China Guide
Sichuan and Chongqing
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Three Gorges Cruises
The city of Chongqing is the departure point for the two-day cruise down the Yangzi and through the Three Gorges to Yichang. There are two main cruise options, both of which run year round: relatively inexpensive public ferries, which stop along the way to pick up passengers; and upmarket cruise ships, which only stop at tour sites.
Luxury cruisers cost upwards of ¥4000 and need to be booked through a reputable agent, preferably overseas, though you can also try upmarket hotels in Chongqing. These vessels verge on five-star luxury, with comfortable cabins and glassed-in observation decks.
Buy tickets for public ferries and the hydrofoil either through an agent in Chongqing, through hostels in Xi'an or Chengdu, or at Chongqing's Ferry Terminal. Fares on the ferry from Chongqing to Yichang range from ¥1062 per person for an en-suite double to ¥130 for a bunk in a sixteen-berth dorm. The hydrofoil (which runs straight through to Yichang without stopping) costs ¥357.
Public ferries are crowded and noisy, and timing is important: try to avoid leaving between 10am and noon, as you'll hit the first gorge too early and the third too late to see much. Not all ferries pull in at all ports, and schedules can change en route to compensate for delays, so it's possible that you'll miss some key sights. At each stop, departure times are announced in Chinese.