Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiao Xia)

Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiao Xia) Review

A 2½-hour drive from Lijiang, Tiger Leaping Gorge is home to some of China's most breathtaking mountain scenery. Lucky for travelers who have not yet seen this spectacular scenery, plans to dam the gorge were scrapped by the government in late 2007. By water, the gorge winds about 16 km (10 mi); following it by land on the upper trail is a 40-km (25-mi) hike, which can be leisurely hiked in two days or done in one day if you're fit enough. The upper trail and a paved road below connect the towns of Qiaotou in the west and Daju in the east, and there is a ferry across the river near Daju that stops service at 5 pm. The easiest way to tackle the trek from Lijiang is to take the 8:30 am or 9 am bus on Xin Dajie to Qiaotou and hike toward Daju.

There are several guesthouses in the gorge, scattered at distances to accommodate hikers at any stage of their trek. All offer food, hot showers, and beds for Y20 to Y40. Many of the guesthouses have expanded and upgraded accommodations in the past couple of years, so there is more selection and even some higher-end rooms for Y150. The guesthouses have put up signs and arrows to let hikers know how much farther until the next lodging. If you don't mind not hiking the whole gorge, stop in Walnut Garden, where you can take one of the regular buses back to Lijiang. If you continue to Daju, there are only two buses a day to Lijiang, at 8:30 am and 1 pm.

Nuisances along the trail include fake "toll collectors," who will attempt to take your money, and aggressive local dogs. The former require patience and politeness to deal with, the latter the ability to stand one's ground—and it's useful to have a large stick.