If you come to Yichang, you must drive on G348 Highway at least once

I've been twice already, and each time feels different - Required documents: To drive to the Three Gorges Dam, you need to apply for a free pass. Apply online 24 hours in advance through the "Three Gorges Vehicle Traffic Reservation System" by uploading your vehicle registration; offline, you can go to the Triangle Reception Station in the Three Gorges Dam Tourist Area, where you can get it done in 10 minutes with your driver's license and vehicle registration. After leaving the reception station, navigate to "Tingfeng Valley" to avoid being directed to the special road and missing the beautiful scenery. - Best time to travel: Preferably choose March to April (rapeseed flowers) or October to November (colorful forests). It is recommended to start before 8 a.m. to avoid backlighting in the afternoon and to reserve 5 to 6 hours for an in-depth visit. Ordinary family cars can pass, but SUVs have better visibility on the mountain roads. 2. Core Self-Driving Route 1. Yichang City → Sanyou Cave: About 10 kilometers out of the city, here you can find ancient caves with poems by Bai Juyi and Su Shi. If you don’t have time to enter the park, taking a photo at the riverside plank road with the "First Pass of the Gorge" is very photogenic. Entering the park allows you to climb Zhang Fei’s Drum Platform to overlook Xiling Gorge. 2. Sanyou Cave → Tingfeng Valley → Shanwai Mountain: The hanging glass viewing bridge at Tingfeng Valley reveals rock layers from 250 million years ago; the double-deck viewing platform at Shanwai Mountain lets you touch oolitic limestone from 500 million years ago and experience geological traces of the shallow sea era. 3. Shanwai Mountain → Mingyue Terrace → 0.618 Geological Science Park: Under the moon wheel sculpture at Mingyue Terrace hides a fossil of the Yiling insect. The sunset light shining through the moon wheel is stunning; the 0.618 Science Park is a great mid-trip rest spot, with trails arranged by geological era, children’s fossil rubbing workshops, and a food truck serving Three Gorges sweet potato crisps with soy milk worth trying. 4. 0.618 Geological Science Park → Ganggouzi Bridge: The red arch bridge is very photogenic. The hanging suspension bridge below is free to access, and walking on it lets you see the bridge structure. Photos taken around 9 a.m. with front lighting have the best quality. 5. Ganggouzi Bridge → Liantuopan Service Area: This is where Li Siguang disembarked during his Three Gorges survey. The white windmill by the river is very eye-catching. The riverside platform offers views of the Yangtze River’s big bend, and you might find small marine fossils among the tidal flat rocks. 6. Liantuopan Service Area → Three Gorges Dam → Qu Yuan’s Hometown: Drive 15 minutes to the Three Gorges Dam, take the escalator up to the Tanziling 192 Observation Deck for a panoramic view, then to the 185 platform for a close-up view of the dam; cross the Zigui Bridge to Qu Yuan’s Hometown, explore the ancient buildings, and in the evening climb Qu Yuan Temple to watch the sunset over the "High Gorge and Flat Lake." If time permits, visit the Niugan Mapo Gorge viewing platform to check out the "Little Dog Mountain," which looks like a puppy. 3. Food and Accommodation Recommendations - Food: Near Sanyou Cave, Fangweng Restaurant is a must-try, especially the original flavor fat fish hot pot paired with acorn tofu to cut the grease; on the return trip, try Chen Ma Restaurant’s Hezha stewed fat fish, a local secret dish; along the way, the geological-themed food truck at the 0.618 service area can also provide simple meals. - Accommodation: For a direct view of the dam, choose Banpo Yawang Homestay, where you can pick seasonal fruits in the orchard; if you prefer a pastoral style, choose G348 Shuye Mountain Residence, with RV wooden houses and a swimming pool; for cost-effectiveness, choose Guiji Homestay, where you can get a river view room for about 150 yuan per person. You can bring your own ingredients, and having an outdoor picnic is a great choice!