Experience life along Asia’s longest river: live with families on the Tibetan Plateau and learn about interconnected environmental, cultural, and economic realities.
16-18
Open
Tuition is all inclusive aside from airfare and insurance fees.
From its upper reaches in the mountains of Yunnan to the delta in Shanghai, this program follows the Yangtze River as it rushes nearly 4,000 miles across southern China.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to restrictive and changing COVID-19 policies, Dragons programs in China remain uncertain. We encourage you to look at our Taiwan Programs for a similar alternative.
Asia’s longest river has shaped China’s history, culture and economy like no other feature of the landscape. Students on this course will gain firsthand insight into the lives of the 550 million people who live along the banks of this vital waterway.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Beginning in Yunnan Province, where the river winds through deep…
PLEASE NOTE: Due to restrictive and changing COVID-19 policies, Dragons programs in China remain uncertain. We encourage you to look at our Taiwan Programs for a similar alternative.
Asia’s longest river has shaped China’s history, culture and economy like no other feature of the landscape. Students on this course will gain firsthand insight into the lives of the 550 million people who live along the banks of this vital waterway.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Beginning in Yunnan Province, where the river winds through deep gorges amidst spectacular mountain scenery, we begin our exploration of China’s ethnic and ecological diversity, visiting Tibetan Buddhist monasteries as well as ethnically Lisu, Yi, Naxi and Pumi communities. Our downriver journey takes us next to Chongqing, one of the fastest growing cities in the world. In this “Mountain City”, porters still haul cargo on bamboo shoulder poles amidst a forest of towering new skyscrapers and luxury shopping malls. We learn about the city’s role in modern Chinese history and the devastation of the Japanese invasion during a time when Chongqing was China’s capital. From Chongqing, we travel by boat 360 miles downstream to the world’s largest hydroelectric project, the Three Gorges Dam, learning about issues related to economic development, environmental destruction, and China’s age-old struggle to control water resources. We also explore the folk stories and poetry that make this area so renowned throughout China.
Continuing east, we conclude our journey in Shanghai, where we explore the vibrant cultural scene and unique history of the world’s busiest port, and reflect on how this river shapes and has been shaped by all of the people who rely on it for food, transportation, power, and inspiration.
Click on the gallery below to browse photos, videos and quotes from our participants and instructors.
Introduction to Buddhism, Daoism, Confucian thought, and Marxism.
Development, energy and environmental issues, water, land-use and resource management.
Environmental studies, ancient and modern history, political studies, ethnic and regional diversity
Unique rural home-stay (subject to change in the event of government restriction)
Focused on observation/documentation of issues related to the river, place comparisons
We engage in basic Mandarin, Chinese dialect, and Tibetan language study
Limited service opportunities due to the political climate of many areas we visit
Extensive train and bus travel; domestic flight; hiking; remote village stay
Hiking in Tibetan areas of Sichuan and Yunnan
This has been a life changing trip for me: I now think more about how I travel, I value more my friendships, my family and comfort and I’m eager to explore the world even more.
China Summer Program
This trip was truly a transformative experience for her. She returned with a broader outlook on life and the world. She has a better understanding of what is important to her and not worry about the little things.
Parent Summer Program