12 Days Lijiang and Shangri-La Tiger Leaping Gorge Hiking Tour with Haba Snow Mountain Climbing and Baoshan Stone Town

Haba Snow Mountain stands by the Jinsha River, 120KM southeast of Shangri-La, with its main peak of 5,396m. The glacier on the Haba Snow Mountain is the southmost glacier in China. The highlight of this tour is to hike to the summit of Haba Snow Mountain, which takes 2.5~3 days at pace for ascent and descent and requires spending nights on the mountain. Futhermore, you will also enjoy the top attractions of Lijiang and Shangri-La.

Highlights:

  • Have a hiking experience at the grand Tiger Leaping Gorge.
  • Explore the highlights of Lijiang and Shangri-La.
  • Experience the typical process of climbing a snow mountain.
  • Pay a visit to Baoshan Stone Town, a Naxi village.

Brief Itinerary

  • Day 1: Lijiang Arrival
  • Day 2: Lijiang
  • Day 3: Lijiang-Baoshan Stone Town
  • Day 4: Baoshan Stone Town-Daju Town
  • Day 5: Daju Town-Bendiwan Village
  • Day 6: Bendiwan Village-Haba Village
  • Day 7: Haba Village-BC of Haba Snow Mountain
  • Day 8: BC-Base Camp
  • Day 9: Base Camp-Camp 2 – Haba Village
  • Day 10: Haba Village-Shangri-La
  • Day 11: Shangri-La
  • Day 12: Departure from Shangri-La

Google Map

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities:Arrive in Lijiang
Accommodation:Lijiang 
Meals:None

Upon your arrival at Lijiang, your tour guide and driver will pick you up and then transfer to the hotel for rest.

Day 2 Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities:Lijiang Old Town,  Lion Hill, Wangu Tower, Mu Palace,Shuhe Old Town, Baisha Old Town, Baisha Murals, Yuhu Village, Former Resiedence of Josheph Rock
Accommodation:Lijiang 
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Shuhe Old Town, Lijiang

In the mnorning, you’ll start your memorable Lijiang tour from Lijiang Ancient Town (Dayan Ancient Town). Take a leisure walk up the Lion Hill and climb up the 33-meter-tall Wanggu Tower – the landmark building of Lijiang to enjoy a panoramic view of the whole old town and countryside scenery, as well as overlook the magnificent Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the distance. Later, follow a trip to Ming-dynasty style Mufu Palace, the “Forbidden City” of Lijiang to know Tusi’s ruling history and appreciate Naxi people’s brilliant culture and fine arts. Then, drive to visit Shuhe Old TownNestled at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, 6 km northwest of Lijiang old town. Shuhe was once a staging post at ancient Tea & Horse Road. With an altitude of 2440 meters above sea level, it is a tranquil town with a population of about 3000 people. Along with its sister town Lijiang, it is also part of the UNESCO Heritage site. Shuhe is the earliest settlement of Naxi people in Lijiang when their ancestors first moved to this region.

After lunch, drive to visit Baisha Old Town, which is an enchanting traditional Naxi style old town. Visit the Baisha Mural about 600 years old, which is a part of the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997.  Then, drive to Yuhu Village which is located at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. When walking into this authentic Naxi Village, you’ll see unique stone houses, Naxi ladies dressing in traditional clothes, kids playing, a tranquil Yuhu Lake…Explore leisurely around the village and then get to the Former Residence of Joseph Rock, who was an Austrian-American Botanist came to Lijiang and stayed in Yuhu Village for 27 years and made huge research work on Naxi minority.

Afterwards, drive back to the hotel in the late afternoon. Service ends.

Day 3 Lijiang-Jade Dragon Snow Mountain-Baoshan Stone Town

Sightseeing and Activities:Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Baoshan Stone Town
Accommodation:Baoshan Stone Town
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Pick you up at your hotel in Lijiang downtown. Drive to visit the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Mountain) is the southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. Consisting of 13 peaks, among which Shanzidou is the highest with an altitude of 5,600 meters (18,360 feet), the mountain stretches a length of 35 kilometers (22 miles) and a width of 20 kilometers (13 miles). Looking from Lijiang Old Town in the south which is 15 kilometers (nine miles) away, the snow-covered and fog-enlaced mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds, hence the name.

Then drive to Baoshan Stone Town . Visit local people and stay overnight in guesthouse. 

Day 4 Baoshan Stone Town-Mingyin-Daju Town

Sightseeing and Activities:Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Daju Town, Tiger Leaping Gorge
Accommodation:Daju
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Visit Baoshan Stone Village in the morning, start the 4 hours hiking tour from Baoshan to Mingyin. You will trek along the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and enjoy the 13 peaks of the mountain from a far. Finish the hiking at noon and drive to Daju Town where is the end of the Tiger Leaping Gorge. Enjoy the wonderful view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain from a far. 

Day 5 Daju Town-Daju Ferry-Xincun Village-Hetaoyuan Village-Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge-Bendiwan Village

Sightseeing and Activities:Trekking
Accommodation:Halfway Guesthouse
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast in Daju Town, walk down to Jinsha River; take the boat to the other side of Yangtze River from the Daju New Ferry. Hike along the road from Xincun Village of the Lower Tiger Leaping Gorge to the Middle Part and visit the Walnut Grove Garden Village on the way. 

Arrive at the Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge at noon and enjoy the lunch in Tina’s Hostel. Continue the hiking tour up to the Haba Snow Mountain, visit the Bamboo Forest, the Flying Cliff, Guanyin Temple; Arrive at Bendiwan Village stay at Halfway Hostel. You also will enjoy a fantastic view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Tiger Leaping Gorge from Halfway Guesthouse.

Day 6 Bendiwan Village-Nuoyu Village-28 Turns-Naxi Family-Qiaotou-Haba Village

Sightseeing and Activities:Trekking
Accommodation:Haba Village
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Shanzidou (Fan Peak) of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Lijiang

After breakfast, hike from Halfway Guesthouse to Nuoyu Village and then to Qiaotou Town. The whole distance covered on the first day is about 17 kilometers, and you’ll hike for about six hours in total. First, hike for 2 hours to the steep switchback called 28 Zigzag Turns before the next break. The views are unforgettable. After a break, hike another one or two hours, and then we will arrive at Naxi Family for lunch. 

Hike another two hours from Naxi Family, we will arrive at Qiaotou Town. Of course,we will have a great view of Yulong Snow Mountain and overlooks the Jinsha (Golden Sands) River Valley during the hiking. Finish the hiking adventure tour when you arrive in Qiaotou Town. Meet our driver and transfer to Haba Village.

Arrive at Haba Snow Mountain Guesthouse in Haba Village. You will prepare for your equipment and acclimatize youselves to the altitude(2600M in Haba Snow Mountain Guesthouse). After lunch, examine your heart rate and blood oxygen content, and learn the knowledge, condition and introduction of the Haba Snow Mountain Climbing. Overnight at Haba Snow Mountain Guesthouse.

Day 7 Haba Village-Base Camp of Haba Snow Mountain

Sightseeing and Activities:Haba Village (2600m)-the Base Camp at the 4200m of Haba Mountain
Accommodation:Camping
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Trek up the Haba Mountain for about 15 km to the Base Camp at the 4200m, which will take about 7 hours, with yaks taking your luggage. You will have picnic lunch in Haba Snow Mountain. You only need to take some water, clothes and necessary food, the other equipment will be transferred by the horses to the Basic Camp.

Base camp altitude indications vary depending on who you ask but we found it to be at about 4100 m so this is a rather long day and the path can get very muddy. Use good waterproof boots. The walk will take 4-6 hours and is mostly through the beautiful Yunann forest apart from three meadows that you will cross on the way. 

Today you will hike up 1500M of the altitude, arrive at the Base Camp in the afternoon. Because of the high elevation, everyone will suffer the different altitude sickness. You should know how to adjust the situation and adapt to the high elevation. If you really feel not very well, please tell your escort.

Note: It is not allowed to sleep before 9:00 PM.

Overnight at the Base Camp or in the wooden hut(beds and quilts are available in the wooden hut).

Day 8 Base Camp of Haba Snow Mountain-Huanghai Lake-Heihai Lake-Base Camp

Sightseeing and Activities:Base Camp of Haba Snow Mountain-Huanghai Lake-Heihai Lake-Base Camp
Accommodation:Camping
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Base Camp of Haba Snow Mountain-Huanghai Lake-Heihai Lake-Base Camp

Day 9 Base Camp of Haba Snow Mountain-Camp 2 – The Submmit of Haba-Base Camp-Haba Village

Sightseeing and Activities:the Base Camp at the 4200m – the Camp 1 at 4800 of Haba Snow Mountain – the top of Haba Snow Mountain (5396M) – the Base Camp (4200M)

Accommodation: Camping

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Get up at 3:00 am, prepare for your equipment and have a simple breakfast. Examine your health condition before leaving for the top at 4:00 AM. You will leave most of your luggage at the Camp 1, just need to take your mountaineering tools, such as the rope, ice axe, ice pick, the bag, some solid food, a warm pot of water, clothes, headlight, climbing equipment for the climbing to the summit of Haba Mountain.

–Camp 1 is located just before the 2nd grey slab at about 4800m. Usually people did not stay there but from what you could observe it seems quite uncomfortable due to the very rocky and uneven surface. A small pond nearby provides water.

You will try to climb about 4 km to the top of the Haba Snow Mountain at the 5396m, which will take about 5 hours. It is the ice and snow trail from the camp 1 to the summit, the altitude up 500M, usually, it will take you about 3 hours to the top. Enjoy the wonderful scenery of Haba Snow Mountain and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain with Yangtze River in the middle, take the pictures as souvenir. Here will be an unforgettable station of your life.

After having a picnic lunch, you will trek down to Camp 1 to take your luggage, then continue trek down to Haba Village.

Day 10 Haba Village-Baishuitai Terraces-Shangri-La

Sightseeing and Activities:Baishuitai Terraces, Dukezong Old Town
Accommodation:Shangri-La
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, drive from Haba Village to visit Baishuitai Terraces. Baishuitai is located in Baidi Village, Sanba Township, southeast of Shangri-La City. It is 101 kilometers away from Shangri-La and 2,380 meters above sea level. It is the birthplace of the Dongba Religion of Naxi people. Looking in the distance, Baishuitai hidden in the green hills is really like terraced fields. Under the sunshine, it is like a frozen waterfall in a photograph. A foot on the white stone steps, there is a cool feeling that can not be spoken out.

Then, drive to Shangri-La. Enjoy the rest time of the day in Dukezong Old Town where you can see a big pray wheel about 10 meters high and the local house. In the evening, people will gather at here to dance Guochuang Tibetan dancing. During Yifeng, Tiaolu periods of the Tang Dynasty, Tubo government established a stockade village here, named “Dukezhong” meaning City of Moonlight, in addition, another stockaded village called “Likezhong” meaning City of Sunlight was built at the edge of opposite Naizi River. 

Day 11 Shangri-La

Sightseeing and Activities:Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, Bita Lake & Shudu Lake in Pudacuo National Park, visit a Tibetan’s family 

Accommodation:Shangri-La

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Songzanlin Monastery in Shangrila

In the morning, visit the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan. Songzanlin Monastery has another alias – ‘the little Potala Palace ‘, so named because the whole monastery is in the traditional style with mysterious atmosphere. 

And afterwards you’ll visit the tranquil Bita Lake & Shudu Lake in Pudacuo National Park. Pudacuo National Park is located in one of the most biologically-diverse regions of the world. While the region comprises only 0.7 percent of China’s land area, it contains more than 20 percent of the country’s plant species, about one-third of its mammal and bird species and almost 100 endangered species.

Finally, you will have an option to visit a Tibetan’s family(Ticket: 150 Yuan not included) to experience the local life in the bonfire party with Tibetan dance and music and you will try Tibetan home-made yak and cheese.

Day 12 Departure from Shangri-La

Sightseeing and Activities:Departure from Shangri-La

Accommodation:None

Meals:Breakfast

Free at leisure before be transferred to airport for the departure flight. Service ends.

Recommended Hotels

Destination 5 Star 4 Star 3 Star Hostels
Lijiang InterContinental Hotels Group E-outfitting Hotel Group Liwang Hotel Lijiang Ecolife Hostel
Shangri-La Shangri-La Hotel Zhaxidele Hotel Shenqu Hotel Wu Fu South Yunnan Boutique Inn
Baoshan Stone Town / / / Longhu Hotel
Bendiwan Village / / / Yunjin Inn
Daju Town / / / Local Guesthouse
Haba Village / / / LijiangYoupin Haba Snow Mountain 

Service Included:

  • Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
  • Meals as listed in the itinerary;
  • Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
  • Private English-speaking tour guide;
  • Private vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with skilled driver;
  • Service charge & government taxes;
  • Luggage transfers between airports and hotels.

Service Excluded:

  • Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
  • Chinese visa fees;
  • Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
  • Single room supplement;
  • Tips to guides and drivers;
  • Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
  • Personal travel accident insurance;
  • All optional programs.

All Haba Snow Mountain Climbing and Hiking Tours

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