Tiger Leaping Gorge

waiting for subway in Chongqing with a few other people

Ty, Stu, Stephanie, another PCV, and I took a trip to world heritage site Lijiang in Yunnan Province, and then on to hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge.

Lijiang, old town, once the Naxi people's capital, was very touristy, crowded, and filled with trinket shops.  More than once, we were lost in the maze of narrow streets, leaving us dismayed and frustrated.

But, the hike in the Jinsha River gorge made the trip absolutely worthwhile!  The gorge is 16 k long, and 3900 m deep.  It can be hiked in 1 long day, or 2 semi-long days, or 3 easy days.  We stayed at one guesthouse on the main route, and another one at the end, Sean's, so we could do the lower, primitive trail down to and along a section of river.

I messed up on Stu's ticket,
 but we ended up in 1st class

our room in Mama Naxi's Guesthouse, Lijiang

Mama Naxi's common room,
great place, lots of information,
arranged transporation

"Tiger leaping gorge high way thus into"

view down river from Qiaotou, the hike's start

view on climb up to the "high trail"

much of the high trail goes through Naxi villages

1st night: Tea Horse Guesthouse
nice place with a great view
... and some power problems, meaning no hot water

outside rooms at Tea Horse

me, freezing, in the morning
Haba Shan Mountains with peaks over 18,000'

walking through villages

most of the trail is a traverse

we hiked down to the river on the 2nd day

um, no, really not safe,
the hike down to, along, and then back up to the road,
especially the "ladders route" was scary

Steph on one of the paths hacked into sheer cliffs
with the comforting, rickety railing

Steph above a drop-off

Ty on a ladder

Sean's Guesthouse, to be skipped,
worse dorm rooms, ever

Sean's patio

Ty was looking over the many rapids
which of course looked like pure terrible trouble,
a river not to be run, right Ty?