LIJIANG · DAY TRIPS
Day trips from Lijiang
Lijiang is surrounded by Yunnan's most spectacular mountain and ethnic landscape — Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Tiger Leaping Gorge, and the Shangri-La plateau are all within a few hours. The city's airport also makes it a base for fly-in excursions to more remote destinations.
Destinations within reach
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
玉龙雪山
- How to get there
- Public bus from Lijiang or taxi to the mountain base; cable car to Glacier Park (4,506m)
- What to see
- Year-round glaciated peak (highest point 5,596m); Glacier Park cable car; Blue Moon Valley lakes; lower meadows with wildflowers.
- Why go
- The most iconic view from Lijiang and a dramatic high-altitude experience; the glacier is accessible without mountaineering experience.
Tiger Leaping Gorge
虎跳峡
- How to get there
- Morning bus from Lijiang to Qiaotou; hike 2 days to Walnut Garden, then bus back — or organised day tour of the lower gorge
- What to see
- One of the world's deepest gorges, cut by the Jinsha River between Jade Dragon and Haba Snow Mountains; dramatic cliffside trail.
- Why go
- The high trail through the gorge (2–3 days walking) is one of China's finest trekking routes; the lower gorge road gives a day-trip taste.
Shangri-La (Zhongdian)
香格里拉
- How to get there
- Shuttle bus from Lijiang coach station; or flight from Lijiang Sanyi Airport
- What to see
- Ganden Sumtseling Monastery (largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan); Pudacuo National Park; high grasslands with yak herds.
- Why go
- Better as an overnight stay but the monastery and surrounding plateau can be seen in a long day from Lijiang.
Lugu Lake
泸沽湖
- How to get there
- Chartered car or organised overnight tour; no public bus direct
- What to see
- High-altitude lake (2,685m) shared by Yunnan and Sichuan; home of the Mosuo people, who maintain a matrilineal family structure.
- Why go
- Best as a 2-night stay; the Mosuo boat tours on the lake at dawn are a particular draw.
Baisha Village
白沙
- How to get there
- Bicycle hire from Lijiang old town; taxi; local bus
- What to see
- Original Naxi settlement older than Lijiang old town; Dabaoji Palace murals (Ming dynasty religious paintings); working farmland.
- Why go
- Far fewer visitors than the old town; the 500-year-old frescoes in the temple are accessible and well-preserved.
Shuhe Ancient Town
束河古镇
- How to get there
- Bicycle from Lijiang; taxi; local minibus
- What to see
- Smaller and quieter Naxi settlement northwest of the main old town; leather workshops; canal channels; fewer souvenir shops.
- Why go
- A less-visited alternative to the main old town with a more relaxed atmosphere and better independent café scene.
Wenhai Eco-Tourism Lake
文海湖
- How to get there
- Chartered vehicle to Wenhai village trailhead; then trail on foot or horse
- What to see
- Remote alpine lake above 3,100m; Naxi community guesthouse; seasonal wild flowers; views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain from the far shore.
- Why go
- An off-the-beaten-track highland lake with no crowds; the community guesthouses are a genuine home-stay experience.
Verified May 2026