Three Parallel Rivers Transportation

The scope of the Three Rivers Parallel Rivers is wide, so the routes to get to the Three Parallel Rivers are also diverse. Only a few main routes are listed here for reference only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our email and telephone are contact@YunnanExploration.com and +86-871-63511469. Yunnan Exploration will customize a suitable travel for you.

How to Get to Three Parallel Rivers

By Air

In Three Parallel Rivers, there are several airports, such as Lijiang Airport, Diqing Shangri-La Airport, Baoshan Yunrui Airport, Tengchong Hump Airport, Nilang Luguhu Airport, Qamdo Bangda Airport.

1. Lijiang Airport

There are fights linking major cities and Lijiang, and also direct flight from Shanghai to Lijiang. In peak season, there are be extra flights and schedules may alter accordingly. Vistors can take long-distance buses to Tiger Leaping Gorge and the First Bend of the Yangzi River in Lijiang.

2. Diqing Shangri-La Airport

Diqing Shangri-La Airport is located about four kilometers (2.49 miles) southeast of Shangri-La City and serves the airlines traveling to Kunming, Lhasa, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. After arriving at the airport, you can take a taxi to Shangri-La City. If there is no direct airline between your starting point and Shangri-La, you can reach the Kunming Changshui International Airport first and then transfer to Shangri-La by long-distance bus or by air.

3. Nujiang Airport is under construction and will be used in October, 2019.

4. Qamdo Bangda Airport

There is an airport in Qamdo, although major cities have no direct flights to Changdu, visitors can transfer from Chengdu, Chongqing, Lahsa and other places where have direct flights to Changdu.

5. Baoshan Yunrui Airport

The airport was built in 1929, played an important historical role during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. At prensent,  there are direct flights to Baoshan Yunrui Airport, such as Beijing, Changsha, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, etc.

6. Tengchong Hump Airport

There are some direct flights to Tengchong Hump Airport, such as, Beijing, Changsha,  Chongqing, Kunming, etc. 

7. Nilang Luguhu Airport

Nilang Luguhu Airport is small. There are several flights to Nilang Luguhu Airport, such as Chengdu, Kunming.

By Train

1. The Yunnan-Tibet Railway under planning stretches to Lhasa in Tibet from Kunming in Yunnan Province. The ideal for the construction of Yunnan-Tibet Railway had been brought up early in 1990s. It is recorded that the Chinese railway experts proposed four schemes on the railway to Tibet, including the Sichuan-Tibet Railway, Yunnan-Tibet Railway, Gansu-Tibet Railway and Qinghai-Tibet Railway. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway scheme was carried out firstly for its construction is relatively easier compared to the Yunnan-Tibet Railway. The Dali- Lijiang Railway and Lijiang-Shangri-La Railway belong to Yunnan- Tibet Railway in Three Parallel Rivers.

2. The starting point of the Yunnan–Burma Railway is Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, and the end point is Rangoon, the largest city in Myanmar. According to the plan, the total length of the Kunming-Rangoon Railway is about 1920 kilometers, and the length of the Kunming-Ruili Railway in China is 690 kilometers. Kunming to Dali was opened on July 1st, 2018, and it only takes 2 hours to get to Dali. And other road sections have been under construction, In the near future, it will take only 3 hours from Kunming to Lijiang.

By Long-distance Bus

In Yunnan, the long-distance bus is the most important vehicle. Visitors can almost get to anywhere in Yunnan by long-distance buses, except for the remote villages.

1. Lijiang to Shangri-La

Mini buses to Shangri-La City are available. The bus leaves every one hour between 7:00 a.m. and 15:00 p.m.

2. Kunming to Liuku

The travelers can take long-distance buses from Kunming to Liuku. Buses will depart at 9:00, 18:00 and 19:00 every day from Kunming Western Passenger Station to Liuku, which takes about 13 hours.       

3. Baoshan to Liuku

From Baoshan to Liuku, there are many shuttle buses every day, usually from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m, which takes about four hours.

4. Daoceng – Shangri-La

There are about 300 kilometers from Daocheng to Shangri-La and it will take about 12 hours from Daocheng to Shangri-La.

Cycling

For those who like cycling, Cycling to Three Parallel Rivers is a good choice. Visitors can ride to Three Parallel Rivers from Sichuang, Tibet. There is a typical route from Ya'an -Xichang-Wuhu-Lijiang- Shangri-La-Weixi-Lanping-Liuku-Bingzhongluo-Gongshan -Fugong-Tengchong- Ruili-Mangshi-Baoshan -Dali (for reference only).

How to Get Around Three Parallel Rivers

Car Rental

Renting a car is suitable for a flexible and comfortable way. If there are enough people in your group to share the expense, it is better for you to rent a car with an experienced driver and a tour guide if you are foreign travelers. If you want to have more fun on the way, renting a car is highly recommended way. The driver of chartering car can stop for you to enjoy the scenery and take photos. But a tourist bus will not stop on the way.

Taxi

Smaller sized cars are RMB6 for the first 3 KM and 1.6/KM thereafter and bigger cars like Santana are 7 yuan for the first 3 KM and 1.8/KM thereafter. Although few drivers use the meter during the day, most journeys should not cost more than 6 yuan. The night pricing policy is a bit strange, after 22:00, meters are not used at all, and the fare is always 10 yuan. It should cost about 300 yuan to hire a taxi for the entire day.

Long-distance Bus

1. Lijiang – Shangri-La 

As Shangri-La is only about 200 kilometers away from Lijiang, it is much convenient by bus from Lijiang to Shangri-La.

2. Shangri-La-the Upper Section of Tiger Leaping Gorge

There is a bus departing from Zhongxia International Youth Hostel(中峡国际青年旅舍) at 8:00am in Shangri-La for Tina’s Guest House(中峡客栈) via Qiaotou Town(桥头镇) with the fee for 50RMB per person. Hikers can get off the bus at the park lot in the Upper Section of the Tiger Leaping Gorge. The buses depart from Tina’s at 3:00pm for Shangri-La with the fee for 50RMB per person.

3. Lijiang- the Upper Section of Tiger Leaping Gorge

The buses depart from Lijiang Ancient Town for the Middle Section of Tiger Leaping Gorge via Qiaotou Town(桥头镇) and the upper section. Hikers can get off the bus at park lot in the Upper Section of the Tiger Leaping Gorge. The buses depart from Tina’s at 3:00pm for Lijiang with the fee for 50RMB per person.

4. Daju-Tiger Leaping Gorge

Travellers can take a bus from Lijiang to Daju at 7:30 or 13:30 with the price for 26RMB, then walk towards to the ferries by Jinsha River, across the river by boat, there you arrive at the lower section of Tiger Leaping Gorge.

5. Shangri-Yubeng

Usually tourists should take long-distance bus from Shangri-La to Deqin, then transfer to Xidang Hot Spring. Then you can ride horse or charter car to Nanzong Pass. From Nanzong Pass, tourists just can go hiking or ride horse to go into Yubeng Village. 

6. Lijiang - Feilaisi

Lijiang has opened the shuttle buses from Lijiang to Deqin County at 8: 20 a.m. per day, with fewer flights, which takes around 10 hours. Then, charter a car or take a taxi to Feilaisi Temple at the price of 30 yuan (about 20 minutes).

7. Liuku-Bingzhongluo

The earliest car departs at 7:30, and the fare plus insurance is 85 yuan, only one shift per day, which takes about 9 hours. However, the car will stay in Fugong, and the length of stay depends on the specific situation. The driver will also let the passengers transfer in Gongshan. The fare from Gongshan to Bingzhongluo is 10 yuan. If you buy the direct ticket, you will not pay the fare.

Cycling

1. There is a typical route that visitors can visit the attractions around Three Parallel Rivers, that is, Lijiang-Shigu Town and Yangtze River First Band-Tiger Leaping Gorge-Haba Snow Mountain-Haba Village-Baishuitai-Pudacuo National Park (Bitahai Sea and Tudu Lake)-Shangri-La-Napahai-Songzanlin Temple-Dukezong Ancient City - Nixi Tutao Village - Benzilan - Baimang Snow Mountain - Deqin County - Feilaisi Temple - Meili Snow Mountain - Mingyong Glacier - Lancang River Grand Canyon - Cizhong Village - Biluo Snow Mountain - Gongshan County - Bingzhongluo Town- Gaoligong Mountain - Dulong River Grand Canyon - Fugong County - Lushui City - Tengchong or Baoshan.

2. For many bike enthusiasts, riding a bike from Lijiang to the park pot in the Tiger Leaping Gorge would be a good option. You can stay at locals’ home for the night and catch the view of the upper section in Lijiang on the second day, then back to the Tiger Leaping Gorge Town and move towards the upper section in Shangri-La or the Middle Section of Tiger Leaping Gorge.