PreeChina · Route Guide
A sample itinerary from Lijiang that PreeChina can turn into a private tour, with an English-speaking guide and personal assistant.
At a Glance
Price
Per person, in US dollars. The price covers the guide, the ground service, and the transport, meals and tickets in the itinerary, and it falls as the group grows. What a price includes and leaves out.
| Travelers | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day trip | USD 305 | USD 220 | USD 185 | USD 175 | USD 160 | USD 155 | USD 145 | USD 135 |
Premium hotels and first-class rail raise the price: the selectors on Private Tours show by how much. The final price is confirmed in writing before anything is booked.
Why This Route
Tiger Leaping Gorge has a reputation as a trek. The High Road along its rim is one of the best-known multi-day hikes among foreign backpackers in China. A visit to the gorge does not need that commitment. This route takes the gorge in one day out of Lijiang and puts four stops in the first 15 km.
The Jinsha River, the upper Yangtze, cuts the gorge between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain. The gorge is more than 3,000 metres deep. It is the farthest stop at 36 km in a straight line from central Lijiang, so the day builds toward it.
The four stops before the gorge are Shuhe, a village older than Dayan Old Town; the Baisha murals, where one Ming painting shows three faiths; Yufeng Temple, home of a grafted camellia that blooms for months; and Yushuizhai, a Dongba culture site. The Lijiang city guide covers the old town itself.
Itinerary
Shuhe Ancient Town (束河古镇). A leather-workers' village on the Tea Horse Road.6 km from central Lijiang, straight line
Baisha Murals (白沙壁画). Ming-dynasty murals.5 km from the previous stop, straight line
Yufeng Temple (玉峰寺). The temple's "Ten Thousand Camellias" (万朵山茶) is a single grafted old camellia plant.4 km from the previous stop, straight line
Yushuizhai (玉水寨风景区). A site for Dongba cultural displays and rituals.1 km from the previous stop, straight line
Tiger Leaping Gorge (虎跳峡). The Jinsha River cuts down between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain.22 km from the previous stop, straight line
Stops follow distance from central Lijiang. We do not list clock times here: your private itinerary sets the pace, the order and the start time with you.
Route Map
The yellow marker is central Lijiang. Numbers 1 to 5 follow the route order. The line joins stops in a straight line and does not follow roads.
Stop by Stop
6 km from central Lijiang, straight line
A leather-workers' village on the Tea Horse Road. People settled here before they settled Dayan Old Town.
10 km from central Lijiang, straight line
Ming-dynasty murals. One painting shows figures from Han Chinese Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism and the Dongba religion side by side, which gives direct pictorial evidence of three faiths in one place.
14 km from central Lijiang, straight line
The temple's "Ten Thousand Camellias" (万朵山茶) is a single grafted old camellia plant. It stays in bloom for months.
15 km from central Lijiang, straight line
A site for Dongba cultural displays and rituals.
36 km from central Lijiang, straight line
The Jinsha River cuts down between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain. The gorge is more than 3,000 metres deep. The High Road trek along it is one of the best-known multi-day hikes among foreign backpackers in China.
Distances
| # | Stop | Type | Straight line |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shuhe Ancient Town | Ancient Town | 6 km |
| 2 | Baisha Murals | Ming Murals | 10 km |
| 3 | Yufeng Temple | Buddhist Temple | 14 km |
| 4 | Yushuizhai | Dongba Culture | 15 km |
| 5 | Tiger Leaping Gorge | Canyon | 36 km |
Straight-line distances from the centre of Lijiang. Road distances are longer.
Pick Your Version
Four stops in the first 15 km, then the gorge at 36 km. The gorge is the last stop and the reason for the day.
Our Lijiang guide describes the high trail as a two-day trek with a farm guesthouse at the midpoint. It is a separate trip with a separate plan.
Independent Travel
Arranging these 5 stops yourself keeps the budget lower. It also means booking each one and the transfers between them. Compare a private tour with independent travel, or ask PreeChina to plan it.
Custom Tour
This route is a starting point: 1 day and 5 stops. PreeChina plans it as a private, tailor-made trip and changes the stops, the days and the pace to your group.
Questions
The gorge sits 36 km north of central Lijiang in a straight line. Our Lijiang city guide lists it at 60 km, which is the figure to plan around.
Four stops sit within 15 km of the old town: Shuhe Ancient Town at 6 km, the Baisha murals at 10 km, Yufeng Temple at 14 km and Yushuizhai at 15 km. All four distances are straight lines.
Both exist. The High Road is a multi-day trek, and our Lijiang guide describes it as a two-day high trail with a farm guesthouse at the midpoint. This route covers the one-day version: the gorge plus the four stops before it.
One Ming-dynasty painting shows Han Buddhist, Tibetan Buddhist and Dongba figures together, which is direct pictorial evidence of three faiths sharing one place.
Start from the stop order on this page, then tell us your dates, group size and pace through the contact form. We build the route into a private itinerary with an English-speaking guide and personal assistant from arrival to departure.
Yes. PreeChina plans every trip as a private, custom, tailor-made journey. This route is a starting point, and we adjust the stops, the days and the pace.
Anyone who wants a full day at one place. The route moves between 5 stops, so the visit at each is shorter.
Plan More
Explore More
This route is in Yunnan. The province page lists its city guides, themes, museums and other routes.
Related
Tell us when you arrive in Lijiang, who is travelling and how much time you have. We build the route around your group.
