Yangtze River

China’s largest river (and the world’s third-longest at nearly 4,000 miles in length), the Yangtze River snakes its way down from the Tibetan Plateau to the estuary of the East China Sea close to Shanghai. Cruises focus on the section in south central China where the Three Gorges, a series of dramatic limestone walls that tower over the waterway, are located. Many Yangtze River cruises are offered year-round (though the weather is best between April and October) and most run a week or less. They are typically combined with land tours to Shanghai, Beijing, and other cities in this massive country.