Lijiang in 5 days – Chasing tigers and dragons

Plunging gorges, soaring snowy peaks, alpine lakes, and an ancient old town. 5 days in Lijiang, where there is much to do, and as many tourists to match.

4 Day Lijiang (Yunnan) itinerary, from the old town, to hiking the Tiger Leaping Gorge and the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulongxueshan).
Lijiang Old Town.

I continue on my overland journey from Singapore to Moscow, now well through the heart of Yunnan in Lijiang, before heading east to Beijing, for the Trans-Siberian Railway, to Siberia and beyond.

Day 0: Dali to Lijiang by Bus

Another 200km further up north from Dali, some 2,400m above sea level, lies Lijiang. I hadn’t realised how high up I’ve travelled (it was 1,900m above sea level at Kunming and 2,000m at Dali) until i found something almost long lost in my bag:

A bag of chips from Thailand, on the verge of bursting at 2,400m above sea level in Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
A bag of chips from Thailand, on the verge of bursting.

Got this from one of the bus legs in Thailand earlier on the trip before Kunming, pretty much deflated. Glad it hadn’t exploded in my bag, but I finished in anyway just to be sure. I try to travel cheap, but travel chips aren’t really my thing.

I arrived in Lijiang late in the afternoon and managed to find the hostel (~100Y for 5 nights) booked a few days before. It was probably one of the more run down ones in the entire trip but one of those where I had the most fun, making lots of friends and exploring the area together.

Seems like the Chinese really love their hotpots and so I had my second communal steamboat (~36Y) (since arriving in China) with other folks at the hostel (mostly from other parts of China this time) and drank more ‘Wind Flower Snow Moon’ beer. The folks were really friendly, and if it were in Singapore anyone else would have thought they had been friends for years when in fact, most of them probably met for the first time that night. I was kind of apprehensive in joining in, being in a new environment, but they were really nice and inclusive, so it was hard not to feel at home (apart from the fact that the hostel was not really in great shape)

Day 1: Hiking around the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xueshan)

Most people head directly to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and take the cable car up to its snowy peak, but as my hostel offered a group hiker around the mountain, I decided to try that instead. If you prefer/ intend to go up the mountain on your own, this information might come in handy.

Some crispy flatbread/pastry with chopped cabbage filling (3Y) from some roadside stall in Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Some crispy flatbread/pastry with chopped cabbage filling (3Y) from some roadside stall

The next morning, I joined a hike organised by the hostel (180Y) to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain area (玉龙雪山). Although we weren’t going to the summit, the hike would take us to the areas surrounding the summit seldom frequented by tourists. There were no clearly demarcated paths, meaning that the hike could only be lead by people experienced in the area. First, getting to the start point, a short distance out of town, via a minivan.

Where the minivan stopped, to begin our hike around Yulong Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Where the minivan stopped, in the middle of nowhere (seemingly).

Start of the hike around Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yu Long Xue Shan)

Soon we were in deep vegetation, hiking through narrow passes, and the scenery changed dramatically every few moments.

Through narrow passes. Hiking around Yulong Xueshan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
Through narrow passes.
Comfortable hike with breaks every now and then so everyone could keep up. Hiking around Yulong Xueshan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
It was a comfortable hike with breaks every now and then so everyone could keep up.
Towards the great unknown. Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
Towards the great unknown.
Summit of the (usually snowcapped) mountain in sight! Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
Summit of the (usually snowcapped) mountain in sight!

Cooked lunch was included in the package so that was great, going out on a hiking trip without having to plan or carry anything, yet having a nice lunch along the way, all prepared for by the organisers. I’m lazy.

Lunch break in the mountains. Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
They’re really experienced (and well prepared) in their stuff.
Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
Camwhoring is an international hobby.

To Narnia

Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
Into the valley.
Yaks! Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
Yaks!
Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
In the valley. Where weather started to get a little bad.
Apparently full skulls, if found, are worth a lot of money. Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
Apparently full skulls, if found, are worth a lot of money.

Leaving the mountains

Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
Getting out of the mountains.
Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
Lots of peaks.
Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
And peaks.
Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
And peaks.
Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
And more random shots.

As the clouds cleared a little, we managed to catch a glimpse of the majestic peaks, a magnificent sight to behold. Each was unique, yet dramatic, as we stood in awe with every step while the peaks were still in view.

Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
Terrifying yet at the same time so breathtaking.
Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
Views like this all around. Without anyone getting in your shots. What more to ask for.
Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
Almost out!

Throughout the hike there was almost no one else other than our hiking group, maybe one or two hikers who somehow made it on their own, and some touristy horse riding stuff near the exit of the hike. The area’s called ‘无人区’ (no persons area) for good reason and I would definitely advise not going there alone. Just did a quick google of area while writing this and apparently tourists get lost in the area often, while one died in the area just this Feb after getting injured and not being able to get help in time.

Hiking around Yu Long Xue Shan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang, Yunnan.
End of the hike.

Back in Lijiang

Having survived a full day hike, we headed back to the city for a well deserved feast! (~73Y/pax) After dinner, a little exploration of the newer parts of town, and stocking up on some supplies.

Communal dinner in Lijiang with other hostel guests. Yunnan, China.
Dinner!
Lijiang City at night. Yunnan, China.
Exploring the more modern parts of Lijiang at night.
Lijiang yogurt.
Lijiang yogurt. Rather viscous, but had to be drunk with a straw.

Day 2: Tiger Leaping Gorge

So it seemed I hadn’t got myself enough hiking the day before, and got myself into another hike the next day, to the Tiger Leaping Gorge. This time, it wasn’t one organised by the hostel but by other guests planning to head there and had invited anyone else who might be interested. The path was well frequented by tourists and there wasn’t a need for a guide. However, the hostel did help us to reserve tickets on the bus to and from the Tiger Leaping Gorge (110Y for transport, 65Y for admission paid at entrance).

Steamed buns for breakfast in Lijiang. Yunnan, China.
Steamed buns for breakfast.
And some baked sweet potatoes. Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
And some baked sweet potatoes.

Entering the gorge, the road to the starting point of the hike can be quite unnerving, with steep overhanging rocks on one side of the road and a drop off on the other side that seemed to extend forever to the bottom. Portions of the road were missing from heavy rockfall, and the fact that the driver was on the phone with a hand on the wheel did not help calm passengers down.

Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Overhanging rocks along the mountain road.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
The little flat edge on the right side of the gorge is where the road is.

To the bottom of Tiger Leaping Gorge

At Tina’s Guesthouse, everyone got off the bus (some were leaving their bags at Tina’s or staying the night there), while those on the day hike (like us) proceeded with a smaller vehicle to the start of the hike a little further down the road.

Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Where the hike started.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Sheer cliffs and stunning views.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Narrow path leading down to the bottom of gorge.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Paths were clear, but it’s necessary to be really careful.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Many such lizards on the trail.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Closing in.

There were a couple of ‘checkpoints’ where people collected ‘tolls’ from tourists. Not sure if they were legal or not but we paid anyway, didn’t amount to too much in the end I think.

Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Little stalls perched precariously on the edge.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Selling stuff such as these pretty rocks.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Part of the trail carved into the rock face.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
The legendary rock!

How the place got its name

Tiger Leaping Gorge is so called courtesy of a legend, where a tiger, escaping a hunter, jumped from a huge rock at the narrowest point of the gorge over to the other side. And the huge rock above is the aforementioned rock.

Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
The focal point of the short trail, also the turning point.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Young and fearless.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
There was a man guarding over the bridge stopping people from running/causing too much movement on the bridge. I really wouldn’t want to run over it though.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
The tiny bridge at the top was one of those the bus crossed to get us to the trail. That’s about how far we descended. And about the height we had to scale to get out.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Work of nature/ work of art.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
The path carved into the rock that we were on earlier.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Top to bottom.

Climbing back up

Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Lots of steps to take to get out.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
And this ridiculously high ladder, or Sky Ladder. there isn’t any protection, and pretty dizzying to turn and look down on the way up. If you aren’t afraid of heights, definitely worth the climb. There is also a slightly longer route by stairs to the top.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
The stall just before the Sky Ladder. Many of such stalls along the way, and they aren’t too pushy with selling their stuff.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
After 2 such ladders, back to ‘flat’ ground.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
Donkeys for the really tired. I heard it can be quite terrifying though, sitting on a donkey which is itself trying hard not to slip and fall off the face of earth.

We were a little late for the bus back, but the driver was kind enough to wait. There was only one bus a day from the Tiger Leaping Gorge back to Lijiang. There are also buses to nearby cities such as Shangri-la (Zhongdian), and a couple other routes. If you’re intending to spend more days hiking at Tiger Leaping Gorge, you can get more details here.

Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hu Tiao Xia). Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
The guesthouse where buses would drop people off/ pick people up is after the bridge.
Strawberries from Lijiang. Yunnan, China.
At one of the rest stops on the way back, villagers were selling bags of strawberries for 10Y (~S$2). They were really sweet. I hope they were real.

Back in Lijiang

Rose petal pastry in Lijiang old town. Yunnan, China.
Back in Lijiang. Many shops selling this rose petal pastry, was a tourists favourite for souvenirs.
Dinner in Lijiang. Yunnan, China.
Dinner! The group I was hanging out with that day were obsessed with sashimi so we basically got a hot pot to share and one plate of raw fish each and ended up paying about 120Y each.

Lijiang Old Town at night

Dancing in Lijiang Old Town square at night. Yunnan, China.
Lijiang Old Town at night. Many people gathering round and dancing. And even more tourists watching.
Lijiang Old Town at night. Yunnan, China.
Nice stroll at night (seemed largely safe too).

Day 3: Lijiang Old Town

Decided to take it a little easier this day. Started much later and spent most of the day wandering around the streets. The Old Town of Lijiang is a UNESCO World Heritage site. These days it is getting crowded in the old town and there seems to be an entrance fee in place some time after my visit.

Gu Lou Xiao Chi, Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
Breakfast view from one of the restaurants in the old town, at Gu Lou Xiao Chi (古楼小吃).

Exploring Lijiang Old Town

Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
Washing clothes by the well.
Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
Empty streets.
Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
Slightly more crowded areas.
Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
木府.
Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
Rows of traditional shophouses.

View over Lijiang Old Town from the top of a hill

Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
Found a nice spot to chill and end off the day.
Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
Top of the town/ Talk of the town.
Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
Kids painting some murals.

Slow and easy. A nice change from the previous two days. And a good rest for more adventures to come.

Day 4: Lijiang Old Town revisited

A good friend of mine joined flew over from Singapore and was to join me for the next two weeks. Was excited to finally have someone over (Yay!). We had an easy day today too, exploring the nooks and crannies of the old town.

Lijiang city. Yunnan, China.
View from the roof of the hostel, overlooking the ‘newer’ parts of the city.

Morning Market

Lijiang city. Yunnan, China.
Morning roadside market, a short walk from the hostel, just outside of the old town. Lots of fruits, vegetables and other local produce.
Lijiang city. Yunnan, China.
Really fat bananas.
Lijiang city. Yunnan, China.
Tasted kinda ‘wild’ (or unmodified?) compared to the ones I was used to in Singapore (3Y).
Yunnan noodles.
Some delicious cold noodles (6Y).
Yunnan noodles.
And some delicious hot noodles (6Y). I’m bad with food names. Both tasted great, though.
Lijiang city. Yunnan, China.
From the roadside market to the wet market. Lively place bustling with activity.
Seafood market in Lijiang city. Yunnan, China.
Live seafood.
Seafood market in Lijiang city. Yunnan, China.
Catch of the day.
Market in Lijiang city. Yunnan, China.
Not too sure what’s going on here, but the sign in front of the parked carts seem to be saying ‘Strictly no parking’.
Market in Lijiang city. Yunnan, China.
Plants.
Market in Lijiang city. Yunnan, China.
Potatoes.
Market in Lijiang city. Yunnan, China.
People.
Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
Back to the old town (briefly).
Mao Zedong statue in Lijiang city. Yunnan, China.
Found this monument just over the other side of the old city. Couple of monuments dedicated to Chairman Mao around the city.

Lunch and another stroll around Lijiang Old Town

Then it was time for lunch! Writing about it is making me hungry. My memory is failing me but I think the restaurant is called Gu Lou Xiao Chi (古楼小吃). I liked the grilled fish (烤鱼) (covered in garnish here), and the nice view from the alfresco dining on the roof (refer to the breakfast view picture 2 days above, it’s the same place). The other dishes are nice too, but food here, like most other places in Yunnan, is a little too oily for me.

Gu Lou Xiao Chi, Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
Lunch at my favourite restaurant in the old town (~120Y for that + rice).
Grapes in Lijiang.
Large, sweet, and juicy grapes. A little overpriced from peddlers in the old town compared to stalls at the market, but nevertheless addictive.
Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
Winding in and out of little streets trying hard not to get lost.
Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
The old town is popular with tourists, day or night. Here’s a less crowded area.
Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
为人民服务 -毛泽东.

These three wells are supposedly where people living nearby drink from, wash their food, and wash their clothes in. The well at the highest level is for drinking (on the right side), and it overflows to the middle one, where people wash vegetables, and finally the water flows to the last one (at the far left of the picture), which is for washing clothes. Tried some water from the drinking side and thought it was refreshing. My friend did have reservations trying it though.

The three wells in Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
The three wells.
Lijiang Old Town. Yunnan, China.
Some of the inns in the old town provide traditional music performances, and don’t mind strangers stepping in to take a look.

Day 5: Qingxi Reservoir (Qingxi Shuiku)

My last day in Lijiang. It was my fifth day here and I was running out of places to visit. Someone I met at the hostel reccomended visiting a reservoir which was a little out of the city but accessible by bus. Locals’ recommendations usually beat most tourist sites so off we went in search of the reservoir.

Breakfast in Lijiang. Yunnan, China.
A little breakfast before we set off.

Qingxi Reservoir (Qing Xi Shui Ku)

We couldn’t miss the stop as it was the last stop on that service (3Y for bus). Took a little while to find our way to the reservoir from the bus stop.

Qingxi Reservoir (Qingxi Shui Ku), Lijiang. Yunnan, China.
Steps leading to the reservoir.
Qingxi Reservoir (Qingxi Shui Ku), Lijiang. Yunnan, China.
The view greeting us at the top of the stairs. Crystal clear waters from the mountains around.
Qingxi Reservoir (Qingxi Shui Ku), Lijiang. Yunnan, China.
There was hardly anyone there. Peaceful and scenic park.
Qingxi Reservoir (Qingxi Shui Ku), Lijiang. Yunnan, China.
One of the great mountains (there were too many around to be able to identify which was it). Ever so slightly snowcapped, even in the middle of summer.
Qingxi Reservoir (Qingxi Shui Ku), Lijiang. Yunnan, China.
A neat path straight across the middle of the Qingxi Reservoir.
Qingxi Reservoir (Qingxi Shui Ku), Lijiang. Yunnan, China.
Some couples were getting their wedding shots in the area.

Last meal in Lijiang … for now

And time for our final meal in Lijiang, also one of the most awesome. Back in town, another of the guys at the hostel excitedly brought us to this place he discovered not far from our hostel but where only locals frequent. We basically ordered this huge pot of wholesome goodness (~48/50?Y for a pot thats more than enough for 4 grown guys) with all sorts of ingredients cooked to perfection in an amazing broth for an affordable price. The shop was crowded and it seemed like every table ordered the same thing. I’m not sure what it’s called though, but it was awesome.

Lunch in Lijiang.
And lunch again!
Great local place to have lunch in Lijiang. Yunnan, China.
The shop from the outside.

Onward to Shangri-La

With our stomachs filled, we grabbed our bags and headed  to the bus station for the bus to our next stop, the fabled Shangri-La further up north. We had company with us for the next few days- a guy I met in Dali who was introduced to me by a guy I met in Kunming. Got to the bus station, bought tickets (71Y) on the spot and soon we were on our way.

Bus to Shangrila, from Lijiang. Yunnan, China.
The bus to Shangrila.
On the way from Lijiang to Shangrila. Yunnan, China.
Rest stop along the way to Shangri-la. Also a rest stop for buses to Tiger Leaping Gorge, as the Tiger Leaping Gorge lies between Lijiang and Shangri-la.

Lijiang Itinerary (5 days)

  • Day 1
    • Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yu Long Xue Shan)
  • Day 2
    • Tiger Leaping Gorge
  • Day 3
    • Lijiang Old Town
  • Day 4
    • Lijiang Old Town
  • Day 5
    • Qingxi Reservoir (Qing Xi Shui Ku)

Budget (5 days)

  • Actual travel dates: 20 May 2015 – 25 May 2015
  • Accommodation: ¥100(~S$22 for 5 nights)
  • Attractions: ¥355(~S$77) (includes transport to Tiger Leaping Gorge)
  • Food: ¥503(~S$110)
  • Transport (excl bus to Shangrila): Y3(~S$0.65)
  • Bus to Shangrila: ¥71 (~S$15)
  • Total: ¥1113(~S$243)

Bus schedules from Lijiang (May/June 2015):

Bus ticket prices from Lijiang Bus Station. Yunnan, China.
Prices.
Intercity bus timings from Lijiang Bus Station. Yunnan, China.
Timings.

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