The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia, flowing from the Tibetan Highlands right across China into the East Chinese Sea. Its 6,300 km (3,915 miles) and is ice-free all year. The official name in Chinese is ‘Changjiang’. The name ‘Yangtze’ is only used for the lower reaches of the river, but became the official name used in western countries.

Not only are five of China's largest cities (Shanghai, Wuhan, Chongqing, Chengdu, and Nanjing) on or near the river, but the 1.8 million square km Yangtze River basin is also home to 1/3 of China's population (400 million).

The Yangtze River is of major economic importance: The volume of transportation on the Yangtze River is higher than the total transportation of all other rivers in China together. The agricultural areas along the river produce nearly half of the countries total crop production, while most of the industrial hotspots are located here.

The climate at the Yangtze River is as diverse as the river is long. The best time to take the Yangtze Cruise is in Spring and Autumn. That means April, May, September and October when the weather is cool and comfortable. These four months are often called high seasons. The best time in terms of price is in winter however the weather must be considered.