncture lecture will teach you about traditional Chinese methods for treating illness as well as addressing those common travel health nuisances.

The traditional Chinese kite demonstration will not only help you understand the history and origin of kites, but will also teach proper kite-flying methods.  You will see that kites are wonderful gifts to take home to your friends and family, something that everyone can enjoy together.