13 Days Yunnan Trekking Tour from Lugu Lake to Baoshan Stone Town and Tiger Leaping Gorge

Tour Overview

This is a hard trekking trail and the most romantic part is the trekking from Baoshan stone town to Lugu lake. We have to take twice ferry across the...

Code of Tour: YET0000003185

Length of Travel: 13 Day

Destinations of Tour: Lijiang-Lugu Lake-Zhuangzi-Labo-Fenglian-Liuqing-Baoshan Stone Town-Daju-Tiger Leaping Gorge-Shangrila

Departure City: Lijiang

Price of Tour: Request

Type of Tour:

Features of Tour: Nature Hiking Minorities Landscape

More Map & Picture

This is a hard trekking trail and the most romantic part is the trekking from Baoshan stone town to Lugu lake. We have to take twice ferry across the lake with our donkeys, and pilgram to Lugu lake. Trekking around Lugu lake, worshipping the local Zhamei Temple, and the Matriarchal saint mountain: Gemu, which is named by the Local god, the legend story said she cried for her lover, so the tears following all the way became Lugu lake, and now it became dating center for lovers. The last impressive part of this Yunnan trekking tour is Tiger Leaping Gorge trekking. It is a must-visit site during your tour.

Brief Itinerary

• Day 1: Lijiang Arrival
• Day 2: Lijiang
• Day 3: Lijiang – Lugu Lake
• Day 4: Lugu Lake
• Day 5: Lugu Lake – Zhuangzi
• Day 6:Zhuangzi-Labo
• Day 7: Labo-Fenglian – Liuqing
• Day 8: Liuqing- Baoshan Stone Town
• Day 9: Baoshan Stone Town – Daju
• Day 10: Daju – Tiger Leaping Gorge – Nuoyu Village
• Day 11: Nuoyu Village – Shangri-La
• Day 12: Shangri-La
• Day 13: Shangri-La Departure

Google Map

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities:Lijiang Old Town, Black Dragon Pool and Dongba Museum
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: None

You’ll begin our journey to Lijiang, which is the travel highlight of Yunnan. Our local guide will meet you in Lijiang airport. And then you will be transferred to our hotel. In the afternoon, you will walk from the water wheels of Lijiang Old Town to visit Black Dragon Pool and learn the Naxi ethnic culture in Dongba Culture Museum.

The rest time will be free in Lijiang Old Town.

Day 2 Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities:Shuhe Old Town, Mu Emperor’s Palace, Lion Hill, Baisha Old Town, Baisha Murals
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

You’ll head for Shuhe Old Town, which is the relic of the Tea-Horse Trading Caravan from bank of Mekong River to India via Tibet. You are planning to walk from LongQuan (Drangon Spring) in Shuhe Old Town to Baisha Old Town, you will visit the the Naxi family and Baisha Mural. Lunch at “Just Here Restaurant” in Baisha Street.

After lunch drive back to Lijiang and visit the Wangu Pagoda on the top of the Lion Hill, here you will have a wonderful panoramic view of Lijiang Old Town. You will walk down from the Lion Hill to Mu Emperor’s Palace which is the local chieftain’s former residence.

Day 3 Lijiang – Lugu Lake

Sightseeing and Activities:the upper Yangtze Grand Canyon, Yi and Pumi Ethnic Villages, Lugu Lake
Accommodation: Lugu Lake
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, drive 4-5 hrs on the spectacle mountain road to visit the mysterious Lugu Lake. On the way, enjoy the beautiful view among the huge mountains and rivers. Do some easy walking to visit the beautiful canyon and Yi ethnic people’s villages when you arrive at Ninglang County.

Arrive in Lugu Lake in the afternoon, visit Mosuo Ethnic Museum and Luoshui Village around Lugu Lake.

Day 6 Zhuangzi-Labo (2650M)

Sightseeing and Activities: Labo Village
Accommodation: Labo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

This stage is a long and weary climb, reserved for keen hikers who are still in good physical shape after the first stage. The orange line in photo 2 marks the trek of this stage.

Ferry: The elevation first drops to 1400m when you reach the ferry.

Labo is the first village on the east shore. You climb through fields, streams, villages. It is difficult to find high trees giving a shade against the burning sun. Sometimes you walk on a tractor road.

Trek from Labo to Fenglian, then continue trekking to Liuqing.

Fenglian: A further descent to Fenglian is a long but gentle hike, with enjoyable views of Jinsha River. Several villages can be found along the path. Local people are friendly. Children would say hello to you. Many travelers would finish their trek at Fenglian as landscapes of the first stage are the most breathtaking. They can take a morning bus going back to Lijiang.

Day 8 Liuqing-Baoshan Stone Town

Sightseeing and Activities:Jinsha River, Taizi Mountain Pass, Baoshan Stone Town, Naxi ethnic people
Accommodation: Baoshan Stone Town
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In 2.5 hours, you will encounter a tough ascent to the Prince Pass, steeply-incised by Jinsha Jiang. Even horses are not able to climb up here. You will have to cross two tunnels without any illumination. Torches are essential here. The first tunnel is actual the highest point of Prince Pass.

Day 10 Daju-Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge-Nuoyu Village

Sightseeing and Activities: Trekking
Accommodation: Tea Horse Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast in Daju Town, walk down to Jinsha River; take the boat to the other side of Yangtze River from the Daju New Ferry. Hike along the road from Xincun Village of the Lower Tiger Leaping Gorge to the Middle Part and visit the Walnut Grove Garden Village on the way.

Arrive at the Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge at noon and enjoy the lunch in Tina’s Hostel. Continue the hiking tour up to the Haba Snow Mountain, visit the Bamboo Forest, the Flying Cliff, Guanyin Temple; Arrive at Bendiwan Village and take a break at Halfway Hostel. You also will enjoy a fantastic view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Tiger Leaping Gorge from Halfway Guesthouse.

Continue the hiking to Nuoyu Village and stay in Tea Horse Guesthouse.

Day 11 Nuoyu Village-Qiaotou Town-Shangri-La

Sightseeing and Activities: Hiking, Xiaozhongdian Grassland, Dukezong Tibetan Ancient Town
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, hike from Tea Horse Guesthouse to Qiaotou Town. The whole distance covered on the first day is about 15 kilometers, and you’ll hike for about six hours in total. First, hike for 1 hour to the steep switchback called 28 Zigzag Turns before the next break. The views are unforgettable. After a break, hike another one or two hours, and then we will arrive at Naxi Family for lunch.

Hike another two hours from Naxi Family, we will arrive at Qiaotou Town. Of course,we will have a great view of Yulong Snow Mountain and overlooks the Jinsha (Golden Sands) River Valley during the hiking. Finish the hiking adventure tour when you arrive in Qiaotou Town. Meet our driver and transfer 2 hours to Shangrila and stop to visit the Xiaozhongdian Grassland. In Shangri-la, walk around Dukezong Tibetan Ancient Town which was an important town of the Tea-horse Trade Road from Yunnan to Tibet and India for the tea trading.

Day 12 Shangri-La

Sightseeing and Activities:Sogzanlin Monastery, Bita Lake & Shudu Lake, visit a Tibetan’s family
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, visit the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan. Songzanlin Monastery has another alias – ‘the little Potala Palace ‘, so named because the whole monastery is in the traditional style with mysterious atmosphere. Walk around Songzanlin Monastery,

And afterwards you’ll visit the tranquil Shudu Lake in Pudacuo National Park. Pudacuo National Park is located in one of the most biologically-diverse regions of the world. While the region comprises only 0.7 percent of China’s land area, it contains more than 20 percent of the country’s plant species, about one-third of its mammal and bird species and almost 100 endangered species. Finally, you will visit a Tibetan family to experience the local life in the bonfire party with Tibetan dance and music and you will try Tibetan home-made yak and cheese.

Recommended Hotels

Service Included:

• Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
• Meals as listed in the itinerary;
• Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
• Private English-speaking tour guide;
• Private vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with skilled driver;
• Service charge & government taxes;
• Luggage transfers between airports and hotels.

Service Excluded:

• Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
• Chinese visa fees;
• Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
• Single room supplement;
• Tips to guides and drivers;
• Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
• Personal travel accident insurance;
• All optional programs.