These narrow gorges are considered by many to be more impressive than their larger namesake. Situated on the narrow and fast-flowing Daning River (the largest branch of the Yangzi) the Little Three Gorges can only be accessed by small passenger boat.

Covering a 31 mile stretch that winds its way from Wushan County in the south to the Dachang Ancient Town in the north, the gorges offer stunning natural scenery filled with high mountains, sheer cliff faces and historical relics.

Dragon Gate Gorge (Longmen Xia) is usually the first gorge visitors see. Just over 3000 yards long, two precipitous cliffs create a narrow mouth reminiscient of the Kui Gate of the Qutang Gorge. Sights here include the Dragon Gate Spring, the Ancient Plank Road, and Bear Cave.

Next up is Misty Gorge (Bawu Xia). Six miles long, a black coffin suspended at one end has given this gorge the nickname of "Iron Coffin Gorge." Along the banks here you'll see unusual rock formations, all of which have descriptive local names ("Monkey Fishing for the Moon" or "Guanyin Sitting on a Lotus," for example). 

Emerald Gorge (Dicui Xia) is the longest of the three, covering a little more than 12 miles in total. Named for its emerald green waters, it is surrounded by lush bamboo groves filled with  songbirds and the occasional monkey, while its banks are covered with an extraordinary variety of river stones.

A further six miles upstream lies Dachang Ancient Town. The first large town along the banks of the Daning River, the story of its 1700-year history is told by an impressive stock of ancient architecture, with Ming and Qing-era docks and arches providing particularly fine examples.

At the far end of Dicui Gorge, the Madu River branches off into three even smaller gorges, known as the "Mini Three Gorges": Sancheng Gorge, Qinwang Gorge and Changtan Gorge.

Visitors can also take a side trip through here, transferring on to narrow wooden, mat-covered boats. They get you much closer to the water and with the closeness of the cliffs it's quite an awe-inspiring ride despite the rising water levels.

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