Tiger Leaping Gorge

The Jinsha river, the upper Yangtze, cuts through Yunnan between the Jade Dragon and Haba ranges, and the gap is narrow enough that the water runs loud and fast several hundred metres below the path. The classic walk is the High Trail, done in two days from Qiaotou, climbing through the twenty-eight bends above terraced fields and stopping overnight in one of the guesthouse villages on the slope. Below it, a road and steep staircases lead down to the river at the rock the gorge is named for. It is one of the few long walks in the country with a settled trail and simple places to sleep along the way.

What you actually see

• The twenty-eight bends - the switchback climb on the first day, the hardest section of the High Trail.
• The high terraces - the fields and paths above the river, with Jade Dragon standing opposite.
• The river at the bottom - reached by ladders and stairs from the road, loud and violent at high water.
• Haba mountain - the range on the trail side, snow-topped for much of the year.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the best compromise between clear views and safe footing. Summer rain loosens the slope and rockfall closes sections without warning, while winter is cold but often clear. Start walking early, since the first day is mostly uphill. Guesthouses do not always answer bookings, but they rarely fill outside national holidays.

Honest expectations

The trail is exposed in places with no barriers, and landslides do close it, sometimes for weeks. Mule handlers follow walkers uphill offering a ride, persistently. The lower river viewpoints charge separate small fees on top of the gorge ticket, which irritates most people. This is not a route to attempt in heavy rain.

Nearby

Lijiang old town to the south and Shangri-La to the north.