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Tiger Leaping Gorge trekThe Tiger Leaping Gorge trek is China’s most famous hike at an altitude of about 2500m. It’s appropriate for travellers looking for an adventurous Himalayan trek. The Tiger Leaping Gorge is a steep gorge, two hours from Lijiang. During a two day hike you’ll walk with a guide along the top of the gorge. On the hiking trail you’ll see the turbulent Yangtze River on one side and steep mountain walls on the other side. |
| Duration: | 2 days / 1 night | Departure: | Daily from mid-April to mid-November |
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| Comfort level (1-5): | 2 (see accommodation) | Accommodation: | Basic double occupancy room with shower and toilet |
| Price: | From £90 per person - based on 2 people sharing | Included: | Transportation, accommodation, English speaking guide |
| Transport: | Public bus Lijiang - Qiaotou, mini-van on Day 2 to Qiaotou | Excluded: | Meals and drinks, entrance fees (50 Yuan) |
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Day 1: Lijiang - Tiger Leaping Gorge trek From Lijiang you’ll depart on your two day trek through Tiger Leaping Gorge. You’ll be picked at your accommodation by your guide up at 7:45 and you’ll take the public bus towards the starting point about 2 hours away in Qiaotou.Once you leave the bus and pay the entrance fee (Y 50) you’ll start on your hike along with your guide and you’ll walk for two hours until you reach the Naxi guest house. This first leg of your hike won’t be easy. You’ll climb quite a bit, however if you have an average level of physical fitness it shouldn’t be a problem. There are many side paths and forks in the trail that you could get lost on, so you’ll be happy to have your guide along with you. While walking you’ll see terraces full of vegetable, rice and other foods. You’ll walk through hardwood and pine forests and you’ll cross over areas with large altitude differences. Here and there you’ll find places to stop for a bite to eat or drink. |
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After reaching the highest point of your hike (2.660m) you’ll walk along the gorge, with the river flowing deep below you and only a short distance across from you you’ll see a wall of granite shoot up into the sky to about 5000m above you. At some points the gorge is so narrow that legend says that a tiger being hunted by hunters jumped from side of the gorge to the other to safe its life. |
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Once you reach Halfway Lodge you can take off your shoes and relax in one of the rooms in the wooden building. There’s a heater and warm blankets available, however it can get quite cold (especially from October - April) so bring warm clothes along for the evening along with an extra pair of dry socks, toilet paper and a towel. |
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Day 2: Tiger Leaping Gorge - Lijiang The following day you’ll walk for another two hours, however since the path slowly descends it will be much less strenuous than during the first day of your hike. You’ll walk on a level path for about an hour and then you’ll pass a plunging waterfall. After this the path will go downhill. Eventually you’ll reach the road that runs next to the Yangtze River. This is where you and your guide will take a mini van back to Qiaotou and then a bus back to Lijiang (a two hour drive). The drive is quite scenic; you’ll pass pine forests at 3000m, glaciers and snowy mountain tops. Since you won’t know for sure what time you’ll return to Qiaotao, the mini van and public bus are not included in the price of the trip. You and your guide will return to Lijiang and you’ll pay for your bus ride on the spot. You could also travel on to Zhongdian after finishing the Tiger Leaping Gorge and experience the Spend the night with the Tibetans module. There are busses that ride along this route, so we’ll make arrangements for a private transfer that will take you to this picturesque town in about 3 hours. |
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Best time to visit |
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