How to get there
Tiger Leaping Gorge is located in the Northwest part of Yunnan, a province in Southwest China. The closest city is Lijiang and is about 60 kilometers away. The gorge stretches 15 km southwest to northeast and you have the option of starting at any point. However, most people start the tour from Qiaotou which is located in the southwest. There are two roads snaking through the gorge; high and low trail. If you are out to have fun, avoid the low tail. The high trail is ideal for the best views since it goes up to most of the high slopes of the Haba Snow Mountain and gives amazing views of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain throughout the walk.
To get to Tiger Leaping Gorge from Lijiang city, you need to board buses to Shangri-la which pass by Qiaotou along the Tibet-Yunnan Highway. Be at the Lijiang’s express bus station or the Lijiang’s long distance bus station early.
Another option you can use to get to Tiger Leaping Gorge is to spend the night at the Panba International Hostel which is located in Lijiang Old Town. The hostel offers a shuttle service to Qiaotou for people intending to take the Tiger Leaping Gorge Trekking Tour. It takes about 2 hours to get to Qiaotou.
Tickets for trekking
You only need one permit or ticket for the trek. Ignore what other people tell you. You buy the ticket upon arrival at the Qiaotou’s ticket office. The ticket is about $8 to $11 depending on the season. You need to bring more money with you since there are no ATMs or banks in the villages along the Tiger Leaping Gorge.
Accommodation
You will find guesthouses in most of the villages located along the trail. The accommodation is just basic with the showers and toilets being communal. Additionally, when taking the Tiger Leaping Gorge Trekking Tour, forget about the Internet. You will not find any Wi-Fi. Why distract yourself anyway with the wired world?