Midsummer Lijiang: In-depth Tour of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Tiger Leaping Gorge

Because I'm busy (or maybe just lazy), after graduating from university, I've always been a lurker online; my MSN space is blank, my QQ space is blank, and even the Facebook account I painstakingly got was eventually abandoned because I found circumventing the firewall too troublesome (sigh, free speech really is a sore point for us Chinese) ... In other people's virtual networks, I've always been just a passerby. On this journey, inspired by international friends, I felt a sudden passion to jot down some travel notes, hoping they might be a little helpful to backpackers planning a trip to Lijiang...

August was exceptionally hot. Originally I planned to go to Tibet and Nepal, but due to political situations, we switched to a Yunnan tour. Traveling in peak season was unavoidable—it's the only time I have a long vacation! But with thorough preparation, the costs weren't shocking, and while enjoying a bit of comfort, I could also experience the unique feature of 'swimming through crowds of people.' As for the comfort of the journey, it all depends on one's state of mind.

Since my early teens when I could travel alone, flying has always been my first choice for long-distance trips—for no other reason than speed, the urgency to see my longed-for destination as quickly as possible! Last year, I happened to read a travelogue about entering Tibet overland, vividly describing the beauty along the Sichuan-Tibet route, and I was deeply enchanted. I hoped that one day I too could feel that leisurely ease of a long journey. So I decided to try the train this time, as mental preparation for a future trip to Tibet via Sichuan (plus after changing plans last minute, discounted air tickets were hard to find, my holiday was quite long, and train tickets could be bought at a student discount—it seemed a good choice from every angle!). So I got up early every day to buy train tickets. Fortunately, I have a habit of morning exercise, so the ticket-buying process was relatively smooth; I didn't encounter the legendary difficulty of finding sleeper tickets online. I bought a round-trip hard sleeper in advance.

Nanning — Kunming

Kunming — Lijiang (total round-trip fare about 650 yuan/person)

Train ticket tip: The early bird catches the worm; the key is to arrive early. You can buy tickets at authorized outlets—stations are crowded and noisy, which is inconvenient. Generally, if you calculate the dates well in advance, the success rate is quite high. As for that negligible five-yuan service fee, just pay it! Also, don't buy tickets from outlets near schools; the queues are horrendously long, like returning to the era of rationing with food coupons.

I also heard that finding a place to stay in the ancient town was almost impossible, so after massive online searching, comparing, and filtering, I booked a room in advance at an inn in Dayan Ancient Town, Lijiang (Free Life Inn). It's near Mu's Residence, with an elegant environment (plants and flowers everywhere) and complete facilities (hot water, broadband), 150 yuan per night—good value for the season. Plus, it's run by a fellow Guangxi native, which immediately gave me a sense of intimacy.

Accommodation tip: Unless it's peak season, whether to book an inn in advance depends on personal habit. For seasoned travelers with experience, it's perfectly fine to stroll around the ancient town upon arrival, casually browse, and settle down only when you find a place that suits your mood. But if you have less travel experience, it's advisable to book ahead and ask the inn to arrange an airport or station pickup so you won't get lost.

In a word: inside the ancient town, wherever you look, you'll find a place to stay.

Enough idle chatter—grabbed my gear and set off!

Gear list: Sunglasses (absolutely necessary)

Hat (absolutely necessary)

Sunscreen (absolutely necessary. People of dark complexion can ignore it)

Two sets each of long and short clothes (those not afraid of bugs, cold, or heat can ignore this)

Down jacket (really unnecessary. I brought it for Jade Dragon Snow Mountain; my girl didn't want to rent a down jacket, so I had to bring it—it was so heavy)

Some snacks (if you have a girl with you, don't overlook this!)

Insect repellent, anti-diarrhea medicine (depending on personal needs)

PSP (not essential, but good for curing boredom on the road)

DV/DC (essential; for independent travelers, I suggest compact cameras, card cameras, or portable camcorders to avoid cervical spine strain)

Day 1: On the train.

Nanning — Kunming, departed in the afternoon and arrived the next morning, about 13 hours—the PSP was a lifesaver.

Day 2: Kunming city.

For breakfast, we tried the legendary old restaurant 'Jianxin Garden's' Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles. Honestly, for someone who has eaten all over Guangdong and Guangxi, the taste really wasn't up to much. The soup was mediocre, and the so-called 'rice noodles' were just the 'round rice noodles' common in Nanning. They were swollen, tasteless, and fell apart. Still, for ten-something yuan, you got an egg (a quail egg), some chicken (two or three small pieces), and some char siu (lunch meat), so it was passable. There were also 30 and 40 yuan set meals, which basically just added some seafood, mushrooms, vegetables, and so on.

(Jianxin Garden Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles)

Afterwards, we found a hotel on Beijing Road to rest, 120 yuan per night, conditions just average. (Since we'd booked the evening train from Kunming to Lijiang and weren't staying overnight, it would have to do—as long as there was hot water for washing up.)

Short-stay accommodation tip in Kunming: After leaving the train station, walk straight along Beijing Road; there are many hotels and guesthouses along the way. Most on the right side are military compounds, so security should be guaranteed, and prices aren't high, generally from 100 to 250 yuan/night (should be cheaper in low season). They're a good choice.

After a brief rest in the morning, we went to the Golden Temple, entrance fee 30 yuan/person, half-price with student card. The scenic area was so-so, but pure bronze buildings are very rare, so it's worth seeing if you have time.

(Stone sculpture at Golden Temple)

(Statue of Wu Sangui at Golden Temple)

(Statue of Chen Yuanyuan at Golden Temple)

In the afternoon, we wandered around the Jinma Archway area back in the city and, with a bit of reluctance, tried another old restaurant for Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles, 'Bridge Fragrance Garden.' This time we ordered a set meal of over 20 yuan per person, and the result: disappointment!

(Bridge Fragrance Garden Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles)

That evening, we took the train from Kunming to Lijiang, about 8.5 hours, arriving early in the morning.

Summary of Kunming city:

1. The refreshing weather was my first impression—different from the sticky, oppressive humidity of Guangdong and Guangxi. The air quality was also very good, with very little dust!

2. Public security was good! Traffic was okay! Whether at the chaotic train station or the crowded city center, the ubiquitous mobile security posts, patrol police, and traffic police were quite reassuring! Unlike Nanning, where women going home late are always on edge, and every week you hear complaints: someone got robbed, someone got mugged, or there's another traffic jam! Except during rush hour or when some leader is passing through, you hardly see our public servants on the main roads; it's always poor 'temporary workers' busying around...

3. The bus system was somewhat terrible. For a famous tourist city, many bus stops in Kunming are inconspicuously located, and most lack route maps. After visiting quite a few places, I found only the Jinma Archway area had relatively detailed route signs at bus stops—this was very confusing!

Day 3: Lijiang, Dayan Ancient Town, Lion Hill, Mu's Residence

Just as we got off the train, it started drizzling. I couldn't help but praise my girl from the heart; she very wisely had prepared walking raincoats... Watching many tourists frantically trying to find taxis, I felt a strong impulse to reward her with a passionate kiss in public, hehe...

Because of the lousy weather, I also lost interest in haggling with the price-gouging taxi drivers. For 10 yuan per person, we got to one of the ancient town entrances, Sifang Temple Fair, and called the inn owner to pick us up. After checking in and putting away our luggage, the rain had gradually stopped. We chatted with the inn's fellow townsmen, Afei and Mohui, and casually learned about the food and fun in Lijiang. I really envied them—right after university, they came to Lijiang to run an inn, and they brothers often travel around the country, even going to Nepal every year to trek and climb Mount Everest. Admiration!!!

(Mohui and others climbing Haba Snow Mountain)

Then we took my girl to explore the ancient town, stepping randomly on the bluestone paths, admiring the old streets, and tasting snacks, soaking up the quaint charm of this town. Afterwards, we visited Lion Hill Park and climbed Wangu Tower, a great spot to enjoy a panoramic view of the old town and even a side view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the distance—nice scenery! We replaced lunch with snacks and kept walking nonstop until the afternoon, when we entered Mu's Residence. Here, besides the 60 yuan/person entrance fee, they also check the Ancient Town Maintenance Fee of 80 yuan/person (half-price tickets with student card, but the maintenance fee cannot be waived).

(A corner of the ancient town)

(Wangu Tower on Lion Hill)

(View from Lion Hill)

(View from Wangu Tower)

(A leisurely fierce dog)

In the evening, we continued sampling various snacks, then wandered through the enchanting night scenes of the ancient town bathed in light and shadow...

(Night view of the ancient town)

Summary: The ancient town now has a heavy commercial atmosphere; compared to when I visited ten years ago, it's like night and day, having lost that simple, tranquil vibe. Lion Hill is indeed a great place for a distant view of the old town, well worth visiting. As for Mu's Residence, it's interesting to see the 'Forbidden City' built by an ethnic minority, but the tickets feel a bit expensive. If you can't get a discount, think twice... As for the snacks in the ancient town, many guides already mention them, so I won't repeat. Unless you want to save time to visit more places, don't bother eating inside. In a word: the biggest characteristic of ancient town snacks is that they have no characteristics.

Day 4: Tea Horse Road, Lashi Lake, Shuhe Ancient Town, New Elephant Hill Market

We were lucky. Mohui had warned us beforehand to guard against scams at Lashi Lake, so we signed up at the inn for a pure-play horseback riding route—Tea Horse Road to Lashi Lake to Shuhe for only 240 yuan per person. While chatting with fellow travelers, I found many had paid around 300-350 yuan per person for the exact same route! Morning: horseback riding along the ancient road; midday: lunch included, the so-called 'horse caravan cuisine,' just average but edible; afternoon: boating on Lashi Lake; then transfer to Shuhe.

(Taking a break on the Tea Horse Road)

(Middle section of the Tea Horse Road)

(Beautiful scenery along the Tea Horse Road)

Summary: Personally, I felt the horseback riding lasted too long; my butt got a bit sore! Mainly because the Tea Horse Road scenic area is quite far from the stable, and riding there and back took a lot of time. But once on the ancient road, guiding the horse up and down was quite interesting, and the scenery was beautiful, putting me in a great mood. There are many stables in the area, not under unified management. Patient friends can inquire with several in advance to agree on specific timing and route. As for Lashi Lake Wetland Park, in a season with no migratory birds to watch, it's rather dull—just a placid pond, not particularly graceful or spectacular. Encountering rain made it even more boring (some say 'drizzling on a boat is so romantic...'; the price is being struck by lightning—don't forget this is a high-altitude area).

(Lashi Lake, I tried a 5C panoramic shot)

Shuhe Ancient Town is smaller and less developed, but now there's construction all over (renovations?), very noisy, a bit like the countryside trying hard to modernize... It's worth noting that the food at Elephant Hill Market was truly delicious, far better than inside the ancient town. For dishes like cured pork ribs, potato chicken, black goat, etc., about 50 yuan per person can get you a good meal (unless you're a big eater—then no guarantees). Many buses outside the ancient town can take you there, just a few stops away, very convenient.

(Ancient town plants, fresh with dew)

(Ancient town sky, brilliantly beautiful)

Day 5: Tiger Leaping Gorge

One word: majestic!!!

I joined a pure-play club, 320 yuan per person—a bit high but included:

1. Jinsha River rafting (ticket 160 yuan/person, no student discount, but our guide got an insider price of 100 yuan/person)

2. A decent lunch (at Teacher Zhang's)

3. A private small group of four and a 4WD vehicle for the whole trip (modified Jeep)

4. An excellent guide (Teacher Zhang's nephew)

5. Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge sightseeing and Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge trekking

A very tiring day, a very happy day. What could be more joyful than meeting a friend you instantly click with? This friend was our guide for the trip, a really down-to-earth ethnic minority guy. Perhaps because we were the same age, or because we both loved nature, or maybe it was just fate. We set off at 7:30 a.m. from the south gate entrance of the ancient town, touring: Viewing Platform (20 min) — First Bend of the Yangtze River (30 min) — Jinsha River Rafting (40 min) — Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge sightseeing (20 min) — lunch at Teacher Zhang's Inn, then a 4-hour trek to Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge. We headed back around 4 p.m., arriving at the ancient town entrance after 6 p.m. The total driving time was about 4 hours. Actually, the distance between these spots wasn't far, but the roads were bumpy and extremely difficult. Here, I witnessed the guide's superb driving skills—speeding along cliff edges and overtaking on winding mountain roads even made me, a veteran driver with a license for almost ten years since freshman year of university, feel nervous... Later I heard that tourist buses on this route normally take over 5 hours...

(Viewpoint along the way)

(Jinsha River rafting)

(Overlooking Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge)

(Tiger Leaping Rock view)

(The majestic grandeur of Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge. Unfortunately, my photography skills are average and can't capture its overwhelming momentum)

(Other hues of Tiger Leaping Gorge)

Summary: If you have the chance to go to Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge, just skip Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge...

Day 6: Big Jade Dragon Scenic Area

After two days of joining a pure-play group, I felt that whether a trip is fun depends on others, so I decided to craft the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain route entirely on my own. Since I had Mohui on WeChat, he actually acted as my free guide the whole way, especially recommending their inn. The service was warm, prices were reasonable, and you could book online in advance.

Early in the morning (7:00), I went with my girl to the Red Sun Square area to find a shared ride. We met a very interesting couple who were also looking for people to share a car. We bought two baba breads at a nearby shop for breakfast (much better tasting than inside the ancient town, and half the price), then continued waiting... (The driver needed six people to set off.) Soon, two more girls joined, so we departed. (By the way, these two Beijing girls had just finished a free trip to Vietnam and came to Lijiang, Yunnan to continue their journey. They gave me lots of useful information about Vietnam, which really helped with my later trip there—I'm very grateful...)

(Baba bread from a shop near Red Sun Square)

Half an hour later, we arrived at the scenic area entrance. We bought a Big Jade Dragon combo ticket, 230 yuan/person, half price with student card. Note that they still check the Ancient Town Maintenance Fee here. Then we went straight to the large cable car ticket booth and queued: 182 yuan/person for the cable car + 20 yuan/person for the shuttle bus (no student discount here). It's worth noting that at that time, only a handful of people were queuing; I got the tickets in less than five minutes, nothing like the legendary peak-season hours-long queues... Maybe because we came early—I checked the time, it was 8:15.

Next, we waited at the cable car entrance for our number to be called. After about 20 minutes, our two-letter number came up, and we finally boarded the cable car heading to the main event. The weather was beautiful—bright sunshine, and the mountain peaks looked especially charming under the sunlight... Of course, it was a huge pity not to see snow or glaciers in such weather... Every advantage has its downside; I could only console myself a little...

(Deep sigh, majestic Jade Dragon!)

I put on my own down jacket, casually admired the surrounding scenery, adjusted to the plateau climate a bit, then headed to higher altitudes. But as I walked, I started feeling hot, and the thought of carrying the down jacket in my hand made me want to cry... At this point, neither my girl nor I had any altitude sickness symptoms. Upon reaching 4571 meters (probably midway up the long stairs), she began to show noticeable signs (racing heartbeat, weak knees, slight headache... maybe we were too excited and walked too fast). So we rested, took oxygen, and replenished energy (jerky and chocolate). After a short recovery, we continued upward, deliberately slowing our pace, and felt much better...

(Jade Dragon about to be swallowed by thick fog)

(Brilliant smiles on Jade Dragon)

While resting, I met an uncle from a Beijing photography magazine, who took a group photo of us with amazing skill (looked like it could be published directly). We also saw the same funny couple from our car ride; they hadn't brought thick clothes or rented down jackets—instead, they wore all the long shirts, short sleeves, long pants, and long skirts they had brought :) Approaching the glacier, we met two girls from Northern Europe, who were laughing joyously the whole time, very charming. We chatted briefly and took photos together... Afterwards, we went down to White Water Terrace, Moon Valley, and Tingtao Lake. Although it looked man-made, it was still quite beautiful and likely appeals to many poetic-minded girls...

Leaving the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain scenic area, we walked along the road and hailed rides (many minivans that drop tourists off there can be flagged on the way back; if there's an empty seat, you can hop in for about 15-20 yuan per person). We went to Dongba Valley — Yushui Village — Dongba Kingdom — Wanshen Garden — Yufeng Temple, etc. Finally, we arrived back in the ancient town as the sun was setting... I found an inn on higher ground inside town, sat by the window with faint sunset hues, and had our last local dinner...

(Supposedly a plant from Lashi Lake, tasted a bit odd but not bad)

Day 7: Woke up early the next morning, packed up, and with a backpacker's budget mindset, headed to the bus stop. Looking left and right, it seemed the bus drivers weren't up yet? As the clock ticked away, my heart grew cold. Eventually, unable to wait, I shared a taxi to the train station with several travelers heading the same way, stepping onto the journey home...

Summary: If you're not going to Meili Snow Mountain, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is still worth visiting, whether it has snow or not. It's worth noting that after descending from Glacier Park to Moon Valley, definitely don't take the 40 yuan/person electric cart—it's only a few minutes' walk, and you can enjoy more scenery along the way. As for the other spots like Yushui Village and Dongba Valley, they're worth seeing if you have enough time, but it's no big loss if you miss them...

Final summary: The total cost for the two of us on this trip was about 5000 RMB. Since I had a free trip to Vietnam later that month, time was somewhat limited; places requiring a lot of time like Xishuangbanna, Lugu Lake, and Meili Snow Mountain will have to wait for next time...

These are rough, scattered notes with many omissions—hope understanding backpackers will forgive me...