Tiger Leaping Gorge Hike: Complete Guide & Trail Info (2026)

Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the world’s great hikes — two days along a cliff wall above the Yangtze at the deepest gorge on earth. Here’s the complete guide: the trail, the difficulty, where to sleep and how to plan it.

Some hikes are famous because they’re hard. Tiger Leaping Gorge is famous because it’s spectacular and accessible — a world-class trail that a fit traveler can walk with nothing but decent shoes and a water bottle. For two days you follow a cliff path high above the Yangtze River, across from the snow peaks of Jade Dragon Mountain. It’s the hike most travelers take from Yunnan and the one they remember most.

The trail in brief

• The High Trail — the classic route, high on the cliff face, with the best views.
• Length — about 22 km over two days.
• Structure — Day 1 climbs from Qiaotou through the 28 Bends to Halfway guesthouse; Day 2 descends to Tina’s and the gorge floor.
• Altitude — roughly 2,000–2,700 m; mild for most hikers.

The trail is straightforward to follow, well-marked, and busy enough with hikers that you’re never alone on the path.

Day 1: Qiaotou to Halfway

The classic first day:

• Start at the trailhead near Qiaotou, after the short approach from Lijiang.
• Climb through the 28 Bends — the famous steep switchbacks. It’s the hardest part of the hike, but it’s finite and the views open up as you rise.
• Walk the ridge along the cliff wall, across from the snow peaks.
• Finish at Halfway Guesthouse — simple rooms, famous rooftop views, home-style food.

Allow 5–7 hours with breaks. Start early to catch the light and beat the heat.

The High Trail runs along the cliff face high above the Yangtze — the classic two-day route with the best views across the gorge.

Day 2: Halfway to Tina’s and the gorge floor

The rewarding second day:

• Walk on the High Trail from Halfway, mostly descending with spectacular views.
• Drop to Tina’s Guesthouse at the road, the traditional second stop.
• Optionally descend to the gorge floor at the Yangtze itself — a steep side trip down to the river, the ultimate ‘here’s how deep this is’ moment.
• Exit from Tina’s by bus or private car back to Lijiang or onward to Shangri-La.

The gorge-floor descent adds 2–3 hours and real stairs, but it’s the part people photograph forever. If you’re short on time or energy, the High Trail views are the main event.

Dropping to the gorge floor brings the Yangtze’s roar and the full scale of the deepest gorge on earth.

Difficulty and fitness

• Not technical — no ropes, no exposure, no scrambling required on the main trail.
• Endurance matters — the 28 Bends are a sustained climb; good walking fitness and comfortable shoes are the real requirements.
• The gorge floor descent is steep and step-heavy — the one place where knees and ankles earn their keep.

Fit beginners complete it comfortably; serious hikers find it easy. It’s a perfect ‘first big hike’ because the effort is repaid by scenery every step.

When to go and what to pack

• Best seasons — spring and autumn for clear, mild conditions.
• Summer caution — heavy rain makes the trail slippery and can trigger landslides that close sections. Check conditions before you go.
• Winter — clear but cold; sections can ice up in December–January.
• Pack — walking shoes, water, snacks, sun protection, a light layer, and a power bank (chargers are available at the guesthouses).

Download the trail map and set up Alipay and an eSIM before you leave the city — coverage on the trail is patchy and payment at guesthouses is simplest via mobile.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Rushing it in one day — the two-day version is the point; cramming it into one day means missing the sunset, the guesthouse night and half the scenery.
• Underpacking water — there’s little to buy on the trail; carry more than you think.
• Skipping the gorge-floor descent — it’s the steepest part but the moment the ‘deepest gorge’ claim becomes real. Budget the extra hours.
• No offline map — the trail is well-marked, but a downloaded map and the guesthouse names make navigation trivial.
• Wrong shoes — flat-soled shoes on the 28 Bends and the gorge stairs are a day of misery. Grippy walking shoes matter.
• Ignoring the weather — after rain the trail is slippery and sections can close; check conditions and be flexible.

The hike is forgiving of most mistakes — but a little planning turns a good trip into a great one.

What it costs

Rough guidance (per person, CNY, prices change): transport from Lijiang ¥60–120 by bus; entry ticket about ¥45–65; guesthouse night ¥60–150 per bed or room; meals ¥30–60 at the guesthouses; gorge-floor descent sometimes adds a small fee at the river access. A porter or mule on day one costs extra. Total for the two days is typically ¥300–600 per person — remarkable value for one of the world’s great hikes.

The scenery, section by section

The gorge’s beauty builds as you go. The first hours from Qiaotou climb through the 28 Bends with the river far below and the valley opening up behind you. On the ridge you walk the cliff face itself, with the Yangtze thundering in the depths and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain across the valley — often snow-capped even in summer. Near the gorge floor, the river narrows dramatically between the cliffs, and the famous ‘Tiger Leaping Stone’ marks the legendary spot where a tiger supposedly leapt the gap. The second day’s descent rewards you with the river at close range and the full scale of the gorge around you.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain rises across the valley from the High Trail — often snow-capped even in summer.

Planning around the hike

The gorge works best as the centerpiece of a Yunnan sequence. A classic week: arrive in Lijiang (the old town, the lake), take a day for Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, then set out for Tiger Leaping Gorge for two days, and continue to Shangri-La to close the loop before flying out. The hike’s endpoints connect naturally — you leave from one town and exit toward the next, carrying only what you need for two days and leaving the rest in Lijiang. It’s a route built for exactly this kind of trip, and the classic Yunnan route lays out the full sequence.

Getting there and onward

• From Lijiang — about 2 hours by bus or private car to Qiaotou. See our Lijiang guide.
• From Shangri-La — about 1.5 hours, approaching from the gorge’s upper end.
• Onward options — return to Lijiang, continue to Shangri-La, or loop back through the classic Yunnan route.

A common and rewarding plan: Lijiang → Tiger Leaping Gorge (2 days) → Shangri-La. It’s one of the great sequences in Chinese travel.

The bottom line

Tiger Leaping Gorge is the hike that defines Yunnan for outdoor travelers — two days of cliff-edge trail, snow peaks and the deepest gorge on earth, accessible to anyone fit enough to walk uphill for an afternoon. Walk the High Trail, sleep at Halfway, drop to the river on day two, and you’ll understand why it’s one of the world’s classic hikes — and why so many travelers build a whole Yunnan trip around it.

Last updated: August 2026. Trail conditions and access change with weather and maintenance — confirm current status before you go.