Tiger Leaping Gorge & Yubeng · 6-Day Trek

Tiger Leaping Gorge & Meili / Yubeng, Yunnan · 6 days / 5 nights · Moderate (3/5) · max ~3,900 m · $87/day · $520 total per person

Two iconic trails, one unforgettable journey — trek China's wildest gorge and a Himalayan sacred valley back to back.

DAY 1 — Lijiang → Shangri-La Ancient Town → Feilai Temple (approx. 8 hrs driving) We set off from Lijiang, passing through Shangri-La's ancient city before making our way to Feilai Temple, the premier vantage point for photographing the full glory of Meili Snow Mountain. Feilai Temple sits at one of the best positions to capture the Golden Mountain sunrise over Meili — one of the world's most… DAY 2 — Feilai Temple (Meili sunrise, weather permitting) → Ninong Village (trek ~5 hrs, ~12.5 km) → Yubeng Village Rise at 6:00 a.m. for the rare spectacle of the Golden Mountain sunrise — Feilai Temple is the single best vantage point for Meili Snow Mountain, one of the world's most beautiful peaks and the sacred Kawagarbo, holiest of the 13 summits. Twenty minutes of golden light painting the Meili range is, as the locals… DAY 3 — Lower Yubeng → Xiaonong Base Camp → Ice Lake → Lower Yubeng (approx. 18 km, approx. 7 hrs) After a hearty breakfast, set out from the guesthouse through high-altitude meadows, alpine forests, and rhododendron groves, trekking upward for about two hours to cross the Shangna-La-Yi Pass at roughly 3900 m elevation — then descend directly to the Yubeng River. Continue up through another stretch of pristine… DAY 4 — Lower Yubeng → Sacred Waterfall → Lower Yubeng (approx. 12 km, approx. 5 hrs) After breakfast head toward the Sacred Waterfall. Nestled beneath the sheer cliff face of Kawagarbo, this is the waterfall the Tibetan people call the 'Yubeng Sacred Spring' — a place of purification and spiritual renewal. Tibetan pilgrims travel for days to bathe in its waters as an act of devotion. In summer,… DAY 5 — Lower Yubeng → Ninong Valley → Ninong Village → vehicle back to Lijiang Up at 7:30 a.m. Enjoy breakfast and a parting photo with Meili Snow Mountain, then trek down to Lower Yubeng Village and on to Ninong Gorge — about 5 hours on foot before the vehicle picks you up for Lijiang. We depart at 8:00 a.m., following the Yubeng River downhill to Ninong Gorge. Along the way there are… DAY 6 — Lijiang → Chamakezhan guesthouse → Halfway viewpoint → Longdong Waterfall → Zhanglaoshi guesthouse → Lijiang Depart the hotel at 8:00 a.m. and head straight for Tiger Leaping Gorge Scenic Area. Transfer to Chamakezhan guesthouse (the high-road trekking start), then begin the trail. Hike up to the Halfway viewpoint for photos, enjoy a self-pay lunch, then continue to Longdong Waterfall and onward to Zhanglaoshi guesthouse.… Price: $80 /day /person ($476 in total). Child $260 total. Single supplement $120.

Where in China

📍 Yunnan Province · Tiger Leaping Gorge & Yubeng (Diqing), southwest China

Highlights

• Lower Yubeng — A grand banyan tree presides over the village entrance, a clear mountain stream meanders past ancient timber homes, and century-old pines stand as silent sentinels. Lower Yubeng is the valley floor gateway to all Yubeng treks.
• Upper Yubeng — Upper Yubeng village floats in isolation above the clouds — lush green forest, mist curling through the trees, the entire hamlet hidden in white cloud as if lifted from a painting. Tiered cliff faces, gurgling streams, waterfalls tumbling from the mountainside: scenery that belongs on a scroll.
• Sacred Waterfall — In summer, snowmelt swells the falls to their most spectacular — white curtains of water drape over a sheer cliff, roaring with sound. Sunlight through the mist conjures a perfect rainbow. The Tibetan people regard this as a site of purification; pilgrims travel from afar to bathe beneath its sacred waters.
• Ice Lake — Fed by glacial snowmelt, Yubeng Ice Lake is bracingly cold and an extraordinary jade green — like a giant gemstone set high in the mountains. Glaciers extend all the way to the shoreline; in winter the whole scene transforms into a crystalline ice world.
• Meili Snow Mountain — The Golden Mountain sunrise — a natural phenomenon born from the perfect alignment of mountain profile, light angle, season, and weather — is one of the rarest spectacles in the world. Feilai Temple is the premier viewing position. Meili's sacred Kawagarbo peak, highest of its 13 summits, is one of the most beautiful snow mountains on Earth.
• Tiger Leaping Gorge Trek — From Chamakezhan guesthouse to Halfway viewpoint, the trail gains almost no elevation — yet within 2–3 hours delivers breathtaking gorge scenery that beginners can easily handle. A genuine bucket-list entry-level trek.

Day by day

What's included

• Transport: suitable vehicle for group size, one seat per person (includes all in-itinerary tour vehicles and road tolls).
• Accommodation: per itinerary standard — 1 night Feilai Temple, 3 nights Yubeng guesthouses.
• Scenic area admission: first-gate tickets to all listed attractions.
• Guide: fully certified guide and driver throughout.
• Children under 1.2 m: off-peak ¥1300/person; holiday pricing — consult customer service. Children over 1.2 m charged at adult rate.
• Insurance: Yunnan tourism combined insurance + travel accident insurance.

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