The Yangtze River in Qinghai is one of the most majestic sights in China. It is one of the largest rivers in the world, and the scenery around it are unique and enchanting.
Location
The source of the river is the Geladaindong Peak (Tanggula Mountains, Qinghai). The mouth is the East China Sea. The flow commences at the Tibetan Plateau glaciers at Qinghai. From the east it goes southwest, central and east of China.
What to See
The river is 6,300 km (3,915 mi) long. It goes through several cities including Shanghai, Nantong, Jingzhou and Wanzhou. Among the highlights are the river gorges. At the Upper Yangtze is the Tiger Leaping Gorge, the deepest in the world.
The gorge has 2,000 m (6,600 ft) steep cliffs at its sides and 4,000 m (13,000 ft) mountains over it. The Yangtze River in Qinghai also has the Three Gorges. These are at the center of the river. This is a popular destination for cruise ships. Also not to be missed is the Three Gorges Dam, the biggest dam and hydroelectric power plant on the planet.
History
Activity along the river goes back at least 27,000 years ago at the Three Gorges area. From the time of the Han Dynasty onwards, the river and the region around it became crucial to the Chinese economy. The development of irrigation particularly at Chengdu made agricultural activities easier.
By the time of the Song Dynasty, the area along the river had become the most prosperous in China. The river drains a fifth of the land area in China. One-third of the country’s population live around it. Its river delta produces 20% of China’s GDP, emphasizing its economic importance.
Cost
You do not have to pay a fee to see the river. But there are many travel packages that include a cruise on the river along with trips to other interesting cities in China. Costs will vary, but a 7 day trip will have a price tag of around 1000 USD at least. A two week tour will cost about 2,600 USD.
Other Info
The Yangtze is the third longest river on the planet. But it is the longest of any river confined to a single country. At 5,000 m (16,000 ft), it has the highest source of any river.
The Yangtze River in Qinghai has an average discharge of 30,166 m3/s (1,065,302 cu ft/s). The maximum is 110,000 m3/s (3,884,613 cu ft/s).
