Natural site · YUNNAN
Tiger Leaping Gorge
虎跳峡 · Hǔtiàoxiá
About
One of the world's deepest canyons (~3,800m from river to ridge), on the Jinsha River between Jade Dragon and Haba snow mountains. Two-day hike on the high trail.
Tiger Leaping Gorge is a 15-kilometre canyon on the Jinsha River — the upper reach of the Yangtze — cut between two mountain massifs: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain to the south (highest point 5,596m) and Haba Snow Mountain to the north (5,396m). The gorge floor sits at approximately 1,650 metres; the surrounding peaks rise more than 3,800 metres above — making it one of the deepest canyons in the world by the vertical measurement from ridge to river. The river itself, forced through a constriction in the middle section of the gorge, runs fast and loud over boulders at the Tiger Leaping Stone — the named spot where, according to legend, a tiger once leapt across the narrowest point to escape a hunter.
There are two ways to experience the gorge. The 'high road' — the cliff-side walking trail — is a two-day hike along a path cut into the hillside several hundred metres above the river. Guesthouses at intervals provide overnight stops; the Halfway Guesthouse is the traditional mid-point. The hike requires moderate fitness, appropriate footwear, and awareness of landslide risk in the rainy season (July–August, when rockfalls close sections of the path). The views from the high trail are more expansive than from the river level, across the full gorge depth to the glacier faces above. The 'low road' is a paved vehicle track at river level, accessible to cars and running to the Tiger Leaping Stone viewpoint in the middle gorge section — a drive of about 45 minutes from the Qiaotou entrance. This is the option for visitors with limited time or fitness constraints.
The trail access from Lijiang requires a two-hour bus to Qiaotou, where the high trail begins. An entry fee covers the gorge area. April through June and September through November are the recommended periods; rainy-season landslides make sections of the high trail genuinely hazardous in July and August.
How to get there
Bus from Lijiang Old Town to Qiaotou (2 hours), then walk or bus to trailhead.
When to visit
April–June and September–November. Avoid rainy season landslides (July–August).
Other attractions in Lijiang
Itineraries featuring this site
- Yunnan loop — Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La
10d · The northwest Yunnan circuit through Bai, Naxi and Tibetan culture.
- First-timer China — 14 days with Yunnan loop
14d · Two weeks covering the Beijing–Xi'an–Shanghai circuit plus a Yunnan extension through Kunming, Dali and Lijiang — the combination that most first-time visitors leave wishing they had done.
- Slow travel China — 14 days, fewer cities, deeper neighbourhoods
14d · Fourteen days in just three cities — Xi'an, Chengdu and Lijiang — spending four to five nights in each to move beyond the headline sights into daily rhythms, local markets and neighbourhood life.
- Yunnan deep loop — Kunming to Tengchong, 14 days
14d · Fourteen days through the full breadth of Yunnan: Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La, the Yuanyang terraces, Jianshui and the geothermal fields of Tengchong — the province's different climates, altitudes and minorities in one loop.
Other natural sites in China
- Badain Jaran Desert — Lakes and Dunes巴丹吉林沙漠—沙山湖泊群
UNESCO · UNESCO Natural World Heritage site in Inner Mongolia — the third largest desert in China, featuring some of the world's tallest stationary dunes and a unique network of freshwater and saline lakes sustained by a still-unexplained subterranean water system.
- China Danxia中国丹霞
UNESCO · UNESCO Natural World Heritage site — a serial property of six Danxia landscapes across six provinces, representing China's defining red-cliff-and-pillar sandstone landform type, including Danxia Mountain, Zhangye, Taining and Langshan.
- Crescent Lake & Mingsha Mountain月牙泉与鸣沙山
Spring-fed crescent-shaped lake at the foot of 250m sand dunes, 5 km south of Dunhuang. Camel rides, sand-sledding, sunset viewing.
- Daocheng Yading Nature Reserve稻城亚丁
A remote highland sanctuary in south-western Sichuan centred on three sacred snow peaks venerated by Tibetan Buddhism, often called the 'last Shangri-La'.
- Dianchi Lake Kunming滇池
The largest freshwater lake in Yunnan at 300 km², historically the scenic centrepiece of the Kunming basin and now being restored after decades of water-quality degradation.
- Erhai Lake洱海
250 km² freshwater lake east of Dali Old Town. 130 km cycling loop; Bai-minority lakeside villages on the eastern shore.
- Fanjingshan梵净山
UNESCO · UNESCO Natural World Heritage site in Guizhou — an isolated mountain island rising from subtropical forest, home to two critically endangered endemic species: the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey and the Fanjingshan fir.
- Hailuogou Glacier National Park海螺沟冰川
The lowest-altitude glacier accessible in Asia, flowing from the slopes of Mount Gongga down through a bamboo and subtropical forest valley to just 2,980 m above sea level.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does Tiger Leaping Gorge cost to visit?
- Adult entry to Tiger Leaping Gorge is ¥65, ¥32 for children.
- When is Tiger Leaping Gorge open?
- Tiger Leaping Gorge opening hours: 24/7 on the trails. Park entry checkpoints daytime.
- How long do you need at Tiger Leaping Gorge?
- Allow 8–24 hours for Tiger Leaping Gorge. Add buffer time if you plan to visit at peak season or include nearby sights in the same trip.
- When is the best time to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge?
- April–June and September–November. Avoid rainy season landslides (July–August).
- How do you get to Tiger Leaping Gorge?
- Bus from Lijiang Old Town to Qiaotou (2 hours), then walk or bus to trailhead.
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