The gorge lies where the Jinsha River, the upper course of the Yangtze, is squeezed between Yulong Snow Mountain on the east bank and Haba Snow Mountain on the west. The river drops steeply through a channel only a few dozen meters wide in places, and the walls rise more than three thousand meters above the water. It is one of the deepest river gorges in the world.
The legend and the river
The name comes from a story that a tiger once leapt across the narrowest point of the river to escape a hunter. The narrowest section has a boulder in the middle of the stream, and the water here is extremely violent in the high season, with standing waves and a roar audible from high above. Do not approach the water; drownings happen here.
The High Trail
The classic trek is the High Trail, running along the western slope above the road. It is usually walked in two days with a night at one of the family guesthouses along the route. The path crosses a rockfall section and at one point descends a steep cliff face by a fixed ladder or a long detour. The views down into the gorge and across to the snow peak on the far side are the reason people come, and the trail is far quieter than the road below.
Practical notes
The gorge is about two hours by road from Lijiang and about the same from Shangri-La, and it is often visited as a stop between the two. The road along the gorge has been affected by rockfall and closures, so confirm road conditions before driving. If you are not trekking, the viewing platforms at the upper and middle gorge are still worth a stop. Allow a full day for the two-day trek or three hours for the viewpoints.
