Lijiang Travel Guide: Self-Guided Tours, Nearby Excursions, Food & Fun

📍 Lijiang · 👁 1 reads · ❤️ 69 likes

Capture every beautiful moment, and let your horizons expand with wonder.

Ready for Lijiang?

If you’re not traveling with a tour group, be sure to plan ahead – it makes your trip much smoother. I’ve been to Lijiang a few times, and it’s honestly a place I never tire of. Below I’ll share some practical tips from my own experience: suggested routes, things to watch out for, worthwhile souvenirs, and more. Take your time reading.

Here are some personal packing suggestions.

How much you bring depends on your trip length. A weekend trip doesn't need much, but if you’re going for a week or so, these might help.

1. Backpack. Don’t think a suitcase is enough. In my opinion, a backpack is a must – you can carry lots of things when you’re out. If you’re in a group, at least one person should have a backpack. Choose the size based on how far you’ll walk; it must have good weight-bearing ability. Also, when buying a backpack, try it on properly and ask the shop assistant how to use it correctly, or you might not be able to reduce the load and distribute weight evenly while hiking.

2. Footwear. This should be obvious, but if you’re not self-driving, ladies, please don’t wear high heels just for looks. Good shoes are actually more important than a backpack. Last time I wore regular sneakers.

3. Clothing. Yunnan’s UV rays are fierce, so I suggest long sleeves and long pants. If it’s too hot in summer, bring a sun protection jacket, plus a hat, lip balm, sunscreen, skincare products, toiletries, and a pair of sunglasses to look cool (but also functional). I personally bring my own toothpaste and towel – hotel ones often make my gums bleed.

4. Medicine. Have these basics on hand: Huoxiang Zhengqi liquid (for heatstroke/digestion), Huoluo oil / Honghua oil (muscle relief), Qingliang oil / Fengyoujing (insect bite relief), Yunnan Baiyao (powder and spray), cetirizine (for allergies), alcohol, erythromycin ointment, bandages + gauze, plasters, snake medicine, cold medicine.

5. Documents. ID card, other IDs, and money – haha.

Lijiang Travel Tips

1. Yunnan has large temperature differences between day and night (10–28°C / 50–82°F). Dress accordingly to prevent colds.

2. Lijiang and Zhongdian are at high altitudes; rest well to avoid altitude sickness.

3. When riding horses or yaks for photos in Lijiang or Zhongdian at your own expense, heed the owners’ instructions, and don’t do anything that might startle the animals and cause injury. When taking photos, stay safe – don’t go to dangerous spots like watersides and bridges in Lijiang Old Town, or cliffs at Tiger Leaping Gorge.

4. Be mindful of local food (mainly sour-spicy flavors and many cold dishes). Bring some snacks if you can’t stomach it.

5. When buying souvenirs or local specialties, compare at several shops and don’t casually handle display items to avoid accidental damage. Remember to bargain unless you’re rolling in cash.

6. Yunnan is home to many ethnic minorities. Respect local customs is essential. In Yunnan, listen carefully to tour guide explanations – you’ll not only learn tips about interacting with minority groups but also have the fun of gaining new knowledge.

1. Lijiang has large temperature swings, so bring warm clothes any time of year to avoid catching a cold. Here’s a rough guide:

Spring: usually 5–20°C, bring long sleeves, a jacket, light sweater, down jacket, etc.

Summer: usually 10–28°C, bring short sleeves, long sleeves, a light jacket, etc.

Winter: usually -5–15°C, bring thick sweaters, heavy coats, down jacket, etc.

2. Weather changes quickly in Lijiang, so it’s wise to carry an umbrella.

3. If you’re prone to altitude sickness, don’t do strenuous exercise, drink plenty of water, eat some beef jerky to replenish energy, or visit a reputable pharmacy and follow medical advice (such as taking Omal Xixie tablets). The most important thing is rest.

4. When visiting attractions, always buy tickets at official ticket offices and don’t fall for cheap scams.

1. Naxi ethnic cuisine has many flavors, and ham baba (flatbread) is especially famous. It’s crispy outside and soft inside, rich but not greasy, aromatic, and stays fresh for half a month. Both salty and sweet versions are available.

2. “Cured Pork Rib Hotpot” is a Naxi signature dish. The “Lijiang Cured Pork Rib Hotpot” is made by stewing Lijiang cured spareribs with potato, bean sprouts, winter melon, and tree tomatoes. It is the main course of the third layer of the Naxi “Three-fold Water” feast – the “Warm and Passionate Layer.” The hotpot, once obscure, suddenly burst out of the now-rare traditional feast and swept across Lijiang. Naxi people proudly call it “Lijiang’s No. 1 Pot.”

3. “Lijiang Cold Noodles” is a traditional snack. Delicious, springy, tasty, and cheap. Main ingredients include chickling peas, chives, mung bean sprouts, Sichuan pepper oil, chili oil, fried hemp seed powder, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger juice, garlic paste, sesame oil, salt, etc.

4. “Blown Pig Liver” is a classic Naxi dish for entertaining guests. It has a unique preparation, looks good, and tastes refreshing. Pig liver is combined with coriander, fried peanuts, salt, vinegar, chili oil, sesame seeds, and more.

5. Lijiang has many wild mushrooms and vegetables – natural, pollution-free, and exceptionally tasty. Also try roasted dragonflies and roasted bamboo worms; the brave can sample five insects each – a real thrill.

6. Try butter tea, Heqing wine, and yogurt. Especially yak milk yogurt at 5 yuan a bottle – many girls love it.

Many call Lijiang “the Capital of Romantic Encounters.” I think there’s some truth and some exaggeration. Every city is the same for everyone; it just depends on how you see yourself, others, and the place you’re in. If you’re not looking for a fling in Lijiang, nobody will force you. If you are, you can find what you desire not only in Lijiang but in any city, right? In this day and age, we all know that. So it comes down to your own mindset. Yes, mindset. Handsome guys and beautiful girls who come here often feel freed from the restraints and barriers of their own cities. What they experience is more relaxation, harmony, and ease. People’s attitudes align magically, and that may be why Lijiang earned its nickname.

Now, let’s lighten up and talk about fun places I know – like a game. Lijiang’s bars are famous, as you’ve probably heard. So here comes the highlight: let’s talk bars.

Lijiang’s bars mainly fall into “two major schools” (my own classification – not sure if anyone has said this before): the bar street on Xinhua Street, and the “dining-bar” hybrids (another original term!) that hover between restaurant and bar.

1. The Bar Street

Officially Xinhua Street, this is the main road connecting the Old Town entrance (Big Waterwheel) and the central Sifang Square. At night it gets really loud, with blaring speakers. Outside each bar, hosts in ethnic dress try to lure you in – annoying, but I have to admit their outfits look great. Once inside, you’ll discover these bars are basically discos.

“Dining-Bars” – between restaurant and bar.

First, they have music. It’s the best of both soulfulness and talent. Sometimes when you see a customer lost in a song, you understand that kind of musical aura that pulls you in instantly.

Second, they have fine drinks. A place for eating and entertainment can’t lack alcohol. Beer, red wine, sake, house-brewed wine – all are available, with a full range and prices much cheaper than the bar street. Drink lovers can enjoy their fill here.

Third, they have scenery. Spacious halls, floor-to-ceiling open wooden windows – you look out and see Lijiang’s blue sky. Sitting by the window, you can see the stream and passersby. The floors are nicely carpeted, and the owner has thoughtfully placed lots of green plants – plenty of oxygen, ha.

Finally, they’re affordable. Which is better? The bar street that’s so noisy it almost gives you a heart attack while you spend a fortune, or a place where you listen to singers tell old tales, eat salmon and cured pork rib hotpot, sip fine wine, and spend far less? Do the math, silly!

And for those who don’t like bar-hopping? Yes, you! If bar hopping isn’t your thing, go watch a song-and-dance performance – that’s also a great nightlife option! Lijiang has two renowned large-scale evening shows every night: “Lishui Jinsha” and “The Romance of Lijiang.” Foreign visitors who haven’t seen much of China often love “The Romance of Lijiang,” while visitors from all over China tend to prefer “Lishui Jinsha.”

“Lishui Jinsha” is a grand ethnic song-and-dance extravaganza portraying Yunnan’s minority cultures. You’ll see the Naxi’s Bangbang Festival, the Yi’s Torch Festival, the Mosuo walking marriage tradition, and love-suicide for freedom – quite moving.

“The Romance of Lijiang” is the core product of Lijiang Romance Park, created by China’s first listed performance company – Songcheng Performing Arts. The park is 6km from Lijiang Old Town, adjacent to Wenbi Lake and echoing distant Jade Dragon Snow Mountain – a prime location. Themed on Lijiang’s regional culture, it uses a mega show to reveal Lijiang’s thousand-year history and customs. The park includes the Ancient Tea-Horse Street, Nacuo Lake, Snow Mountain Beach, Ethnic Villages, Romance Square, and a large indoor sci-tech amusement complex, among other themed areas.

Now let’s talk accommodation. Where to stay in Lijiang?

I personally recommend staying at an inn. Inns are one of Lijiang’s charismatic signatures – each is a landscape in itself. Cozy, lazy, Mediterranean, Tibetan, bright, mellow… These inns are all renovated Naxi homes rented out; each has a courtyard and Naxi flavor. Book online in advance – some inns offer airport pickup, so confirm this to save hassle. When choosing, I think three things matter most: service, atmosphere, and location, because they determine your daily convenience, mood, and sleep. Good service helps you sort out trips; good atmosphere lifts your mood; a good location means peace and quiet for sound sleep.

A heads-up: many inns sell local specialties, like cordyceps, maca, spirulina, and various mushrooms. Buy only from reliable people if you plan to bring some back. Note that inn prices can be a bit higher than market prices. For example, Lijiang maca ranges from cheap to expensive per 500g. If you don’t know the ins and outs or how to judge quality, you might get a bad deal. Same with cordyceps. Actually, with the internet so accessible now, you can buy many Lijiang specialties online – just compare there to get a better idea.

Some specialties are easier to choose, like spirulina. Only spirulina cultivated in natural alkaline water has relatively rich and balanced nutrition. Currently, the only natural alkaline water in China is from Chenghai Lake in Lijiang, Yunnan.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is 30 km from Dayan Old Town. You can charter a car – price depends on the car type, usually about 200 yuan round trip. Find travel buddies at your inn and share the fare. Just pick one cableway to enjoy; either route can take you to Blue Moon Valley, Ganhaizi, Dongba Valley, Yushui Village, Dongba Wanshen Garden, “Impression Lijiang” show, etc.

This route is popular with most tourists; you can combine it with Shuhe Old Town for a full day. Horse riding costs vary by distance, roughly 150 to over 500 yuan, and you can bargain.

For Lugu Lake, you can visit Luoshui Village or Lige Village. Tour groups prefer the larger Luoshui, while independent travelers favor the more picturesque Lige. The “Grandmother’s House” in Lige is said to be over 200 years old. Bring a small gift worth 10–20 yuan to visit, taste the host’s homemade wine, learn about Mosuo walking marriage culture, and watch the dance of the most beautiful Mosuo woman.

Tiger Leaping Gorge is 80 km from Lijiang Old Town – about 3 hours by car, then a one-hour walk to Upper Tiger Leaping. You can do a day trip. Renting a car runs about 300 yuan round trip. If you’d rather not charter, take a bus from the station to Qiaotou Town, then walk 10 minutes to the Upper Tiger Leaping ticket office.

Summer and autumn are the best seasons for Shangri-La. Other seasons have their charms – stark and expansive, or dressed in snow. You can visit Shangri-La year-round and come away with different scenery and moods.

The Bai Autonomous Prefecture sits west-central Yunnan at 2,090m altitude, neighboring Chuxiong to the east, Pu’er and Lincang to the south, Baoshan and Nujiang to the west, and Lijiang to the north. Spanning 98°52′–101°03′E and 24°41′–26°42′N, it reaches Erhai Lake to the east and Diancang Mountains to the west. It administers Dali City, eight counties (Xiangyun, Midu, Binchuan, Yongping, Yunlong, Eryuan, Heqing, Jianchuan) and three minority autonomous counties (Yangbi, Weishan, Nanjian), making it one of the earliest developed frontier regions in southwest China. With a low-latitude plateau monsoon climate and minimal seasonal temperature differences, its iconic attractions include Butterfly Spring, Cangshan Mountain, Erhai Lake, Dali Old Town, and the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple.

This place is famous for the “Golden Sunshine on the Snow Mountain” phenomenon, but whether you see it is purely luck – some fail to see it after ten trips, others see it on their first.

Yubeng is a semi-developed attraction with no road access. To enter, you must hike from Xidang Village. Visitors with average fitness can rent a horse for around 200 yuan, charged by sections; you must start at the beginning of each segment. If you run out of energy halfway, you won’t be able to rent a horse even if you see an empty one – they won’t let you ride for money. This route is for hikers; visitors with limited stamina or the elderly should skip it.

If you have a large group, you can choose an independent group tour from a regular travel company – pricier but more reliable with a better experience. If you join a regular group, first ask clearly whether there are forced shopping stops or hidden charges. For a small group, you can find travel buddies at your inn to share a chartered car. Renting a car means you assume all risks yourself. Generally, a pure sightseeing group costs a few hundred yuan more than a shopping group, and an in-depth tour costs a few hundred more than a pure sightseeing group.

Planning Your Lijiang Itinerary

Thanks to its unique geographic location and world-famous Old Town, Lijiang acts as the gateway and hub for northwest Yunnan travel. First, get a general idea of the classic attractions in and around Lijiang. They include: Dayan Old Town, Shuhe Old Town, Baisha Old Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Lashi Lake, Guanyin Gorge, Laojun Mountain, Lugu Lake (with Caohai, Da Luoshui, Xiao Luoshui, Lige, etc.), Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shangri-La (Dukezong Old Town, Guishan Park, Songzanlin Monastery, Pudacuo National Park, Shika Snow Mountain, etc.), Meili Snow Mountain, Mingyong Glacier, Yubeng (Sacred Waterfall, Ice Lake), Dali (Dali Old Town, Butterfly Spring, Three Pagodas, Xizhou, Shuanglang, etc.), and Daocheng Yading.

If you have plenty of time, you can cover all these places in one go. Those with shorter holidays can pick the ones they’ve been dreaming of. Visitors often say: “You can’t finish Lijiang in one trip.” That’s true, because you’re not just experiencing Lijiang – the whole region is your playground. Even the laid-back atmosphere of Lijiang Old Town alone mesmerizes many, though some come specifically seeking romantic encounters, haha.

A note from the writer @LijiangZeng Xiaoxian: I’ve worked in Lijiang tourism for five years and know its accommodations like the back of my hand. If anything is still unclear after reading, feel free to ask me.

Recommended Best Itineraries (Multiple Options, Pick Freely, Additions Welcome)

3-Day Itinerary (1 day Lijiang Old Town + 1 day Jade Dragon Snow Mountain + 1 day Lashi Lake)

D1: Lijiang Old Town – Mu Mansion – Lion Hill – Black Dragon Pool – Wanggu Tower

D2: Lijiang – Ganhaizi – Glacier Park Big Cableway – Blue Moon Valley / White Water River – Return to Lijiang

D3: Lijiang – Zai Shui Yi Fang – Horse Riding on the Ancient Tea Horse Road – Lunch – Boating – Lijiang Ethnic Show – Return to Lijiang

5-Day Itinerary (1 day Lijiang Old Town + 2 days Shangri-La + 2 days Lugu Lake)

D1: Lijiang Old Town – Mu Mansion – Lion Hill – Black Dragon Pool – Wanggu Tower

D2: Lijiang – First Bend of Yangtze River Viewpoint – Tiger Leaping Gorge – Yi Village Viewpoint – Xiaozhongdian Pasture – Prayer Wheel in Dukezong Old Town

D3: Shangri-La Town – Pudacuo National Park – Shangri-La Town – Return to Lijiang

D4: Lijiang – Ninglang – Lugu Lake – 360° Lake Tour – Bonfire Party

D5: Inn – Optional Early Rise for Sunrise – Pig-Trough Boat Ride on Lake – Return to Lijiang

7-Day Itinerary A (1 day Lijiang Old Town + 2 days Shangri-La + 2 days Lugu Lake + 2 days Dali)

D1: Lijiang Old Town – Mu Mansion – Lion Hill – Black Dragon Pool – Wanggu Tower

D2: Lijiang – First Bend of Yangtze River Viewpoint – Tiger Leaping Gorge – Yi Village Viewpoint – Xiaozhongdian Pasture – Prayer Wheel in Dukezong Old Town

D3: Shangri-La Town – Pudacuo National Park – Shangri-La Town – Return to Lijiang

D4: Lijiang – Ninglang – Lugu Lake – 360° Lake Tour – Bonfire Party

D5: Inn – Optional Early Rise for Sunrise – Pig-Trough Boat Ride on Lake – Return to Lijiang

D6: Lijiang – Butterfly Spring Park – Bai Ethnic Lunch – Erhai Grand Cruise – Nanzhao Island – Shuanglang Town

D7: Breakfast – Three Pagodas – Dali Old Town – Foreigner Street – Return to Lijiang

7-Day Itinerary B (1 day Lijiang Old Town + 2 days Shangri-La + 2 days Lugu Lake + 1 day Jade Dragon Snow Mountain + 1 day Lashi Lake)

D1: Lijiang Old Town – Mu Mansion – Lion Hill – Black Dragon Pool – Wanggu Tower

D2: Lijiang – First Bend of Yangtze River Viewpoint – Tiger Leaping Gorge – Yi Village Viewpoint – Xiaozhongdian Pasture – Prayer Wheel in Dukezong Old Town

D3: Shangri-La Town – Pudacuo National Park – Shangri-La Town – Return to Lijiang

D4: Lijiang – Ninglang – Lugu Lake – 360° Lake Tour – Bonfire Party

D5: Inn – Optional Early Rise for Sunrise – Pig-Trough Boat Ride on Lake – Return to Lijiang

D6: Lijiang – Ganhaizi – Glacier Park Big Cableway – Blue Moon Valley / White Water River – Return to Lijiang

D7: Lijiang – Zai Shui Yi Fang – Horse Riding on the Ancient Tea Horse Road – Lunch – Boating – Lijiang Ethnic Show – Return to Lijiang

1. The Bar Street

“Dining-Bars” – between restaurant and bar.

First, they have music. It’s the best of both soulfulness and talent. Sometimes when you see a customer lost in a song, you understand that kind of musical aura that pulls you in instantly.

Now let’s talk accommodation. Where to stay in Lijiang?

Beware of Lijiang Travel Traps

1. That driver who looks honest? In the Old Town, anyone doing business can be smooth-talking. He brought his so-called “niece” who just graduated university (Chen XX), both playing a double act, saying she studied Cambodian and couldn’t find a job so she was learning to drive with her uncle. The whole way they were “warm and hospitable,” “innocent and pure,” telling us to have him drop us off for boating, saying his mother bought jade 20 years ago and the same shop would be good to visit with uncle, that jade should be bought in daylight because at night under bright lights you can’t see clearly. Such a chain of lies – they’re pros.

2. Low-price group tours. The travel market is full of bait-and-switch deals. Offers like 100–200 yuan for a trip to Lugu Lake, Dali, or Shangri-La – honestly that doesn’t even cover the transport. Imagine what tricks they’ll pull during the trip.

3. I suggest creating a blacklist and whitelist for drivers, exposing the bad ones and praising the good.

In short, people grow from trial and error. This time I got ripped off because I thought I knew Lijiang well and let my guard down. Well, being cheated once isn’t scary – I’ll come again. I’ll use that to console myself and give my head a knock: never make the same mistake again.

Lijiang’s Poetic Charm

If a thousand readers have a thousand Hamlets, then a million tourists have a million Lijiangs. Lijiang is noisy – you can party all night; Lijiang is tranquil – you can sit in a sun-drenched courtyard and daydream for hours. This romantic ancient town is bursting with love and serendipity, brimming with sentiment and sensibility. Maybe it’s the tender scenes of little bridges over flowing streams by local houses that make you reflect in the stillness; or perhaps the wildly different bars at night that mesmerize and invigorate. Yet, whether blue skies and white clouds, snow-mountain streams, chimney smoke from cottages, stylish bars, or all laid-back living things – everything here makes you gaze, yearn, and lose your heart.

Finally, wish every traveler a wonderful journey.

Capture every beautiful moment, and let your horizons expand with wonder.