The Stone of Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge

English Name: Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge
Chinese name: Hutiao Xia 虎跳峡
Type: Gorges & Canyons, Nature
Keywords: Tiger Leaping Gorge, Hikking, Lijiang spot
Altitude: about 1800m
Best Time: April to June, September to October
Recommended Visiting Hours: about 3 hours
Recommended Time for Hiking: 2 days
Opening Hours: 09:00~16:30
Admission Fee: 65 RMB for lijiang part 
Location: Shangri-La and Lijiang

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Upper Tiger Leaping GorgeUpper Tiger Leaping GorgeWhy is the Stone of Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge So   Special

Tiger Leaping Gorge is spectacular and crown as the deepest gorge in the world. The Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge is the narrowest, and there is a huge rock in the center of river, which called Tiger Leaping Rock. So the gorge is named for Tiger Leaping Gorge.

Where is the Stone of Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge–Location

The stone is in the upper part of the Tiger Leaping Gorge. About 100 km north from Lijiang, Tiger Leaping Gorge is precisely located between the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山, in the Yulong Naxi County, part of the city-prefecture area of Lijiang) and the Haba Snow Mountain (哈巴雪山, in the Shangri-La County, part of the Diqing prefecture).

How to Get to the Stone of Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge

By Vehicle: fast and convenient
1. Take bus from Lijiang Transport Service Center Bus Station to Tiger Leaping Gorge. It departs at 08:00 and 08:30 every morning and takes around 1.5 – 2 hours to reach there.
2. Charter a car from Lijiang. It costs around CNY 300 to 400 per day.
3. The Gorge is located between Lijiang and Shangri-La, so visitors can take the inter-city buses of the two and ask the driver to drop you off at the gorge.

From Lijiang to Tiger Leaping Gorge: At Lijiang Bus Station, travelers can take bus to Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge at 08:00 and 08:30. For travelers who want to get to Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge,you can first reach Hutiaoxia Town and then hire a car to the Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge. Hutiaoxia Town is 9 km from Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge and 33 km from Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge. Also, buses are available at Lijiang Bus Station to Daju. It takes about 2 hours from Lijiang to Tiger Leaping Gorge. To leave Tiger Leaping Gorge, travelers can takes buses from Tina’s House, Hutiaoxia Town and Daju.

From Shangri-La to Tiger Leaping Gorge: At Shangri-La Long-distance Bus Station, travelers can take bus to Hutiaoxia Town first and the hire a car to Upper or Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge. It takes about 2 hours to Hutiaoxia Town. There is no direct bus to from Shangri-La to Daju.

Hiking: High Path or Gravel Road, strenuous but more fun
1.It is quite popular to hike along the gorge, and you can follow the signs made by other visitors along the way.
2. This is a great sightseeing stop with enormous photo opportunities. But the Tiger Leaping Gorge tour is long, so you are not suggested to bring many bags. Bring your camera, wear skidproof shoes, and be prepared to be astonished. Besides, 1-2 bottles of water are necessary.
3. Some difficulties may occur in the hiking along Tiger Leaping Gorge, you can choose to ride the local horse on the way.
4. The best time to visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge is April – June and September & October due to the good weather condition.

History & culture

It is said that a hunter was chasing a tiger through the gorge many years ago. When it reached the narrowest point the tiger leapt across the Jinsha River, escaping the furious hunter. The rock where the tiger made its jump is now an iconic viewing point.

There is another legend that a rich Lijiang ruler, Lord Mu, rode on his tiger to go along the side of Jinsha River one day. He and tiger went to a relatively narrow area, the tiger leaped to a large rock in the center of the river. The tiger landed but Lord Mu was not landing at the same time and had dropped into a rolling river. Time has passed, there left a tiger leaping stone for future generations.

What to See at the Stone of Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge

As the narrowest section, the Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge is the mouth of Tiger Leaping Gorge. When you stand here, you can enjoy rapid water and steep rocks.

Best Time to Visit the Stone of Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge

April, May and June in the Gorge is the finest time for hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge with crisp air. September, October are the second best time to hike Tiger Leaping Gorge. June to August is the rainy season and the road is sloppy. Try to avoid the rainy season. After October the weather turns to cold, if you want to go, bring warm clothes.

Accommodate at the Stone of Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge

There are a lot of hostels along the hiking route of Tiger Leaping Gorge, here are some hostels recommended by Yunnan Exploration and Yunnan Adventure.
Tinas International Youth Hostel(中峡国际青年旅舍/中峡客栈)
Naxi Family Guesthouse（纳西雅阁） 
Sean’s Spring Guest house（山泉客栈）
Woody Guesthouse (山白脸客栈)
Zhuoma Guesthouse (卓玛客栈)
Teacher Zhang’s Guesthouse (张老师客栈)
Halfway Guesthouse (中途客栈)
Daju Guesthouse (大具客栈)

Nearby Attractions

Hetaoyuan Village
Bendiwan Village
Nuoyu Village
28 Zigzag Turns)
The Middle Section of Tiger Leaping Gorge
The Lower Section of Tiger Leaping Gorge
Guanyin Waterfall of Tiger Leaping Gorge
The Sky Ladder
Changsheng Village
Yixiantian
Bamboo Forest
The Middle Stone and Middle Rapids
Yachaguo Village
Guanyin Temple
Xincun Village
Daju Ferry
Daju Town
Hutiaoxia Town
Haba Snow Mountain
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Three Parallel Rivers Natural Reserve in Yunnan Province

Useful Travel Tips

Best Time to Travel
April, May and June in the Gorge is the finest time for hiking Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge with crisp air. September, October are the second best time to hike Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge. June to August is the rainy season and the road is sloppy. Try to avoid the rainy season. After October the weather turns to cold, if you want to go, bring warm clothes.

What to Pack
Due to the mountainous steep and narrow road, a pair comfortable strong walking shoes are very necessary. Also pack light shirts and warm jacket. It is sunny, and gets hot easily because of hiking. While in the night, it is usually cold and windy. Before hiking, remember to pack with some water. An alpenstock is also necessary. You can also take a flashlight for the possible outage of electricity. A pair of gloves is helpful when passing some steep roads. Sun creams are MUST to prevent from the strong sunlight. Bring raincoat during the rainy season.

Accommodation Tips
There are many guest houses along the hiking trails, but the facilities are basic as this region is rural and far from cities. Convenient highways connect many villages. There are public washrooms, bathing room and hot water supply. The prices are ranging from 30 RMB to 200 RMB differing by facilities and location. Most guest house offer Chinese food. Some better guest houses also provide some basic western food and drinks.

Safety
Follow the high trail rather than the low trail. The high trail is no any problem for hiking. If you are independent travelers, try to find a local guide to go with you. They are experienced and know the way which will make you safe.