Top 10 Lijiang Attractions, Top 10 Things to Do in Lijiang

Plan your Lijiang Tour?  Lijiang is located in the northwestern portion of Yunnan and borders Sichuan. It is in a region where the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau converge.

Lijiang is considered as a place blessed with fresh air, clear streams, breathtaking snow mountains, and an undisturbed landscape inhabited by a friendly group of people. The picturesque Lijiang is abundant in tourist resources through its graceful landscapes, unique ethnic group flavors as well as ancient national cultures.

No. 01: Tiger Leaping Gorge
Tiger Leaping Gorge, located 60 kilometers north of Lijiang City, is one of the deepest gorges on the planet, and it has the best hiking trail in the Lijiang area.

The 17km-long gorge is divided into three segments with an aggregate fall of 210 meters.  At the opening of the gorge, which is also the mouth of the Jinsha River, a Herculean pebble, about 30 meters wide, seems to be stranded amidst the billowing waves. Spring is the best time as the river turbulence is at its peak.

Entrance Fee: CNY 50
Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00
How to get there: There are no buses can reach the Tiger Leaping Gorge directly, you can take the Tourist Bus to the Tiger Leaping Gorge.

No. 02: Lijiang Old Town
Lijiang Old Town, a well-preserved old city of ethnic minorities with brilliant culture, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Lijiang City, Yunnan, China.

The town, which is famous for its orderly system of waterways and bridges, has a history going back more than 800 years. It occupies an area of 3.8 square kilometers. The Old Town is built along the lie of mountains and the flow of rivers, providing a very precious sample of the research on the old-time architecture.

Entrance Fee: free
Opening Hours: the whole day
How to get there: You can take a taxi to the Lijiang Old Town

No. 03: Jade Spring Park
Jade Spring Park, also called Black Dragon Pool Park, is located on the northern edge of town, exactly at the foot of Elephant Hill.

The spring water is as clear as jade. The water in the pond is warm in cold winter,but cool in hot summer. Above the surface of the pond there is always white vapor flowing in winter, which makes you feel like you are in a fairyland. It provides a haven for bird and water-life, with spectacular plants around. Surrounding the pool, within the park’s landscape, there are ancient monuments worthy visiting,

Entrance Fee: CNY 60
Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00
How to get there: 15 minutes’ walk from the Old Town of Lijiang or take a tax

iNo. 04: Dry Sea
Dry Sea, which is a vast meadow with an altitude of 3,100 meters, is located at the east foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and is 25 kilometers away from Lijiang Old Town.

Dry Sea is the closest and also the best place to get a panorama of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Dry Sea now is a famous travel resort, many minority villages are built here and the establishments are self-contained. Tourists can take part in many kinds of activities by daylight like skiing, grass-sliding, gliding, and racehorse, etc.

Entrance Fee: free
Opening Hours: 08:00-20:00
How to get there: take Bus No. 7 from Hong Tai Yang Square to get there

No. 05: Lugu Lake
Lugu Lake, which is located in the North West Yunnan plateau, is home to the Mosu minority(China’s only matriachal society), and what has to be some of China’s most spectacular scenery.

Lugu Lake is a natural lake in the Hengduan Mountain System, and has a horseshoe shape. It is called the “mother lake” by the Mosuo people. Lugu Lake is 48.5 square kilometers in area and about 93 meters deep at its deepest point. Most people go to Lugu Lake from Lijiang. There is a six or eight hour bus ride up and down mountains on narrow dirt roads.

Entrance Fee: CNY 80
Opening Hours: 08:00-18:00
How to get there: take shuttle bus at Old Town to the Lugu Lake which will take you aroud CNY 100

No. 06: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, which is the southern section of the Hengduan Mountains, is located 15 kilometers north of Lijiang, is a national-level scenic area.

Its highest peak is named Shanzidou. The view of the massif from the gardens at the Black Dragon Pool in Lijiang is noted as one of China’s finest views. The far side of the mountain forms one side of Tiger Leaping Gorge. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a sanctuary for rare animals and wild plants.

Entrance Fee: CNY 120
Opening Hours: 09:30-16:00
How to get there: you can rent a car for one or two days; or take Buses No. 7 to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

No. 07: Black Dragon Pool
The Black Dragon Pool is a famous pond in the scenic Jade Spring Park located at the foot of Elephant Hill, a short walk north of the Old Town of Lijiang.

was built in 1737 during the Qing Dynasty and offers a spectacular view on the region’s tallest mountain, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, over its white marble bridge. The park features several smaller temples and pavilions: the Moon-Embracing Pavilion, the Dragon God Temple and the threefold overlap Five-Phoenix Tower.

Entrance Fee: CNY 30
Opening Hours: 07:30-18:00
How to get there: take Bus No. 9 to the Black Dragon Pool from downtown area

No. 08: Baisha Murals
Baisha Murals were kept and displayed in some ancient buildings around Baisha village that is located about 10 kilometers to the north of Lijiang Ancient Town adjoining Jade Dragon Snow Mountain to its north.

Being an old and beautiful small town, Baisha Murals is the earliest habitation and political centre for the Naxi Nationality. Baisha Murals is the combination of Naxi, Tibetan, Bai and Han artistic designs. Most of the murals vividly describe the religious stories of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.

Entrance Fee: CNY 30
Opening Hours: 07:00-19:00
How to get there: take Bus No. 6 from the County of Lijiang to Baisha Lukou Station

No. 09: Shuhe Ancient Town
Located four kilometers to the northwest of the old town of Lijiang, Shuhe ancient town was one of the earliest gathering places of Lijiang valley plain region for the Naxi ancestors.

It was an important town on the Tea-horse Ancient Road that has been well preserved. In 1997, Shuhe was enlisted by the UNESCO as one of the important components of the “World Cultural Heritage” – Lijiang Ancient Town. In 2005, it was honored as the “well-known township with the best residential environment” in the appraisal event of “Well-known Township of China”.

Entrance Fee: CNY 70
Opening Hours: 07:00-19:00
How to get there: You can take a taxi or ride a bicycle to Shuhe Ancient Town from the downtown area of Lijiang.

No. 10: Dongba Cultural Museum
Dongba Culture Museum, which is situated on the north side of Black Dragon Pool of Lijiang, is a museum which deals with the of the Dongba culture of the Naxi people.

The Naxi is a minority with a long history and a brilliant culture. The Dongba culture is a most inclusive term referring mainly to the language and scriptures. The museum has more than 10000 Dongba cultural relics and various other historical relics and offers the “Dongba Culture Exhibition”, thereby attracting more than 100000 visitors each year.

For its outstanding work over the past years, county museums in China, awarded the honor of “Advanced Cultural Unit in China”.

Entrance Fee: CNY 20
Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00
How to get there: walk along Xin Street of Lijiang, you will find Dongba Cultural Museum a few minutes later