Performances though they are, they create an engaging atmosphere by naturally melting into the peaceful environment.

Then we hear a noise coming from a crowd of tourists amid the sound of a gong in front of large wooden building. As we walk closer, we see it is the enactment of a traditional wedding ceremony by the local Tu ethnic group.

The performers, most of whom are local villagers, interact with the tourists and invite one of them to act the groom. The performance receives lots of applause.

Each spectator is then served tea.

The sightseeing route leads all the way to the mountain top, where the villagers still reside. There, tourists can enjoy a view of the peaks, the rocks and also a spectacular 1,500-meter-long karst cave.

After the valley trip, we get a brief view of the Three Gorges Dam.

The giant dam rises 185 meters, creating a reservoir that spans more than 600 kilometers in the middle of Yangtze River.

"The dam is huge and impressive. It's a great experience to see it," Australian Stave Sloan says after viewing it as part of a 15-day cruise tour along the river.

He even bought a book to learn more about the project.

Local people tell us that the best way to enjoy a panoramic view of the dam and the reservoir is from the mountain nearby.

They say that if you are lucky to see water being released from the dam you can feel the ground shaking.

If you are close enough, seeing the water surging down the dam can be really overwhelming.