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The two big water wheels of Lijiang Old Town glowing at night, Yunnan
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Lijiang Travel Guide — Dayan Old Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the Baisha murals and the Naxi music of the tea-horse road

Lijiang - the old Naxi town that has stood for close to 900 years since the Southern Song - is the heart of the tea-horse road and one of China's most loved old cities. Dayan Old Town (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997), the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain range that rises to 5,596 m behind it, the quiet villages of Baisha and Yuhu, the Shuhe canals, Lashi Lake, and the Tiger Leaping Gorge on the Jinsha River are all within an hour of the old town. The field guide budgets RMB 2,000-3,000 for a 3-5 day visit at an altitude of about 2,400 m where altitude sickness is rare. This guide carries the tickets, buses, hotels, restaurant phones and practical numbers from the guide, so you can plan it yourself or have our team arrange it end to end.

LijiangDayan Old TownJade Dragon Snow MountainBaishaShuheTiger Leaping GorgeNaxi cultureLugu Lake
3-5 DaysThe classic 3-5 days cover the old town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Baisha, Shuhe, Lashi Lake and the Tiger Leaping Gorge
RMB 2,000-3,000Budget hotels from RMB 35, bus rides from RMB 1-10 and the old-town meals at RMB 1-49 per head
Autumn BestDry and golden from September to November; the old town and the mountains are clear, cool and ideal for trekking
Free Booking HelpHotels, tickets & tours by our team
What's inside this guide Bucket List · Highlights · Q&A · Itineraries · Attractions · Activities · Where to Stay · Food · Getting Around · Shopping · Practical Info · Day Trips · Tips · Background · Plan Your Trip

Lijiang Bucket Listthe old town, the snow mountain and the gorge

01

Wander Dayan Old Town

The UNESCO old town of cobbled lanes, canals and Naxi houses - the RMB 80 maintenance fee (valid 7 days, checked at the Snow Mountain, Black Dragon Pool, Mu Fu and Wangu Tower) buys you the Sifang Square, Mu Fu and the night lanterns.

02

Ride the Jade Dragon cableways

Three cableways on the 5,596-m range - the big one to the 4,506-m Glacier Park (20 minutes), the Yak Meadow cableway (RMB 82 + RMB 20 shuttle) and the Spruce Meadow cableway (RMB 50).

03

See the reflection at Black Dragon Pool

The classic postcard of Lijiang - the Jade Dragon reflected in the pool below Elephant Hill, 15 minutes' walk north of the old town, free.

04

Cycle to Baisha and Yuhu

The quiet village of Baisha (6-bus, RMB 2) has the famous murals; Yuhu village (bus 17) has the Rock (Joseph Rock) residence and the Jade Lake reflection - the ride that foreigners love.

05

Ride and row at Lashi Lake

Horse-riding plus boating at about RMB 100-120 (including the Seven Immortals Lake return and a simple lunch) - bird-watching in winter, an hour's cycle or RMB 30 by taxi.

06

Trek the Tiger Leaping Gorge

The Jinsha gorge between the Jade Dragon and Haba snow ranges - the 2-day cliff trail from Qiaotou through the 24 Bends and Half Way to the middle gorge.

Top Highlightsthe signature scenes of the Naxi heartland

No.1Dayan Old Town at night

Dayan Old Town at night

The water wheels, the lanterns and the singing lanes.

No.2Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

The golden light on the 5,596-m peak.

No.3Baisha & the old villages

Baisha & the old villages

The murals and the quiet lanes of the north.

No.4Tiger Leaping Gorge

Tiger Leaping Gorge

The cliff trail above the Jinsha torrent.

Questions & Answerswhat travellers always ask about Lijiang

How many days do I need in Lijiang?

The field guide budgets 3-5 days at RMB 2,000-3,000. Two days covers Dayan Old Town and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain; a third adds Baisha, Yuhu and Shuhe; a fourth the Lashi Lake ride and the Tiger Leaping Gorge; a fifth can extend to Lugu Lake.

Is there altitude sickness?

Almost none - the old town sits at about 2,400 m. Only the Yak Meadow at 3,800 m gives some visitors a light headache; walk slowly there and carry water.

When is the best time to go?

Autumn (September-November) is the classic season - dry, golden and clear. Spring brings flowers, summer the rain, and winter is cold but sunny with snow on the mountains.

What is the old-town maintenance fee?

RMB 80, real-name registered and valid 7 days. You need to show it to enter Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Black Dragon Pool, Mu Fu and Wangu Tower - keep it with your passport.

How do I get to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain?

Bus 7 from beside the Red Sun Square costs RMB 10; a taxi is about RMB 100; a hired Xiali about RMB 100-150. The cableways are the big one to the Glacier Park (20 min), the Yak Meadow cableway (RMB 82 + RMB 20 shuttle) and the Spruce Meadow cableway (RMB 50, plus RMB 10 boardwalk or about RMB 60 horse-riding).

Is the Tiger Leaping Gorge worth it?

Yes - it is one of the deepest gorges in the world, and the 2-day cliff trail (Qiaotou - Naxi Family - 24 Bends - Tea Horse Inn - Half Way - middle gorge) is the classic trek; the Lijiang-section entrance is RMB 50.

Can ToursChinaTravel arrange my Lijiang trip?

Yes - email [email protected] or message us on WhatsApp. Our team books the Snow Mountain cableways, the Impression Lijiang show, the gorge trek logistics, the hotels and the Lashi Lake rides, free of charge and without obligation.

Sample Itinerariesthe two-day old town and the three-day mountain circuit

Lijiang 2-Day Old Town & Snow Mountain

The cobbled lanes, the 4,506-m glacier park and the night lanterns - the essential first visit. View the plan →

Day 1

Dayan Old Town - the Sifang Square, Mu Fu and Wangu Tower in the morning, the Black Dragon Pool reflection in the afternoon, and the night food lanes of the old town.

Day 2

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain - bus 7 or a taxi to the cableways, the Glacier Park or the Yak Meadow at 3,800-4,506 m, the Blue Moon Valley and the Bai Shui River below, then the evening back in the old town.

Lijiang 3-Day Baisha, Shuhe & Lashi Lake

The quiet villages, the murals, the canals and the lake ride - the slower Lijiang. View the plan →

Day 1

Dayan Old Town and Black Dragon Pool, then the afternoon cycle or bus 6 to Baisha for the murals and the village lanes.

Day 2

Shuhe Ancient Town - the Qingshi Bridge, the Nine-Ding Dragon Pool and the old streets; or the 16-km ride over the mountain road to Yuhu village and the Rock residence.

Day 3

Lashi Lake - the horse ride and the boat across the water at about RMB 100-120, bird-watching in winter, then the evening return to Lijiang.

All plans are bookable end-to-end by our team — see the full day-by-day Lijiang itineraries hub, or the day-trip pages for single-day options.

Top Attractionstickets, hours, transport & insider tips

Dayan Old Town

Dayan Old Town

The UNESCO old town founded in the Southern Song - Sifang Square, Mu Fu, Wangu Tower and the canal lanes; the RMB 80 maintenance fee is valid 7 days and is checked at the Snow Mountain, Black Dragon Pool, Mu Fu and Wangu Tower.

RMB 80 fee · All day · UNESCO · Old Town
View details →
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

The 5,596-m range south of the old town - the big cableway to the 4,506-m Glacier Park (20 min), the Yak Meadow cableway (RMB 82 + RMB 20 shuttle, 3,800 m), the Spruce Meadow cableway (RMB 50) with the Blue Moon Valley and Bai Shui River below; bus 7 (RMB 10), taxi about RMB 100.

Cableways RMB 50-180 · 08:00-17:00 · Snow Mountain · Cableway
View details →
Black Dragon Pool

Black Dragon Pool

The postcard reflection of the Jade Dragon below Elephant Hill, 15 minutes' walk north of the old town - free entry; the Dongba Culture Research Institute sits beside it.

Free · Daylight hours · Reflection · Park
View details →
Baisha Ancient Village

Baisha Ancient Village

The quiet village about 10 km north of the old town with the famous Ming-dynasty Baisha murals - bus 6 (RMB 2) to the Baisha junction; the village lanes and the Jade Dragon views are the draw.

Free · Daylight hours · Murals · Village
View details →
Yuhu Village

Yuhu Village

The village at the foot of the mountain with the Rock (Joseph Rock) residence, the Jade Lake reflection and the Xianji Cliff - bus 17 to the village gate, or the favourite cycle of travellers from Baisha.

Free · Daylight hours · Rock Residence · Village
View details →
Lashi Lake

Lashi Lake

The wetland lake west of the old town - horse-riding plus boating at about RMB 100-120 including the Seven Immortals Lake return and lunch; winter bird-watching; a taxi costs about RMB 30, a bicycle ride about an hour.

RMB 100-120 · Daylight hours · Horse Riding · Wetland
View details →
Tiger Leaping Gorge

Tiger Leaping Gorge

The Jinsha gorge between the Jade Dragon and Haba ranges - the Lijiang-section entrance is RMB 50; the classic 2-day cliff trek from Qiaotou (RMB 30) through the 24 Bends and Half Way to the middle gorge (RMB 55).

RMB 50-110 · Daylight hours · Trekking · Gorge
View details →
First Bend of the Yangtze

First Bend of the Yangtze

The great U-bend of the Jinsha at Shigu town - a coach from the Lijiang coach terminal costs about RMB 15 and takes 2 hours; the Jinsha First Bend viewpoint sits on the Benzilan-Deqin road.

Free · Daylight hours · River · Viewpoint
View details →

More in the region on the Yunnan attractions page.

Activities & Festivalsthe shows, the music and the Naxi festivals

Impression Lijiang

The open-air Zhang Yimou show against the Jade Dragon - about RMB 190, the most famous performance of the region.

Lishui Jinsha

The evening song-and-dance show of the Naxi and the mountain peoples - RMB 140-180 in the old town.

Naxi Ancient Music

The classical orchestra of the old town - the tunes that go back to the Tang and Song dynasties.

The Naxi Torch Festival & Sanduo Festival

The torch festival runs the 25th-27th of the sixth lunar month with bonfires in every lane; the Sanduo Festival on the 8th of the second lunar month honours the mountain god.

Where to Stayold-town courtyards from RMB 35 to the five-star resorts

Every hotel below is bookable by our team; browse the full Yunnan hotels directory.

Shiheyuan Courtyard Hotel

The popular courtyard at 30 Wenming Lane, Wuyi Street, Dayan - from RMB 380; +86 888 535 8333.

Phone: +86 888 535 8333 · Book: Yunnan hotels · or email [email protected]

Moshang Huakai

The budget courtyard in Dayan - from RMB 35; +86 888 530 9888.

Phone: +86 888 530 9888 · Book: Yunnan hotels · or email [email protected]

Freedom Life Hostel

The easy-going hostel of Dayan - from RMB 220; +86 888 518 5778.

Phone: +86 888 518 5778 · Book: Yunnan hotels · or email [email protected]

Meili Zhiyue

The friendly courtyard hotel in Dayan - from RMB 200; +86 888 511 9539.

Phone: +86 888 511 9539 · Book: Yunnan hotels · or email [email protected]

Lao Xie Che Ma Dian (Old Xie Carriage House)

The Lonely Planet favourite with the tea-horse road history - from RMB 40; +86 888 511 6118 / +86 888 510 2345.

Phone: +86 888 511 6118 · Book: Yunnan hotels · or email [email protected]

Wamao Xiaozhan

The cosy courtyard at 3 Zhaoqing Village, Xingwen Lane, Qiyi Street - from RMB 150; +86 888 516 1906.

Phone: +86 888 516 1906 · Book: Yunnan hotels · or email [email protected]

Yuetin Xuan

The comfortable courtyard hotel in Dayan - from RMB 580; +86 888 533 9333.

Phone: +86 888 533 9333 · Book: Yunnan hotels · or email [email protected]

Banyan Tree Lijiang (Shuhe)

The five-star resort in Shuhe with Jade Dragon views - from RMB 1,800; +86 888 533 1111.

Phone: +86 888 533 1111 · Book: Yunnan hotels · or email [email protected]

Food & RestaurantsNaxi classics, the horse-riding lake lunch and the night lanes

88 Haomeishi Snacks

The famous small kitchen of the old town at about RMB 27 per head - Naxi home dishes; +86 888 888 8676, mail-order at 88eat.com.

Phone: +86 888 888 8676

Ama Yi Restaurant

The old-town restaurant of Naxi home cooking at about RMB 49 per head; +86 888 530 9588.

Phone: +86 888 530 9588

Yongxia at Zhongyi Market

The market canteen at about RMB 31 per head - the locals' everyday meal.

Prague Cafe

The long-running cafe of the old town at about RMB 41 per head; +86 888 512 3757.

Phone: +86 888 512 3757

Aan Yoghurt

The little yoghurt stand of the old town at about RMB 7 a cup - a traveller favourite.

Pickled-pork rib hotpot (la pai gu)

The Lijiang classic - the rib hotpot with vegetables and dipping sauces, about RMB 30-50 per head at the old-lane pots.

Black-goat hotpot

The spicy goat-pot of the region - the A Shou shop is the best known of the old town.

Jidou Liangfen & Lijiang Baba

The pea jelly at RMB 1-2 and the Lijiang flatbread at RMB 4-8 - the street classics of the old town.

Shopping & Souvenirssnow tea, silver, Dongba batik and the Buno bells

Snow tea (xue cha)

The high-mountain tea of the Lijiang region - light and slightly sweet, the classic take-home.

Handmade silver & copper

The old-town silversmiths - the Baisuifang silver shop at 108-109 Sifang Square is the best known.

Dongba batik & tie-dye

The indigo textiles printed with the Dongba pictographs - the batik of the old town and the Zhoucheng tie-dye nearby.

Buno bells (Bu Nong Ling)

The hand-made copper and iron bells of the tea-horse road at 73 Xingren Lower Section, Wuyi Street - the classic Lijiang keepsake.

Naxi woodcarving

The Chai Chong woodcarving at Guanyuan Lane, Guangyi Street - the pictograph panels and the masks.

Full local-product guides live on the Yunnan specialties page.

Getting There & Aroundby air, rail, coach, taxi, bus and bicycle

Lijiang Sanyi Airport, 28 km from the city - the civil-aviation bus (RMB 20, 40 minutes) ends at the Civil Aviation ticket office on Shangri-La Avenue (+86 888 516 1289 / +86 888 516 1291); a taxi to the old town is about RMB 90.

https://media.doubao.com/space/api/box/stream/download/all_by_mount_point/Z23dbYGZEoI2TNxY5i0c7ILvnWh

Lijiang Railway Station at Shangji Village, Yulong County - buses 11 and 18, a minivan at RMB 30 per car or RMB 5-7 per person, or a taxi at RMB 30-40 to the old town.

https://media.doubao.com/space/api/box/stream/download/all_by_mount_point/GK46bT82doid74xwzu3cLiQtnFf

The coach terminal at 25 Kangzhong Road (+86 888 512 2929), the express terminal (+86 888 516 9758) and the provincial express (+86 888 512 5492); Kunming-Lijiang coaches take 10-12 hours at RMB 177-229.

https://media.doubao.com/space/api/box/stream/download/all_by_mount_point/G3lnbKl2fogBuUx4wAEcjM8bnab

Taxis start at RMB 7 in the city; city buses are RMB 1; bicycles rent at RMB 20-30 a day for the old town and the lakes.

https://media.doubao.com/space/api/box/stream/download/all_by_mount_point/Rw10bEPvOoICXRxIdJSc1PpAn5b

The classic rides - to Lashi Lake about an hour, to Baisha through the north, and the 16-km mountain road to Yuhu village that the travellers love.

https://media.doubao.com/space/api/box/stream/download/all_by_mount_point/GoWNbhC4ro5gBAxZQWvcROtNnxg

Day Trips From Lijiangthe snow mountain, the gorge and the lake

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Day Trip

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Day Trip

The cableways, the glacier park and the Blue Moon Valley in a day.

Tiger Leaping Gorge Day Trip

Tiger Leaping Gorge Day Trip

The gorge viewpoints and the trailheads from Lijiang in one day.

Lashi Lake Day Trip

Lashi Lake Day Trip

The horse ride, the boat and the winter birds of the wetland lake.

Travel Tipsthings to remember

Keep the maintenance-fee card

The RMB 80 old-town fee is checked at the Snow Mountain, Black Dragon Pool, Mu Fu and Wangu Tower - carry it with your passport for the 7 valid days.

Altitude is mild but real

At 2,400 m the old town is easy, but the Yak Meadow at 3,800 m can bring a light headache - walk slowly and drink water.

Dress for the mountain

The peak cableways run to 4,506 m - carry a warm layer even in summer; the gondola tops are cold and windy.

Book the season

May, October and the summer holidays fill the old town - book hotels and the mountain cableways ahead.

The old town is stone

Cobbled lanes and no cars inside Dayan - use a backpack, not a wheeled suitcase, and expect stairs.

Mind the customs

The Naxi and Mosuo villages have their own rules - ask before photographing people and never touch the sacred objects of the Dongba rites.

Practical Informationbanks, hospitals, emergencies and local help

Banks & ATMs

The four state banks and China Merchants Bank are inside the old town; the post office is on Sifang Square (+86 888 512 1012).

Phone: +86 888 512 1012

Lijiang Tourism Complaint Line

The official complaints line: +86 888 512 3432.

Phone: +86 888 512 3432

Gucheng District Tourism

The old-town district office: +86 888 510 5617.

Phone: +86 888 510 5617

Shuhe Tourism Office

The Shuhe district office: +86 888 517 4636.

Phone: +86 888 517 4636

Aladdin Outdoor Club

The trekking and rafting organiser at +86 888 515 8115 / +86 888 515 8215 - the Tiger Leaping Gorge and the mountain routes.

Phone: +86 888 515 8115

Lijiang Civil Aviation

The airport bus office at +86 888 516 1289 / +86 888 516 1291.

Phone: +86 888 516 1289

Background & Historynine centuries of the Naxi on the tea-horse road

The old town

Dayan was already a town in the Southern Song, some 800-900 years ago; in 1723 the Qing court replaced the hereditary Naxi rulers with appointed officials, and in 1997 UNESCO listed the old town.

The Dongba culture

The Naxi keep the world's last living pictographic script - the Dongba scriptures, the Dongba paintings and the Dongba priests who read the rituals.

The Naxi people

The Naxi women wear the 'stars and moon' cape of seven circles - the seven days of the week; the men are famous for the ancient music and the horse caravans of the tea-horse road.

The Mosuo neighbours

Around Lugu Lake the Mosuo keep the matrilineal 'walking marriage' - the men visit at night and the children belong to the mother's household.

Plan Your Lijiang Tripattractions, hotels, flights and specialties — all in one place

Everything on ToursChinaTravel is bookable through our team by email or WhatsApp. Here's where each part of your Lijiang trip lives on the site.

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Lijiang Hotels

Lijiang Hotels

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Routes, airlines and schedules for flights and rail to Lijiang.

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