Located
at the junction of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and
Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau stands one of Yunnan's more famous spots, Tiger
Leaping Gorge. The gorge itself is tucked neatly between the Yulong
Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain, which surround its two sides.
The 17-km-long gorge is divided into
three segments with an aggregate fall of 210 meters. At the
opening of the gorge, which is also the mouth of the Jinsha River, a
Herculean pebble, about 30 meters wide, seems to be stranded amidst
the billowing waves. Legend has it that in ancient times, a tiger
frequently used this pebble as a stepping stone to leap across the
gorge. Most visitors take in the most famous first segment of the
gorge to observe the narrowest part of the river and see the Tiger
Leaping Pebble.
How to get there: From
Lijiang, the First Bend of the Yangtze River and Tiger Leaping Village
can be seen as part of a one day tour. The trip costs about RMB160 and
the price includes all the admission costs, bus fares, guide and
lunch. If you don't go with the one day tour, you can take buses from
the bus stations around town to Tiger Leaping Town, which is about
90km from Lijiang. From here, there are pedicabs or minibuses to
transfer you 9km further to the Upper Rapids of the gorge.
Cost: RMB35
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One
of the seven largest monasteries in Lijiang, Yufeng Monastery is
renowned for the giant Camellia Tree that stands in the grounds,
and is known as the "Ten-thousand-flower Camellia".
The camellia tree is three meters high
and the diameter of its stem is 40 centimeters, a size and span rarely
seen in the world. Originally the tree was two separate stems growing
close to each other which over the years grew into one. As many as
20000 flowers blossom on the plant every year.
How to get there:
Numerous Travel Agencies in Lijiang, both the new city and the old
city offer one day tours along this route. From Lijiang city in the
North, the main scenic spots are: Lijiang - 8km - Baisha Mural - 9km -
Yufeng Temple - 20Km - Gan hai zi and the Yulong Mountain Cable Car -
7km - Baishui River - 2km - Yunshan Ping.
If you prefer to travel
independently, take the No.7 bus from the Xin Dajie. The bus
starts from Lijiang and stops at all points along this route. Bus No.7
stops at Ganhaizi, Baishui River and Yunshanping. The fare is RMB8
from Lijiang city to the terminal at Yunshanping. The bus starts at
7am and ends at 6pm. There are around two buses a day.
The bus does not go directly to
Yufeng Temple which is 5km west of the main road. The No 7 bus will
drop you at the crossroads form where, you must walk. Pedicabs and
tractors operate along this route in peak season although they are not
that reliable.
Cost: RMB10
Opening Hours: 8am-6pm.
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Yulong
Snow Mountain (yulong xueshan) is the southernmost marine
glacier in the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere. Altogether
there are 13 peaks along the range, stretching for over 35km from
south to north. The summit, Shanzidou, is 5596 meters above sea level.
Viewed from afar, the snow-capped range resembles a silver dragon with
snow curling up its middle. Rich forest, herb and animal resources
thrive on the mountain and a giant tram cart up here is one of the
highest of its kind in China.
The Ganhaizi Grassland is a famous
tourist resort situated on the eastern slope of Yulong Snow Mountain,
an ideal spot to view the mountain from. Within the resort, there are
all kinds of entertainment facilities, including minority villages,
camp sites, a bird paradise, ecological park, horse-racing track
and a tram cart.
From near the Ganhaizi Grassland, a cable
car carries visitors up the Yulong Snow Mountain. It can get pretty
cold up here, so be sure you are dressed for the weather!
How to get there :Numerous
Travel Agencies in Lijiang offer one day tours along this route From
Lijiang city in the North, the main scenic spots are: Lijiang - 8km -
Baisha Mural - 9km - Yufeng Temple - 20km - Ganhaizi and the Yulong
Mountain Cable Car - 7km - Baishui River - 2km - Yunshan ping. The
tour costs RMB270 and the price includes all the admission fees, bus
fares and lunch.
If you prefer to travel independently,
take the No.7 bus from Xin Dajie. The bus starts in Lijiang
and goes to all spots along this route, stopping at Ganhaizi,
Baishui River and the Yunshanping. The fare is RMB8 from Lijiang city
to the terminal at Yunshanping. The bus starts at around 7am and ends
at 6pm. There are around two buses a day.
Cost: RMB40 general
admission into the Yulong Mountain area. The round trip for the cable
car costs RMB112 (including insurance)
Opening Hours: 8am-6pm
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Yunshanping
is a large patch of pasture tucked away hidden amongst a virgin spruce
forest on the eastern side of the Yulong Snow Mountain. Throughout the
ages, the grassland has been seen as the gateway to a mysterious
kingdom and a holy land for young lovers.
With the development of civilization,
fewer people are forced to marry and this is no longer the spot it
once was- where lovers came to be together at all costs! Instead, this
place has been turned into a stage where young people from different
minority groups perform folk dance and sing their folk songs to
welcome visitors. Yunshanping has a small cable car providing access
to the grassland area.
How to get there:
Numerous Travel Agencies in Lijiang offer one day tours along this
route. From Lijiang city in the North, the main scenic spots
are:Lijiang - 8km - Baisha Mural - 9km - Yufeng Temple - 20km - Ganhai
zi - 7km - Baishui River - 2km - Yunshan Ping cable car. The tour
costs RMB180 and the price includes all admission costs, bus fares,
and lunch.
If you don't want to go with a tour
group, the best alternative is to take the No.7 bus from Xin Dajie.
The bus starts in Lijiang and stops at all spots along the route. Bus
No.7 stops at Ganhaizi, Baishui River and the Yunshanping. The fare is
RMB8 from Lijiang city to the terminal at Yunshanping. The bus service
starts at around 7am and ends at 6pm. There are around two buses an
hour.
Cost: RMB40 general
admission into the Yulong Mountain area. This charge includes Yulong
mountain, Baishui River, Yunshan Ping and Ganhaizi.The small cable car
costs RMB42 (including insurance) for a round trip.
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Sightseeing
Index
