It's July again, and the scorching sun can't stop our family's vigorous mood of traveling. On July 19th, my family of three set off towards the long-awaited Three Gorges. The travel itinerary was carefully planned by me. After reading a lot of travel agency schedules and online posts, I finally decided on my personalized itinerary. From the final itinerary, I think there are some valuable aspects to consider for self driving travelers. My car is a Buick Excelle, which is almost 6 years old. It has followed me to Chengdu, Qingdao, Rizhao, Pingyao and other places, traveling north and south, which can be considered as a great achievement. This time he performed as well as ever, simple and stable, and deserves another credit. Hehe, there is suspicion of advertising for Kaiyue. Let's get back to the point.

We depart from the eastern suburbs of Xi'an, take the Ring Expressway and Baomao Expressway to Ankang, and then take S207 to Langao County. Halfway through the lake, I only glanced at it from a distance without stopping. After arriving in Langao County, we directly checked into Qinhan Hotel and booked it online. This is a small mountainous county with few cars on the street. Our car is parked on the street near the hotel. Around 5am on July 20th, I was awakened by the crowing of a rooster. Can you hear roosters crowing in the county town? I feel very strange. Looking out of the window, next to the hotel are four or five story residential houses, and I don't know which one has roosters on the roof. The continuous chirping of chickens reminds me of my childhood. When I was a child, my family lived in the countryside and was always woken up by roosters in the morning. I live in the city now and can no longer hear roosters crowing. Although my place of residence is not far from the countryside, it seems quite distant from the countryside. The beautiful scenes of childhood can only be searched for in the depths of memory.

After getting up, I habitually went for a walk and found many small restaurants and a farmer's market near the hotel. I have chosen a steamed bun shop for breakfast in my heart. Keep moving forward and come across a river. The river water is very clear, and there is a covered bridge on the river, which looks like an ancient building, but it can be seen that it was not built for a long time.

After breakfast, we headed to Nangong Mountain. The navigation guided us to the south gate, but due to internal maintenance, the south gate was not open, so we turned back and entered the mountain through the north gate, running an additional dozens of kilometers. I thought to myself: Why don't the relevant departments set up signs along the way to remind tourists? Fortunately, this is the first attraction of our trip, and our interest is high. We didn't complain too much about running the wrong way.

We only visited a part of the scenic spots on Nangong Mountain, which took us over 3 hours. This is my second time visiting Nangong Mountain. Last time it was autumn, and the mountains were covered in colorful red leaves. Looking from afar, the mountains were covered in lush forests, and the clouds were misty and rosy, making people admire the picturesque and enchanting scenery of the mountains and rivers. This time it's summer, it's still raining on the mountain, and the fog is thick, so you can't see far away. Originally, the statue of Master Hongyi, who had passed away, was placed in a small Buddhist temple, and tourists crowded to watch. Now the statue has moved to a grand hall, solemn and empty. I once told others that the scenery of Nangong Mountain is no less beautiful than Mount Huangshan Mountain, but after revisiting it, I felt that I did not remember the beauty of Nangong Mountain. Maybe it is because of my preconception.

After visiting Nangong Mountain, we took Provincial Highway 207 and headed towards Wushan County. We passed by the Tianshu Gorge scenic area on the way, but due to the urgency of rushing, we didn't go in to visit. When passing through Zhenping County, we had dinner. Zhenping County is located among the mountains, with buildings very close to each other and shops downstairs. The space is cramped and very different from the scenery of Guanzhong City. The accent of the people here is similar to that of Chongqing people, giving a feeling of Chongqing's atmosphere. Not long after passing through Zhenping County, the sky slowly darkened. The roads in mountainous areas are narrow, and some sections are sparsely populated. My heart is always hanging in the air, afraid that the car will malfunction or encounter other dangers. In Wuxi County, when we got on the Fengxi Expressway, my heart finally relaxed. It's already past 11pm in Wushan County. The hotel we booked in Wushan County is called Yongsheng Business Hotel, which is very close to the Xiaosanxia Tourist Center and has a small parking lot. The room prices are very economical.

On the morning of July 21st, we walked to the Xiaosanxia Tourist Center and took a 10:00 cruise ship heading towards Xiaosanxia. Xiaosanxia is the Longmen Gorge, Bawu Gorge, and Dicuixia on the Daning River. The two mountains at Xiakou face each other, with steep cliffs resembling a gateway, hence it is called Xiaokuimen. Further inside, one can see towering peaks on both sides of the river, reaching straight into the clouds; Or steep cliffs and rugged rocks; Or the mountains are covered with lush trees and hanging vines. Along the way, there are also sites such as hanging coffins, Luojiazhai, and ancient boardwalks, which make people feel that the Little Three Gorges is not only picturesque, but also deep and mysterious. In the Little Three Gorges, tourists sit on swaying small boats and travel through deep canyons, watching the dense mountains and forests on both sides, strange peaks and rocks, and listening to the boatmen singing local mountain songs. It is truly refreshing and unforgettable.

After returning from Xiaosanxia, we had lunch and immediately drove to Fengjie. In Fengjie, when taking a walk at night, we see that the terrain here has a large drop, the streets are built along the mountains, the buildings are staggered, and there are elevators or stairs connecting the buildings. Some rooftops are connected to the first floor of another building, while others lead to the roadside. I am not only amazed, but also greatly impressed by people's adaptability and ingenious ideas. This way of saving and utilizing space shows the scarcity of flat land here.

On the morning of July 22nd, we went to visit Baidi City. I visited Baidi City many years ago on a business trip, perhaps for a superficial reason, but now I don't have much memory of it. By revisiting Baidi City, I gained a clear understanding of the location, surrounding terrain, and origins of the scenic spots. Baidi City is located at the mouth of Qutang Gorge, surrounded by water on three sides and mountains on one side. Its location is very strategic and has always been a battleground for military strategists. At the end of the Western Han Dynasty, Gongsun Shu occupied Shu and built a city on a mountain. Because a well in the city often emitted white gas, resembling a white dragon, he used this to call himself White Dragon and called this city the White Emperor City. After visiting the Tuogu Hall, Mingliang Hall, and Wuhou Temple in the White Emperor Temple on the mountain, I looked into the distance and saw the Yangtze River rushing out of Kuimen, with boats shuttling back and forth on the river. I suddenly felt my mind open and couldn't help but admire the vastness of heaven and earth and the vicissitudes of time. It's really the 'Kuimen of the world'! No wonder literati throughout history have left many famous works here

After descending from Baidi City, we took a ferry to visit the other side. The ferry not only provides free shuttle services for tourists within the scenic area, but also takes them for a deep tour of Qutangxia. Deep tour costs 50 yuan per person. After visiting the Ancient Elephant Pavilion and the Red Armored Tower across from Baidi City, we went on a tour of Qutangxia. The river in Qutangxia is rushing and surging, with cliffs and steep edges on both sides. There are many stone carvings on the cliff, as well as ancient relics such as hanging coffins and golden caves, which are both spectacular and mysterious.

After visiting Baidicheng and Qutangxia, we drove towards Zigui. I originally planned to take a roll on/roll off ship to Zigui after visiting Fengjie, and enjoy the scenery of the Three Gorges all the way on the ship, but after consulting, I felt that the roll on/roll off ship fee was too high, so I changed my plan temporarily. If I had known this earlier, I should have gone directly to Fengjie when I arrived, and after visiting Fengjie, I would have gone to Wushan. Following the current route, we have actually taken many detours.

The hotel we stayed at in Zigui is called Zhongfu Express Hotel. This is a great hotel located near the river, with a parking lot. The rooms are very new and clean, and there are many restaurants and small supermarkets downstairs. Eating and shopping are very convenient, and the prices are also affordable. When we left the hotel, the boss not only gave us complimentary mineral water in the room, but also gave each of us a bottle of mineral water, which made us feel very warm. What was even more touching was that we left a few pieces of luggage in the hotel lobby, and when we came back a few hours later to find them, the boss handed them over to us without hesitation, which gave me a very good impression of the Zigui people.

On July 23rd, we visited the Qu Yuan Hometown Cultural Park. We first arrived at Qu Yuan Temple by electric scooter in the scenic area to pay our respects to this great patriotic poet. Qu Yuan's poetry is rich in imagination, profound in imagery, unrestrained and magnificent, displaying a completely different style from northern poetry. Reading his poems makes one feel a sense of vastness, stirring emotions, surging like the rolling Yangtze River flowing for thousands of miles. Therefore, I have long thought of returning from Zigui to experience the charm of Chu Ci culture. The current Qu Yuan Temple was relocated and rebuilt during the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, lacking the sense of historical vicissitudes, which is somewhat disappointing. During the visit, it rained heavily, so we had to take shelter temporarily. I just thought this scenic spot was nothing more than that. The amusement was greatly reduced. When the rain was a little lighter and we were about to leave the park, we met a Northeastern girl who was traveling alone at the entrance. With her guidance, we returned to the park to visit again. We visited several places such as ancient dwellings and county offices, and watched two performances. One was a folk culture performance, and the other was a county official case judgment performance. It was only then that I felt that this trip was worthwhile. Especially for folk culture performances, the time is not long, with only four or five programs, but they leave a deep impression on people. The mountain songs sung by the two actresses are very pleasant, with high pitched and simple voices, melodious melodies, and the charm of Hubei folk songs can be heard. The magician is an actor wearing a black top hat and a black robe, with a gloomy expression and a hint of mystery. He held the red hot tongs in his hand and swallowed them without any damage, leaving people puzzled. If you can visit the Qu Yuan Hometown Cultural Park carefully, you will definitely have a deep understanding of the culture in the Zigui area. Unfortunately, the weather was not pleasant and some performances were cancelled due to rain, so we only had a rough tour.

After visiting Zigui, we drove to Yichang. We stayed in a hotel near the Three Gorges Tourist Center in Yichang. On the early morning of July 24th, we left our car in the hotel parking lot and walked to the Three Gorges Tourist Center. We have booked a one-day trip to the Three Gorges Dam to pass through the Gezhouba Ship Lock in advance. There are many people waiting to take a boat in the tourist center, walking one wave after another. We followed the tour guide's arrangement and first obtained the cruise tickets here, then boarded a luxury cruise ship. This is my first time on a cruise ship, and I took a spin around the ship with curiosity. Seeing people everywhere on the cruise ship, bustling and lively. Many people sit on stairs, windowsills, and decks without seats. Children and adults in the cabin shouted and responded, while people came and went on the stairs and in the hallway, creating a condensed picture of the common people. I think tourists are busy watching the scenery, while themselves are also a scenery. The cruise ship arrived at the Gezhouba Ship Lock shortly after starting. When passing through the ship lock, as the cruise ship ascended and entered the dam, I felt the immense power of human intelligence and the ability to transform nature. After crossing Xiling Gorge, we arrived at the Three Gorges Dam at noon. After a simple meal at the restaurant, we went to visit Bashang. Looking up close at the world's largest water conservancy hub project, my heart is not only amazed but also filled with curiosity. The water inside the dam is over 170 meters deep. How many people are needed to repair such a deep dam?! How can people stop the surging Yangtze River and build such a high gorge and flat lake?! The tour guide's explanation gave me a rough understanding of the construction process and function of the Three Gorges Dam, and the heroic spirit of 'man can conquer nature' also arose in my heart.

After visiting the Three Gorges Dam, we took a car back to Yichang. After dinner, we drove to the Sanxia Renjia Scenic Area. We booked a homestay at the Three Gorges Residence, located on the south bank of the Yangtze River. Inside the scenic area, we could see the river from the window, and the owner was also very enthusiastic. However, later I realized my mistake. Not to mention here for now.

On July 24th, we took a ferry within the scenic area to the ticketing center to buy tickets for a visit. I took the cableway up the mountain first, and then walked down the mountain. Along the way, I visited landscapes such as Dengying Stone, Hama Spring, and Taiyin Cave. When I arrived at Bawang Village, I happened to catch a performance, and the Nuo opera and sacrificial performances were my first time watching them. I found them very distinctive, ancient and mysterious, and left a deep impression on me. After watching the performance, we went to visit Longjin Creek. The mountains on both sides here are majestic, reaching straight into the clouds; The rocks on the mountain are steep and almost vertical. The valley is winding and secluded, with lush trees, green mountains and waters, and a cool breeze. There is a stream between two mountains, and the water flows into the Yangtze River. Walking along the small path by the stream, there are often women dressed as village girls standing at the bow of the boat with umbrellas, pounding cloth and washing clothes by the stream, singing mountain songs at the bow of the boat, or playing guqin in the pavilion. It's really like many fairies descending to earth, extraordinary and spotless; Like the neighbor's little sister, elegant and graceful, bright and charming. What a beautiful landscape painting, what a fairyland among people, it really makes people linger and unable to return. There is also a primitive wedding performance in the valley, which is very beautiful. The plot is humorous and festive, and the actors perform very well. In addition, the interaction with tourists has won rounds of applause, giving people a lot of joy.

After visiting the Three Gorges households, I drove out of the scenic area. Looking at the time, it's almost three o'clock in the afternoon. I breathed a sigh of relief in my heart. It is said that according to the regulations of the scenic area, vehicles parked in homestays can leave at 10am and 3pm, and cannot leave at other times. This is the downside of living in the Nan'an Scenic Area. If you live in a homestay on the north bank, you can leave anytime. Choosing to stay on the south bank and waking up late in the morning resulted in a tight schedule for our visit to the Three Gorges, which was my mistake. I suggest everyone choose to stay in a homestay on the north bank.

After coming out of the Three Gorges family, we went directly to Xingshan County. I don't want to take too many detours, so I didn't choose to take the highway. Instead, I drove the navigation and took a regular road. The highways in Hubei generally have a speed limit of 80 kilometers per hour, and the speed limit in tunnels is 60 kilometers per hour, which makes me feel more depressed while driving. Of course, this is for safety reasons. Due to the ongoing construction of the Jiangbei Expressway, some sections of the road I am traveling on have poor road conditions with very few vehicles. We were driving on a winding mountain road, with cliffs on one side and occasional rocks falling from the mountains in the middle of the road; On one side is a vast abyss, which looks dizzying. Looking into the distance, the towering mountains stretch and undulate, and the winding mountain roads stretch endlessly. I couldn't help but feel nervous, worried about unexpected situations happening. Fortunately, nothing happened. After walking for a while, there were more cars on the road, and I also breathed a sigh of relief. Before dark, we arrived at Xingshan County. The hotel we stayed at in Xingshan County is Zhaojun Express Hotel, a very good hotel with excellent facilities, excellent service attitude of the staff, and affordable prices. I would like to highly recommend it to netizens. Here's an explanation: I mentioned some hotels in the article without any intention of advertising them, and they probably don't know that I wrote about them in my travelogue. I just wanted to provide some reference information for self driving friends when choosing hotels.

After packing our luggage, we went out to eat on the street. I found that Xingshan County is built beautifully and feels like a newly planned county town. There are not many people or cars on the streets, and it is clean and tidy. Living here must be very quiet and comfortable. I feel like Xingshan County is like a pearl in the mountains of Hubei. Of course, I haven't visited many county towns in Hubei and haven't made many comparisons, I just feel it.

On July 25th, we went to visit Zhaojun Village. Zhaojun Village is not far from the county town, located on a mountainside surrounded by mountains and lush greenery. There is a river at the foot of the mountain called Xiangxi River. It is said that Wang Zhaojun sailed out of the mountain along this river. It is truly a place of beautiful mountains and waters, no wonder there is such a legendary beauty as Wang Zhaojun. Wang Zhaojun was one of the Four Great Beauties of ancient China. During the reign of Emperor Yuan of Han, she married the Xiongnu and brought stability to the border areas for 50 years. She also made positive contributions to the cultural integration of the Han and ethnic minorities. Her beauty lies not only in her appearance, but also in her kindness, perseverance, patience, and concern for national righteousness. Most of the buildings in Zhaojun Village are new, but there are also some old ones that are worth a visit.

After visiting Zhaojun Village, we headed towards Shennongjia along National Highway 209. The scenery along the way was very beautiful, with large mountains and deep valleys, excellent vegetation, and lush forests all around. I couldn't help but think of a Hubei tourism slogan in my mind: Great mountains and great waters, beautiful Hubei.

Passing by the Shennongjia Scenic Area, we didn't stop too long because I planned to come here specifically once.

We arrived in Shiyan, Hubei and took the highway back to Xi'an via Shanyang, ending our 8-day enjoyable journey.