Three Gorges Dam

三峡大坝 · sān xiá dà bà

The largest power station on Earth, 2.3 km across the Yangtze. Stand on Tanziling hill to see the whole wall, then watch a ship rise 113 m in the ship lift.

The story

Completed in 2006 after a century of planning first sketched by Sun Yat-sen. The five-step ship lock takes 3–4 hours; the elevator-style ship lift takes 40 minutes. Foreign visitors register with a passport at the visitor centre.

Getting there

HSR Wuhan → Yichang East (~2h), then car 45 min

Local tips

• Entry is free but the mandatory shuttle bus is ~¥35; bring your passport.
• From Yichang East station, take bus or a DiDi (about 45 min) to the visitor centre at Sandouping.
• Combine with the Qu Yuan Temple in Zigui across the river.