Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Cable Car & Baisha Village Tour

See the snow peaks from the meadows, not from the town

A full-day tour from Lijiang to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (5,598m) with cable car access to either Yunshanping or Maoniuping meadow, a stop at Baisha Naxi Village to see adobe houses and frescoes, and a visit to Black Dragon Pool. The tour includes an English-speaking guide, private transportation, lunch, cable car fare and water. It runs eight hours and suits all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Baisha Village

• Drive 45km to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
• Take cable car to Yunshanping or Maoniuping
• View Snow Mountains and grasslands
• Visit White Water River
• Have lunch at Baisha Village
• Visit Baisha Village and Baisha Frescoes
• Go to Black Dragon Pool in Lijiang

The experience

The drive takes about an hour to cover 45km from Lijiang to the base of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Once there, you take a cable car up to either Yunshanping (Spruce Meadow) or Maoniuping (Yak Meadow), you choose which one, where the snow peaks rise above grasslands in the foreground and the White Water River cuts through the valley below. The altitude is high enough that the views shift the whole sense of scale, but the cable car does the climbing for you.

After descending, lunch happens in Baisha Naxi Village, the historic capital of the Naxi people. The houses here are built from adobe and wooden beams, many decorated with fish designs, and the Baisha Frescoes (painted panels that survive from centuries back) sit inside a temple compound. The village is small and walkable, and the tour includes time to move through it without rushing. From there, the route loops back toward Lijiang to finish at Black Dragon Pool, a park in the city itself where the mountain reflects in still water on clear days.

Your guide speaks English throughout, and the tour handles all the logistics: the van picks you up, covers the entrance fees, provides the cable car tickets, and includes lunch and a bottle of water. Eight hours total means you leave early and return by late afternoon, which leaves the evening free.

What’s included

• Private transportation from Lijiang.
• English-speaking guide.
• entrance fee to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
• round-trip cable car to either Yunshanping or Maoniuping meadow.
• lunch in Baisha Village.
• excursion bus within the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain area.
• one bottle of water per person.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Youth (7 to 11 years) · Child (3 to 6 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by China Kongfu Panda tour

Is this one for you?The cable car means you see the snow peaks and meadows without hiking at altitude, so the day works for anyone who wants the views without the physical demand. If you prefer to stay in Lijiang and see the mountain from the town itself, or if you want a longer trek into the high country, this tour is not the fit, but for a morning-to-afternoon loop that covers three distinct stops and includes lunch, it packs a full day into eight hours.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 11 years); Child (3 to 6 years); Infant (under 3).

How high does the cable car go on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain?

The cable car climbs to either Yunshanping at 3,200m or Maoniuping at 3,600m, both high enough to see the snow peaks above the meadows. You choose which one when you book.

What is Baisha Naxi Village and why is it on this tour?

Baisha Naxi Village was the capital of the Naxi people and still holds traditional adobe houses with wooden beams and decorative fish designs. The tour includes a visit to the Baisha Frescoes, painted temple panels that are centuries old and rare to see outside a museum.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour?

The tour suits all physical fitness levels. The cable car does the climbing, so you walk at a gentle pace through the meadows and the village without strenuous effort.

What time does the tour start and finish?

The tour runs eight hours total. Pickup is from your Lijiang hotel or a meeting point in the city. Ask the operator for the exact departure time when you book.