Last updated: April 2026. Verify before booking.
Tiger Leaping Gorge is the most popular hiking route among foreign trekkers in China, and it isn't close. The gorge itself ranks among the top five deepest on the planet — 3,900 meters of vertical drop between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain. International adventurers have been walking it since the 1980s. The two-day trek has guesthouses along the way handling food and beds, so you carry a daypack and nothing else. Total cost runs under 1,000 CNY.
The High Trail runs along the northern flank of the gorge at mid-elevation. Snow-capped peaks above 5,000 meters rise on both sides. The Jinsha River churns 1,800 meters below through a channel that narrows to less than 30 meters. You walk through the middle of this vertical space the entire time — snowline above, river below, nothing blocking the view.
The route does include a sustained three-hour uphill climb, sections with rockfall risk, and spotty mobile signal. It works for people in decent shape who don't mind limited infrastructure.
What Makes It Worth It
What to Expect
If two days of walking isn't your thing, drive the Low Trail to the Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge viewpoint — 65 CNY ticket, half a day, done. For a proper trek, most people pick the High Trail.
No hiking permit is needed. Buy your ticket at the entrance and walk in.
If you're a foreign visitor, you can link an international bank card to Alipay or WeChat Pay — but do it at your hotel in Lijiang where you have stable Wi-Fi, not halfway up the gorge.
- Naxi Family Guesthouse — A common first-night stop
- Halfway Guesthouse — The most well-known guesthouse on the High Trail, located at the route's midpoint, right on the cliff edge overlooking the river
- Tina's Guesthouse — Near Walnut Garden (核桃园), where most trekkers end the hike
Prices range from 80 to 200 CNY per night for a twin room. Hot showers and simple Chinese and Western meals are available. You don't need to book ahead unless you're coming during Golden Week (early October) or summer holidays (July–August) — for those, contact the guesthouse in advance. Most guesthouses have WeChat contacts, though response times vary.
Guesthouse owners generally speak enough English for ordering food, asking directions, and arranging transport onward — something you won't find on most trails in China.
- Rockfall: Several High Trail sections cross loose scree slopes. Risk increases after the rainy season (July–August). Do not linger in areas marked as rockfall zones.
- Altitude: The High Trail peaks at roughly 2,800 meters. Spend a day or two in Lijiang (2,400 m) first and you'll likely be fine. Fly in from a low-altitude city and hit the trail the same day, and you may get headaches or fatigue.
- Weather: Mountain weather shifts fast. Even in summer, early morning and evening temperatures can drop below 10°C. Bring a waterproof jacket and a warm layer.
- Trail conditions: Some sections are narrow with cliff-side exposure. If you're afraid of heights, these stretches will be rough. The "28 Bends" (二十八道拐) is the steepest and most physically demanding section of the entire route.
Don't Miss
Practical Information
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Location | Tiger Leaping Gorge Town, Shangri-La, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan (administratively under Shangri-La; accessed from Lijiang) |
| Hours | Open year-round. Ticket sales: 7:00–16:00. Sections may close temporarily due to rockfall during rainy season (July–August) |
| Tickets | 65 CNY per person. Ticket booth at Qiaotou Town entrance. Payment: cash / WeChat Pay / Alipay. International platforms: Trip.com / Klook (day-tour packages with transport) |
| High Trail | 2 days, ~22 km, elevation 2,600–2,800 m, ~1,000 m cumulative gain. No permit required |
| Accommodation | Guesthouses along trail: 80–200 CNY/night. Halfway Guesthouse and Tina's are most popular |
| Best season | Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November). Avoid rainy season (July–August) for rockfall risk |
| Gear essentials | Hiking shoes, waterproof jacket, warm layer, sun protection, sufficient cash (500–800 CNY), offline map |
| Mobile signal | Unreliable. Some sections have no coverage. Do not depend on mobile payment alone |
Getting There
- Bus: Daily departures from Lijiang Bus Station, roughly 35 CNY, about 2 hours. Departure times vary by season — check the station's schedule board on the day of travel.
- Private car or shared ride: 200–300 CNY one way. Arrange through travel agencies or guesthouses in Lijiang Old Town.
- Ride-hailing: Didi is unreliable on this route. Arrange transport in advance.
- Private car to Lijiang: roughly 250 CNY
- Local minivan to Daju Town, then transfer back to Lijiang (cheaper but slower)
- Onward to Shangri-La: from Walnut Garden, hire a car to Baishuitai or directly to Shangri-La (roughly 200 CNY, about 3 hours)
The High Trail at Tiger Leaping Gorge has one of the lowest entry barriers of any top-tier trek in China. No permits, no camping gear — two days and the fitness to climb uphill for three hours straight is what it takes. Guesthouses handle your food and bed, and the English-language support along the route is better than nearly any other trail in the country. If you've got a couple of spare days in Lijiang, this trek is worth every blister.
