CITY · YUNNAN
Lijiang
丽江 · Lìjiāng
Overview
UNESCO-listed Naxi old town in northwest Yunnan, beneath the snow-capped Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Cobbled lanes, water canals, the Naxi minority's pictographic Dongba script.
Lijiang Old Town (Dayan, UNESCO) is a 1,000-year-old Naxi town with a network of cobblestone lanes, stone bridges and clear-running canals. The Naxi people, an ethnic minority of about 300,000 in northwest Yunnan, retained a unique pictographic script (Dongba) until the 20th century and a matrilineal social structure that extends into the Mosuo culture further north. The 5,596m Jade Dragon Snow Mountain rises directly behind the town. Lijiang is the launchpad for Tiger Leaping Gorge (one of the world's deepest canyons) and Shangri-La further north.
What to see
- Lijiang Old Town (UNESCO)
- Black Dragon Pool (Heilongtan) at dawn
- Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Glacier Park (cable car)
- Tiger Leaping Gorge — overnight or 2-day hike
- Baisha murals (15th-century)
- Lashi Lake Wetland
What to eat
- Naxi grilled fish
- Yak meat hot pot
- Wild mushrooms in season
- Yunnan-style cured ham
Getting there
Lijiang Sanyi (LJG) airport. Lijiang Railway: from Kunming 8h overnight or 3.5h HSR; from Dali 1h 30m HSR.
Getting around
Walking the Old Town. Shuttle bus to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Where to stay
Old Town (Dayan) for atmosphere; quieter Shuhe Old Town just north.
We list neighbourhoods, not specific hotels — we don't endorse hotels.
When to go
March–April, September–October. Summer is the rainy season.
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥260 |
| Mid-range | ¥550 |
| Comfortable | ¥1300 |
Safety notes
Altitude is 2,400m — visitors from sea level may feel mild altitude effects on the first day; the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Glacier Park is 4,500–4,680m and oxygen canisters are sold.
Nearby attractions
Black Dragon Pool 黑龙潭
Spring-fed pool in Lijiang with a five-arch white bridge and a clear-day view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain reflected in the water.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain 玉龙雪山
5,596m peak directly behind Lijiang. Glacier Park cable car reaches 4,506m; the Impression Lijiang outdoor show plays on the lower slopes.
Lijiang Old Town (Dayan) 丽江古城
1,000-year-old Naxi old town in northwest Yunnan. UNESCO-listed since 1997. Cobbled lanes, water canals, the Naxi minority's pictographic Dongba script.
Lijiang Old Town (UNESCO) 丽江古城
UNESCO-listed Naxi minority old town in northwest Yunnan, notable for its canal network, cobbled lanes, and vernacular architecture that survived a major earthquake in 1996.
Shuhe Old Town 束河古镇
Smaller, quieter Naxi old town 4 km north of Lijiang Old Town. The same stone-paved street pattern with far fewer crowds.
Tiger Leaping Gorge 虎跳峡
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.
More on Lijiang
Itineraries visiting Lijiang
- 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.
Food of Southwestern China
- Baba Flatbread粑粑
Yunnan's daily flatbread — a thick wheat or rice-flour round cooked on a griddle and eaten plain or stuffed.
- Bang Bang Chicken棒棒鸡
Cold poached chicken shredded by hand, dressed in chilli oil, sesame paste and Sichuan peppercorn.
- Boiled Fish in Chilli Oil水煮鱼
Fish slices submerged in a deep pool of chilli oil and Sichuan peppercorns. Served bubbling.
- Chongqing Hotpot重庆火锅
The original mala hotpot — a simmering cauldron of beef tallow, Pixian doubanjiang and Sichuan peppercorn for communal dipping.
Spotted something out of date? Submit a correction.
Research
Cross-checked against primary sources
Verified
Address, hours, fees confirmed at the date shown
Updated
Re-verified periodically; corrections welcome