How to…trek Tiger Leaping Gorge

Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan province is a stunning and refreshing change from the cities of China. The air is clean, the views breathtaking and there are only a few people working the fields and living in the scattered mountain villages. Getting to this remote part of China and trekking the gorge is straightforward and rewarding once you have gathered the information, but it can be hard to come by.

The trek starts from the village of Qiaotou, where you pay the 50 yuan entrance fee to the Gorge. You can get here by bus or minibus from Lijiang bus station (25 yuan) or from a hostel. We found the easiest way was to book the minibus from Mama Naxi’s Guesthouse in Lijiang. It departs at 8.30am, takes nearly three hours and costs 20 yuan.

No official maps of the trail exist, so times and distances vary according to which hand-drawn photocopied map you pick up. The map below served us well. From Qiaotou it is a good hour to the Naxi Guesthouse, the perfect place for lunch. Then begins an arduous slog up the infamous 28 bends to a height of 2,670m (too low for altitude sickness, great height for views), taking a couple of hours. Men with horses may follow you up the hill teasing you with the option for an easy ride up costing 100 yuan. A further hour downhill takes you to Tea Horse Guesthouse with comfy beds and the cheapest beer we found in the hills.

A leisurely hour’s amble on the second day and we arrived at Half Way Guesthouse. The views from the swing chairs on the café terrace are amazing and it looks an excellent place to stay as well. The guesthouses are well spaced to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner when you want them and all sell bottled water. You just need to take waterproofs, suntan lotion, a hat, warm clothes for the evening, your toothbrush and a spare pair of pants.

Another three hours walking through waterfalls takes you to Tina’s Guesthouse (passing a couple of others on route) where you can get a minibus back to Lijiang at 4pm (50 yuan). Alternatively there is a minibus to Qiaotou (where you can take the bus back to Lijiang or on to Shangri-La) that costs 80 yuan - wait around and split the cost with other travellers。

There are more guesthouses along the road from Tina’s, but if you’re planning to spend a few nights in the mountains I’d recommend staying in the guesthouses earlier along the trail (before Tina’s) away from the road. You can carry on to the very end of the Gorge in Daju, but the walk is on a road and is apparently less spectacular and the ferry across the Yangtze difficult to get in time for the last bus back to Daju at midday.

The trail is interesting and varied in features from waterfalls and overhangs to Naxi villages and a temple in the rock. Red arrows painted on rocks point the way. The ground is clay so very quickly gets slippery when it rains. Check the forecast before you go and ask the locals because the mountains are prone to landslides. The drive back along the low road is a clear demonstration of the power of nature over byways。

Tiger Leaping Gorge is a rare treat to get into rural China and escape the noise and hassle of the towns and cities. For more detailed information ask Sean at http://www.tigerleapinggorge.com/.

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