Located close to the ‘first bend of the Yangtse at Shigu some 100km northwest of Lijiang and lying between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xueshan) and Haba Snow Mountain (Haba Xueshan) is the incredible, dramatic Tiger Leaping Gorge, believed to be the deepest gorge in the world.

From the steep sides of the gorge you can look down on the rushing waters of the Yangtse, here known as the Jinsha “Golden Sands” river 200 meters. Legend says that a tiger used a rock here as a stepping stone, which is how the gorge got its name.

A new road was pushed through the gorge a few years ago following what is referred to as the “low path” allowing tourists who were not intent on walking through the gorge to see it; the high path always existed but was more challenging a walk and this is the path hikers now use. There are several guesthouses along the gorge with Walnut Grove being a popular place to spend a night before returning to Qiaotou or continuing to Daju at the other end of the Gorge. Walking this way the gorge is a two day undertaking with transport to and from Lijiang / Zhongdian to be added.