Leaping Tiger Gorge – Grand Canyon of China
If you want to experience China’s wilderness and witness stunning natural scenery, a Leaping Tiger Gorge hike is for you. The Leaping Tiger Gorge is a huge canyon on the third largest river in the world and the most important river in China, the Yangtze River.
The gorge is approximately 18 kilometers in length, stretching from the southwest to the northeast, and is a staggering two kilometers deep in parts. The canyon is formed when the Yellow River runs between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (5,596 meters high) and Habaxueshan Mountain (5,396 meters high). In terms of the depth of the canyon and the height of the canyon walls, the Leaping Tiger Gorge rivals the Grand Canyon.
The gorge is located 60 kilometers north of the picturesque city of Lijiang in western China’s Yunnan province. The gorge has immense natural beauty, rich biodiversity and is part of the world heritage site of “Yunnan Three Parallel Rivers Protected Areas”.
The local name for the river that runs through the gorge is the Golden Sands River (Jingsha), so don’t be confused if locals or maps don’t mention it as the Yangtze River. Same river, different names.
The name and the story.
In ancient times, a tiger was running from a hunter and escaped by jumping down the gorge at the narrowest point (25 meters wide). The tiger achieved this jump by jumping on a rock. A rock which is now called the Leaping Tiger Rock and a major attraction for Chinese tourists.
The design of the throat
The map clearly showing the sections of the gorge, the trails, milestones and walking times. This is one of the best maps you will find for the gorge and most of the maps are drawn by hand.
The upper or first section of the gorge is at the mouth of the canyon where the river enters the narrow walls of the gorge. This point is the narrowest and the highest. This is the part of the gorge that contains the Leaping Tiger Rock. In the middle or 2nd stage of the gorge, the river drops 100 meters and the flow increases.
In the lower part or 3rd stage of the gorge the flow of the river is faster and the cliffs are steeper and more dangerous than in the other parts.
the two paths
There are two trails through the gorge, the upper trail that runs along the top of the gorge and the lower trail that follows the river at the bottom of the gorge. These two trails are very different and suitable for different types of tourists, so please read them carefully to determine which one you would choose before entering the gorge.
the upper path
This trail is on the north side of the gorge, it is 22 kilometers long and it is the trail that provides the most incredible views and extreme experiences. With an average elevation above sea level of 2,700 meters and an average height above the river of 1,000 meters, the views are impressive. The trail narrows to a width of 20cm in parts and looking down is a huge adrenaline rush.
The upper trail is also the most strenuous, dangerous trail and requires a minimum level of fitness and ideally some hiking experience. Don’t worry too much about doing the upper trail though. If you are in reasonable shape, you can complete the hike by taking your time, resting frequently, and spending a few nights in the gorge in the guest houses that are scattered along the trail. The hardest part of the trail is the first part where you climb a series of 28 switchbacks that are clearly visible on the map.
This trail has a variety of micro-ecosystems that will change as you go along and also has a series of waterfalls that make for refreshing stops. Almost all Chinese tourists take the lower trail, so you will find this trail to be quiet and secluded. The people who mainly use this trail are foreigners and local Naxi. I hear you will see groups of hikers about once an hour.
The hike on the upper trail takes 1.5-3 days to complete, with 2 days being the norm. Guesthouse prices along the way range from around 20 RMB for the cheapest dormitories to 150 RMB for the most expensive double rooms.
lower trail
This trail is easy, flat and boring. Very few people actually hike and most people take a bus along this trail. This trail is very popular with Chinese tourists. Unlike the upper trail that follows the cliff, this trail follows the river so you at least get more views of the river. At ground level not a kilometer higher!
There really isn’t much else I can say about the lower trail.
recommended hike
Day One: You will start your day in Qiaotou, the small village at the head of the gorge and end your day at Halfway Guest House, which is literally the midpoint of the trek. This will take approximately 6 hours and will cover 17 kilometers.
After the first two hours of the trek, you will arrive at the Naxi family guest house, which is an ideal place to stop for lunch and relax. The next part of the walk will last two hours and is where you will have to push yourself to climb the 28 curves. Once you finish the last bend, collapse and rest, then continue for the last two hours to Halfway Guest House.
Day Two: Start the day at the Half Way Guesthouse and end the day in Daju.
Hike for approximately 2 hours past impressive waterfalls and minor canyons to Tina’s guest house. Take a break here for no more than an hour, and then continue along a cliff-side trail to the riverbank, where you can see one of Leaping Tiger Gorge’s top attractions, the Mantianxing Reefs.
At this point, the river drops almost 100 meters to the base, where there is a random pattern of reefs breaking through the water. The river breaks over the reefs like stars falling into the river. Hence the name Mantianxing, which means stars all over the sky in Chinese. A very impressive sight.
Next, follow the road for two hours to the lower gorge to a ferry that will take you across the coast to the small town of Daju, where you can catch a bus for the 3-hour journey back to Lijiang.
Best times to go
May and early June are the best times to travel to the Leaping Tiger Gorge because the weather conditions are suitable for hiking and the plants and flowers are in bloom. October and November are also good times to go.
June through September is the rainy season, making the trails dangerous, so avoid visiting during these months.
At an altitude of 2,700 meters, the trails will be cold and uncomfortable in winter, so try to avoid visiting them during this time as well.
Get there
You will find buses all over Lijiang that will take you to Qiaotou. The journey from Lijaing to Qiaotou takes about an hour. The bus will drop you off at Qiaotou or just outside near the bridge leading to the ticket booth at the entrance of the gorge.
From the ticket office, keep walking (about 200 meters) until you reach a school. Continue past the school and take a small path to the left that leads to the high trail. There will be a lot of colored arrows indicating the way.