shennong stream

Shennong Stream,  another tributary of the Yangtze River featuring fast-flowing and crystal clear water that runs southwards through deep gorges, is the only well-preserved Green land in the middle latitude area of the whole world, boasting more globally meaningful and various creatures than that of other temperate zoneforest ecological systems.

shennong stream

Shennong Stream is located in the transition area from the subtropicl to temperate area and covers an area of 3253 square kilometers. It used to be a vast sea in hundreds of millions of years ago, it has changed into high mou tains because of the movement of the Himalayas, which makes it be the “Central Ridge”. There are 6 high mou tains with altitude more than 3000 meters and because of the special geographical conditions, the Shennong Stream has been the shelter and habitat of all kinds of animals and plants during the quaternary glacial period, including that of north to Mohe in the northernmost China, south to Xishuangbanna in China, east to the middle area of Japan and west to the Himalayas mountain.

shennong stream

Shennong Stream has 199 vascular plants, 872 genera and 2671 species, among which 39 species has been listed as the first-level and second-level protected plant; and there are 500 kinds of animals with more than 50 kinds being listed as the key-protected animals; besides, 2013 kinds of the animals and plants can be used as medicine. Therefore, the Shennong Stream enjoys the reputation of “Species Gene Bank”, “ Natural Zoo” and “ Green Treasure House”. It has been attracting numerous travelers because of its serenity, uniqueness, primitiveness and wilderness and the most importantly its well-preserved natural ecology.

shennong stream

Useful information about having a travel there: 1) Ticket: 140 RMB/ adult. 2) 4-5 hours drive form Yichang to Shennong Stream with cost of 60 RMB. 3) Best time to visit there: July to October; but the snow scenery from December to February cannot be missed. 4) Do not forget to view the Mianzhu Gorge, Parrot Gorge, and Longchang Cave Gorge which are the main sections of the Shennong Stream with their own features.

Chinese-Sturgeon-Museum

Located in an islet in the Huangbo River in the Yiling District of the city in Yichang, Hubei province, the Chinese Sturgeon Museum is a 3-A-level tourist spot which keeps 7 kinds of sturgeons including American Polyodon Sturgeons, Russia Sturgeons, Heilongjiang Sturgeons, Hybrid Sturgeons, etc. Crocodile exhibition and aquarium exhibition are set inside the Chinese Sturgeon Museum, where you can see national first-level protected Yangzi crocodile and some huge-type Wan crocodile and all kinds of the tropical fishes. Besides, there are also some national second-level-protected animals such as giant salamander and myxocyprinus.

The Chinese Sturgeon

The Chinese Sturgeon Museum is a part of the Chinese Sturgeon Research Center that preserves rare fishes living in the Yangtze River. The Chinese Sturgeon is one of the oldest species of fish in China what has existing for about 150 million years. It is a kind of specie between the transition of the soft-bone fishes and tough-bone fishes. It is called the living fossil for its being survived until nowadays.

Because of its huge size, the Chinese sturgeon has been dubbed “The King of Fishes” in the Yangtze River.  You cannot imagine how huge it is!  And you will never believe that an adult sturgeon be more than 5 meters in length with its weight more than 500 kilograms. May you now nothing about the process of the spawn of a female Chinese sturgeon, right?  Yeah, its first time to become sexually mature at the age of 14 and lays about a million eggs at one time but unfortunately, of which one hundred thousand eggs that do survive and only a handful of the hatched surgeon fingerlings will survive the crucial first stages. Is it unbelievable about the difficult survival of the Chinese sturgeon? It is true! So, just do something you can to protect it from being extinguished when you have a visit there!

The Chinese Sturgeon Museum

Tips for visiting the Chinese Sturgeon Museum: 1) Tickets: 25 RMB/ person. 2) Take the No.4 city bus to the Sturgeon Research Center and then get off the bus.

Gezhou Dam

Gezhou Dam, located in the entrance of the Xiling Gorge and 3 kilometers down low the Nanjing Pass in the Yichang city of Hubei province and 38 kilometers away from the Three Gorges in this upstream, is the No.1 largest hydroelectric dam in China in the mainstream of the Yangtze River which plays an important role in the adjustment and channel of the Three Gorges Dam.

With its length 2, 561 meters, height 70 meters and depth 30 meters, the Gezhou Dam is controlling a water volume for 55.5% of the Yangtze’s total capacity. The annually average volume of the Gezhou Dam is 14.300 cubic meters per second, with the annual volume 451 billion cubic meters and the average volume of the output sand 0.53 billion tons and average volunm of sand contained 12 kilograms per cubic meter, of which 90% sand are concentrate and gathered at sprinkle water period. It is a great and enormous construction project starting at May, 1971 and completely finishing at December, 1988.

Gezhou Dam

The Gezhou Dam has great effect on the Yangtze River such as generating and improving the channel and other profitable influence. The generation volume of the Gezhou Dam is 2.715 million KWH, guaranteeing 0.768 KWH for its single operation and its annual generation volume is 1.57 billion KWH, while it can reach 16.1 billion KWH after the complement of the Three Gorges Dam. It output the charge to the nearby cities in the way of 500 KV and 200  KV, and output 1.2 million KWH to Shanghai, where it is 1000 kilometers away, through the 500 KV directly electronic ways, which does great help for the development of economy of Shanghai.

As part of this fascinating stretch of the mighty Yangtze River, the Gezhou Dam has attracted many travelers from home and abroad to have a visit there. Standing near the magnificent floodgate, you can see massive flows of the Yangtze spill over the dam’s turbines, which create roiling torrents that roar with the sound of thunder. It is majestic and astonishing scene!

Gezhou Dam

the Three Gorges Dam

Being the biggest hydropower station in the world, the Three Gorges Dam Project is located in the Sandouping town in Yichang city, where it is in the middle reach of the Xiling Gorge and 38 kilometers away form the Gezhou Dam in its upstream. It is one of the 5-A level tourist spots in China.

The Three Gorges Dam Scenic Area, a combination of the modern project, nature scenery and cultural landscapes, contains 5 parts—the Exhibition Hall of the Three Gorges Project, Tanzi Ridge, 185 Platform, Memorial Garden and Dam Viewing Point and covers a total area of 15.28 square kilometers. Among which the Exhibition Hall of the Three Gorges Project and the Tanzi Ridge are the most attractive. Its tourist area is strongly depending upon Three Gorges Dam Project, the world biggest hydropower station project to completely show its project culture and hydraulic engineering culture.

the Three Gorges Dam

The Exhibition Hall of the Three Gorges Project and the Tanzi Ridge in the Three Gorges Dam

The Exhibition Hall of the Three Gorges Project is open to the public in 1st, October, 1992 with the inscription of the vice-premier of the state council, Zhoujiahua. Covering an area of 6,600 square meters, this exhibition hall is divided into several special subject exhibitions including environment protection, immigration, technology progress, electronic production, photography, etc. It is decorated and designed according to the international standard for exhibition, which sets film show room, VIP room and so on. Majestically, it has the longest colorful picture of the Three Gorges with birds’ eye view scenery.

the Three Gorges Dam

Tanzi Ridge with its height 262.5 meters height above the sea level is located in the surveying point for the Three Gorges Dam Project. Its shape looks like a crock, therefore comes its name. The Tanzi Ridgec can be divided into three storeys according to the increase of its height and you can view the relievos which is an 800-million-year old stone from the bottom of the Yangtze River and a huge book sculpture record the introduction of the Three Gorges Dam Project.

Useful information for your tour to the Three Gorges Dam: 1) the ticket price: 105 RMB/ adult. 2) Ways to get to there: take city bus line 4, 10, 21,100,101 buses to the Yemingzhu station and then take change bus No.8 to Liuzhashou Tourist Reception Center to take the tourist shuttle buses to the Three Gorges Dam Tourist Area. 3) Best position to have a birds’ eye view on the dam and the marvelous spectacle of flood discharge—Dam Viewing Point. 4) Attractions near the Three Gorge Dam: Wu Gorge, the Chinese Sturgeon Museum and Huangling Temple.

Bawu Gorge

The Lesser Three Gorges in Chongqing, the combination of the Longmen Gorge, Bawu Gorge and Dicui Gorge, stretches 25 kilometers in the lower reaches of the Daning River, which is a large tributary of the Yangtze River and joins it at the western end of the Wu Gorge. The length of these three canyons totals 60 kilometers and it is entitled as one of the “40 best tourist areas in China” and a 5 A level tourist spot in December, 2006. It is the highlight of the Yangtze River Cruise and praised as the spectacular wonder of China by travelers from home and broad.

Called the Lesser Gorge of Wushan, and also the Lesser Gorge of the Daning River, its regional resource is in Wushan county in the south and flows to Dachang county in the north, it is the essential part of the Daning River Scenic Area which catches the attention of numerous travelers by its charming scenery. Compared to the grand and steep three Gorgers, the Lesser Three Gorges are relatively pretty, unconventional, delicacy and elegant, therefore comes the reputation of” not the Three Gorges, but more than the Three Gorges!”

The Less Three Gorges are divided into three sections: Longmen Gorge, Buwu Gorge and Dicui Gorge.

Cuidi Gorge

Longmen Gorge, the “gate” to the Lesser Three Gorges, just as Kuimen is the “gate” of the Three Gorges, is the shortest among the Lesser Three Gorges with the length only 3 kilometers. Passengers can see the plank road built along the gorge cliff and normally most of them enjoy the scenery by walking along it.

Bawu Gorge with its length of ten kilometers, is famous for its grotesque mountains and especially the over-2000-year-old Hanging Coffins which was an ancient funeral custom of some minority groups, especially the Bo people of Southern China.  You’ll find it interesting when passing through the gorge to enjoy its beauty while listening to the guild to tell you about the mysterious Hanging Coffins.

Longmen Gorge

Dicui Gorge with a length of 20 kilometers, is the longest and most graceful of the Lesser Three Gorges, where the vegetation is the most flourishing and the best protected among the Lesser Three Gorges.  It will be an impressive and peaceful experience on a quite day a trip through here in a small sightseeing ship.

As it is a highlight of the Yangtze Cruise, you can ferry in a small mat-covered wooden boat in the Mini Three Gorges, admire the fair-sounding folk songs of local people and take photos here. Best to visit there are late spring and summer. As it is so hot in July and August, it is suitable for you to wear short clothes, and forget to take umbrella and raincoat in hand as it rains often in Wushan. Moreover, don’t forget to taste all kinds of the fresh Yangtze River fish!